The Savant Class - Public 4.4.0 Update!

Hi Everyone! After collecting a ton of feedback from my play testers, Patrons, and suggestions from various Reddit threads I’ve completed another update to the Savant class.

Common Questions

What is the Savant? For those that may not be familiar, the Savant is a class I created to fill what I perceived was an unfulfilled thematic niche in official 5e classes; a non-magical, Intelligence-based support-focused class. The Savant was inspired by various heroes from pop culture like Sherlock Holmes, Indiana Jones, Milo Thatch, Elrond Half-Elven, and Allan Quartermain.

Couldn’t this just be a bunch of Rogue subclasses? …probably. The Rogue does have the Inquisitive and Mastermind Archetypes that came out in *Xanathar’s Guide to Everything*, but I personally feel that the Savant fills a big enough mechanical (and more importantly thematic) niche to warrant a full class. A lot of homebrew classes, while really awesome and cool, strike too narrow of a theme *for me personally*, so I’ve done my best to avoid that with the Savant.

Is this balanced? Yes. The Savant class and all of the subclasses here have undergone extensive play testing at real tables. I am confident that this will not break your game… even if you allow multiclassing with the Savant (Savant 1 / Bladesinger Wizard X is still less powerful than a Hexblade/Paladin or Hexblade/Sorcerer). If anything, the Savant comes in with *slightly* lower than average damage when compared to official 5e classes.

Doesn’t this break one of the three rules of homebrew in the DMG? Yes, the DMG does recommend that homebrew should not grant multiple reactions, but that is the crux of the Savant’s combat power. They don’t get *Spellcasting* or *Extra Attack*, so they needed something to keep up with other official classes. Also, the Artificer (an official class) breaks another one of the DMG homebrew rules by allowing additional magic item attunement slots.

CHANGE LOG

• Class Features // Proficiencies // Removed rapiers. Replaced Perception with Arcana. Expanded tool proficiencies to any one set of tools (not just artisan’s tools).
• Adroit Analysis // Now allows you to learn traits about a creature each time you hit them. You also have advantage on INT/WIS/CHA ability checks against that creature.
• Adroit Analysis // Brought back the ability to use any Savant skill as a bonus action.
• Perfect Recall // Moved up to 1st level.
• Expert Student // Moved up to 2nd level.
• Unyielding Mind // Now a bonus you can add INT mod times per short/long rest. Scaling bumped up by one die size to compensate.
• Academic Discipline // Removed Orator (needs work, overlaps too much with bard).
• Academic Discipline // Renamed Sleuth to Investigator.
• Accelerated Reflexes // You now add your INT mod to your initiative rolls.
• Keen Awareness // New feature at 7th level. You can’t be surprised and you can take the Ready action as a reaction when you roll initiative.
• Iron Will // Renamed Unyielding Will //Can expend a use of Unyielding Mind to re-roll a failed save.
• Archaeologist // Student of History // Replaced Religion proficiency with Investigation. Moved their identify ability here.
• Archaeologist // Adventuring Academic // Can use Expert Student to attune to an item you normally couldn’t, and you can activate magic items as a bonus action.
• Archaeologist / /Daring Determination // Immune to opportunity attacks from your AA target, can use a reaction to impose disadvantage on opportunity attacks. INT mod to trap saving throws.
• Archaeologist // Lore Master // Improves to 1 minute at 17th level.
• Investigator // Student of Truth // Dropped AA additions. You now have advantage on rolls to detect illusions, shapeshifters, and lies.
• Investigator // Sharp Eye // Renamed to Rough & Tumble.
• Investigator // Rough & Tumble // You can now expend a use of Unyielding Mind to force a CON save. Failure the target is blinded, deafened, or silenced for 1 min. Repeat save at start of each turn.
• Naturalist // Student of Nature // Moved the environmental attunement ability here. Replaced Animal Handling with Survival.
• Naturalist // Environmentalist // Renamed to Survivalist. Now allows you to fashion traps with Unyielding Mind.
• Naturalist // Survivalist Training // Renamed to Adapt & Overcome. Scaled back some of the features to be balanced when compared to other AD’s 6th level features.
• Naturalist // Wild Insight // Renamed to Call of the Wild, clarified the language.
• Naturalist // Master Naturalist // Rolls of 9 or lower become a 10 relating to your attuned environment. Call of the Wild duration becomes 24 hours.
• Physician // Student of Medicine // You can identify diseases, poisons, and curses effecting creatures.
• Physician // Combat Medic // General clarifications on abilities. Renamed Crippling Strike to Rending Strike. Dress Wounds now uses your Unyielding Mind die.
• Physician // Advanced Combat Medic // All actions can be used a combined total timed equal to your INT mod per long rest. Regeneration reworked to scale with Unyielding Mind.
• Tactician // Tactical Commander // Rallying Order renamed to Maneuvering Order. Added DEX saves and checks to Steadfast Order.
• Tactician // Unwavering Resolve // Bonus action attack can be against any target.