Philosoph Character Class

Philosophs (sometimes called “experimental philosophers,” “travelling inquisitives,” or simply “insane”) vary from society to society. Some take to the sciences and philosophies because of an insatiable urge to drink in knowledge, others as a way to free the world of the oppressive crutch of magic. What they all share is a keen desire to understand the world around them.
     Adventures: Philosophs aventure to gain more experience in the real world, away from the safe and booring libraries and laboratories (though some would argue the safety of their laboratories).
     Characteristics: Philosophs are highly skilled. Indeed, their many skills (especially knowledges) are what they use to distinguish themselves among others of their professions. While less skilled than most in combat, they have learned the basics of self-defense, some developing it almost into a science.
     Their greatest focus however is their understanding. They are not merely content to watch the apple fall, they try to find out the how and why of it and see if they can predict the next one. This curiousity of the underlying pattern of things allows them to analyze and understand almost anything they can get their hands on.
     Alignment: Philosophs are more likely to be lawful than chaotic as following the discipline of knowledge and the method of reason tend to attract lawful types. The chaotic mindset, on the other hand, tends to be more open to new ideas and new paradigms. Philosophs may be from any alignment.
     Religion: Though almost every philosoph acknowledges the existance of the gods, few worship any. This is not a denail of faith, merely an unwillingness to submit themselves to an otherworldly will. Of those who do worship, Moradin (the builder), Boccob (the knowledge-seeker), and Vecna (the secret-keeper) tend to be favoured deities. In the Pharonic Pantheon (See Manual of the Planes), most worship Imhotep.
     Background: Often philosophs were more intelligent than those around them, taking up the role of the young teacher, mysterious hermit, or curious outcast. Along the way they either met up with a fellow seeker of knowledge or (the more intelligent ones) reasoned out the scientific method on their own.
     Races: Of the races, humans and dwarves tend to make the best philosophs, humans for their enthousiasm and dwarves for their logical thinking, with gnomes coming in a close second with their natural curiosity. Elves and half-orcs are least likely to be philosophs, elves being very entrenched in the idea that magic is much better than any windup toys while half-orcs tend to smash toys... Despite this, philosophs have come from every common race, and quite a few uncommon ones. There is even a race of gnomes on a world called Krynn that have taken the road of the philosoph to an illogical extreme. (¬.¬)
     Other Classes: Philosophs tend to get along with open-minded, curious individuals. Unfortunately this tends to alienate paladins and the more lawful clerics, as well as most “magic supremicists.”

Game Rule Information
Philosophs have the following game statistics.
     Abilities: Intelligence is the most important stat to the philosoph, both because of the number of skills and the keen reasoning which accompanies the class. Wisdom and Dexterity are also important for observation, technology, and rolling with the punches (and explosions...).
     Alignment: Any
     Hit Dice: d6

Class Skills
The philosoph's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge: all skills (Int), Listen (Wis), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Speak Language (Int), Spot (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Psionic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex). See Chapter 4 of the PHB for skill descriptions.

     Skill Points at 1st Level: (8 + Int modifier) × 4.
     Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Class Features
All the following are class features off the philosoph.
     Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Philosophs are proficient with all simple weapons as well as hand crossbow, handaxe, heavy pick, light hammer, light pick, repeating crossbow, and choice of longsword OR rapier OR scimitar, and longbow OR short bow. They are proficient with light armour, but not shields.
     Alchemical Insight: Philosophs can craft alchemical items without the need to be a spellcaster.
     Analytical Knowledge: Through careful study and testing the philosoph can determine the function or a property of any device, item, or object that he has time to study. By spending a variable ammount of uninterrupted time with the device in question, he can make a special anylitical knowledge check with a bonus equal to his class level + his Intelligence modifier + any applicable synergy bonusses (+2 from relevant skill at 5 or more ranks) to see wether he can determine one function or property.
     If the check is successful he can examine the device again immediately afterwards for ˝ the time (rounded up) uninterupted and make a second check to determine a second function or property. Contingent on another successful check, a third function or property can be determined after an additional Ľ of the time (rounded up) uninterrupted study. Even if all checks are successful, no more attempts can be made that day on that device.
     If any of the checks fail no further information can be gleaned about the device that day. This may only be attempted once per day on the same device, and after failing to analyze the same device twice the philosoph must gain one character level before trying again on that device. The Philosoph may not take a 20 on this check; a natural 20 is not an automatic success and a natural 1 is not an automatic failure. The DM will determine the Difficulty Class of the check on the table below.
     Note that certain devices (such as artifacts) cannot be analyzed, as they are beyond the ken of mere mortals.

Device	DC	Example	Study Time
Mechanical, Simple	10	Very simple lock	1d6 rounds
Mechanical, Moderate	15	Average lock	2d6 rounds
Mechanical, Complex	20	Good lock	1d6 minutes
Mechanical, Supreme	30	Amazing lock	2d6 minutes
Magical and Mechanical	20 + required caster level	Aparatus of Kwalish, Folding boat	4d6 minutes
Simple Magical	25 + required caster level	Wand of Magic Missiles, Ring of Protection, Low-level scroll (spell level 0 to 3)	10d6 minutes
Complex Magical	30 + required caster level	Rod of Lordly Might, Cubic Gate, Mid- to High-level scroll (spell level 4th+)	1d6 hours

Greater Skill Focus [Special]
Choose a skill, such as Decipher Script or Move Silently. You now have an extra-special knack with that skill.
Prerequisite: Skill Focus with selected skill, philosoph level 11.
Benefit You get an additional +3 bonus on all skill checks with that skill. This stacks with Skill Focus.

     Bonus Feat: At 1st level, a philosoph gains a bonus skill-oriented feat in addition to the normal feats. The philosoph gains an additional bonus feat at third level and every two philosoph levels thereafter (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th). These feats must be drawn from the feats noted as philosoph bonus feats on the following table, and the philosoph must meet all prerequisites.

          Acrobatic
          Agile
          Alertness
          Athletic
          Automomus (p. 41, Expanded Psionics Handbook)
          Deceitful
          Deft Hands
          Diligent
          Investigator
          Iron Will
          Magical Aptitude
          Negotiator
          Nimble Fingers
          Open Minded (p. 48, Expanded Psionics Handbook)
          Persuasive
          Self-Sufficient
          Skill Focus
          Stealthy
          Track
          Urban Tracking (p. 56, Unearthed Arcana)

     Intelligence Bonus: At every level that he recieves a normal stat increase (4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th), the philosoph gets a +1 inherent bonus to Intelligence representing the expansion of his mind over time.
     Greater Skill Focus: At level 11 the philosoph gains access to the special feat Greater Skill Focus. You must choose a skill already assigned to Skill Focus.
     Skill Mastry: At levels 15 and 17 the philosoph aquires the ability Skill Mastry as the Rogue special ability (PHB, p48).
     Trapfinding: Philosophs, like rogues, can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.
        Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
        Philosophs can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
        Unlike rogues, philosophs are not automatically as adept with magical traps as they are with those that operate on purely mechanical principles. A philosoph must have at least 4 ranks in either Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft, or Use Magic Device or suffer a -4 penalty when disabling a magical trap.
        A philosoph who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.

Dwarf (or Gnome) Philosoph Starting Package
     Armour: Studded Leather +3 AC, speed 20 ft., 20 lb.
     Weapons: Heavy pick (1d6, ×4 crit, 6 lb., Medium, Piercing)
        Light crossbow (1d8, crit 19-20/×2, 80 ft., 7 lb., Medium, Piercing)
        Dagger (1d4, crit 19-20/×2, 10 ft., 1 lb., Tiny, Piercing)
     Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 8 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability
Appraise	4	Int
Craft: Alchemy	4	Int
Decipher Script	4	Int
Disable Device	4	Int
Heal	4	Wis
Knowledge: Arcana	4	Int
Knowledge: Architecture & Engineering	4	Int
Knowledge: Geography	4	Int
Knowledge: History	4	Int
Knowledge: Nature	4	Int
Knowledge: Religion	4	Int
Open Lock	4	Dex
Search	4	Int
Use Rope	4	Dex

     Feat: If Int 13 or higher, Expertise; if Int 12 or less, Alertness instead.
     Skill Focus: Craft: Aclhemy
     Gear: Backpack with waterskin, one day's trail rations, bedroll, sack, and flint and steel. Alchemy kit. Four sunrods. Case with 10 crossbow bolts.
     Gold: 2d4 gp

Alternative Philosoph Starting Package
Same as dwarf philosoph, except
     Race: Human, elf, half-elf, halfling, or half-orc.
     Armour: Studded Leather +3 AC, speed 30 ft.(nonhalflings only), 20 lb.
     Weapons: Shortbow (1d6, ×3 crit, 60 ft., 2 lb., Medium, Piercing) instead of crossbow.
     Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 9 + Int modifier (human only).
     Bonus Feat: Iron Will (human only).
     Gear: Quiver with 20 arrows instead of case of crossbow bolts.
     Gold: 2d4 gp

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+0	+0	+2	+2	Alchemical Insight, Analytical Knowledge, Trapfinding, Bonus Feat
2	+1	+0	+3	+3
3	+2	+1	+3	+3	Bonus Feat
4	+3	+1	+4	+4	+1 Intelligence
5	+3	+1	+4	+4	Bonus Feat
6	+4	+2	+5	+5
7	+5	+2	+5	+5	Bonus Feat
8	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	+1 Intelligence
9	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Bonus Feat
10	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7
11	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Bonus Feat
12	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	+1 Intelligence, Skill Mastry
13	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Bonus Feat
14	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9
15	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Bonus Feat, Skill Mastry
16	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	+1 Intelligence
17	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Bonus Feat
18	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Skill Mastry
19	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Bonus Feat, Skill Mastry
20	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	+1 Intelligence

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