Cantripologist, Variant (3.5e Class)

The cantripologist is an extremely flexible character, able to cast just the right spell for any situation. However his low health and lack of armor leave him in need of a melee combatant to distract any major enemy.

Abilities: Int is the most important attribute for a cantripologist as it is the casting stat. Con is good to cover a low hit point reserve. Dex is good if the cantripologist plans on doing any ranged combat. Wis for will saves and Str is a dump stat.

Races: Any non-elf may become a cantripologist. Elves have a haughty personality and would not deign to limit themselves to the weakest of spells. Gnomes and Fey tend to enjoy this class, however its abilities often overlap with their own. Humans, with their rampant ingenuity, function quite well as cantripologists.

Alignment: Any non-lawful. Becoming a cantripologist requires a certain capacity to deviate from traditional methods.

Starting Gold: 4d4×10 gp (100 gp).

Starting Age: Simple.

All of the following are class features of the Cantripologist.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Cantripologist is proficient with the quarterstaff, dagger, light crossbow, and heavy crossbow.

Spells: The Cantripologist's spell save DCs are Int based. He can cast a limited number of total spells each day and must prepare a list from which he may cast spontaneously each day.

Bonus Cantrips per day due to high Int: A cantripologist receives bonus cantrips per day equal to his Int modifier × his cantripologist levels

Cantrips: A cantripologist may prepare spells known each day by meditating for an hour. The cantripologist may cast any cantrip spontaneously from his spells known that day. A cantripolosigt may cast a number of cantrips per round equal to his cantrips per casting statistic as a single spell of spell level equal to half the number of cantrips cast rounded down. If a single target would be forced to make multiple saves by the effects of a cantripologist's spell then they make a single save of of any type that would have been threatened of their choosing. The cantripologist may concentrate on a number of cantrips per action equal to his cantrips per casting statistic.

Cantrip Metamagic: A cantripologist may spontaneously add metamagic effects to his spells. Each metamagic effect added adds twice its spell level adjustment to the cantrip cost of that casting. The exception is in application of metamagic effects onto a single cantrip, wherein the base cost of the cantrip is treated as 0. Each metamagic effect affects all cantrips in the same casting.

Craft Spell: A cantripologist may craft new cantrips to add to his spellbook. This process consumes 250gp, 8gp of Ink, and 2gp of paper. This process takes three days, during which the cantripologist may act normally (e.g. travel, converse, engage in brief combat) so long as he has access to Ink and paper. This process does not require access to a library.

Innate Cantrip (Sp): At 5th level the cantripologist may cast any cantrip from his cantrips known that day as a spell like ability. This use does not subtract from the cantripologist's allotted cantrips per day. The cantripologist may apply metamagics to this ability as normal. The time required for this action is the same as the casting time of the cantrip. Every 6 levels after the 5th the cantripologist is able to cast 2 more cantrips per use of this ability

Bonus Metamagic Feat: The cantripologist gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of cantripologist bonus metamagic feats) as shown

Cantripologist Bonus Feat List: Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Heighten Spell, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell, Widen Spell

A cantripologist who becomes lawful retains all cantripologist abilities but may no longer take levels in cantripologist.

Cantrips known: The cantripologist is able to remember one more cantrip per day every level after 20th.

Spell Levels per Casting: The spell levels per casting for a cantripologist increase by 2 every odd-numbered level after 20th.

Spell Levels per Day: The spell levels per day for a cantripologist increase by 1.5× the cantripologist's new level

Bonus Feats: The epic cantripologist gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic cantripologist bonus feats) as shown

Epic Cantripologist Bonus Feat List:Augmented Alchemy, Combat Casting, Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Rod, Craft Epic Wondrous Item, Efficient Item Creation, Enhance Spell, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Spellcasting, Forge Epic Ring, Ignore Material Components, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Intensify Spell, Multispell, Permanent Emanation, Scribe Epic Scroll, Spell Knowledge, Spell Mastery, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration Spell Stowaway, Spell Opportunity, Spontaneous Spell, Tenacious Magic. In addition to the feats on this list, the Cantripologist may select any metamagic feat not listed here.

Dignew Corta is a first level human cantripologist. Dignew was created by a 24 point buy system of character creation.

Strength - 8
Dexterity - 10
Constitution - 14
Intelligence - 16
Wisdom - 12
Charisma - 10

Weapons: heavy crossbow, daggers (2), quarterstaff

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Feat: Magical Aptitude

Bonus Feats: Quicken Spell

Gear: backpack, flint and steel, waterskin, bolts (20), bedroll, common lamp, oil (3 pints), trail rations (5 days worth), traveler's outfit (1), spell component pouch

Gold: 34 gp, 0 sp, 0 cp

Religion: Cantripologists are very accepting of all religions. They tend to favor gods which require little effort to worship, or gods who function in a notably different manner from most.

Other Classes: The cantripologist depends on having a melee combatant nearby to distract enemies.

Combat: The cantripologist can fulfill almost any role in combat, so long as it doesn't involve taking a hit.

Advancement: Most cantripologist's tend to stick with the class. However rogue, arcane trickster, and bard are common multiclassing choices.

Daily Life: Cantripologists function quite well performing any set of mundane tasks, most are not adventurers.

Notables: Hobbin Rood, famous for his war tactics, keeping entire battalions of soldiers away from small villages.

Organizations: Cantripologists are capable of functioning well on their own and have no need of any form of institution.

NPC Reactions: Most mistake cantripologists for low level wizards, but not for long. Once Identified most still regard the cantripologist as non-threatening though more creative classes are happy to examine the beneficial possibilities.

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can research cantripologists to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Adaptation: The cantripologist is a class made to taste. No two should ever be the same. If you want to alter some feature of the class, the best method is likely to create a new spell.

Sample Encounter: Under hot pursuit by a company of pirates the party begins experiencing odd problems about the ship. They soon discover these problems to be acts of sabotage, and the culprit is still on board.

Moraos Vergmun the Unwieldy is a saboteur working for a piratical company. The most notable detail about Moraos is that he is not; being of miniscule size due to the permanent effects of a reduce person.

Moraos will make use of his ring of the chameleon and quantum blip spell to avoid detection for as long as possible. If injured to less than half health, he may try to run and use cure minor wounds with his Innate Cantrip ability until is is ship shape. Typical sabotage may include create water and ray of frost

Suplementary Spells

Quantum Blip (3.5e Spell), Pillar of Force (3.5e Spell)

EL 11:

--Umberandphos 12:16, 14 September 2011 (MDT)

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes