Maesters are the master crafters of the gnome world, combining technical and magical expertise to create incredible marvels. They specialize in the creation of magic items, bending all their skill and ability toward the construction of items that are their art and livelihood.

Maesters are usually wizards, although sorcerers occasionally take up the class. Some bards also have been known to become maesters, but typically not until they have spent a number of years adventuring.

NPC maesters rarely stray from their laboratories, which makes them excellent patrons for groups of adventurers. Maesters often need rare minerals, unusual material components for spells, or other substances for the magic items they create, and it’s usually too dangerous to fetch such materials alone. Maesters often hire bodyguards if they’re undertaking a journey, paying their guards with magic items they have built. Other times, they simply send allies on a journey of acquisition, providing them with as much lore about their mission as possible.

Role: Spell Utility

Characteristics: Quick crafters that can identify magical items

Source: Complete Adventurer

Game Rule Information

The Maester has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Whatever your casting stat is, Constitution to not die, Intelligence to make some great machines and bump up your craft skills

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d4

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Maester's class skills are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowl�edge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Maester.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Maester is proficient with whatever they were already proficient with prior to taking levels in this class.

Bonus Feats: At 1st and 5th level, a maester receives a bonus item creation feat. He must meet the prerequisites for this feat.

Quick Crafting Ex: A maester can craft magic items in half the normal time required (one day per 2,000 gp in the item's base price; minimum one day).

Spells per Day/Spells Known: Beginning at 2nd level, a maester gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If he had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a maester, he must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.

Identification Sp: A maester of 3rd level or higher can determine the magical properties of a magic item by handling it for 1 minute and making a successful Spellcraft check (DC 10 + the item's caster level). The maester can't take 10 on this check, nor can he retry the check (and thus he can't take 20). This ability otherwise functions as the identify spell.