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** I know this has been done a few times, but this is my stab at a Pathfinder Artificer. Many thanks to the Ardwright author(s) and inummerable folks on these boards for ideas and inspirations. Plaigarism is the highest form of flattery! ;) I will follow this post with some of my design notes. Please let me know what you think... **
Artificers are extraordinary craftsmen who specialize in the workings of magic. They study magic and how it weaves into enchanted items to a level surpassing wizards and clerics. Artificers do not work with magic via arcane or divine paths, but rather have their own ‘neutral’ methods. As artificers progress, they learn nearly every aspect of magic item creation.
Role: Artificers, like bards, are blessed with a wide variety of skills and talents that cross traditional roles. By imbuing their weapons, they can become powerful foes in combat; or, using the wide variety of magic at their disposal, can become powerful casters. In all situations, artificers can significantly enhance the abilities of their companions.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8
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: 6 + Int modifier.
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: An artificer wields magic, but they are more craftsmen than spell-casters. Using their specialized knowledge, artificers have the ability 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 at least 10 + the infusion level. Infusions normally do not allow saving throws; in the rare case one is needed, save DCs are 10 + the infusion level + the artificer’s Int bonus.
An artificer begins play with knowledge of all the standard infusions of a level she can use, as listed below (not including those listed from Other Sources and Spell Compendium). During adventuring, the artificer may discover a new or long-lost infusion, and wish to add these to her list. This requires a Spellcraft check, equivalent to a wizard attempting to learn a new spell from a scroll or spellbook.
Artificers can use only a limited number of infusions each day, as allotted on Table 1. In addition, she gains a number of bonus infusions per day if she has a high Intelligence score.
The artificer does not need to prepare infusions ahead of time, like a wizard or cleric, but they must spend 8 hours resting and 1 hour studying to replenish their daily allotment of infusions.
An infusion is considered neither divine nor arcane magic. However, the action of infusing an item functions just like the casting of a spell. Infusions also follow all rules for spells. For example, an infusion can be dispelled, and will not function in an anti-magic area.
An infusion can only be placed upon a construct (including warforged and homunculi) or masterwork item. She cannot, for example, simply imbue an ally with cat’s grace. Instead, she must place the infusion on an item the ally is wearing, such as their boots, creating a temporary pair of boots of cat’s grace. Since the infusions are temporary, they can be placed upon already enchanted items, but similar powers will not stack.
An artificer can apply any metamagic feat she knows to her infusions. Metamagic feats increase the level of the infusion just like a spell, as indicated in the feat description.
Most infusions have long casting times of 1 minute or more. An artificer can reduce the casting time to 1 round by spending an action point.
Craft Reserve: The artificer knows techniques to reduce the cost of magic items she creates. The artificer can use her pool of craft reserve to offset the item creation cost for magic items, up to 50% per item. Each time the artificer gains a new level, she receives a new pool of craft reserve; any leftover from the previous level is lost.
Artisan Bonus: An artificer gains a +2 bonus on Use Magic Device skill checks for any item that she also knows the item creation feat for.
Craftsman Training: At 1st level, the artificer gains a permanent +2 bonus to any Craft skill of her choice. Once chosen, the bonus cannot be changed.
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.
Dweomer Sense (Su): An artificer can determine if a touched item is imbued with magic. By concentrating while holding an item, the artificer gains the benefits of the detect magic spell for that item. The artificer can do this a number of times per day equal to 3 + their Charisma bonus.
The artificer can choose to expend one use of a 1st level infusion and apply the identify spell effects to this ability. When doing so, it does not count against her daily uses of dweomer sense.
At 10th level, an artificer can spend 1 use of a 4th-level infusion and apply the analyze dweomer spell effects to this ability. When doing so, it does not count against her daily uses of dweomer sense.
Item Creation (Ex): An artificer can create a magic item even if she does not have the ability to cast the spells that are prerequisites for the item. The artificer must make a successful Use Magic Device check (DC 20 + caster level) to emulate each spell required to make the item.
The artificer can also emulate other requirements (race, alignment, etc.) according to the Use Magic Device skill. Each prerequisite requires its own successful skill check. They cannot emulate feat or skill prerequisites.
The artificer’s caster level is equal to their artificer level. The artificer must still meet the caster level requirements for any item they attempt to create. Infusions do not count as equivalent spells for item creation prerequisites. For example, the artificer must still emulate the repair light damage spell to make a wand of repair light damage, even though they have access to the same infusion.
Trade Secret: At 1st level, 2nd level, and select levels thereafter, the artificer may select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: any metamagic feat, Exceptional Artisan*, Extraordinary Artisan*, Scribe Scroll.
At 2nd level, the following feats are added to the list: Brew Potion, Craft Wondrous Item.
At 6th level, add: Attune Magic Weapon*, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, Rapid Infusion#.
At 8th level, add: Craft Rod, Forge Ring, Improved Humonculus#, Wand Mastery*
At 12th level, add: Craft Construct, Craft Staff, Extra Rings*
(*) Feat from Eberron Campaign Setting
(#) Feat from Magic of Eberron sourcebookAn artificer need not have the level requirements, but must still possess any feat prerequisites to take these feats.
Craft Homonculus (Ex): At 3rd level, an artificer can create a homunculus as if she had the Craft Construct feat. She must emulate the spell requirements as if crafting a magic item and must pay the standard costs (though she can use her craft reserve to offset this price).
An artificer can upgrade an existing homunculus she owns, at the cost of 2,000 gp per 1 Hit Die. If the artificer adds more than 6 Hit Dice in this way, it becomes a Small creature and advances as such (+4 Str, -2 Dex, damage increases to 1d6). The homunculus also gains 10 extra hit points for being a small construct.
An artificer’s homunculus can have as many Hit Dice as its master’s Hit Dice minus 2. No matter how many Hit Dice it has, a homunculus never grows larger than Small.
Retain Essence (Su): At 5th level, an artificer can cull the magical essence from an existing magic item and make it usable in the creation of other items. The artificer can only do this with items that she also knows the appropriate item creation feat for.
The artificer must spend a full day with the item, studying its construction and the weave of magic upon it, and then dissembling it. At the end of the day, the item is destroyed, and the artificer is left with a token of the original item’s power. This token can be nearly anything, but is usually a tiny piece of the culled item.
The item can be used in the creation of a new magic item. It offsets the cost of the new item up to the value of the item culled, if the new item and the original share the same magic school. If the new item’s magic school is different, the token value is up to half that of the original item.
This works in the same manner as the artificer’s craft reserve, but there is no limit on how much of the new item’s cost is offset. It can also be used in conjunction with craft reserve, and with other tokens. The token can only be used to create one new item – any excess value left after the creation of the new item is lost.
Metamagic Spell Trigger (Su): At 7th level, an artificer can apply any single metamagic feat she knows to a spell trigger item (such as a wand). In addition to the metamagic feat, she must also know the appropriate item creation feat for the affected item. When using this ability, the spell trigger item consumes more charges than normal, one for each additional level required by the metamagic feat. If the spell trigger item does not have charges, this ability cannot be used.
Etch Schema: At 9th level, the artificer gains the knowledge to create minor schemas as a bonus feat. This feat can be found in the Magic of Eberron sourcebook, and bypasses the normal level requirement.
Metamagic Spell Completion (Su): At 11th level, an artificer can apply any single metamagic feat she knows to a spell completion item (such as a scroll). She must also know the appropriate item creation feat for the affected item.
The Use Magic Device skill check DC is 20 + (3 times the modified spel level). This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + the artificer’s Cha bonus.
Skill Mastery: At 13th level, an artificer may take 10 on any Spellcraft or Use Magic Device skill check, even when they normally would not be able to do so.
Metamagic Mastery (Su): At 15th level, an artificer can apply any one metamagic feat that she knows to an infusion she is about to cast. This does not alter the level of the infusion or the casting time. An artificer can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + their Cha bonus.
Any time an artificer uses this ability to apply a metamagic feat that increases the infusion level by more than 1, she must use an additional daily usage for each level above 1 that the feat adds to the infusion. Even though this ability does not modify the infusion’s actual level, an artificer cannot use this ability to cast an infusion whose modified level would be above the level of the highest-level infusion that she is capable of casting.
Master of Artifice: At the height of her ability, the artificer learns how to imbue massive powers into a single, unique item, creating an artifact. The powers and creation process for this artifact will be approved and determined by the Gamemaster, and will often require extraordinary resources, time and a possible quest. The artifact becomes the sole possession of the artificer, to remain with her until death, and hence to be her mortal legacy.
Artificer Level Table:
The Artificer** Lacking some table skillz here. Artificers use the moderate BAB progression, and have good Will saves. The infusions/day progression is the same as the Bard spells/day progression. **
Level - Special
1 - artisan bonus, craftsman training, disable trap, dweomer sense, item creation, trade secret, craft reserve 100 gp
2 - trade secret, craft reserve 200 gp
3 - craft homonculus, craft reserve 300 gp
4 - craft reserve 400 gp
5 - retain essence, craft reserve 500 gp
6 - trade secret, craft reserve 750 gp
7 - metamagic spell trigger, craft reserve 1000 gp
8 - trade secret, craft reserve 1250 gp
9 - etch schema, craft reserve 1500 gp
10 - craft reserve 2000 gp
11 - metamagic spell completion, craft reserve 2500 gp
12 - trade secret, craft reserve 3500 gp
13 - skill mastery, craft reserve 4500 gp
14 - trdde secret, craft reserve 6000 gp
15 - metamagic mastery, craft reserve 7500 gp
16 - craft reserve 10000 gp
17 - craft reserve 12500 gp
18 - trade secret, craft reserve 15000 gp
19 - craft reserve 20000 gp
20 - master of artifice, craft reserve 25000 gpArtificer Infusion List:
ARTIFICER INFUSION LIST
Infusions are all found in the Eberron Campaign Setting sourcebook, except as marked. Infusions marked with * are found in the Pathfinder RPG as spells; note required changes (if any). Infusions from additional sources are listed, and marked as follows: DM – Dragonmarked; MoE – Magic of Eberron; FoW – Forge of War; RoE – Races of Eberron; SCoT – Sharn City of Towers; SoS – Secrets of Sarlona.1st Level
Armor Enhancement, Lesser
Energy Alteration
Enhancement Alteration
Erase* [infusion version’s range is ‘touch’]
Hold Portal* [infusion version’s range is ‘touch’]
Inflict Light Damage
Light*
Magic Aura*
Magic Stone*
Magic Vestment*
Magic Weapon*
Repair Light Damage
Resistance Item
Skill Enhancement
Spell Storing Item
Weapon Augmentation, PersonalOther Sources
Ablative Armor MoE
Indisputable Possession MoE
Knight Unburdened FoW
Metamagic Scroll MoE
Natural Weapon Augmentation, Personal RoE
Pending Potion MoE
Summon Marked Homunculus DMSpell Compendium
Animate Wood
Appraising Touch
Energized Shield, Lesser
Hurl
Instant Locksmith
Shieldbearer
Silent Portal2nd Level
Align Weapon*
Arcane Lock*
Armor Enhancement
Bear’s Endurance*
Bull’s Strength*
Cats Grace*
Construct Energy Ward
Continual Flame*
Darkness*
Eagle’s Splendor*
Fox’s Cunning*
Inflict Moderate Damage
Make Whole* [infusion version’s range is ‘touch’]
Obscure Object*
Owl’s Wisdom*
Repair Moderate Damage
Toughen Construct
Weapon Augmentation, LesserOther Sources
Construct Essence, Lesser RoE
Elemental Prod MoE
Fortify Metal or Stone SoS
Lucky Blade MoE
Natural Weapon Augmentation, Lesser RoE
Reinforce Construct MoE
Suppress Dragonmark MoE
Swift Ready FoWSpell Compendium
Energized Shield
Gembomb
Iron Silence
Quick Potion3rd Level
Armor Enhancement, Greater
Construct Energy Ward, Greater
Daylight*
Dispel Magic* [infusion version’s range is ‘touch’]
Inflict Critical Damage
Lesser Globe of Invulnerability*
Metamagic Item
Power Surge
Repair Critical Damage
Shrink Item*
Stone Construct
Suppress RequirementOther Sources
Arcane Seal SCoT
Dragonmarked Weapon DM
Adamantine Weapon MoE
Blast Rod MoE
Lucky Cape MoE
Spell Snare MoE
Humanoid Essence, Lesser RoESpell Compendium
DIamondsteel
Giant’s Wrath
Glowing Orb
Listening Coin4th Level
Break Enchantment* [infusion version’s range is ‘touch’]
Fabricate* [infusion version’s range is ‘touch’]
Item Alteration
Iron Construct
Minor Creation*
Secret Chest*
Wall of Stone* [infusion version’s range is ‘0 ft’; casting time is ‘1 minute’]
Weapon AugmentationOther Sources
Censure Elementals MoE
Concurrent Infusions MoE
Humanoid Essence RoE
Natural Weapon Augmentation RoESpell Compendium
Fantastic Machine
Wall of Gears5th Level
Animate Objects* [infusion version’s range is ‘touch’]
Bear’s Endurance, Mass*
Bull’s Strength, Mass*
Cat’s Grace, Mass*
Disable Construct
Eagle’s Splendor, Mass*
Fox’s Cunning, Mass*
Globe of Invulnerability*
Hardening
Major Creation* [infusion version’s range is ‘0 ft.’]
Owl’s Wisdom, Mass*
Total Repair
Wall of Iron* [infusion version’s range is ‘0 ft.’; casting time is ‘1 minute’].Other Sources
Construct Essence RoE
Dominate Living Construct RoE [infusion version’s range is ‘touch’]
Dragonmarked Weapon, Greater DM
Inflict Light Damage, Mass RoE
Repair Light Damage, Mass RoE
Slaying Arrow MoE6th Level
Antimagic Field*
Instant Summons*
Phase Door*
Repulsion*
Temporal Stasis*
True Creation
Weapon Augmentation, GreaterOther Sources
Golem Immunity RoE
Humanoid Essence, Greater RoE
Inflict Moderate Damage, Mass RoE
Natural Weapon Augmentation, Greater RoE
Repair Moderate Damage, Mass RoE
Spell Snare, Greater MoESpell Compendium
Awaken Construct
Body of War
Heart of Stone
Okay, some design notes for those who've made it this far...
Basically, my biggest targets were the dead levels and infusion list. The original artificer, while a pretty damn cool class as written, didn't have much in the way of interesting progression beyond about 10th level. I decided to spread-load the abilities out, add a couple new ones, and use a slower infusion progression, all to keep the class levels interesting up into the high-teens.
Dweomer Sense was a great idea I stole from others on this board. I limited it to a number of times per day, and to touch only. Adding the identify and analyze dweomer abilities at the expense of an infusions slot keeps them from being redundant as infusions.
The biggest challenge I had was redistributing some of the infusions to different levels, due to the changed progression chart. Because the infusions are gained at higher levels than before, they didn't equivilate (sp?) well with other spells of that character level. Some of the infusions I shifted to lower levels - for example, originally 3rd level infusions were gained at 5th level, now 3rd are gained at 7th - some original 4th level infusions made more sense as 3rd now. I hope that makes sense.
In no particular order...
Moved:
Disable Construct [6th to 5th]
Total Repair [6th to 5th]
Repair Critical Damage [4th to 3rd]
Inflict Critical Damage [4th to 3rd]
Construct Energy Ward, Greater [4th to 3rd]
Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser [4th to 3rd]
Construct Energy Ward [3rd to 2nd]
Fabricate [5th to 4th]
Globe of Invulnerability [6th to 5th]
Wall of Stone [5th to 4th]
Wall of Iron [6th to 5th]
Hardening [6th to 5th]
Removed:
Identify: Subsumed into Dweomer Sense ability
Shield of Faith:
Shield of Faith, Legion’s:
Inflict Serious Damage: Eclipsed by artificer infusion/level progression
Repair Serious Damage: Eclipsed by artificer infusion/level progression
Entangling DragonmarkDM: Makes no sense as an infusion
Chill Metal: Offensive, ranged spell
Heat Metal: Offensive ranged spell
Ignite DragonmarkDM: Makes no sense as an infusion
Ray of RetaliationDM: Makes no sense as an infusion
Unseen CrafterRoE: Summons a force being
Rusting Grasp: Not an infusion, as such.
Wall of Force: Evocation, not an infusion
Blade Barrier: Makes no sense as an infusion
Move Earth: Makes no sense as an infusion
Disrupting Weapon: Ability contained in Weapon Augmentation
Added:
Daylight [3rd]
Erase [1st]
Hold Portal [1st]
Magic Aura [1st]
Light [1st]
True Creation [6th]
Dispel Magic [3rd]
Break Enchantment [4th]
Golem Immunity [6th] RoE
Fortify Metal or Stone [2nd] SoS
Arcane Seal [3rd] SCoT
Arcane Lock [2nd]
Continual Flame [2nd]
Darkness [2nd]
Make Whole [2nd]
Obscure Object [2nd]
Daylight [3rd]
Shrink Item [3rd]
Secret Chest [4th]
Animate Objects [5th]
Bear’s Endurance, Mass [5th]
Bull’s Strength, Mass [5th]
Cat’s Grace, Mass [5th]
Fox’s Cunning, Mass [5th]
Eagle’s Splendor, Mass [5th]
Owl’s Wisdom, Mass [5th]
Antimagic Field [6th]
Instant Summons [6th]
Phase Door [6th]
Repulsion [6th]
Temporal Stasis [6th]
[Rant]
My biggest beef with the original artificer was with some of the infusions given. Most of them were in the high levels (5th-6th), and it just seemed like the designers kinda gave up. The low level infusions, especially the ones given in the EbCS are great. Others, in my mind, just don't make sense as infusions.
The way I see it, infusions are temporary magical patterns that an artificer adds to existing, physical items. Direct attack spells, any spell that creates stuff out of nothing, wall and force spells, etc - these just don't make sense as infusions. What is the artificer imbuing when he casts blade barrier? Move earth? I don't get it... so I took them off the list.
I'm still not happy with some of the infusions I left on the list, but I didn't want to completely nerf the class. I left a couple of the wall spells there, and the cretion spells, with zero range. I can see an artificer touching the ground, making a magical pattern or something that brings the wall into existance.
[/rant]
Anyway, because the infusion progression was spread out to later levels, I also brought in some higher level spells that were previously unavailable - no 9th level ones, but some 7th and 8th equivalents. I especially like body of war - "Julian d'Sivis completes the infusion and touches his mithril shirt. Suddenly, the gnome's armor twists, expands, overlaps - growing around Julian until a moment later, standing before you is a massive, warforged titan. Echoing from within the hulk comes a high voice with a slight metallic tinge, "Let's go, boys!""
Hehe...
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but please post your criticisms, comments, anecdotes, questions, etc.
Oh yeah (knew I'd forget something)... the original artificer was given 13 (!) bonus and item creation feats. That's more feats than the fighter, which is the feat monster...
I reduced the bonus feats in number, which when combined with the increased Pathfinder feat progression is not that big of a loss. I also rolled all the item creation feats into this style, so the player has more choice over which creation feats they'd prefer, or not at all if they want to be more of a metamagic/UMD caster.
I hope that makes sense...
I'm sure Anburaid will be happy to see so much stuff from his "baby" being used!
Thank you for this! It's a very nice re-balance of the Artificer.
I had a few ideas myself, though I'm not sure of the meat of them yet-
1. Juryrigged magic- an Artificer may attempt to create an infusion on the fly, by removing the enchantment of a minor magic item (scroll, potion, ect), and then using the magic as an Infusion. This destorys the item. It's a full-round action to remove the magic, and then a full-round action to use the magic. If it is not used on the round after it has been gathered, the pool is lost. (I don't know what kind of Infusions can be used)
2. It worked, didn't it?- an Artificer can attempt to re-create the effect of a minor Infusion, Potion, Scroll, or Wand(possibly of no more then 2nd level), using nothing more then mundane items. Think of spring-loaded boots for Jump, flamethrower Burning Hands, ect. The item will work only once or twice before the effect is lost, as the mechanics wear down. The cost is high, though I'm not sure what it could be.
It's a work in progress.