Arcanist

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Overview & Creation

A lightly armoured man maneuvers through the battle field alongside his carbuncle companion. The carbuncle dashes ahead and lets out a burst of magical energy, dazing their foes, while their allies return to formation, swaying the battle in their favour.
A quiet woman carefully scratches notes into her research tome. After a long quiet hour passes, a shining avian figure bursts forth from another plane, ready to heed her every command.
A carefully launched arrow catches the elven woman's ally. Invoking a few words and raising her grimoir to the sky, healing magics close the wound, allowing their friend to fight on.
These skillful magic users take on many roles on the battlefield, be it a commander of their allies, a medic or a destructive force. Through careful planning and preparation an Arcanist becomes an indomitable force to stand against.

 

Magic Through Research

Arcanists work hard to explore the secrets of magic, only through deep understanding of formulas and geometrical figures can they produce magical effects. Their tomes and grimoires are filled with fascinating formulas and diagrams, which when fed magical energy from the arcanist's body burst forth into powerful spells. Ever thirsty for greater knowledge, an Arcanist seeks knowledge and then puts it to the test.

 

Borrowed Power

One thing which sets the Arcanist apart from other spellcasters is their usage of summoning companions. Early in their studies an Arcanist learns to summon forth a magical servant. This is the first major task of an Arcanist and helps to sharpen their powers. The companion borrows some of the Arcanist's power and in return gives the caster an unwavering ally on the field of battle.

 

Creating an Arcanist

An arcanist's path begins with a few formulas scrawled in a tome and a large amount of time practicing their craft, researching to unlock greater power to have at their disposal. You must consider what was your arcanist's call to action? Perhaps their thirst for knowledge couldn't be satisfied at their desk, or they saw that their abilities could help the world in another way. Perhaps they uncovered some information that they must investigate or acted upon. Whatever the cause which brought the arcanist out into the world, they do so with their research in hand and companion by their side.

 

Quick Build

You can make a Arcanist quickly by following these suggestions. First make Intelligence your highest ability score, following with Wisdom. Second take the Sage background. Third, take the Acid Splash, Mage Hand and Prestidigitation cantrips.

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Class Features

Tactics

Beginning at the 1st level, you have developed a head for tactics during battle. You may use a number of tactics equal to your Intelligence modifier. These uses recover after completing a short or long rest.

You learn your first tactic at 1st level from the following list. You learn additional tactics at the 2nd, 6th, 10th and 14th level. Some tactics may require you be at least a certain level or have taken a specific specialization.

Aetherial Barrier. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of your summoned ally, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.
Blessing of Nym (Scholar only). You may cast a spell which recovers hit points or is from the Nymian Scholar expanded spell list through your summoned ally. Your fey acts as the point of origin for the spell and your touch based spells may be cast as though you were standing where your fey is.
Bombarding. (Tactician only). When you take an attack action or cast a spell, you may direct one of your companions to strike. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. That creature can immediately use its reaction to make one weapon attack.
Castle (10th Level Required). Your summoned ally and a willing creature within 15ft. Of it instantaneously switch positions. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Carbuncle Bind (Tactician Only). When your carbuncle lands a melee attack, as a reaction you may attempt to bind a creature to your carbuncle. The target of your carbuncle's attack must make a dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a binding ethereal chain bursts forth from the carbuncle, shackling the target. The creature may not move more than 5ft away from the carbuncle for 1d4 rounds.
Carbuncle Shine (Tactician Only). As a bonus action you cause your carbuncle to shine brightly. All creatures who can see the carbuncle within 10ft. must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is blinded for 1d4 rounds.
Deployment Tactics. (Tactician only). As a bonus action, select two friendly creatures who can see and hear you. They may move up to half their movement speed without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Devotion (Summoner only, 10th Level Required). When a creature within 5ft. of your summoned ally attacks another creature with a melee attack successfully, as a reaction you may add your Intelligence modifier and proficiency bonus to the damage roll.
Elemental Attunement (Summoner only). As an action, you may grant resistance to fire, cold, lightning, poison or sonic damage to yourself or a creature within 5ft. of you for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Emergency Tactics (Scholar only, 10th Level Required). When a creature you can see takes damage, as a reaction you may cast a spell which heals a target.
Excogitation (Scholar only). When you cast a healing spell, you may delay the effect by up to 1 minute. The spell effect activates after the target takes a total amount of damage declared by you when you use this tactic. If the creature reaches 0 hit points or less the healing spell takes effect immediately.
False Fear (Tactician Only, 6th Level Required). When your carbuncle lands an attack, as a reaction you may attempt to attack their mind as well. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, on a failed save their mind is infested with an illusion causing them to become frightened of the carbuncle until the end of your next turn.
Nymian Preparation (Scholar only, 6th Level Required). When you cast a spell which heals hit points, instead of healing the target, they gain temporary hit points equal to half the amount of hit points that would have been healed. The healing spell must require the caster to roll dice to decide the amount of hit points recovered. If Adloquiem would have been triggered by the heal, the creature gains temporary hit points equal to the full amount of hit points healed.
Quick Summoning (14th Level Required). As an action, you may use your Summoning feature instantly. You may do so once, use of this tactic recovers after a long rest.
Rouse. As a bonus action, for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier, add your Intelligence modifier to the damage rolls and healing effects of your summoned ally.
Spreading Strike (6th Level Required). When your summoned ally lands an attack, as a reaction you may direct your summonered ally to launch a second attack on a creature 5ft. from the first target.
Spur (Summoner only). As a reaction when your Egi takes an action, they gain advantage on their attack roll. The additional damage from your proficiency bonus is doubled for this attack.
Switching Step (6th Level Required). As a bonus action, you may switch places with your summoned ally instantly if they are within 60ft. of you. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Tactical Position (Tactician Only). You may use the help action as a bonus action.
Tri-bind (Summoner Only, 6th Level Required). As an action all creatures within 10ft. of your summoned ally must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell Save DC or become restrained. As an action the creatures may make a Strength saving throw to end the effect.

 

Summoning

Beginning at the 2nd level, you are able to perform a ritual to summon an aetherial companion which is able to fight alongside you. If you select the Tactician archetype, you may summon a carbuncle, if you select the Summoner archetype you may summon an Egi, and if you select the Scholar archetype you may summon a Nymian Fey.
To summon your companion you must spend one hour performing a ritual for which your spell casting focus is required. You may only summon one companion once before requiring a long rest. When summoned your companion gains all benefits of your Companion's Bond ability. You may only summon one companion at a time. If your companion strays farther than one mile from you, their bond to you and the material plane are severed, causing them to disperse.

 

Companion's Bond

Your summoned companion gains a variety of benefits while it is under your control.
The companion loses its Multiattack action if it has one. The companion obeys your commands as best it can. it rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own.
Your summoned companion has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, a summoned companion also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC, attack and damage rolls.
For each level you gain after 3rd, your summonned companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit point accordingly. Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion's abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.
Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion's abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.

 

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

 

Grand Design

Beginning at 18th level, the maximum number of tactics you may use before a rest increases by 2.

 

According To Plan

Beginning at the 20th level, gain half of your expended tactics uses when you roll for initiative.

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Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background

• (a) quarterstaff or (b) a dagger
• (a) a grimoire spell casting focus
• (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack

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Spellcasting

As a student of Arcane Magic, you have a Spellbook containing Spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power.

 

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know three Cantrips of your choice from the Arcanist spell list. You learn additional Arcanist Cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Arcanist table.

 

Spellbook

At 1st level, you have a Spellbook containing six 1st-level Arcanist Spells of your choice. Your Spellbook is the repository of the Arcanist Spells you know, except your Cantrips, which are fixed in your mind.

 

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Arcanist table shows how many Spell Slots you have to cast your Spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these Spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended Spell Slots when you finish a Long Rest.
You prepare the list of Arcanist Spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of Arcanist Spells from your Spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Arcanist level (minimum of one spell). The Spells must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots.
For example, if you're a 3rd-level Arcanist, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level Spell Slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared Spells can include six Spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your Spellbook. If you prepare the 1st-level spell Magic Missile, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared Spells.
You can change your list of prepared Spells when you finish a Long Rest. Preparing a new list of Arcanist Spells requires time spent studying your Spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per Spell Level for each spell on your list. See the Eorzean Spell List for a full list of learnable spells.

 

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your Spellcasting Ability for your Arcanist Spells, since you learn your Spellsthrough dedicated study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your Spellcasting Ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when Setting the saving throw DC for a Arcanist spell you cast and when Making an Attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

 

Ritual Casting

You can cast a Arcanist spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your Spellbook. You don't need to have the spell prepared.

 

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus as a Spellcasting focus for your Arcanist Spells. Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher Each time you gain a Arcanist level, you can add two Arcanist Spells of your choice to your Spellbook for free. Each of these Spells must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots, as shown on the Arcanist table. On your Adventures, you might find other Spells that you can add to your Spellbook (see “Your Spellbook”).

 

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YOUR SPELLBOOK

The spells that you add to your spellbook as you gain levels reflect the arcane research you conduct on your own, as well as intellectual breakthroughs you have had about the nature of the multiverse. You might find other spells during your adventures. You could discover a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil Wizards’s chest, for example, or in a dusty tome in an ancient library.

Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it. Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the person who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation.
For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.

Replacing the Book. You can copy a spell from your own spellbook into another book—for example, if you want to make a backup copy of your spellbook. This is just like copying a new spell into your spellbook, but faster and easier, since you understand your own notation and already know how to cast the spell. You need spend only 1 hour and 10 gp for each level of the copied spell.
If you lose your spellbook, you can use the same procedure to transcribe the spells that you have prepared into a new spellbook. Filling out the remainder of your spellbook requires you to find new spells to do so, as normal. For this reason, many Arcanists keep backup spellbooks in a safe place.

The Book’s Appearance. Your spellbook is a unique compilation of spells, with its own decorative flourishes and margin notes. It might be a plain, functional leather volume that you received as a gift from your master, a finely bound giltedged tome you found in an ancient library, or even a loose collection of notes scrounged together after you lost your previous spellbook in a mishap.

 

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Subclass Options

The Summoned Ally

The Arcanist's most prized companion is the one they bring forth into the world. Through the use of grimoires and magical fomulas, Acantists have learned how to bring forth a magical ally to fight alongside them. Depending on the area of study an Arcanist specializes in, they are able to summon different allies. A Tactician has learned to bring forth a carbuncle, a Summoner has learned to bring forth elemental egis, and a Nymian Scholar has learned to summon a special type of fey.

 

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Tactician

Most arcanists walk the path of the Tactician, highly intelligent spell casters who assist their allies by organizing their forces and swaying battle with tactical maneuvers. In the tradition of arcanists, the tactician who brings forth a carbuncle, to help dictate the pace of battle. See the Emerald Carbuncle and the Topaz Carbuncle pages.

 

Field Commander

Beginning at the 2nd level, you have opted to take up the blade alongside the book to protect yourself on the battle field. You gain proficiency in light armor, shields, simple and martial weapons. You may use your weapon as a casting focus to satisfy the somantic component. You gain one extra hitpoint when you level up, including reaching the 2nd level.
Additionally, beginning at 2nd level, when you select a new tactic according to the Tactics feature, you select two tactics.

 

Tactical Eye

Also beginning at 2nd when you use the Help action to aid an ally in attacking a creature, the target of that attack can be within 30 feet of you, rather than 5 feet of you, if the target can see or hear you.

 

Strategic Preparation

Beginning at the 6th level, if you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own. The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the follow characteristics of your choice:

• Strength score
• Dexterity score
• Constitution score
• Intelligence score
• Wisdom score
• Charisma score
• Armor Class
• Current hit points
• Class levels (if any)

At the DM's discretion, you might also realize you know a piece of the creature's history or one of its personality traits, if it has any.

 

Chain Stratagem

Beginning at the 10th level, when an ally is attacking a creature whom is affected by your Help action, their attack lands a critical hit on a die result 19 or 20.

 

Carbuncle's Sacrifice

Beginning at the 14th level, you are able to sacrifice your carbuncle to recall the magic energy which makes up its body and calm your mind. Your carbuncle is unsummoned and you recover half the expended uses of your Tactics feature.

 

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Summoner

A summoner has directed their studies towards harnessing the powers of raging elementals of another plane, binding them to the material plane and making them bend to their will. These harnessed elementals are known as Egis, and act as servants to their summoner.

 

Egi's Boon

Beginning at the 2nd level, while you have your Ifrit Egi summoned you know the Firebolt Cantrip and have resistance against fire damage. While you have your Garuda Egi summoned you know the Thunderclap cantrip and have resistance against thunder damage. While you have your Titan Egi summoned you know the Magic Stone cantrip and have resistance against bludgeoning damage.

 

Channeled Casting

Beginning at the 6th level, when you cast a spell you may cast the spell as if you were standing where your egi is. Spells which use you as their point of origin may instead use your Egi as the point of origin. These spells do not cause damage to your egi. You may use Channeled Casting 3 times, uses of this feature recovering after a long rest.

 

Fester

Beginning at the 10th level, when you cast a spell that deals damage and requires a target creature to make a saving throw, if it fails you may deal additional necrotic damage to the target creature equal to #d8, where # is equal to your Intelligence modifer. You may do so three times, uses of this feature recovering after a long rest.

 

Enkindle

Beginning at the 14th level, as an action you are able to call on your Egi to release the great power hidden within it, unleashing a devestating attack. You may unleash the power of your Egi once, this use refreshing after completing a long rest. The power is desribed in the creature description in appendix B (Egi Stat Blocks).

 

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Nymian Scholar

Some arcanists decide to research the use of their magic in the medical arts. These arcanists come to be known as nymian scholars, specializing in the lost healing magic of nym. They call on the fey of this lost city, summoning them to assist them on the field of battle. See the Eos and Selene pages for statistics.

 

Expanded Spell List

Spell Level | Spell
1st | Bless, Sanctuary
2nd | Lesser Restoration, Prayer of Healing
3rd | Mass Healing Ward, Revivify
4th | Lustrate, Sacred Soil
5th | Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds

 

Critical Heal

Starting at the 2nd level, your healing spells have the potential to cause a critical heal. When you cast a healing spell and one of the die results in its highest possible result. Roll another die of the same value and add that number to the amount of hit points recovered. A critical heal may only occur once per healing spell.

 

Nymian Healer

Starting at 6th level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 5 + the spell's level.

 

Adloquiem

Starting at the 10th level, when you cast a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, you may expend one use of Tactics to empower the heal. Your healing spell creates a protective ward on the creature, granting them temporary hit points equal to half the hit points recovered for 10 minutes. If a critical heal occured, the temporary hit points is equal to the full amount of hit points recovered.

 

Nymian Savior

Starting at the 14th level, when you cast a healing spell which will not grant temporary hit points, that creature gains 1d10 temporary hit points.

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