Obsessive Researcher
Creature -1 — human, humanoid
WeaverLANDhumanoid
Academia rewards specialization, and so the universities and athenaeums of the Inner Sea are full to the brim of sunlight-deprived scholars who are the world experts in such obscure topics such as the migratory habits of bogwids or the folklore of pre-Choral Brevoy. True power comes from knowledge—the power to shape the growth of kingdoms by mere whispers, stay three steps ahead of adversaries, or even know which flora is best for creating untraceable poisons.
Source: pathfinder-npc-core
Perception +3
Languages common; up to 3 additional uncommon languages
Skills Academia Lore +19, Library Lore +23, Narrow Lore +25, stealth +5
Str
+0
Dex
+1
Con
+2
Int
+5
Wis
+0
Cha
-1
Items Writing Set, Entirely Too Many Books
AC 14
Fort +3
Ref +2
Will +7
HP 7
Speed 25 feet
Offense
Melee Fist (agile, finesse, nonlethal, unarmed) +5, Damage 1d4 bludgeoning
Melee Pen (agile, finesse, nonlethal) +4, Damage 1d4 piercing
Abilities
Monomania — Each obsessive researcher is preoccupied with a hyper-specialized, niche body of knowledge (their Narrow Lore) in which they are the acknowledged world authority. The catch is that when such an expert goes wrong, they go badly wrong—if an obsessive researcher gets a success on a Narrow Lore roll, they get a critical success instead. But if they roll a failure, then they get a critical failure instead.
World-Class Authority — In their narrow field of interest, the obsessive researcher is a 10th-level challenge.
Idée Fixe — Nothing gets between the obsessive researcher and their subject. If the obsessive researcher is targeted by a spell or ability with a Will save that would prompt them to give up, ignore, or divert course from the subject of their Narrow Lore (for example, using a Suggestion to get a specialist in Jistkan artificing to give up a construct part), then the obsessive researcher can use their Narrow Lore skill in place of their Will save.
Furious Harangue (auditory, emotion, fear, mental) — The researcher starts hectoring an enemy within 30 feet, upbraiding them for daring to interrupt such valuable research. The target must attempt a DC 15 Will save. On a failure, they are Frightened 2 (Frightened 3 and Fleeing for 1 round on a critical failure). Regardless of the result of its save, the target is temporarily immune for 1 hour.
WORKS WELL WITH
AnvilLANDFrontline protector draws melee attention away from the researcher's frail defenses while it delivers Will-targeting debuffs from range.
SniperLANDRanged striker capitalises on frightened enemies the researcher softens, staying safely behind the front line.
CrasherLANDBurst damage dealer presses the advantage against debuffed targets the researcher has already weakened.
PUNISHES
✖ low Will
Stacking multiple Weavers leaves the formation without frontline presence and compounds fragility.
Works well with · Punishes · Pairing advice
Unlock with Tactics
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