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Forensic Occultist

by Rich Redman
Editing: Marc Schmalz
Layout and Typesetting: Marc Schmalz

The forensic occultist applies magic to investigating crimes. In campaigns where no one believes in or knows about magic, his work is cut out for him: He can't use his magic openly and he must find mundane explanations for magical crimes. Because he must divide his training between criminology and magic, he is not as expert a criminologist as those devoted solely to that study. His co-workers attribute his success to luck and his bosses assign him to work only on the strangest cases. In campaigns where magic is well known, the forensic occultist is a valued member of any investigation unit. In either case, the Forensic Occultist sees his job as both a calling to do good and a constant challenge of his detection skills.

Select this prestige class if you want your hero to dedicate himself to solving crimes that no one else can, either because he uses magic or because the criminals did.

The fastest path to this prestige class is from the Dedicated hero basic class and the Acolyte advanced class, though other paths are possible.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Forensic Occultist, a hero must fulfill the following criteria.

Abilities: Intelligence 14, Wisdom 14.

Skills: Concentration 6 ranks, Investigate 6 ranks, Knowledge (arcane lore) 6 ranks, Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 6 ranks, Listen 6 ranks, Sense Motive 6 ranks. Research 3 ranks, Search 6 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks.

Allegiance: The hero cannot have an allegiance to chaos.

Holy Symbol: The hero must have a holy symbol (see the Acolyte advanced class in the Core Rulebook for information on holy symbols).

Other: Must be able to cast 2nd-level Divine spells.

Class Information

The following information pertains to the Forensic Occultist prestige class.

Hit Die

The Forensic Occultist gains 1d6 hit points per level. The hero's Constitution modifier applies.

Action Points

The Forensic Occultist gains a number of action points equal to 7 plus one half his character level, rounded down, every time he attains a new level in this class.

Class Skills

The Forensic Occultist's class skills are as follows.

Computer Use (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (chemical, electronic, mechanical, pharmaceutical) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Drive (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Investigate (Int), Knowledge (arcane lore, current events, earth and life sciences, physical sciences, popular culture, technology, theology and philosophy) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Research (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 9 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The following features pertain to the Forensic Occultist prestige class.

Table FO–1: The Forensic Occultist

Profile

By making a Gather Information check (DC 15) when talking to witnesses of a crime, the Forensic Occultist compiles a rough mental picture of the suspect. This mental picture provides a physical description, including distinguishing markings and visible mannerisms. Success makes the profile accurate, at least concerning a particular suspect as seen by witnesses. No money changes hands for this Gather Information check.

The Forensic Occultist can expand the profile by making an Investigate check (DC 15) involving the crime scene or other evidence linked to the suspect. If successful, the Forensic Occultist combines eyewitness accounts with forensic evidence to develop a profile of the suspect's method of operation and true nature, if Shadowkind. This provides a +2 circumstance bonus on any skill checks made to uncover additional evidence or otherwise locate and capture the suspect.

Spells

A Forensic Occultist has two spell lists, one from previous class levels that allowed him to cast 2nd-level Divine spells (see prerequisites), and one gained from levels in Forensic Occultist. The two lists are separate, so spells from a previous class spell list may not be used to fill Forensic Occultist spell slots (or vice versa), unless the spell is on both lists.

The Forensic Occultist meditates or prays for his spells, receiving them through his own strength of faith or as divine inspiration. The Forensic Occultist must spend 1 hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain his daily allotment of spells for both spell lists. Time spent resting has no effect on the Forensic Occultist's spell preparation.

A Forensic Occultist can prepare a lower-level spell in place of a higher-level one if he desires.

The Difficulty Class of a saving throw to resist the effects of a Forensic Occultist's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the Forensic Occultist's Wisdom modifier.

A Forensic Occultist determines his caster level for his spells by adding together the class levels of all classes that allow him to cast spells. For example, a Forensic Occultist with levels in Dedicated, Investigator, Acolyte, and Forensic Occultist would add together the Acolyte and Forensic Occultist levels to determine his caster level.

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, a Forensic Occultist must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell's level.

The Forensic Occultist is limited to a certain number of spells of each spell level per day, according to his Forensic Occultist class level. In addition, he receives bonus spells based on his Wisdom score, as the Acolyte class does.

Spell List: 1st-level--catalog*, cellular hand**, command, comprehend languages, computer catalog*, hold portal, instant identify, jump, mage armor, power device, R&R**, sanctuary, search room*, sympathetic trail**; 2nd-level--arcane lock, augury, darkvision, dataread, daylight, enhance ability, hold person, knock, mine detector**, relay text, see invisibility, speak with animals; 3rd-level--dispel magic, hold person, jury rig**, locate object, prayer, recharge, resurrect computer*, search room*, slow, water breathing; 4th-level--arcane eye, remove curse, detect scrying, discern lies, divination, neutralize poison, scrying, tongues; 5th-level--break enchantment, greater command, passwall, raise dead, reverse-view mirror**, true seeing.

* From Modern Player's Companion
** From Modern Magic

Bonus Feat

At 2nd and 4th level, the Forensic Occultist gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Forensic Occultist must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.

Alertness, Attentive, Educated, Iron Will, Meticulous, Studious, Track.

Sixth Sense

At 3rd level, a Forensic Occultist becomes so attuned at solving mysteries that he finds a way to put two and two together and rarely misses a clue. Whenever the Forensic Occultist spends 1 action point to improve the result of a skill check made using certain skills (see below), the Forensic Occultist gets to add an additional 1d6 to the result.

The skills that sixth sense applies to are Gather Information, Investigate, Listen, Research, Search, and Spot.

Smoking Gun

At 5th level, the Forensic Occultist has an uncanny knack of knowing which pieces of evidence will be important to an investigation. When examining a crime scene, collected evidence, or historical records, he may spend 1 action point to have the GM point out one unrecognized fact, item, or action that is the key to solving the mystery. This does not mean that the GM will explain why this particular thing is important--that's still left to the Forensic Occultist and his allies to discover. But this ability does help him determine which avenues to explore and prevents him from wasting time investigating false leads.

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Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.

 

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The Forensic Occultist Copyright 2004, The Game Mechanics, Inc.; Author Rich Redman.