The Occultist
The Occultist
The Occultist is a class that subsumes the function of two other classes, cleric and magic-user, and adds additional magical abilities on top. It, much like the bard, is a powerful class that very well may not be allowed by your Dungeon Master.
Occultists have engaged in a pact with an extra planar being, separate from a deity but typically a servant of their patron god. The typical price of this pact is the occultist's soul, having pledged themselves to become an outsider servant of their patron deity upon their demise; nothing short of a wish can bring an occultist back from the dead. In return, the occultist is given powerful magical abilities beyond what their divine or arcane peers can achieve.
An occultist must be a half-elf or human, and must remain an alignment compatible with their patron. They require a minimum intelligence and wisdom of 15, a strength and charisma no less than 12, and a 10 in constitution.
Occultists begin play as clerics, and they must remain exclusively clerics until they've achieved at least the 5th level of experience. Anytime thereafter, and prior to attaining the 9th level, they must change their class to that of magic-users. Again, sometime between the 5th and 10th level of ability, they must change their class again to that of occultist.
Should an occultist ever abandon their plans to become one, or somehow become ineligible, they must then select either cleric, magic-user, or cleric/magic-user as their class going forward. The latter option is only available to half-elves or humans that meet the standard dual-class score requirements. If a single class is selected, all accumulated XP for the other is lost.
An occultist always engages in combat at the level they attained as a cleric, and is able to ignore the normal restriction on edged/pointed weapons once their class changes to magic-user. Saving throws are made on the most favorable table, with the actual occultist level considered as that of a cleric; this applies to the turn undead ability as well. Occultists also retain their ability to cast spells as both clerics and magic-users, much as a cleric/magic-user multiclass, and are able to use magic items which are permitted to either class.
An occultist cannot settle and build a stronghold until they reach the 12th level of experience. The nature of the stronghold can be that of either cleric or magic-user.
Armor & Weapons Permitted
- Armor: leather, including studded
- Shield: none
- Weapons: club, dagger, dart, scimitar, short sword, sling, staff
- Oil: yes
- Poison: GM discretion
Occultists Table I.
| Experience Points | Experience Level | 6-Sided HD | Level Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-5,000 | 1 | 0* | Seeker |
| 5,001-10,000 | 2 | 1 | Necrolyte |
| 10,001-20,000 | 3 | 2 | Witch |
| 20,001-40,000 | 4 | 3 | Psychopomp |
| 40,001-80,000 | 5 | 4 | Syncretist |
| 80,001-150,000 | 6 | 5 | Enigma |
| 150,001-300,000 | 7 | 6 | Yeatsmeister |
| 300,001-450,000 | 8 | 7 | Hyperborean |
| 450,001-600,000 | 9 | 8 | Mystagogue |
| 600,001-750,000 | 10 | 9 | Trimurti |
| 750,001-900,000 | 11 | 10 | Occultist |
| 900,001-1,100,000 | 12 | 11 | Master Occultist |
| 1,100,001-1,300,000 | 13 | 11+1 | M. Occultist 13th |
| 1,300,001+ | 14 | 11+2 | M. Occultist 14th |
* 6-Sided HD starts at 0 to indicate that the occultist keeps their previously-earned HD as a cleric (and potentially as a magic-user if that class level exceeds the cleric class level). All occultist HD and HP are additions to existing ones.
200,000 experience points per level for each additional level beyond the 14th
Occultists gain 1 HP per level after the 12th
Abilities & Spells Usable by Class & Level - Occultists
| Occultist Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Ability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | — | — | — | A |
| 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | 2 | — | — | — | B |
| 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | C |
| 7 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 8 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 9 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 10 | 3 | 3 | — | — | D |
| 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 12 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 13 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 15 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 16 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | E |
| 17 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 18 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 19 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 20 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — |
Description of Special Abilities
A. Eldritch Blast
Eldritch Blast (Evocation)
- Components: V, S
- Range: 3"
- Casting Time: 2 segments
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Saving Throw: Special
- Area of Effect: One creature
- Explanation/Description: The eldritch blast is the occultist's primary ability, a beam of crackling energy powered by their soul, streaking from their outstretched palm towards the target. The occultist makes an attack roll on the Fighter matrix, consulting the column corresponding to their occultist level, factoring in only Dexterity and magical adjustments to Armor Class. Damage is dealt per the table below. While no saving throw is normally allowed, certain Invocations (see further below) may change this, and the ability is still subject to magic resistance. Each use of this ability temporarily reduces the occultist's Constitution by 1 point, which can only be restored via bedrest at a rate of one point per day; if two weeks of bedrest is taken, all lost Constitution points are restored.
Eldritch Blast Damage
| Occultist Level | EB Damage |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1d4+1 |
| 2 | 1d4+1 |
| 3 | 1d6+1 |
| 4 | 1d6+1 |
| 5 | 2d4 |
| 6 | 2d4 |
| 7 | 2d4+1 |
| 8 | 2d4+1 |
| 9 | 2d6 |
| 10 | 2d6 |
| 11 | 2d6+1 |
| 12 | 2d6+1 |
| 13 | 3d4+1 |
| 14 | 3d4+1 |
| 15 | 3d6 |
| 16 | 3d6 |
| 17 | 3d6+1 |
| 18 | 3d6+1 |
| 19 | 5d4 |
| 20 | 5d4 |
Invocations
Invocations act as spells for an occultist, serving to modify the Eldritch Blast ability in various ways. Occultists begin with but a single 1st level invocation, and can only learn one of each spell level, which happens as the occultist attains the ability to use spells of that level. Unless otherwise stated, invocation effects are in addition to the normal Eldritch Blast effects (e.g. to-hit and damage rolls are still performed). Any saving throws indicated by an invocation are made at a -1 penalty per three occultist levels.
Short of a wish or patron intervention, invocations cannot be changed nor can the occultist learn additional invocations beyond those granted by the class.
B. Detect Magic
Beginning at 3rd level, an occultist is able to make out the innate magical energies of objects and creatures. Once per day, they may detect magic (as the cleric spell) for a number of turns equal to their level.
C. Eldritch Recovery
Beginning at 6th level, the occultist may, once per day, spend a round to remove damage from themselves at a rate of 1 hit point per level.
D. Outsider Resilience
Beginning at 10th level, the occultist gains a resistance to non-silvered weapons, halving incoming damage from them. Monster attacks made with natural weapons (claws, bite, etc.) ignores this.
E. Imbue Item
Beginning at 16th level, the occultist may petition their patron to assist in the creation of magic items as a magic-user would. All related costs and time needed are doubled, and the occultist must provide the spell being used, though they may sacrifice an appropriate scroll for this. Once enchanted, the patron provides the use of permanency to complete the item.
Invocations By Level
1st Level
Eldritch Smite
- Range: Touch
- Casting Time: 1 segment
- Duration: One hit.
- Explanation/Description: The occultist's melee weapon becomes infused with eldritch energy, adding the Eldritch Blast's damage to its damage roll the next time a hit is scored.
Slumber of Ages
- Duration: 3 rounds/level
- Explanation/Description: No damage is dealt, but the occultist still rolls damage to determine how many HD can be affected. If the number rolled is equal to or greater than the target's HD, the creature is put to sleep in a manner similar to the sleep spell. Creatures with 5 or more effective HD can save vs. spell to negate.
Nauseating Blast
- Casting Time: 3 segments
- Duration: Special
- Explanation/Description: The target must save vs. poison to avoid being helpless due to nausea for 1d4+1 rounds. Successful saves indicate helplessness for 1 round.
Lance of Lethargy
- Casting Time: 4 segments
- Duration: 1 round/level
- Explanation/Description: The target must save vs. spell to avoid being slowed, per the spell
2nd Level
Eldritch Spear
- Range: 3"+1"/level
- Casting Time: 3 segments
- AoE: Special
- Explanation/Description: The Eldritch Blast affects all creatures in a line out to range, allowing a save vs. spell for half damage instead of to-hit rolls.
Repelling Blast
- Casting Time: 3 segments
- Explanation/Description: The target must save vs. spell to avoid being pushed 1" and knocked prone.
Brimstone Blast
- Duration: 1 round/3 levels
- Explanation/Description: The Eldritch Blast becomes a mote of flame, and the target must save vs. spell to avoid catching fire, taking 1d6 damage per round.
Rime Blast
- Duration: 1 round/level
- Explanation/Description: The Eldritch Blast becomes cold enough to stiffen limbs and hinder movement. The target must save vs. spell to avoid granting a +4 "to-hit" bonus to any attackers targeting it.
3rd Level
Eldritch Chain
- Casting Time: 4 segments
- AoE: Special
- Explanation/Description: On a succesful hit, the Eldritch Blast forks to another target within 3" of the first, forking once per five occultist levels. These additional targets are automatically hit and receive the same damage as the initial target, with a save vs. spell for half.
Blinding Blast
- Casting Time: 4 segments
- Duration: 1 round/level
- Explanation/Description: The target must save vs. spell to avoid being blinded.
Terrorizing Blast
- Casting Time: 5 segments
- Duration: Special
- Explanation/Description: The target must save vs. spell to avoid a fear effect, per the spell.
Penetrating Blast
- Casting Time: 8 segments
- Explanation/Description: The occultist's level is treated as four higher for the purposes of overcoming magic resistance.
4th Level
Eldritch Ball
- Range: 1"/level
- Casting Time: 6 segments
- AoE: 3" radius sphere
- Explanation/Description: A baleful dome of magical energy springs forth at a point in range chosen by the occultist. Rather than rolling to hit, creatures within the AoE may save vs. spell for half damage, or take the full damage of the Eldritch Blast on a failure.
Sudden Swarm
- Casting Time: 4 segments
- Duration: 2 rounds + 1 round/level
- Explanation/Description: The target must make a save vs. death. If failure is indicated, then upon the creature's death, 2d4 large spiders burst forth from its corpse, attacking the occultist's opponents until commanded by the occultist to cease, the spell duration expires, or the monsters are slain. If communication is possible, and the spiders are physically capable, they can perform other tasks for the summoning occultist.
Baneful Blast
- Casting Time: 6 segments
- Explanation/Description: Upon learning this invocation, the occultist must select one class of creature (e.g. giant, undead), subject to GM approval. When used with this invocation, the damage of Eldritch Blast increases by +1 per level of the occultist when used against that class of creature.
Deteriorating Blast
- Casting Time: 1 round
- Duration: 1 round/5 occultist levels
- Explanation/Description: The target must save vs. spell to avoid having all magical protections (e.g. only hit by +1 or better, magic resistance) suppressed for the duration.