Pathfinder 1e Archetype Arcanist

Tarot Student

An arcanist who reads the harrow to refuel her reservoir, learns divination spells from any class, and deals allies cards of fate; replaces consume spells and two exploits, adds three class skills and Psychic Sensitivity.

Class
Arcanist
Kind
Archetype
Granted Spells
Choices
24 exploit slots replaced (tarot student)

Roll 1d6 to determine a drawn card's suit: 1 = hammers, 2 = keys, 3 = shields, 4 = books, 5 = stars, and 6 = crowns.

Replaces

Consume Spells

Archetype Features

Psychic Reader Level 1

A Tarot student gains Psychic Sensitivity as a bonus feat and adds Diplomacy, Perception, and Sense Motive to her list of class skills. This ability replaces the 1st-level arcanist exploit.

Tarot Reservoir

Once per day, a Tarot student can perform a harrow reading as a 5-minute ritual. She decides which suit most closely aligns with her task at hand and deals a nine-card spread. Each time that suit appears in her spread, she adds 1 point to her arcane reservoir, to a maximum of 1 point per 2 arcanist levels. Points gained in excess of her reservoir's maximum are lost. The Tarot student can perform this reading one additional time per day at 8th level and at 16th level. This ability replaces consume spells.

Divine the Mysteries Level 5

At 5th level and every 2 levels thereafter, a Tarot student can select a divination spell from the spell list of any class, including classes that cast divine or psychic spells and add it to her list of spells known. This spell must be at least 1 level lower than the highest-level spell she can cast. She casts these spells as arcane spells, using her normal spell slots, but must use a harrow deck as an additional focus component. If such a spell is normally a psychic spell with an emotion or thought component, she must also add that component.

Trump Card Level 9

At 9th level, a Tarot student can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir and draw a card from her harrow deck as a standard action to learn her own fate or that of an ally within 30 feet. The target's fate depends on the suit of the card drawn from the deck. Books: The target gains a +2 insight bonus on her next caster level check. Crowns: The target gains a +2 insight bonus on her next saving throw. Hammers: The target gains a +4 insight bonus on the damage roll of her next successful melee attack. Keys: The target gains a +4 insight bonus on her next initiative check. Shields: The next time the target receives magical healing, she regains an additional number of hit points equal to the Tarot student's arcanist class level. Stars: The target gains a +4 insight bonus on her next skill check. A creature cannot have more than one trump card in effect at one time; drawing a new trump card for a target negates the effect of the previous trump card. A Tarot student can attempt to read the fate of an enemy within 30 feet, resulting in a penalty for that target equal to the bonus granted above, but the target is entitled to a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the Tarot student's arcanist level + her Charisma modifier) to negate the effect. This is considered a curse effect. A Tarot student can have trump cards in effect for multiple creatures at the same time. This ability replaces the 9th-level arcanist exploit.

Exploit slots replaced (Tarot Student)

Chosen as you gain archetype choices — 24 options.

Acid Jet Spend 1 arcane reservoir point and hit with a ranged touch attack to deal 1d6 acid damage + Charisma modifier (+1d6 per 2 levels beyond 1st, max 10d6) …
Arcane Barrier Spend 1 arcane reservoir point as a swift action to gain temporary hit points equal to your arcanist level + Charisma modifier for 1 minute per level; each …
Arcane Weapon Spend 1 arcane reservoir point to make your weapon count as magic and, from 5th level, gain a scaling enhancement bonus or weapon special abilities for a number …
Bloodline Development Gain the 1st-level power of a chosen sorcerer bloodline, and spend 1 arcane reservoir point to treat your arcanist level as your sorcerer level for it; if you …
Consume Magic Items Consume potions, scrolls, staves, or wands as a move action (Charisma modifier times per day) to refill your arcane reservoir by half the contained spell's level.
Counterspell Spend 1 arcane reservoir point and an arcanist spell slot to counter a spell you identify with a dispel check (a same-level prepared spell gives a +5 bonus).
Dimensional Slide Spend 1 arcane reservoir point as part of a move or withdraw action to teleport up to 10 feet per arcanist level to a spot you can see, …
Energy Shield Spend 1 arcane reservoir point as a standard action to gain resistance 10 (rising to 30 by 20th level) against one chosen energy type for 1 minute per …
Familiar Gain a familiar using your arcanist level as your wizard level; arcanist levels stack with another class's for a familiar gained elsewhere.
Flame Arc Spend 1 arcane reservoir point to loose a 30-foot line of fire dealing 1d6 + Charisma modifier fire damage (+1d6 per 2 levels beyond 1st, max 10d6), Reflex …
Force Strike Spend 1 arcane reservoir point to automatically strike one target within 30 feet for 1d4 force damage + 1 per arcanist level, as magic missile.
Ice Missile Spend 1 arcane reservoir point and hit with a ranged touch attack to deal 1d6 cold damage + Charisma modifier (+1d6 per 2 levels beyond 1st, max 10d6) …
Item Crafting Gain one item creation feat as a bonus feat (you must meet its prerequisites).
Lightning Lance Spend 1 arcane reservoir point and hit with a ranged touch attack to deal 1d6 electricity damage + Charisma modifier (+1d6 per 2 levels beyond 1st, max 10d6) …
Metamagic Knowledge Gain one metamagic feat as a bonus feat (you must meet its prerequisites).
Metamixing Spend 1 arcane reservoir point to apply a metamagic feat you know to a spell as you cast it without increasing casting time (still using the higher-level slot).
Potent Magic When you spend an arcane reservoir point to raise a spell's caster level or DC, it increases by 2 instead of 1.
Quick Study Spend 1 arcane reservoir point as a full-round action (provokes) to prepare a spell in place of another prepared spell of the same level, referencing your spellbook.
School Understanding Gain one 1st-level arcane school power (using Charisma for Intelligence), and spend 1 arcane reservoir point to treat your arcanist level as your wizard level for it; if …
See Magic You can see magical auras; spend 1 arcane reservoir point to detect magic for 1 minute, auto-identifying auras and, on a touch, magic item properties without the usual …
Spell Disruption Spend 1 arcane reservoir point and succeed at a dispel check to suppress one spell effect on a single creature for a number of rounds equal to your …
Spell Resistance Spend 1 arcane reservoir point as a standard action to gain spell resistance 6 + your arcanist level for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier.
Spell Tinkerer Spend 1 arcane reservoir point while adjacent to a spell effect you know of to increase or decrease its remaining duration by 50% (once per effect; unwilling targets …
Swift Consume Use the consume spells class feature or the consume magic items exploit as a swift action instead of a move action.
Attribution

Rules content from Paizo Inc., reproduced by TheCrazyGM under the Open Game License v1.0a. Licensing for reproduced SRD content is covered by the site's Section 15 register.

Occult Origins · OGL-1.0a

Added to the library by eco_the_exploiter on Sept. 10, 2026.

Open Game Content reproduced from Occult Origins by TheCrazyGM under the OGL-1.0a. Copyright in the reproduced material is held by its original publisher, named in this site's Section 15 notice. The core designation is TheCrazyGM's assertion that the material faithfully matches its cited source; that attestation was recorded by Occult Origins on 2026-09-10.

How this notice was generated

Sources Used in This Record
  • Based on class: Arcanist (Class) — cites Paizo Inc.

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OGL 1.0a Notice. Pathfinder-derived Open Game Content on this page is used under the Open Game License v1.0a and Section 15 notice.