So I was looking through the books for some prestige classes and after speaking with Inkcorvid, the idea of the Learned Physician could be done. It would be a skill monkey and mundane healing class. What do others think of this Prestige Class?
RequirementsTo qualify to become a learned physician (Lph), a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Knowledge (any) 5 ranks, Healing 8 ranks, Profession (herbalist) 5 ranks.
Feat: Investigator, University Education
Special: The candidate must be a graduate of a recognized university.
Class SkillsThe learned physician’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), plus any five additional skills chosen by the learned physician when he first enters the class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier
Class FeaturesHit Die: d6.
All the following are class features of the learned physician prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Learned physicians gain no proficiency with any weapon, armor, or shield.
Spellcasting: At every even-numbered learned physician level, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class he had before taking the level in learned physician. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved ability to turn undead, and so on), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. This essentially means that he adds the level of learned physician to the level of his previous spellcasting class, then determines spells per day, spells known and caster level accordingly.
If the character has more than one spellcasting class, he must decide to which class he adds each level of learned physician for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known. If the character had no spellcasting ability before taking levels in this prestige class, he may instead choose one spell-like ability from the table below at each even-numbered learned physician level. He may choose any spell-like ability with a “task rating” less than or equal to his learned physician level + his Wisdom modifier. Each of these abilities is usable once per day. If the learned physician chooses the same ability multiple times, he gains one additional use per day each time he chooses it.
Saving throw DCs, where applicable, are 10 + spell level + the learned physician’s Wisdom modifier.
Scientific Knowledge (Ex): Learned physicians gather knowledge about all sorts of topics. At 1st level, the learned physician knows information regarding various esoteric topics, just as a bard does. He adds his learned physician level and his Intelligence modifier to a 1d20 roll and compares the result with the scientific knowledge DC for the information. This ability otherwise works like the bardic knowledge ability.
A learned physician can make a scientific knowledge check to connect a power source to an item made with the Create Device* feat. He can also make a scientific knowledge check to learn how to use any spell trigger or spell completion item created with the Create Device feat as though he were a spellcaster of the appropriate type with a caster level equal to his character level. The DC for such a check is 15 + the device’s effective caster level.
Speedy Observation (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, the learned physician becomes a keen observer who can notice apparently unrelated details and quickly form a valid conclusion. The character gains a +2 bonus on all Search checks and Heal checks. In addition, the learned physician can make a Search check over a space or volume of goods roughly 10 feet by 10 feet by 5 feet as a fullround action.
Healing Touch (Su): At 5th level, a learned physician can heal wounds (his own or those of others) by touch. Each day, he can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to his learned physician level x his Charisma modifier (minimum 1). The learned physician may choose to divide his healing among multiple recipients, and he doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using healing touch is a standard action. Starting at 9th level, the learned physician’s healing touch can cure a number of points of damage per day equal to his learned physician level x his Charisma modifier (minimum 1) x his Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). In addition, the learned physician can now use remove blindness/deafness or remove disease a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum once per day). The use of either effect counts as one daily use of this ability.
Bedside Manner (Ex): Beginning at 9th level, the learned physician develops a knack for putting people at ease and reading their body language. He gains a +2 bonus on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Sense Motive checks.
Inkcorvid did suggest something like the following as a way to implement the class.
1 Scientific Knowledge: +1 skill bonus to Lore and Heal for every Learned Physician level.
2 Spell-like ability: Detect Poison
3 Keen senses
4 Spell-like ability: Remove Disease
5 Lay on hands
6 Spell-like ability: Neutralize Poison
7 -
8 Spell-like ability: Restoration
9 Skill focus (Influence)
10 Spell-like ability: Greater Restoration