Saemilist
Note: This character class is not implemented in Neverwinter Nights, and the rules presented here are for the Pathfinder RPG.
The Saemilist
Magic users that draw the innate power of magic from physical objects, also known as the Prime Nature, are called saemilists. Using a specialized writing implement called a stylus, the saemilist can inscribe runes on living creatures or inanimate objects to imbue them with temporary protections, offensive capabilities, and other effects.
Their quests for greater knowledge of the ancient runes that give them their power are part of a larger yearning for increased communion and closeness with the world and the desire to uncover its innate secrets. This often leads them to the bottoms of the darkest dungeons and the farthest corners of Negaria and beyond. With success, their ability to inscribe and bare runes on their bodies grows making them into formidable companions capable of boosting their own strength and those of their allies while setting dire obstacles in the paths of enemies.
Journeys undertaken by saemilists also lead to a wide knowledge of lore, particularly in ancient languages. This gives the saemilist an edge in deciphering unknown tongues and using this knowledge for magical purposes at higher class levels.
Role:
Saemilists have an innate ability to inscribe runes onto their own skin which increases with advancement. This enables them to cloak themselves in powerful magics. The same runes can often be used to aide others, or to boost the power or resiliency of inanimate objects. At higher levels, the saemilist’s knowledge of ancient languages enables manipulation of certain tongues to produce magical effects which can seem similar to those of other spellcasters, except that they originate from a different magical source, the Prime Nature.
Alignment: Motivations for saemilists can vary across the entire spectrum, and they can be of any alignment. Chaotic individuals seek to increase the disorder around them through their skills and ultimately become part of it, while saemilists of lawful or neutral alignments have more desire to control and shape the world. Any of these persuasions can be shifted towards selfish and evil pursuits as well as altruistic good ones.
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills:
The saemilist’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Knowledge (Int), Linguistics (Int), Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features:
The following abilities are class features of the saemilist:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Saemilists are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light or medium armor. They are not proficient with shields because wearing a shield on the arm interferes with their ability to inscribe.
Runes: Saemilists are innately able to inscribe runes that they have learned onto their own bodies, the bodies of others, or onto the surfaces of objects. To do this the saemilist must 1) possess a properly constructed stylus to create the rune 2) have knowledge of the rune through studying it previously or copying it from another rune 3) channel energy from the Prime Nature which can take a toll of exhaustion on the saemilist if attempted too often, so the saemilist may only inscribe a certain number of runes per day which increases per level.
The saemilist’s selection of runes is only limited by what runes the character has seen and studied. The character begins play knowing a total of two plus his Intelligence bonus runes and having the ability to inscribe four runes per day. Resetting the count of daily runes the saemilist can inscribe requires a full night of uninterrupted rest. Upon gaining levels, the saemilist is able to inscribe more runes per day as shown in the table below.
When beginning play, the saemilist may only support a total of two runes plus his Constitution bonus inscribed on himself. Attempting to support more runes than he can handle on his skin results in 10 hitpoints of magical damage per combat round per extra rune beyond the maximum. The number of runes a saemilist can support on his body increases as shown in the table below. There is no saving throw against this damage. Spell Resistance does not negate this damage if the save fails.
All non-saemilist creatures are able to support a number of runes equal to a total of two plus their Constitution bonus upon their bodies. Exceeding the maximum requires the recipient to make a save vs. Fortitude (DC = 12 + level of saemilist + Int bonus of saemilist) or suffer 10 hitpoints of magical damage per combat round for a total of five rounds, after which the rune fades and no more damage occurs. Each additional rune beyond the maximum gets its own saving throw. Spell Resistance does not negate this damage if the save fails.
Bonus Feats: At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level the saemilist gains a bonus feat. At each opportunity, he can choose any feat for which he meets all prerequisites, including caster level minimums. These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gets from advancing levels.
Extraordinary Linguisitc Ability (Ex): A saemilist is especially adept at deciphering and reading ancient or unknown languages. This ability also extends to forgery detection and production. At 1st level, the saemilist receives a +2 bonus on all checks using the Linguistics skill. This ability increases by an additional +1 every two levels. For example, Kiala the 10th level saemilist with an 18 Intelligence spends one skill point per level in her Linguistics skill. Her Linguistics skill modifier is thus calculated as (+4 Int bonus + 3 class skill bonus + 10 for points spent from 1st through 10th level + 5 Extraordinary Linguistic Ability) +23.
Great Fortitude (Ex): At 4th level the saemilist’s body becomes resistant to outside shock from the constant stress of supporting runes. The character gains the Great Fortitude feat at no cost.
Improved Great Fortitude (Ex): At 12th level the saemilist’s body becomes even more resistant to outside shock from the constant stress of supporting runes. The character gains the Improved Great Fortitude feat at no cost.
Supernatural Linguistic Ability (Su): The saemilist’s ability to decipher languages extends to magical languages at 5th level which allows the saemilist to cast spells from arcane and divine scrolls as an arcane or divine caster 4 or more levels lower than the saemilist’s class level. The saemilist may not memorize the spells and must read them from the scroll, after which point the scroll disintegrates. A saemilist receives no armor penalties for reading scrolls while in armor.
Table Saemilist
| Class Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Runes Per Day | Supported Runes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +2 | 4 | 2 |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +0 | 6 | 3 | |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +4 | 6 | 3 |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Great Fortitude | 8 | 4 |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +6, Bonus Feat, Supernatural Linguistic Ability | 8 | 4 |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +2 | 10 | 5 | |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +2 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +8 | 10 | 5 |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +2 | 12 | 6 | |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +3 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +10 | 12 | 6 |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Bonus Feat | 14 | 7 |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +3 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +12 | 14 | 7 |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Great Fortitude | 16 | 8 |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +4 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +14 | 16 | 8 |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +4 | 18 | 9 | |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +5 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +16, Bonus Feat | 18 | 9 |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | 20 | 10 | |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +5 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +18 | 20 | 10 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +6 | 22 | 11 | |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +6 | Extraordinary Linguistic Ability +20 | 22 | 11 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +6 | Bonus Feat | 24 | 12 |