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Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Starfinder RPG

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Adept | Aristocrat | Commoner | Expert | Warrior

Arcanist Class Details | Exploits | Archetypes

Arcanist

Source Advanced Class Guide pg. 8
Some spellcasters seek the secrets of magic, pursuing the power to make the impossible possible. Others are born with magic in their blood, commanding unbelievable forces as effortlessly as they breathe. Yet still others seek to meld the science of arcane scholars with the natural might of innate casters. These arcanists seek to discover the mysterious laws of magic and through will and expertise bend those forces to their whims. Arcanists are the shapers and tinkers of the arcane world, and no magic can resist their control.

Role: Arcanists are scholars of all things magical. They constantly seek out new forms of magic to discover how they work, and in many cases, to collect the energy of such magic for their own uses. Many arcanists are seen as reckless, more concerned with the potency of magic than the ramifications of unleashing such power.

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Parent Class(es): Sorcerer and wizard.
Starting Wealth: 2d6 x 10 gp (average 70 gp).

Class Skills

The Arcanist's class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

 Spells Per Day
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st+0+0+0+2Arcane reservoir, arcanist exploit, cantrips, consume spells2--------
2nd+1+0+0+3—3--------
3rd+1+1+1+3Arcanist exploit4--------
4th+2+1+1+4—42-------
5th+2+1+1+4Arcanist exploit43-------
6th+3+2+2+5—442------
7th+3+2+2+5Arcanist exploit443------
8th+4+2+2+6—4442-----
9th+4+3+3+6Arcanist exploit4443-----
10th+5+3+3+7—44442----
11th+5+3+3+7Arcanist exploit, greater exploits44443----
12th+6/+1+4+4+8—444442---
13th+6/+1+4+4+8Arcanist exploit444443---
14th+7/+2+4+4+9—4444442--
15th+7/+2+5+5+9Arcanist exploit4444443--
16th+8/+3+5+5+10—44444442-
17th+8/+3+5+5+10Arcanist exploit44444443-
18th+9/+4+6+6+11—444444442
19th+9/+4+6+6+11Arcanist exploit444444443
20th+10/+5+6+6+12Magical supremacy444444444

Spells Prepared

Level01st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st42--------
2nd52--------
3rd53--------
4th631-------
5th642-------
6th7421------
7th7532------
8th85321-----
9th85432-----
10th954321----
11th955432----
12th9554321---
13th9554432---
14th95544321--
15th95544432--
16th955444321-
17th955444332-
18th9554443321
19th9554443332
20th9554443333

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Arcanists are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor interferes with an arcanist’s gestures, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail (see Arcane Spells and Armor).

Spells: An arcanist casts arcane spells drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list, presented in Chapter 10 of the Core Rulebook. An arcanist must prepare her spells ahead of time, but unlike a wizard, her spells are not expended when they’re cast. Instead, she can cast any spell that she has prepared consuming a spell slot of the appropriate level, assuming she hasn’t yet used up her spell slots per day for that level.

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the arcanist must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell’s level. The saving throw DC against an arcanist’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the arcanist’s Intelligence modifier.

An arcanist can only cast a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table 1–1. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score (see Table 1–3).

An arcanist may know any number of spells, but the number she can prepare each day is limited. At 1st level, she can prepare four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells each day. At each new arcanist level, the number of spells she can prepare each day increases, adding new spell levels as indicated on Table 1–2. Unlike the number of spells she can cast per day, the number of spells an arcanist can prepare each day is not affected by her Intelligence score. Feats and other effects that modify the number of spells known by a spellcaster instead affect the number of spells an arcanist can prepare.

An arcanist must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the arcanist decides what spells to prepare and refreshes her available spell slots for the day.

Like a sorcerer, an arcanist can choose to apply any metamagic feats she knows to a prepared spell as she casts it, with the same increase in casting time (see Spontaneous Casting and Metamagic Feats on page 113 of the Core Rulebook). However, she may also prepare a spell with any metamagic feats she knows and cast it without increasing casting time like a wizard. She cannot combine these options—a spell prepared with metamagic feats cannot be further modified with another metamagic feat at the time of casting (unless she has the metamixing arcanist exploit, detailed below).

Spellbooks: An arcanist must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. She can’t prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook, except for read magic (which all arcanists can prepare from memory).

An arcanist begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard/sorcerer spells plus three 1st-level spells of her choice. The arcanist also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to her Intelligence modifier to add to the spellbook. At each new arcanist level, she gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new arcanist level) for her spellbook. At any time, an arcanist can also add spells found in wizards' or other arcanists' spellbooks to her own (see Arcane Magic Writings).

Arcane Reservoir (Su): An arcanist has an innate pool of magical energy that she can draw upon to fuel her arcanist exploits and enhance her spells. The arcanist’s arcane reservoir can hold a maximum amount of magical energy equal to 3 + the arcanist’s level. Each day, when preparing spells, the arcanist’s arcane reservoir fills with raw magical energy, gaining a number of points equal to 3 + 1/2 her arcanist level. Any points she had from the previous day are lost. She can also regain these points through the consume spells class feature and some arcanist 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 arcanist reservoir are used to fuel many of the arcanist’s powers. In addition, the arcanist can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir as a free action whenever she casts an arcanist 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.

Arcanist Exploits: By bending and sometimes even breaking the rules of magic, the arcanist 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 1st level and every 2 levels thereafter, the arcanist learns a new arcane exploit selected from the following list. An arcanist exploit cannot be selected more than once. Once an arcanist exploit has been selected, it cannot be changed. Most arcanist exploits require the arcanist to expend points from her arcane reservoir to function. Unless otherwise noted, the saving throw DC for an arcanist exploit is equal to 10 + 1/2 the arcanist’s level + the arcanist’s Charisma modifier.

See the Arcanist Exploits section for a full list of Exploits from all sources.

Cantrips: Arcanists can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day as noted on Table 1–2. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume spell slots. As with her other spells, these spells are not expended when cast.

Consume Spells (Su): At 1st level, an arcanist can expend an available arcanist spell slot as a move action, making it unavailable for the rest of the day, just as if she had used it to cast a spell. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Doing this adds a number of points to her arcane reservoir equal to the level of the spell slot consumed. She cannot consume cantrips (0 level spells) in this way. Points gained in excess of the reservoir’s maximum are lost.

Greater Exploits: At 11th level and every 2 levels thereafter, an arcanist can choose one of the following greater exploits in place of an arcanist exploit.

See the Arcanist Exploits section for a full list of Exploits from all sources.

Magical Supremacy (Su): At 20th level, the arcanist learns how to convert her arcane reservoir into spells and back again. She can cast any spell she has prepared by expending a number of points from her arcane reservoir equal to 1 + the level of the spell to be cast instead of expending a spell slot. 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.

Alternate Capstones

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 28
When a character reaches the 20th level of a class, she gains a powerful class feature or ability, sometimes referred to as a capstone. The following section provides new capstones for characters to select at 20th level. A character can select one of the following capstones in place of the capstone provided by her class. Some capstones are for specific classes, while others are for a range of classes that qualify for them. In some cases, a capstone specifies what ability it replaces. A character can’t select a new capstone if she has previously traded away her class capstone via an archetype. Clerics and wizards can receive a capstone at 20th level, despite not having one to begin with.

Deep Magics (Su)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s repertoire of spells deepens dramatically. She gains an additional spell known for each spell level she can cast. A character of any class with spells known can select this capstone.

Deep Reservoir (Su)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 28
At 20th level, the arcanist has enough power to blast things all day long. Her arcane reservoir increases by 10, and she gains 5 additional points each day when preparing her spells.

Perfect Body, Flawless Mind (Ex)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s endless training and study has resulted in an unmatched mastery of the self. The character increases her ability scores by a collective total of 8. For example, she can increase one score by 8, or one score by 5 and another by 3, or four scores by 2, and so on. Characters of any class can select this ability.

The Boss (Ex)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 30
At 20th level, the character has become more than just a lone hero—she has become one of the senior figures of her field, with powers and responsibilities to match. The character becomes one of the leading figures in some manner of group or organization, as appropriate to the campaign and the setting. A wizard might become the dean of an arcane university or mages’ guild, a fighter could command a mercenary army or a city guard, a cleric might lead a major temple or her own sect, and so forth. The player and the GM should work together to determine the specifics. The character gains the Leadership feat if she does not already have it, and the number of followers that the feat grants is multiplied by 10 (although depending on the campaign and setting, the position may grant other powers as well). If multiple characters in a party select this capstone, the GM may consider pooling them to grant the players a particularly large and powerful organization, such as a small kingdom. Characters of any class can select this ability.

Walking Library (Ex)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character becomes a small, mobile athenaeum of occult scraps and lore. The character adds 100 spell levels’ worth of spells to his spellbook or familiar and gains a +4 insight bonus on all Knowledge skills. Characters of any class that prepares spells from a spellbook or familiar can select this ability.

With This Sword (Ex)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s blade has become as well-known as the character herself. The character selects one item she has—preferably something iconic and significant, such as a weapon or arcane bond. The item becomes a minor artifact and gains 100,000 gp worth of new powers. The player and the GM should work together to select the new powers, with an eye towards making something memorable yet campaign-appropriate. Characters of any class can select this ability.

Won’t Stay Dead (Ex)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character becomes a paragon of resilience. Once per week, if the character is killed, petrified, or otherwise removed from play, the character manages to survive by some dint of skill or luck and returns at the end of the combat or the scene (GM’s discretion). The player and the GM should work together to ensure that the method of the character’s survival is at least vaguely plausible, if unlikely. Characters of any class can select this ability.

Favored Class Options

Aquatic Elf (Blood of the Sea pg. 5): Add 1/4 to the arcanist’s caster level when casting spells with the water descriptor.
Duskwalker (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 17): Add 1/4 to the arcanist’s caster level when casting spells of the necromancy school.
Dwarf (Advanced Class Guide pg. 69): Add 1/4 to the arcanist’s effective class level when determining the effects of the arcane barrier and arcane weapon arcanist exploits.
Elf (Advanced Class Guide pg. 69): Increase total number of points in the arcanist’s arcane reservoir by 1.
Fetchling (Blood of Shadows pg. 7): When the arcanist casts an illusion (shadow) spell that deals a percentage of its damage or effect against nonbelievers, increase this amount by 2% (to a maximum of 100%).
Ganzi (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 19): Add 1/2 to the arcanist’s effective caster level when casting spells with the chaotic descriptor.
Gnome (Advanced Class Guide pg. 70): Add 1/6 to the number of points the arcanist gains in her arcane reservoir each day.
Half-Elf (Advanced Class Guide pg. 70): When casting arcanist enchantment spells, add 1/3 to the effective caster level, but only for the purpose of determining duration.
Halfling (Advanced Class Guide pg. 70): Gain 1/6 of a new arcanist exploit.
Half-Orc (Advanced Class Guide pg. 71): Gain a +1 bonus on concentration checks made due to taking damage while casting arcanist spells.
Human (Advanced Class Guide pg. 71): Add one spell from the arcanist spell list to the arcanist’s spellbook. The spell must be at least 1 spell level below the highest level the arcanist can cast.
Kitsune (Blood of the Beast pg. 12): Gain 1/6 of a new Magical TailARG feat. Any kitsune character can choose this bonus upon gaining a level in her favored class.
Kitsune (Blood of the Beast pg. 12): When casting arcanist enchantment spells, add 1/3 to the effective caster level, but only for the purpose of determining duration.
Ratfolk (Blood of the Beast pg. 20): Add 1/3 to the number of times per day the arcanist can use the consume magic items exploit.
Vanara (Blood of the Beast pg. 28): Add 1/4 to the arcanist’s effective class level when determining the effects of any two arcanist exploits that the arcanist has.
Wyrwood (Heroes of Golarion pg. 6): Add 1/4 to the arcanist’s level for the spell resistance exploit.