Polymath

Polymaths are adapatable adventurers who create their niche in the world by pooling their skills from every other school of adventuring. The central tenant of the Polymath is that knowledge is king.

Alignment and Progression

 * Alignment: Any

By-The-Books
The Polymath is built as an amalgam of skills acquired through study. Rather than stick to one solid path, the Polymath may branch in several different directions, picking and choosing skills from other classes.

At level 1, the Polymath must choose Warrior, Expert, or Adept. This choice affects their Hit Die, Armor and Weapon proficiencies, Base Attack Bonus progression, available skill points and in-class skills, and how many Saving Throws they may choose to have a good level progression. It also determines which abilities they can choose.

As the Polymath's Adept, Expert or Warrior ability comes up on the chart, they may choose an ability from any class they have access to as it would come available to that class at the Polymath's current level or earlier as long as it meets the prerequisites of that class (examples: an upgrade ability that would first require another ability, such as Honor Shield instead of Karma Shield; or a sequential ability like the Thief's Sneak Attack; or if it has a prerequisite alignment like some of the Paragon's Legends).

In addition to a Polymath's available choices to in-class skills, every Polymath has Diplomacy as an in-class skill by default. This does not consume one of the slots of in-class skills.

To see exemptions and rulings on virtually every ability available to the Polymath, and their sequencing, see "Rulings on Ability Acquisition."

Warrior

 * Hit Die: d10
 * Base Attack Bonus Progression: Good
 * 1 good saving throw
 * 2 + Int skill points per level
 * Old Hand of Rigors +x: The Polymath Warrior gains +x Stamina. At level 6, this number is 1; at level 12, this number is 2; and at level 18, this number is 3.
 * In-Class Skills: Choose 2 Strength, 2 Dexterity, 1 Intelligence, 1 Wisdom, and 1 Charisma skill, + Diplomacy
 * May choose abilities from the Brigand, Fighter, Paragon, Sentinel, and Thief at levels 2, 6, 10, 14, and 18.
 * Proficient with all Light and Medium armors, Light and Heavy shields, and Simple and Martial weapons. When the Polymath Warrior chooses an ability from the Fighter or Sentinel, they automatically become proficient in all Heavy armors.

Expert

 * Hit Die: d8
 * Base Attack Bonus Progression: Average
 * 2 good saving throws
 * 4 + Int skill points per level; if the Polymath Expert chooses Spellcasting at level 1, they only get 2 + Int skill points per level
 * In-Class Skills: Choose 1 Strength, 4 Dexterity, 2 Intelligence, 2 Wisdom, and 2 Charisma skills, + Diplomacy
 * May choose abilities from the Bard, Brigand, Darkhand, Fighter, Paragon, Sentinel, Spellsword, and Thief at levels 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19.
 * Proficient in all Light and Medium armors, Light shields, and Simple weapons, plus any one Martial weapon of choice.

Adept

 * Hit Die: d6
 * Base Attack Bonus Progression: Poor
 * 1 good saving throw
 * 6 + Int skill points per level; if the Polymath Adept chooses Spellcasting at level 1, they only get 4 + Int skill points per level
 * In-Class Skills: Choose 1 Dexterity, 4 Intelligence, 3 Wisdom, and 3 Charisma, + Diplomacy
 * May choose abilities from the Bard, Brigand, Darkhand, Mage, Paragon, Spellsword, Thief, and Warlock at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19; if the Polymath Adept chooses Spellcasting at level 1, they may then select another ability at level 1, followed only by abilities at levels 9 and 17.

A Special Note on Spellcasting
A Polymath that chooses Warrior cannot take Spellcasting and, in fact, has no class available to draw from that has Spellcasting as an ability.

Any Polymath that chooses Expert or Adept and wishes to have Spellcasting must choose an ability at level 1 or 2 that grants Spellcasting from one of the classes that are available to them; they may not take the Darkhand's Spellcasting ability, nor may they take more than one class's Spellcasting ability.

Choosing Spellcasting reduces the number of skill points granted to the Polymath by 2 per level. An Adept Polymath that chooses the Mage or Warlock Spellcasting ability takes the Spellcaster path on the chart instead of the standard, meaning they are granted only 3 abilities (excluding Spellcasting itself) instead of 10, as well as only getting a d4 hit die instead of a d6. These penalties do not apply if they choose the Spellsword's Spellcasting ability.

A Polymath that chooses to take Mana acquires its own kind of class-based Mana, where they gain only +½ their Polymath level Mana; Adept Polymaths gain an extra +3 mana by default, regardless of if they take Spellcasting or not.

Polymaths are prohibited from learning the following spells, regardless of their decisions:
 * Augment
 * Aura
 * Dragon Fire
 * Major Suture
 * Shrink
 * Summon Staff

Bonus Skill Rank
At levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20, the Polymath gains an extra rank to apply to any skill at that level.

Bonus Feat
At levels 6, 12, and 18, the Polymath gains a bonus feat of their choice.

Rulings on Ability Acquisition
In this list, you are shown the vast majority of the abilities available to the Polymath.

If an ability is declared as "sequential," it means that there is usually a variable attached (such as Willful +1 or Sneak Attack +1d6), and you must therefore go from the lowest to highest values on these, upgrading each time you take the ability (if you so choose).

If one ability is declared the "precursor" to another ability (e.g. "Uncanny Dodge is the precursor to Improved Uncanny Dodge"), then much like a sequential ability you must take the first ability before taking the upgrade ability.

Some abilities are declared here as unobtainable or available only with severe restrictions. These abilities will be put in italics. Additionally, abilities that are identical in two different classes (such as Combat Style for the Fighter and Sentinel, or Spellcasting for the Mage, Warlock and Spellsword) cannot be taken once for each class that has them; they are considered the same ability. If any one class has an ability listed twice, you may take that ability twice through that class as it comes available.

Bard

 * Spellcasting: You MUST choose Spellcasting at either Polymath level 1 or 2; if you do not you may never choose Spellcasting.
 * Mana: As a Polymath, you may gain Mana as a class ability, but you do not acquire the ability as declared in the Bard class. Rather, you gain it as only +½ Polymath level Mana.
 * Sorcery: Sorcery is sequential. Also, Sorcery may only be taken if you have also taken Spellcasting (any class's Spellcasting ability will do).
 * Good Fortune: Good Fortune is sequential.

Brigand

 * What Foolishness/What Madness: What Foolishness and What Madness are both sequential. Furthermore, What Foolishness is the precursor to What Madness. You may upgrade What Madness without being required to upgrade What Foolishness, and vice versa.

Darkhand

 * Darkhand Cantrips: Darkhand Cantrips are NOT sequential. You may take them in any order you wish as long as they would be available by the level at which you wish to take them.


 * Sneak Attack, Willful, and Trap Sense: Sneak Attack, Willful and Trap Sense are each sequential.


 * Spellcasting: You may not choose Spellcasting through the Darkhand.

Fighter

 * Combat Style/Combat Style Extension: Combat Style is the precursor to Combat Style Extension.

Mage

 * Spellcasting: You MUST choose Spellcasting at either Polymath level 1 or 2; if you do not you may never choose Spellcasting.


 * As a Polymath, you may not learn the following spells: Aura, Augment, Dragon Fire, Shrink, and Summon Staff.


 * Arcane Specialization: As a Polymath, you may NOT take an Arcane Specialization.


 * Mana: As a Polymath, you may gain Mana as a class ability, but you do not acquire the ability as declared in the Mage class. Rather, you gain it as only +½ Polymath level Mana.

Paragon

 * Parables and Legends/Oath of the Paragon: When claiming any of the Paragon's Parables or Legends, you automatically acquire the Oath of the Paragon alongside; if you break the Oath, you lose access to these Parables and Legends just as a Paragon would.


 * Parables/Legends: You must choose at least one Parable before choosing a Legend.


 * Improved Unarmed Strike/Stone Hands: Improved Unarmed Strike is the precursor to Stone Hands. You may acquire Improved Unarmed Strike as a feat rather than a class ability to qualify in this way.


 * Stone Hands: Stone Hands is sequential.

Sentinel

 * Damage Reduction: The Sentinel's Damage Reduction is sequential.

Spellsword

 * Spellcasting: You MUST choose Spellcasting at either Polymath level 1 or 2; if you do not you may never choose Spellcasting.


 * As a Polymath, you may not learn the following spells: Augment.


 * Willful and Good Fortune: Willful and Good For-tune are sequential.


 * Armored Mage: Armored Mage (light) is the precursor to Armored Mage (medium)


 * Mana: As a Polymath, you may gain Mana as a class ability, but you do not acquire the ability as declared in the Spellsword class (except through the Dazzling Display subclass Trailblazer). Rather, you gain it as only +½ Polymath level Mana.

Thief

 * Sneak Attack and Trap Sense: Sneak Attack and Trap Sense are sequential.


 * Uncanny Dodge/Improved Uncanny Dodge: Uncanny Dodge is the precursor to Improved Uncanny Dodge.


 * Two Paths: You must have at least one selection from The Way before choosing Two Paths.

Warlock (or Witch)

 * Spellcasting: You MUST choose Spellcasting at either Polymath level 1 or 2; if you do not you may never choose Spellcasting. Furthermore, until the Polymath selects a Natural Specialization, they may not learn the Warlock's specialized spells.


 * As a Polymath, you may not learn the following spells: Major Suture, Aura, and Shrink.


 * Natural Specialization/Cantrips and Auras: Prior to taking the Warlock's Cantrips and Auras, the Polymath must choose the Warlock's Natural Specialization (Alchemy, Symbiosis or Siphony).


 * Cantrips and Auras: The Warlock's Cantrips and Auras are sequential and must be taken in order.


 * Reach/Extended Reach: Reach is the precursor to Extended Reach.


 * Mana: As a Polymath, you may gain Mana as a class ability, but you do not acquire the ability as declared in the Warlock class. Rather, you gain it as only +½ Polymath level Mana.

Paladin

 * You may NOT take any abilities from the Paladin, as the Paladin is prestige class.


 * Mana granted from the Polymath class stacks with the Mana granted by the Paladin, as normal.