Mad Scientist (3.5e Prestige Class)

Mad Scientist

“	MAD!? ME!? NEVER! I'm just eccentric.	”
—Dr. Carl Friedrich, Human Mad Scientist, Rogi, Lab Assistant's Journal

Mad scientists are astute observers of the world who have become deranged and certifiably insane. They are somewhat scatterbrained, their practice is downright questionable, and they are frequently building implausible gadgetry in their Mad Scientist Laboratory, or slightly ridiculous superweapons. Their prim, professional, and sanitary-white clothing is matched by clean-shaven baldness or contrasted by their unkempt and wild hair. They often speak with fake Central European accents and love to engage in Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness about their latest invention. They will often be accompanied by a hunchbacked sidekick of some description. People will often call them mad.

The Order of Mad Scientists was first founded by the wizard, Count St Germane, who uncovered the long sought secret of immortality, though he lost his humanity in the process. Germane was the first and is still currently the strongest immortal Mad Scientist in existence. Mad Scientists remain true to the cause of Science! Nothing excites them more than the discovery of new knowledge, although their methods can be quite deadly. They find all humanoids to be but a hilarious experiments waiting to happen. They may be mad, but be wary, behind the madness lurks a cunning intelligence that can outwit a Devil!

Becoming a Mad Scientist

Only completely depraved scientists join the ranks of the Order of Mad Scientists. Wizards and sorcerers are common conscripts. Necromancers seeking to become immortal without becoming a lich can also be found amongst the ranks. Every Mad Scientist has a unique specialty, but they all share one thing in common... they are all completely insane.

Entry Requirements

Special:	Must have 23 ranks in Knowledge(the planes) and 23 ranks in either Knowledge(arcana) or Knowledge(religion).

Table: The Mad Scientist

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Lab Assistant, Maniacal Laughter, Undead creation, Understanding of the Insane.
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Graft Flesh (undead), Insanity, Weapon of Madness.
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+4	Eyes of the Insane, Percussive Maintenance
4th	+3	+3	+3	+5	Chaos Mind, Eyes of the Mad Man, Insomnia, No Sanity Left
5th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Complete Madness, Immortality, Playing God
Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level) The Mad Scientist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise(int), Bluff(cha), Concentration(con), Craft(int), Decipher Script(int), Disable Device(int), Forgery(int), Heal(wis), Intimidate(cha), Knowledge(arcana), Knowledge(architecture and engineering), Knowledge(dungeoneering), Knowledge(geography), Knowledge(history), Knowledge(local), Knowledge(nature), Knowledge(nobility and royalty), Knowledge(religion), Knowledge(the planes), Sense Motive(wis), Spellcraft(int).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Mad Scientist.

Lab Assistant: Just like the leadership feat but only working for cohorts the Mad Scientist gains a loyal henchman/cohort equal to or less than their class level that is completely loyal to them and helps them in their labs, the Assistant must be of the same alignment as the Mad Scientist.

Maniacal Laughter(Ex): 3/day + Int Modifier any creatures within 30ft. of the Mad Scientist that hears this laughter must make a Will save (DC 10 +1/2 character level + intimidate modifier) or become panicked for 1d4 rounds, success makes them shaken for as long as they are within 30ft. of the Mad Scientist the effect ends after they are more than 30ft. away from the Mad Scientist.

Undead Creation(Sp): 1/week the Mad Scientist can create a number of corporal undead equal to his character level so long as the body parts are present, all undead created through this method are permanently loyal to their creator.

Weapon of Madness(Sp): The mad scientist chooses one weapon of any kind, gains or keeps proficiency with that weapon, but loses the ability to use any other weapon, except for one, which is chosen at level 2. This weapon's dice increases on step (1d4 changes to 1d6) and the number of dice increases by one per level in mad scientist. The scientist now adds his Int modifier along with the modifier the weapon originally used to both the roll to damage, and the roll to hit. When an enemy is struck with this weapon, it has a 35% chance to become insane and attack its allies, or itself, for 3 rounds, this increases to 50% at level 5. At 3rd level your madness lets you move at speeds not truly possible, you may attack twice per round with your Weapon of Madness, at 5th level 3 times. When the Scientist is wielding his Weapon of Madness, the DC to disarm him of this weapon gains +15. If the Scientist is trying to be forced to relinquish his weapon, he will use almost any means necessary to keep it with him. At first level he gains Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization for this weapon, at 3rd level Greater Weapon Focus and Greater Weapon Specialization, and at 5th level Epic Weapon Focus and Epic Weapon Specialization.

Understanding of the Insane(Sp): The madman understands others while others do not understand him. The Mad scientist gains +5 on insight checks, and learns 10 new languages, and can learn new languages very quickly. At level 5, gains an additional +7 to rolls made to detect motive or to determine the intent and truthfulness in a statement.

Graft Flesh(undead): Gains the feat of the same name.

Insanity(Sp): The Mad Scientist can infect someone with their madness a number of times per day equal to 1/2 his character level + Int Modifier (up to 15 times per day), target must be within 50ft. and the Mad Scientist has to be able to see them, they must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 character's level + int or cha modifier (whichever is higher)) failure puts the target under the effects of an insanity spell for 1d6 + int modifier rounds.

Chaos Mind: The Mad Scientist becomes immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities.

Eyes of the Insane: The Mad Scientist becomes immune to gaze attacks but suffers a -2 penalty to Diplomacy.

Percussive Maintenance: The Mad Scientist becomes frustrated when machines or magical constructs he puts together or owns stop working, and so he takes the most "logical" course, and curses at it and hits it aight the nearest object to make it, once again, function. This delays the objects failure by 1d6+Class Level+Int Modifier rounds. This is a standard action and can be preformed three times on an object before it fails the way it would have in the first place, and has to be repaired.

Insomnia: The Mad Scientist no longer needs to sleep and becomes immune to sleep spell and effects.

No Sanity Left: The Mad Scientist becomes almost completely insane and becomes immune to enchantment spells and abilities but suffers a -2 penalty to Diplomacy.

Eyes of the Mad Man(Ex): One of the most powerful abilities that a Mad Scientist can wield are his eyes, the insanity found within can panick a victim by filling him with fear. Each round as a bonus-action, the Mad Scientist can look into the eyes of a living being and instill fear from the insanity found within. Target must make a morale Will save or become panicked for 1d4 + intimidate modifier rounds (DC 10 + 1/2 character's level + intimidate modifier) success just instills a -2 morale penalty to attack and Will save rolls.

Complete Madness: The Mad Scientist has become completely insane, and any Will save automatically succeeds because of his madness.

Immortality: The Mad Scientist no longer ages nor does he suffer the effects of age; if his body is broken or cut up it heals and reattaches itself within 1d20 minutes. Can only be killed by being reduced to negative 65 health and have an arcane spell of level 3 or higher, with knowing intent to kill him, to finish them off, but appears dead when they reach 0 hit points, and it takes a DC 30 perception check to notice that they are still alive, and if they do notice, they are unable to comprehend this phenomena and lose consciousness for 2d8 hours. After being reduced to 0-64 they regenerate all hitpoints in 10 rounds. Detect Life spells are ineffective on the Mad Scientist at all times. When the Mad Scientist attains immortality, his body reverts itself to peak condition, and remains that way, losing any negatives due to age, while retaining, and continuing to gain the benefits.

Playing God(Sp): 1/week The Mad Scientist can bring another person back to life no matter how long it has been, they still need at least part of the body to do this though. This ability works just like a true resurrection spell. Normally used to bring friends and favorite Assistants back to life, this ability is the most frightening of all the Mad Scientist's abilities making it the main reason they are hunted down before they can achieve immortality.

Campaign Information

Playing a Mad Scientist

Combat: They are a somewhat supportive role though their major job is to inflict fear into the hearts of their enemies whenever they can, although they can prove extremely proficient with their Weapon of Madness.

Advancement: A Mad Scientist's greatest weapon is fear so Intimidate is a major skill you want to increase.

Resources: Mad Scientists don't work well with each other but will if they need to or a major threat to the world they live in rears it's ugly head.

Mad Scientists in the World

“

I have the head of a deity in a jar and a demon lord on a slab for dissection! Do you really want to make me mad!?

”

They can be found in universities for the arcane as instructors or under watch there. Normally they are found in old abandoned ruins or in castles or lairs far from civilization unless they are accepted into the community, which is very rare and if so then they are normally ruling that community through fear, as the populace is too frightened to do anything.

Mad Scientist Lore

Insanity has always been a Mad Scientist's closest friend, though their true closest friend is their Assistant. Fear is a powerful tool that they utilize along with Knowledge, if they can study it then it'll be in a jar soon, if it can be dissected then it'll end up on a slab.

Characters with ranks in knowledge(arcane) can research Mad Scientist to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

knowledge(arcane)

DC	Result
11	Monsters in human flesh their insanity knows no bounds.
16	Their eyes should be avoided as well as their laughter.
21	They can literally become immortal and almost impossible to kill.
26	Only one of their kind has achieved the ability to bring the dead back to life without needing access to magic though his current location is unknown.

Mad Scientists in the Game

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play-> Mad Scientist are the archetypical villain. Make him as stereotypical as you want, accent and all. Most of all have fun with him and you party should have fun facing him as an opponent.

Adaptation: <-Fitting this class in your campaign->

Sample Encounter: <-DM placement for NPC of this class->

EL whatever: <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block. The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter->

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