Scholar/Material Impositions

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A scholar damaged by an attack of opportunity while activating an imposition must make a concentration check adding her class level and Intelligence modifier to a d20 roll (DC 12 + damage dealt) or she fails to activate the ability and the action is wasted. Feats and abilities that normally improve concentration checks, such as the Combat Casting feat, also apply to scholar’s using material impositions.

Impositions with activated abilities can interfere with each other’s energies and effects; if the scholar uses the activated ability of a material imposition while another activated ability is still in effect, the previous effect immediately ends. Impositions which do not require activation do not interfere with other imposition’s effects.

Activating a material imposition consumes raw materials, but generally the cost of these materials is insignificant — comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. A scholar can assume she has all materials necessary to use her material impositions unless otherwise noted as long as she has a designated belt pouch or spell component pouch in her possession. Unless otherwise noted, material impositions are extraordinary effects.

Ammonium Nitrate

Benefit: Advanced research into various chemical reactions has taught the scholar how to create a substance that can drastically lower temperatures, or even freeze an opponent solid. The scholar may activate this imposition in two ways:

First, she may use it to lower the ambient temperature in an area, protecting herself and every creature within 30 ft. from the effects of extreme heat, such as heat exhaustion and nonlethal damage for 10 minutes; this cooling effect can even protect the scholar and her allies from the heat of lava, cooling molten stone within the radius of the effect and allowing the scholar and her allies to safely traverse it. Creatures within the radius of this effect also gain fire resistance equal to the scholar’s class level, or increase any fire resistance they currently possess by the same amount.

Secondly, she may make a single ranged touch attack against an opponent within 30 ft.; on a successful attack the opponent takes 1d8 cold damage for every five class levels the scholar possesses (rounded down, minimum 1d8), and must make a Fortitude save or be frozen solid in a block of ice for 1 round, plus 1 round per class level. (this ability can affect objects and undead). While trapped in the ice, the creature is paralyzed but does not need to eat or breathe for the duration of the effect, and any physical attack or damaging spell deals damage to the ice first and cannot harm the trapped creature until the ice is destroyed, which ends all other effects of this ability. The ice has 20 hit points and hardness 0.

Glacial Percussion [explosive]: Mixing various freezing compounds into her flashbangs, the scholar allows them to deal an additional 1d6 cold damage per two class levels she possesses, and creatures that fail their Fortitude save are staggered for 1d4 rounds in addition to the flashbang’s normal effects. If the scholar hits a target that is already staggered with this effect, the target is instead paralyzed for 1 round.

Aspect Infusion

Benefit: The scholar learns how to combine a small sample of a chosen element with other materials to grow a living elemental that they can keep in a small container, such as a bottle or potion vial.

When this imposition is chosen, the scholar selects one of the following: air, earth, fire, or water. The scholar may grow a small elemental of this type during an 8 hour rest; at 5th level, the scholar increases the size and power of the elemental she can grow in this way to a medium elemental.

The scholar may activate this imposition to release the elemental from the vial, allowing it to aid her on and off the battlefield. The elemental understands the scholar and follows her commands to the best of its ability. If the elemental moves more than 100 ft. away from the scholar, it disperses 1d4 rounds later, regardless of whether or not it returns to the scholar’s side during that time. The scholar cannot have more than one elemental active with this ability at a time, and activating another imposition dismisses the elemental, causing it to return to its vial.

As long as the elemental is not destroyed, banished, or dispersed, it can be reclaimed into its vial as a swift action.

Elementals conjured in this way are treated as summoned creatures for spells and effects.

Elemental Enhancement [explosive]: As long as the scholar is adjacent to an active elemental from this imposition’s primary effect, she may use it to augment her flashbangs with elemental power, allowing them to deal damage of the type matching her elemental. Targets must make a Reflex save instead of the normal Fortitude save; in addition to the normal effects of the flashbang, the scholar deals an amount of additional damage of the chosen element type (air deals electricity damage, water deals cold damage, earth deals acid damage, and fire deals fire damage) equal to 1d6 per scholar level. Creatures who succeed on their Reflex save take 1/2 damage and are not subject to the flashbang’s normal effects.

Special: The scholar may choose this imposition more than once, selecting a different element each time.

Belladonna Barrier

Benefit: The scholar activates this imposition by quickly mixing a piece of belladonna root with several other herbs and minerals and then ingesting it or feeding it to an adjacent ally. This mixture protects the target from being subjected to the belladonna’s poison, and confers several of its properties to them.

First, the target is immune to lycanthropy; if the target has already been afflicted with lycanthropy, they cannot be affected by or benefit from any of its effects for the duration of this ability.

Secondly, the target gains a circumstance bonus to their armor class against all natural attacks equal to the scholar’s Intelligence bonus. These effects last for a number of rounds equal to the scholar’s Intelligence bonus.

In addition, her work with belladonna has made the scholar particularly adept at treating and preventing poisoning; whenever the scholar uses her medical training or advanced medical training on a creature, the subject becomes temporarily immune to poison. Any poison in its system or any poison to which it is exposed during the effect’s duration does not affect the subject until the effect’s duration has expired, though the duration of the effect continues to expire as normal; this does not reverse instantaneous effects of poison that have already occurred, such as hit point damage, temporary ability damage, or effects that don’t go away on their own.

Belladonna Bursts [explosive]: The scholar may enhance her flashbangs with crushed belladonna, causing targets who fail their save to take 1d6 points of Strength damage in addition to the normal effects. This is a poison effect, and creatures with resistance to poison apply that resistance to their save against the flashbang’s effects.

Black Cat

Benefit: The scholar must have the small animal training scholar’s knack or have gained a familiar from another source to select this imposition.

Familiars belonging to scholars with this ability always take the form of a black cat and cannot be exchanged for other creatures with the Improved Familiar feat or large animal training knack unless that creature is also feline in appearance in its natural form (such as a cait sith or panther); if the scholar had an animal other than a cat as her familiar before gaining this imposition her connection with it is broken and the black cat drives it away.

The scholar can activate this imposition to cause her black cat to set off a series of minor events that result in remarkably bad luck for anyone affected; all creatures within 20 ft. of the black cat other than the scholar take a -2 penalty on attack rolls, Dexterity-based skill checks, and Perception checks for a number of rounds equal to the scholar’s Intelligence bonus (minimum 1); this penalty increases by an additional -1 at 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter.

Brimstone

Benefit: Brimstone, also known as sulfur, has effects that can ward off illness and disease when used in small and controlled amounts.

The scholar may activate this imposition by snapping a small piece of brimstone in two and placing it in a vest pocket or pouch resting between the nose and heart of a target creature within reach, granting a +1 competence bonus to Fortitude saves, increasing to +2 at level 5. This bonus lasts for a number of minutes equal to 1 + her Intelligence modifier.

While a creature is benefiting from this imposition, any time a creature attempts a bite or swallow whole against them, that creature must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or be nauseated for 1 round.

Sulfuric Detonations [explosive]: The scholar may enhance her flashbangs with large doses of brimstone, causing them to smoke and burn. In addition to the flashbang’s normal effects, the target also takes 1d6 points of fire damage per 2 class levels the scholar possesses; creatures who succeed on their Fortitude save against the flashbang take 1/2 damage from this effect. In addition, noxious smoke fills a radius around the target equal to 5 ft. + 5 ft. per four class levels the scholar possesses, causing any creature that is in the smoke to make a Fortitude save against the flashbang’s original DC or be sickened for as long as they remain in the effect and for 1d4 rounds thereafter. The smoke dissipates naturally after 1 minute, and is dispersed in 1 round by strong or stronger winds.

Crystalline Focus

Benefit: Some crystals are believed to assist with clarity, memory, and mental focus. The scholar learns to create small amulets or charms incorporating such crystals using crystals or precious gemstones, costing 8 hours and 100 gp times the scholar’s class level to create. A crystalline focus may be sold for 1/2 its crafting cost, as long as it is currently functioning.

As long as the scholar or an ally is wearing this amulet, they gain an insight bonus to concentration checks and Sense Motive checks equal to 1/2 the scholar’s class level (minimum 1), as determined at the time the amulet or charm was created. The scholar may rework a crystalline focus after leveling up to increase its bonus based on her current class level by paying the difference between its original crafting cost and the cost of creating one based on her current level. These charms do not occupy an item slot, but wearing more than one has no additional effect.

The exact cleanliness, positioning, and presentation of the crystals to receive these benefits is very important, and extremely distressing events that would jostle or damage the charm, such as the wearer failing a Reflex saving throw or suffering a critical hit, have a 50% chance of throwing the charm out of alignment, breaking it and ending its benefits until the scholar spends at least 1 hour re-attuning it. A scholar who would lose a crystalline focus she is wearing in such a manner may expend her martial focus as an immediate action to prevent the charm from breaking. The scholar may create a purposely weaker foci, in which case the cost and bonuses are both reduced.

Dowsing Rod

Benefit: The scholar’s studies have taught her how to identify objects that serve as natural dowsing rods capable of leading her towards a person, place, or thing.

The scholar must have seen the thing she seeks or an accurate representation of it (such as a detailed portrait) in order for this ability to work. If searching for a non-specific type of thing (such as the nearest body of water, the nearest city, etc.) the scholar need not have seen it or a representation before, but the rod becomes much less accurate, and may lead to something other than what she seeks (for example, a scholar seeking the nearest body of water could be led to a puddle or the ocean, and one seeking the nearest city could be led to a bustling metropolis or the ruins of an ancient civilization).

Once activated, the dowsing rod will always point towards the desired target, though it gives no indication as to the target’s distance and always points directly towards it, regardless of obstacles. If the target is protected by a nondetection spell or similar effect, the scholar uses her class level as her caster level when determining if her dowsing rod can pierce the effect. This is a supernatural effect, except for when using it to locate the nearest body or source of water, in which case it can be used as an extraordinary ability

Gold

Benefit: Gold is the metal most closely associated with the sun, willpower, and vitality. By following a carefully designed formula and creating a small structure in an adjacent square using at least 50 gp worth of gold, the scholar and all allies in a 30 ft. radius of the structure are protected from the powers of negative energy and undeath, gaining a +2 morale bonus to saving throws against death effects, disease, and paralysis effects for a number of minutes equal to 1/2 her class level (minimum: 1). This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level.

In addition, any undead creature attempting to enter the protected radius of the structure must succeed on a Will save or find itself prevented from entering. The structure can be destroyed if it takes a number of points of damage equal to 5 times the scholar’s class level; as long as the structure is not destroyed, the scholar can retrieve it and recoup the gold used in its construction as a move action.

Purifying Detonations [explosive]: The scholar learns how to mix small amounts of gold flakes and holy water into her flashbangs, allowing her to damage undead with positive energy in addition to the flashbang’s normal effects, though the target must make a Will save instead of the Fortitude save normally granted. Undead creatures targeted by this ability take 1d6 points of positive energy damage per class level the scholar possesses. This ability has no effect on living creatures, unless they are also damaged by positive energy, such as most dhampirs. Undead who succeed on their Will save take 1/2 damage from this effect.

Howling Herbology

Benefit: The mandrake root is feared in myth and legend for its ability to rend the life from mortals with its banshee-like wail. The scholar knows that while much of this is simply myth, the root does contain certain properties that gave rise to the legends.

By ingesting a small portion of ground mandrake root mixed with various catalyzing agents, the scholar is able to unleash a piercing scream that deals an amount of sonic damage equal to 1d4 per class level to all creatures within a 30 ft. radius (Fortitude save for half). This ability affects objects and undead. The scholar herself is immune to the damage from this effect.

Sonic Shriekers [explosive]: Scholars with the howling herbology material imposition may enhance their flashbangs with mandrake root, granting them thunderous power. In addition to the flashbang’s normal effects, the target also takes 1d6 points of sonic damage per class level the scholar possesses, and the DC for Fortitude saves against flashbangs modified with this imposition increases by 1 or by 2 at 5th level. Creatures who succeed on their Fortitude save against the flashbang take 1/2 damage from this effect. The damage and effects from this ability apply to objects and undead.

Lodestone

Benefit: Lodestone’s unusual properties often seem like magic to the uninitiated, but to the scholar, it is a predictable and reliable tool. The scholar may activate this imposition in one of two ways:

firstly, the scholar may draw one primarily metal item or creature within 60 ft. + 10 ft. per class level directly towards herself. This item or creature cannot weigh more than 50 lbs. per class level the scholar possesses, and if it is a living creature or an item held by a living creature, the scholar must succeed on a combat maneuver check against the opponent’s CMD, using her class level in place of her base attack bonus and her Intelligence modifier in place of her Strength modifier for the check. Upon a successful use of this ability, the targeted creature or item is moved up to 10 ft. per class level directly towards the scholar; if this ability is used on a creature, this movement provokes attacks of opportunity.

Secondly, the scholar may use this ability to repel all metal creatures or objects within a 30 ft. radius; this ability cannot effect a single item or creature whose weight is more than 50 lbs. per class level the scholar possesses. Any unattended metal objects within the radius of this effect are immediately moved directly away from the scholar to the first legal square outside of the effect’s radius; when the scholar activates this ability, she makes a single combat maneuver check using her class level in place of her base attack bonus and her Intelligence modifier in place of her Strength modifier and compares the result against the CMD of all metal creatures or creatures wielding metal equipment within the area’s effect, moving any creature whose CMD her check exceeds directly away to the first legal square outside of the effect’s radius. Creatures wielding metal weapons may choose to drop them rather than be subject to this ability’s effects, but creatures wearing metal armor are treated as metal creatures for determining this ability’s effects.

Magnetic Bursts [explosive]: Scholars with the lodestone material imposition may enhance their flashbangs with lodestone flakes that cling to the target, making it easier for metallic weapons, or weapons whose primary damage-dealing apparatus is composed of metal, such as spear or arrowheads, to hit the target. For the next 1d4 rounds, any attack made with a metal weapon against a target who has failed their save against a flashbang modified with this explosive gains a +1 circumstance bonus to the attack roll, +1 for every 3 class levels the scholar possesses.

Magnesium

Benefit: The scholar has learned to distill magnesium into a highly reactive material that, when ignited, burns at extreme temperatures and sheds a brilliant white light. Activating this imposition gives the scholar a brilliant magnesium torch that can be wielded as a light weapon the scholar is proficient with, dealing 1d6 fire damage with an 18-20/x2 critical range and multiplier. This torch sheds bright light to a range of up to 30 ft., +5 ft. per 2 class levels, and increases the light level by one step within twice that range.

This effect automatically dispels any darkness effect within its area whose spell level is equal to or less than half the scholar’s class level (rounded down), as well as any darkness effects from the Dark sphere whose effective caster level is lower than the scholar’s class level.

Whenever the scholar confirms a critical hit against a target with this weapon, they catch fire, taking 1d6 points of fire damage each round. A creature ignited by this ability is entitled to a Reflex saving throw at the start of their turn each round to attempt and extinguish the flame. If the fire is not extinguished, it burns out naturally after 1 minute.

The scholar must have a hand free when she activates this imposition, otherwise the torch falls to the ground in an adjacent square, causing any unattended flammable items or substances in that square to catch fire.

Sun Flare [explosive]: The scholar mixes a blend of magnesium and phosphorescent materials into her flashbangs, allowing them to cause targets who fail their save against them to be blinded and shed bright light out to 30 ft. +5 ft. per two class levels for 1 round per class level. This effect automatically dispels any darkness effect within its area whose spell level is equal to or less than half the scholar’s class level (rounded down), as well as any darkness effects from the Dark sphere whose effective caster level is lower than the scholar’s class level. If the scholar’s flashbangs would normally be capable of blinding due to the scholar having at least 5 ranks in Craft (alchemy), the duration of this effect is doubled.

Ooze

Benefit: The scholar’s alchemical studies branch out into learning how to cultivate, manipulate, and establish mastery over the strange creatures known as oozes.

The scholar may grow a simple garden ooze in a specially prepared vial during an 8 hour rest; at 5th level she learns to cultivate an ochre jelly instead.

The scholar may activate this imposition to release the ooze from the vial, allowing it to quickly reconstitute and aid her on the battlefield. The ooze understands basic commands such as “attack”, “defend”, or “move” from the scholar and follows them to the best of its ability. If the ooze moves more than 100 ft. away from the scholar, it begins to lose cohesion and dissolves 1d4 rounds later, regardless of whether or not it returns to the scholar’s side during that time. The scholar cannot have more than one ooze active with this ability at a time, and activating another imposition dismisses the ooze, causing it to return to its vial. The scholar can only have a total number of prepared or captured oozes equal to 1 + her Intelligence bonus. If an ooze is split by an attack, the scholar retains control of one of the oozes (chosen at the time the split occurs), but the other ooze becomes its own creature and acts according to its own impulses, as do any future oozes split off such an independent ooze.

As long as the ooze is not destroyed, banished, or dispersed, it can be reclaimed into its vial as a swift action. Oozes conjured in this way are treated as summoned creatures for spells and effects.

Alchemical Solvent [explosive]: The scholar mixes special solvents into her flashbangs that dissolve the flesh of non-ooze creatures. In addition to the flashbang’s normal effects, the target takes 1d4 acid damage per class level the scholar possesses; creatures who succeed on their saving throw take half damage from this effect. When a flashbang modified with this explosive is used against a creature of the ooze type, instead of dealing additional acid damage the target takes a -5 penalty to its saving throw and is stunned for 1d4 rounds if it fails its saving throw. If the scholar does not have an ooze currently active through this imposition, she may spend a full-round action to attempt to capture the ooze inside an alchemical vial, though the ooze is entitled to a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 scholar level + Intelligence modifier) to resist this effect; oozes whose CR is greater than the scholar’s class level are immune to this effect. Oozes who fail their saving throw are captured and may be used as though they were cultivated through the primary use of this imposition.

Salt

Benefit: The scholar carefully lays out an unbroken circle of salt, creating a protective circle around herself and up to 1 adjacent ally per 2 class levels (minimum 1) that lasts for a number of rounds equal to the scholar’s Intelligence bonus (minimum 1).

While within this circle, the scholar and protected allies gain a circumstance bonus to saving throws against spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural effects equal to the scholar’s Intelligence bonus (minimum 1). Whenever the scholar succeeds on a saving throw against such an effect while protected by the circle, she immediately regains her martial focus if it is currently expended.

In addition, while within the circle, the scholar and affected allies are also protected from bodily contact by summoned creatures and incorporeal undead. This causes the natural weapons and touch attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the warded creature.

The protection ends if the warded creature takes any hostile action against a blocked creature, and that creature may pass through the barrier (though other creatures are still warded as normal). If a protected ally moves outside of the square they occupied when the circle was created, the protective energy is disrupted and the effect immediately ends.

Dispelling Detonations [explosive]: The scholar adds a mixture of silver, salt, lead, and other materials which naturally disrupt magical energies to her flashbangs. Creatures that fail their save against the flashbang’s initial effect are also subject to a targeted dispel magic spell, using the scholar’s level as the caster level. This cannot be used to target a specific spell effect. If the scholar also possesses the silver material imposition, this instead acts as a targeted greater dispel magic effect.

Silver

Benefit: Silver is the metal most closely related to the moon and is said to ward off bad luck and witchcraft. When the scholar first gains this imposition she learns how to craft a small amulet that must use at least 10 sp worth of silver and costs 1 hour and a total of 100 gp times the scholar’s class level to create. A silver amulet crafted in this manner may be sold for 1/2 its crafting cost, as long as it is currently functioning.

As long as the scholar or an ally is wearing this amulet, they gain spell resistance equal to 10 + the scholar’s class level. These charms do not occupy an item slot, but wearing more than one has no additional effect. Because they are not true magic items but rather science and geometry applied in a way that interferes with magical energies, these amulets are exceedingly fragile, and they cease to function after they have forced casters to attempt a caster level check to overcome the granted spell resistance a number of times equal to the scholar’s Intelligence modifier (minimum 1), as determined at the time the amulet was crafted.

Once this limit has been reached, the amulet ceases to function until the scholar spends at least 1 hour re-attuning it. As an immediate action, the scholar may expend their martial focus to quickly realign the amulet, causing a caster level check to not consume one of its uses.

Dispelling Detonations [explosive]: The scholar adds a mixture of silver, salt, lead, and other materials which naturally disrupt magical energies to her flashbangs. Creatures and objects that fail their save against the flashbang’s initial effect are also subject to a targeted dispel magic spell, using the scholar’s level as the caster level. This cannot be used to target a specific spell effect. If the scholar also possesses the circle of salt material imposition, this instead acts as a targeted greater dispel magic effect.