Estria, Scholar of the Ancients's page

About Estria, Scholar of the Ancients

Estria

Appearance

Female human (Taldan) scholar 2
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +9; Senses Perception +5

Resources:
. Alchemy Formulae: 3 (at a time)
. . Panacea: 1
. . Salve: 2
. Amateur Investigator: 3/4
. Attacks of Opportunity: 4/4 (per round)
. Martial Focus: 1/1 (at a time)
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Defense
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AC 21, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +3 shield)
hp 10 (2d6)
Fort +0, Ref +6, Will +3
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee lightning rod +2 (2d6) | As Mwk Quarterstaff
Ranged flashbang +4 touch (1d4 B/P/S, other effects)
. lightning rod (2d6 elec, Reflex DC 15 halves) | Any target in 60 feet, no attack roll
Special Attacks flashbangs (1d4 / DC 15 / 50 feet), lightning rod (2d6/dc 15) (scholar's knack), warleader: aggressive flanking (tactic), warleader: fierce shout +2 (shout)
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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 19, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 14
Feats Amateur Investigator[ACG], Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative
Traits perfectionist's brew, reactionary, scholar of the ancients
Skills Acrobatics -3 (-7 to jump), Appraise +8, Artistry (literature) +8, Craft (alchemy) +13, Diplomacy +5, Heal +10, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (engineering) +8, Knowledge (geography) +8, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Knowledge (planes) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Linguistics +9, Lore (Thassilon) +9, Perception +5, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +9 (+11 to brew potions), Stealth +2, Survival +4, Use Magic Device +4
Languages Ancient Osiriani, Azlanti, Azlanti, Common, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Thassilonian, Undercommon
SQ alchemy sphere, alchemy: formulae package (3/time), alchemy: panacea (formulae), alchemy: salve (formulae/1d8+4), attacks of opportunity (4/round), careful packer, combat training, equip: armor training, equip: shield expert, equip: shield training, medical training, problem solver, scout sphere, scout: scout, shield sphere, shield: active defense +2, warleader sphere, warleader: shouts (20 foot radius, 1 round), warleader: tactics (20 foot radius)
Combat Gear healer's kit; Other Gear scale mail, heavy wooden shield, alchemist's lab, backpack, bedroll, flint and steel, ink, inkpen, mess kit[UE], soap, torch, trail rations (5), waterskin, 15 gp, 10 sp
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Special Abilities
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Alchemy Sphere (Ex) Training in the Alchemy combat sphere teaches you how to quickly and efficiently combine volatile chemicals for new or enhanced effects.

When you gain the Alchemy sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Craft (alchemy) skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Alchemy sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Craft (alchemy) skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

In addition, choose one of the following packages: Formulae or Poison. (Choice: Formulae)
Alchemy: Formulae Package (3/time) (Ex) Some Alchemy talents have the (formulae) descriptor; these are improved or original versions of alchemical items you can only create once you’ve learned the talent. All formulae have a base crafting DC as noted in their descriptor, and their saving throw DCs, if any, are determined using the normal formula for combat sphere talents, using the practitioner’s ranks in Craft (alchemy) in place of their base attack bonus. The necessary ingredients for creating formulae are gathered over the course of a given day; there is no monetary cost to creating a formulae. You may craft any item whose formulae you know in 30 minutes, or 15 minutes if you have access to an alchemist’s lab or alchemist’s crafting kit, but due to the volatile nature of the enhanced formulae you cannot prepare more formulae at one time than a number equal to 1/2 your ranks in Craft (alchemy) (minimum 1) + the number of formulae talents you possess. For every 4 ranks in Craft (alchemy) you possess, you may craft 1 additional formulae as part of the same 30/15 minute time period.

Any creature affected by splash damage from an improved formulae is entitled to a Reflex save to reduce the damage by half.

Because formulae are more unstable than standard alchemical items, they expire and no longer work after 24 hours; it is relatively easy (DC 10 Appraise) to recognize the unstable and impermanent nature of these items so typically they have no monetary value; a potential buyer who fails their Appraise check assumes they are a standard item of their type (if applicable), or as a mundane item worth no more than 10 gp. In addition, the overly refined and unstable nature of formulae means that they cannot be further refined or enhanced by items such as focusing flasks or hybridization funnels. You cannot fail to craft an alchemical item you know the formulae for; failure to meet the DC instead means you create the item but at its minimum potency, without additional effects or benefits for having additional Craft (alchemy) ranks or having increased the crafting DC. When you first gain this package, you may learn any one (formulae) talent you qualify for. (Chosen: Salve)
Alchemy: Panacea (Formulae) (Ex) You create a vial of liquid that can be used as a potion, removing a single negative condition the drinker is currently suffering from. The conditions that a panacea can remove are determined by the Craft DC used for its creation:
. DC 20: Deafened, fatigued, shaken, sickened.
. DC 30: Diseased, exhausted, nauseated, poisoned, staggered.
. DC 40: Frightened, blinded, deafened, paralyzed, stunned.
Alchemy: Poison Package (DC 14) (Ex) You may create a special poison as a standard action, or a move action if you have access to an alchemist’s lab or alchemist’s crafting kit. This special poison forces the opponent to make a successful Fortitude save against it (saving throw DCs are determined using the normal formula for combat sphere talents but substituting ranks in Craft (alchemy) for base attack bonus) or become fatigued for 1 minute. This poison may be contact, ingested, inhaled, or injury (chosen when created), but you cannot increase its DC by using multiple doses.

Some (toxin) talents have additional effects when a creature fails multiple saving throws against a poison; these toxins can affect a creature who has already failed a saving throw against their effects if the target is exposed to additional applications of the same toxin on subsequent rounds, requiring an additional saving throw, though a single target cannot be affected by the same (toxin) more than once per round.

The necessary ingredients for creating poison are contained within an alchemy crafting kit or alchemist’s lab and are otherwise gathered over the course of a given day; there is no monetary cost to creating a poison. You may apply this poison to a weapon as part of the same standard or move action used to create it and do not risk poisoning yourself when doing so.

After creating a poison, you may make a melee touch attack against a target (if using a contact poison) or throw the poison (if using an inhaled poison) as a standard action. A poison remains potent until used or for 1 round +1 per 4 ranks in Craft (alchemy) you possess, whichever comes first. Inhaled poisons are considered splash weapons that fill up a 10 ft. cube when used.

(Toxin) talents modify your poison in some way, causing it to have a variety of different effects. You may apply a single (toxin) talent to your poison at the time of creation.
Alchemy: Salve (Formulae/1d8+4, 5/day) (Ex) Craft DC: 15

You create a poultice that can be used as a standard action to heal yourself or a target within your natural reach for 1d8 points of damage per 2 ranks in Craft (alchemy) you possess (minimum 1d8) plus your practitioner modifier. You can only attempt to heal a particular creature with this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/2 the number of ranks you possess in the Craft (alchemy) skill (minimum 1) plus your practitioner modifier.

You can increase the Craft DC for this item in increments of 10; each time you do so you increase the healing granted by the salve by 5.
Amateur Investigator (4/day) Like an investigator, you have the ability to augment your Knowledge, Linguistics, and Spellcraft skill checks. You gain a pool of inspiration equal to your Intelligence modifier. You can expend one use of inspiration as a free action to add 1d6 to the result of a Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft check, as long as you are trained in that skill (even if you take 10 or 20 on that check). You make this choice after the check is rolled and before the results of the roll are revealed. You can use inspiration only once per skill check. Your pool of inspiration refreshes each day, typically after you get a restful night’s sleep.
Careful Packer (Ex) The scholar knows that being prepared for any eventuality with a variety of useful tools is essential to success. Starting at 1st level, her talents for organization allow her to treat the storage space of any backpack, pouch, or similar container as though it were twice its normal size, and she uses her Intelligence score in place of her Strength score when determining her carrying capacity.
Combat Reflexes (4 AoO/round) Can make extra attacks of opportunity/rd, and even when flat-footed.
Combat Training (Ex) A scholar may combine combat spheres and talents to create powerful martial techniques. Scholars are considered Proficient combatants and use Intelligence as their practitioner modifier.
Equip: Armor Training (Ex) You gain proficiency with light armor and medium armor. If you are already proficient with light armor, you instead gain proficiency with medium armor and heavy armor. You may take this talent up to two times.
Equip: Shield Expert (Ex) You increase the shield bonus to AC of any shield you wield by +1. When your base attack bonus reaches +8 you lower the armor check penalty of any shield you wield by 1. For every 8 points of base attack bonus you gain thereafter, you reduce the armor check penalty of your wielded shields by a further 1 (this cannot reduce your armor check penalty below 0). Associated Feat: Shield Focus.
Equip: Shield Training (Ex) You gain proficiency with all shields, including tower shields, and are proficient in all shield bashes. Associated Feat: Shield Proficiency, Tower Shield Proficiency.
Flashbangs (1d4 / DC 15 / 50 feet) (Ex) At 2nd level, the scholar learns how to create unstable preparations using various salts and minerals that she can hurl at a creature as a ranged touch attack with a range of 30 ft. + 10 ft. per class level, dealing 1d4 bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage, and forcing the target to succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the scholar’s class level + her Intelligence modifier) or be deafened and dazzled for 1d4 rounds; in addition, whenever a creature fails their saving throw against one of the scholar’s flashbangs, she may recover her martial focus as an immediate action. Preparing and throwing a flashbang is a standard action. If the scholar has at least 5 ranks in the Craft (alchemy) skill, the target takes 1d8 bludgeoning and piercing damage and is instead blinded and deafened for 1d4+1 rounds on a failed Fortitude saving throw.

Some material impositions grant secondary effects that have the [explosive] descriptor; these impositions allow the scholar to expend her martial focus when using a flashbang to add additional effects as described in their entry. You can only add one [explosive] to a given flashbang.
Lightning Rod (2d6/DC 15) (Scholar's Knack) (Ex) Scholars with this knack gain a masterwork quarterstaff specially modified with mechanical and alchemical attachments that allow them to channel, store, and redirect electrical energy. This quarterstaff can be enchanted as a standard weapon of its type. If it is ever broken or destroyed, the scholar cannot use the abilities granted by this knack (or the improved lightning rod knack) until she spends 8 hours modifying another quarterstaff of at least masterwork quality. The scholar can spend an immediate action whenever she would be damaged by an attack dealing electricity damage to negate an amount of electricity damage up to 5 x her class level. In addition, the scholar can spend a full-round action while wielding her lightning rod quarterstaff to create a small localized storm that creates a bolt of lightning targeting one enemy within 60 ft. of the scholar and dealing 1d6 per class level electricity damage (Reflex halves, DC 10 + 1/2 scholar’s class level + her Intelligence modifier). The scholar can maintain this effect each round as a standard action, generating a new bolt of lightning each time she does so.
Medical Training (Ex) The scholar may use her Intelligence modifier in place of her Wisdom modifier as her associated ability score modifier with the Heal skill. In addition, the scholar may expend one use of a healer’s kit and make a special DC 15 Heal check on an ally as a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity; if this check is successful, the ally recovers 1 hit point +1 for each point by which the scholar exceeds the DC. If the scholar has at least 5 ranks in the Heal skill, she may instead use this ability to restore 1 point of ability damage +1 point for every 5 points by which she exceeds this ability’s DC. The scholar can only attempt to heal a particular creature with this ability a number of times per day equal to her Intelligence bonus (minimum 1). Attempting to heal a creature but failing to meet the DC of this ability still counts towards this daily total.
Problem Solver (Ex) A scholar gains the Alchemy and Scout spheres as bonus combat talents at 1st level. If she already has either of these talents from another source, she may instead gain any talent she qualifies for from the corresponding sphere.
Scout Sphere (Ex) Training in the Scout sphere teaches you how to hide from danger, identify potential threats and hazards, track opponents through almost any environment, and identify a creature’s key weaknesses. When you gain the Scout sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Stealth skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Scout sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Stealth skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

All practitioners of the Scout sphere gain the following ability: Scout.
Scout: Scout (Ex) As a swift action, you may identify a creature’s weaknesses (DC 10 + creature’s CR) as described under the Knowledge skill, but may substitute a Perception check for the appropriate Knowledge check at a -5 penalty. This only reveals the target’s weaknesses, or lack thereof, (such as damage reduction types and vulnerabilities), and does not reveal any additional information about the target. Once you have succeeded at a scout attempt or Knowledge check against a target, any talents or effects that require you to scout a target may be used against the target for the next 24 hours; after this period you must successfully use the scout ability against the target again to continue benefiting from related effects.
Shield Sphere (Ex) Practitioners of the Shield sphere master shields, bucklers, and tower shields, leveraging more power and utility out of such equipment than most warriors ever dream of. All practitioners of the Shield sphere gain the following ability: Active Defense
Shield: Active Defense +2 (Ex) If you are using a shield and you are attacked by a creature you are aware of while not flat-footed, you may spend an attack of opportunity to increase your shield bonus to AC against that attack by +2. This decision must be made before the roll is made. For every 4 points of base attack bonus you possess, the increase to your shield bonus provided by this talent increases by 1. Talents with the (deflect) tag grant additional effects to this ability. Each use of active defense may only benefit from one (deflect) talent. You may expend your martial focus to use active defense in place of spending an attack of opportunity.
Warleader Sphere (Ex) Practitioners of the Warleader sphere learn techniques for organizing, rallying, and directing their allies in battle. Regardless of whether they are charismatic warriors leading from the front or canny tacticians directing their troops from a secure position overlooking the battlefield, it is the superior talent for directing their troops to coordinate the correct response that makes them invaluable forces on the battlefield. When you gain the Warleader sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Diplomacy skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Warleader sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Diplomacy skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.
Warleader: Aggressive Flanking (tactic) (Ex) While within the affected area of this tactic, allied creatures are considered to be flanking as long as they both threaten the same creature, regardless of their comparative positioning.
Warleader: Fierce Shout +2 (shout) (Ex) When you use this shout, you and all affected allies gain a +1 morale bonus on damage rolls on their first attack each turn. For every 2 ranks in Diplomacy you possess, this morale bonus to damage is increased by +1. This is a mind-affecting emotion effect.
Warleader: Shouts (20 foot radius, 1 round) (Ex) Shouts are sound-based effects centered on the practitioner that affect creatures in an area of effect centered on the practitioner with a radius of 10 ft. + 5 ft. per 2 ranks in Diplomacy the practitioner possesses. The practitioner may choose whether or not to include himself in the effects of his shout. The effects of shouts last for a number of rounds equal to 1 + 1 for every 4 ranks in Diplomacy you possesses, and use your ranks in Diplomacy instead of your base attack bonus when determining any saving throws. Unless otherwise noted, using a shout is a standard action. Deaf characters or characters otherwise lacking the ability to hear gain a +5 bonus on all saves against shout effects, and must attempt a saving throw against a shout even if its effects would be beneficial. Practitioners in the area of a silence spell or otherwise unable to make a sound cannot use shouts until they are once more able to be heard.

While some shouts only affect allies or enemies, others affect all targets within their area of effect. When performing such a shout, you may spend a move action to warn your allies to cover their ears and negate the effects, but doing so gives enemies within the area of effect a +5 bonus to their saving throw against the shout’s effects. Some shouts may require you to expend your martial focus, as described in their entry.

When you first gain the Warleader sphere, you gain the following shout: Fierce Shout
Warleader: Tactics (20 foot radius) (Ex) Tactics are coordinated battle plans that require continuing direction from the practitioner to maintain. A creature must have line of sight to, and be able to see, the practitioner to benefit from a tactic. Beginning a tactic is a move action, and it can be maintained each round as a move or swift action. Once activated, you may switch between any tactics you know each time you use a swift action to maintain an ongoing tactic. Tactics affect all allied creatures within a radius of 10 ft. + 5ft. per rank in Diplomacy you possess, and may be centered on any square you have both line of sight and line of effect to. You may recenter an ongoing tactic at a new location as part of the swift action used to maintain it. The benefits of your tactics end immediately if you are helpless, killed, paralyzed, rendered unconscious, or stunned.

When you first gain the Warleader sphere, you gain the following tactic: Aggressive Flanking
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What is history, really? For many, that depends on perspective - and rarer is this truer than those who bear the blood of ancient Azlant. Estria is one such individual, born and raised in Taldor amidst one of the larger populations of those who can credibly claim to be descended from the ancient empire. While she's far from pure-blooded - much as some of her family and neighbors would like to claim otherwise - she does display many of the distinctive traits of the past.

It was her family's unwavering commitment to regaining the lost glories that led to Estria's education. She had little talent for magic and even less for weapons, so her parents set her on a different route. Knowledge was the key to greatness, they decided, and so she would get the best education they could manage. This ended up working better than they could have imagined, because while Estria was dead-average in most areas, her intellect easily put her into the realm of genius.

And so, year after year, she studied. Magic, the depths of the earth, geography, history (naturally), nature, nobility, the planes, the many religions of the world... her family wanted her to have a good chance of being able to understand anything she came across. Of course, she'd need to protect herself somehow. That was why they forced her to learn some scouting abilities - but it was alchemy that she really took a shine to.

Over the course of nine months, Estria learned how to craft a variety of items and poisons from common materials, ranging from clouds of gas to addle the mind to lightning in a bottle that didn't even need magic to work. She also learned how to tend wounds, and her family invested in an alchemist's kit to be sure she'd have the tools necessary to support herself.

She grew to be quite fond of the things she could cobble together - while most didn't last more than a day or so, she found that things went well enough if she made a few salves and some bottled lightning in the morning, then the rest as needed.

Supporting all of this for her eventual travels north (to study ruins of Thassilon) was the single piece of magic she'd been able to master - a transformation that turned her into something close to a dragon. While it didn't have wings, the fact that she could meld all of her gear into her body and move around was surprisingly helpful, as was the fact that she could exhale a line of electricity to deter attackers. It didn't garner the praise being a wizard would have offered, but her family was happy she'd figured out at least one arcane trick.

Several weeks ago, she arrived in Sandpoint to study under a certain local scholar and learn what she could about local ruins (which have been known to make her drop her normally-stoic expression for childish glee), and a festival is fast approaching...