|
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
I've been working on an engineer variant for a while, and I finally have something semi-finalized and ready for review.
First, a quick overview of my logic in building the class. If you're not interested, it should be obvious where the class mechanics begin. It should be noted that I've abbreviated most of the class feature entries, stripping them of fluff and often not mentioning rules that are identical to the original equivalent ability.
1) This is for my group's upcoming campaign which is (probably) going to include a new skill, Use Technological Device. It's essentially Use Magic Device for tech-y things as was an early addition. Now that I have the Technology Guide, I may be removing it.
2) Replacing extracts are gadgets. They work mostly the same way, mechanically, except that they are not limited to being used on the engineer, himself. To balance this, a fair number of the transformative and major buffs have been removed making the engineer more of a blaster and debuffer than the alchemist. Additionally, there is no equivalent to the infusion discovery, so only the engineer whose gadget it is may ever use it.
3) Most choices of spells and abilities were done for fluff reasons. I removed abilities that were more potion-like or clearly alchemy-based (bombs aside), and kept/replaced them with spells and abilities that could conceivably be created by some sort of semi-magical gizmo. Vestigial arm, for example, represents an advanced mechanical prosthetic implanted into the engineer's body rather than a cultivated mutation.
4) An engineering equivalent of instant alchemy to carry on from swift engineering struck me as both beyond the reach of suspended disbelief and definitely overpowered, given the much broader applications it would have, in comparison. I decided not to replace it with anything partially as a safeguard to keep from risking the engineer becoming overpowered, and also because I just couldn't think of anything.
HD: d8
BAB: Average
Saves: Fort, Ref
CLASS SKILLS
The engineer's class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (any) (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Technological Device (Int).
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier
CLASS FEATURES
The following are class features of the engineer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Engineers are proficient with all simple weapons, firearms, and bombs. They are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Gadgetry (Su): Engineers prepare their spells by crafting a number of gadgets out of their collections of spare parts, and then “casts” his spells by triggering the gadget.
When using Craft (mechanical) to create a technological item, an engineer gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on the Craft (mechanical) check. In addition, an engineer can use Craft (mechanical) to identify technological items as if using technomancy. He must hold the item for 1 round to make such a check.
A gadget immediately becomes inert if it leaves the engineer's possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping—an engineer cannot pass out his gadgets for allies to use.
Formulae are renamed to schematics.
An engineer may qualify for the technomancer prestige class as if he could cast arcane spells equal to the highest level of gadgets he can use.
Bomb (Su): As the alchemist ability.
Cognatogen (Su): At 1st level, an engineer learns how to create a cognatogen, as per the cognatogen discovery.
Technologist (Ex): At 1st level, engineers receive Technologist (from Technology Guide) as a bonus feat.
Throw Anything (Ex): All engineers gain the Throw Anything feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. An engineer adds his Intelligence modifier to damage done with splash weapons, including the splash damage if any. This bonus damage is already included in the bomb class feature.
Discovery (Su): As the alchemist ability.
An engineer may choose from the following discoveries: acid bomb*, alchemical simulacrum (UM), blinding bomb (UM), concussive bomb*, confusion bomb*, delayed bomb, demolition charge* (DHB), dispelling bomb, directed bomb (MM), doppelganger simulacrum (UM), elemental mutagen (MM), explosive bomb*, fast bombs, fire brand (ARG), force bomb*, frost bomb*, grand cognatogen (UM), grand mutagen, greater alchemical simulacrum (UM), greater cognatogen (UM), greater mutagen, inferno bomb*, madness bomb, mutagen (UM), precise bombs, rocket bomb (ARG), scrap bomb (ARG), shock bomb*, smoke bomb*, spontaneous healing (UM), sticky bomb, stink bomb*, strafe bomb (UM), sunlight bomb* (UM), tanglefoot bomb* (UM), vestigial arm (UM), wings (UM)
Bonus Feat: An engineer may select Skill Focus (Craft [mechanical], Disable Device, Knowledge [engineering], or Use Technological Device), or any technological feat. This discovery may be selected multiple times, selecting a different feat each time.
Combat Inspiration (Ex): When an engineer uses inspiration on an attack roll or saving throw, he expends one use of inspiration instead of two. An engineer must be at least 9th level to select this talent.
Combine Gadgets: When the engineer creates a gadget, he can place two schematics into one gadget. When the gadget is consumed, both schematics take effect. This gadget has a level two levels higher than the highest-level schematics placed in the gadget. An engineer must be at least 8th level before selecting this discovery.
Eidetic Recollection (Su): An engineer can always choose to take 10 on any of his Knowledge checks, even if he's in immediate danger or distracted. An engineer may expend one use of inspiration to take 20 on a Knowledge skill check even if he's in immediate danger or distracted. An engineer must be at least 11th level to select this talent.
Grit (Ex): An engineer with this talent gains the Amateur Gunslinger feat and one grit feat of his choice. He must fulfill the prerequisites of the grit feat in order to choose it.
Inspiration (Ex): An engineer with this discovery gains a small inspiration pool. This inspiration is similar to an investigator's inspiration pool, except that he can only use his inspiration ability when attempting Craft (mechanical), Disable Device, Knowledge (engineering), or Use Technological Device checks without expending uses of inspiration, provided he's trained in the skill. The engineer gains a number of inspiration points equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). These inspiration points replenish at the start of each day. If he already has an inspiration pool, or gains an inspiration pool later, he gains half his Intelligence bonus (minimum 1) as bonus inspiration points to his inspiration pool.
Lucky Glitch (Ex): Whenever an engineer triggers a glitch when using a technological item, he rolls twice and can choose which of the two glitch effects actually occurs. An engineer always adds his level to rolls to determine what kind of glitch occurs, and treats rolls of over 100 as l00.
Parachute (Ex): The engineer creates a reusable parachute pack. As a standard action, the engineer may deploy this parachute to slow his falling (as the feather fall spell, but lasting until he lands). Upon landing, the parachute automatically winds back up into its pack. For one round after landing, the engineer is treated as flat-footed and his movement speed is halved.
Nimble (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, as the gunslinger ability.
Trapfinding (Ex): At 2nd level, as the rogue ability.
Swift Engineering (Ex): At 3rd level, an engineer can create technological items with astounding speed. It takes an engineer half the normal amount of time to create technological items.
Jury-Rig (Ex): At 6th level, as a standard action, an engineer can remove the broken condition from a single technological device he is currently holding. The broken condition returns after a number of charges (including shots of a firearm) have been spent equal to the engineer's Intelligence modifier, or twice that number of rounds have passed, whichever occurs first (minimum 1 round or charge).
Persistent Cognatogen (Su): At 14th level, the effects of a cognatogen last for 1 hour per level.
Grand Discovery (Su): I haven't yet come up with a lot of options for the engineer's equivalent of this ability.
Awakened Intellect: The engineer's constant exposure to strange chemicals has expanded his mind. His Intelligence score permanently increases by 2 points.
True Inspiration: The engineer can use inspiration on all skill checks – even ones he isn't trained in – and all ability checks without spending inspiration.
In addition, whenever he expends inspiration on an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, he adds 2d6 rather than 1d6 to the result. An engineer must possess the inspiration discovery before selecting this discovery.
True Cognatogen: The engineer's cognatogen now grants a +8 natural armor bonus and a +8 alchemical bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. The engineer takes a –2 penalty to his Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution as long as the cognatogen persists. An engineer must possess the grand cognatogen discovery before selecting this discovery.
ENGINEER GADGETS
Engineers gain access to the following gadgets. While most of these spells are found in the Core Rulebook, those with superscripts are drawn from other sources.
1st-Level Engineer Gadgets: alarm, ant haulAPG, anticipate perilUM, blurred movementACG, body capacitanceACG, bomber's eyeAPG, breakAPG, burning hands, chill touch, color spray, corrosive touchUM, crafter's fortuneAPG, cure light wounds, dancing lantern, detect radiationTG, detect secret doors, detect undead, disguise self, ear-piercing screamUM, endure elements, enlarge person, expeditious excavationAPG, expeditious retreat, firebellyISG, flare burstAPG, floating disc, gravity bowAPG, grease, heightened awarenessACG, hold portal, hydraulic pushAPG, hypnotism, identify, interrogationUM, invisibility alarmACG, jump, jury-rigUC, keen sensesAPG, long armACG, longshotUC, mage armor, magic missile, memory lapseAPG, monkey fishACG, negate aromaAPG, obscuring mist, polypurpose panaceaUM, ray of sickeningUM, ray of enfeeblement, reduce person, shield, shock shieldUC, shocking grasp, silent image, sleep, snapdragon fireworksUM, stunning barrierACG, targeted bomb admixtureUC, technomancyTG, thunderstompACG, touch of gracelessnessAPG, touch of the seaAPG, true strike, unseen servant, vanishAPG, ventriloquism, vocal alterationUM
2nd-Level Engineer Gadgets: ablative barrierUC, acid arrow, acute sensesUM, aid, air stepACG, ant haul (communal)UC, arrow eruptionAPG, barkskin, bestow weapon proficiencyUC, blood armorACG, blood transcriptionUM, blur, bullet shieldUC, bullet wardACG, buoyancyACG, burning gazeAPG, certain gripUC, continual flame, cure moderate wounds, darkness, darkvision, daze monster, defensive shockUM, delay poison, detect thoughts, elemental touchAPG, euphoric cloudACG, fire breathAPG, flaming sphere, focused scrutinyACG, fog cloud, frigid touchUM, frost fallUC, glideAPG, glitterdust, gust of wind, haunting mistsUM, hypnotic pattern, invisibility, kinetic reverberationUC, knock, levitate, light prisonISG, magic siege engineUC, make whole, mirror image, molten orbACG, protection from arrows, pyrotechnics, reloading handsUC, resist energy, returning weaponUC, ricochet shotUC, scorching ray, see invisibility, shadow bomb admixtureUC, shatter, sonic screamACG, spider climb, time shudderACG, touch injectionUC, twisted spaceUC, undetectable alignment, web
3rd-Level Engineer Gadgets: anchored stepACG, arcane sight, aura sightACG, burrowUM, burst of speedUC, cure serious wounds, darkvision (communal)UC, daylight, deep slumber, delay poison (communal)UC, disable constructACG, dischargeTG, dispel magic, displacement, draconic reservoirAPG, elemental auraAPG, endure elements (communal)UC, fireball, flame arrow, fly, force punchUM, haste, hold person, hydraulic torrentAPG, invisibility sphere, irradiateTG, keen edge, lightning bolt, lightning lash bomb admixtureUC, locate weaknessUC, marionette possessionUM, nauseating trailACG, nondetection, pain strikeAPG, pellet blastUC, pierce disguiseACG, protection from arrows (communal)UC, protection from energy, ray of exhaustion, rechargeTG, resinous skinUC , resist energy (communal)UC, seek thoughtsAPG, shrink item, silver dartsACG, slow, spider climb (communal)UC, stinking cloud, stunning barrier (greater)ACG, thorn bodyAPG, thunderstomp (greater)ACG, water breathing
4th-Level Engineer Gadgets: air walk, air walk (communal)UC, arcane eye, ball lightningAPG, caustic bloodISG, confusion, cure critical wounds, darkvision (greater)UM, dazeUM, detonateAPG, dragon's breathAPG, echolocationUM, enchantment foilACG, enervation, eyes of the voidACG, fire shield, fire trap, flaming sphere (greater)ACG, freedom of movement, globe of invulnerability (lesser), invisibility (greater), locate creature, magic circle against technologyTG, magic siege engine (greater)UC, make whole (greater)TG, malfunctionUM, neutralize poison, resilient sphere, scrying, secure shelter, shout, solid fog, spell immunity, stoneskin, unbearable brightnessACG, universal formulaAPG, vitriolic mistUM, wall of fire
5th-Level Engineer Gadgets: acidic sprayUM, baleful polymorph, blight, cloudkill, cone of cold, contact other plane, corrosive consumptionUM, destroy robotTG, elude timeAPG, energy siege shotUC, hammer of mendingISG, hold monster, icy prisonUM, languid bomb admixtureUC, lightning arcUM, magic jar, overland flight, pain strike (mass)APG, planar adaptationAPG, prying eyes, rapid repairUM, sending, sonic thrustUM, spell resistance, stoneskin (communal)UC, teleport, unbreakable constructUM, wall of soundUM, wall of force, waves of fatigue
6th-Level Engineer Gadgets: acid fog, analyze dweomer, antimagic field, caging bomb admixtureUC, chain lightning, discharge (greater)TG, disintegrate, dispel magic (greater), energy siege shot (greater)TG, freezing sphere, globe of invulnerability, heal, mislead, programmed image, transformation, true seeing
Did you forget to put Inspiration in there as a class ability?
Otherwise, looks pretty good to me. As of yet not sure of how well balanced it is not that anything jumps out at me as wrong. That being said I didn't go through it in super detail.
So far so good. :)
I totally missed that!