These military tacticians often served as high-ranking officers in allied forces across the lands and seas. Extensive knowledge of ancient martial theory granted them the ability to wield dual schools of magic, between which they would alternate depending on the situation at hand. If a situation requires an unusual approach, they have no trouble developing and creating alterations to both their plans… and their magics.
Role: Scholars are military tacticians often served as high-
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d6
Parent Classes: Black Mage and White Mage.
Starting Wealth: 2d6 × 10 gil (average 70 gil.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gil or less.
Class Skills
The scholar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points Per Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Main Ability Scores:
The scholar mainly focuses on DEX for combat and INT and WIS for their class features and spells.
Table: Scholar
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the scholar.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Scholars are proficient with the dagger, sling, power rod, power staff, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. Heavier armor interferes with a scholar’s movements, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.
Limit Breaks (Su)
At 1st level, the scholar receives the Limit Breaks (From Dusk Til Dawn and Tabula Rasa).
From Dusk Til Dawn (Su): This Limit Break allows the scholar to use any White Mage Limit Break while under Light Arts and any Black Mage Limit Break while under Dark Arts. If a limit break has a duration, it lasts for 1 round + 1 round per four scholar levels after 1st. Action required for this limit break is copied from the limit break the scholar has chosen.
Tabula Rasa (Su): This Limit Break allows the scholar to use both Light Arts and Dark Arts with all the bonuses but without penalties for a duration of 1 round + 1 round per four scholar levels after 1st. This limit break requires only a swift action.
Spells
A scholar casts black magic and white magic spells which are drawn from the black mage and white mage spell lists. A scholar begins play with 2 1st level black magic spells and 2 1st level white magic spells of her choice. The scholar also selects a number of additional 1st-level black magic spells equal to her Intelligence modifier and a number of additional 1st-level white magic spells equal to her Wisdom modifier to add to her list of spells. Each time a character attains a new scholar level, she gains two black magic and two white magic spells of her choice to add to her list of spells. These free spells must be of spell levels she can cast. Like most mages, a scholar can find or purchase scrolls with spells to add to her repertoire.
To learn or cast a black magic spell, the scholar must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Int 11 for 1st-level spells, Int 12 for 2nd-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a scholar’s black magic spell is 10 + the spell level + the scholar’s Intelligence modifier. In addition, a scholar gains additional MP for having a high attribute (Intelligence—see Table: Bonus MP per Day (by Spell Level) on the MP System page).
To learn or cast a white magic spell, the scholar must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Wis 11 for 1st-level spells, Wis 12 for 2nd-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a scholar’s white magic spell is 10 + the spell level + the scholar’s Wisdom modifier. In addition, a scholar gains additional MP for having a high attribute (Wisdom—see Table: Bonus MP per Day (by Spell Level) on the MP System page).
For example, a scholar of level 4 with INT 12 and WIS 20 gets both +1 bonus MP from their INT and +4 bonus MP from their WIS.
Spell Proficiency (Ex)
Scholars are considered to have the Precise Shot feat while casting spells, using class features that require ranged touch or using any magical items that require ranged touch.
Cantrips
Scholars 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. Scholars begin with 2 0-level spells from the black mage spell list and white mage spell list and gain an additional 0-level spell every four levels after 1st level.
Grimoire (Su)
Beginning of 1st level, books and tomes become deadly weapons in the hands of a scholar. Functioning only in the hands of a scholar, a book or tome read by a scholar deals 1d4 + her highest mental ability score modifier points of shadow damage while under Dark Arts and 1d4 + her highest mental ability score modifier points of holy damage while under Light Arts. The scholar must make a ranged touch attack that has a range of 25 feet + 5 feet per two scholar levels after 1st. A book or tome can be enchanted as a magic weapon.
Arcane Hypothesis (Su)
Not just knowledgeable with spells, a scholar experiments constantly in order to better herself at wielding magic, and see what she can create. At 1st level, by increasing a spell’s casting time (swift/immediate to standard action, standard action or less to full-round action, full-round action to 1 round, 1 round to 2 rounds, or double any longer casting time), the scholar can roll on the table below and add the resulting metamagic feat to the spell without increasing the MP cost of the spell.
Use of this ability must be declared before the spell to be affected is cast. First, the scholar selects the spell to be modified. Then she rolls on the Arcane Hypothesis table. If the resulting metamagic cannot be applied to the selected spell, she must roll again until it can (she only rerolls if the resulting dice cannot be adjusted). Lastly, the scholar casts the resulting spell as normal, choosing targets, making attack rolls, etc. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to her highest mental ability score modifier.
| d% | Meta Effect |
|---|---|
| 01-35 | Apocalyptic Spell |
| 36-55 | Extend Spell |
| 56-75 | Empower Spell |
| 76-90 | Maximize Spell |
| 91-95 | Widen Spell |
| 96-100 | Chain Spell |
At 3rd level, the scholar can adjust her roll result on the table above. She may increase, or decrease, the roll result by 3 points per two scholar levels after 1st in order to adjust the meta effect to a more desirable result.
At 7th level, the scholar can roll twice on the table above, and select one of the two metamagic effects to apply to that spell. She can still adjust the result of each roll to get a more desired result.
Light Arts/Dark Arts (Su)
Starting at 1st level, as a standard action, a scholar can activate or deactivate the Light Arts or Dark Arts. She may only use Light Arts or Dark Arts abilities while in the Light/Dark Arts. While in either Light/Dark Arts, she gains the bonuses as dictated in the “Bonuses” column of the following table, but she also has penalties when casting spells associated with the opposite art. The bonus/penalty from this ability applies only to spells that she casts as a scholar, not to those she might have by virtue of levels in another class. This is indicated in the “Penalties” column of the following table:
Table: Light Arts/Dark Arts Bonuses
| Current Form | Bonuses | Penalties |
|---|---|---|
| Light Arts | All white magic spells are increased by 1 extra die of the appropriate type. All white magic spells with variable durations are increased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. All white magic spells' caster level are increased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. The save DC for all white magic spells is increased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. The caster level checks made to overcome a creature's spell resistance is increased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st for white magic spells. | All black magic spells are decreased by 1 die of the appropriate type to a minimum of 1. If there is only 1 die, then it is subject to a -1 penalty - 1 per four scholar levels after 1st on damage. All black magic spells with variable durations are decreased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st to a minimum of 1. All black magic spells' caster level are decreased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. The save DC for all black magic spells is decreased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. The caster level checks made to overcome a creature's spell resistance is decreased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st for black magic spells. |
| Dark Arts | All black magic spells are increased by 1 extra die of the appropriate type. All black magic spells with variable durations are increased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. All black magic spells' caster level are increased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. The save DC for all black magic spells is increased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. The caster level checks made to overcome a creature's spell resistance is increased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st for black magic spells. | All white magic spells are decreased by 1 die of the appropriate type to a minimum of 1. If there is only 1 die, then it is subject to a -1 penalty - 1 per four scholar levels after 1st on healing. All white magic spells with variable durations are decreased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st to a minimum of 1. All white magic spells' caster level are decreased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. The save DC for all white magic spells is decreased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st. The caster level checks made to overcome a creature's spell resistance is decreased by 1 + 1 per four scholar levels after 1st for white magic spells. |
At 7th level, a scholar can switch between Light Arts and Dark Arts as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a scholar can switch between Light Arts and Dark Arts as a swift action.
Arcane Reservoir (Su)
Beginning of 2nd level, a scholar has an innate pool of magical energy that she can draw upon to fuel her scholar exploits and enhance her spells. The scholar’s arcane reservoir can hold a maximum amount of magical energy equal to 3 + the scholar’s level. Each day, after resting 8 hours, the scholar’s arcane reservoir fills with raw magical energy, gaining a number of points equal to 3 + half of her scholar’s level. She can also regain these points through the consume MP class feature and some scholar exploits. The arcane reservoir can never hold more points than the maximum amount noted above; points gained in excess of this total are lost.
Points from the scholar reservoir are used to fuel many of the scholar’s powers. In addition, the scholar can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir as a free action whenever she casts a spell. If she does, she can choose to increase the caster level by 1 or increase the spell’s DC by 1. She can expend no more than 1 point from her reservoir on a given spell in this way.
Scholar Exploits
By bending and sometimes even breaking the rules of magic, the scholar learns to exploit gaps and exceptions in the laws of magic. Some of these exploits allow her to break down various forms of magic, adding their essence to her arcane reservoir. At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the scholar learns a new scholar exploit selected from the following list. A scholar exploit cannot be selected more than once. Once a scholar exploit has been selected, it cannot be changed. Most scholar exploits require the scholar to expend points from her arcane reservoir to function. Unless otherwise noted, the saving throw DC for a scholar exploit is equal to 10 + half of the scholar’s level + her highest mental ability score modifier.
- A complete list of scholar exploits can be found here: Scholar Exploits
Light Arts: Penury (Su)
At 3rd level, 3 times per day, as a move action, a scholar may reduce the MP cost of her next Healing or Light spell to 0. This MP reduction is applied after any metamagic cost increases. Additional metamagic cannot be applied after this cost reduction.
Dark Arts: Parsimony (Su)
Also at 3rd level, 3 times per day, as a move action, a scholar may reduce the MP cost of her next Dark or Elemental spell to 0. This MP reduction is applied after any metamagic cost increases. Additional metamagic cannot be applied after this cost reduction.
Dismiss (Su)
At 4th level, a scholar can dismiss a spell as a swift action instead of a standard action. Alternatively, the scholar can dismiss a spell that has a duration but isn’t normally dismissible.
Clear Mind (Ex)
At 5th level, a scholar can regain her MP quicker. The scholar must be relaxed and must be free from overt distractions, such as combat raging nearby or other loud noises. For example, she could be riding in the back of a carriage and benefit from this ability. The scholar does not gain this recovery if she is asleep or unconscious. The scholar regains 1 MP per hour. This increases by 1 for every five scholar levels after 5th.
Consume MP (Su)
At 5th level, a scholar can expend MP up to the maximum she can spend as a move action. Doing this adds a number of points to her arcane reservoir equal to MP consumed. Points gained in excess of the reservoir’s maximum are lost.
Refined Knowledge (Ex)
At 6th level, the scholar can tap into her expanded knowledge about her enemies. Whenever the scholar rolls a Knowledge skill check to identify a creature, she may roll twice and takes the better result. If the scholar has Knowledge skill unlock at 20 ranks, she, instead, rolls thrice and takes the better result.
Light Arts: Accession (Su)
At 7th level, 3 times per day, as a move action, a scholar may double the duration of her next Enhancing spell.
Dark Arts: Manifestation (Su)
Also at 7th level, 3 times per day, as a move action, a scholar may double the duration of her next Enfeebling spell.
Lore Master (Ex)
At 8th level, the scholar becomes a master of lore and can take 10 on any Knowledge that she has ranks in even when stressed or in combat. A scholar can choose not to take 10 and can instead roll normally. In addition, once per day, the scholar can take 20 on any Knowledge check as a standard action. She can use this ability one additional time per day for every six levels she possesses beyond 8th.
Call It Out (Ex)
At 9th level, once per day as a standard action, a scholar can identify the weaknesses of one creature she can perceive. She must succeed at a Knowledge check to identify the creature. If successful, she and all allies within 30 feet who can hear her gain a knowledge of any special vulnerabilities and weaknesses a creature may have, including what forms of attack defeat its DR and regeneration, and gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and the DCs of their spells and abilities against that opponent for one minute. Is she has 10 or more ranks in the relevant Knowledge skill for that creature’s type, the bonus is doubled to +2.
Eldritch Surge (Su)
At 9th level, a scholar can, as a swift action, pour more power into her spells and abilities. She can add 2 to the caster level and DC of a spell, or increase her effective scholar level by 2 when using a scholar exploit. She becomes fatigued upon using this ability. If she is already fatigued, she becomes exhausted. If she’s already exhausted, or something would prevent her from becoming fatigued or exhausted, she cannot use this ability. This ability does not stack with spending points from her arcane reservoir to increase the spell’s caster level or DC (as the arcane reservoir class feature).
Sublimation (Su)
At 10th level, 3 times per day, as a swift action, a scholar may activate this ability which lasts 1 round per scholar level. Each round, the scholar is drained of 4 HPs and gains 1 MP. Once activated, it cannot be stopped and either runs its course, or the caster falls unconscious, which cancels this ability.
Light Arts: Celerity (Su)
At 11th level, 3 times per day, a scholar may cast a Healing or Light spell as a swift action.
Dark Arts: Alacrity (Su)
Also at 11th level, 3 times per day, a scholar may cast a Dark or Elemental spell as a swift action.
Spell Bender (Su)
At 12th level, as a swift action, the scholar can bend the line of a spell that has a line area of effect up to 90 degrees at any single point along the line’s length.
Advanced Scholar Exploits
At 12th level and every 2 levels thereafter, a scholar can choose one of the following advanced scholar exploits in place of a scholar exploit.
- A complete list of advanced scholar exploits can be found here: Advanced Scholar Exploits.
Spellwarp (Su)
At 13th level, as a swift action, a scholar can reduce the radius of a spread or burst effect or shorten the length of a cone. All changes must occur in 5-foot increments, to a minimum of 5 feet. Alternatively, the scholar can change the area of effect of a cone spell to a line with a length equal to the spell’s range.
Improved Surge (Su)
At 13th level, a scholar can use her eldritch surge ability to reroll an attack roll associated with a spell or scholar exploit, or to reroll all of the damage dice associated with a spell or scholar exploit. In the case of attack rolls, this ability must be used after the die is rolled but before the results are revealed. The scholar must take the results of the reroll, even if they are lower.
Enhance Cantrip (Su)
At 14th level, as a swift action, when casting a cantrip, the scholar can choose to augment it in any one of the following ways:
- Increase the damage it deals to a single creature by 1 point for every two scholar levels she possesses (minimum of 1). She can apply this to cantrips that normally deal no damage if she can give her GM a reasonable explanation of how it could harm a creature while still carrying out its normal effect. For instance, spark could produce a jet of flame against a creature in an adjacent square even as it sets an unattended object on fire.
- Allow the scholar to cast the cantrip as part of the swift action used when triggering this ability. Casting it this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
- Double the normal duration of the cantrip. The scholar cannot use this ability in conjunction with any other effect that increases the duration of that cantrip. This otherwise acts as if she had applied the Extend Spell metamagic feat to the cantrip without actually increasing its MP cost.
- Increase the effective level of that casting of the cantrip up to a maximum of the highest level spell the scholar can cast. This otherwise acts identically to the Heighten Spell metamagic feat.
- Use the cantrip to perform a combat maneuver in addition to its normal effect. The scholar must give her GM a reasonable explanation of how the cantrip could actually allow her to perform that combat maneuver. When calculating her CMB use her Intelligence modifier instead of Strength and she can apply the damage dealt by the cantrip (if any) as a bonus on the check along with any other feats, class features, or similar abilities she normally would when performing that combat maneuver.
The scholar can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier.
Light Arts: Rapture (Su)
At 15th level, 3 times per day, as a move action, a scholar may maximize her next healing or light spell.
Dark Arts: Ebullience (Su)
At 15th level, 3 times per day, as a move action, a scholar may maximize her next dark or elemental spell.
Advance Tutorial (Su)
At 16th level, the scholar can touch another creature and, for 1 round, grant her the benefits of one of her spells without actually casting it. She cannot select a spell with an instantaneous duration or a spell that would not benefit the creature in some way if she casts it on her. This only affects the creature she touches no matter how many creatures it would normally affect. The scholar can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her highest mental ability score modifier.
Greater Surge (Su)
At 17th level, a scholar can use her eldritch surge ability to force a creature to reroll a saving throw against one spell or scholar exploit and take the lower value. The scholar must declare the use of this ability before the result of that creature’s saving throw is revealed. If the spell or scholar exploit affects more than one target, only one target is affected by this ability.
Bottomless Well (Su)
At 17th level, a scholar can spend 1 hour studying her grimoire to refuel herself. Doing so allows her to regain MP as if resting for 8 hours and regain points of arcane reservoir equal to half her scholar level. She can use this ability multiple times per day, however she still only regains MP once per day.
Arcane Apotheosis (Ex)
At 18th level, the scholar’s body surges with arcane power. Once per day, she can add any metamagic feats that she knows to her spells without increasing their MP cost. Whenever she uses magic items that require charges, she can instead use MP to power the item. For every three MP that she spends, she consumes one less charge when using a magic item that expends charges.
Deep Reservoir (Su)
At 19th level, the scholar has enough power to blast things all day long. Her arcane reservoir increases by 10, and she gains 5 additional points each day when regaining her MP.
Magical Supremacy (Su)
At 19th level, the scholar learns how to convert her arcane reservoir into spells and back again. She can cast any spell she knows by expending a number of points from her arcane reservoir equal to 1 + the level of the spell to be cast instead of expending MP. When she casts a spell in this fashion, she treats her caster level as 2 higher than normal, and the DCs of any saving throws associated with the spell increase by 2. She cannot further expend points from her arcane reservoir to enhance a spell cast in this way nor can metamagic feats be applied.
Sagacity (Su)
At 20th level, the scholar’s powerful mind leads her to enlightenment. Her Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma all increase by 2 points. She becomes immune to fear and confusion.
Favored Class Bonuses
Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, some races have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored classes. The following options are available to the listed race who have scholar as their favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.
- Dwarf: Add +1/4 to the scholar’s effective class level when determining the effects of the arcane barrier and arcane grimoire scholar exploits.
- Elvaan: Increase total number of points in the scholar’s arcane reservoir by 1.
- Galka: Gain a +1 bonus on concentration checks made due to taking damage while casting spells.
- Guado: The scholar gains +1/6th of a scholar exploit.
- Half-Breed: When casting scholar enfeebling spells, add 1/3 to the effective caster level, but only for the purpose of determining duration.
- Hume: Add one spell from the black mage or white mage spell lists to the scholar’s known spells. The spell must be at least 1 spell level below the highest level the scholar can cast.
- Kindred: Increase total number of points in the scholar’s arcane reservoir by 1.
- Kojin: Add 1 spell from the black mage or white mage spell lists to the scholar’s known spells. This spell must be at least 1 spell level below the highest level the scholar can cast.
- Lambkin: Increase total number of points in the scholar’s arcane reservoir by 1.
- Mithra: Add +2.5 feet to the distance the scholar can move when using the dimensional slide exploit, up to a maximum of 1.5 times the usual distance she could move at her given level. This option has no effect unless the scholar has selected it twice (or another increment of two); a distance of 12.5 feet is effectively the same as a distance of 10 feet, for example.
- Moogle: Gain 1/6 of a new scholar exploit.
- Nu Mou: Increase total number of points in the scholar’s arcane reservoir by 1.
- Sylph: Increase total number of points in the scholar’s arcane reservoir by 1.
- Tarutaru: Add 1/6 to the number of points the scholar gains in her arcane reservoir each day.
Archetypes
- A complete list of scholar archetypes can be found here: Scholar Archetypes
