Cantripologist (3.5e Class)
Cantripologist
The Cantripologist is a caster who uses only the weakest kind of magic, but with great accuaracy and effect.
Making a Cantripologist
Designing a Cantripologist should be much like designing a Wizard.
A Cantripologist's main role includes utility spellcasting, part healing and some offensive magic. He can also research and invent new cantrips, just like a caster researches new spells.
Abilities: The Cantripologist uses Intelligence for his spellcasting. However, good secondary ability scores would be Dexterity and Constitution, to live longer and perhaps have a bit of weapon potential.
Races: Humans, Halflings and Gnomes are the most common Cantripologists due to their creativity, but there several Goblins, Orcs, and many other less cultivated races.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold:2d4*10 gp (20-80 gp.)
Starting Age: Simple.
Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Pseudocasting Spell level | Spell points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Spells, Bonus Metamagic Feat | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Power in Numbers | 1 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Cantrip Efficiency I | 2 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Bonus Metamagic Feat | 2 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | 3 | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Cantrip Efficiency II | 3 | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | 4 | 42 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Bonus Metamagic Feat | 4 | 52 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Cantrip Efficiency III | 5 | 62 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | 5 | 74 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | 6 | 86 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Bonus Metamagic Feat, Cantrip Efficiency IV | 6 | 100 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | 7 | 114 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14th | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 | 7 | 130 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Cantrip Efficiency V | 8 | 146 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Bonus Metamagic Feat | 8 | 164 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | 9 | 182 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Cantrip Efficiency VI | 9 | 222 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | 9 | 250 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20th | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Bonus Metamagic Feat | 9 | 306 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Cantripologist.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Cantripologist is proficient with the quarterstaff, dagger, and light crossbow.
Spells: The Cantripologist's spells are Intelligence based. He can use any single arcane cantrip he knows at will, but when he uses cantrips together it costs him spell points. The number of combined cantrips he can use each round is equal to his Cantripologist caster level * 2. For example, a level 3 Cantripologist can use 6 cantrips per round and etc. Each cantrip used costs 1/2 spell points when used together and no cost when its single used. For example a lvl 2 Cantripologist can use 4 cantrips together in a round wasting 1/2 SP for each one of them, so he would waste 2 SP, while he could cast a single cantrip at no cost.
Level | Spells Known |
---|---|
1st | 4 |
2nd | 5 |
3rd | 6 |
4th | 7 |
5th | 8 |
6th | 9 |
7th | 10 |
8th | 11 |
9th | 12 |
10th | 13 |
11th | 14 |
12th | 15 |
13th | 16 |
14th | 17 |
15th | 18 |
16th | 19 |
17th | 20 |
18th | 21 |
19th | 22 |
20th | 23 |
Bonus Metamagic Feat: The Cantripologist gets a bonus metamagic feat at first level and every fourth level. When it comes to metamagic feats the The Cantripologist can use it for free, if the added spell levels aren't higher than his Pseudocasting Level. For example a lvl 15 The Cantripologist with a pseudocasting level 8, can use as many cantrips as he wants per round (not more than the limit), with maximize spell (+3 spell level) so he has still 5 levels to use in metamagic.
Cantrips: The The Cantripologist can know 0-level spells from any spell list. As a standard action, he may cast a number of them (or any combination of multiples of them) with metamagic applied to them as desired. The Cantripologist learns one new cantrip each time he levels up
Cantrip Efficiency: starting at level 3 and each 3 levels after that Cantripologists learn to use an additional cantrip per round at no cost instead of one, For example a 5 lvl Cantripologist without Cantrip Efficiency I could use 1 cantrip at no cost and 10 cantrips for 5 sp. With Cantrip Efficiency I he uses now 2 Cantrips at no cost, and as a result he would pay only 4 sp, for 10 spells. That increases by 1 each 3 levels. That advancement stops at level 27 with Cantrip Efficacy IX
Pseudocasting level: That number indicates the level that The Cantripologist's cantrips are supposed to be.So, a level 7 The Cantripologist with Pseudocasting level 4 uses a 4th level spell DC for his cantrips, prestige classes and stuff.
Power in Numbers: At level 2, Cantripologist counts all spells he casts per round as one for each target. So, a level 5 Cantripologist , can use Guidance 10 times and make the target receive 10 temporal hp. He can also use 10 rays of frost on a single target using only one saving throw and touch attack.
Epic Cantripologist
Level | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21st | Cantrip Efficacy VII | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22nd | +10 Spell Points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23rd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24th | Bonus Feat, Cantrip Efficacy VIII | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
25th | +10 Spell Points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
26th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
27th | Cantrip Efficiency IX | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
28th | Bonus Feat, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
29th | +10 Spell Points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
30th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 + Int modifier skill points per level. |
Spell Known: Spells Known for a Cantripologist increase by 1 every level after 20th.
Spell Points per Day: The Spell Points per Day for a Cantripologist increase by 25 every level after 20th.
Bonus Feats: The epic Cantripologist gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Cantripologist bonus feats) every 4 levels after 20th.
Epic Cantripologist Bonus Feat List:Augmented Alchemy, Automatic Quicken Spell, Automatic Silent Spell, Automatic Still Spell, Combat Casting, Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Rod, Craft Epic Wondrous Item, Efficient Item Creation, Enhance Spell, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Spellcasting, Forge Epic Ring, Ignore Material Components, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Intensify Spell, Multispell, Permanent Emanation, Scribe Epic Scroll, Spell Knowledge, Spell Mastery, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration Spell Stowaway, Spell Opportunity, Spontaneous Spell, Tenacious Magic. In addition to the feats on this list, the Cantripologist may select any metamagic feat not listed here.
Gnome Cantripologist Starting Package
Weapons: Four daggers and a light crossbow.
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.
Skill | Ranks | Ability | Armor Check Penalty |
---|---|---|---|
Concentration | 4 | Constitution | — |
Forgery | 4 | Intelligence | — |
Knowledge (Arcana) | 4 | Intelligence | — |
Spellcraft | 4 | Intelligence | — |
Craft | 4 | Intelligence | — |
Feat: Extend Spell.
Bonus Feats: Energy Substitution.
Gear: Backpack, Bedroll, Waterskin, Flint and Steel, 3 × Torch, Quiver, 20 × bolts, Sack, Spell Component Pouch, Travelers Outfit, 3 × Trail Rations.
Gold: 45 gp.
Campaign Information
Playing a Cantripologist
Other Classes: Cantripologists are often scorned by more mainstream spellcasters, who tend to think that nothing good can come of cantrips.
Combat: The Cantripologist may choose to use spells like Ray of Frost to deal damage, or he might use distracting spells to mess with his enemies.
Advancement: The Cantripologist sometimes benefits from multiclassing with combat or stealth-based classes, but they are still a form of greater spellcaster, notorious for their inability to multiclass effectively.
Cantripologists in the World
“ | People tend to underestimate what you can do with a dozen Mage Hands | ” |
—Dralek Tar, Half-Orc Cantripologist |
Notables: Nethezig the Unholy, respected for the intimidating things he can do with Light and Ghost Sound. Dralek Tar, feared for his tendency to drop boulders on people, or lift people up and leave them floating in the air.
Organizations: Cantripologists assemble in much the same way Wizards do.
NPC Reactions: NPCs tend to assume that Cantripologists are not to be feared, unless proven otherwise.
Cantripologist Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can research Cantripologists to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
DC | Result |
---|---|
5 | Cantripologists can wield massive numbers of cantrips. |
10 | Some of the cantrips the Cantripologists wield are affected by a whole lot of metamagic. |
15 | Cantripologists cannot run out of normal cantrips, but can run out of Greater Cantrips. |
Cantripologists in the Game
Adaptation: Consider requiring preparation for Greater Cantrips or making a limit for the number of ordinary cantrips the Cantripologist can cast per day.
Sample Encounter: Some rambling beggar babbles on about odd noises and lights. The PCs find out it is an evil Cantripologist tormenting the townspeople.
EL whatever: 3rd level CE Cantripologist, maybe I'll add stats later.
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