Information Mage

Dynasties and Demagogues

Author Chris Aylott

Series Campaign Style Series

Publisher Atlas Games

Publish date 2003

Knowledge is power; information mages knows this fact well, as they are masters of divination. They excel at knowledge-oriented spells, and have a talent for spying with magic items. Not all their work can be done from their laboratories, however. Information mages practice the art of unobtrusive inquiry during those occasions when they must gain their knowledge first-hand.

Information mages are more interested in gaining knowledge than using it, so they rarely rise to the very top of a power structure. On the other hand, their jobs are secure and they always have all the resources they need. An information mage must be an arcane spellcaster.

Sorcerers, bards and wizards are equally capable – bards have a slight edge in worldly knowledge, but wizards and sorcerers have more powerful spellcasting abilities.

Hit Die: d4

Requirements

To qualify for the information mage prestige class, the character must fulfill the following criteria.
Skills: Gather Information 4 ranks, Knowledge (Arcana) 6 ranks, Scry 4 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks
Feats: Craft Wondrous Item
Special: An information mage must be able to cast arcane spells.

Class Skills

The information mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Alchemy (Intelligence), Concentration (Constitution), Craft (Intelligence), Decipher Script (Intelligence, exclusive skill), Disguise (Charisma), Gather Information (Charisma), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Intelligence), Move Silently (Dexterity), Scry (Intelligence, exclusive skill), Speak Language, Spellcraft (Intelligence), and Use Magic Device (Charisma, exclusive skill).

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Intelligence modifier

Level	BAB	FS	RS	WS	Special	Spellcasting
1	+0	+0	+2	+2	Spell Mastery (divination), Identify	+1 level of existing class
2	+1	+0	+3	+3	Bonus Feat	+1 level of existing class
3	+1	+1	+3	+3	clairaudience/clairvoyance	+1 level of existing class
4	+2	+1	+4	+4	Quality Workmanship	+1 level of existing class
5	+2	+1	+4	+4	Bonus Feat, scrying	+1 level of existing class
6	+3	+2	+5	+5	Analyze Dweomer	+1 level of existing class
7	+3	+2	+5	+5	Personal Connection (object sense)	+1 level of existing class
8	+4	+2	+6	+6	Greater Scrying	+1 level of existing class
9	+4	+3	+6	+6	Personal Connection (remote use)	+1 level of existing class
10	+5	+3	+7	+7	Master Diviner	+1 level of existing class

Class Features

All the following are class features for the information mage prestige class. The DCs for required skill checks are included where appropriate.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The information mage is proficient in simple weapons and light armor.

Spells: When a new information mage level is gained, the character gains new spells and caster level as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If the character had more than one spellcasting class before she became an information mage, she must decide to which class he adds each level of information mage for purposes of determining spells when she adds the new level.

Spell Mastery (divination): Information mages are experts in the art of divination. At 1st level, each mage chooses a number of divination spells equal to her Intelligence modifier (they must be spells the mage already knows). From that point on, the information mage can prepare these spells without referring to a spellbook.

Identify (Sp): At 1st level, the information mage can cast identify once per day as a spell-like ability.

Bonus Feat: The information mage receives a bonus feat at 2nd and 5th level. These feats are in addition to those granted to every character by level regardless of class. The character may take any item creation feat that she is qualified for. She may also take the new Information Network feat even if she does not meet its prerequisites.

Clairaudience/clairvoyance (Sp): At 3rd level, the information mage can cast clairaudience/clairvoyance once per day as a spell-like ability.

Quality Workmanship: At 4th level, the information mage learns how to use the finest materials to reduce the strain of enchanting a magic item. The information mage may halve the experience point cost of creating a magic item by doubling the price paid for raw materials. The time to create the item remains the same.

Scrying (Sp): At 5th level, the information mage can cast scrying once per day as a spell-like ability.

Analyze Dweomer (Sp): At 6th level, the information mage can cast Analyze Dweomer once per day as a spelllike ability.

Personal Connection: As the information mage’s mastery of divination and the enchantment of magic items increases, she gains the ability to put a little bit of herself in the items she creates. This personal connection allows the mage to sense and ultimately control the items she creates.

This connection does not come without cost, however. The mage must place a special maker’s mark’ on any item that she wishes to have a personal connection with. Any item with a maker’s mark requires twice as many experience points to create as a normal item of its kind. (The information mage may use Quality Workmanship to divide the doubled experience cost in half. The item would then cost the normal amount of experience points and twice as many gold pieces as normal to create.)

At 7th level, the information mage may cast scrying or Greater Scrying on the magic item as if it were a creature that the mage is familiar with. (In other words, the DC for the Scry check is 5.) The mage may use her scrying abilities or a memorized spell.

At 9th level, the information mage may activate or use the magic item regardless of its location. Activating the item requires a Concentration check (DC 10 + the caster level of the item), and the mage must concentrate while the item is in use. It’s not necessary to cast a scrying spell on the item to use it, but it’s usually a good idea to be able to see what you’re doing.

Not all magic items can be used with this ability. Most armor, rings, potions, shields, and weapons are not affected by Personal Connection, since they are always on or must be consumed or worn to be used. However, the mage may be able to cast spells that are stored in them or activate a self-directed weapon like a dancing sword. Most artifacts, rods, staves, scrolls, wands, and wondrous items can be used, often to devastating effect. The GM has sole jurisdiction over what items may be used remotely.

Any effect that the item has occurs at the location of the item, not the mage. Of course, if the mage is near enough to the item — whether that’s across the room or across
the planet – she may be subject to its effects.

Greater Scrying (Sp): At 8th level, the information mage can cast Greater Scrying once per day as a spelllike ability.

Master Diviner (Sp): At 10th level, the information mage may use her Identify, clairvoyance/clairaudience, scrying, Analyze Dweomer, and Greater
Scrying spelllike abilities at will.