While typically the study of monsters is associated with the blue mage, there are those who learn magic instead, watching other mages and copying them.
The savant is an archetype of the blue mage class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The savant mainly focuses on DEX for combat and INT for their class features and spells.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Weapon and armor proficiencies, BAB, HD, Limit Breaks, Creature Magic, Cantrips, Blue Magery. 2nd – Scan, Azure Talent, Favored Enemy. 3rd – Armored Mage. 4th – Azure Physical Training, Azure Talent. 5th – Blue Magery. 6th – Invoke, Azure Talent. 7th – I Know That Trick. 8th – Azure Physical Training, Azure Talent. 9th – Azure Counter, Blue Magery. 10th – Azure Talent. 11th – Simulation. 12th – Improved Invoke, Azure Physical Training, Azure Talent. 13th – Easy Learning, Blue Magery. 14th – Azure Talent, Seen It Before. 16th – Azure Physical Training, Azure Talent. 17th – Azure Lore, Blue Magery. 18th – Azure Talent. 19th – Cerulean Focus. 20th – Assimilation, Azure Physical Training, Azure Talent.
Class Skills
The savant adds Use Magic Device as a class skill.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies
The savant only has proficiency in simple weapons, power rods, and power staves, but not with any type of armor or shield. Heavier armor interferes with a savant’s movements, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.
This ability modifies the blue mage’s starting weapon and armor proficiencies.
Lessen Martial Prowess
A savant’s base attack bonus decreases by one step (from 3/4 BAB to 1/2 BAB). Also decreases savant’s hit dice from d8 to d6.
Limit Breaks (Su)
At 1st level, the savant receives the Limit Breaks (Disruption Aura and Dual Spell Mastery).
Disruption Aura (Su): This Limit Break creates a 30-ft.-radius aura centered on the savant that makes it difficult for enemy spellcasters to cast spells. Enemies within the aura that attempt to cast spells must make a concentration check (DC 10 + double the spell’s level + the savant’s Intelligence modifier) or they lose the spell just as if they had cast it to no effect. This limit break lasts for a duration of 1 round + 1 round per four blue mage levels after 1st. This limit break requires only a swift action.
Dual Spell Mastery (Su): This Limit Break allows the savant for a duration of 1 round + 1 round per four blue mage levels after 1st to cast two spells a round as a standard action. MP must be paid for both spells. This limit break requires only a swift action.
These abilities replace the blue mage’s standard Limit Breaks.
Cantrips
Savants learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume MP and may be used again. Savants begin with 2 0-level spells chosen from the any spellcaster’s spell lists and gain an additional 0-level spell every four levels after 1st level.
This ability modifies cantrips.
Learned Sorcery
Rather than learning supernatural abilities as spells from creatures, a savant learns spells from creatures by watching and studying. The savant must witness the creature cast spells for the savant to learn by making a Spellcraft skill check. The initial skill check is DC 15 + 2 per spell level of the spell. A savant begins play with 1 1st level spell from any spell list of his choice. Each time a character attains a new blue mage spell level, he gains one spell of his choice to add to his list of spells. The free spell must be of spell levels he can cast. Unlike the other mages, a savant cannot purchase or find scrolls to add spells to his spells known list. He can only learn spells from other mages or creatures.
Once learned, the ability becomes a spell in the savant’s known spells list. The savant can learn spells above his spell level, but cannot cast those spells until he has attain the level to be able to cast them. The maximum number of known spells a savant can have is equal to double his blue mage level plus his Intelligence modifier. If at any time a savant exceeds this limit, he immediately loses a spell from his known spells list, at his choice.
To learn or cast a spell, the savant must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a savant’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the savant’s Intelligence modifier. Spells learned use the savant’s Intelligence modifier instead. In addition, a savant gains additional MP for having a high attribute (Intelligence—see Table: Bonus MP per Day (by Spell Level) on the MP System page).
This ability replaces creature magic.
Savant Magery (Ex)
At 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level, a savant increases his power with his spells and abilities. At each such opportunity, he can choose from the list of black magery or white magery (with a limit of 2 per). Mageries with the same name count as the same magery for this purpose.
This ability replaces blue magery.
Magic Scan (Su)
At 2nd level, as a swift action, the savant can scan a creature within 60 feet to find out what spells it has that he can learn from, if any. The savant must make a DC 20 Knowledge (of the appropriate type) skill check to know what spells can be learned.
This ability modifies and replaces scan.
Arcane Bond (Ex or Sp)
At 1st level, savants form a powerful bond with an object or a creature. This bond can take one of two forms: a familiar or a bonded object. A familiar is a magical pet that enhances the savant’s skills and senses and can aid him in magic, while a bonded object is an item a savant can use to cast additional spells or to serve as a magical item. Once a savant makes this choice, it is permanent and cannot be changed.
Rules for bonded items are given below, while rules for familiars are located here: https://www.finalfantasyd20.com/magic/familiars/
A savant who selects a bonded object begins play with one at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into one of the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. These objects are always masterwork quality. Weapons acquired at 1st level are not made of any special material. If the object is an amulet or ring, it must be worn to have effect, while staves, wands, and weapons must be held in one hand. If a savant attempts to cast a spell without his bonded object worn or in hand, he must make a concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell’s level. If the object is a ring or amulet, it occupies the ring or neck slot accordingly.
A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that the savant knows and is capable of casting, without spending MP. This spell is treated like any other spell cast by the savant, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on the savant’s level. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic feats or other abilities.
A savant can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required Item Creation Feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a savant with a bonded dagger must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the dagger (see Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat). If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its wand abilities when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its bonded object properties and can be used to craft a new wand. The magic properties of a bonded object, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for the savant who owns it. If a bonded object’s owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type.
If a bonded object is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the savant rests a full 8 hours. If the object of an arcane bond is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gil per blue mage level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item. A savant can designate an existing magic item as his bonded item. This functions in the same way as replacing a lost or destroyed item except that the new magic item retains its abilities while gaining the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a bonded item.
This ability replaces favored enemy.
Savant Talents (Su)
At 2nd level and every two blue mage levels thereafter, the savant may take a mage talent from the black mage or white mage mage talent list instead of azure talents, counting his blue mage level as his black mage or white mage level to qualify for the talents.
This ability may replace azure talents and advanced azure talents.
Easy Learning (Ex)
At 3rd level, the savant can take 10 on all Spellcraft checks.
This ability replaces armored mage.
Metamagic Enhancement (Su)
A savant is a master at manipulating magical forces. At 4th level, as a move action, he reduces the cost of any metamagic feat known by one MP less than standard. For example, a 4th level savant casts a spell with the Empower feat for 1 extra MP cost higher than the original spell. The metamagic enhancement can only be applied to one enhancement per spell. This ability does not affect the Heighten Spell feat. At 11th level and 18th level, the adjusted MP cost is reduced one additional MP. The adjusted enhancement can never reduce the base spell below its original level. A savant may use this ability up to 3 times per day.
This ability replaces azure physical training.
Magic Invoke (Su)
At 6th level, the savant can invoke a creature to cast a spell. The savant must know what the creature possesses for spells by using the Magic Scan ability. If a creature has more than one spell, the savant can decide which one he wants the creature to cast. The creature gets a Will save (DC 10 + half of the blue mage’s level + his Intelligence modifier) to negate this ability, if it fails, on its next turn, it will cast the spell. This ability has a range of 60 feet and requires a move action which doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
At 12th level, the savant’s ability to invoke a creature to cast a spell improves. The savant can use this ability as a swift action.
This ability modifies and replaces invoke.
I Know That Spell (Ex)
At 7th level, the savant gains a +1 bonus to his saving throws against any spell that he has learned that requires a saving throw. This bonus increases by +1 for every three blue mage levels beyond 7th level (+2 at 10th level, +3 at 13th, +4 at 16th, and +5 at 19th).
This ability modifies and replaces i know that trick and seen it before.
Counterspell (Su)
Starting at 9th level, a savant can attempt to counter a creature’s spell. The savant makes a Spellcraft check to identify the spell, if the savant has learned the spell and has the MP equal to the spell’s level, he may spend it as an immediate action. He then must make a caster level check against a DC of 10 + the creature’s caster level. If he succeeds, the creature loses its spell.
This ability replaces azure counter.
Spellcasting Master (Ex)
At 11th level, a savant can focus his mind three times per day as a swift action. Once he’s focused in this way, any spells he casts for the remainder of that round do not provoke attacks of opportunity. Spells with a duration of concentration that he casts in this round persist for a number of rounds after the savant ceases concentrating equal to his Intelligence modifier.
This ability replaces simulation.
Adept Activation (Ex)
At 13th level, a savant can always take 10 on Use Magic Device checks, except when activating an item blindly. A savant can keep trying Use Magic Device checks even if he rolls a natural 1 on the check.
This ability replaces easy learning.
Spell Lore (Su)
At 17th level, three times per day, as a swift action, a savant may apply any single metamagic feat that he knows to a 6th-level spell or lower that he is about to cast. This does not alter the level of the spell or the MP cost.
This ability modifies and replaces azure lore.
Magic Focus (Su)
Also at 19th level, the savant increases the DC for every spell he casts by 1. He also adds this bonus to caster level checks made using his counterspell ability.
This ability modifies and replaces cerulean focus.
Magic Superiority (Su)
At 20th level, the savant’s mastery of spells reaches new heights. A number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier, the savant may do one of the following abilities as a swift action with a duration of a number of rounds equal to the savant’s Intelligence modifier:
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Bypass Resistance (Ex): The savant’s command of magic is such that he may unravel a creature’s natural resistance to magic. A savant reduces a target’s spell resistance by 20. In addition, a savant ignores 10 points of elemental resistance.
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Selective Targets (Su): The savant may select up to one target per point of Intelligence bonus to exclude from any area-of-effect spell cast, or double the number of targets affected by a spell. In the first application, the targets are engulfed in the effect, but do not suffer any of the effects. This is a target-based exclusion; other opponents sharing the excluded target’s space are still affected by the spell. In the second case, when a spell description specifies an effect of “one creature per level,” the savant may instead affect up to two creatures per level.
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Shaped Area (Su): A savant can alter areas of effect for spells that use one of the following shapes: burst, cone, cylinder, emanation, or spread. The alteration consists of creating spaces within the spell’s area or effect that are not subject to the spell. The minimum dimension for these spaces is a 5 ft. cube. Furthermore, any shapeable spells have a minimum dimension of 5 ft. instead of 10 ft.
This ability replaces assimilation.
