Pavel Dmitrovic's page

Pavel had grown up in Belgrade, one of the most interesting places in the world as far as he was concerned. Everywhere he went, the very streets spoke to him, speaking of war, of conquest, of… conspiracy. Everywhere, he heard the whispers of the Vinca, of the Celts, of the Romans, the Ottomans, the Yugoslavs, of the Serbs themselves. He heard what they planned, what they did in the name of their good, and he was disgusted. He was awakened to the snooping of the governments of all ages, of what they do to maintain power, and it drove him to from the city.
At only 16 he fled to the countryside, leaving his parents with a simple note reading, “be back when I can free you.” He didn’t last long on the change in his pocket, so he turned to looting ruins, ruins that called to him from every hill and valley. The black market paid well for the relics he recovered, and the farmer he stayed with, Sergei, didn’t charge much. He even took the time to teach Pavel the Balalaika when he wasn’t busy. Pavel did well for himself for the next decade or so, looting, selling, and even traveling to far off places to loot their tombs between stays with Sergei. Until the last contract.
Pavel was contracted to loot a tomb of a great Slavic king of old. The job felt wrong from the beginning, but he needed the extra money. He was so close to getting the last part for his bike, and he needed money for dinner. He made it to the tomb, through the traps, and into the crypt itself, beholding the sarcophagus of the long forgotten king. He pushed the lid from the sarcophagus, immediately spying what he came for: a gold crown, jewels encrusting much of the visible space. As he touched it, he saw visions: fields burning, people screaming, a woman begging for the life of her child, and an arm, HIS arm, swinging a sword down upon her. His horrifying vision was broken when the skeleton gripped his arm, and the skull turned painfully to meet his gaze, vertebrae cracking after centuries of being dormant. The skeleton king simply said one thing: “No.” By the time Pavel could think again he was already out of the crypt, fleeing into the hills. There was no way he was going to finish this contract. He couldn’t let whatever that crown was make it into any hands. But that meant he had to run. Serbian black marketers did not accept no for an answer, no matter the circumstances. But to get far enough away, he would need money for a plane ticket. Thankfully, another relic was calling out to him…

Focus Powers (Su): At 1st level, an occultist learns the base focus power from both of his two implement schools (see Implements below) and can select one more focus power from the list of those available to him through those schools. Whenever the occultist learns a new implement school, he gains the base power of that school. In addition, at 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, he learns a new focus power selected from the options granted by all of the implement schools he knows. The occultist can use focus powers only by expending mental focus (see Mental Focus). Unless otherwise noted, the DC for any saving throw against a focus power equals 10 + 1/2 the occultist's level + the occultist's Intelligence modifier. The occultist can't select a focus power more than once. Some focus powers require him to reach a specific occultist level before he can choose them.

Implements (Su): At 1st level, an occultist learns to use two implement schools. At 2nd level and every 4 occultist levels thereafter, the occultist learns to use one additional implement school, to a maximum of seven schools at 18th level. Each implement school adds one spell per spell level of that school of magic to the occultist's spell list. No spells from any other school are considered to be on the occultist's spell list until he selects the associated implement school. He can't use spell trigger or spell completion magic items from unknown schools without succeeding at the appropriate Use Magic Device check. An occultist can select an implement school more than once in order to learn additional spells from the associated school.

Each implement school is represented by a small list of objects. Every day, the occultist selects one item from that school's list to be his implement for the day for each implement school he knows. The occultist needs only one such item to cast spells of the corresponding school, unless he selected that implement school multiple times, in which case he needs one item for each set of spells gained from that school. Implements don't need to be magic items, and nonmagical implements don't take up a magic item slot even if they're worn. Implements that are not magic items are often of some historical value or of personal significance to the occultist, such as the finger bone of a saint, the broken scepter of a long-dead king, the skull of a mentor's familiar, or the glass eye of an uncanny ancestor.

Whenever an occultist casts a spell, he must have the corresponding implement in his possession and present the implement to the target or toward the area of effect. This act is part of casting the spell and doesn't require any additional action. If the occultist lacks the corresponding implement, he can attempt to cast the spell, but must succeed at a concentration check (DC = 20 + the spell's level) to do so. Spells cast by an occultist without the appropriate implement are always treated as if they were cast at the minimum caster level for the spell in question (caster level 1st for a 1st-level spell, caster level 4th for a 2nd-level spell, and so on).

Each implement school also grants a base focus power. This power is added to the list of focus powers possessed by the occultist (see Mental Focus below). In addition, each implement school grants access to a number of other focus powers that the occultist can select from using his mental focus class feature.

Conjuration (Broken Compass) Implements used in conjuration allow the occultist to perform magic that transports or calls creatures.

Resonant Powers: Each time the occultist invests mental focus into a conjuration implement, the implement grants the following resonant power. The implement's bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus.

Casting Focus (Su): The implement empowers the bearer's ties to the worlds beyond, allowing his spells to maintain their power for a longer period of time. The bearer can add the implement as an additional focus component to any conjuration spell he casts that has a duration measured in rounds per level. If he does so, he adds 1 to his caster level for every 2 points of mental focus stored in the implement (to a maximum bonus equal to your occultist level). This increase applies only when determining the duration of the spell. Apply this increase after other effects that adjust a spell's duration, such as Extend Spell.

Base Focus Power: All occultists who learn to use conjuration implements gain the following focus power.

Servitor (Sp): As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to summon a servitor. This ability functions as summon monster I, but you can use it only to summon a single creature, and the effect lasts for 1 minute. At 4th level and every 3 levels thereafter, the level of the summon monster spell increases by 1, to a maximum of summon monster VII at 19th level. You can't have more than one servitor in effect at a time. At any time, you can expend 1 point of mental focus as a free action to extend the duration of an active servitor by 1 minute.

Divination (Personal Journal) Implements of the divination school grant powers related to foresight and remote viewing.

Resonant Powers: Each time the occultist invests mental focus into a divination implement, the implement grants the following resonant power. The implement's bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus.

Third Eye (Su): The implement allows its bearer to notice that which can't easily be seen. The implement grants a +1 insight bonus on Perception checks per 2 points of mental focus stored in it, to a maximum bonus equal to the occultist's level. If the occultist is 3rd level or higher and stores at least 3 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants low-light vision. If the occultist is 5th level or higher and stores at least 6 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants darkvision 60 feet. (If the bearer already has darkvision, the implement increases the range of the darkvision by 30 feet.) If the occultist is 7th level or higher and stores at least 9 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants the effects of see invisibility. If the occultist is 13th level or higher and stores at least 12 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants blindsense 60 feet. If the occultist is 19th level or higher and stores at least 15 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants blindsight 30 feet.

Base Focus Power: All occultists who learn to use divination implements gain the following focus power.

Sudden Insight (Sp): As a swift action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to gain an insight into your immediate future. You can use this foreknowledge as a free action before you roll any ability check, attack roll, or skill check to gain an insight bonus on that roll equal to 1/2 your occultist level (minimum +1). You can use your foreknowledge only once per turn, and if it's not used by the end of your turn, the insight fades and you gain no benefit.

Evocation (Black Leather Gloves) Implements focused on evocation grant the ability to create and direct energy to protect and to destroy.

Implements: Gloves, rod, staff, wand.

Resonant Power: Each time the occultist invests mental focus into an evocation implement, the implement grants the following resonant power. The implement’s bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus.

Intense Focus (Su): The implement channels and enhances the effects of damaging evocations. A spellcaster who bears the implement can add the implement as an additional focus component for any of his damaging evocation spells that have an instantaneous duration or focus powers with an instantaneous duration. If he does so, the spell or focus power deals 1 additional point of damage of the same type to each creature for every 2 points of mental focus invested in the implement, to a maximum of 1 + 1 for every 2 occultist levels you possess.

Base Focus Power: All occultists who learn to use evocation implements gain the following focus power.

Energy Ray (Sp): As a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to unleash a ray of pure energy as a ranged touch attack. This ray has a range of 30 feet. The ray deals an amount of energy damage equal to 1d6 points + 1d6 points for every 2 occultist levels you possess beyond 1st (2d6 at 3rd level, 3d6 at 5th, and so on, to a maximum of 10d6 at 19th level). When you unleash an energy ray, you must decide what type of damage it deals (acid, cold, electricity, or fire).

Transmutation (Pair of Very Scuffed Loafers) Transmutation implements can alter the properties of both objects and creatures.

Resonant Powers: Each time the occultist invests mental focus into a transmutation implement, the implement grants the following resonant power. The implement's bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus.

Physical Enhancement (Su): The implement enhances its bearer's body. When you invest mental focus in the implement, select a physical ability score. The implement grants a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to that physical ability score for every 3 points of mental focus invested in the implement (to a maximum of +2 at 1st level, plus an additional 2 for every 6 occultist levels you possess).

Base Focus Power: All occultists who learn to use transmutation implements gain the following focus power.

Legacy Weapon (Su): As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus and touch a weapon to grant it an enhancement bonus. The bonus is equal to 1 + 1 for every 6 occultist levels you possess (to a maximum of +4 at 18th level). Enhancement bonuses gained by this ability stack with those of the weapon, to a maximum of +5. You can also imbue the weapon with any one weapon special ability with an equivalent enhancement bonus less than or equal to your maximum bonus by reducing the granted enhancement bonus by the appropriate amount. The item must have an enhancement bonus of at least +1 (from the item itself or from legacy weapon) to gain a weapon special ability. In either case, these bonuses last for 1 minute.

Future Gaze (Sp): As a standard action, you can gain an insight into the future by expending 1 point of mental focus. This functions as augury, using your occultist level as the caster level.

Mind Eye (Sp):As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a mind eye—a magical sensor through which you can see and hear. The mind eye is invisible and its size is Fine, giving it an AC of 18. Any amount of damage to the eye destroys it, but it can be harmed by only spells or magic weapons. The eye moves with a fly speed of 60 feet with perfect maneuverability and can travel up to 1 mile away from you. You must concentrate as a standard action to direct the eye and receive sensory images through it. The mind eye sees as your eyes see, including any additional senses you possess (such as darkvision or see invisibility). The mind eye lasts for 1 minute per occultist level you possess. You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power.

Quickness (Sp): As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to grant supernatural quickness and reflexes to yourself or a willing living creature you touch. This functions as haste, but the bonus to AC and on Reflex saving throws increases to +2. This effect lasts for 1 round per occultist level you possess. You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power.

Sudden Speed (Sp): As a swift action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to grant yourself a burst of speed. This increases your land speed by 30 feet for 1 minute. This ability does not stack with itself.