The
Savant
An elf cleaned her glasses
with the corner of her cloak as
the dust settled. The emperor had
paid her a large sum to locate this
forgotten place, and after months of
pouring over ancient maps, she had
pieced together the one-lost location
of the primeval temple. Now, she had
a decision to make. If she reported the
location of the temple to her benefactor,
it would be ruthlessly stripped of valuables.
But, if she kept the location to herself, she
could preserve the ancient knowledge
contained within. For a savant, knowledge
is more precious than any sum of gold.
An aging human warrior silently assessed the
soldiers under his command. They were exhausted
and almost out of supplies. It was the tenth night of a
brutal siege, and the graying commander knew that no reinforcements were coming to their rescue. He was too
old to be of much use in battle, but if his soldiers followed his orders without any hesitation, they might have a chance of survival. He stood up, and for what could very well be his final time, drew his weathered sword from its scabbard.
A young dwarf bent over his unconscious comrade in the midst of battle, his hands shook as he examined his brother's wounds. His clan had spent a small fortune sending him to study at the finest university in the land. All the hours spent in lectures and libraries, all for this moment. He thought back to his lessons and began to dress his brother's wounds.
The characters described above are just some examples of the adventuring intellectuals known as Savants. Armed with only their wit, they aid their allies and outwit their enemies.
Magnificent Minds
There are many wonderfully intelligent people in the world, but few are true Savants. Born with the innate desire to learn anything they can, and the potential for genius-level intellect, Savants spend their lives learning anything that those around them are willing to teach. Often recognizable at an early age, a Savant's unquenchable hunger for knowledge draws them to the great libraries, universities, and other places of higher learning. They are willing to go to any lengths to unlock the secrets of the world, often turning to lives of adventure. For
a Savant, no price is too steep for the promise of discovery.
Intense Focus
Savants are hyper-focused on their chosen area of study and often become obsessed with learning all they can about their specialty. In their quest for discovery, Savants are willing to set aside any conviction, political, religious, or otherwise, to acquire the information they seek. To them, their desire for knowledge is more important than loyalty to any ideology.
Often at great personal cost, Savants will not stop their research until they have made a revolutionary discovery in their area of study. It is not unusual to encounter one such scholar far from the safety of a university and its libraries.
Creating
Your Savant
When creating a Savant, consider their upbringing and the level of their formal education. Were they a star pupil at the finest university gold could buy? Or, were they a child of the streets, fighting for every scrap of knowledge that they could get their hands on? Maybe their mind was trained from birth to be the perfect analytical tool for a noble house or family.
Also, consider why your Savant would rely on only their intellect rather than use their gifts in pursuit of the arcane or in the service of a higher power. Are they cursed to never be able to produce even the most mundane spell? Or, have they sworn never to rely on the magic that destroyed their family?
Finally, why did your Savant become an adventurer rather than live the life of an academic? Have they advanced beyond normal study and look forward to the endless discoveries of adventure? Or, have they always been a student of the world?
Multiclassing and the Savant
If your group uses the optional multiclassing rule, here is everything you need to know if you choose to take at least one level in the Savant class.
Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must have a minimum Intelligence score of 13 in order to take a level as a Savant, or to take a level in another class if you are already a Savant.
Proficiencies Gained. If Savant is not your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first Savant level: light armor, one skill of your choice from the Savant skill list, and one set of artisan's tools of your choice.
Class Features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d8 per Savant level.
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution
modifier per Savant level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light armor
- Weapons: Simple weapons, rapiers, shortswords, whips
- Tools: One set of artisan's tools of your choice
- Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
- Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Persuasion, or Religion
Starting Equipment
As a Savant, you start with the following equipment:
- (a) a simple weapon of your choice or (b) a shortsword.
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two daggers.
- a set of artisan's tools, leather armor, and scholar's pack.
Quick Build
You can make a Savant quickly by using these suggestions.
First, make Intelligence your highest ability score, followed by your Dexterity. Second, choose the Noble background.
Adroit Analysis
You can focus your mind to analyze your foe. Beginning at 1st level, you can use a bonus action to analyze one creature you can see within 60 feet, designating it as your Focus. While it is your Focus, you gain the following benefits against it:
- When you hit it with an attack, or if you observe it for 1 minute, you learn one of the following characteristics of your choice: its highest ability score, lowest ability score, Armor Class, speed, creature type, or one special sense.
- You can use your Intelligence, instead of your Strength or Dexterity, for weapon attack and damage rolls against it.
- Once per turn when you hit it with an attack, you deal 1d6 bonus damage. The bonus increases as you gain levels, to match the Intellect Die column of the Savant table above.
- Any attacks it makes against you have disadvantage.
It remains your Focus until you choose to end this effect (no action required), or it is hidden from you, if you designate another creature as your Focus, or if you are incapacitated.
While you have a Focus, you cannot cast or concentrate on spells or use other features that require your concentration.
Predictive Defense
Your analytical style of fighting allows you to better anticipate and dodge attacks. Beginning at 1st level, when you calculate your Armor Class in light or medium armor, or when you are unarmored, you can use Intelligence in place of Dexterity.
Scholarly Pursuits
Never satisfied with your current state you are always looking to expand your educational horizons. At 1st level, you master one Scholarly Pursuit from the list at the end of this class.
You master one additional Scholarly Pursuit of your choice when you reach 4th, 7th, 13th, and 18th level in this class.
The Savant
| Level | PB | Features | Intellect Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Adroit Analysis, Scholarly Pursuits Predictive Defense |
─ |
| 2nd | +2 | Genius Intellect, Sharp Mind | d6 |
| 3rd | +2 | Academic Discipline | d6 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | d6 |
| 5th | +3 | Peerless Insights, Swift Reflexes (2) |
d8 |
| 6th | +3 | Discipline feature | d8 |
| 7th | +3 | Keen Awareness | d8 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | d8 |
| 9th | +4 | Predictive Expert | d8 |
| 10th | +4 | Discipline feature | d8 |
| 11th | +4 | Unrivaled Genius | d10 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | d10 |
| 13th | +5 | Swift Reflexes (3) | d10 |
| 14th | +5 | Unyielding Will | d10 |
| 15th | +5 | Discipline feature | d10 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | d10 |
| 17th | +6 | Flawless Analysis | d12 |
| 18th | +6 | Swift Reflexes (4) | d12 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | d12 |
| 20th | +6 | Incomparable Intellect | d12 |
Genius Intellect
Your mind is capable of wondrous bursts of insight, fortitude, and inspiration. At 2nd level, you gain the following benefits:
Intellect Die
These increased analytical abilities are represented by your Intellect Die, which begins as a d6. You start knowing three such features that make use of this Intellect Die: Calculated Flourish, Potent Observation, and Wondrous Insight.
At certain levels, your Intellect Die increases in size, as shown in the Intellect Die column on the Savant table.
If one of your Intellect Die features requires a creature to make a saving throw, the save DC is calculated as follows:
Intellect save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus
+ your Intelligence modifier
Calculated Flourish
When a creature you can see targets you with a melee attack, you can use a reaction to add one roll of your Intellect Die to your Armor Class against that attack. If this Flourish causes the attack to miss, you can move up to 10 feet as part of the same reaction without provoking opportunity attacks.
Potent Observation
When another creature that can hear you hits your Focus with an attack, you can use your reaction to grant it a bonus to its damage roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
Wondrous Insight
When another creature that can hear you makes an ability check using a skill or tool that you are proficient in, you can use your reaction to grant it a bonus to its roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die. You can do so after it rolls the d20.
Sharp Mind
Your ability to analyze your surroundings is unrivaled. Also at 2nd level, you can use a bonus action on your turn to take the Help or Search actions, or make an Intelligence ability check to recall information about a creature or object you can see.
Moreover, you can use the Help action to aid a creature in attacking your Focus, so long as you are within 5 feet of the attacker, even when you are not within 5 feet of the target.
Academic Discipline
At 3rd level, choose an Academic Discipline to best represent your Savant's studies: Archaeologist, Investigator, Naturalist, Physician, or Tactician; all detailed at the end of this class.
Your Academic Discipline grants you features at 3rd level, and again when you reach 6th, 10th, and finally 15th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Peerless Insights
Your mind and its capabilities are truly wondrous. Beginning
at 5th level, if another creature that can hear you is forced to make a saving throw, you can use your reaction to grant it a bonus to its roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
Moreover, whenever you make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw you can add one roll of your Intellect Die to your saving throw, so long as you are not incapacitated.
Swift Reflexes
The speed that you observe and react to your surroundings is incredible. Beginning at 5th level, you have a second reaction you can take each round, but only one reaction per trigger.
At certain Savant levels you gain additional reactions, you gain a third reaction at 13th level and a fourth at 18th level.
Keen Awareness
You are always prepared for danger. Beginning at 7th level, so long as you aren't incapacitated you cannot be surprised and you add your Intelligence modifier to your initiative rolls.
Also, when you roll initiative you can use Adroit Analysis to designate a creature you can see within range as your Focus.
Predictive Expert
You are seemingly always one step ahead of your chosen foes. Starting at 9th level, when your Focus forces you to make an ability check or saving throw, you have advantage on your roll.
Unrivaled Genius
Your intellect has risen to near-supernatural heights. At 11th level, your Genius Intellect features gain the benefits below:
Calculated Flourish
If your reaction causes the attack to miss, you can make one melee attack against your attacker as part of your reaction.
Potent Observation
You can use this reaction whenever another creature that can hear you attacks a creature that you can see. Moreover, if you use this reaction when another creature attacks your Focus, you can add two rolls of your Intellect Die to its damage roll.
Wondrous Insight
When you use Wondrous Insight on another creature's ability check you roll your Intellect Die twice and use the higher roll.
Unyielding Will
At 14th level, you gain proficiency in Charisma saving throws, and you have advantage on any saving throw you are forced to make to resist the charmed and frightened conditions.
Flawless Analysis
Beginning at 17th level, you can use your action to flawlessly predict your Focus's next move and alert your allies. Until the start of your next turn, your Focus has disadvantage on every ability check, attack roll, and saving throw. Also, creatures of your choice that can hear you have advantage on any saving throw your Focus forces them to make until your next turn.
Once you use this feature you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Incomparable Intellect
At 20th level, you realize your true potential. Your Intelligence score increases by 4, up to a maximum of 24. Also, if you roll an Intellect Die and roll lower than your Intelligence modifier, you can replace the roll with your Intelligence modifier.
Academic Disciplines
Choose one of the following Academic Disciplines that best represents the genius and skill of your Savant: Archaeologist, Investigator, Naturalist, Physician, or Tactician.
Archaeologist
Specializing in the study of forgotten civilizations, uncharted lands, and ancient places, Archaeologists bring the light of knowledge to the dark and deadly places of the world. Doing their best to uncover the wisdom of ages long past, they often tend to feel a sad kinship with the civilizations they study and go to great lengths not to destroy or offend their memory.
Student of History
3rd-level Archaeologist Discipline feature
You gain proficiency in History and Investigation. Whenever you make a check with either of these proficiencies you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die. If you are already proficient in either skill you gain proficiency in another skill from the Savant skill list in its place.
Also, if you spend 1 minute examining an object you are touching, you can ascertain its value, origin, and age. If it has magic properties, you learn them as if you had cast identify.
Adventuring Academic
3rd-level Archaeologist Discipline feature
Your time in ancient places has given you insights into arcane items and honed your instincts. You gain the benefits below:
- You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.
- When you make a saving throw related to a trap, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
- You ignore all class, race, and alignment requirements for attunement and use of magic items, scrolls, and potions. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for magic items.
- You can cast and concentrate on spells from magic items, scrolls, and potions while you are using Adroit Analysis.
Daring Determination
6th-level Archaeologist Discipline feature
You are well acquainted with danger. Whenever you make a Dexterity saving throw, or an ability check related to a trap, you add one roll of your Intellect Die to the result of your roll.
Also, if you use your action to use a magic item, potion, or scroll you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Lore Master
10th-level Archaeologist Discipline feature
You constantly study every myth, legend, and folk tale
you come across. If you observe a person, place, or object
for at least 10 minutes, you mystically recall information
about it as if it were the target of a legend lore spell.
The target of this feature does not need to be of legendary importance in order for you to gain information. Though, if there is no relevant lore about the target you learn nothing.
Finally, when you use a magic item, you use your Intellect save DC for its effects unless the item's save DC was higher.
Master Archaeologist
15th-level Archaeologist Discipline feature
Your familiarity with ancient magic has given you insight into its workings. You gain resistance to all damage from spells.
Also, when you finish a short rest, you can touch one magic item that normally regains its charges at dawn, and it regains expended charges equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Investigator
Masters at unraveling mysteries, conspiracies, and secrets of all kinds, Investigators possess an uncanny ability to read the intent of others. They often dedicate their lives thwarting any who deceive the innocent and take advantage of the common trust. Their considerable intellect and eye for the truth stand in the way of thieves, shapeshifters, and corrupt politicians.
Student of Truth
3rd-level Investigator Discipline feature
You gain proficiency in Insight and Investigation. Whenever you make a check with either of these proficiencies you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die. If you are already proficient in either skill you gain proficiency in another skill from the Savant skill list in its place.
Your intuitive nature grants you the following benefits:
- Whenever you make an Insight or Perception check you can choose to use your Intelligence in place of Wisdom.
- When you take the Search action, you gain information as if you spent a full minute searching instead of one action.
Rough & Tumble
3rd-level Investigator Discipline feature
You have gained some unsavory skills while fighting shadows in the underbelly of civilization. You learn to speak, read, and decode Thieves' Cant, the language of the criminal world.
Also, your unarmed strikes deal bludgeoning damage equal to a roll of your Intellect Die + your Strength modifier on hit.
When you hit your Focus with a melee attack on your turn, you can force it to make a Dexterity saving throw against your Intellect save DC. On a failure, it is either blinded, deafened, or it cannot speak until the start of your next turn, or if the target is Large or smaller, you can choose to knock it prone.
Devious Flourish
6th-level Investigator Discipline feature
Your intuition grants you a heightened sense for openings in your foe's defenses. When you use Calculated Flourish and cause the attack to miss, you can force the attacker to make
a Dexterity saving throw against Rough & Tumble as part of the same reaction, instead of moving.
Also, whenever your Focus fails the saving throw against Rough & Tumble, you can choose for it to take bludgeoning damage equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
Finally, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike attack as a bonus action.
Illicit Contacts
6th-level Investigator Discipline feature
You have become familiar with the criminal elements of society. You have advantage on Charisma checks while you are communicating with another creature in Thieves' Cant.
You also master the Secrets & Whispers Scholarly Pursuit,
If you have already mastered this Scholarly Pursuit you can
instead master your choice of Perfect Recall or Traditions.
Piercing Gaze
10th-level Investigator Discipline feature
Your gaze sees through the most intricate deceptions
and conspiracies. You instantly detect the presence
of illusions and shapeshifters, and you are instantly
aware if your Focus is lying to you.
Also, if your Focus fails its saving throw against
Rough & Tumble, you can cause it to be stunned
for the duration in place of the normal effects.
Master Investigator
15th-level Investigator Discipline feature
Your sense for truth has reached near-supernatural
levels. You gain Truesight out to a 30-foot radius.
Also, when you hit your Focus with an attack, or
use Potent Observation against your Focus, you can
cause the attack to become a critical hit. You can
only do so once between each short or long rest.
Naturalist
The Naturalist's classroom begins at the edge of
civilization. They are scholars of the wilderness,
and will go to great lengths to preserve nature as
it exists, free from the influence of civilization. A
true Naturalist is a conservationist of the wild and
an expert at predicting weather, identifying toxic
and medicinal plants, caring for animals, and
guiding others safely through the wilderness.
Student of Nature
3rd-level Naturalist Discipline feature
You gain proficiency in both Nature and Survival. Whenever you make a check with either of these proficiencies you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die. If you are already proficient in either skill you gain proficiency in another skill from the Savant skill list in its place.
Also, whenever you make an Animal Handling or Survival check you can use your Intelligence in place of Wisdom.
Naturalist's Journal
3rd-level Naturalist Discipline feature
You compile your research on fantastical flora and fauna in a Naturalist's Journal. Over the course of 1 hour, which can be during a short or long rest, you can take notes in your Journal, detailing your current environment or a specific beast, plant, or monstrosity (such as a bear or griffon) that was your Focus within the last 24 hours. If your Journal is lost, you can spend 1 hour adding each old entry to a new Journal from memory.
You have advantage on all Intelligence checks related to all environments and creatures detailed in your Journal.
Finally, once per turn when you make an attack roll against a creature that is detailed in your Journal, you gain a bonus to your attack roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
Survivalist
6th-level Naturalist Discipline feature
You are a master tracker of wild creatures and any that would threaten them. You can designate a creature as the Focus of your Adroit Analysis by analyzing signs of its passing, such as tracks or marks, even if you can't see the creature. Creatures also remain your Focus even if they become hidden from you.
You also master the Physical Fitness Scholarly Pursuit. If you have already mastered this Scholarly Pursuit, you instead master your choice of either Falconry or Perfect Recall.
Wilderness Guide
6th-level Naturalist Discipline feature
Your knowledge allows you and your companions to thrive in the wild places of the world. If you are in an environment that is detailed in your Journal, you and up to ten other creatures that travel with you gain the following benefits:
- You can ignore the effects of nonmagical difficult terrain.
- You cannot become lost, except by magical means.
- You can move stealthily while traveling at a normal pace.
Advanced Studies
10th-level Naturalist Discipline feature
Your knowledge of the wild does not stop with the mundane. You can add specific dragons, giants, oozes, and undead to your Naturalist's Journal. For example, you could add notes on a young blue dragon, fire giant, or ghast to your Journal.
Your cutting-edge understanding of the natural world also grants your Naturalist's Journal the following extra benefits:
Creatures. You treat the specific creatures in your Journal as if they were your Focus, even if they are not currently designated as the Focus of your Adroit Analysis.
Environments. You, and up to ten other creatures
that are traveling with you can ignore the effects of
magical difficult terrain and have advantage on their
saving throws to resist the hostile effects of any of the
environments you have detailed in your Journal.
Call of the Wild
10th-level Naturalist Discipline feature
As an action on your turn, you can force one beast, plant, or monstrosity within 30 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw against your Intellect save DC, so long as it can hear you. On a failure, it is charmed by you for 1 hour. Creatures that have an Intelligence score equal to half your Savant level or higher automatically succeed on this saving throw.
While a creature is charmed, it is friendly to you and your allies. As a bonus action, you can issue a verbal command to the creature, which it does its best to obey on its next turn. Once it completes your command it defends itself to the best of its ability until you command it again with a bonus action.
If the creature takes damage, it repeats its Wisdom saving throw at the beginning of its next turn, ending this charm on a success. When it does so, you can use a reaction to shout at it and subtract one roll of your Intellect Die from its roll.
Once a creature succeeds on its saving throw against this feature it is immune to it for 24 hours. You can only have one creature charmed in this way, and charming another creature ends this effect for any other charmed creatures.
Once you successfully charm a creature you must complete a short or long rest before you can use this feature again.
Master Naturalist
15th-level Naturalist Discipline feature
Your knowledge of the natural world surpasses that of nearly all other scholars. You can add specific creatures of any type,
except for constructs and humanoids, to your Journal.
Also, the duration of Call of the Wild increases to 8
hours, and creatures detailed in your
Journal have disadvantage on their
initial save to resist Call of the Wild.
Finally, you have advantage on
attack rolls against any creatures
detailed in your Journal.
Physician
Physicians use their considerable intellect to heal the
sick and tend to the wounded. They spend their lives
studying the anatomy and biology of mortals,
and use this knowledge to keep their
allies in top condition and cripple
foes. Using this medical training,
they offer aid to those that do not
have access to the luxury of divine
magic or other healing spells.
Student of Medicine
3rd-level Physician Discipline feature
You gain proficiency in Medicine and Sleight of
Hand. Whenever you make a check with either of
these proficiencies you gain a bonus to your roll
equal to one roll of your Intellect Die. If you are
already proficient in either skill you instead gain
proficiency in another skill from the Savant list.
Moreover, your medical training and insight
into anatomy grants you the benefits below:
- Whenever you would make a Wisdom
(Medicine) check, you can make an
Intelligence (Medicine) check instead. - If you spend 1 minute examining your Focus, you
can identify any disease, poison, or curse affecting it. - Once per turn, if you hit your Focus with a weapon
attack, you can reduce its speed by a number of feet
equal to 5 times your Intelligence modifier (minimum
of 5 feet) until the beginning of your next turn.
Combat Medic
3rd-level Physician Discipline feature
You have trained to administer medical aid to others, even in the midst of battle. When you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one Healer's Kit and cause it to regain a number
of uses equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).
Also, your knowledge of medicine grants you the Combat Medic abilities below, each of which takes an action to use.
Whenever you use one of these Combat Medic abilities, you can expend one use from a Healer's Kit you are holding to use the maximum Intellect Die result, instead of rolling.
Adrenaline Jolt
You touch another creature that is either blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, poisoned, or suffering from a disease, and it instantly repeats a saving throw to end that condition with a bonus to its roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
Dress Wounds
You touch another creature and it gains temporary hit points equal to one roll of your Intellect Die. This has no effect on a creature at its hit point maximum, and once a creature gains temporary hit points from this feature, you can't target it with this feature again until those temporary hit points are gone.
Healing Surge
You touch another living creature and it can expend one of its Hit Dice to regain a number of hit points equal to its Hit Die roll + its Constitution modifier + one roll of your Intellect Die.
If you use this ability on a living creature at 0 hit points, it is instantly stabilized even if it does not expend a Hit Die.
Field Doctor
6th-level Physician Discipline feature
You have learned to move about the field of battle unscathed to better administer aid. You can take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on each of your turns.
Also, whenever you use your action to use a Combat Medic ability, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Medicinal Expertise
10th-level Physician Discipline feature
Your techniques push allies to their physical limit. When you use a Combat Medic ability you can empower it as described below. You can use an empowered ability on each individual creature once with no negative effects for it. However, each subsequent time you use an empowered ability on a creature before it finishes a long rest, it gains 1 level of exhaustion.
Restorative Jolt
You can use Adrenaline Jolt to automatically end one of the following conditions: blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned, a reduction to one of its ability scores, or a reduction to its hit point maximum.
Resuscitating Surge
You can use Healing Surge to return a creature that has died within the past minute back to life, so long as it expends one Hit Die as part of this ability. This has no effect on creatures that die of old age, and it cannot restore missing body parts.
Suture Wounds
If you use Dress Wounds on a living creature for 10 minutes without interruption, you can reattach any severed limbs or digits, and it gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the difference between its current and maximum hit points.
However, the temporary hit points from this feature are instantly dispelled if the creature regains any hit points.
Master Physician
15th-level Physician Discipline feature
You can perform legendary feats of medicine. You can use two empowered Combat Medic abilities on each individual creature between each a long rest with no negative effects.
Also, if you roll an Intellect Die as part of a Combat Medic ability, you add your Intelligence modifier to your total roll.
Tactician
All successful monarchs, conquerors, and revolutions have a master Tactician who is responsible for their success. These leaders are always one step ahead of their foes and a plan for every eventuality. They know maneuvers that lead to victory, and those that end in ruin. Alone, a Tactician is no threat, but with powerful allies, they become a formidable fighting force.
Student of War
3rd-level Tactician Discipline feature
You gain proficiency in History and Persuasion. Whenever you make a check with either of these proficiencies you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die. If you are already proficient in either skill you gain proficiency in another skill from the Savant skill list in its place.
Your study of warfare also grants you the benefits below:
- You gain proficiency in two gaming sets of your
choice, and whenever you make an ability
check that uses any gaming set, you add
one roll of your Intellect Die to the roll. - You gain proficiency in medium armor,
shields, and with all martial weapons
that do not have the heavy property.
Tactical Commander
3rd-level Tactician Discipline feature
You can use your knowledge of tactics to direct
your allies on the battlefield. You learn to use
the following Orders detailed on this page:
Attack Order
When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of an attack, targeting another creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet. The next time that creature takes the Attack action before the start of your next turn, it can make one additional weapon attack as part of its Attack action.
Defensive Order
When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of an attack, targeting another creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet. That creature gains the benefits of the Dodge action until the beginning of its next turn.
Maneuvering Order
When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of an attack, targeting another creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet. That creature can use its reaction to move up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Support Order
When you take the Attack action, you can issue this Order in place of an attack, targeting another creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet. That creature can immediately take the Help, Hide, Search, Study, or Use an Object action.
Strategic Superiority
6th-level Tactician Discipline feature
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can take the Dash, Disengage, or Help action in place of one of these attacks.
Tactical Genius
10th-level Tactician Discipline feature
Your genius allows you to control the flow of each battle from the outset. When you roll initiative, you can issue an Order to
one creature before any other creatures have a chance to act.
Also, when another creature that can hear you makes an
attack against your Focus, you can use Potent Observation
to add a roll of your Intellect Die to its attack roll. You can
do so after it rolls, but before you know if its attack hits.
Master Tactician
15th-level Tactician Discipline feature
Your words inspire heroism in your allies. Whenever you
issue an Order to a creature you can grant it temporary hit
points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).
Scholarly Pursuits
Listed below are the Scholarly Pursuits available to a Savant. To learn a Scholarly Pursuit you must meet its prerequisites.
If a Pursuit allows you to add one roll of your Intellect Die to an ability check that already has this benefit, you roll your Intellect Die twice and use the higher result instead.
Instruction
You have dedicated a significant amount of your studies to
the art of education. Over the course of 1 hour, you can teach
one humanoid that can hear and understand you one skill, tool, or weapon proficiency, or one language you know.
The creature gains proficiency in that tool, skill, or weapon, or learns to speak that language until it completes a long rest.
Perfect Recall
You can recall picture-perfect details from things that you commit to memory. If you spend at least 1 minute observing an object or creature, you can perfectly recall any observable information about that creature or object point in the future.
For example, you could perfectly memorize a map, a page from a tome, a work of art, or the appearance of a creature.
Quick Study
You learn exceptionally fast. You gain proficiency in one skill or tool, or learn to speak and read a language of your choice.
Over the course of 1 hour, which can be during a short or long rest, you can replace this proficiency or language with another proficiency or language of your choice, so long as you have an example to learn from, such as a teacher or manual.
Astrology
Prerequisites: 4th-level Savant
You are a disciple of heavenly bodies and use this knowledge to twist fate. You gain proficiency in Arcana, and whenever you make an Intelligence (Arcana) check, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
During each long rest that you can see the night sky, roll a d20 and record that number. Once before the end of the next long rest, you can choose to use that roll in place of the d20 for ability check, attack roll, or saving throw before you roll.
Falconry
Prerequisites: 4th-level Savant
You have spent many months learning to train birds of prey. You gain proficiency in Perception, and whenever you make
a Wisdom (Perception) check, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
You gain a trained Falcon which uses the Hawk statblock from the Player's Handbook, but it has an Intelligence score of 8. You and your Falcon can communicate simple ideas with each other using simple gestures and sounds. Your Falcon is unwaveringly loyal to you and obeys your commands.
In combat, your Falcon shares your initiative and acts on your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but it only takes the Dodge action unless you use a bonus action to command it to take an action from its stat block, or another action. If you are incapacitated, your Falcon acts on its own.
If your Falcon falls to 0 hit points it makes death saving throws as a player character would. Should your Falcon die, your special skills allow you to track and train another Falcon over the course of an 8-hour period using 5 gp worth of bait.
Linguistics
Prerequisites: 4th-level Savant
You are a student of language and the art of the spoken word. You gain proficiency in Persuasion, and whenever you make
a Charisma (Persuasion) check, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
You also know how to speak, read, and write a number of additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Physical Fitness
Prerequisites: 4th-level Savant
You know that the key to a healthy mind is a healthy body. You gain proficiency in either Athletics or Acrobatics. Whenever you make an ability check with that skill, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
Also, you gain a climbing speed and a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and when you make a running jump, you add your Intelligence modifier to the distance.
Riddles
Prerequisites: 4th-level Savant
You have spent a great deal of time learning to speak in both riddles and rhymes. You gain proficiency in Deception. When you make a Charisma (Deception) check, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
Also, when you speak, you can choose to speak in Riddles. When you do so, you appear to be speaking normally, but you include hidden messages laced in your rhyming words.
Over the course of 1 hour, which can be during a short or long rest, you can teach a creature with an Intelligence of 11 or higher to understand your Riddles and respond in kind.
Secrets & Whispers
Prerequisites: 4th-level Savant
You have a knack for knowing where to eavesdrop and the right person to bribe. You gain proficiency in Stealth. When you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
Whenever you spend a long rest in a settlement, you can spend 1-hour gathering local rumors to learn of a significant, even secret, event which occurred in there in the last week.
Theology
Prerequisites: 4th-level Savant
You are a dedicated scholar of various holy texts and sacred rituals. You gain proficiency in Religion, and whenever you make an Intelligence (Religion) check, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
You also learn to speak, read, and write Celestial. Finally, you learn the ceremony spell, but you can only cast it as a ritual. For you, the ritual only takes 10 minutes, and you can cast it without the material components once per long rest.
Traditions
Prerequisites: 4th-level Savant
You are a student of local cultures, politics, and traditions. You gain proficiency in History, and whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to one roll of your Intellect Die.
Whenever you make a Charisma check to interact with a local ruler or otherwise important figure and you incorporate a local custom or tradition, you have advantage on your roll.
The Savant
A brilliant new class for the world's greatest roleplaying game. Outwit your foes and aid your allies with five different Academic Disciplines based on your particular genius: Archaeologist, Investigator, Naturalist, Physician, or Tactician!
Version 5.2
Created by /u/laserllama
Artist Credits:
Cover - Sara Winters - Compulsive Research
Page 1 - Eelis Kyttanen - Weatherlight Stalwart
Page 3 - Mitchell Malloy - Frantic Search
Page 4 - Anna Steinbauer - Seek the Wilds
Page 5 - Lucas Graciano - Marchesa's Infiltrator
Page 6 - Lucas Graciano - Borderland Explorer
Page 7 - Bram Sels - Valiant Rescuer
Page 8 - Howard Lyon - Star Pupil
Back - Adam Paquette - Jace's Sanctum
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Check out the Savant: Expanded for a multitude of additional Feats, Magic Items, Scholarly Pursuits, and four Academic Disciplines!
