Can someone please explain Arcanist for me?

[LordSerion]

Hello, so I saw that if all goes well, we get some shiny new classes. The one I ask about is Arcanist: I looked up on d20, but can someone who played one before explain how they work for me and what can one expect from them?

[Inanky]

Basically, they memorize spells like wizards - but cast them as sorcerers.
For example, for 1st level slots you memorized Mage Armor and Magic Missile. And you have 3 spells per day - so you can cast Mage Armor or Magic Missile 3 times per day in any combination.

Plus, arcanists have exploits - additional abilities, unique to them.

That's a very short explanation, hope it helps.

[=[NK]= Col. Jack O'Neil]

There's mods you can't add it into kingmaker

[Schutzengel]

The Arcanist is the better Wizard:

- you have the full Spellbook of a Generalist Wizard
> and can learn ALL Spells unlike Sorcerers

- you select Spells like a Wizard
> but can cast any of the selected Spells like a Sorcerer
> and you can change your selection of Spells unlike a Sorcerer

- using Metamagic does NOT increase casting time
> same as with Wizards and unlike Sorcerers

- you have 10 extra Feats including
> get 2 Metamagic Feats
> and can change the second one for a different Metamagic Feat anytime
> get Level 1 Sorcerer Bloodline Feat (Gold Dragon > +1 Fire Damage per die)
> get Level 1 Wizard School Feat (Evocation > Intense Spells)
> get Wizards Familiar
> Wizards only get 5 extra Feats

[Harukage]

Arcanists are natural mages born with powerfull magic lineage, like sorcerers. But unlike sorcerers, who use magic instinctively and rely heavely on their ancestral bloodline, arcanists use more academical aproach to magic like wizards do. In fact they are magic maniacs of a sort, researchers and pioneers of arcane.
So yes, as it was said above they must prepare spells like wizard but can cast prepared spells like sorcerers. Though as a whole they can cast slightly less spells then both per day afaik.
Arcanists are natural arcane casters, but most of them are too focused on the inner workings of magic to develop their bloodlines. Though there is an archetype that do focus on inhereted bloodline.
In exchange Arcanists, by combining their afinity to magic and meticulous arcane research, can use the so called arcane exploits. Different types of unorthodox arcane uses and tricks, ranging from usefull utility abilities to powerfull spells breaking the accepted laws of arcane magic. Those are the whole point of Arcanist class. Exploits also use their own resource so they are separate from normal spells.
You can try out Arcabist with Eldritch Arcana mofd.

[LordSerion]

You have the versatility of Wizard and DC power of Sorcerer? This sounds amazing!

[=[NK]= Col. Jack O'Neil]

Originally posted by juhaszmaster:

You have the versatility of Wizard and DC power of Sorcerer? This sounds amazing!

I feel in pnp it's a pretty broken, op class. Similar to how the kinitesist can be

[JonWoo]

Originally posted by Schutzengel:

The Arcanist is the better Wizard:

- you have the full Spellbook of a Generalist Wizard
> and can learn ALL Spells unlike Sorcerers

- you select Spells like a Wizard
> but can cast any of the selected Spells like a Sorcerer
> and you can change your selection of Spells unlike a Sorcerer

- using Metamagic does NOT increase casting time
> same as with Wizards and unlike Sorcerers

- you have 10 extra Feats including
> get 2 Metamagic Feats
> and can change the second one for a different Metamagic Feat anytime
> get Level 1 Sorcerer Bloodline Feat (Gold Dragon > +1 Fire Damage per die)
> get Level 1 Wizard School Feat (Evocation > Intense Spells)
> get Wizards Familiar
> Wizards only get 5 extra Feats

To add to this, they have the same spell progression as a sorcerer so they're a level behind for new spell levels. They also only gain increased spell uses from a high casting stat like a sorcerer instead of extra slots like a wizard.

Some of their unique abilities though include being able to spontaneously use metamagic without increasing cast time by burning an arcane point and it can even be used on spells that are already prepared with another metamagic.

And they can spend a point to also swap out any spell they have prepared for another one.

Basically they're the love child of a sorcerer and wizard with most of the positives and a few of the negatives with some of their own amazing and unique abilities.

[LordSerion]

What stat is the main stat though? Int or Cha?

[JonWoo]

Int for casting and Cha for their class abilities.

[LordSerion]

Ouch, multiple main stat hurts.

[JonWoo]

It's not bad, you don't need a high Cha on them it just helps a bit. Int is your main goal since it's for their spells. Really Cha is secondary.

[LordSerion]

Can someone explain how can we get more spell slots? I read on d20 that INT only effects the daily uses but not available slots - which means it doesn't matter if I have 20 INT or 44, I still can only select 3 9th tier spells.

[Sev]

The Call of the Wild mod has the Occultist Archetype too. Hopefully the nest Pathfinder game does as well.

Basically want it does it lets you use your Arcane Pool (extra resource like the Magus) to cast a Summon Monster spell like a Monster Tactician that lasts 1 min/level. Your Arcane Pool can get very large (it increases by class level, can get feats to increase it by 3 and can Consume Spells to replenish it) so you basically have unlimited long duration monster summons plus also being a full level 9 Arcane caster in your own right.

If you ever get to level 20 you also have one of the best capstones in all of Pathfinder (your Summon Monster ability becomes FREE and PERMANENT).

[Ravenmoore]

Originally posted by LordSerion:

Can someone explain how can we get more spell slots? I read on d20 that INT only effects the daily uses but not available slots - which means it doesn't matter if I have 20 INT or 44, I still can only select 3 9th tier spells.

The wording you where using confused me a little soo here is the correction INT affects your Spell Slots (These are how many spells you can cast per day).

Arcanist Prepared spells are a fixed number so no you get 3 make it work, but at 20th level you rarely would need something that isn't Time Stop plus 2 other situational spells, you can use Shade and Wish to duplicate any other spell of 8 level or less (of course that is taking into consideration you are using the Eldritch Arcana mod)