Mad Scientist



''' Mad Scientist '''

''IT WORKS! I HAVE NO EARTHLY IDEA WHAT IT DOES BUT IT WORKS! – An Mad Scientist ''

The advance of science is a work of dedication, intellect, innovation and patience. Thousands of scientists work together, sharing ideas, improving and assisting in ensuring that the next generation would be better than their own. Unfortunately, science is also plagued with mad men who view claim to respect the tenants of science. For every methodical, reasonable and learned scientist, there is a fool who claims that he has the next earth-shattering invention. The Mad Scientist is the rare exception to the rule. He is learned, intelligent, and absolutely insane. He would join the ranks of the loons were it not for a single fact: His inventions work. From the strange greased fingered man who can make anything work, to the researcher who can create insane schematics in his head, Mad Scientists only occasionally advance the progression of science, but when they do, they cause it to leap forward. Most often they just cause explosions.

The Mad Scientist views the laws of physics and rules of reality as friendly suggestions more than proper laws. He understands that with the right tinkering, he can do anything a wizard or cleric can do. Is the path of the wizard or cleric easier? Or course. Would it result in fewer explosions and less collateral damage? Naturally. But where is the fun in that?

Role:   The Mad Scientist is a caster that functions somewhere between the wizard and the cleric. While the Mad Scientist’s inventions allow access to both spell lists, they are limited in the number of inventions they can make, and how much they can use them each day. This makes them highly specialized but with almost unlimited possibilities.

Alignment: Non-Lawful. Every Mad Scientist needs a certain level of “excessive creativity” which is often mistaken for madness (and who says running around without pants using a flamethrower is a sign of madness anyway? Despite this, they often pledge themselves to an ideal, nation or morality, sometimes with just as much devotion as any paladin.

Hit Die: D6

Starting Wealth: 4D6 x 10 gp (average 140)

Class Skills: Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge: Arcana (Int), Knowledge: Dungeoneering (Int), Knowledge: Mad Scientisting (Int), Knowledge: Geography (Int), Knowledge: History (Int),  Knowledge: Planes (Int), Knowledge: Mechanics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex)

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier 





Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mad Scientists are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, but no armor.

Inventions: An Mad Scientist creates schematics that allow him to build personalized inventions which function identically to wizard and cleric spells. To turn these schematics into an invention takes 1 day per spell level but costs the Mad Scientist nothing in components and this can be done on the road. At each level he gains new schematics which he can use to build inventions as shown on the Schematics Known table. Each Schematic must be chosen from the Wizard or Cleric spell lists. (So Michael the 7th level Mad Scientist can know a schematic for Fireball and a schematic for Cure Moderate Wounds, and can use any combination of them 2 times per day, be that 2 cure moderate wounds, 2 fireballs or 1 of each.)

<p class="MsoNormal">The Mad Scientist gains bonus uses of his inventions per day as a wizard based on his intelligence. The DC for his inventions is equal to 10+schematic level+int modifier. To build a schematic, the Mad Scientist must have an int score equal to 10+the spell level. His inventions are not affected by spell failure due to armor, they can be disrupted in the same way a normal spell can. Inventions act like the spell they copy in all other respects. Nobody but the Mad Scientist can use his inventions due to the complexity of the devices and Mad Scientists cannot read, understand or learn schematics from other Mad Scientists. He must rest 8 hours and spend an hour recharging his inventions in order to regain his uses.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jimmy Rig: An Mad Scientist can quickly throw together a temporary, one-use tool using scrap and materials in the area. By making a Craft: Mechanical check equal to the item’s normal craft DC+5, the Mad Scientist creates tools or objects within reason that last for one functional use (and one additional use for every 5 over the check). If he fails by more than 5 he thinks he succeeded but the tool will fail critically at its task providing a -10 to the check (unknown to the Mad Scientist or the user before the check is made) or results in a 50% backfire chance if a check is not made. For example, Michael wants to make a lockpick to open a door. The GM rules that the DC to craft a lockpick is 15, so Michael has to make a craft: mechanics dc of 20. He rolls a modified 12. He hands the lockpick off to Richard who has ranks in disable device, but because he botched the roll by more than 5, when Richard tried to pick the door it fails and the lockpick snaps. Michael tries again and rolls a modified 26. Now when Richard tries to use the lockpick, he rolls low and fails, but because Michael rolled over the DC by 1 increment of 5, Richard can use it again.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cogsmith: An Mad Scientist adds ½ his Mad Scientist level (rounded down) to his craft: mechanical checks

<p class="MsoNormal">Breakthrough: Starting at level 2 and every even level after, an Mad Scientist can pick a single breakthrough from the Mad Scientist breakthrough list. <p class="MsoNormal">

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<p class="MsoNormal">Precognition: An Mad Scientist with this breakthrough has learned how people fight and more importantly, how to not be where they will strike. He adds his intelligence modifier to armor. This bonus is lost when flatfooted.

<p class="MsoNormal">Napalm Drip: An Mad Scientist had developed a simple weapon mod he can attach to melee weapons that causes a semi-stable form of napalm to coat his weapon with every swing. He adds his intelligence modifier in fire damage to each weapon swing. Only affects his own weapons.

<p class="MsoNormal">Fire Powder: An Mad Scientist has developed a fine powder that explodes on impact. He can apply this powder to his bullets, arrows and crossbow bolts. He adds his intelligence modifier in fire damage to each shot. Only affects his own ammunition.

<p class="MsoNormal">Distilled Acid: An Mad Scientist has developed a way to turn acid into different forms. He can, with a move action, cause the weapon affected by Napalm Drip or Fire Powder to deal acid damage instead of fire.

<p class="MsoNormal">Distilled Ice: An Mad Scientist has developed a way to turn cold and ice into different forms. He can, with a move action, cause the weapon affected by Napalm Drip or Fire Powder to deal ice damage instead of fire.

<p class="MsoNormal">Distilled Electricity: An Mad Scientist has developed a way to turn electricity into different forms. He can, with a move action, cause the weapon affected by Napalm Drip or Fire Powder to deal ice damage instead of fire.

<p class="MsoNormal">Clockwork Buddy: An Mad Scientist has created a clockwork construct in the vague form of another animal. He gains a familiar with the construct subtype as per a wizard’s familiar.

<p class="MsoNormal">Share the Knowledge: An Mad Scientist has learned how to sacrifice a bit of efficiency to allow his inventions to be used by his allies. Unfortunately doing so requires him to worry about “safety” and “ease of use.” He can turn any of his inventions into a 50 charge mini-invention which function as a wand. After 50 uses the invention breaks. It is made with his caster current caster level, can be of any spell he knows as a schematic (including those past level 3) but costs 150% the time and effort to make of a wand of similar level. Unlike a wand it can be used by anybody regardless of spell list or casting ability. The Mad Scientist can only have a number of items in existence with a total spell level equal to half his Mad Scientist level plus his intelligence modifier. (Example: A level 12 Mad Scientist with a +4 intelligence mod can have any number of items equal to 10 spell levels. This can be 10 level 1s, 5 level 2s, a level 6 and a level 4, etc)

<p class="MsoNormal">Combat Training: Gain a bonus feat as a fighter

<p class="MsoNormal">Mage Training: Gain a bonus feat as a wizard

<p class="MsoNormal">ITS ALIVE: The Mad Scientist has learned how to use electricity to animate the dead as per the animate dead spell

<p class="MsoNormal">Science > Magic: The Mad Scientist can sacrifice the effects of his Napalm Drip or Fire Powder to have a weapon he could modify through Napalm Drip or Fire Powder cast dispel magic at his caster level with a move action.

<p class="MsoNormal">Mechanical Limb: The Mad Scientist has learned to create a clockwork arm, left or right. The arm is fully under his control and cannot be concealed except with magic or bulky clothing. He gains no extra attacks or actions per round, though the arm can wield weapons as part of the Mad Scientist’s attack routine. It can manipulate or hold items as well as his normal arm. It has its own hand and ring slot but he can still only wear two rings and two hand magic items at a time. He can take this up to two times.

<p class="MsoNormal">Supercharge: The Mad Scientist can apply metamagic feats to his inventions. It still takes up a higher level slot.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jetpack: The Mad Scientist creates a jetpack that allows him to fly as the fly spell for a number of minutes equal to his caster level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments.

<p class="MsoNormal">Unlimited Fuel: The Mad Scientist has found a way to replenish the fuel to his jet pack as fast as he can use it. He can now fly as per the fly spell at will.

<p class="MsoNormal">Inspiration: The Mad Scientist has learned two new schematics of any level to add to his repertoire.

<p class="MsoNormal">Steel Skin: The Mad Scientist learns how to, hopefully under anesthesia, create a thin weave of flexible metal under his skin. This grants him a +2 to natural armor. This can be taken twice and the natural armor bonus stacks.

<p class="MsoNormal">Invisibility Field: The Mad Scientist creates a device that lets him turn invisible for a number of minutes a day equal to his caster level. These minutes do not need to be used consecutively, but must be spent in 1-minute increments.

<p class="MsoNormal">Tap the Brain: The Mad Scientist learns how to probe the recently dead’s mind for their last few thoughts. He can cast speak with dead as a spell like ability a number of times per day equal to his int mod.

<p class="MsoNormal">Impenetrable Flesh: The Mad Scientist learns to control the weave under his skin. He can tighten the weave to decrease the damage from blows. 1/day the Mad Scientist can cast stoneskin on himself, using his Mad Scientist level as his caster level.

<p class="MsoNormal">Skilled Supercharge: The Mad Scientist has learned to supercharge his inventions more effectively. When applying a metamagic feat to his inventions, the spell level penalty is decreased by 1. (A maximized fireball invention would count as a level 5 as opposed to a level 6)

<p class="MsoNormal">Bad Touch: The Mad Scientist can now cast melee touch attack abilities as ranged touch attacks

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