Anatomist
Anatomists devote their careers to the scientific study of the body, often using magical means to aid or inform their research. These wizards are profoundly fascinated by the seemingly infinite mysteries of the human form. Anatomists gain their knowledge after years of extensive research, typically performed on cadavers. Their exhaustive experience makes them vastly superior doctors when compared with the typical village healers who rely chiefly on herbal medicine to cure the sick.
While some Anatomists use their knowledge to heal, a most adopt this profession to further their own dark motives. Some, falling into the "insane scientist" category, use their expertise to create blasphemous experiments, the least repellent of which include the creation of cadaveric automatons, like flesh golems. Others, who delight only in inflicting pain, practice their skill on living subjects rather than cadavers. These vivisectionists make the most exquisite torturers and are sometimes found in the employ of despotic rulers.
The Anatomist is chiefly inspired by the physicians of the 15th–19th centuries who increasingly turned to the dissection of cadavers to improve their medical expertise. Because of laws which prohibited exhumation and mutilation of the dead, physicians resorted to unsavory grave robbers to supply them with fresh corpses for study. As a result of public beliefs in divine or supernatural retribution for mutilating the dead, these dissections took place in the most secret confines of the universities, reinforcing the notion that physicians took part in arcane, cabalistic practices. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein—written in 1817 (before England's Anatomy Act of 1832, which for the first time legally provided British physicians with cadavers for study) - drew further parallels between the genius physician and the experimenting necromancer.
Role
Some Anatomists use their specialized knowledge for the good of humanity, serving as skilled physicians and healers. However, because of the taboo and stigma associated with the dissection of corpses, almost all Anatomists must keep their experiments secret from their clientele. Thus, the Anatomist usually fosters the appearance of being an "ordinary" doctor or wizard who gains his or her knowledge from ancient texts and university lectures. Despite the public opprobrium, Anatomists have no desire to flee society. Indeed, their entire profession is based on the close proximity of civilization. It would prove impossible, for instance, to practice their calling in the desolate wilderness (at least not without considerable assistance from henchmen or allies). Anatomists need a constant supply of fresh cadavers on which to experiment, and these can only be safely secured in a large town or city.
Distinctive Appearance
None
Special Benefits
Through their studies, Anatomists gain knowledge to help the living.
Improved Healing: Anatomists make excellent doctors, gaining a +2 on their ability checks for the healing non-weapon proficiency. Patients resting under their care restore damage at an accelerated rate of 3 hp per day (4 hp per day with the herbalism non-weapon proficiency). The healing rate is slowed by 1 hp per day if the patient engages in strenuous physical activity or adventuring. A single Anatomist can care for up to 12 people in this fashion. When treating poisons or diseases (even those of magical origin), their patients are entitled to a second saving throw with a +4 bonus to resist the affliction.
Autopsy: Another useful skill of the Anatomist is the ability to divine the cause and time of death by thoroughly examining a corpse. This involves a careful dissection taking 1-6 turns minus 1 round per level. The wizard has a base 60% chance, plus 2% per level, of learning the specific reason and approximate time of death (90% maximum, one roll required for each check). This autopsy can reveal whether death resulted from normal processes (like old age or natural disease) or foul play (such as a wound, poison, spell, or magical disease). The accuracy of the estimated moment of death decreases with elapsed time since the actual event. For instance, if the subject died an hour before the autopsy, the time of death can be fixed to within 1-4 rounds (after one day, the estimate is only accurate to within 1-4 hours, and so on).
Special Hindrances
The Anatomist must regularly practice his or her skills or lose all the unique benefits of the kit (namely the autopsy and improved healing abilities). At the very least, the wizard must perform one dissection on a human subject per month in order to prevent these specialized skills from atrophying. If the Anatomist lapses in the dissection schedule for more than a month, he or she temporarily reverts to a standard specialist. The former status may be easily regained, however, simply by performing twice the minimum number of dissections that were missed. Each formal study requires one complete day which cannot be spent in adventuring, spell research, or other pursuits. For instance, when Dr. Tolbert takes a month-long sea voyage from Neverwinter to Calimshan, she has no opportunity to dissect human subjects. When she finally arrives, she has lost her kit abilities and become a standard specialist necromancer. Once fresh subjects are available, Ellandra must undertake at least two thorough dissections, requiring two days to complete, to regain her kit-related skills.
Class
Wizard
Attribute Requirements
None
Barred Beliefs
None
Race Requirement
None
Bonus Weapon Proficiencies
None
Required Weapon Proficiencies
The Anatomist is a mistress of small edged or cutting weapons, though this wizard rarely practices such skills on the living. The Anatomist's first weapon is a knife, with which she or he automatically gains specialization at 6th level as a special benefit (this fills the second weapon slot). This skill entitles the wizard to multiple attacks and the customary +1 to hit and +2 on damage bonuses. After specializing in the knife, the wizard may learn either the dagger, dart, cutlass, or short sword.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies
None
Barred Weapon Proficiencies
None
Bonus Non-Weapon Proficiencies
Recommended Non-Weapon Proficiencies
Animal Handling, Animal Training, Artistic Ability, Brewing, Animal Lore, Hunting, Set Snares, Disguise, Forgery, History (Local), Herbalism, Reading/Writing, Spellcraft, Venom Handling
Equipment
In addition to wearing the robes and mantle of a physician or scholar, the Anatomist usually carries all of his or her necessary surgical tools (knives, saws, scalpels, retractors, and such) in a characteristic black leather bag or small box.
Wealth Options
None
Homeland Terrain
None
Economic System
None
Recommended Discipline(s)
None
Recommended Devotion(s)
None
Recommended Science(s)
None
Barred Discipline(s)
None
Preferred Schools
The Anatomist prefers necromantic spells that directly affect the physical body, either before or after death (like corpse link, embalm, delay death, empathic wound transfer, bone growth, and graft flesh). They have little interest in the netherworld or undead (except perhaps as a convenient means of transporting corpses to their laboratory for study). An Anatomist is hardly defenseless in combat. While she may hesitate to employ the Black Arts to incapacitate her foes, since this magic tends to make a corpse unsuitable for later study, she always keeps one death spell memorized in case of dire emergency.
Barred Schools None