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Cynosure Adept

Cynosure adepts are students and scholars of the unique magical traditions of Freehold, formed from the composite of many disciplines from many lands. Adepts swear an oath to educate, serve, and protect the citizens of Freehold, and work tirelessly to build a sense of community and transparency between users of the Art and the common person on the street.

Class Details

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

Caster Level: Arcane caster level 5th.
Feats: Any one item creation or metamagic feat, plus Cynosure Tattoo.
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge (local) 5 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks.

Class Skills

The Cynosure adept's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Fly (Dex), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
1st	+0	+0	+0	+1	Guild affiliation I, guild member	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+1	+1	+1	Guild resources I	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+2	Bonus feat, spellpool I	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+2	Guild affiliation II	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
5th	+2	+2	+2	+3	Guild resources II	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+3	Bonus feat, spellpool II	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+4	Guild affiliation III	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
8th	+4	+3	+3	+4	Guild resources III	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+5	Bonus feat, spellpool III	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+5	Guild affiliation IV, spellpool mastery	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class

Class Features

The following are class features of the Cynosure adept prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Cynosure adept gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Spells: When a Cynosure adept gains a level, she gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefits a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of Cynosure adept to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class she has.

If the character had more than one arcane spellcasting class before she became a Cynsoure adept, she must choose which class she adds each Cynosure adept level to for the purposes of determining spells per day.

Guild Member
At 1st level, the Cynosure adept becomes a full member of the Cynosure. She is entitled to vote on issues before the entire membership, use the guild's library and laboratory (though access to these facilities is based on seniority), and replenish her store of material components from the guild stores (common components are usually free, while components that carry a gold piece value are available at cost).

Membership in the guild incurs the following duties and responsibilities:

• Monthly membership dues of 25gp (payable up to 1 year in advance);
  
• Obedience to the ruling of the Guild Board, the Guildmaster, and the Freehold Council;
  
• Aid to other members in times of need (this normally means aiding other guild members who are in danger, but can mean aiding them in other endeavors, as well);
  
• Defense of Freehold when called upon by the Guild Board, the Guildmaster, or legitimate authorities of the Freehold government; and
  
• Devotion of personal time and energy to the guild (1 day of downtime per month per class level, minimum 1 day of downtime per tenday).

This last can vary in execution based on guild affiliation; members of the Department of Defense usually work with the Freehold Guard, while those in the Department of Research may be called upon to give lectures or teach classes to younger members or even to non-member students from the community, and members of the Department of Service might be required to craft magic items for a civic institution or take a turn on building inspection and fire watch.

Guild Affiliation (Ex)
Upon being inducted as a full member into the Cynosure, a departmental guild affiliation must be selected. There are three guild departments (Defense, Research, and Service), each with a different focus, and the Cynosure adept's class abilities are partially dependent upon which department she chooses to affiliate herself with. This decision is important, since, once chosen, her guild affiliation can only be altered through retraining.

The abilities of each tier of membership are as follows:

Defense

• Tier I: The Cynosure adept adds Acrobatics, Climb, Perception, Ride, Stealth, Survival, and Swim to her list of class skills, and her skill ranks at each level increase to 4 + Intelligence modifier. Additionally, she gains Toughness as a bonus feat, if she does not already have it.
  
  
• Tier II: The Cynosure adept gains Arcane Armor Training as a bonus feat, if she does not already have it, whether or not she meets the prerequisites. If she already possesses the feat, she gains Arcane Armor Mastery, instead. If she already possesses both feats, she may instead select any feat for which she qualifies from the list of Department of Defense bonus feats, below.
  
  
• Tier III: The Cynosure adept gains Arcane Armor Mastery as a bonus feat, if she does not already have it, whether or not she meets the prerequisites. If she already possesses the feat, she may instead select any feat for which she qualifies from the list of Department of Defense bonus feats, below. Additionally, she counts 1/2 her class level as her fighter level for the purpose of qualifying for feats. If she has levels in fighter, these levels stack.
  
  
• Tier IV: The Cynosure adept gains Selective Spell as a bonus feat, if she does not already have it. If she already possesses the feat, she may decide to exclude objects (such as buildings) from the effects of spells she casts which are modified by the feat, and may also exclude creatures from the effects of such spells equal to her class level x her Intelligence modifier (rather than just creatures equal to her Intelligence modifier).

Research

• Tier I: Whenever the Cynosure adept would gain bonus spells from this prestige class, she may select spells from any class's spell list and treat them as if they were on the spell list of one of her arcane spellcasting classes. Such spells chosen by the Cynosure adept must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level spell she can currently cast. The spell's type becomes arcane and its save DC functions as normal for the arcane spellcasting class list she adds it to.
  
  
• Tier II: The Cynosure adept can make all Knowledge and Linguistics checks untrained, and can answer questions with a DC of 15 or less with an untrained Knowledge check, rather than just DC10 or lower. Additionally, whenever she is the recipient of the aid another action on a Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft check, the bonus is increased by +2.
  
  
• Tier III: Whenever the Cynosure adept makes a Knowledge check untrained, she rolls twice and uses the higher result.
  
  
• Tier IV: The Cynosure adept can always take 10 on Knowledge, Linguistics, and Spellcraft checks, even when distracted or threatened. Additionally, once per day, she may treat any one Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft check she makes as if she had rolled a natural 20.

Service

• Tier I: The Cynosure adept adds 1/2 her class level to all Craft checks. She adds Use Magic Device to her list of class skills.
  
  
• Tier II: The Cynosure adept gains Cooperative Crafting as a bonus feat, if she does not already have it, whether nor not she meets the prerequisites. If she already possesses the feat, the bonus to Craft and Spellcraft checks increases to +4, and her assistance triples the gp value of items that can be crafted each day.
  
  
• Tier III: The time required for the Cynosure adept to create magic items is reduced by 25%.
  
  
• Tier IV: Whenever the Cynosure adept activates any spell-trigger or spell completion item, she uses her own caster level in place of the item's caster level, if it is higher (just like a staff). Additionally, she may always take 10 on Use Magic Device checks and on Spellcraft checks made to identify the properties of magic items, even when distracted or threatened.

Guild Resources (Ex)
At 2nd level, a Cynosure adept is granted full access to the considerable community resources of the Cynosure. She gains knowledge of a new spell. If she prepares spells, this spell is automatically added to her familiar or spellbook at no cost; if she casts spells spontaneously, it is added to her list of spells known. This spell can be of any level, up to the highest level she can cast.

The Cynosure adept also learns a new language, chosen from the following:

• Aklo
  
• Aquan
  
• Draconic
  
• Durpari
  
• Elven
  
• Gerult
  
• Giant
  
• Gnoll
  
• Loross
  
• Mulhorandi
  
• Netherese
  
• Raumvira
  
• Roushoum
  
• Shaaran
  
• Sylvan

Finally, she gains access to one of the benefits listed below (each benefit may only be chosen once):

• Defense: Use of the guild gymnasium to train for battle. When the Cynosure adept spends 1 day of downtime training and meditating, this allows her to prepare an additional number of spell levels equal to 1/2 her class level the next time she prepares spells (or to cast an additional number of spell levels, if she is a spontaneous caster).
  
  For example, a 5th-level wizard/6th-level Cynosure adept could prepare or cast an additional 3 levels of spells; this could be three 1st-level spells, one 1st- and one 2nd-level spell, or one 3rd-level spell. Any additional spell levels not used are lost the next time the Cynosure adept prepares spells, and she cannot use this ability again until she spends another day of downtime in training.
  
  
• Research: Use of the guild library to research a spell, which means the cost of doing so is only 75 gp x the spell's level, and the total days required to complete such research is 5 x the spell's level.
  
  Additionally, use of the guild library to research facts and lore does not cost Capital for the first skill check made when performing influential or magical research.
  
  
• Service: Use of the guild laboratory, which means the cost of creating magic items is reduced by 5%. This reduction in cost stacks with similar adjustments, such as those from the eldritch smith, hedge magician, or spark of creation traits or the Magical Artisan feat.

A Cynosure adept gains an additional spell known, an additional bonus language, and an additional guild affiliation benefit each at 5th level, and again at 8th level.

Bonus Feat
At 3rd level, and again at 6th and 9th level, a Cynosure adept gains a bonus feat. She can select any feat for which she qualifies from the categories listed below, based on her guild affiliation:

• Defense: Any combat feat plus Arcane Armor Mastery, Arcane Armor Training, Arcane Blast, Arcane Shield, Arcane Strike, Arcane Vendetta, Augment Summoning, Diehard, Dimensional Agility, Dimensional Assault, Dimensional Dervish, Dimensional Maneuvers, Dimensional Savant, Dispel Synergy, Endurance, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Counterspell, Improved Initiative, Improved Stalwart, Parry Spell, Spell Bluff, Spell Penetration, Stalwart, Superior Summoning, Survivor, Uncanny Concentration.
  
  
• Research: Any familiar or metamagic feat plus Divine Deception, Diviner's Delving, Eldritch Heritage, Elemental Focus, Greater Eldritch Heritage, Greater Elemental Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Specialization, Improved Eldritch Heritage, Major Spell Expertise, Minor Spell Expertise, Preferred Spell, Scholar, Spell Focus, Spell Perfection, Spell Specialization, Spontaneous Metafocus, Tenacious Transmutation, Theurgy.
  
  
• Service: Any item creation or teamwork feat plus Magical Aptitude, Master Alchemist, Master Craftsman, Prodigy, Skill Focus.

Spellpool (Su)
At 3rd level, Cynosure adepts can call spells from a common source: the spellpool. New members receive an alteration to their Cynosure Tattoo at the time of their initiation. This focus allows access to the spellpool and works only for its bearer. If a Cynosure adept somehow loses her tattoo, she must undergo another initiation. The range of available spells increases at 6th and 9th levels. See the spellpool sidebar, below, for details.

As an additional benefit, this ability qualifies a Cynosure adept for the Mage's (Varisian) Tattoo feat. She does not gain it as a bonus feat, but she may take the feat even if she does not meet the prerequisites.

Spellpool Mastery (Su)
Once per day, at 10th level, a Cynosure adept can use the spellpool to enhance her own spells with metamagic feats. As part of casting any spell, she may call energy from the spellpool to add metamagic feats to the spell without increasing either its spell level or its casting time; unlike normal spellpool access, use of this ability is subsumed into the action of casting the spell rather than requiring a separate full-round action. The spell to be enhanced must be one she has prepared (or, in the case of spontaneous spellcasters, which she has available to cast), and not one already drawn from the spellpool. Likewise, the Cynosure adept can only use metamagic feats she actually possesses to enhance the spell.

Use of this ability costs a number of spell levels from the spellpool equal to twice the level adjustment of the metamagic feats to be applied. For example, adding both Widen Spell and Enlarge Spell would cost 8 spellpool levels. Spellpool debt incurred by this ability is doubled, so applying 4 spell levels' worth of metamagic feats, as in the example given, would accrue 16 levels of spellpool debt.

Spellpool mastery allows a Cynosure adept to cast a spell whose modified spell level is higher than the highest level she could normally cast, but the final adjusted spell level of any spell cast using spellpool mastery cannot exceed her class level + her Intelligence modifier. All other rules for metamagic and spells apply.

Code of Conduct
A Cynosure adept must swear an oath to educate, serve, and protect all good people of Freehold, and loses access to guild resources and the spellpool if she ever willingly breaks her oath.

Additionally, a Cynosure adept's code requires that she respect legitimate Freehold and Cynosure authority, represent Freehold and the Cynosure with dignity, strive to embody the mission of her affiliated branch of the guild, and defend the innocent.

Ex-Cynosure Adepts
A Cynosure adept who leaves or is expelled from the Cynosure, who is convicted of 2 Low Crimes or 1 High Crime, or who violates the code of conduct loses the guild resources and spellpool class features, as well as access to restricted guildhall areas. She may not progress any further in levels as a Cynosure adept. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she restores her good standing with the guild, as appropriate.

The Spellpool

A magical reservoir of spell energy is bound into a special matrix in a guarded vault on a sublevel of the Cynosure’s headquarters. Using her Cynosure Tattoo feat, a Cynosure adept can "call" spells from this common resource as needed. Calling a Spell: Calling a spell from the spellpool can be done at any distance, but requires the caster to have an open, unused spell slot of the appropriate level. Wizards preparing spells for the day decide at that time whether to leave some spell slots open. A spellcaster can call only for a spell of a level that she could normally cast. She can call a number of spells per day whose total levels are equal to or less than half her caster level (round down, minimum one). For example, John Doe, a 5th-level wizard/4th-level Cynosure adept can call one 4th-level spell per day, two 2nd-level spells per day, or any other combination of spells whose levels do not exceed four, assuming he has slots available and his spellpool debt isn’t too high (see below). When a caster calls a spell, she takes a full-round action to concentrate on her tattoo (which provokes attacks of opportunity); the tattoo is treated as an additional focus component for spells called from the spellpool. The spell appears in the caster’s mind at the beginning of her next turn and can be used immediately. However, if she does not cast the called spell within a number of minutes equal to her caster level, it fades from her mind as though cast. A wizard cannot learn a called spell, despite its temporary presence in her consciousness, though of course she could later attempt to learn the spell through standard means. Spell Availability: Three stages of access to the spellpool exist. A member first joining the Cynosure gains spellpool I privileges, which grants access to spells of 1st to 3rd level. Spellpool II allows access to 4th- to 6th-level spells, and spellpool III grants access to 7th- to 9th-level spells. No 0-level spells are available, but the spellpool can provide any other spell on the wizard/sorcerer spell list in the Core Rulebook, as well as signature or commonly-used spells popular in the guild and any additional spells designated by the GMs. Spellpool Debt: Every time a spellcaster calls a spell, she incurs a debt. She must return an "energy packet" to the spellpool—a spell she has prepared of a level equal level to that of the called spell, or a number of spells whose combined levels equal the level of the called spell. For instance, assuming the spellpool debt for a 5th-level spell is five levels, it could be paid off with another 5th-level spell or any combination of spells whose levels total five. Returning a spell is a full-round action, like calling a spell, and depletes a prepared spell slot as if the spell had been cast. The debt must be repaid within a number of days equal to the character’s class level; otherwise, the Cynosure adept’s access to the spellpool is automatically suspended. Once the debt is repaid, a suspended caster immediately regains access to the spellpool—except that failure to pay off a debt within one year results in a spellcaster’s expulsion from the Cynosure. Nothing prevents a Cynosure adept from paying ahead, giving her a "positive balance," so to speak. Likewise, another Cynosure adept may agree to pay off or pay ahead a fellow's spellpool debt in return for a service, money, or other consideration. Thus, a "spell currency" of a sort exists within the organization, where Cynosure adepts often pay each other with levels of spellpool debt (informally referred to as "spell credit" or "spell scrip").