My wife recently pointed out two things that I need cleared up from the Tome of Secrets.
1. What stat is used for the Artificer's Weird Science ability for DC?
2. When it lists "Weird Science" infusions in the class chart, is that Weird Science infusions known or how many the artificer can memorize that day or ?
Thanks
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From what I have read the Artificer is Int based on all of its "spells" and the weird sciences are not prepared or known, they are items that the Artificer creates at the beginning of the day (kind of like preparing) and the number on the chart tells how many spells of what level those items can mimic.
So if the chart said 1 first level and 1 second level then the artificer can have one item that mimics a first level spell when activated and one item that mimics a second level spell when activated, or one item that when activated mimics the first and second level spell at the same time.
Example: 1st level spell could be Shoulder Pads of Magic Missile and 2nd level spell could be a Helm of Detect Thoughts. Or you could make Goggles of True Strike and See Invisibility, this item taking both the 1st and 2nd level spell slots.
The artificer can get a little confusing, but it really works like a wizard that can mimic spells through items.
From what I have read the Artificer is Int based on all of its "spells" and the weird sciences are not prepared or known, they are items that the Artificer creates at the beginning of the day (kind of like preparing) and the number on the chart tells how many spells of what level those items can mimic.
So if the chart said 1 first level and 1 second level then the artificer can have one item that mimics a first level spell when activated and one item that mimics a second level spell when activated, or one item that when activated mimics the first and second level spell at the same time.
Example: 1st level spell could be Shoulder Pads of Magic Missile and 2nd level spell could be a Helm of Detect Thoughts. Or you could make Goggles of True Strike and See Invisibility, this item taking both the 1st and 2nd level spell slots.
The artificer can get a little confusing, but it really works like a wizard that can mimic spells through items.
Ok, this isn't what we took from the class. We have been using the artificer as a minor item creationist. A first level artificer gets 1 wierd science that he can make into an item that would work twice a day. That item doesn't stop being a minor magic item, but continues to work. Thus, our artificer has made bracers of shield, usable twice a day, for the entire party.
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OK, so based off of that once they reach 5th level they can make Gauntlets, Wands, or Goggles of Fireball that work 4 times per day (plus more with a Use Magic Device check), and can make many of these items. That just doesn't seem right. Everyone in the party can just start letting off Fireballs with this method as if they were a Wizard of equal level and more often than a Wizard could.
I never stated that the Artificer was the only one who could use the items I just said that the table limits the number of items that the Artificer can have at any one time.
OK, so based off of that once they reach 5th level they can make Gauntlets, Wands, or Goggles of Fireball that work 4 times per day (plus more with a Use Magic Device check), and can make many of these items. That just doesn't seem right. Everyone in the party can just start letting off Fireballs with this method as if they were a Wizard of equal level and more often than a Wizard could.
I never stated that the Artificer was the only one who could use the items I just said that the table limits the number of items that the Artificer can have at any one time.
See and that's what I'd really like to have clarified and made "official".
In my home campaign, the artificers are the ones that make the magic items, usable so many times per day. The other more powerful "permanent" magic items are made by mages and are VERY expensive and rare.|
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Yeah, that is were we differ. I always see Artificers not as magic item crafter's, since they don't actually get spells, but as scientists who emulate spells through science and technology. They make flamethrowers that mimic Burning Hands, they make missile launcher shoulder pads that mimic Magic Missiles.
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2. When it lists "Weird Science" infusions in the class chart, is that Weird Science infusions known or how many the artificer can memorize that day or ?
Gareth-Michael Skarka answered this question on August 29, 2009 in the Tome of Secrets: Errata and Questions thread:
The part where you're making the mistake is in thinking that the "spell list" on the table is per day -- it isn't. That table entry is labeled Weird Science Inventions -- which means that at any given time, an Artificer may only have inventions that total the number of spell effects listed.
For example: A 4th level artificer may only invent Weird Science that emulate the effects of 3 different 1st level spells, and 1 2nd level spell. Whether that is 4 different inventions, or fewer inventions combining spell effects -- that's all they get. They cannot "swap out" spells -- what they invent is all they have. They cannot "mass produce" items by cranking out Cure Light devices every 4 hours, for example. They make one, and that's it.
If a device becomes unusable, they can build another (replicating the same effect), or invent a new one (choosing a different spell effect).
They do not expend GP to do this.
Seems pretty clear and "official" to me.
This is exactly how I read it and how I always used it in my games. Thank you for that clarification.