Eclectic Researcher (Wizard Archetype)

Ultimate Spheres of Power
$29.99

---

Casting

The eclectic researcher may combine spheres and talents to produce wondrous effects. He is considered to be a High-Caster. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents, and a casting tradition, upon first gaining the casting class feature.)

This replaces the spells class feature.

Spell Pool

The eclectic researcher gains a small reservoir of energy he can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to his level + his casting ability modifier (minimum 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.

Magic Talents

An eclectic researcher gains 2 magic talents at every odd level and 1 at every even level. If he does not already possess it, one of the magic talents he selects at 1st level must be the Enhancement sphere.

Researcher’s Notebook (Ex)

An eclectic researcher gains the Spellbook Mastery and Spellcrafting feats as bonus feats at 1st level. The eclectic researcher also gains the effects of the Focus Casting drawback, but not the benefits, treating his spell books as his focus. This cannot be combined with the Focus Casting drawback. Once per day, an eclectic researcher may reduce the complexity of a spell cast from his notebook by 1 (minimum 0); this reduction increases to 2 at 10th level, and 3 at 18th level.

This ability replaces the arcane bond class feature and the Scribe Scroll bonus feat.

Name-Bound Spells (Ex)

Starting at 1st level, an eclectic researcher may incorporate his identity into any spell he crafts; this involves personalized imagery and symbolism. Once he completes a spell developed through this method, he must name the spell after himself – any attempt at modesty or subtlety in the spell’s name renders the entire spell useless.

Whenever he casts a spell incorporating his identity in this manner, he gains the following benefits and drawbacks:

• He becomes an additional prerequisite for the spell; another spellcaster may only meet this prerequisite if he is aiding him in casting the spell (such as through the Circle Casting feat), or if they are possessing the eclectic researcher. Another caster may use the spell if it has been copied into their own spellbooks or repertoire, but the spell possesses none of the benefits of being a name-bound spell.
• When he uses researcher’s notebook to reduce the complexity of one of his name-bound spells, he may increase the reduction by one.
• He may use an enhancement he knows on the spell as a swift action on the same turn as it is cast. The exact effects of doing so vary based on the exact nature of the spell itself.
  • If the spell requires an attack roll, he may enhance it as if it were a weapon.
  • If the spell grants a bonus to armor class, he may enhance it as if it were armor.
  • If the spell allows a save, he may enhance it with a talent that grants a bonus to an ability score – doing so increases the save DC by half the bonus granted by the talent. He must use Physical Enhancement to improve the save DC of a spell requiring a Fortitude or Reflex save, and Mental Enhancement to improve the DC of a Will save.
  • If the spell summons a creature, he may enhance it as if it were a creature. In that case, the enhancement automatically affects one of the creatures he summoned.

The eclectic researcher cannot concentrate on a spell and that spell’s enhancement at the same time; one or the other, if it is not instantaneous, must be maintained in another fashion, such as through spending spell points.

At 6th level, an eclectic researcher may add a namebound spell to his repertoire without it counting towards his limit; at 14th level, he may add an additional name-bound spell to his repertoire in the same manner.

This replaces arcane school.

Casting: The eclectic researcher may combine spheres and talents to produce wondrous effects. She is considered to be a High-Caster, using her Intelligence as her casting ability modifier.

(Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents, and may choose a casting tradition, upon first gaining the casting class feature.)

This replaces the spells class feature.

Spell Pool: The eclectic researcher gains a small reservoir of energy she can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to her level + her Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.

Magic Talents: An eclectic researcher gains 2 magic talents at every odd level and 1 at every even level. If she does not already possess it, one of the magic talents she selects at 1st level must be the Enhancement sphere.

Researcher’s Notebook (Ex): An eclectic researcher gains the Spellcrafting and Create Spellbook feats as bonus feats at 1st level. The eclectic researcher also gains the effects of the Focus Casting drawback, but not the benefits, treating their spell books as their focus. This cannot be combined with the Focus Casting drawback. Once per day, an eclectic researcher may reduce the complexity of a spell cast from her notebook by 1 (minimum 0); this reduction increases to 2 at 10th level, and 3 at 18th level.

This ability replaces the arcane bond class feature and the Scribe Scroll bonus feat.

Name-Bound Spells (Ex): Starting at 1st level, an eclectic researcher may incorporate her identity into any spell she crafts; this involves personalized imagery and symbolism. Once she completes a spell developed through this method, she must name the spell after herself – any attempt at modesty or subtlety in the spell’s name renders the entire spell useless.

Whenever she casts a spell incorporating her identity in this manner, she gains the following benefits and drawbacks:

• She becomes an additional prerequisite for the spell; another spellcaster may only meet this prerequisite if she is aiding him in casting the spell (such as through the Circle Casting feat), or if they are possessing the eclectic researcher. Another caster may use the spell if it has been copied into their own spellbooks or repertoire, but the spell possesses none of the benefits of being a name-bound spell.
• When she uses researcher’s notebook to reduce the complexity of one of her name-bound spells, she may increase the reduction by one.
• She may use an enhancement on the spell as a swift action on the same turn as it is cast. The exact effects of doing so vary based on the exact nature of the spell itself.
  • If the spell requires an attack roll, she may enhance it as if it were a weapon.
  • If the spell grants a bonus to armor class, she may enhance it as if it were armor.
  • If the spell allows a save, she may enhance it with a talent that grants a bonus to an ability score – doing so increases the save DC by half the bonus granted by the talent. She must use Physical Enhancement to improve the save DC of a spell requiring a Fortitude or Reflex save, and Mental Enhancement to improve the DC of a Will save.
  • If the spell summons a creature, she may enhance it as if it were a creature. In that case, the enhancement automatically affects one of the creatures she summoned.

The eclectic researcher cannot concentrate on a spell and that spell’s enhancement at the same time; one or the other, if it is not instantaneous, must be maintained in another fashion, such as through spending spell points.

At 6th level, an eclectic researcher may add a namebound spell to her repertoire without it counting towards her limit; at 14th level, she may add an additional name-bound spell to her repertoire in the same manner.