Alienist (Archivist Archetype)

An alienist dabbles in warping the structure of creatures turning them into alien terrors and drawing the aid and attention of creatures beyond the dark tapestry. Inevitably their experiments upon other creatures are not enough and they turn to experimenting upon themselves.

Augment Summoning

At 1st level, an alienist gains Augment Summoning as a bonus feat.

This replaces Scribe Scroll gained at 1st level.

Spellcasting Tradition

When choosing a spellcasting tradition to pull their power from, an alienist cannot choose primal spellcasting. Otherwise, this ability remains the same.

This modifies spellcasting tradition.

Tapestry-Warped Familiar (Ex)

At 1st level, the alienist gains the service of a familiar as a wizard, using their alienist class levels as their effective wizard levels to determine the familiar’s progression. However, unlike normal wizard familiars, the familiar gains the tapestry-warped template (see the creatures section). Use your alienist class levels to determine the HD of the familiar for its resistances and DR gained from the template.

This ability replaces the preternatural inspiration gained at 1st level.

Alien Summons (Ex)

Starting at 1st level, their summons call upon terrifying creatures from beyond our mortal reality. The alienist gains a new summon monster spell automatically whenever they gain a new level of spellcasting instead of one of their new spell choices in that level. Additionally, they can cast summon minor monster as a cantrip but are only able to summon one tiny animal with that spell.

When casting a conjuration (summoning) or (calling) spell, they can only call upon aberrations or creatures that would normally be celestial or fiendish. Those celestial or fiendish creatures have their template replaced with the tapestry-warped template. For example, the alienist could use summon monster III to summon a tapestry-warped dire bat but not a lantern archon.

This ability replaces discoveries and all instances of practical application.

Call of the Void (Ex)

Starting at 3rd level, the alienist can reach their mind out into the dark tapestry to call upon creatures to aid them. When casting a conjuration (summoning) spell they may expend a point of inspiration and take 1 Wisdom damage per 2 spell levels or 1d3 sanity damage per 2 spell levels to cast the spell without expending the spell slot.

This ability replaces academic focus, knack and confident recollection.

Alien Change (Ex)

At 4th level, an alienist’s mind and body begins to change and take on thought patterns and forms not typical of their own species. An alienist may add their inspiration die to saves against enchantment or transmutation spells and effects. This does not require an expenditure of inspiration.

This ability replaces skeptical mind.

Unfathomable Mind (Ex)

At 14th level, their mind is no longer what it once was, it is simultaneously something new and ancient. The alienist is immune to mind-affecting effects but takes a permanent -2 penalty to Wisdom and a -5 penalty on all Charisma checks against non-aberrations or non-tapestry-warped creatures with the exception of Intimidate.

This ability replaces slippery mind.

Alien Transcendence (Ex)

At 20th level, the alienist has completed their transition to a creature from beyond their mortal realm. They no longer age and do not suffer the benefits or penalties of aging, nor will they die of old age. They also take on the tapestry-warped template. Additionally their warped form shifts and changes imposing a -5 penalty on Disguise checks. However, the alienist gains a +4 bonus on Charisma skills and checks against aberrations and tapestry-warped creatures and on Intimidate checks against all other creatures.

This ability replaces peerless mind.