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Ilium 10-26-04, 04:39 PM

So here's an NPC class I cooked up. The idea is someone who is not himself a caster, but knows a lot about magic and especially magic items. Based off the Expert, this is intended as an NPC class, but please let me know if you think it is too powerful (or too useless). Arcane Merchant Arcane Merchants are experts in the use and marketing of magic items. Some are also craftsmen who create the items they sell, but they do not excel in the creation of truly powerful items. Adventures: Arcane merchants rarely engage in adventure for its own sake. Sometimes, however, adventure finds them. Especially when they are engaged in trying to open up new markets or gain the materials for an ambitious project. Characteristics: Intelligence grants more skills to the arcane merchant, and Charisma helps him to more effectively sell his wares. Depending on whether the merchant also has levels in wizard or sorcerer, one of these may be favored over the other. Alignment: Any. Arcane merchants run the gamut from scrupulously honest through shady opportunists to conniving predators. Religion: An arcane merchant will often worship a deity of crafts, magic or trade. Background: Most arcane merchants are apprenticed to a merchant or craftsman from whom they learn their trade. Races: Humans, elves and half-elves are the most common arcane merchants, but any race might take up the trade. Dwarves and half-orcs usually do not have the inclination to be merchants, but might take this class as artisans. Other Classes: When traveling, an arcane merchant will often hire guards and assistants. They also enjoy spending time with wizards and other arcane casters, with whom they often collaborate in the creation of their wares. Role: An arcane merchant is often the motivating factor in a group, even if he is not the leader. His desire to find new materials and new markets often prompts him into adventure. An arcane merchant can make an excellent team leader or “face” as well. They often cultivate the ability to persuade and charm others. Game Rule Information Hit Die: d6 Class Skills: The Arcane Merchant’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (any) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha). Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier. Table: The Arcane Merchant Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Caster Level, Magical Aptitude 2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Bonus Feat, Magic Sense 3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Identify, Arcane Dilettante 4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Bonus Feat 5th +2 +1 +1 +4 6th +3 +2 +2 +5 Reduced Item Creation Cost 10% 7th +3 +2 +2 +5 8th +4 +2 +2 +6 Bonus Feat 9th +4 +3 +3 +6 10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Established 11th +5 +3 +3 +7 12th +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 Bonus Feat 13th +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 14th +7/+2 +4 +4 +9 Reduced Item Creation Cost 20% 15th +7/+2 +5 +5 +9 16th +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 Bonus Feat 17th +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 18th +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Reduced Item Creation Cost 30% 19th +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 20th +10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Bonus Feat Class Features All of the following are class features of the arcane merchant. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Arcane merchants are proficient with simple weapons and light armor, but not shields. Caster Level: At first level, the arcane merchant chooses an arcane spellcasting class (generally wizard or sorcerer). Arcane merchant levels stack with levels in the chosen class for purposes of caster level, but not for purposes of spells per day or spells known. The merchant need not have any levels in the chosen class, but if he takes levels in that class later the levels still stack. The merchant is treated as having this class for purposes of activating magic items. So, for example, a 5th level arcane merchant who selects wizard for his caster levels is treated as a 5th level wizard for purposes of activating magic items. The combined caster level is also used if the arcane merchant creates any magic items. See the discussion of creating magic items below. Magical Aptitude: The arcane merchant’s training effectively gives him the Magical Aptitude feat at first level. If the character already has the feat, there is no benefit. Bonus Feat: At 2nd level, 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the arcane merchant receives a bonus feat. These feats are in addition to the feats all characters receive every three levels. The bonus feats must be chosen from the following list: Any Item Creation Feat, Arcane Dilettante, Combat Casting, Diligent, Negotiator, Persuasive, Skill Focus (any arcane merchant class skill). Magic Sense: A 2nd level arcane merchant learns to cast a few useful cantrips even if he has no other spellcasting ability. This is effectively the same as the Arcane Dilettante feat (see below), but the cantrips he learns must be Detect Magic, Read Magic and Arcane Mark. He casts these cantrips spontaneously (as a sorcerer casts), regardless of which class he selected for his caster levels. He may cast a cantrip a number of times per day equal to his ability modifier for his selected casting class. That is, his Int modifier for a merchant who selected the wizard class, Cha modifier if he selected sorcerer or bard, etc. Identify: A 3rd level arcane merchant can cast Identify once per day spontaneously (as a sorcerer casts). He must still use the normal material components. Arcane Dilettante: At 3rd level, the arcane merchant gets Arcane Dilettante feat as a bonus feat. He may select the same cantrips he gained with his Magic Sense ability or different ones. Reduced Item Creation Cost: At 6th level, the arcane merchant has learned enough tricks of the trade to reduce the cost of creating items. Calculate the cost normally, then reduce both the GP and XP costs by 10%. This reduction does not apply to the material components or XP required for casting spells involved in the creation. It applies only to the cost of the item itself. This ability improves at 14th and again at 18th level. Established: By 10th level the arcane merchant’s reputation has become quite widespread. He is known as a purveyor of quality goods. He gains the benefit of the Leadership feat in the form of a shop or similar establishment. The followers are the staff. The cohort is a manager who handles the day-to-day business as well as managing the staff. Unless the GM rules otherwise, the shop will pay for itself and the maintenance of the manager and staff, as well as generate an income equal to the arcane merchant’s class level * 100 GP per month. Bonus Languages: An arcane mercant’s bonus language options include Draconic (the language of dragons) in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of his race. Creating Magic Items Many arcane merchants are accomplished craftsmen who produce magic items of various kinds. When an acane merchant creates a magic item, use his effective caster level as described above. He must still provide the necessary spells in some way. This can be through his own ability, if he also has levels in a spellcasting class or is creating an item tied to his limited spells. More often an arcane merchant will use scrolls or wands, or collaborate with a spellcaster to create items. Item creation is handled just as if the arcane merchant was a member of his selected casting class, with one exception. An arcane merchant can collaborate with a spellcaster to create any magic item. This requires that the arcane merchant have the appropriate item creation feat and provide all the materials and labor. The arcane merchant also pays the XP cost for creating the magic item. The spellcaster simply casts the spell when required. Note that this sort of collaboration is allowed under the regular rules for the creation of some magic items, but disallowed for others. An arcane merchant can collaborate in this way in the creation of any item for which he has the appropriate item creation feat. When creating an item that requires the creator to prepare a certain spell, but not spend XP or material components for it (such as magic armor or weapons) the collaborating caster must spend XP and use up material components as if casting the spell normally. In most cases the spells in question must be cast once per day while the item is being created. New Feat Arcane Dilettante [General] You have picked up a few magical tricks. Benefit: Pick three 0-level arcane spells of your choice, pending GM approval, and select either Intelligence or Charisma as your casting ability. You may cast one of these cantrips spontaneously (as a sorcerer casts) a number of times per day equal to the ability modifier for your casting ability (minimum once per day). These slots should be kept separate from any you might gain from spellcasting classes or other abilities. This feat may be taken multiple times. Each time you may select the same cantrips or different ones. Keep the casting slots from each instance of this feat separate. Normal: Only those with one or more levels in a spellcasting class may cast spells.