Artificer
An artificer is an individual who lives on the edge of magic and science. They are craftsmen and engineers, mixing the arcane and divine with a new discipline: technology. Artificers are students of exotic sciences and theories, and are often viewed with distrust, derision or outright hostility by those versed in traditional magic. Artificers are driven by a unyielding thirst for knowledge, but often at the expense of their social skills. In many ways, they are the archetypal ‘mad scientist’, reveling in invention but difficult to understand.
Similar to wizards, artificers receive formal training and education through years of hard study. The talents and desire to enter the world of the artificer often manifest at a very early age, through the disassembling of objects and devices for no other reason that curiosity. Artificers are a closely knit society, sharing a sense of camaraderie with others who have similar training and knowledge. They relish intellectual debate and conversation with their fellows, sharing theories and commentary upon each other’s techniques and innovations. Rivalry between artificers is common, with each viewing themselves as the pinnacle of a rare and exclusive breed, and eager to correct the “mistakes” of their rivals.
Artificers are valuable support within their party, offering technological and magical assistance to others. Much like druids, Artificers possess a versatility that allows them to fill in gaps in a party's capabilities. Their constructs can bolster a front line, their gadgets can provide support or inflict pain from the rear, and their ability to craft all manner of magical items serves as a force multiplier for themselves and their compatriots.
Alignment
Any.Hit Dice
1d6Proficiencies
- Armor: Light and medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).
- Weapons: All simple weapons.
- Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).
- Skill Points Per Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are features of the Artificer class.Spells
An artificer has access to spells from the Artificer Spell List. From this list, the artificer selects a number of spells to add to their spells known, and can know a number of spells of each level according to the artificer spells known table. Each level after first, in addition to adding new spells to their list, an artificer may replace one spell they currently know with another spell of the same level. These spells cannot be cast in the traditional manner, and instead represent the list of spells the artificer can draw from when crafting their gadgets.Gadgets
An artificer is not a spell caster, but instead possesses the ability to imbue items with magical power. This ability allows them to create gadgets that can reproduce the effects of one or more spells the artificer knows. These gadgets can be quite powerful, but are also tempermental and fragile, prone to breaking with misuse or overuse. Gadgets cannot be crafted on demand, and as such most artificers choose to carry a fixed collection of regularly used devices. Crafting GadgetsTo craft a gadget, an artificer chooses one or more spells or Metatech (described below) effects they know to embed into a prepared Object. Gadgets take many forms, but by default each is a small sized Object that can be held and activated in one hand. An artificer may craft any number of gadgets and begins play with two 1st level gadgets already crafted and charged. Crafting gadgets requires a set of artificer's tools. Each spell added to a gadget adds its Spell Level to the level of the gadget, and each spell beyond the first adds one to the instability score of the gadget (ex. adding a 1st and 3rd level spell to a gadget would make it a 4th level gadget with an instability score of +1). Any decision to be made about target types or effects with any spell added (such as Dispel Magic and Shatter's area vs target decision, Resist Energy's chosen energy type, or the number of targets a Haste spell affects) are made when the spell is added to the gadget. For gadgets with multiple spells, the order in which those spells are resolved on use is also chosen as they are added. The Caster Level of any spell added to a gadget is the class level of the artificer when they add it. Metatech effects each add their modifiers to level and instability when they are added to a gadget. A metatech effect added to a gadget affects every spell embedded in that gadget provided that it is a valid modification to the spell (an empower effect added to a gadget with Scorching Ray, Magic Missile, and Grease would increase the damage of the Scorching Ray and Magic Missile spells, having no effect on the Grease spell). Preparing a suitable piece of equipment for a gadget, whatever form it may take, requires 4 hours work and 50gp of raw materials. Once prepared, spells and metatech can be added to the gadget to make it functional. Adding a spell or metatech to a gadget requires 4 hours and 100gp in raw materials per level it adds to the gadget (minimum 4 hours and 100gp). This work need not be consecutive, and partially added spells and metatech have no effect on the effective level or use of a gadget until they are completed and the gadget it recharged. Gadgets are crafted inert, and cannot be used under any circumstances until they have been charged. A spell or metatech can be removed, replaced, or updated by an artificer for 2 hours per level changed. By this process an embedded spell's Caster Level can be updated when the artificer achieves a higher level (or inherits a gadget from a lower level artificer), spells can be swapped out, or effects can be removed to reduce the level of the gadget. In the event of a change that decreases the total level of the gadget, the artificer recoups raw materials equal to 100gp per level the gadget is reduced by. All gadgets have AC 9, 10 hit points, Hardness 5, a break DC of 21, and typically weigh around 1 lb. If a gadget with an active charge is Broken through damage or a break check, it triggers a Wild Surge. A Broken gadget can be salvaged by an artificer for 50gp plus 100gp per level of the gadget, or they can spend 2 hours per gadget level to repair it. Salvaging a gadget takes 4 hours regardless of level. Using Gadgets
Gadgets cannot be used in an inert state. After a full rest, an artificer can spend one hour to replenish charges to as many gadgets as they have slots for. How many slots they have for each gadget level is shown on the artificer class table. Gadgets can be charged by using a slot of a higher level than the gadget, but the gadget gains no bonuses for doing so. Artificers do not gain additional gadget slots if they have a high Intelligence score, but rather can choose that many gadgets at each level to gain a second charge, allowing them to be used twice before losing its charge (see Ability Scores for more details). Gadgets lose their charge and become inert again 24 hours after being charged. In a pinch, an artificer can reset the duration of an active gadget much faster than replenishing charges, requiring only a Standard Action for each gadget refreshed, but doing so consumes a gadget slot as though they had replenished that gadget's charges. Gadgets with no charge remain active until they have gone 24 hours since their last charge or refresh.
Note: spells with costly componentsActivating a gadget consumes its charge. A gadget's activation time is that of the longest cast time amongst spells within the gadget. Regardless of the spells or effects, gadgets require at minimum a Swift Action to activate, and cannot be activated with an Immediate Action. Activating gadgets do not provoke attacks of opportunity, but do require a Concentration check if interrupted. If a check fails by 5 or more, a Wild Surge is triggered. An artificer can activate any charged gadget they crafted at will. They can also spend a full round action and make a Use Magic Device check to identify the properties of a gadget they did not create, allowing them to use it as though they created it. Non artificers (or artificers who have not identified the properties of a gadget they didn't create) can activate a charged gadget by making a successful Use Magic Device check. The DC of either check is 10 plus 2 times the gadget level plus its instability score. If a check made to activate a gadget fails by 5 or more, the gadget is Broken in the attempt, and if it fails by 10 or more a Wild Surge is also triggered. When a gadget is activated, the user chooses a target for the gadget, whether its a location or creature. How spells interact with the target chosen is based on how the spell is aimed, and is listed below:
If a gadget contains a spell with a costly material component, it must be provided when the gadget is charged (multipe charges require multiple copies of the component). If any charges go unspent, they can be later recharged without providing an additional component - the component is only consumed by activating the gadget. An artificer can recover unspent components when salvaging a broken or unwanted gadget.
- Target or Targets: if a valid target is chosen within the range of the spell, the spell affects that target. Otherwise the spell does not activate. If the spell can affect multiple targets, additional valid targets are chosen starting with the closest to the chosen target until the maximum target count is reached or there are no valid targets left. If the target is personal, the spell has no effect unless the user targets themselves.
- Ray: A ray fires at the location or creature targeted, unless the user targets themselves, in which case the spell does not activate. A ranged Touch Attack is still required, and the ray dissipates if it passes beyond the range of the spell.
- Area (Spread, Burst, Emanation, Cylinder or Sphere): Area spells of these types trigger centered on the location or creature targeted, provided it is within range of the spell. If the target is out of range, the spell triggers at the limit of its range in the direction of the target.
- Area (Cone, Line): Spells with a cone or line area are aimed in the direction of the target, affecting the normal area of the spell. If the user targets themselves, the spell does not trigger.
Example: Corryn decides to activate a 5th level gadget with Resist Energy (fire) and Fireball embedded. As he crafted this gadget, he does not need to make a check, so he activates it as a Standard Action, targeting himself. Resist Energy provides him with Fire Resistance, then a Fireball is triggered centered on him. If he instead targets an enemy 50 feet away, the Resist Energy does not trigger (as it is a touch spell), leaving the Fireball to trigger on that enemy. If a target was chosen outside the range of the Fireball spell, the Fireball would trigger at its maximum range in the direction of the target.
Metatech
When artificers craft gadgets, they can add different effects to them, called metatech. Each metatech effect has a level and instability cost, increasing the level and instability of a gadget by said amount when it is added. An artificer can apply any metamagic feat they know to a gadget as a metatech effect, with both the level and instability cost equaling the Spell Level increase of the metamagic effect. A list of metatech feats can be found here Add the metatech feats!!.True Artisans
An artificer is unmatched in their craft, and develops an understanding of the inner workings of magical devices and enhancements far beyond any other. As such, artificers are better able to craft magical items for which they do not possess access to the requisite spells. Artificers do not increase the DC of checks to create magic items for not knowing prerequisite spells for magic items. Artificers may attempt to craft Potions, Spell Capsules, Spell Trigger Items, and Spell Completion Items requiring spells from the Wizard Spell List by emulating access to those spells. To do so, the artificer must make a successful Craft (artifice) check for each spell emulated to successfully craft the item (DC is 20 + twice the Spell's Level). The check is rolled at the end of the item creation process, and a failed roll means the process must be restarted (no materials are lost from a failure, only time). When emulating spell access, artificers are treated as wizards two levels higher than their artificer class level for the purpose of Spell Level prerequisites. Any level dependent effects on the completed item (such as duration, range, and damage dice) still use the artificer's actual class level.Example: Corryn is 3rd level and wants to scribe a scroll of Fireball. He can attempt to emulate access to the fireball spell with a DC 26 Craft (artifice) check, and meets the caster level 5 requirement for Fireball as he is treated as a 5th level wizard. As he is still only 3rd level, the fireball evoked from this scroll have a Caster Level of 3, dealing 3d6 damage.
Trapfinding
Artificers add 1/2 their level on Perception checks to locate traps and on Disable Device checks (minimum +1). An artificer can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.Elemental Mastery
When adding spells that deal elemental damage (Fire, Cold, Electric, Sonic, Acid) to gadgets, Artificers can apply special modifiers to that damage based on the element. Fire and Cold spells gain +1 damage per 1d6 of damage dealt, and if a Cold spell has a Reflex Save it instead becomes Fortitude. Electric spells gain an additional +2 to the DC of any save made against it, and gains a +2 to any Caster Level check to overcome Spell Resistance. Sonic spells deal 1 less damage per 1d6 dealt, but ignore any Hardness. Acid spells add damage over time, dealing 1 damage per 1d6 of the original spell's damage for 1 round per Spell Level. All of these effects are optional, and are chosen when the gadget is crafted.Crafting Feats
Artificers gain many Item Creation Feats as bonus feats as the level.- Craft Spell Capsule, 2nd level
- Craft Wondrous Item, 4th level
- Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 5th level
- Craft Wand, 6th level
- Craft Rod, 8th level
- Craft Construct, 9th level
- Craft Staff, 11th level
- Forge Ring, 12th level
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