General Prestige Class : Geometer
Runes, glyphs, sigils, and symbols hold great magical power. The geometer is the master of written magic and spells inscribed within a perfectly rendered diagram. While other spellcasters must record their spells in pages upon pages of cryptic formulae, the geometer knows that every spell has a perfect geometrical design, a figure whose angles and intersections hint at the secrets hidden in the structure of the multiverse.
Geometers are almost always wizards. Many specialize in the school of abjuration, since spells of arcane geometry are often among the most potent magical defenses available. Sorcerers and bards do not prepare spells, and therefore rarely qualify for the class. In any event, they lack the meticulous and studious inclination to perform magic by scribing painstaking diagrams.
NPCs who take up the geometer class frequently hold meetings in which numerous members of the profession can expound on their latest projects and inform others of their new theories concerning the nature of geometry.
Adaptation: While this prestige class describes a geometer independent of any location, an interesting idea in any campaign that contains a geometer would be the inclusion of a location where a powerful glyph is permanently inscribed in a cliff face or at a mountain's base (or apex). This special glyph, perhaps called the Perfect Geometry, would be important to geometers who learn of it, granting them some additional spell knowledge or versatility with their spells (perhaps, once the Perfect Geometry is visited and traced by a geometer, that geometer learns to cast one more glyph-related spell per day).
Requirements
To qualify to become a Geometer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Decipher Script 9 ranks, Disable Device 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks, Search 4 ranks.
- Feats: Scribe Scroll.
- Spells: Able to prepare and cast 3rd-level arcane spells.
Class Skills
The geometer's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Knowledge (all skills taken individually), Profession, Search, and Spellcraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the geometer prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Geometers gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each level, a geometer gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (such as the bonus feat sometimes gained by a wizard). If he had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a geometer, he must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.
Glyph of Warding: A geometer adds glyph of warding to his spellbook as a 3rd-level arcane spell. He can prepare and cast the spell just like any other spell he knows.
Spellglyph (Su): A spellglyph is an arcane diagram that substitutes for a specific spell's verbal and material components (if any). When a geometer casts a prepared spell in conjunction with a spellglyph scribed for that spell, he can cast the spell as if it were affected by the Silent Spell fear. The spellglyph replaces any material components (other than a focus) normally required by the spell.
A geometer chooses at the time of casting whether to use a spellglyph. An expended spellglyph disappears, just like any other material component.
Spellglyphs are normally scribed on parchment, much like scrolls. Preparing a spellglyph requires 1 hour and the use of rare inks costing 25 gp per spell level. If the spell normally requires an expensive material component (with a value of more than 1 gp), exotic inks and treatments of equal cost must be used in the preparation of the spellglyph.
Book of Geometry (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a geometer uses a unique system for recording the details of a spell that drastically reduces the expense of maintaining spellbooks. Every spell he learns from now on requires only a single page in his spellbook. It still takes 24 hours to scribe a spell into a spellbook and materials costing 100 gp per page.
A geometers spellbook is difficult for non-geometers to decipher and use. The Spellcraft DC to decipher or prepare spells from a geometer's spellbook is increased by 5 for non-geometers.
Sigilsight (Ex): A geometer of 3rd level or higher can use a Search check to find magic traps based on runes, glyphs, sigils, symbols, and other writings as a rogue can. He gains a bonus equal to his caster level on all Search checks to find traps of this sort. A geometer who merely comes within 10 feet of a magic rune, glyph sigil or symbol, or the threshold of danger for such a device, is entitled to make a Search check as if he were actively searching for a magic trap.
Pass Sigil (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a geometer can temporarily negate magical wards based on written symbols sigils, runes, or glyphs. As a standard action, a geometer can attempt to pass such a sigil. He must succeed on a level check (DC 6 + the sigil creator's caster level). If successful he can suppress the effects of the device for as long as he maintains concentration (which might make it possible for others to pass the sigil safely, too). A geometer must be able to see the device to be passed.
Powerful Spellglyph (Ex): When a 5th-level geometer prepares a spellglyph for a spell, he knows how to strengthen the spell beyond its normal effects. His caster level is treated as 1 higher for any spell he casts with the use of a spellglyph.
Greater Glyph of Warding: A 5th-level geometer adds greater glyph of warding to his spellbook as a 6th-level arcane spell. He can prepare and cast the spell just like any other spell he knows.
| Geometer | Hit Die: d4 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Glyph of warding, draw spellglyph | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Book of geometry | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Sigilsight | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Pass sigil | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Powerful spellglyph, greater glyph of warding | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
Source: Complete Arcane