Pursuit of Knowledge
Scholars are driven to pursue knowledge
Scholar
A Dwarven female looks upon her fallen
companions and lifts her quill. As she writes on
the parchment, a murmuring can be heard under
her breath. As she finishes writing, warm light
washes over her friends and their eyes open.
A Gnomish male in long blue robes sits
studying a plethora of books. He occasionally
jots some notes on parchment, and then
continues to read. He suddenly gets very excited
and runs to tell the rest of the group.
A halfling gestures toward a hulking
monster as it throws around on of his friends.
Pointing out a chink in the creature’s armor to a
fighter, the halfling smiles as his companion
fells the beast.
These people are scholars. Men and
women who feel that the pursuit of knowledge is
far more important than felling foes. Wielding a
plethora of healing spells and a sharp mind these
adventurers aid their party without ever causing
harm themselves.
. Scholar
.
no matter where it hides. Most scholars begin
their journey in to the life of books and learning
the way most people do. By attending school.
But what sets them apart from the average
school goer is their dedication to their work.
Scholars work tirelessly from a young age to
learn all they can about the world around them.
As young scholars grow they soon
discover that a traditional education is not
enough to satiate their thirst for knowledge. So
most will head for universities and large libraries
to further their schooling. On occasion, when
there is no more for them to learn in schools or
libraries, they will set out adventuring.
Attempting to learn things that no one has
learned before.
Noncombatants .
Though some scholars may possess the
physical prowess to excel in combat, they
instead choose to let their words fight their
battles. They would much rather convince their
foes to lay down their arms rather than facing
them down with sword and shield in hand.
When combat does arise, the scholar is
far from useless. They have a wide array of
supportive magic to help their party stay in the
fight. They also are known to use spells that can
disorient and hinder foes but will never deal
damage. Despite their powerful magic the
scholar’s main asset on the battlefield is their
mind. They use their superior knowledge to help
give their allies the upper hand and to
demoralize their opponents.
Scholars are not foolish though. They
realize that on occasion they may need to deal
some damage, but they are well aware that it is
not where their skills lie. So tend to avoid it by
any means necessary.
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Scholar
Level Proficiency Features Cantrips 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
Bonus Known
1st +2 Spellcasting, Healing Surge, Well Spoken 3 2 - - - - - - - -
2nd +2 Scholarly Degree 3 3 - - - - - - - -
3rd +2 Inferior Foe 3 4 2 - - - - - - -
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 3 - - - - - - -
5th +3 Study Session 4 4 3 2 - - - - - -
6th +3 Scholarly Degree Feature 4 4 3 3 - - - - - -
7th +3 - 4 4 3 3 1 - - - - -
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 3 3 2 - - - - -
9th +4 Unearthed Secrets 4 4 3 3 3 1 - - - -
10th +4 Scholarly Degree Feature 5 4 3 3 3 2 - - - -
11th +4 - 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - -
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - -
13th +5 Unearthed Secrets Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - -
14th +5 Scholarly Degree Feature 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - -
15th +5 Defensive Measure 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 -
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 -
17th +6 Unearthed Secrets Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1
18th +6 Loose Lips 5 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 5 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1
20th +6 Secret Keeper 5 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1

Creating a Scholar .
When creating a scholar, it is important to
decide what drove you from the comfort of your
school or library and into a life of adventuring.
Perhaps you simply got bored with your regular
day to day and set out to find excitement. Or you
may be adventuring to seek out long lost
knowledge in an attempt to get credit for the
discovery. Maybe your adventuring for more
sinister reasons, searching for some horrible
power that you could lord over others.
Another important thing to consider is
what your profession is as a scholar. Though you
won’t pick your scholarly degree until second
level it is important to decide this now as it may
help guide your scholar’s actions and history.
One last thing to think about is whether your
scholar breezed through their schooling or did
they have to work hard every last second to earn
their title.
Quick Build
You can make a scholar quickly by following
these suggestions. First make your highest stat
Intelligence. Then make your second highest
constitution. After that choose the sage
background.
Class Features
As a scholar you gain the following class
features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Scholar level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6+ con modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your
constitution modifier per Scholar level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: None

. Scholar 2
Tools: Calligraphers Supplies and one other tool
set of your choice
Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Choose four from Arcana, Deception,
History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature,
Perception, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in
addition to the equipment granted by your
background:
• Calligraphers Supplies and one other
tool set of your choice.
• Diplomats pack and a quarterstaff
• Fine Ink, Quill and Parchment
• Fine robes, 10 days rations, and 20gp
Spellcasting
Your time spent learning all the knowledge you
can has given you a grasp on the arcane allowing
you to cast spells. See chapter 10 for the general
rules of spellcasting (in the PHB) and at the end
of the document for the Scholar spell list.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Scholar table shows how many spell slots
you have to cast your spells of 1st level and
higher. To cast one of these Scholar spells, you
must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher.
You regain all expended spell slots when you
finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of Scholar spells that are
available for you to cast, choosing from
the Scholar Spells list. When you do so, choose
a number of Scholar spells equal to your
Intelligence modifier + your Scholar level,
(minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a
level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 3rd-level Scholar, you
have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots.
With a Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared
spells can a include six spells of 1st or 2nd level,
in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level
spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-
. Scholar
level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t
remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can also change your list of prepared spells
when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list
of Scholar spells requires time spent in focus
and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level
for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your
Scholar spells, since your magic comes from
your years of study. You use your Intelligence
whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting
ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence
modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a
druid spell you cast and when making an attack
roll with one.
. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus
+ your Intelligence modifier
Spellcasting Focus
Your spell casting focus is a set of fine ink and a
fine quill. These are bit more expensive then the
normal materials. If they are lost a new quill can
be bought for 25gp and new ink can be bought
for 10gp
Healing Surge .
Your years of studying biology and medicine
sometimes allows you to heal wounds at a rapid
rate. Anytime you cast a spell that does healing,
roll a d20. On a roll of 20 you “crit” on your
healing. When this happens roll double the dice
the spell normally does. On a roll of 19 or lower
it has no additional effect.
Well Spoken .
You have learned many languages through your
years of study. You learn two standard and two
exotic languages. At 10th level you learn 2 more
additional languages from either category.
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Scholarly Degree
At 2nd level your emphasis through your studies
help to shape how you help out your friends and
allies. You earn one of two degrees: Physician’s
Degree or Scribes Degree. Your choice grants
additional features at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
Degree features are detailed at the end of the
class description.
Inferior Foe
At 3rd level you learn to make your enemies
believe you are of no threat to them. As an
action you can make yourself look weak and
meager, targeting one creature you can see. The
target must make a wisdom saving through. On a
failure the creature has disadvantage on attack
rolls targeting you for up to a minute. This effect
ends if you deal damage in some way to the
creature. At 10th level you can target 2
creatures, 3 at 15th, and 4 at 20th. This ability can
be used once per short rest.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th,
12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one
ability score of your choice by 2, or you can
increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.
As normal, you can't increase an ability score
above 20 using this feature.
Study Session
At 5th level you have begun to realize that while
your teammates are recuperating, you could be
studying. During a short rest you can expend hit
dice to recover spell slots. You can only expend
up to half of your maximum hit dice, rounded
down, per rest to recover spell slots. For ever hit
dice you spend you can recover 1 spell slot
level. For instance, if you are 6th level, you can
expend 3 hit dice to recover spell slots. Doing so
you could recover one third level spell slot, one
first level and one second level spell slot, or
three first level spell slots.
. Scholar
. Unearthed Secrets .
At 9th level you unearth several long-lost secrets
and begin to slowly decipher their purposes over
time. You learn one secret when you gain this
feature. Secrets You learn one additional feature
at 13th, and another at 17th.
Secret of the Land. Difficult terrain no longer
reduces your speed. Additionally, you cannot be
. knocked prone.
Secret of the Scripts. You can understand and
read any language, but this does not grant you
the ability to speak or write it. Additionally, you
have advantage on any intelligence-based ability
check.
Secret of the Shadows. As an action you can
become invisible. This effect ends if you cast a
spell or make an attack.
Secret of Protection. During a short rest you
can choose a damage type to gain resistance to.
You may change the type at any short or long
. rest.
Secret of the Arcane. You have advantage
against saving throws to resist magical effects,
such as fireball damage, or command effects.
Secret of Madness. Twice per short rest, when
you roll 5 or below on a d20 you can choose to
reroll it once. You must take the new roll.
Additionally, if you chose to reroll the die you
. must roll on the wild magic table. (see pg 104 of
the PHB)
Secret of the Sky. You gain a flying speed
equal to half your movement speed.
Secret of the Mountain. You gain 1 Hp to
your maximum hit points per character level.
Defensive Measures .
At 15th level you begin to realize that sometimes
force can be used as a last resort when in a
sticky situation. You learn two offensive spells
of 3rd level or lower. These spells can be from
any class list. These do not count against
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prepared spells. You may cast these spells once
without using a spell slot. Once you do so you
can not cast them again until you finish a long
rest. These spells count as scholar spells for you
and use your spell casting ability for and saves
or attack rolls.
Loose Lips
At 18th level you decide that your secrets may
benefit others. When you take a short or long
rest you can tell one creature of your choice one
of the secrets you are currently benefiting from.
Doing so grants them the secrets benefits. Once
you take another short or long rest they
magically forget the secret. You may only share
one secret at a time and with only one creature.
Secret Keeper
At 20th level you decipher all your secrets, but it
is too much knowledge for one person to hold.
You may now switch out secrets during a short
rest. You may still only know three secrets at a
time. Additionally, when you use the loose lips
feature, you can now choose to share a secret
that you do not currently benefiting from.
Scholarly Degrees
At 2nd level you finally earn your degree after
years of study. You can choose from the healing
centered Physician or the quick-thinking scribe.
Physician
Your years of studying medicine make you
especially adept at healing others. You’ve
become especially adept at easing the pain of
others and helping to fight on in even the most
dangerous of situations.
To the rescue
At 2nd level when you take this degree your
speed increases by 10ft
. Scholar
Heal the Dying
When you gain this degree at 2nd level you learn
to heal with every touch. You learn the Spare the
dying cantrip if you do not already know it. If
you do already know it, you may choose a
different cantrip. Spare the Dying does not count
. against your known cantrips. From now on when
you cast Spare the dying on a creature, it now
also gains Hit points equal to your Proficiency
Bonus.
Combat Medic
At 6th level you learn to get in and heal allies
quickly and then flee back to safety. When you
use your action to cast a healing spell of first
level or higher you can use your bonus action to
. disengage.
Superior Healing
At 10th level your vast knowledge on medicine
and healing allow you to get the most out of
your healing spells. When ever you cast a
healing spell of first level or higher that adds
your spell casting ability modifier, can now
double the amount added. For instance, if you
have a 16 intelligence and cast cure wounds,
instead of adding 3 to the roll you can add 6.
Joint Appointment
At 14th level you learn to get the most out of
your healing spells. When you cast a healing
. spell that targets one creature. You can now
target two creatures provided that both creatures
are within the spells range.
Scribe .
You’ve spent more time studying and coping
down texts than most giving you a fine grasp on
almost any subject. You have learned to utilize
this earned knowledge and your quill to make
your spells more potent, as well as using to give
your teammates the edge in battle.
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Defensive Writer must be used to cast a spell. Once you use this
feature you must finish a short rest to do so
At 2nd level when you take this degree your gain again.
proficiency in light armor.
Scholar Multiclassing
Truer Strike
Should you wish to multiclass into a dragon
When you gain this degree at 2nd level you learn master, the prerequisites and proficiencies
to point out weak points in the enemy’s defenses gained are listed below.
to give your allies a tactical advantage. You
learn the True strike cantrip if you do not Scholar Multiclassing Prerequisites
already know it. If you do know it, you may
Ability Score Minimum
choose a different cantrip. True strike does not
Intelligence 13
count against your cantrips known. From now
on when you cast true strike It grants the next
attack action against the target creature Scholar Multiclassing Proficiencies
advantage. This attack does not need to be made
Proficiencies Gained
by you.
Calligrapher’s supplies, on other supply of
your choice
Observant Learner
At 6th level you learn to discern certain
characteristics about your foe through careful
observation. As an action during combat you can
observe your foe to learn one of the following
stats: Armor Class, Hit Points, an individual
Ability score, resistances, a special trait.
Additionally, you make detailed notes on your
foe as you reveal these characteristics. Meaning
you cannot forget the details you have learned
about them.

Arcane Scribbling
At 10th level your vast knowledge of the arcane
lets you write in little tweaks to your spells
making them harder to defend against. You gain
a bonus to your spell save DC equal to one fifth
your level. So at 10th the bonus is +2, at 15th +3,
and +4 at 20th.

Speed writing
At 14th level, on occasion you can write so fast
that you can cast multiple spells in an instant.
On your turn you can now give yourself an
additional action. This can be used to cast two
leveled spells in a turn. Your first action can be
used for a standard action, but the second action

. Scholar 6
 • Remove Curse
Scholar Spells • Revivify
• Tounges
Cantrips
• Blade Ward
4th Level
• Dancing Lights • Banishment
• Friends • Compulsion
• Guidance • Confusion
• Light • Death Ward
• Mage Hand • Hallucinatory terrain
• Mending • Polymorph
• Message
• Prestidigitation 5th Level
• Resistance
• Spare the Dying • Greater Restoration
• True Strike • Legend Lore
• Mass Cure Wounds
1st Level • Mislead
• Modify Memory
• Bane • Raise Dead
• Charm Person • Seeming
• Cure Wounds • Teleportation circle
• Detect Magic
• Disguise Self 6th Level
• Faerie Fire
• Healing Word • Guards and Wards
• Heroism • Heal
• Identify • Heroes Feast
• Sleep • Mass suggestion
• Tash’s Hideous Laughter • True Seeing
• Unseen Servant • Word of Recall

2nd Level 7th Level

• Aid • Etherealness
• Blindness/Deafness • Force Cage
• Calm Emotions • Morenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion
• Enhance Ability • Regenerate
• Gentle Repose • Resurrection
• Hold Person • Teleport
• Lesser Restoration
• Magic Mouth
8th Level
• Prayer of Healing • Antimagic Field
• Silence • Control Weather
• Warding Bond • Dominate Monstor
• Zone of Truth • Feeblemind
• Mindblank
3rd Level
• Power Word Stun
• Beacon Of Hope
• Dispel Magic
9th Level
• Feign Death • Foresight
• Hypnotic Pattern • Mass Heal
• Leomund’s Tiny hut • Power Word Heal
• Mass Healing Word • True Reserection
• Nondetection

. Scholar 7