Pathfinder Prestige Class: The Plutomancer

This is a re-work of a class I wrote in 2009. Hopefully this is a better version. 

Tangible rewards in the form of money are staples of dungeon adventuring, yet sometimes extracting those riches is a herculean task: art objects, luxurious furniture, multi-ton adamantine doors and dragon hoards filled with millions of copper and silver coins are all valuable, yet exceptionally difficult to transport for sale. Likewise, a struggling dungeon delver is often frustrated by his inability to sell his hard-won gains at anything near what they cost on the market; half price seems to be the default unless advanced haggling rules are used. And may the gods help you if your Game Master knows anything about economics and decides to rule that you have flooded the local economy with gold and driven up  the prices of even the most basic goods and services.

The solution to all of these dilemmas is the Plutomancer prestige class. Whether a cleric in service to a god whose portfolio involves greed, commerce, or thievery, or a mage who exemplifies the classic struggle to turn lead into gold, the Plutomancer is a welcome addition to any party by the simple expedient of acting as a force multiplier for looting.

(Author's Note: In terms of what this class brings to the table, i.e. mainly flavor, non-combat skill bonuses, and more efficient looting of treasure, it ought to be a class archetype and not a prestige class. However, making this a compatible archetype for multiple classes is more effort than I want to go through, and I do want this available to both arcane and divine spellcasters. Therefore I have made it a five-level PrC with a low entry that player characters can dip into as they see fit.)

Requirements
Feats: Skill Focus (Appraise), and either Negotiator or Skill Focus (Profession: Merchant)
Spells: Ability to cast Locate Object, plus either Fabricate or Greater Make Whole and at least one other transmutation spell of 3rd level or higher.

Class Skills
The Plutomancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (History), Linguistics, Perception, Profession (Merchant), Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device.
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features
Hit Die: d6.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Plutomancers gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: When a new Plutomancer level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds her Plutomancer levels to the level of some other spellcasting class she has, and then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.

Class Abilities

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Gilded Magic, Mind on my Money	+1 level of existing class
2nd	+1	+1	+0	+3	Deep Pockets,  Money on my Mind	+1 level of existing class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Moneychanger, Secret Chest	+1 level of existing class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Canon of Coin, Pawnbroker	+1 level of existing class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Fence from Beyond,  Flesh to Ore	+1 level of existing class

Gilded Magic (Su)

Whenever the Plutomancer casts a spell, its visible manifestations appear lavish and expensive. Create Food and Water produces a sumptuous feast with fine wine, Mage Armor manifests as elegant clothing or jeweled regalia, and similar cosmetic embellishments occur at the GM’s discretion. These effects are purely illusory and have no mechanical impact.

As a standard action, the Plutomancer may touch a mundane, nonmagical object and cause it to appear opulent and finely crafted through illusion. Common materials take on the appearance of precious metals, gemstones, fine fabrics, or masterwork craftsmanship, though the object’s true nature is unchanged. This illusion lasts for 10 minutes per Plutomancer level.

While benefiting from Gilded Magic, the Plutomancer gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks made to pass as wealthy, project financial success, or influence merchants, traders, or similar NPCs in commercial or transactional contexts.

This bonus does not apply to attempts to directly modify purchase prices, resale values, or otherwise stack with the Plutomancer’s class features that alter buy or sell prices.

Mind on my Money (Ex)

The Plutomancer may choose to use their Wisdom or Charisma modifier instead of Intelligence for Appraise checks. This choice is made when the Plutomancer gains this ability and cannot be changed thereafter. Additionally, when selling items they may gain +10% of the item’s normal resale value (typically 50% of list price) per Plutomancer level. If they choose to do so they cannot use alternate means to increase the sale price, such as through the use of Diplomacy or spells. 

Example: a Plutomancer wants to sell a 100 gp item. Normally that item sells for 50 gp. A 1st level Plutomancer sells it for (50+[10%*50]) or 55 gold, a 3rd level Plutomancer sells it for 65 gold, and a 5th level sells it for 75 gold.

Campaign Impact: Wealth by Level

The Plutomancer’s ability to sell items for a higher percentage of their listed value and purchase items at a discount increases the party’s effective Wealth-by-Level compared to baseline assumptions. GMs who wish to maintain standard wealth expectations may do so by adjusting treasure parcels, limiting access to large or distant markets, or embracing a higher-liquidity campaign in which wealth is less restrictive.

Deep Pockets (Su)

At 2nd level, the Plutomancer is immune to encumbrance penalties caused by coins, gems, and jewelry; these items do not count against the Plutomancer’s carried load. In addition, extradimensional storage items carried by the Plutomancer (such as bags of holding, handy haversacks, portable holes, and similar items) weigh 50% less and can store 50% more weight and volume while within 10 feet per Plutomancer level. This benefit applies only to the Plutomancer and does not affect those items carried by other creatures.

If one of the Plutomancer’s extradimensional storage items is outside this range while carrying more than its normal maximum capacity, the excess contents are immediately expelled into the nearest open spaces adjacent to the item until the item’s normal capacity is no longer exceeded. This expulsion occurs harmlessly but may cause items to fall, scatter, or become unattended at the GM’s discretion. Items are expelled in an order chosen by the Plutomancer; if the Plutomancer is not present or incapacitated, the GM determines the order, favoring the least valuable or most easily accessible items. A secret chest enhanced by this ability is an exception and does not expel its contents when transferred to the Ethereal Plane.

At 4th level, coins, gems, and jewelry placed into extradimensional storage carried by the Plutomancer occupy no weight or volume for the purposes of that storage. This does not increase capacity for other items and does not allow extradimensional spaces to contain creatures or objects they otherwise could not hold.

Money on my Mind (Ex)
The Plutomancer gains a bonus equal to their caster level to all Perception skill checks made to notice hidden, concealed, or unattended valuables; secret compartments or hidden caches of goods; or for detecting another's use of Sleight of Hand to steal from them. Additionally, when buying items they may subtract 5% from the purchase price for each level of Plutomancer. If they choose to do so they cannot use alternate means to decrease the sale price, such as through the use of Diplomacy or spells. 

Example: a Plutomancer wants to buy a 100 gp item. A 1st level Plutomancer purchases it for (100-[5%*100]) or 95 gold, a 3rd level Plutomancer purchases it for 85 gold, and a 5th level purchases it for 75 gold.

Moneychanger (Sp)

At 3rd level, the Plutomancer adds the spell Blood Money to their spell list if it is not already present. 

A number of times per day equal to their level in this class, a Plutomancer may transmute currency and gems, but not other types of valuables, into other forms of currency and/or gems. For example, 40,000 copper coins become 40 platinum coins; useful for hauling away a dragon hoard. Any amount of currency may be transmuted in this manner, but it must all be touching and the Plutomancer must be able to touch at least one of the valuables. Moneychanger cannot affect creatures or transformed creatures (such as those affected by flesh to ore) until such effects have fully ended or the creature has been destroyed.

The total gold piece value of all currency and gems before and after the transmutation must be identical, based on standard listed values; Moneychanger cannot increase or decrease the total gold piece value involved. When producing gems, the Plutomancer may only create gems whose individual listed values are standard denominations, and any remainder gold piece value that cannot be represented as gems must be produced as coinage.

The transmuted coins, gemstones, trade bars etc. all retain their other characteristics such as size, weight, portraits, etc. of their country of origin. However, a successful Linguistics skill check allows the Plutomancer to alter these characteristics convincingly; failure results in markings that may be identifiable as forged or irregular. The DC for this check is 15 for simple alterations, and DC 20 or higher for foreign or highly regulated currencies.

Campaign Impact: Blood Money allows the Plutomancer to bypass costly material components at the cost of personal injury. This may increase access to spells that are normally constrained by wealth. GMs should review this spell carefully and may wish to adjust treasure, spell availability, or downtime assumptions accordingly.

Secret Chest (Sp)

Once per day, the Plutomancer may summon or dismiss a secret chest as if casting the Secret Chest spell. The Plutomancer must still purchase both the masterwork chest and its miniature replica, and may apply Money on my Mind to reduce their cost. This ability functions at a caster level equal to the Plutomancer’s total caster level. Except as noted below, this ability is identical to the secret chest spell.

Unlike the spell, the chest does not disappear after 60 days; it remains stored on the Ethereal Plane indefinitely, provided the miniature chest remains intact and in the Plutomancer’s possession. If the miniature chest is lost or destroyed, the secret chest is lost as normal. Summoning or dismissing the chest is a standard action and provokes attacks of opportunity, as per the spell.

A Plutomancer may maintain only one secret chest at a time using this ability; creating a new secret chest immediately ends any previous instance. A secret chest benefiting from Deep Pockets does not expel its contents when transferred to or from the Ethereal Plane.

Canon of Coin (Ex)
At 4th level, the Plutomancer gains Canon of Coin as a bonus faith trait, even if they already possess a faith trait. This trait does not count against the Plutomancer’s normal limit on traits.

If the Plutomancer already possesses the Canon of Coin trait, they instead gain a +1 trait bonus on Appraise and Profession (Merchant) checks.

Pawnbroker (Sp)

At 4th level, the Plutomancer adds Fabricate to their spell list if it is not already present.

Once per day a Plutomancer can, with a touch, convert up to 100 pounds per caster level of non-living objects into gold coins equal to the amount of gold the Plutomancer would receive for selling those objects normally, after all applicable modifiers. Magic items get a saving throw vs. DC 15 + spellcasting ability modifier; living items and artifacts are unaffected. This ability functions at a caster level equal to the Plutomancer’s total caster level.

Note that this value is based upon intrinsic material worth, not weight or artistry; even a ton of stone is still only worth 1 gold, and a masterpiece painting is nothing but pigments on canvas, so converting objects of art into coins will yield less than their cultural worth. 

Pawnbroker only affects free-standing objects and not those which are attached to, and therefore could be considered parts of, a larger object. Furthermore, a large  item cannot be partially converted; the conversion must be all or nothing. 

Pawnbroker may be used to convert a Flesh to Ore victim into currency.

Fence from Beyond (Sp)

The Plutomancer always has someone they can call to help facilitate commerce. Once per day they may conjure a mercane (for magical items) or a witchwyrd (for more mundane valuables) as a calling effect. The creature appears in an adjacent open space and remains for 10 minutes per Plutomancer level, or until it completes all agreed-upon transactions, whichever comes first. The Fence from Beyond is keenly aware of the passage of time and departs promptly when the duration expires, regardless of whether negotiations have concluded.

The Fence is not compelled to trade, but begins with an attitude of Indifferent toward the Plutomancer and will only negotiate with them. The Plutomancer may use Mind on my Money and Money on my Mind to influence prices as normal. The Fence will not knowingly purchase living creatures, creatures that were once living (such as those affected by Flesh to Ore), or artifacts.

The Fence from Beyond buys and sells items at fair market rates appropriate to its nature and resources; it does not automatically possess rare, unique, or specific items, and highly unusual requests may require additional time, contacts, or may be unavailable at the GM’s discretion. The Fence may agree to seek out requested items and return at a later date, though success is not guaranteed.

The Fence will not engage in combat or provide any service other than buying and selling goods. If threatened, attacked, or summoned into immediate danger, it departs instantly. A Fence that is injured, cheated, or knowingly endangered by the Plutomancer or their allies will refuse future dealings and spread word of the Plutomancer’s unreliability.

Restoring relations with such contacts requires an atonement costing 1,000 gp per character level; if the Fence is slain due to negligence or betrayal, the cost increases to 2,500 gp per character level. Atonement restores the Fence’s attitude to Indifferent.

Flesh to Ore (Sp)

Once per week, the Plutomancer may use flesh to ore as a spell-like ability. This functions as flesh to stone, except as noted below. This ability has a caster level equal to the Plutomancer’s total caster level, and a saving throw DC of 16 + the Plutomancer’s spellcasting ability modifier.

A creature transformed by flesh to ore becomes a stone statue shot through with veins of mundane precious metals (such as gold, silver, and platinum) and gemstones worth 300 gp per caster level. Flesh to ore cannot create special materials, including but not limited to adamantine, mithral, cold iron, alchemical silver, or any other special or magical material.  

Until the statue is destroyed, it is treated as a transformed creature, not an object, for the purposes of spells and effects. The precious materials within the statue have no value and cannot be extracted while the statue remains intact. Effects such as Moneychanger, spells such as stone shape, or similar abilities cannot alter, subdivide, or transmute the statue or its contents while it remains intact. If the statue is restored to flesh by stone to flesh or similar magic before it can be destroyed, all precious materials are lost, crumbling into worthless stone dust.

However, if the statue is destroyed then the creature is irrevocably slain, and its remains become inert stone, precious metals, and gemstones of the stated value. Once destroyed in this manner, the creature cannot be restored to life or flesh by any means short of wish, miracle, or similarly powerful magic, even if the remains are present. After destruction, the inert materials may be affected normally by abilities such as Moneychanger.

Artifacts and creatures immune to flesh to stone are likewise immune to flesh to ore.