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The Tinker: Master of Modular Mechanical Mayhem (PFRPG) PDF

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The Tinker: Master of Modular Mechanical Mayhem (PFRPG) PDF

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BECOME THE SQUAD COMMANDER!

For some, the smell of oil is akin to that of a fine perfume, the rush of invention is the only motivation one needs, and the eternal battle against corrosion is a constant annoyance. These individuals, the tinkers, are exemplars of the unfettered creative spirit. It is this creative spirit, the constant thirst for new ideas, that propels them to seek the unknown, whether it be found in a library or in the dark depths of an ancient tomb. Supported by a vast array of custom automatons, an experienced tinker, while not a fierce combatant on his own, commands an exceptionally versatile squadron that more than makes up for his own deficiencies.

The Tinker: Master of Modular Mechanical Mayhem is the end result of months of playtesting and development. Presented herein is the Tinker base class, an individual who can be described as a "non-spellcaster spellcaster". The domain of the tinker is the mundane. While others dominate the battlefield with arms and arcane might, the tinker does so through mechanical means.

The tinker's greatest asset is the variety of machines he can bring to bear in a fight. Small, mindless automatons make up the bulk of this power, but experienced tinkers are capable of building autonomous Alphas that act as the tinker's #2. Sentient, the alpha can eventually learn to order around the automatons so the tinker doesn't have to. Further, truly skilled tinkers are followed around by a swarm of nanobots. This swarm is capable of rending most any material into its constituent pieces and then rebuilding it into something useful. Many of the dragonscale breastplates that exist in the world today were crafted from a dragon in six seconds flat by a tinker swarm.

To allow for maximum modularity, the tinker has a brand new magic-like system: inventions! Tinkers can learn inventions, place them into blueprints, and then deploy automatons based on those blueprints.

This product features:

  • The Tinker base class
  • Progression tables for the tinker, his automatons, and his alpha
  • 4 feats
  • 21 innovations (talents)
  • 12 greater innovations (greater talents)
  • 121 inventions with full summary invention list
  • Dozens of pregenerated automaton configurations to get the creative juices flowing
  • Bookmarks and limited internal linking
If sales are strong, a number of prestige classes will be made available for the tinker as separate products. These include:
  • The Innovator - By focusing his inventive power on his weapon, the innovator makes a one-of-a-kind killymajig.
  • The Mechromancer - Mixing the power of necromancy with the power of invention, the mechromancer maintains a double dose of mindless thralls. Backed by the ability to raise "dead" automatons, the line between machine and undead blurs in awkward ways.
  • The Steelsinger - So, you have a bunch of robots. Awesome - make a band.

Product Availability

Fulfilled immediately.

Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at store@paizo.com.

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A robot-deploying base class

5/5 —

The Tinker – Master of Modular Mechanical Mayhem is a complex, in-depth, customizable class with excellent potential. It is, however, something that should be attemoted by more experienced players, due to the large amount of options presented. The pdf weighs in at 34 pages, so let's crack it open and see what we have.

The Tinker gets d8 hit dice, ¾ BAB, and 4+Int skill points per level. He also gets a good Reflex save, simple weapon proficiency, and proficiency with light armour and shields. As it turns out, medium and heavy armour interferes with ‘all of the ridiculous pantomiming’ that comes with issuing orders, creating a sort of mundane failure chance.

Now for the crunchy class features, which the Tinker certainly brings in spades. Probably the biggest thing is the robots – or ‘automatons’, Small constructs with poor saves and a set number of hit points. The Tinker can deploy a number of automatons a day equal to his class level, and can have one out at a time at first level, eventually gaining the ability to have up to three automatons deployed at once. These automatons are built from blueprints, of which the Tinker only has a very limited number, which are customized with inventions (more on those later). The process takes an hour, much like a wizard preparing his spells.

Once deployed, the Tinker has to give his automatons directives, which takes a standard action. The automatons, it should be reminded, have only a semblance of intelligence – the directives include warnings that, for example, should the target of an Attack directive die, the automaton will continue to maul the corpse. Automatons can also be directed to use potion injectors, repair kits, and any skills in which they have ranks as directives.

Master’s Presence allows the Tinker’s automatons to use some of his own basic features, such as BAB and base saving throw modifiers, on their own rolls, while Scribe Invention functions much like Scribe Scroll, allowing the Tinker to make copies of his inventions to distribute – handy, as copying from one invention book to another tends to end messily!

At every even-numbered level, the Tinker gains an Innovation, a breakthrough discovery that enhances his automatons. Such innovations include additional, specialized directives (such as Aid or Kamikaze), the ability to include design inventions in his blueprints without having to remove other inventions, heavier construction (granting automatons more hit points), more blueprints, self-defence programming, and, in a truly wonderful bit of flavour text, ‘Overzealous Execution’ – Having given each of your automatons a semblance of a personality, they suddenly begin to exhibit an almost dog-like desire to please you by following your commands with an overzealous excitement. Cute!

Moving on, the Tinker gains ½ his class level as a bonus to Craft checks, and, at 4th level, the Alpha. The Alpha is a Medium construct, with an Intelligence score of 10 and the ability to gain feats. It can also hold more inventions, but the downside is that these inventions can’t be changed except upon gaining a new class level, or completely rebuilding the Alpha (an expensive process, but a necessary one if the Alpha falls).

At 5th, 10th, and 15trh level, the Tinker gains a Greater Innovation. These allow him to, for example, grant extra hit dice to his automatons, decrease the cost of rebuilding his Alpha, change blueprints as a full-round action, and even make ‘gigadroids’ two size categories larger than normal. Probably the coolest ability, however, is the Swarm that the Tinker gets at 11th level – a swarm of nanobots that can duplicate fabricate to turn raw materials into a finished product, and, at higher levels, can process living creatures (as per disintegrate), and reshape solid magical effects. Finally, at 20th level, the Tinker has to choose a line of succession – the options are Constitutional Monarchy, Progenitor, and Gavelkind. As capstones go, I have to say this is a brilliant way of handling it – deciding what happens to your robot buddies after you die!

We then get an overview of the automatons and the Alpha, complete with tables showing level advancement. Automatons gain a semblance of personality, as well as the ability to help, unasked, on Craft checks using the Aid Another action – a nice little mental image. The Alpha gains the ability to issue directives to other automatons, and to deploy automatons if the Tinker is unconscious or dead (though it can’t alter the blueprints).

We then get some favoured class bonuses, a few feats (mostly focusing on Honorary Tinker, which allows a non-Tinker to issue directives to idling automatons or automatons defending them), and then 20 pages of Inventions, first grouped by level and summarized, then explained in full detail. There are too many to describe, so I’ll just say this much: many of them build off each other and you can find some fun combinations. And if you’re like me (easily overwhelmed by options), the author has helpfully included sample configurations at various levels, for various purposes. You can build a sunder-bot, a tripper, an electroshocker, a heavy melee bot, a missile blaster, or even a kamikaze root, built entirely to explode and deal as much damage as possible. Excellent stuff! Other inventions include potion injectors, crossbow turrets, and “robosaddles”, allowing the Tinker to saddle up his ‘bot and ride it into battle!

The entire pdf is presented in crisp black and white, with a simple border and a few pieces of line art. If you’re looking for beautiful illustrations of the Tinker and his buddies, you won’t find them; however, you’ll probably be too busy trying to wrap your head around all the crunch. I’ll be honest, here – when I first read this class, I was overwhelmed. It definitely needs to be opened up and played with before you can begin to appreciate the true potential of the class.

That said, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a wonderful class, sprinkled liberally with humour, ridiculously customizable, and carrying plenty of support from the author. A solid five stars – worth every cent of the asking price!

Robot pilot

5/5 —

Summary: The tinker is a pet class that builds and controls robots similar in strength to summoned creatures and animal companions, but with eidolon-like mechanics. Instead of spells, he gets inventions, used exclusively on his bots.

Main ability: Intelligence.

Gameplay experience: When presenting the class to my players, the one who would later pick it up, defined it: “Isn’t this just like a drone pilot?”. And, indeed, the main robots of the Tinker, the automatons, behave just like drones, needing directives to do anything. The character sits back and just remote controls his way through combat. But since they use up a standard action, directives can become a challenge to issue, especially if the tinker is a melee combatant and has the habit to charge as soon as possible, leaving the rest of the party behind (with mixed results!).

My melee tinker player is struggling to understand that the automaton is actually the better tanker, not himself – but the other shoe is starting to drop, and he’s using more and more his directives, in clever ways. The automaton really begins to pick up at the second level, when he can receive more than one invention. And the kamikaze directive is just a beast, perfect to end encounters.

He still has to level up enough to get an alpha, but I expect a more independent robot to change a lot the dynamic of the tinker in battle. And once the second automaton kicks in, things will get even crazier. Yes, he friggin’ loves his robots.

Ramblings: The directives make the Tinker quite an unique pet class, unlike animal (ab)users who practically control their pets as an extended part of their bodies - the automaton actually requires constant planning, but makes it up to the player for being so versatile and tough/useful. But left alone, they are nothing more than furniture – hardly a monster will ever bother attacking a still robot instead of a meaty player character. You gotta keep them moving!

And I don’t even want to imagine what a Tinker can do if all his automatons and alpha are destroyed, with no deployments left. Maybe I won’t have to, if the party runs into some robot-hating monsters in a future encounter… sounds fun.

Rarting: Five out of five stars.

Suggestions: Maybe a way to use magic items to power up the automatons? Not making them hold wands and cast fireballs or anything like that, but maybe consuming charges or uses per day to do something odd. Not really an idea, barely a concept.

Drawing a blank here, since the tinker is the most expanded class of Interjection Games, with extra books containing archetypes, prestige classes and inventions. And it will be expanded even further, according to its creator. Looking forward to it!

An Endzeitgeist.com review

5/5 —

This pdf is 34 pages long, 1 page front cover, 1 page hyperlinked ToC, 1 page SRD, leaving us with a whopping 31 pages of content, so let's take a look!

So, what's up with the Tinker-class? He gets d8, 4+Int skills per level, proficiency with simple weapons, light armor and shields, 3/4 BAB-progression, good ref-saves - and that's where the basic components stop. Tinkers get access to so-called inventions. In order to use inventions, a tinker needs an int-score of 10+ the invention level. In contrast to spell-DCs, DCs, when applicable, for inventions, are 10 +1/2 class level + Int-mod.

Tinkers also get 1+Int/3 blueprints and each blueprint and each blueprint contains class level times build pool points, with 5th level and every 5 levels after that offering an additional blueprint beyond those granted by the Int-score formula. The tinker can deploy automatons 1/day/level.

Beyond that, the Tinker gets an invention-book, which is somewhat akin to a wizard-book in how it works regarding copying from it etc. Tinkers start with 3+Int mod inventions at first level and get +2 inventions per level, of any available level - for depending on the level of the tinker, inventions of up to 6th level are available. Scribing these for other tinkers to use also works akin to scribing scrolls. But that's where the similarities with spellcasting ends.

Tinkers also create so-called automatons, at 1st level he creates the first and then at 7th and 13th level additional automatons. These automatons can be directed via (Surprise!) so-called Directives, which can be deciphered via Spellcraft. A total of 8 directives from attacks to support and idle and following is covered and issuing these directives is a standard action, but shutting these automatons down to an idle state is a free action. Automatons get up to 7 HD (at 20th level, though information for further progression is present) and may at this Tinker-level, have +2 saves , Str and Dex 14 (starting off with 10) and 47 HP. Automatons are created much like spells are prepared

At 4th level, the Tinker also gets a special automaton, the Alpha, who may use untrained skills in contrast to regular automatons and which may actually make its own decisions, including AoOs. Alphas may get up to 12 HD (again, with information to transcend the 20th level cap, if need be), up to +4 to saves, Str and Dex of up to 20 (starting at 12) and 90 HP as well as feats on every third HD. At higher levels, the Alpha may issue directives autonomously and at 19th level, even temporarily replace the tinker's abilities in commanding his/her automatons while s/he is incapacitated. Also, in contrast to losing automatons, losing an alpha s actually penalized, costing the Tinker quite an array of GP to rebuild his crowning achievement, should it ever be destroyed.

Abilities? Yes - for when looking just at the basic table, the automatons are WEAK. Which is by design - from the 1st level on, the automatons get the tinker's BAB as an insight bonus to atk, AC and CMD and may use the tinker's BAB to calculate their CMB and additionally may add their creator's saving throws as insight bonuses to their ridiculously low own - but only when within 30 ft. of the Tinker, 60 ft. at 9th level. This is an interesting balancing take indeed, as it makes the automatons and creations much more susceptible to being destroyed when sent on errands and used haphazardly and provides a nice rules-justification for the tinker to actually maintain proximity to his creations and not use them (exclusively) as expendable trap/ambush-bait.

Of course, bonuses to crafting, as were to be expected, are also part of a tinker's array, as is a rather cool idea - at 11th level, the tinker essentially gets a swarm of nanite-style constructs that can act as a mage hand and comes with 3 charges that allow the swarm to use fabricate once per charge. Starting at 14th level, tinkers may use disintegration via their swarm on living targets, fabricating duplicates of their dissolved bodies and later even break down walls of force and similar magical effects.

Additionally, at 2nd level and every 4 levels after that, the tinker learns an innovation and at 5th, 10th and 15th a greater innovation. Unless I have miscounted, tinkers may select from a total of 21 innovations to add to their automatons - and they are interesting indeed: For example, you may opt to grant your Alpha +2 to Str and Dex and +1 HD at the cost of one less regular automaton deployed at any given time, enhance the range in which your Alpha benefits from your Master's aura, add a charge to your swarm's charge pool etc. or increase the durability of your constructs, available blueprints or an addition invention with a limited build pool for your Alpha - permanently - unless you take a second innovation, that is. There are also innovations here that allow you to make your automatons capable of aiding others and one to make your automatons go kamikaze in a limited radius. Among the Greater Innovations, we get the options to rebuild your Alpha from scratch, enhance the physical prowess of your constructs and swap out deployed automatons 3/day with other blueprints you may have prepared. I have already mentioned the option to create massive, over-sized automatons or deploy your swarm not as a spell-like non-magical ability, but as a type of swarm-automaton. It should also be noted, that a certain innovation, designer, is required to get access to certain inventions, so you might want to fracture that into your contemplations.

The class comes with favored class options for the core-races as well as 4 new feats, one of which nets you an extra innovations. One lets you give directives as if a tinker/command unsupervised other automatons, retaliate for the destruction of your automatons or (and that one is AWESOME), share your teamwork feat as a swift action with your automatons.

The pdf also features inventions - vast, vast arrays of inventions. Inventions span 6 levels and the maximum available level of invention is based on tinker-level. Beyond this straight balancing, the respective inventions also have build pool point-costs ranging from 1 to 4, acting as a second means of balancing the respective inventions for the respective automaton-builds your tinker may devise. They come with a nice, concise list that provides you an overview and spans multiple pages (yes, that many inventions!) as well as prerequisites, when applicable.

And oh boy - they are rather versatile: From allowing your automatons to make the total defense action or repair oneself, reload ranged weapons etc. Supplies etc. need to be replenished and even riding the automaton via saddles becomes possible, as is the option to add catapults to hurl flasks. Have an alchemist-buddy? Well, your automaton can act as a minelayer, apply poisons, inject multiple potions at once or create a static shield of electricity that surrounds the automaton - which is btw. massively upgradeable. Have I mentioned the glorious one that lets the invention of a high-level pugilist move up to its speed and trip and sunder everything in its path 1/day, combinable with other inventions for even more pain and insult to injury?

The pdf also provides us a short FAQ as well as some sample invention-progressions.

As I'm seeing myself often complaining about the lack of support for 3pp-classes, sometimes in their very own books, this massive array of customization options is a joy to behold and makes for some massive options.

Have I mentioned the three exceedingly cool capstone abilities?

Conclusion:

Editing and formatting are top-notch, I didn't notice any significant glitches or typos while reading this pdf. Layout adheres to Interjection Games' elegant 2-column b/w-standard and sports some nice, thematically fitting b/w-artworks. The pdf is fully bookmarked for your convenience, though not with nested bookmarks.

These are good days to review classes, it seems. I'm quite impressed with this tinker - author Bradley Crouch has created a delightfully complex class with multiple checks and balances that does some actually UNIQUE things - it's not just an alternate summoner or akin to the machinesmith - it gloriously does something different and shows that is a labor of love, oozing excellent ideas and allowing a staggering array of customization options for your perusal.

One minor gripe I have would be that inventions that net proficiencies are supposed to net the respective items as well - something I consider slightly problematic in games where the money is tight - requiring the tinker to provide at least one base weapon (e.g. one bastard sword that can be used again if the automaton is destroyed) to be integrated into an automaton might be more prudent for certain groups, though I can see that being best house-ruled.

Let's do the run-though, shall we? All in all, we get a VERY complex class with options galore, something to tinker with and create, a class that does not just copy existing builds but dares to do things differently. It's funny, really - after Purple Duck Games' Covenant Magic, I did not expect to soon give ANY class a good verdict - the offering just upped the ante that far. But this tinker here actually manages to climb to the highest echelons with a combination of great fluff, nice humor and most of all: Solid crunch galore. Reviewing it was a nightmare, though - it's been ages since I had to do this much math to check for average damage etc. - mind you, the implementation when playing/building works much easier, though. While the first iteration suffered from some oversights, these have by now been mostly rectified and thus I feel justified in rating this 5 stars + seal of approval - well worth your money and definitely an advanced class that feels very unique and exciting.

Endzeitgeist out.

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Bought this a couple of days ago and creating my first character.

Where does it say the size and movement of the Automatons? I must have missed it. I am in support of the statblock idea.

Great class and great flavor.

I am playing in a gestalt game and rotating between this, Alchemist and Gunslinger for a complete steam-punk character.

Lord Mhoram, their speed is sized based, so small is 20 feet, medium 30 feet ect.

I have a follow up however to that one, do their base stats change if using Enlarge design per normal monster enlargement rules? Also if the Alpha is given limited use inventions such as the repair kit, how are those items restocked since re-summoning the alpha doesn't really happen too often.
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1: Yes, size changes things.
2: The Alpha's Achilles heel is being unable to reload limited use inventions. I've considered adding in an innovation to give the alpha the ability to recharge daily.

So... Any chance that there's a stat block on the horizon? I've been playing the class using Animated Object as a base - which gives my constructs a hardness 5.
As I'm in an 'epic' party (where everyone is overly powerful) I think this is ok but I was wondering if that's how they're meant to be played or if they have some form of base armour or something?

Found a typo for ya, in the main book page 29, in the level 4 combat maneuver melee example you list slow repair module instead of stout design as a "design" innovation.

I've also got a quick alpha question. Since the simple weapon prof feat applies to all weapons(when taken as a feat) If I give it simple weapon prof as one of his feats, can it then pick up and use any simple weapon I give him? would this extend to armor profs if the armor was specially made for its frame?
Or I suppose, if it has the simple wep prof feat, does it deploy with 1 of every simple weapon?

...Bulldog, I'm going to have to actually check a sidebar to answer that one. One moment.

Page 15, sidebar. Top of column 2.

Whenever an automaton is granted weapon
proficiency by an invention, it is assumed to have as
many of that weapon as it needs.

You didn't use an invention to get the proficiency. As such, you would be responsible for giving your alpha its weapons. I had never considered armor, but if you're spending the feats and your GM is amenable to the idea, then yes, you need to supply it.

Personally, I would suggest no increase in price assuming that custom-made armor would have to be masterwork, but the armor is destroyed if the alpha dies.

The pdf keeps mentioning a superior electroshocker invention without actually providing one. Where is it?
Gentleman in Black wrote:
The pdf keeps mentioning a superior electroshocker invention without actually providing one. Where is it?

there is a description mentioned in the summary which suggests that it allows 2 out of the 3 exclusive electro inventions to function at the same time. I would suspect at a BP cost of 2, though that's just a guess.

Superior Electroshocker is simple enough that its summary listing, which is present, will be able to tell you everything you need to know to use it. I'll be fixing the document as soon as the Libram of the First Language is completed - thanks for the catch!

And fixed! I'm currently fiddling with Scribus attempting to make some sort of primitive character sheet for the automatons. Wish me luck - this effort may go up in flames.

I just got the bundle, and I gotta say I love the class. I just got a couple questions.

1. I think the Tinker Class PDF is out of date in the bundle, or there's a typo in the SMUMFYMAOOF. As it references the "infuse automation" class feature, and I can't seem to find that anywhere else in the base tinker class PDF, so is it just deploy automaton?

2. The ability of the Mechgineer that gives all of his Automatons the Megadroid inovation doesn't remove the restriction of how many inovations a tinker can have out at once, is this intended?

1: Infuse Automaton is the old name that I used back in 2012 when I was building the class. I suppose I liked it better on some level. I'll address this, as well as a few other issues with existing products, after I get product submissions from other people and my product submissions to other people squared away.

2: Yes, the mechgineer gets roped into never being able to deploy single-slot automatons, only double and triple. Consider it a way to balance the insanity that is a fully-powered SMUM.

So I have three quick questions regarding the Weapon Mount.

1 - Does the Weapon Mount grant Proficiency with the mounted crossbow, or do I need to also equip the Simple Weapon: Crossbow invention as well?

2 - If it DOES grant Proficiency, is that any crossbow mounted (such as a Heavy Crossbow or a Light Repeating Crossbow) or a specific 'group' (i.e. Simple Weapon Crossbows)?

3 - With the Weapon Mount, how does it affect a 'ridiculous' weapon such as the Double Crossbow (with imparts a -4 to hit WITH proficiency), the Hand Bombard (which knocks you over if not 'braced' against a wall or similar steady object), or the Double Hackbut (which has it's own mini-cart for rolling around).

And while I have the post, much love to ya for making my absolute favorite class (easily outpacing the Experimental Gunslinger in the ridiculousness that I love) and for being so active on the forums. I remember months and months ago asking about how the Automata move around and deal with water (which lead to Tinkering 201 and an awesome free copy). Great times have been had with the Tinker. I've all the Tinker books except for the latest, Under the Knife: The Grafter, which I'm looking forward to getting next check. Looking forward to hearing from ya when you have a moment. ^^

And upon reading more intently, I see you answered my questions regarding Weapon Proficiency. @.@ What I get for skimming. lol Anyways, still got #3 so my post wasn't completely pointless! lol
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Omikias wrote:

So I have three quick questions regarding the Weapon Mount.

1 - Does the Weapon Mount grant Proficiency with the mounted crossbow, or do I need to also equip the Simple Weapon: Crossbow invention as well?

2 - If it DOES grant Proficiency, is that any crossbow mounted (such as a Heavy Crossbow or a Light Repeating Crossbow) or a specific 'group' (i.e. Simple Weapon Crossbows)?

3 - With the Weapon Mount, how does it affect a 'ridiculous' weapon such as the Double Crossbow (with imparts a -4 to hit WITH proficiency), the Hand Bombard (which knocks you over if not 'braced' against a wall or similar steady object), or the Double Hackbut (which has it's own mini-cart for rolling around).

Ill toss some help into the mix that I think should be on the ball, the easiest way to rule out inventions is like this. If it doesn't say it does it, it doesn't do it. They are all very specific, so with the weapon mount for example, you could provide a bot with a weapon mount for an xbow, but if you don't give it a prof with the weapon that mount never even gets loaded with a weapon, never mind allow the bot to use it. with the special xbows you would likely need gm approval, but since they are both likely exotic profs you wont be getting them quickly. I would assume that the wep prof includes the knowledge to brace when firing the weapon, in which case the bot could do that.

Thought I'd ask here while awaiting on my DM to reply (only been 3 days... >.>) but it's mostly with the idea of it being in the mount would it count as being braced that's kinda in that haze in my head. We're playing in a lvl 17 campaign (first time over lvl 10 with the Tinker) so I've access to the Firearm Proficiency Invention, hence the odd question about the firearms.

Way my brain argues it: on the one hand, it's in a mount without chance of it slipping and such. On the other hand, it's still being 'propped up' by only 2 legs and not a proper weighted mount or a tripod.

@.@ Yea, I just wish I hadn't posted at o'dawn:30 and actually took a proper read of the thread. Surprised no one has done like a FAQ for this class yet. Might just do that if I ever have time not at odd hours of the day and night... XP BTW, thank you for the input bulldogc. ^^

@Omikias

I keep putting an FAQ off because I have plans to do a Kickstarted cleanup compilation product someday. I've even got an unreleased prestige class based on The Swarm sitting around waiting for it. One of my better works. The capstone is the Swarm going all 3-D printer on the alpha and making a swarmaton copy :)

Give me a minute to look everything up for you.

1 and 2: No, sir, you will need to pay for proficiency to use a weapon mount.

3: Alright, I think your question can be defused with a quote from firearm proficiency.

"A one-handed firearm can be used in a weapon mount as
though it were a crossbow, though a reloading winch will
not work for obvious reasons."

Looking up your guns, this means a double hackbut, being two-handed, has to go in the automaton's hands, not on its head.

Now, looking up the culverin (hand bombard), you are asserting that the weapon mount counts as a stand. Historically, the culverin stand was a metal rod that went out in front of the shooter to help absorb shock. When his back is not against a wall or the culverin is not in a stand to absorb shock, the firer takes a -4 penalty to hit and is knocked prone. Since shock is only absorbed since the stand is a separate entity from the firer, when using a weapon mount, I honestly can't see any possible conclusion to this other than your automatons constantly falling onto their backsides in a humorous manner when firing culverins. :)

As for the double crossbow, go nuts. You'll need specific proficiency with that exotic weapon, though, which will require level 16 and the feat taken by the tinker. Not exactly efficient, particularly when automatons are a constant fight against TERRIBLE attack modifiers, anyway.

If you want to go for a terrifying firing squad build, let me help you break my class. See the next post.
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Alright, here's a few ways you can make a firing squad automaton swarm dangerous.

Required pieces

Paint Target (Greater Innovation)

As a standard action, make a single attack with
your weapon. If it hits, all of your automatons are given a
directive to attack the creature struck.

Priority: Essential if powergaming Overzealous Execution; High otherwise

This ability is important because it utterly breaks the normal action economy of giving directives in real time. The flexibility of your directives? Not so great.

Swap Out (Greater Innovation)

Three times per day as a full-round
action, you can change a deployed automaton within reach to any
other blueprint you currently have prepared. All limited
use per day inventions on the automaton to be changed
have their uses per day carry over to the new blueprint. If
the new blueprint has limited use per day inventions that
are not on the old blueprint, then those limited use per
day inventions are treated as though they have already
expended all of their uses for the day.

Priority: Low/Medium

A blueprint with heavy emphasis on kamikazes makes this useful for when utility automatons run out of gas. It's also good when overzealous execution is spent.

Overzealous Execution (Innovation)

Whenever you give an automaton a directive, it
gets a +2 circumstance bonus to all rolls for 1 round. Once
an automaton has received this bonus, it cannot receive it
again for 24 hours. (That being said, there's an entire pile
of automatons in your bag waiting to make you proud.)

Priority: Essential

Use of this ability requires some very careful planning. Still, you can get a flask chucker automaton up to five attacks, and, as damage rolls are rolls, that's potentially +10 damage from glass-to-face impact, and +10 damage from fire or acid burns if all of your automatons are freshly deployed. Similar shenanigans are possible with the more exotic firearms.

Bigger and Better (Greater Innovation)
Preferred Blueprint (Innovation)
Constitutional Monarchy (Line of Succession Capstone)

Priority: High, if going to level 20; Low, otherwise

These three abilities together will grant +4 HD to a single non-alpha blueprint, exactly enough to grant that blueprint's output a 3rd attack in its progression exactly at 20th level.

If you go this path, I also recommend maxed Use Magic Device and lots of gratuitous wand whipping :)

Having just purchased The Age of Electrotech and as ever fascinated by techie classes, I read through and loved the Technician in this book.

So I immediately thought - Hmm...Tinkers have friends, the Technician is about worn gadgets, and spells... the complement each other.

So I knocked this prestige class out today - I tried to make it balanced, but it could easily be overpowered. Will be playtesting it soon.

The Engineer:

The Engineer combines the abilities and technical know how of the Technician and the Tinker, being a master of all things mechanical and electrical.

Prerequisites:
Spellcraft 5 ranks.
2 Innovations (1 from each)
Skill Focus 1 craft skill.

Middle BAB is used.
Reflex is 1 good save.
d8 Hit dice
4+Int skill points
Skills: Craft, Disable Device, Profession, Knowledge (All), Spellcraft, UMD

An Engineer continues to progress is the technical capacity of both classes - He continues to improve his Maximum Automatons, Blueprints, Max invention level and progression of automatons, as well as qualifying for the Alpha when combined levels reach 4th as if he took a level of Tinker. He does not gain Innovations, Craftsman bonus, Greater Innovations, or any other feature of the Tinker.
He continues to improve his Maximum Tinker Level (for "spell" Tinker, Battery poins and Upgrades as if he took a level in Technician. He does not gain bonus feats, Innovations, Trade abilities, Lormaster or any other features of the Technician.

(I'm on the fence on allows Craftsman, and the +1/2 level to Trade skills).

New Special abilities:
1st Nothing Gained.

2nd Choose Innovation from either class Innovations list. Cannot choose Greater Innovation.

3rd Nothing Gained.

4th Can add a Gadgets to Alpha. Declare battery cost at start of day. can add 1 gadget at 4th, 2 gadgets at 6th, 3 at 8th and 4 at 10th. All Battery points come from character's normal Battery points.

5th Nothing Gained.

6th Choose Innovation from either class Innovations list. Cannot choose Greater Innovation.

7th Nothing Gained.

8th Can choose that day to have 1 less automaton deployed. If he does this, his gains battery points equal to the amount from the Bonus BP from Int chart as if his Int were 10+Bld points. This is in addtion with any points he may have from his int.

9 - Nothing Gained.

10 - Choose 2 innovations, 1 from each class. Can be greater.

I wanted some "crossover" abilities so that was the 4th and 8th. Giving up one automaton for the Battery points seems about right to me - it would be giving up that second automaton for four 4th level tinkers (approximately) or extra bonus on gadgets.

I wanted a better Capstone, but that works for now.

Again, don't know how balanced this is, but throwing it out for use if anyone wants to try it. I will be.

And using "he" in the class was following Paizo usage. My image for the iconic for the class is this character:

Addison Tehzla

Yeah, the name isn't all that original, but I have fun with him.

Huh, sounds like the gadgeteer got one-upped by Alexander. Is Age of Electrotech OGL? If so, it might be fun to make a small book of tinker prestige classes specifically compatible with the other good 3pp techno classes out there.
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What do you think about a tinker archetype based around the Wyrwood race? I mean, looking at that race's description, I can't think of a better race to be a Tinker.
Roy Mars wrote:
What do you think about a tinker archetype based around the Wyrwood race? I mean, looking at that race's description, I can't think of a better race to be a Tinker.

I have to respectfully disagree, my good man. It's difficult for me to wrap my head around a race of "purely rational and unemotional" creatures having an affinity with "BECAUSE IT'S AWESOME: the class". Now, if you went into the back of the book and refused to use any prestige class or invention that existed because of the Rule of Cool, then it'd work just fine.

I can't see anyone wanting to play that, though.

Bonus points if you play the wyrwood tinker who got kicked out by his fellow xenophobes because he thought differently and was, therefore, alien. That right there would be one hell of a character concept.

Substitute kobold or goblin (WHO CAN READ) outcasts at your leisure.

Contrast with gnome or puddling, who would likely become local leaders by virtue of being the guy with the most Rule of Cool mojo in town.

Edit: You know what? Consider that character concept claimed and slated for the Dramatis Personae section of the tinker hardcover, right behind the mechanical, piratical crew of the "Rusty Bucket".
Silver Crusade

This is awesome. The only thing missing is the ability to wield firearms sooner (I bought the supplement introducing this ability and was sad to see it come up so late)... considering their drawbacks, I would have loved to see them receive clunky proficiency with one-handed firearms at lower levels, then lesser misfires, then two-handed with invention upgrades, so as to balance things out. Guess I'll ask the DM nicely to see if he'll allow this tweak when I get to play one ;)

I have a quick but important question about abilities that increase an automaton's HD : does an empowered automaton also receive the BAB, saving throws and ability bonuses it would receive by gaining those HD naturally thanks to the tinker leveling up, as per the progression table ? Or does increasing the HD only increase an automaton's HP ?
Silver Crusade

More questions arise : do automatons act during your own round or do you roll initiative for them when they are activated ? Are they able to perform 5-foot steps ? (this one in particular is to determine if a ranged automaton is actually in for a world of pain, especially if you don't want to rebuild your alpha every other combat)

@Maxximilius:

Per default, a HD-increase increases all other abilities tied to it. Specific wordings may result in different results, so if you point me towards the respective abilities, that would help.

Per default, automatons act on the tinker's turn. Why? because they're dumb. They follow the commands upon being deployed and the programming - think of them as stupid, mindless programming-scripts. Hence, as far as I know, regular automatons may not perform *ANYTHING* they're not specifically programmed to do. No skills, no feats... etc.

Alphas are another chapter altogether, being autonomous beings. These guys, to my knowledge, can 5-foot step, execute combat maneuvers sans programming etc. Think of them as an animal companion/cohort/familiar - they essentially are extended, second characters and can do what characters usually would do.

(Mind you, this knowledge comes from my tinker-NPC-building-spree and I *might* remember something wrong/fail to take an expansion into account, but generally, that's how I run them.)

@Maxximilius

I typically interpret it as this, once they act on a directive that is their init which typically is on the tinkerer's turn (first time they act) so for example should you give them a defend command and they act on that before you act in combat, they go just after the init of the attacker. If an honorary tinker gives them an attack command first it moves on their init ect. Only movement and standard action types things such as disarming and striking with a blade ect happen on their init. Activating abilities and the like happen immediacy when commanded. see the following example

An Honorary Tinker starts combat at init 20, Owning tinker uses switft action to halt drone, Honorary trinker orders drone to attack target. drone performs its "turn" moving to and attacking target. is now at init 20.

At init 15 another honorary tinker commands it to fire its electroblaster. drone shoots target with electroblaster.

At init 12 target hits and damages drone.

at init 10 the owning tinker tells it to active repair pack, drone heals for 2 damage

at init 20, first person does something irrelivent to drone, drone continues to attack target.

at init 15 the HT commands another electroblaster.

drone gets badly damaged at init 12 by target.

at init 10 the tinker decides to explode it and gives a kamakazi directive. The drone explodes immediately.

Since my group has a few honorary tinkerers this approach seems to work best for us, it also makes alittle sense mechanically, honorary tinkers use up their own actions to activate a "loaned" ability via the drone instead of one of their own, the drone takes its "turn" to perform simple actions such as movement and attacking(and is still limited to just 1 per turn). Even though the done is sort of getting multiple actions, its really not the drone using up an action but the player.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

Hey so sorry if this has been asked, but this thread is kind of long and full of terms I do not yet understand.

Is there an option for Iron Man style powered armor? As in, a medium creature wearing a medium construct. I know you have a prestige class that basically can pilot a mecha (both this and it are sitting in my cart), but the construct has to be one size larger than the pilot. I'm hoping for something of the same size.
Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Nate Z wrote:

Hey so sorry if this has been asked, but this thread is kind of long and full of terms I do not yet understand.

Is there an option for Iron Man style powered armor? As in, a medium creature wearing a medium construct. I know you have a prestige class that basically can pilot a mecha (both this and it are sitting in my cart), but the construct has to be one size larger than the pilot. I'm hoping for something of the same size.

I believe that is addressed here.

so how accurate is the SRD for this?,for you see i am poor

also how do you create automatons of different sizes other then the base size of small?
smileynazgul wrote:
also how do you create automatons of different sizes other then the base size of small?

megadroid and gigadroid are the only way that I'm aware of.

smileynazgul wrote:
also how do you create automatons of different sizes other then the base size of small?

Alrighty, let's break this down.

Automaton base size - small

Alpha base size - medium

Megadroid and gigadroid - +1 size
There are design inventions that add or remove 1 size

A SMUM is the larger of the component pieces +1 size

So, your smallest automaton is tiny. Your largest automaton is a gigadroid automaton with the size increase invention chomping down on an upsized alpha, which I think results in gargantuan. Have fun!
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smileynazgul wrote:
so how accurate is the SRD for this?,for you see i am poor

The SRD is the original 2013 version and was initially posted by John Reyst. I've cleaned my document up once since then, and I know John's initial transcription had an error or two, but the tinker presented there is close enough for you to get the feel of the whole, and maybe consider dropping a buck on one of the cooler archetypes. The grafter, mechgineer, and ironclad come highly recommended :)

That said, the tinker is still in need of a thorough brushing down. I can do better now, so just wait until I Kickstart this baby with all sorts of awesome art. We're going to have tinker-style archetypes for core classes and everything.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

0.0
Please keep us posted on that. Sounds very much like something I would like to throw my money at.

yea know this class reminds me of a class i had brewing around in my head
:called it stitcher,basically it was build-a-bear + a zombie, creating a base zombie and decking it out with all sorts of biological abilities and parts(like the flame sac of a dragon,the regenerative powers a troll,along with 6 arms and a scorpion stinger plus a brain stolen from 1 of the most powerful warlords in the land to put that all to use) things like that

Question, How is it possible for a tinker to get Megadroid at level 7 when you don't get a greater innovation till level 10? Can the extra innovation feat be used to buy this?

got another question

if you give a automaton simple weapon proficiency(or any other kind) in a throwing weapon lets say javelins, will i need to give him the a quiver invention as well to reload or will he be equipped with all the javelins he needs?
smileynazgul wrote:

got another question

if you give a automaton simple weapon proficiency(or any other kind) in a throwing weapon lets say javelins, will i need to give him the a quiver invention as well to reload or will he be equipped with all the javelins he needs?

...Huh. That's a good one, actually. I'd go with "without a quiver, you got one javelin". That said, there's an Irishman in the old Looney Tunes that does the whole "it's been in the family for years" schtick quite well. Maybe you want to emulate that?

Interjection Games wrote:
smileynazgul wrote:

got another question

if you give a automaton simple weapon proficiency(or any other kind) in a throwing weapon lets say javelins, will i need to give him the a quiver invention as well to reload or will he be equipped with all the javelins he needs?

...Huh. That's a good one, actually. I'd go with "without a quiver, you got one javelin". That said, there's an Irishman in the old Looney Tunes that does the whole "it's been in the family for years" schtick quite well. Maybe you want to emulate that?

HA i remember that one! but it was a sottish guy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uWF210Vdx0

He was Scottish?

Yeah, alright, he was Scottish.

Alright, here's a question for the people who frequent this product page. What do you feel the tinker is missing, other than the following?

1: Connectivity with Paizo classes

2: A system to integrate technology into the game on a "tech level" basis.

3: Feats.

Fun schticks, further customization options, just let it all out. It'll be 2015's headliner Kickstarter, after all.
Dark Archive

Archetypes for high technology games.

Automatons that have certain build paths, like the new Unchained Summoner. Purchased blueprints vs. original designs type thing.

A better Aplha. Seems weak for a major class feature.

Did you ever play Robo Trek for the SNES?
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DragoDorn wrote:

Archetypes for high technology games.

Automatons that have certain build paths, like the new Unchained Summoner. Purchased blueprints vs. original designs type thing.

A better Aplha. Seems weak for a major class feature.

Did you ever play Robo Trek for the SNES?

Robotrek - Indeed I did. An "XRR" program with a high-level axe really was the way to go against big enemies, and the unflattering Einstein expy annoys me to this very day.

Blueprints - So, you want me to cook up canned progression path blueprints for easy NPC tinker creation and whatnot? Makes sense. Could have some.

Alternatively, are you saying you want blueprints that contain X inventions at X level, that you can use the blueprint even if you have ZERO of its inventions in your invention book, but that blueprint is locked against all editing?

Alpha - Aye. I agree the alpha's hit point pool tends to be very low (once the bonus hit points for size at level 4 wears off) and doesn't pick up until you increase his size again at 13. To be perfectly honest, I think the best way to fix that issue would be to add very limited hardness to his progression table.

Archetypes - Druid with robobear sound up your alley? They're in progress.
Interjection Games wrote:

Alright, here's a question for the people who frequent this product page. What do you feel the tinker is missing, other than the following?

1: Connectivity with Paizo classes

2: A system to integrate technology into the game on a "tech level" basis.

3: Feats.

Fun schticks, further customization options, just let it all out. It'll be 2015's headliner Kickstarter, after all.

Mostly for me stuff previously, mentioned here is a must add I think. A stat block for a basic automaton would be helpful for setting up initially and help clarify what the basic version can do(smash attack speed ect)

Some of the stuff could use some clarification, for example as the prereq for mega droid falling in between when you can choose it. adding deploy automations/day would be handy added to the basic class table I think, its easy to miss when reading though the class feature. It might be worth considering reworking the great innovations slightly to be more inline with rogue/slayer talents, at a certain level let people take a greater in place of a regular rather then gaining them at set levels and in super limited quantities.

I think some of the bits could use some balancing still as well, for example a level 20 tinker with all his bots in play and in masters presence have AC and effective attack modifiers that rivel most fighters each(often far more AC in fact), given their stupid nature this might not be problematic but could possibly be unbalanced some. Also some of the inventions seem somewhat pointless for the most part, for example why spend 4(I think?) BP for a crossbow, headmount, reloader, and aerial wep mount(and maybe a quicer, if you still need one with the reloader for +1bp) when I can get the exact same effect (plus more) by giving it arms, crossbow, and quiver for 3bp.
also many of the greater innovations are actually weaker then the normal ones. Prismatic strike for example would be a decent innovation, but as one of 3 greaters, it is super weak. Retaliation and We fight as one I suspect have rarely if ever been taken due to the requirement of honorary tinker. These feats seem more focused towards marshal classes who are unlikely to have high int or spell craft, let alone justify the number of feats required to get them/make them worth wile. Also it might be nice to remove the honorary tinker prereq if you already know directives from some other source. This could open the door to some archetypes for other classes to synergize better.
Also I was never sure if this was intentional or not but the Alpha stats don't follow the standard for monster size changes, assuming they are suppose to be automatons in every way just more so, starting str and dex should be 14/8 not 12 since they are medium now not small, or possibly 16/10 if they were intended to have a boost in basic stats for being special?
bulldogc wrote:
Interjection Games wrote:

Alright, here's a question for the people who frequent this product page. What do you feel the tinker is missing, other than the following?

1: Connectivity with Paizo classes

2: A system to integrate technology into the game on a "tech level" basis.

3: Feats.

Fun schticks, further customization options, just let it all out. It'll be 2015's headliner Kickstarter, after all.

Mostly for me stuff previously, mentioned here is a must add I think. A stat block for a basic automaton would be helpful for setting up initially and help clarify what the basic version can do(smash attack speed ect)

Some of the stuff could use some clarification, for example as the prereq for mega droid falling in between when you can choose it. adding deploy automations/day would be handy added to the basic class table I think, its easy to miss when reading though the class feature. It might be worth considering reworking the great innovations slightly to be more inline with rogue/slayer talents, at a certain level let people take a greater in place of a regular rather then gaining them at set levels and in super limited quantities.

I think some of the bits could use some balancing still as well, for example a level 20 tinker with all his bots in play and in masters presence have AC and effective attack modifiers that rivel most fighters each(often far more AC in fact), given their stupid nature this might not be problematic but could possibly be unbalanced some. Also some of the inventions seem somewhat pointless for the most part, for example why spend 4(I think?) BP for a crossbow, headmount, reloader, and aerial wep mount(and maybe a quicer, if you still need one with the reloader for +1bp) when I can get the exact same effect (plus more) by giving it arms, crossbow, and quiver for 3bp.
also many of the greater innovations are actually weaker then the normal ones. Prismatic strike for example would be a decent innovation, but as one of 3 greaters, it is super weak....

Not to mention 2013 Brad cleaving to 3.5 rules by giving the automatons 3/4 BAB. Aye, that whole section makes me wince nowadays; it's a fantastic sandbox, but there are some issues that make it look like a litter box in places.

That said, I'm actually very happy with greater innovations as they are. I understand the desire to go with the scaling system of the rogue or witch, but, to me, that system risks the following.

A: I can't make greater innovations stupidly awesome under a rogue/witch system, as they can be spammed with feats under such a system.

And yes, I consider Prismatic Strike stupidly awesome. If you purposefully build around it, that little +1 can become a terrifying force multiplier. Give your automatons multiple sources of fire and electricity damage. Remember, it's +1 to each source! Give yourself multiple sources of fire and electricity damage, too! A flaming burst shocking burst rapier (with Imp Crit) suddenly gets +2 damage per swing with +2 damage on crit, or about +1d6 per swing, and THEN it starts buffing your robots. I had to lock it behind the greater wall because merely spending a feat to get ahold of it was a laughable opportunity cost. It's unassuming, but it kills stuff.

That said, if you think it's weak, then you're just not an exploiter. Prismatic Strike is there to make you feel like an evil genius when you manipulate it into being OP. If you're just looking to goof around with robots, pass on it :)

tl;dr - Prismatic Strike is my favorite innovation. No touchy.

B: Greater innovations would run the risk of obsoleting out standard innovations. Heck, unless a standard innovation is just quirky, it almost assuredly would be.

C: As it is, you wouldn't get more talents. 3,6,9,12,15,18 and 5,10,15 versus 2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18 (none at 20 because capstone). I'd have to open up the greaters at level 14 to keep the numbers intact, and many campaigns end before level 14 is reached. No, I'd rather have that first dip into stupid awesome pop up the level after you get your alpha. As it is, a player gets to pick one piece of super funtimes early, and that choice is both super difficult and awesomely transformative because it's like getting a single major hex early.

Also, regarding the greater innovations nobody uses, I readily admit that my subsystems design for things that don't exist yet. The ethermancer did it with manifestations that made no sense AT ALL until the ethermagus and etherslinger showed up. Those innovations will find a home. That said, I don't actually remember the ones you're quoting, so I'll be sure to give them a good look when the time comes!

Re: Automaton AC and attack bonus

This will require some reworking when I update automatons to full BAB.
Liberty's Edge

I'm going to be playing this class in an upcoming Iron Gods game and it all seems so perfect. Is there any Herolab support for this class out there?

I'm afraid to say the tinker beats up HeroLab and runs off laughing.

From what I've heard from an individual who looked in this a year or so ago, it'd require so much custom XML work that you'd need a manual just to work the class, even if it got scripted. That said, this sort of "I break HeroLab!" behavior happens for many of my more ridiculous creations :P
Liberty's Edge

Oh well, thanks for putting out such an interesting product. I'm really looking forward to giving it a try.
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