Savant

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Overview & Creation

The Savant

The slender elf cleaned her glasses with the corner of her cloak as the dust settled around her. Her benefactor had paid her a large sum to locate this forgotten place, and after weeks of pouring over ancient maps, she had pieced together the location of the temple. Now, she had a decision to make. If she reported the location of the temple to her benefactor, it would be ruthlessly stripped of valuables. But, if she kept the location hidden, she could preserve the long forgotten knowledge contained within. For to a savant, knowledge is more precious than any sum of gold. The aging human warrior silently assessed the soldiers under his command. They were exhausted and almost out of supplies. It was the tenth day of the siege, and the graying warrior knew that no reinforcements were coming to their rescue. He was too old to be of much use in battle, but if his soldiers followed his orders without hesitation, they might have a chance of survival. He stood up, and for what could be the last time, he tightened his belt and drew his sword. A young dwarf bent over his unconscious comrade in the midst of battle, his hands shook as he examined his brother's wounds. His clan had spent a small fortune sending him to study at the finest university in the land. All the hours spent in lectures and libraries, all for this moment. He thought back to his lessons and began to dress his brother's wounds.

Magnificent Minds

There are many wonderfully intelligent people in the world, but few are true savants. Born with the innate desire to learn anything they can, and the potential for genius-level intellect, savants spend their lives learning anything that those around them are willing to teach. Often recognizable at an early age, a savant's unquenchable hunger for knowledge draws them to the great libraries, universities, and other places of higher learning. They are willing to go to any lengths to unlock the secrets of the world, often turning to lives of adventure. For a savant, no price is too steep for the promise of discovery.

Intense Focus

Savants are hyper-focused on their chosen area of study and often become obsessed with learning all they can about their specialty. In their quest for discovery, savants are willing to set aside any conviction, political, religious, or otherwise, to acquire the information they seek. To them, their desire for knowledge is more important than loyalty to any ideology. Often at great cost, savants will continue researching until they have made an indelible mark on their area of study.    

Creating a Savant

When creating a savant, consider their upbringing and level of formal education. Were they the star pupil of the finest university in the land, or did they come from poverty, fighting for any scrap of knowledge they could get their hands on? Also, consider why your savant relies only on their intellect, rather than the arcane or the patronage of a higher power. Finally, why did they become an adventurer rather than an academic? Have they advanced beyond study and now look forward to the endless discoveries of a life of adventure?

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Class Features

Adroit Analysis

Starting at 1st level, you can quickly analyse a foe's strengths and weaknesses. As a bonus action, you can Mark a creature you can see within 60 feet, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute or until you Mark another creature:

• You can use Intelligence, in place of Strength or Dexterity, for your attack and damage rolls against that creature.
• If you hit the creature with an attack, or observe it for 1 minute, you learn one of the following characteristics of your choice: its Armour Class, movement speed, one ability score, its maximum hit points, or its creature type.
• You have advantage on any Intelligence or Wisdom ability checks you make to analyse the creature.

You can also use a bonus action to make an ability check using any Intelligence or Wisdom skill proficiency you have.

Perfect Recall

You can recall picture-perfect details from things you commit to memory. Starting at 1st level, if you spend at least 1 minute observing something, you can recall any information about it, at any point in the future, without requiring an ability check. Examples of this may include books that you have read, a path that you have travelled, or a map that you have studied.

Unarmoured Defence

Your observant way of fighting allows you to anticipate and dodge attacks. Starting at 1st level, when you are not wearing any armour or wielding a shield, your Armour Class is equal to 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier.

Intellect Dice

At 2nd level, you gain a pool of Intellect Dice which represent your mental stamina. Whenever you make an ability check or saving throw that uses Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, you can expend one of these Dice and add it to your roll. You can do so after you roll, but before you know if you succeed or fail. You have a total number of Intellect Dice equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all expended Dice when you finish a short or long rest. Your Intellect Dice begin as d4s, and increase in size as you gain levels in this class, as indicated in the Savant table.

Potent Observation

Starting at 2nd level, you can highlight your foe's weak points. As a reaction when a creature you can see hits the target of Adroit Analysis with an attack, you can increase the attack's damage by an amount equal to a roll of your Intellect Die. When you reach 5th level, any attack that you make against the target of your Adroit Analysis can trigger this reaction. Beginning at 11th level, this reaction increases the damage of the triggering attack by two rolls of your Intellect Die.

Academic Discipline

At 3rd level, choose your Academic Discipline: Archaeologist, Investigator, Naturalist, Physician, or Tactician, each of which is detailed at the end of this class. Your Discipline grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 13th, and 17th level.

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 two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Accelerated Reflexes

The speed at which you react to stimuli is incredible. Starting at 5th level, so long as you are not surprised, you add your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) to your initiative rolls. You also gain one additional reaction you can take each round. A single effect can only trigger one of your reactions. When you reach 17th level, your reflexes increase again, allowing you another reaction per round (for a total of 3).

Expert Student

Your ability to learn and retain new abilities and languages is beyond compare. Beginning at 5th level, each time you finish a long rest, you can choose to learn one additional language, or gain proficiency in one tool, skill, or weapon of your choice, as long as there is an example for you to learn from (such as a willing teacher with that proficiency, a manual, or a book in a different language). You can only learn one new proficiency or language from this feature per long rest. You can use this feature to learn a total number of extra proficiencies and languages equal to your proficiency bonus. If you learn another language or proficiency while you are at your maximum, you must choose one language or proficiency you gained through this feature forget, as your mind can only remember so many hastily learned skills and abilities at once. When you replace a language or proficiency you immediately lose any skill or knowledge of it. When you reach 10th level in this class, you can learn a language or proficiency at the end of each short or long rest.

Keen Awareness

You can react to danger at a moment's notice. Starting at 7th level, you cannot be surprised unless you are incapacitated. In addition, when you roll initiative, you can use Adroit Analysis to Mark a creature you can see within 60 feet.

Expert Educator

Starting at 9th level, your ability to educate others is peerless. During a long rest, you choose a number of creatures that can hear you equal to your Intelligence modifier, and one tool, skill, or weapon proficiency, or one language you know. The creatures gain that proficiency or learn to understand and speak that language until the end of your next long rest

Flawless Observation

Starting at 11th level, you can use Potent Observation when a creature hits any creature you can see with a weapon or spell attack, even if it's not not the target of Adroit Analysis. Moreover, when you use Potent Observation to increase the damage against a creature marked by Adroit Analysis you add your Intelligence modifier to the damage of the attack.

Unyielding Will

Starting at 14th level, when you fail a saving throw to resist being charmed, frightened, or stunned, you can expend an Intellect Die to automatically succeed instead. Additionally, when you roll initiative with no Intellect Dice remaining, you instantly regain one expended Intellect Die.

Profound Insight

You can predict attacks before they come to pass. Starting at 18th level, any creature marked by your Adroit Analysis has disadvantage on attack rolls they make against you, and you have advantage on any saving throw they force you to make.

Undisputed Genius

Upon reaching 20th level, you realize the true genius-level potential of your mind. Your Intelligence and Wisdom scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24.                  
 

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Starting Equipment

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

• Any two simple weapons of your choice or a rapier
• A light crossbow and 20 bolts or two daggers
• One set of Artisan's Tools of your choice.
• Leather armor and a Scholar's Pack.

  Alternately if your group uses the starting wealth rule to purchase your equipment, a savant starts with 5d4 x 10 gp.
 

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Subclass Options

1. Archeologist
2. Naturalist
3. Philosopher
4. Academic Discipline - Physician
5. Seeker
6. Tactician

 

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