Universalist Subschools (Pathfinder Alternate Class Feature)
Master of the Arcane Bond Subschool[edit]
Masters of the arcane bond focus less on the study of magical spells and more on the development of their arcane bonds. The intense study required to pursue this path precludes the wizard from focusing on any single school of magic.
Class: Any class with the Universal arcane school.
Level: 1 and 8.
Replaces: The following abilities replace the hand of the apprentice and metamagic mastery abilities of the universalist school.
Enhanced Bond (Ex): Your focus on your arcane bond means that you treat your wizard level as five levels higher than normal for determining the intelligence, natural armor, and special abilities of your familiar. If you choose the bonded item application of the arcane bond class feature, you instead gain an additional use of that ability, allowing you to cast two spells without preparing them ahead of time.
Dual Bond (Su): Beginning at 8th level, your focus on arcane bonds allows you to gain a second arcane bond. You treat your wizard level as though it were 7 levels lower for determining the benefits of that arcane bond (for example, the second arcane bond of a 10th-level wizard would grant benefits as though he were a 3rd-level wizard, and he would only be able to cast an extra spell that he would have been able to cast at 3rd-level if he had a bonded item as his second arcane bond).
Source A Necromancer's Almanac 2012 61 from Necromancers of the Northwest
Ninjutsu Subschool[edit]
Wizards who learn the ancient arts of ninjutsu find many ways to apply its precepts to their own power.
Class: Any class with the Universal arcane school.
Level: 1 and 8.
Replaces: The following abilities replace the hand of the apprentice and metamagic mastery abilities offered by the universalist school.
Shadow Shuriken (Sp): As a swift action, you summon up a number of small throwing-stars made of pure shadows. These shadow shuriken function identically to normal shuriken, except that you are always proficient with them, and they fade into nothingness after a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier. The shadow shuriken have an enhancement bonus equal to 1/4 your class level, rounded down. At 1st level, the ability creates only a single shuriken, but at third level, and every three levels thereafter, the number of shuriken created increases by one (to a maximum of seven at 18th level). You may use this ability at will.
Acrobatics Master (Ex): As a swift action, you can bring extra speed to your step, making you more nimble than normal and allowing you to perform exceptional feats of tumbling, jumping, and dodging. You gain a bonus to Acrobatics equal to twice your class level, and your base movement speed increases by 5 feet for every three class levels you possess. These bonuses last for one minute, and you may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3+ your Intelligence modifier.
Swift Arcana (Sp): At 8th level, you gain the ability to call on incredible bursts of speed to cast your spells. Each day, you may apply the Quicken Spell metamagic feat to one spell you know, without taking up a higher level spell slot. You do not need to have the Quicken Spell feat to make use of this ability, and the spell need not be chosen in advance. You may choose, instead, to apply it to three different spells in a given day, as long as each of those spells is at least four levels lower than the highest-level spell you can cast.
Source Ancient Warriors: Way of the Ninja from Necromancers of the Northwest
Spell-Marked Subschool[edit]
Spell-marked wizards are constantly under the influence of one of a select handful of spells useful to all wizards. Studying this discipline requires a great deal of focus on a wide variety of spells, and does not permit for the wizard to focus on a single school of magic.
Class: Any class with the Universal arcane school.
Level: 1 and 8.
Replaces: The following powers replace the hand of the apprentice and metamagic mastery abilities of the universalist school.
Minor Spell Mark (Sp): At 1st level, you must choose one of the following three spells: detect magic, read magic, or resistance. From that moment onward, you are constantly affected by the chosen spell exactly as though it had been made permanent by the permanency spell. When you select this spell, the magic words written in your spellbook are magically transcribed around your eyes in a tight ring set into your irises. Once chosen, the spell cannot be changed, except by spending a 1 full day in meditation and expending ritual components worth 100 gp. At the completion of this ritual, you may choose another of these three spells to replace the previously chosen spell.
Major Spell Mark (Sp): Starting at 8th level, you must choose one of the following five spells: comprehend languages, detect secret doors, endure elements, enlarge person, or reduce person. From that point onward, you are constantly affected by that spell exactly as though it had been made permanent by the permanency spell. When you select this spell, the magic words written in your spellbook are magically transcribed around your eyes in a tight ring set into your irises. Once chosen, the spell cannot be changed, except by spending a 1 full day in meditation and expending ritual components worth 1,000 gp. At the completion of this ritual, you may choose another of these five spells to replace the previously chosen spell.
Additionally, you reduce the gp cost to make any spell permanent with the permanency spell by 1,000 gp.
Source A Necromancer’s Almanac 2012 from Necromancers of the Northwest
Wishmaker Subschool[edit]
Wishmakers focus their studies on the nature of one of arcane magic’s most powerful spells, and derive many of that spell’s secrets to fuel their arcane powers. Because this powerful magic is of a universal nature, it is essential that the wizard spread his focus evenly across all schools of magic.
Class: Any class with the Universal arcane school.
Level: 1 and 8.
Replaces: The following powers replace the hand of the apprentice and metamagic mastery abilities of the universalist school.
Universal Cantrips: You begin play knowing all 0th-level spells from all spell lists, and you may prepare your cantrips from among all spell schools.
Universal Spells: Beginning at 8th level, and every even numbered level thereafter, you may add one spell of any level lower than the highest-level sorcerer/wizard spell you can cast to your spellbook, choosing from any spell list which offers at least 6 levels of spellcasting. If the chosen spell appears on multiple spell lists, use the highest spell level it appears at from among those lists. These spells must be prepared and cast exactly as though they were sorcerer/wizard spells.
Source A Necromancer’s Almanac 2012 from Necromancers of the Northwest
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