Eberron - Artificer Class Conversion

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Acknowledgements: Thanks go out to all our fellow paizonians that have spearheaded numerous inspirational artificer class conversions here and elsewhere. Without their efforts I would never have attempted to tackle my own humble attempt. A few good ideas have indeed been yoinked. Tinker on fellow artificers and good gaming!

Text has been condensed under various spoiler tags to keep the wall O’text monster away and keep the class compact and viewable by those with a passing interest. Though hopefully interests will be piqued and readers will dig further to satisfy curiosity.

This class conversion is currently undergoing play-testing in my Pathfinder Eberron - Shardspace campaign.

Class Conversion Notes:

The artificer was converted to an Int-based class versus a cha-based class. This seemed an intuitive move given the class propensity for crafting and specialized knowledge as well as my own interest. As a result, the artificer has been somewhat weaned off its absolute dependency on the Use Magic Device skill.

Infusions were made standard actions and are cast similar to spells. With the general weakness of the artificer infusion list, when applied to combat, having infusions requiring any more time to cast affected playability and player enjoyment. For balance, Infusions must now be prepared in advance (1 hour each day to fill used slots as a wizard does). Infusion slots may also be left open and filled later as well.

I liked to see artificers a bit more tinkery and so for entirely selfish reasons I added some fun and useful 0th level Infusions.

A Schema Book has been introduced to this class for two purposes: (1) Somewhat restrict the breadth of magical items created to a reasonable degree (at least without expending resources to be more capable of doing so) as well as represent an artificer’s “specialized” knowledge and skill mastery, and (2) allow artificer’s to show off their magic item mastery without always relying on a use magic device skill roll. Again, the choices an artificer makes to specialize in certain spell schematics make then unique and less of a carbon copy.

To this end the item crafting feats have been somewhat curtailed but remain plentiful and open-ended to allow for the creation of unique artificer characters. Whether a dual-wand wielding specialist, an item metamagic master, or a jack-of-all trades

The bonded artifact class ability now allows the artificer to choose to either have a homonculus or a bonded magic item (minus the casting penalty without).

One minor note: in the games that I run, the feat prereqs for Craft Wand is 3rd Level and Craft Wondrous Item is 5th.

THE ARTIFICER
HD: d8
BAB: 3/4 Progression
Saves: Fort (Poor), Reflex (Poor), Will (Good)
Infusions Per Day: As Bard Class

CLASS SKILLS
The artificer’s class skills are: Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Knowledge Arcane (Int), Knowledge: Engineering (Int), Knowledge Planes (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Artificers are proficient with all simple weapons, light and medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).

1st Craft Reserve, craftsman training, disable trap, scribe scroll, spell schematics
2nd Artisan expertise, trade secret
3rd Bonded artifact
4th Trade secret
5th Retain essence
6th Craftsman training
7th Metamagic spell trigger
8th Trade secret
9th Etch schema
10th Craftsman training
11th Metamagic spell completion
12th Trade secret
13th Skill mastery
14th Metamagic mastery
15th Craftsman training
16th Trade secret
17th Skill mastery
18th
19th Craftsman training
20th Master of artifice, trade secret

Infusions:

Artificers are more skilled craftsmen than spellcaster. They wield magical tools and specialized knowledge to temporarily imbue items with magical powers - these powers are called infusions. To learn and use an infusion an artificer must have an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the infusion level. Save DCs are 10 + the infusion level + the artificer's Int bonus. An artificer begins play with knowledge of all infusions on their list. Artificers can use only a limited number of infusions each day per Table 1-1 (per Bard spell progression) and gain a number of bonus infusions per day if they have a high Intelligence score.

An artificer must prepare infusions ahead of time, like a wizard or cleric, and spends 1 hour gathering tools and assembling components in order to replenish their daily allotment of infusions. 0th level infusions are prepared the same as higher level infusions but are useable at-will. In infusion is neither divine nor arcane magic. However, the action of infusing an item functions like the casting of a spell. Infusions also follow all rules for spells. An infusion can only be placed upon a construct or masterwork item. Infusions are temporary and may be placed upon already enchanted items but similar powers do not stack.

An artificer can apply any metamagic feat they know to their infusions and increases the level of the infusion just like a spell.

Artificer Infusion List:

0th Level
Arcane Mark
Copy
Detect Magic
Know Direction
Launch Bolt
Light
Mending
Open/Close
Purify Food and Drink
Read Magic
Silent Portal
Stick

1st Level
Ablative Armor (M)
Alarm
Armor Enhancement, Lesser*
Detect Secret Doors
Energy Alteration*
Enhancement Alteration*
Erase
Grease
Hold Portal
Identify
Indisputable Possession (M)
Inflict Light Damage*
Launch Item (SC)
Magic Vestment
Magic Weapon
Metamagic Scroll (M)
Pending Potion (M)
Repair Light Damage*
Resistance Item*
Shield of Faith
Skill Enhancement*
Spell Storing Item*
Weapon Augmentation, Personal*

2nd Level
Align Weapon
Arcane Lock
Armor Enhancement*
Bear's Endurance
Bull's Strength
Cat's grace
Continual Flame
Chill Metal
Eagle's Splendor
Elemental Prod (M)
Find Traps
Fox's Cunning
Heat Metal
Inflict Moderate Damage*
Knock
Locate Object
Lucky Blade (M)
Make Whole
Owl's Wisdom
Pyrotechnics
Reinforce Construct (M)
Repair Moderate Damage*
Toughen Construct*
Weapon Augmentation, Lesser*
Wood Shape

3rd Level
Adamantine Weapon (M)
Arcane Seal (SH)
Armor Enhancement, Greater*
Blast Rod (M)
Construct Energy Ward*
Explosive Runes
Glyph of Warding
Inflict Serious Damage*
Lucky Cape (M)
Magic Weapon, Greater
Metamagic Item*
Power Surge*
Quench (SC)
Repair Serious Damage*
Sign of Sealing (SC)
Spell Snare (M)
Stone Construct*
Stone Shape
Suppress Requirement*
Suspended Silence (SC)

4th Level
Censure Elemental (M)
Concurrent Infusions (M)
Construct Energy Ward, Greater*
Fire Trap
Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser
Inflict Critical Damage*
Item Alteration*
Iron Construct*
Metal Melt (SC)
Minor Creation
Ray Deflection (SC)
Repair Critical Damage*
Rusting Grasp
Shield of Faith, Legion's*
Weapon Augmentation*

5th Level
Fabricate
Inflict Light Damage, Mass (R)
Invoke Elemental (EH)
Ironguard, Lesser (SC)
Major creation
Passwall
Permanency
Repair Light Damage, Mass (R)
Slaying Arrow (M)
Spell Matrix, Lesser (SC)
Stone Shape, Greater
Wall of Force
Wall of Stone

6th Level
Blade Barrier
Disable Construct*
Globe of Invulnerability
Glyph of Warding, Greater
Sign of Sealing, Greater (SC)
Hardening*
Inflict Moderate Damage, Mass (R)
Move Earth
Repair Moderate Damage, Mass (R)
Spell Snare, Greater (M)
Total Repair
Wall of Iron
Weapon Augmentation, Greater

* - Eberron Campaign Setting, (EH) - Explorer's Handbook, (M) - Magic of Eberron, (R) - Races of Eberron, (SC) - Spell Compendium, (SH) - Sharn, City of Towers.

Craft Reserve:

The artificer knows techniques to reduce the cost of potions, spell completion, and spell trigger magic items they create. This pool of craft reserve may be used to offset item creation costs for these types of magic items and their bonded artifact. Each time the artificer gains a new level they receive a new pool of craft reserve. Any leftover from the previous level is lost.

1st 200
2nd 400
3rd 600
4th 800
5th 1,000
6th 1,500
7th 2,000
8th 2,500
9th 3,000
10th 4,000
11th 5,000
12th 7,000
13th 9,000
14th 12,000
15th 15,000
16th 20,000
17th 25,000
18th 30,000
19th 40,000
20th 50,000

Craftsman Training:

At 1st level and multiple levels thereafter, the artificer gains a +2 bonus to any one craft skill of their choice. Each time this ability is gained it applies to a different craft skill.

Disable Traps:

Like a rogue, an artificer can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps. They can also study and bypass traps if they beat the trap DC by 10 or more.

Spell Schematics:

An artificer's caster level is equal to their artificer level and they may create magic items, even if they do not have the ability to cast spells. The artificer must first master the spell schematic by copying it into their schema book through the study of a scroll or a magic item (as the same cost as a wizard scribes spells). The artificer may additionally emulate other crafting requirements per the Use Magic Device skill, each requiring its own successful skill check.

Spells an artificer has mastered satisfies the requirements for having that spell on the caster's spell list when using spell completion and spell trigger items. At 1st level, an artificer begins with 3 + Int modifier free spell schematics and gain 2 additional mastered spell schematics each level at no cost. Spell schematics may be mastered from any spell list.

Artisan Expertise:

At 2nd level, an artificer gains a +2 bonus on Use Magic Device skill checks for any item that they also know the item creation feat for.

Trade Secret:

At 2nd, 4th, and every 4 levels thereafter, the artificer may select a bonus feat. An artificer need not meet the level requirements but must still possess any feat prerequisites to take these feats and may be selected from the following: any metamagic feat, Exceptional Artisan, Extraordinary Artisan.

At 2nd level, the following feats are added to the list: Brew Potion, Craft Wand.

At 4th level add: Attune Magic Weapon, Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, Rapid Infusion.

At 8th level add: Craft Rod, Forge Ring, Improved Homunculus, Wand Mastery.

At 12th level add: Craft Construct, Craft Staff, Extra Rings.

Bonded Artifact:

At 3rd level, an artificer bonds with a specially created artifact - a homunculus created as if the artificer possessed the Craft Construct feat or a bonded magic item (per arcane bond except infusions may be cast without it at no penalty). The artificer must emulate the spell requirements as if crafting a magic item and must pay the standard costs but does not expend any time doing so. An artificer may also use their craft reserve to offset this cost.

An artificer can at any time upgrade their existing bonded artifact at normal cost but without expending any time. If they own a homunculus, the cost is 2000 gp per 1 Hit Die. If the artificer adds more than 6 Hit Die in this way, it becomes a Small creature (but never grows larger than Small) and advances as such. An artificer's homunculus can have as many Hit Dice as its master's Hit Dice -2.

Retain Essence:

At 5th level, an artificer can breakdown a magic item to its most vital components to be used in the creation of other items. The artificer can only do this with items they possess the appropriate item creation feat and must spend a full day studying the item and carefully disassembling it. At the end of the day, the item is destroyed and the artificer is left with a single magical component equal to half the original item's value.

A magical component can only be used to create one new item - any excess value left after the creation of the new item is lost. Multiple components may be used together and in conjunction with an artificer's craft reserve to craft a new item.

Metamagic Spell Trigger:

At 7th level, an artificer can apply any metamagic feat they know to a spell trigger item using a mastered spell schematic. This uses a number of extra charges on the spell trigger item equal to half the spell level increased (rounded up). The increased spell level of the affected item cannot exceed the artificer's highest infusion level they have access too.

Etch Schema:

At 9th level, the artificer gains the knowledge to create minor schema as a bonus feat per the Magic of Eberron sourcebook and bypasses the normal level requirement.

Metamagic Spell Completion:

At 11th level, an artificer can apply any metamagic feat they know to a spell completion item using a mastered spell schematic. This requires a successful Use Magic Device check against a DC equal to 20 + (spell level x 2). The increased spell level of the affected item cannot exceed the artificer's highest infusion level they have access to.

Skill Mastery:

At 13th and 17th level, an artificer may select two skills to take 10 on from the following list, even when they normally would not be able to do so: Craft (Any), Disable Device, Perception, Profession (Any), Spellcraft, Use Magic Device.

Metamagic Mastery:

At 14th level, an artificer may choose to use any metamagic feat they know and the spell level increase is reduced by one to a minimum of +0. This can be done a number of times per day equal to their Cha bonus. Additionally, an artificer may now increase the spell level of magic items and infusions with metamagic feats up to a total spell level equal to half the Artificer's level, up to a maximum of 9th at 18th level.

Master of Artifice:

At the height of their ability, the artificer has combined their mastery to imbue massive powers into a single unique item, creating an artifact. The powers and creation process for this artifact will be determined by the GM and will require extraordinary resources, time, and questing. The artifact becomes the sole possession of the artificer until death and hence will be their mortal legacy.

[Liquidsabre]

And it seems I missed the Conversion forum. Can a mod lend a hand? ;)