I want it to function like the Arcanist spellwise, but also give him a prayerbook (allowing the class/archetype to cast divine spells from the cleric spell list as a cleric) and a psyche journal (allowing the class/archetype to cast psychic spells from the psychic spell list as a psychic). It prepares spells like the Arcanist, save that it can also prepare spells from the prayerbook and psyche journal, taking up a prepared spell slot as normal.
Any suggestions?
You want a class that can freely cast 9th level spells from wizard, cleric AND psychic spell lists at the same spell level? What are you willing to exchange for such a huge benefit?
Even combining just two (arcane and divine) sets the mystic theurge back 3+ levels of spellcasting on each, and you can only take 10 levels of that, so its set back closer to 3/7 levels by max level. (being 13th in one, 17th in the other)
You could possibly pull it off by limiting them to 6th level spells, but early on that's a lot of versatility for them to have.
The casting drawbacks of the Spell Sage archetype for the wizard seems ok, perhaps substitute druid/bard spells for psychic and call it a day?
Other than that, the wizard's Faith magic / psychic prep discoveries would allow you to sprinkling of their magic.
Overall its a big ask to give 9th level spellcasters unlimited access to arcane, divine and psychic spells given few class features they have to trade out and how powerful each of them already are.
Also I'm confused about what part of the arcanist you'd want to emulate exactly... having spontaneous slots?
Yes. I'm basing it on a character concept I had in mind of a enigmatic mage who has dabbled in all three disciplines and travels the world, learning new spells of any kind and writes them down in a formulaic form.
Maybe I'll make an divine and psychic version of the arcanist instead, and then make a prestige class that ties them together.
Maybe check out the Mystic Theurge prestige archetype? It's probably the closest idea of what you'll be looking at I think.
You want a class that can freely cast 9th level spells from wizard, cleric AND psychic spell lists at the same spell level? What are you willing to exchange for such a huge benefit?
Also I'm confused about what part of the arcanist you'd want to emulate exactly... having spontaneous slots?
I think I'll have class start with all 0-level spells and one 1st-level spell for each book, as well as an extra 1st-level spell for each point of intelligence modifier bonus, to be allocated among the books, and only get one extra spell each level to add to one of their books.
I want the part where class has to memorize spells from the spellbooks every day, but can cast those memorized spells spontaneously, and being keyed off intelligence for spellcasting.
I was looking at the Theurge class from New Paths Compendium, but with Arcanist spellcasting, adding psychic spells to the mix, and removing the restrictions on spells prepared by type. I could care less about the spell synthesist stuff as well.
Starting with one spell from each source at 1st level (before bonus spells) AND all the 0 level spells is a lot of 1st level spells compared to the wizard's single 1st level spell.
Yes. I'm basing it on a character concept I had in mind of a enigmatic mage who has dabbled in all three disciplines and travels the world, learning new spells of any kind and writes them down in a formulaic form.
That sounds like the very definition of what they had in mind when they made the Spell Sage archetype. -It even mentions a formulaic approach to spells :)
Perhaps use it as a base and convert the archetype for use by the arcanist?
For example, the "school savant" arcanist archetype trades out your "1st, 3rd, and 7th levels." to gain an arcane school. The spell sage trades out your arcane school for Spell Study.
Spell Study (Su)
At 2nd level, the sage’s understanding of the spells of clerics and psychics is so great that he can use his own magic in an inefficient, roundabout way to duplicate those classes’ spells. Once per day, a arcanist sage can spontaneously cast any spell on the cleric or psychic spell list as if it were an arcanist spell he knew and had prepared. Casting the spell requires the spell sage to spend 1 full round per spell level of the desired spell (if the spell is on multiple spell lists indicated above, using the lowest level from among those lists) and requires expending two prepared spells of that spell level or higher; if the spell’s casting time is normally 1 full round or longer, this is added to the arcanist sage’s casting time. For example, if a spell sage wants to use spell study to cast cure light wounds (cleric spell level 1st), he must spend 2 full rounds casting and expend two prepared arcanist spells of 1st level or higher.
At 6th level and every 5 levels thereafter, an arcanist sage can use this ability an additional time per day (to a maximum of four times per day at 16th level).
This ability replaces the arcanist exploits gained at 1st, 3rd, and 7th levels.
The built in cast time restrictions ensure that you'll (only) be as god-like as every other wizard / arcanist in combat, but you'll still have unrestricted access to all the crazy versatility of spells from the psychic and cleric outside of that. It gives you more than the wizard archetype, which doesnt get psychic spells, but for what you're wanting you were going to end up stronger anyway.
Sweet, thanks!