Game Mastery Guide | Monsters | Scholars

Scholars

More than merely elusive sages and hermetic wizards, academics and intellectuals might be found anywhere secrets wait to be uncovered. From universities of higher learning to the ruins of forgotten civilizations, researchers endlessly pursue new discoveries, either for the sake of scholarship or for their own personal fame. Tenacious mages test the boundaries of magic, risking their lives and sanity for the chance at greater power. No matter the mystery, one can rest assured that somewhere experts wait to test their minds against new challenges.

Hedge Wizard

Super Race: human commoner 2/wizard 3. Cr: 4. Xp: 1,200. Alignment: N. Size: Medium. Creature Type: Humanoid.
Init: +1. Senses: Perception +6. Ac: 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex).
Hp: 22 (5d6+5).
Fortitude: +3. Reflex: +3. Will: +6.
Speed: 30 ft.. Melee: dagger +2 (1d4/19-20). Ranged: dagger +3 (1d4/19-20). Special Attacks: hand of the apprentice (7/day). Strength: 10. Dexterity: 13. Constitution: 12. Intelligence: 18. Wisdom: 14. Charisma: 8.
Base Attack: +2. Cmb: +2. Cmd: 16.
Feats: Brew Potion, Combat Casting, Defensive Combat Training, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Craft [alchemy]).
Skills: Appraise +12, Craft (alchemy) +15, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +10, Knowledge (geography) +10, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +10, Perception +6, Profession (herbalist) +10, Spellcraft +12.
Languages: Aquan, Common, Elven, Gnome, Sylvan. Special Qualities: arcane bond (raven familiar). Combat Gear: potions of cure light wounds, darkvision, invisibility, levitate, protection from arrows, resist energy. Other Gear: dagger, cloak of resistance +1, alchemy kit. Boon: A hedge wizard can make alchemical items, brew potions, or scribe scrolls for the PCs at half cost. A hedge wizard can also share knowledge about the local area, granting a +2 circumstance bonus on Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), or Profession (herbalist) checks made in the local region..
wizard spells prepared: (CL 3rd; concentration +7)

2nd-blindness/deafness (DC 16), glitterdust (DC 16)

1st-charm person (DC 15), color spray (DC 15), unseen servant

0 (at will)-arcane mark, mage hand, mending, prestidigitation


A hedge wizard is a local dabbler in magic, sometimes a hermit or recluse wanting only privacy, but often a local loremaster or apothecary whose studies include both the natural and the supernatural.

Hedge wizards can serve as alchemists, sages, and scholars, or operate a curiosity shop or trading post dealing in magical and mundane items.

A hedge wizard might apprentice with a conjurist or hermit (CR 7) or partner with a medium as mystical advisors to a mayor (CR 9). Two cultists might be found working with a hedge wizard (CR 6), or a hedge wizard may work with a pilgrim and two acolytes to administer to a remote village (CR 6).

Archaeologist

Super Race: human rogue 7. Cr: 6. Xp: 2,400. Alignment: N. Size: Medium. Creature Type: Humanoid.
Init: +3. Senses: Perception +10. Ac: 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +3 Dex, +1 shield).
Hp: 38 (7d8+7).
Fortitude: +3. Reflex: +8. Will: +3. Defensive Abilities: evasion, trap sense +2, uncanny dodge.
Speed: 30 ft.. Melee: short sword +8 (1d6-1) or whip +8 (1d3-1 nonlethal). Ranged: hand crossbow +8 (1d4/19-20). Space: 5 ft.. Reach: 5 ft. (15 ft. with whip). Special Attacks: sneak attack +4d6 plus slow reactions. Strength: 8. Dexterity: 16. Constitution: 13. Intelligence: 16. Wisdom: 12. Charisma: 10.
Base Attack: +5. Cmb: +8 (+10 to trip). Cmd: 17 (19 vs. trip).
Feats: Agile Maneuvers, Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Weapon Finesse.
Skills: Acrobatics +12, Appraise +12, Climb +5, Disable Device +15, Escape Artist +10, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +10, Knowledge (engineering) +10, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (religion) +5, Linguistics +10, Perception +10, Profession (architect) +10, Profession (librarian) +10, Sleight of Hand +7, Spellcraft +7, Stealth +10, Use Magic Device +10.
Languages: Aklo, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Terran, Undercommon. Special Qualities: rogue talents (ledge walker, slow reactions, trap spotter), trapfinding +3. Combat Gear: scrolls of comprehend languages, detect secret doors, erase. Other Gear: masterwork studded leather, masterwork buckler, hand crossbow with 10 bolts, short sword, whip, hand of the mage, handy haversack, rope of climbing, unguent of timelessness, everburning torch. Boon: An archaeologist can tell PCs secrets of ruins and relics of a specific ancient culture, granting a +2 circumstance bonus on Appraise, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device checks to identify items relating to that culture, as well as Knowledge (engineering), Perception, and Disable Device checks when dealing with traps or secret doors in a ruin from that culture..

An archaeologist is a cunning scholar and explorer of ancient texts and ruins. She is knowledgeable in a wide range of fields, as quick with a quip or quotation as with a blade, bolt, or lash. An archaeologist might partner with a medium to placate the spirits of the dead disturbed in her explorations (CR 7), or supply a traveling merchant with exotic relics (CR 8).

Sage

Super Race: human abjurer 5/expert 7. Cr: 11. Xp: 12,800. Alignment: N. Size: Medium. Creature Type: Humanoid.
Init: +0. Senses: Perception +10. Ac: 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+4 mage armor).
Hp: 61 (12 HD; 7d8+5d6+12).
Fortitude: +5. Reflex: +4. Will: +12. Defensive Abilities: protective ward 10/day (+2 deflection, 7 rounds), resistance.
Speed: 30 ft.. Melee: quarterstaff +6/+1 (1d6-1). Ranged: dart +7 (1d4-1). Strength: 8. Dexterity: 10. Constitution: 12. Intelligence: 24. Wisdom: 14. Charisma: 13.
Base Attack: +7. Cmb: +6. Cmd: 21.
Feats: Arcane Strike, Craft Wand, Craft Wondrous Item, Defensive Combat Training, Magical Aptitude, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Knowledge [history]), Skill Focus (Use Magic Device), Spell Mastery.
Skills: Appraise +14, Diplomacy +6, Heal +6, Knowledge (choose one) +28, Knowledge (all others) +20, Linguistics +22, Perception +10, Profession (scribe) +10, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +26, Use Magic Device +26.
Languages: Common, plus 19 other languages. Special Qualities: arcane bond (ring of sustenance). Combat Gear: wands of acid arrow (50 charges), cure light wounds (50 charges), identify (50 charges), light (50 charges). Other Gear: quarterstaff, darts (2), brooch of shielding, broom of flying, cloak of resistance +1, headband of vast intelligence +4 (Spellcraft, Use Magic Device), ring of sustenance, magnifying glass, merchant's scale. Boon: A sage can translate any foreign language for PCs or make up to five skill checks (including identifying magic items) for PCs. A sage can also craft magic items at a 10% discount..
wizard spells prepared: (CL 5th; concentration +12)

3rd-magic circle against evil, sepia snake sigil (DC 20), stinking cloud (DC 20), suggestion (DC 20)

2nd-glitterdust (DC 19), locate object, protection from arrows, touch of idiocy, whispering wind

1st-charm person (DC 18), color spray (DC 18), feather fall, mage armor, shield, unseen servant

0 (at will)-arcane mark, detect magic, message, read magic

Prohibited Schools evocation, necromancy


A sage is an academic of the first order. Both a polyglot and polymath, a sage can be consulted to answer any number of questions by anyone wealthy enough to afford her considerable fees. A sage is often accompanied by a merchant prince who procures all the research materials she desires (CR 12), and together they may sit on the small council of a queen (CR 13) or king (CR 15).