 Pathfinder Delver
Source Adventurer's Guide pg. 138, Seekers of Secrets pg. 58
Not all Pathfinders are concerned with cataloging their exploits. Some are most at home treading ground untouched in years or even centuries, in search of the next challenge, the next dungeon, or the next ancient treasure. Pathfinder delvers prefer to leave the journaling to others and set off on a new grand adventure before the ink dries on the chronicles of their last. Often they’re accompanied by a cohort or other companion who might not have the bravery (or foolhardiness) to go it alone on a grand adventure, but is more than willing to chronicle the exploits and adventures of another. For many in the Pathfinder Society, the delvers represent a frustrating combination—on the one hand, their eagerness to explore helps the Society reach areas and learn secrets that may otherwise go undiscovered. On the other hand, their tendency toward poor documentation worries many Society members, who fear that the bulk of what a delver might discover will go unreported.
Pathfinder delvers run the gamut from dedicated archaeologists to thrill-seeking adventurers to unprincipled tomb robbers. Their choice of companionship is similarly varied; some travel with other Pathfinders, some take up with any who will join their quests, and some go it alone. Nearly all share a love of knowledge and history, though, and would go to great lengths to preserve a historic find that is at risk of being destroyed or lost forever.RequirementsTo qualify to become a Pathfinder delver, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Skills: Acrobatics 5 ranks, Disable Device 4 ranks, Knowledge (history) 4 ranks, Perception 5 ranks.
Special: Must have recovered an object of historical significance from an ancient ruin or similar historic location. The nature of this object can vary, but it must be presented to a Pathfinder Lodge and be verified by an agent there. The object need not be handed over to the Society— in most cases, these objects are ancient magical items discovered in the course of adventuring and remain in the possession of the Pathfinder delver. Ioun stones are some of the more commonly presented items for this purpose.Class SkillsThe Pathfinder Delver's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at each Level: 8 + Int modifier.
Hit Die: d8.Class Features| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | | 1st | +0 | +0 | +1 | +0 | Bardic knowledge, master explorer | | 2nd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | Surefooted, trap sense +1 | | 3rd | +2 | +1 | +2 | +1 | Thrilling escape 1/day, guardbreaker | | 4th | +3 | +1 | +2 | +1 | Resourceful disabler, vigilant combatant | | 5th | +3 | +2 | +3 | +2 | Left for dead, trap sense +2 | | 6th | +4 | +2 | +3 | +2 | Fortunate soul 1/day | | 7th | +5 | +2 | +4 | +2 | Thrilling escape 2/day | | 8th | +6 | +3 | +4 | +3 | Trap sense +3 | | 9th | +6 | +3 | +5 | +3 | Thrilling escape 3/day, true seeing 1/day | | 10th | +7 | +3 | +5 | +3 | Fortunate soul 2/day, nick of time |
The following are class features of the Pathfinder delver prestige class.
Bardic Knowledge (Ex): This ability is identical to the bard class feature of the same name. Levels in this class stack with levels in any other class that grants bardic knowledge or a similar ability.
Master Explorer (Ex): A Pathfinder delver adds half his class level (minimum 1) as a bonus on all Disable Device and Perception checks. A Pathfinder delver can disable intricate and complex traps in half the normal amount of time (minimum 1 round) and open a lock as a standard action instead of a full-round action. He can always take 10 on Disable Device and Stealth checks, even if distracted or endangered, and he can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps.
Surefooted (Ex): At 2nd level, a Pathfinder delver can move through difficult terrain at his normal speed. Ground that has been magically manipulated to impede motion still affects him normally.
Trap Sense (Ex): This ability functions as (and stacks with) the rogue class feature of the same name, save that a Pathfinder delver gains the bonuses at 2nd level and they increase every 3 levels thereafter.
Thrilling Escape (Ex): At 3rd level, a Pathfinder delver can attempt to delay a trap immediately after triggering it. To use this ability, he attempts a Disable Device check as an immediate action against the trap’s Disable Device DC; if he’s successful, the trap’s activation is delayed until the end of his next turn. The Pathfinder delver can attempt this check even if the trap was triggered by a failed Disable Device check. The Pathfinder delver can do this once per day at 3rd level, twice per day at 7th level, and three times per day at 9th level.
Guardbreaker (Ex): At 3rd level, a Pathfinder delver’s familiarity with the strange guardians often left in tombs allows him to attack them more effectively. He can treat his trap sense bonus as if it were a favored enemy bonus against constructs, oozes, and undead; this bonus stacks with any favored enemy bonuses gained from ranger levels or similar class features.
Resourceful Disabler (Ex): Pathfinder delvers are adept at making use of what’s at hand. At 4th level, a Pathfinder delver can use the Disable Device skill without tools at no penalty.
Vigilant Combatant (Ex): At 4th level, a Pathfinder delver adds half his class level on initiative checks.
Left for Dead (Su): At 5th-level, a Pathfinder delver can cheat death once per day. If he would be killed by a melee attack, ranged attack, or effect that requires a saving throw, he is instead reduced to –1 hit points and knocked unconscious, but is stable. He appears dead (though a character who succeeds at a DC 25 Heal check or who uses an ability such as deathwatch can tell he is not) for 1 minute, after which he regains 1 hp and becomes conscious (unless healed sooner).
Fortunate Soul (Su): Once per day at 6th level, the Pathfinder delver can reroll any saving throw he has just attempted. He must choose to use this ability before the results are revealed and must take the second result even if it’s worse. He can use this ability twice per day at 10th level.
True Seeing (Sp): At 9th level, a Pathfinder delver can use true seeing once per day (CL = his class level).
Nick of Time (Ex): Once per day at 10th level, a Pathfinder delver can use an immediate action to perform an action that normally requires a standard action to perform.
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