Nature's Arcanist (3.5e Prestige Class)
The Nature's Arcanist
Deep in a long forgotten forest, there is a secret bond between druids and arcane spell casters that both value nature above all else. In exchange for the devotion and protection the wizards and sorcerers offer to nature with their mighty incantations, they are granted a unique favor: the ability to scribe their spells on a living tree. The cooperation between the druids and arcanists have their roots several centuries ago, when both provided mutual aid in a battle against an invasion of fiends to the material plane. From this time on, the organization called itself the Order of Nature's Arcanists.
Prerequisistes
Spells: Ability to cast 4th level arcane spells.
Skills: Knowledge (arcane) 8 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks, Survival 2 ranks.
Feats: Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus (Knowledge (nature)).
Special: Must be initiated to the Order of Nature's Arcanists by another member and fullfill a quest to prove himself worthy.
Class Skills
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcane) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at each level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Abilities
Hit Die: d6.
Class features
All the following are class features of the Nature's Arcanist.
Living Spellbook (Su): A Nature's Arcanist doesn't carry a traditional spellbook like other wizards. Instead he can inscribe his spells in the bark of a living tree in the sacred groves of the Order. This replaces the normal spellbook a wizard normally has, and the character looses the ability to memorize from a normal spellbook. Only through his tree the caster can drawn upon the knowledge needed to prepare spells.
| level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells known / Spells per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Living Spellbook, Bonding | +1 level arcane spellcasting |
| 2 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | +1 level arcane spellcasting | |
| 3 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Access Tree | +1 level arcane spellcasting |
| 4 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | +1 level arcane spellcasting | |
| 5 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Awaken Tree | +1 level arcane spellcasting |
| 6 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | +1 level arcane spellcasting | |
| 7 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Scribe Tree | +1 level arcane spellcasting |
| 8 | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | +1 level arcane spellcasting | |
| 9 | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Move Tree | +1 level arcane spellcasting |
| 10 | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Symbiosis | +1 level arcane spellcasting |
Bonding (Ex): A Nature's Arcanist always knows in which condition his tree is, and where in relation to his tree he is on the material plane. He can prepare spells from the bark of the tree, even when not next to the tree itself, as long as both the Arcanist and his tree are both on the material plane, but he must be next to the tree to inscribe spells.
Additionally, whenever the character is in a forest, he gains a bonus to hide, knowledge (nature), listen, move silently, spot, and survival equal to one-half his Nature's Arcanist level, rounded down to a minimum of +1. If the Arcanist is in the grove his tree stands in, this bonus is equal to his full class level.
Should the living tree ever be destroyed, or the character abandon the ways of nature (commit anything that forces him to become an ex-druid), he immediately suffers the consequences as if his familiar had died, but is automatically considered to have failed the save.
Access Tree (Su): From 3rd level on, a Nature's Arcanist can read, learn and prepare spells from his tree even when travelling on other planes of existence. This ability overrides the restriction from Bonding.
Awaken Tree (Sp): At 5th level, once per day, the Nature's Arcanist may cast Awaken on his living tree, from any distance by the means of Access Tree. This ability works just like the spell, but only has a duration of 10 minutes per Nature's Arcanist level. The tree can serve as an aid or councelor regarding nature and events in the grove. Additionally, each druidic spell prepared by the character while Awaken Tree is active is treated as 1 caster level higher.
Scribe Tree (Su): From 7th level on, the caster can inscribe spells to his tree from any distance, and with Access Tree even from different planes of existence. This ability overrides the restriction from Bonding.
Move Tree (Sp): At 9th level, once per day the Nature's Arcanist may cast Liveoak on his tree, from any distance by the means of Access Tree. This ability works just like the spell, but only has a duration of 1 hour per Nature's Arcanist level. Usually, the members of the Order use this ability only in the most dire circumstances, like when the grove is under attack or when the tree is in imminent danger.
Symbiosis (Su): At 10th level, a Nature's Arcanist has reached the ultimate symbiosis of arcane and druidic magic. From this time on, he can prepare any druid spell he knows in his arcane spell slots, and the other way round. Further, he can cast all of his spells in druidic armor, without any chance of arcane spell failure. Additionally, gains the ability to sacrifice his own health to save his tree. He can take 2 points of temporary Con damge to cure his tree of 25 hitpoints of damage, should the tree be in need of quick help.
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