After reading up on an attempt to Pathfinderize an Eberrron Artificer, I decided to try to recreate the class for the PFRPG. To this end I took some of the feedback into account, as well as looking for a different theory as to how the artificer did what he did. This is just a start & feedback is much appreciated.
Sages sometimes debate the very nature of magic that inhabits the world. Many have espoused theories, but only the Artificer (so they themselves claim) know the beautiful truth. Magic is propagated throughout the universe by the medium known as Aether. Without the medium of Aether, magic will not flow. This is the cause of so called ‘Dead Magic Zones.’ Aether has somehow been purged from the zone. Aether is the medium through which wizards draw their spells; clerics and druids channel their prayers; bards shape their spell songs. It is the direct manipulation of this medium that allows the Artificer to work his magic.
The manipulation of Aether is a science to the artificer. Arcane mathematics and geometry is used to affect the nature of the Aether medium. Through this manipulation, the artificer is able to infuse magic into items. He is not always able to cast these effects as fast as other users of magic, but he is the master of magic item crafting. Artificers make up for the lack of spells through the use of magic items. He is something of a mechanic, since the study of the sciences tends to lend itself well to mechanical tinkering.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Base Attack Bonus: Medium.
Good Save: Will
1. Artificer’s Skill, trapfinding, item creation, Scribe scroll
2. Bonus Feat
3. Frugal Crafter
4. Bonus Feat
5. -
6. Bonus Feat
7. -
8. Bonus Feat
9. -
10. Bonus Feat
11. -
12. Bonus Feat
13. Skill Mastery
14. Bonus Feat
15. -
16. Bonus Feat
17. -
18. Bonus Feat
19. -
20. Master Crafter, Bonus Feat
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the artificer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Artificers are proficient with all simple weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields).
Infusions: Artificers are not spellcasters. Rather, they have the ability to manipulate Aether in order to imbue items and constructs with magical properties. These infusions are neither arcane nor divine. They are drawn from the artificer’s infusion list. Infusions follow all the rules for spells and function just like spells. They are susceptible to dispel magic and dead magic areas.
Artificer’s Skill: The artificer is able to apply a class bonus of +2 to any Use Magic Device skill check when using an item for which he has the appropriate Craft Item feat for.
Item Creation:
Bonus Feats: At 2nd level, and at every even level thereafter, an artificer gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from either item creation, metamagic, or artificer specific feats.
Trapfinding: Artificers can use the Perception skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 10, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. Artificers can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
An artificer who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.