Gnostic

A Base Class for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game

Gnostics are arcane casters with a divine inspiration. They achieve their power not through ary sort of special connection to a deity, but though the study of divine numerology and the study of sacred geometry. They study the occurrence of various numbers, patterns, and formulae within divine works to discern sacred secrets. This might be as simple as adding up the alphanumeric values of all characters on a line and discovering an apparent divine message in them, or as esoteric as calculating the letter of the name deities and holy words while consulting apocryphal religious texts to divine meanings from it. Gnostics perceive relationships between the laws of geometry, magic, and the quantum mechanical rules that all things in the universe seem to abide by.

Gnostics are obsessed with numbers and can discern divine meanings from things in their surroundings. How many steps did they take? How many men are sitting at the bar? How many teeth are left in the mouth of that troll? They ask themselves all these questions and are able to draw meaning from them. This practice gives them insight into the underpinnings of reality and allows them to predict and manipulate reality to their will.

Gnostics are very “cosmic” in their power source, and as such their power blurs the line between divine and arcane magics. However, ultimately, their spells are categorized as arcane, and they allow the gnostics to warp and distend reality to their whims. Many of their spells deal with the manipulation of the raw, primal building blocks of the cosmos, and other more “refined” casters look down on their art for its simplicity.

To a gnostic math is both philosophy and religion, transcending human comprehension and becoming the language of the divine. Many major religious sects see them as cultists, madmen, and heretics, but they are rarely overtly persecuted. Rather, they are looked at with skepticism. Some gnostics were once members of a particular faith who discovered divine numerology while others received formal training in the art.

Hit Dice: D6.

Role: Gnostics are arcane spellcasters who specialize in spells that cover a wide area. These are most often damaging, enfeebling, or restorative in their nature. They have a very limited number of spells but they all scale in terms of power as they progress in level. Gnostics are required to be as intellectually astute as they are wise, making both Wisdom and Intelligence key ability scores for them. With greater Wisdom they can cast more powerful gnostic spells but their divine arithmetic relies on Intelligence to modify them.

Alignment: Any Lawful

Gnostics are creatures of meticulous habit and formal education. Their art is the essence of law, and a gnostic who is no longer lawful loses access to all of her gnostic class features besides weapon and armor proficiencies.

Starting Wealth: 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70 gp.). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills[]

The gnostic’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table #-1: The Gnostic

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Maximum Spell Level
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Spells, divine numerology, gnosis pool	1st
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Duplication	1st
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Divine arithmetic	2nd
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Numerical interpretation	2nd
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Divine arithmetic, inspirational mathematics	3rd
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Double cast (1/day)	3rd
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Divine arithmetic	4th
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Pleroma	4th
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Divine arithmetic	5th
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Double cast (2/day), inspirational mathematics	5th
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Divine arithmetic	6th
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Cosmic vision	6th
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Divine arithmetic	7th
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Double cast (3/day)	7th
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Divine arithmetic, inspirational mathematics	8th
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Triple cast	8th
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Divine arithmetic	9th
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Double cast (4/day)	9th
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Divine arithmetic	9th
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Inspirational mathematics	9th

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:[]

The gnostic is only proficient with simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor interferes with a gnostic’s movements, which can cause spells with somatic components to fail.

Gnostic Spells[]

A gnostic casts arcane spells drawn from the gnostic spell list. A gnostic is a spontaneous caster who does not prepare her spells in advance. Gnostic spells cannot be used to create spell completion items.

To prepare or cast a spell, a gnostic must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a gnostic's spell is 10 + the spell level + the gnostic’s Wisdom modifier.

A gnostic does not prepare spells like other spellcasters. She has a pool of gnosis (points) she uses to cast her spells. Each spell costs 1 gnosis point to cast per level of the spell. Gnostic spells do not have a listed spells level. She may prepare a spell at any level she wishes, provided she has a reached a sufficient gnostic level. See table #-1: The Gnostic for the maximum spell level she can prepare. She does not receive bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score, unlike other casters.

Gnostics commit obsessive, numerically harmonious rituals for their spells. Each gnostic must choose a time at which she must spend 1 hour each day enacting these mind boggling complex and esoteric rituals to regain her daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether a gnostic can prepare spells. A gnostic may prepare and cast any spell on the gnostic spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily rituals. A gnostic may always elect to exclude herself from the areas of her own gnostic spells.

Gnosis Pool:[]

A gnostic has a pool of points known as “gnosis” (spiritual knowledge, mystical insights, or enlightenment energy) that she draws from, representing her harmony with the mathematical underpinnings of the universe. This is equal to her gnostic level + her Wisdom modifier (minimum 0). Though this pool may fluctuate, when the gnostic completes her mathematical rituals to regain their spells her pool is fully restored.

Regaining Gnosis[]

A gnostic regains 1 gnosis every time a creature within 30 feet of the gnostic (including the gnostic herself) rolls a natural 20 or a natural 1 on a skill check or attack roll while in combat (or at times when a failed check would result in a disastrous consequence). The gnostic must be aware of this action to regain the point, as this represents her intimate connection to the self-expression of the universe in explosive moments like that. The creature who rolls one of those numbers needs to have an HD equal to or greater than the total character level of the gnostic. A gnostic cannot regain gnosis in this fashion more than once per round.

Divine Numerology:[]

The impact of a gnostic’s spells are affected by the number of creatures within the radius she targets with her spells based on the divine number scheme laid out on Table #-2: Divine Numerology. If a gnostic elects to exclude herself or others from the area of a gnostic spell, they do not count as targets for the purpose of divine numerology. For the purpose of determining number of creatures a swarm counts as 250 creatures per square.

Table #-2: Divine Numerology

Number of Creatures Targeted	Effect
1	The DC of any save required by the effect is increased by 2.
2	1.5x any amount of healing or damage done to undead
3	1.5x any amount of fire damage
4	1.5x any amount of cold damage
5	1.5x any amount of electricity damage
6	1.5x any amount of acid damage
7	Your effective caster level is increased by 2 for the purpose of determining the effectiveness of this spell.
8	If this spell echoes, the radius is doubled.
9	Double the duration of the effect
10	Increase the effective spell level of this spell by 1 (this can bring a spell to a level effectively above 9th)
11	Any creature who fails the save against this spell is also sickened for 1d4 rounds
12	Spell is automatically echoed* next turn
13	If this spell echoes, the radius is doubled.
14	1.5x any amount of healing or damage done to undead
15	1.5x any amount of fire damage
16	1.5x any amount of cold damage
17	1.5x any amount of electricity damage
18	1.5x any amount of acid damage
19	Spell is automatically echoed* next turn
20	Increase the effective spell level of this spell by 2 (this can bring a spell to a level effectively above 9th)
500+	Spell is automatically echoed* next turn.

===

New Mechanic: Echoed Spells:===

A spell that echoes occurs again on the following turn exactly as it did on the turn it was cast, except all dice are treated as if they rolled a minimum result. This includes the same target, the same duration, the same divine numerology effect (even if the numbers have changed), etc. If the spell cannot be completed exactly as it was on the previous turn (the targeted creature moved out of range for example), the spell does not echo. Echoed spells are free spells; they do not consume an additional gnosis. Unless specifically noted, a spell’s echo cannot be echoed (example: the echo of a spell that targeted 500+ creatures does not echo again).

Duplication:[]

At 2nd level, the first spell cast after regaining new uses of her spell via her daily ritual is automatically echoed for the gnostic. If she is of at least 8th level and has the pleroma class feature, this supersedes that one.

Divine Arithmetic:[]

At 3rd level and every other level thereafter, a gnostic learns how to manipulate the divine order of the cosmos in a different way. She gains any one of the following divine formula listed below. A gnostic of 12th level or higher can delve deeper and take advanced theorems instead (see below).

Divine Formulas

Sacred Addition: The gnostic adds her Intelligence modifier to a maximum of her gnostic level as damage to any damage-dealing gnostic spell she casts. In the event that this formula is used to modify a spell that heals rather than damages, it does not provide extra healing. However, if a spell that would normally heal a creature instead causes damage (such as when targeting undead, for example), this formula would add damage as if it were a typical damage-dealing spell.
Sacrificial Subtractions: The gnostic may exclude a number of creatures, up to her Intelligence modifier (minimum 1), from her gnostic spells.
Immaculate Multiplication: The gnostic’s spell can echo on the turn after it is cast. Rather than being a free spell, this second spell costs half the number of gnosis (rounded up) and is paid at the same time the initial spell. If the spell does not go off, for whatever reason, the gnosis are still spent.
Divine Division: The gnostic may spend gnosis to reduce incoming damage of any melee attack that targets her by her Intelligence modifier to a maximum of the number of gnosis spent. This is done as a free action in response to the gnostic being successfully hit by an attack, before the damage dice have been rolled, and only applies against the specific hit in question (not against subsequent attacks on that creatures ture for example).
Just Averages: Whenever the gnostic casts a gnostic spell, before the dice are rolled, she may elect to take the average of any variables (dice rolls) that are rolled for the spell. This just applies to dice rolls for damage and healing effects caused by gnostic spells.
Sacrosanct Variables: The gnostic can cause a gnostic spell that deals damage to deal a different kind of damage. This allows a spell that deals fire damage to deal cold damage or vice versa. A gnostic may swap any of the following damage types for any other damage type on the list: fire, cold, acid, electricity. Consequently the spell’s elemental descriptor changes appropriately
Religious Rounding: When someone rolls a natural 20 or a natural 1 in an instance when it would cause the gnostic to regain gnosis points, she gains 1 extra point. In addition, the inspirational mathematics class feature rounds up rather than round down. If she has at least 10 levels of gnostic she gains an extra 2 instead of 1. If she has at least 15 levels she gains an extra 3 instead of 1 and at 20th level, a gnostic with this divine arithmetic gains an extra 4 instead of 1.

Advanced Theorems

Exponential Divinity: Any time her spell echoes, a gnostic may pay half of its full price at the start of her next turn to cause it to echo again on the turn she paid this price. This functions with immaculate multiplication.
Gnostic Geometry: The gnostic may modify the shape of her gnostic spells so long as it forms a contiguous shape and is equal in size to the original area of the spell.
Inevitable Inversion: The gnostic may spend 1 gnosis point as a free action after casting a spell that causes elemental damage to cause herself to absorb one kind of elemental damage (fire, cold, acid, or electricity) for a number of rounds equal to her Intelligence modifier. The elemental energy type selected must reflect the spell she just cast. If, during this time, the gnostic is damaged by that element she takes no damage from it and instead is healed for 1 hp for every 3 damage it dealt. This cannot bring her over her maximum health. A gnostic can only have one element active at a time.
Chaos Theory: When casting a spell, the gnostic can pay 1 extra gnosis point and select the result she wishes on the Divine Numerology table (rather than the one she has). Each time the gnostic does this, she moves a little closer to becoming chaotic. For every 3 times per day that a gnostic uses this ability, her alignment shifts 1 step towards chaotic on the law/chaos axis. This counter is reset when gnostics perform their rituals to regain their spells, so long as they are not already of the chaotic alignment.
Divine Order of Operation: A gnostic can elect to have a spell she casts only affect outsiders. In addition, if there are 4 or more creatures targeted by a gnostic spell and they are all outsiders, the gnostic can decide as as a free action after casting it to echo that spell on her next turn. This second spell only affects outsiders.

Numerical Interpretation:[]

Starting at 4th level, any gnostic spell from the following list has its damage increase by the gnostic’s Intelligence modifier. Desolation of frost, heaven’s fire, hell geyser, and storm of retribution.

Sidebar: Gnostic and Metamagic[]

A gnostic’s spells can be modified by metamagic. However, the total level of the spell after being modified by the metamagic feat cannot exceed the maximum level of the spell that gnostic can cast. Use the spell’s level prior to being modified by the metamagic feat for the purpose of the effects of the gnostic spell. Gnostics do not have spell slots.

Inspirational Mathematics:[]

At 5th level, a gnostic can draw greater inspiration from the events that occur around her as her connection to the will of cosmos grows stronger. She is restored an amount of gnosis points equal to ½ her Intelligence modifier (rounded down) when someone rolls a natural 20 or a natural 1 in an instance where it would normally just restore her 1 gnosis point.

At 10th level she is restored an amount equal to her full Intelligence modifier.

At 15th level she is restored an amount equal to 1.5 x her Intelligence modifier.

At 20th level she is restored an amount equal to 2 x her Intelligence modifier.

Double Cast (Ex):[]

At 6th level, once per day a gnostic can cast two gnostic spells with a single standard action. These spells cannot have overlapping areas of effect. Each spell is treated as if it had independently cast and each determines its own divine numerology bonus separately. These spells cannot be modified by metamagic feats and any associated save is reduced by 2.

At 10th level and every 4 levels thereafter a gnostic may use double cast one additional time per day.

Pleroma (Ex):[]

At 8th level, anytime a gnostic casts a spell when she is full on gnosis, the spell echoes on her next turn.

Note: This term literally means “fullness” and refers to the sum total of all divine power in various gnostic traditions.

Cosmic Vision (Su):[]

By 12th level, a gnostic has gazed long into the enlightening truth and it has stared back. The eyes of the gnostic take on the appearance of windows displaying an infinite field of stars. From then on, she gazes as if she is blind, able to see all around her thanks to her connection to the greater scheme of things. A gnostic of 12th level gains all-around vision and cannot be blinded except by magical means.

Triple Cast (Ex):[]

At 16th level, a gnostic can expend 2 uses of her double cast class feature to cast three gnostic spells in a single standard action. Spells cast in such a fashion have their DC reduced by 3.

Unanchored Geometry (Ex):[]

At 20th level, once per day a gnostic can expend 1 use of her double cast class feature to cast 4 gnostic spells as a single standard action. In addition, a gnostic recovers 1 point of gnosis at the start of her turn during combat.

Note; The phrase “unanchored geometry” is a term to describe the ability of one to overlay a geometric shape or pattern over anything (images, text, maps, the night sky, etc) and find a pattern.

Table #-2: Gnostic Favored Class Bonus[]

Race	Bonus	Source
Human	Gain 1/6 of a new divine formula.	CRB
Dwarf	Add 2 feet per level to the radius of the geometric fluctuations spell.	CRB
Elf	Add a +1/2 gnostic level on concentration checks when casting gnostic spells.	CRB
Gnome	Gain 1/3 (minimum 1) of an additional point of gnosis when someone scores a critical hit.	CRB
Aasimar	Add 1 + 1/3 gnostic level to the amount healed by the creator’s compassion spell of the gnostic.	ARG
Ifrit	Add 1 + 1/3 gnostic level to the amount of damage caused by the heaven’s fire spell of the gnostic.	ARG
Pon’par’i	Add 1 + 1/3 gnostic level to the amount of damage caused by the desolation of frost spell of the gnostic.	RG4
Ves	Gain 1/6 an extra use of double cast per day.	RG4

An infusion of star-essence expands the minds and empowers the forms of those creatures within the radius of the spell. This provides one of the following bonuses, selected by the caster, to all creatures (all creatures receive the same bonus) for 1d4+1 rounds:

A +1 insight bonus on attack rolls. If this is cast as a 3rd level spell, it provides a +2 bonus, a +3 as a 5th level spell, a +4 as a 7th level spell, and a +5 as a 9th level spell.
A +1 insight bonus to the creature’s AC. If this is cast as a 3rd level spell, it provides a +2 bonus, a +3 as a 5th level spell, a +4 as a 7th level spell, and a +5 as a 9th level spell.
A +2 sacred or profane bonus to a mental ability score of the caster’s choosing (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). If this is cast as a 3rd level spell, it provides a +4 bonus, a +6 as a 5th level spell, a +8 as a 7th level spell, and a +10 as a 9th level spell. If this is cast by a good-aligned spellcaster it is a sacred bonus, a profane bonus if they are evil, and a neutral-aligned spellcaster may chose if it is a sacred or profane bonus each time they cast.

A creature may only benefit from one gnostic enlightenment spell at a time, the benefits of the spell with the highest level remaining in cases when two of the same benefits apply. If two enlightenment spells of equal level are applied to a creature, the newer one supersedes the older one.

Gnostic Game Mastery[]

Gnostic Thought[]

Gnostics do not pray to a single god, but rather view most deities as extensions of the force of creation of the universe (the demiourgós), deeming these lesser god “demiurges”. Gnostics believe that they live on a “lower world” (or plane, or existence, or reality) and they must focus on spiritual endeavors over material ones to truly understand. It is a common belief that these demiurges are ignorant of the true nature of the universe (by design or out of true ignorance) and their envoys (referred to as archons) will seek to detain any spirit seeking to reach the true creator / creative force of the universe. For this reason many gnostics have an inherent mistrust or enmity for outsiders.

Gnostics in Your Game

Depending on the campaign setting, gnostics may believe in the collective will of a pantheon rather than the individual gods themselves or view them as ignorant divine figures whose influence prevents the achievement of true enlightenment. As a GM, you can build a world where this is true, or not. A gnostic’s power source is cosmic rather than simply divine and does not require them to be correct about the metaphysics of the universe to be able to function.

Gnosticism vs the Gnostic Class[]

Keep in mind that not all creatures that believe in some form of gnosticism are gnostics in terms of their character class. The gnostic class is representative of a creature who practices divine numerology and has a grasp on the mystical divine arts associated with. While the gnostic class draws heavily from gnosticism, it can be retooled to represent any sort of divine caster obsessed with numerology.

Section 15 OGL Copyright Declaration:[]

Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material

by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and

Skip Williams.

rights reserved.

Scott Greene, with Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey

Christofferson, Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger,

and Bill Webb; Based on original content from TSR.

Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn

Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Benjamin Bruck,

Jason Bulmahn, Brian J. Cortijo, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Richard A.

Hunt, Colin McComb, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Patrick Renie, Sean K

Reynolds, and Russ Taylor.

LLC; Authors: Jason Bulmahn, Tim Hitchcock, Colin McComb, Rob

McCreary, Jason Nelson, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds,

Owen K.C. Stephens, and Russ Taylor.

Scott Gladstein, Jeremiah Zerby, Caleb Aylsworth, and Dayton Johnson.

2015, Little Red Goblin Games LLC; Author: Scott Gladstein, Ian Sisson,

Christos Gurd, Dayton Johnson, Caleb Aylsworth, Eidam, Wojciech

Gruchała, and Kayley Flanegin.

LLC; Author: Scott Gladstein, Christos Gurd, Caleb Alysworth, and

Dayton Johnson.

LLC; Author: Scott Gladstein, Jeremiah

Gnostic

Class Skills[]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:[]

Gnostic Spells[]

Gnosis Pool:[]

Regaining Gnosis[]

Divine Numerology:[]

Duplication:[]

Divine Arithmetic:[]

Numerical Interpretation:[]

Sidebar: Gnostic and Metamagic[]

Inspirational Mathematics:[]

Double Cast (Ex):[]

Pleroma (Ex):[]

Cosmic Vision (Su):[]

Triple Cast (Ex):[]

Unanchored Geometry (Ex):[]

Table #-2: Gnostic Favored Class Bonus[]

Heaven’s Fire[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Hell Geyser[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Storm of Retribution[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Creator's Compassion[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Desolation of Frost[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Starfields[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Demiurge’s Destruction[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Geometric Fluctuations[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Distention[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Enlightenment[]

Casting[]

Effect[]

Description[]

Gnostic Game Mastery[]

Gnostic Thought[]

Gnosticism vs the Gnostic Class[]

Section 15 OGL Copyright Declaration:[]

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