Logical Mind (Ex): At 16th level, an archivist refines their deductive thinking to an efficient, objective edge. An archivist can now decipher two pages of script in 1 minute (10 consecutive full round actions), or 1 page of script in 30 seconds (5 consecutive full round actions) on a successful Decipher Script check. In addition, an archivist no longer draws false conclusions from a failed Decipher Script check.
Academic (Ex): At 19th level, the archivist becomes so certain in the use of Decipher Script that the character can use it reliably even under adverse conditions. When making a skill check with Decipher Script, the archivist may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the character from doing so.
Rally Performance (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a bard hones his skill as a public musician and can reroll a Perform check once per day, but only when attempting to impress audiences for the purpose of earning money. A bard must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. See Perform on page 79 of the Player's Handbook.
Refine Performance (Ex): At 4th level, a bard learns how to make his performances more appealing to the public of a prosperous city and is considered to have rolled at least a 2 on each d10 or d6 when determining how much money was earned each day from a Perform check. See Perform on page 79 of the Player's Handbook. At 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 16th, and 17th level, a bard is considered to have rolled 1 number higher on each d10 (for example, a least 3 at 5th level, at least 4 at 7th level, etc.). By extension, a bard is considered to have rolled at least 3 on each d6 at 7th level, at least 4 at 11th level, and at least 5 at 16th level. At 19th level, a bard earns the maximum amount of money for his performance.
Clever Wording (Ex): At 4th level, a beguiler starts mastering the ability to verbally transmit information to another character without others understanding it. A beguiler has to fail a Bluff check by 6 or more when delivering a secret message before false information is implied or inferred. Failure by 5 or more means a beguiler can't get the message across. See Bluff checks on pg. 67 of the Player's Handbook. These failed Bluff increments increase by 1 at 9th, 13th, 16th, and 18th level, when a beguiler has to fail a Bluff check by 10 or more before false information is implied or inferred.
Designer's Note: These abilities are based on a single iteration of the Bluff skill. As a character class that treats lying and manipulation as tools, a beguiler will most likely take maximum ranks in Bluff. These abilities ensure that beguilers are the foremost experts at disseminating information, thereby dominating their niche.
Lively Discourse (Ex): At 12th level, a beguiler gains the ability to relay detailed messages, especially those that require specific locations, people and times. The DC is 30 to relay intricate messages with a Bluff check.
Piqued Hearing (Ex): At 17th level, a beguiler is so attuned to conversations with secret messages that noticing them becomes effortless. A beguiler within 30 feet of a conversation containing a secret message is entitled to a Sense Motive check to intercept the transmitted message as if actively listening for it. The beguiler must first be able to hear the conversation with a Listen check.
Undead Intuition (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a cleric can identify undead creatures during an encounter from any distance. The cleric gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks to identify undead creatures, but gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge checks on page 78 of the Player's Handbook. Moreover, the cleric can make these Knowledge (undead) checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each cleric level the character takes after 2nd level.
Woodland Sprint (Ex): At 17th level, a druid may move at her normal speed through thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated. She does not take damage or suffer any other impairment, since she becomes immune to such magical effects.
Repel Nature's Lure (Ex): At 19th level, a druid gains spell resistance against the spell-like abilities of fey (such as dryads, pixies, and sprites) equal to her current druid level + 10. To affect the druid with a spell-like ability, a fey spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level; see Spell Resistance on page 177 of the Player's Handbook) that equals or exceeds the druid's spell resistance.
Elven Insight (Ex): At 8th level, a duskblade better understands how elves think after having pursued their ancient racial profession to this point. A duskblade can use their Intelligence ability modifier (instead of Charisma) when making Diplomacy and Gather Information checks with elves or in elven communities. At 9th level, a duskblade gains a +1 bonus on these skill checks. These bonuses increase by +1 at 12th, 14th, 17th, and 19th level.
Faith Healing (Su): Starting at 1st level, a favored soul can selectively channel a small amount of divine energy when handling the wounds of a dying creature. The favored soul is so certain in the use of first-aid (see Heal, pg. 75 of the Player's Handbook) that the character can use it reliably even under adverse conditions. When making a first-aid check on anybody who is within one step of their deity's alignment, the favored soul may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the character from doing so. At 6th level, these first-aid checks heal 1 point of damage. This amount increases by 1 hit point every five levels thereafter (11th and 16th).
Knowledge Specialty (Ex): At 1st level, a favored soul can choose whether to make Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (religion) a class skill. Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed.
Exalted or Vile Presence (Su): At 2nd level, a favored soul is more influential when interacting with people of the same faith. A favored soul gains a +2 bonus on Charisma when using any skill that treats Charisma as the key ability, but only when interacting with people who worship the same deity. This bonus increases by +1 at 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 13th, 14th, 18th, and 19th level. A favored soul gains one-half of this bonus (rounded down) when interacting with anybody who is within one step of their deity's alignment. When making Use Magic Device checks, this bonus also applies to magic objects that are divinely created or intelligent objects with alignments.
Physical Prowess (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a fighter gets a bonus to some aspect of his ability checks that makes him a better warrior. The fighter gains an additional bonus at 5th level and every two fighter levels thereafter (7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th). The bonus must be drawn from the following list.
Applied Force (Ex): A fighter can administer force to the weakest points of inanimate objects effectively, giving the character a +1 bonus on Strength checks to break or burst items (see page 165 of the Player's Handbook).
Combat Bearing (Ex): A fighter can steady himself to fight in precarious situations, giving the character a +1 bonus on Dexterity checks to avoid falling when damaged while balancing or moving quickly across difficult surfaces (see Balance on page 67 of the Player's Handbook).
Stamina Reserve (Ex): A fighter can push his body more than normal, giving the character a +1 bonus on Constitution checks to continue running (see page 144 of the Player's Handbook) and to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march (see page 164 of the Player's Handbook).
Forced Omens (Ex): At 6th level, a foreboding sense of doom travels with the hexblade, as candle lights flicker, fresh food turns green, or the air becomes stale. A hexblade adds prestidigitation to their list of spells known. See the spell description on pg. 264 of the Player's Handbook. If a hexblade already knows this spell, the character may choose a different 1st level spell. As a bonus spell, prestidigitation cannot be traded for another 1st level spell.
At 8th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation as if augmented by the Silent Spell feat without using up a higher-level spell slot. At 11th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation as a spell-like ability, lacking both somatic and verbal components, but is still limited to their spell slots per day. At 14th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation a number of additional times per day equal to 3 + their Charisma modifier. At 18th level, a hexblade can cast prestidigitation at will. The prestidigitation spell disappears from their list of spells known at this level.
Gallant Nature (Ex): At 18th level, a knight has a persuasive way of gaining favors from the aristocracy. A knight can reroll a Diplomacy check once per day, but only when attempting to influence the attitudes of nobility or royalty. A knight must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. See Diplomacy on pg. 73 of the Player's Handbook.
Righteous Cause (Ex): Starting at 7th level, a paladin is either rewarded with a bonus to form a lawful community or route out duplicitous intent. The paladin gains an additional bonus at 8th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th, and 19th level. The bonus must be drawn from one of the following two abilities.
Inspiring Presence (Ex): A paladin can become the rallying standard for decency and fairness. If a paladin takes the Leadership feat (see page 106 of the Dungeon Master's Guide), the character gains +1 to her leadership score, but only for the purpose of attracting 1st-level followers.
Discerning Insight (Ex): A paladin can recognize when a person is trustworthy or not, giving the character a +1 bonus on Sense Motive checks when trying to get a "hunch" about the subject's personality after a 1-minute conversation (see Sense Motive on page 81 of the Player's Handbook).
Woodland Hunter (Ex): At 12th level, a ranger can make "get along in the wild" checks while moving at his full overland speed. See Survival on page 83 of the Player's Handbook.
Perceptive Tracker (Ex): At 14th level, a ranger never takes longer than a full-round action to find tracks with a Survival check. A second roll is still required to follow any discovered tracks.
Seasoned Explorer (Ex): At 16th level, a ranger can make Survival checks to gain a bonus on Fortitude saves against severe weather while moving at his full overland speed. See Survival on page 83 of the Player's Handbook.
Instinctive Tracker (Ex): At 18th level, a ranger takes a standard action to find tracks with a Survival check, allowing the character to simultaneously move at his speed.
Survivalist (Ex): At 19th level, the ranger becomes so certain in the use of Survival that the character can use it reliably even under adverse conditions. When making a skill check with Survival, the ranger may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the character from doing so.
Makeshift Tools (Ex): At 14th level, a rogue becomes so familiar with mechanisms and traps that the character can make Disable Device checks without a set of thieves' tools at no penalty. See Disable Device on page 72 of the Player's Handbook.
Skilled Saboteur (Ex): At 20th level, a rogue makes quick work out of mechanisms and traps, disabling devices in one-half the normal time. See Disable Device on page 72 of the Player's Handbook. A device that normally takes 1 round to disable now takes 1 standard action, allowing the character to make a move action afterward.
Breaking Stare (Ex): At 4th level, the samurai can internalize their mastery of kiai into making a subject fear for their life. When attempting to change behavior, a samurai can spend 1 use of their kiai smite ability to negate a target's Wisdom modifier for a single Intimidate check. At 9th level, a samurai negates a target's modifiers on saves against fear. At 13th level, a samurai negates a target's immunity from being intimidated for being a paladin of 3rd level or higher. At 15th level, a samurai reduces the size modifier of a target by one category. At 18th level, a samurai reduces the size modifier of a target by two categories.
Interrogator (Ex): At 19th level, the samurai becomes so certain in the use of Intimidate to change behavior that the character can use it reliably even under adverse conditions. When making an Intimidate check to change behavior, the samurai may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the character from doing so.
Elemental Recognition (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a shugenja can identify creatures with an elemental subtype during an encounter from any distance. The shugenja gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (the planes) checks to identify such creature types, but gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge on pg. 78 of the Player's Handbook. Moreover, the shugenja can make these Knowledge (the planes) checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each shugenja level the character takes after 2nd level.
Magical Affinity (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a sorcerer can identify a certain creature type during an encounter by virtue of inheriting his magical ability from a member of that creature type. The type must include at least one creature with an arcane spell-like ability (such as dragon, magical beast, or outsider). Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed. The sorcerer gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks to identify such creature types, but he gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge on page 78 of the Player's Handbook. Moreover, the sorcerer can make these Knowledge (arcana) checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each sorcerer level the character takes after 2nd level.
Guide Meld (Su): At 8th level, the spirit shaman is constantly influenced by the characteristics of their spirit guide as the two become natural extensions of each other. A spirit shaman gains a +1 bonus on ability checks using the key ability of their chosen spirit guide. This bonus increases by +1 at 12th, 14th, and 18th level. See Ability Checks on pg. 65 of the Player's Handbook.
Spirit Guide Characteristics Key Ability
Badger Orderliness, tenacity Intelligence
Bear Strength, endurance Constitution
Buffalo Abundance, good fortune Strength
Cougar Balance, leadership Dexterity
Coyote Humor, trickiness Charisma
Crane Balance, majesty Dexterity
Crow Intelligence, resourcefulness Intelligence
Eagle Perception, illumination Charisma
Elk Pride, power, majesty Strength
Fox Cleverness, distraction Intelligence
Hawk Awareness, truth Wisdom
Lizard Elusiveness Dexterity
Otter Joy, laugher Charisma
Owl Wisdom, night Wisdom
Rabbit Conquering fear, safety Dexterity
Raccoon Curiosity Intelligence
Scorpion Defense, self-protection Dexterity
Snake Power, life force, potency Strength
Spider Interconnectedness, industry Wisdom
Turtle Love, protection Charisma
Vulture Vigilance, death Intelligence
Wolf Loyalty, interdependence Wisdom
Seduction (Ex): At 4th level, a swashbuckler has a lascivious way of acquiring knowledge through less than diplomatic channels. A swashbuckler gains an additional use of the Bluff skill called seduce to learn secret. The swashbuckler can use charm, flirtation, or seduction to learn a coveted secret that is known by a nonplayer character. In order for this iteration of the Bluff skill to work, the nonplayer character must find the swashbuckler physically attractive and be in a position to actually know the secret in question. There are five kinds of secrets that can be learned with a seduce to learn secret check . The fewer people that know a secret, the greater their loyalty to keep that secret.
Secret DC* Example
Common 10 Password told to the city guard, known by 16 or more people
Uncommon 20 Identity of thieves' guild leader, known by 9 to 16 people
Valuable 30 A merchant ship hauling exotic goods, known by 5 to 8 people
Deadly 40 Plans to invade a foreign land, known by 3 to 4 people
Unutterable 50 The mental disability of a king, known by 3 or less people*The DC assumes that the nonplayer character is indifferent. The Bluff check is modified by -20 if the NPC is hostile, -10 if the NPC is unfriendly, +5 if the NPC is friendly, and +10 if the NPC is helpful.
Designer's Note: The seduction ability can be a powerful tool in the hands of a lusty swashbuckler, but still requires that the character figure out which NPC has knowledge of a desired secret, represented by a Gather Information check. If you want to make the seduce to learn secret action available to all characters, simply reduce the skill usage duration to one-half the normal time for a swashbuckler of 4th level.
A typical seduce to learn secret check takes 1d4+1 hours and requires seduction. If the check succeeded by 10 or more, the attempt takes 1d4+1x10 minutes and only requires flirtation. If the check succeeded by 20 or more, the attempt takes 1d4+1 minutes and merely requires charm. Retries are not possible as the target becomes too suspicious.
At 9th level, a swashbuckler gains a +1 bonus on seduce to learn secret checks. This bonus increases by +1 at 13th, 15th, 18th, and 19th level.
Evocation Sense (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a warmage can recognize the material, somatic, and verbal component of evocation spells. The warmage gains a +1 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify an evocation spell being cast by another creature. See Spellcraft on pg. 82 of the Player's Handbook. This bonus increases by +1 at 4th, 5th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th, 18th, and 19th level.
Animated Script (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a wizard can magically animate the writing in their spellbook, causing the inked symbols and words to migrate across the page. Doing so increases the Spellcraft DC for another wizard attempting to decipher or prepare spells from their spellbook by the inscribing wizard's Intelligence modifier + 1 at the cost of 5 gp per inscribed page. See Spells Copied from Another's Spellbook or Scroll on page 179 of the Player's Handbook. For each level in which the character does not gain a bonus feat after 2nd level, the wizard can increase the Spellcraft DC by +1 at the cost of an additional 5 gp per inscribed page (for example, +2 for 10 gp per page at 3rd level, +3 for 15 gp per page at 4th level, +4 for 20 gp per page at 6th level, and so on). The inscribing wizard can will their animated writing to stop, at which point the Spellcraft DC to copy a spell from another's spellbook returns to normal (DC 15 + spell level).
Intuitive Spirit: At 2nd level, the watchful spirit that looks out for the wu jen also helps provide expertise. Choose one Knowledge skill. Once per day, when making a skill check with this Knowledge skill, a wu jen can reroll their skill check before any information is disclosed. The wu jen takes the better of the two rolls. At 4th level, this reroll can also be used to decipher or identify anything with a Spellcraft check, but not learn or prepare spells. At 5th level, this reroll can also be used to avoid distraction from nonmagical motion or weather with a Concentration check, but not from damage or grappling.
Elemental Bond (Ex): Starting at 7th level, a wu jen can recognize the material, somatic, and verbal component of any spell from their elemental mastery list (including spells that are designated as "all"). The wu jen gains a +1 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify these spells being cast by another creature. See Spellcraft on pg. 82 of the Player's Handbook. This bonus increases by +1 at 8th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 19th, and 20th level.
