Sorry about this being a little bit long but its one of my first class ideas. This is my own rendition of the artificer class based off the summoner class in pathfinder and some of the dungeon and dragons online artificer class as well. Any ideas would be great and appreciated !
Artificer
Alignment: Any Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Knowledge (Arcana)(Int), Knowledge(Engineering) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks per Level: 6+int modifier
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Artificers are proficient with all simple weapons, light repeating crossbows, and heavy repeating crossbows.. Artificers are also proficient with light armor. An artificer can cast spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, an artificer wearing medium or heavy armor, or using a shield, incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component.
Spells: An artificer casts arcane spells drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. An artificer must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the artificer must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a artificer’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the artificer’s Intelligence modifier. An artificer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score. An artificer may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the artificer decides which spells to prepare.
Spellbooks: An artificer must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook, except for read magic, which all artificers can prepare from memory. An artificer begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard/sorcerer spells plus one 1st-level spell of his choice. The artificer also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to the spellbook. At each new artificer level, he gains new spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new artificer level) for his spellbook. At any time, an artificer can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own.
Cantrips: Contractors learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.
Trapfinding: An artificer adds 1/2 his level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). An artificer can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.
Scribe Scroll: At 1st level, an artificer gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat.
Construction:
Construction: An artificer begins play with the ability to have by his side a powerful construct creature. A construction has the same alignment as the artificer that built it but cannot speak. Constructions are treated as constructs, except that they do not have all the construct traits. An artificer can activate his construction from its usual carrying case that takes 1 minute to perform. This carrying case is of a variety of sizes usually on the artificer belt or backpack. When activated in this way, the construction hit points are unchanged from the last time it was activated. The only exception to this is if the construction was slain, in which case it returns with half its normal hit points and the broken status. The construction does not heal naturally. The construction remains until deactivated by the artificer (a standard action). If the construction is destroyed in battle or any other way, it cannot be activated again until the following day. If the artificer is unconscious, asleep, or killed, his construction is immediately deactivated. The construction takes a form shaped by the artificer’s design. The construction’s Hit Dice, saving throws, skills, feats, and abilities are tied to the artificer’s class level and increase as the artificer gains levels. In addition, each construction receives a pool of creation points, based on the artificer’s class level, that can be used to give the construction different abilities and powers. Whenever the artificer gains a level, he must decide how these points are spent, and they are set until he gains another level of artificer. The construction’s physical appearance is up to the artificer’s design, but it always appears as some sort of creative creature. This design is not fine enough to make the construction appear like a specific creature. The construction also bears a glowing rune that is identical to a rune that appears on the artificer’s forehead as long as the construction is activated. While this rune can be hidden through mundane means, it cannot be concealed through magic that changes appearance, such as alter self or polymorph (although invisibility does conceal it as long as the spell lasts). In addition, the construction and the artificer must remain within 100 feet of one another for the construction to remain at full strength. If the construction is beyond 100 feet but closer than 1,000 feet, its current and maximum hit point totals are reduced by 50%. If the construction is more than 1,000 feet away but closer than 10,000 feet, its current and maximum hit point totals are reduced by 75%. If the construction is more than 10,000 feet away, it is immediately deactivated. Current hit points lost in this way are not restored when the construction gets closer to the artificer, but its maximum hit point total does return to normal.
An artificer craves technology, constantly tinkering with projects of any magnitude. They see the perks of mechanics and technology along with the balance of magic. An artificer can see the strengths and has the ability to eliminate weaknesses in most constructions. Artificers also crave to be more like the machines they so utterly worship, modifying their own bodies is completely normal to them, for they one day wish to be the perfect creation.
Mindful Shot (Ex): At 2nd level, an artifice gains the ability to add his Intelligence modifier to damage for crossbows of any kind.
Rapid Reload: At 3rd level, an artificer gains the Rapid Reload feat as a bonus feat. An artificer does not need to meet the prerequisites for this feat.
Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, an artificer gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the artificer reaches 6th level, to +3 when he reaches 9th level, to +4 when he reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.
Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.
Shield Master (Ex): At 4th level, whenever an artificer is within his construction’s reach, the artificer receives a +2 shield bonus to his Armor Class and a +2 circumstance bonus on his saving throws. This bonus does not apply if the construction is grappled, helpless, paralyzed, stunned, or unconscious.
Augment Summoning: At 5th level, an artificer gains Augment Summoning as a bonus feat. He does not have to meet any requirements for this feat.
Creator’s Call (Su): At 6th level, as a standard action, an artificer can teleport his construction to his side. This functions as dimension door, using the artificer’s caster level. When used, the construction appears adjacent to the artificer (or as close as possible if all adjacent spaces are occupied). If the construction is out of range, the ability is wasted. The artificer can use this ability once per day at 6th level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 6th.
Adept Craftsman (Ex): At 7th level, an artificer adds 1/2 his artificer level to any crafting check or Use Magic Device check.
Crossbow Mastery: At 8th level, an artificer gains the Crossbow Mastery feat as a bonus feat. An artificer does not need to meet the prerequisites for this feat.
Transposition (Su): At 9th level, an artificer can use his creator’s call ability to swap locations with his construction. If it is larger than him, he can appear in any square occupied by the construction. The construction must occupy the square that was occupied by the artificer if able, or as close as possible if it is not able.
Self Modify (Su): At 10th level, an artificer can divert up to 2 points from his construction’s creation pool to add modifications to himself. He cannot select any modification that the construction could not possess, and he must be able to meet the requirements as well. He cannot select the ability increase modification through this ability. Any points spent in this way are taken from the construction’s creation pool (reducing the total number available to the construction). The artificer can change the modifications he receives from these points any
time he can change the construction’s modifications.
Refurbish (Sp): At 11th level, the artificer can cast transmogrify as a spell-like ability once per day without the need for a material component. This ability has a casting time of 1 minute.
Greater Shield Master (Su): At 12th level, whenever an ally is within the
construction’s reach, the ally receives a +2 shield bonus to its Armor Class and a +2 circumstance bonus on its saving throws. If this ally is the artificer, these bonuses increase to +4. This bonus does not apply if the artificer is grappled,helpless, paralyzed, stunned, or unconscious.
Construct Essence (Ex): At 13th level, an artificer has tinkered enough with his body that he even has some small machine like parts in his body. This lets any spells that repair or make whole an object heal him for 50% .
Expert Craftsman (Ex): At 14th level, an artificer also adds his Charisma modifier to any crafting check he makes. This stacks with adept craftsman.
Wand Expert (Ex): At 15th level, whenever an artificer is crafting a wand or staff, the caster level and amount of charges of these items are increases by 2.
Held Charge (Ex): At 16th level, when an artificer uses a staff, wand, or scroll. There is a 25% chance that the charge or scroll will not be expended at all. It is still used but is not destroyed and can be used again.
Scroll Master (Ex): At 17th level, whenever an artificer is crafting a scroll, the caster level of the scroll is increased by 2.
Greater Self Modify (Su): At 18th level, an artificer can divert more of his construction’s modifications to himself. This ability functions as the self modify ability, but up to 6 evolution points can be taken. Unlike the aspect ability, the construction loses 1 point from its creation pool for every 2 points (or fraction
thereof ) diverted to the artificer.
Master Craftsman (Ex): At 19th level, any crafting process done by an artificer cost him 50% less in all supplies and cost, to a minimum of 1.
Insightful Strikes (Ex): At 20th level, on any ranged attack, even if he can normally only attack once, an artificer gains an additional attack at his highest base attack. This ability stacks with such things as haste and rapid shot.
Construction Stats:
Construction
A construction’s abilities are determined by the artificer’s level and by the choices made using its creation pool. Table 1–1: Construction Base Statistics determines many of the base statistics of the construction. Each construction possesses a base form that modifies these base statistics. Constructions are constructs for the
purpose of determining which spells affect them. Although a construction only has the follow base construct traits:
-Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately becomes broken when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
-Constructs do not breathe, eat, or sleep.
-Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry.
-Immunity to disease, death effects, necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning.
-Cannot heal damage on its own, but through the use of the Craft Construct feat. Constructs can also be healed through spells such as make whole. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
Class Level: This is the character’s artificer level.
HD: This is the total number of 10-sided (d10) Hit Dice the construction possesses, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal.
BAB: This is the construction’s base attack bonus. A construction’s base attack bonus is equal to its Hit Dice. Constructions do not gain additional attacks using their natural weapons for a high base attack bonus.
Good/Bad Saves: These are the construction’s base saving throw bonuses. An construction possesses two good saving throws and one bad saving throw, determined by the construction’s base design.
Skills: This lists the construction’s total skill ranks. A construction can assign skill ranks to any skill, but it must possess the appropriate appendages to use some skills. Constructions with Intelligence scores above the base value modify these
totals as normal (a construction receives a number of skill ranks equal to 6 + its Intelligence modifier per HD). A construction cannot have more ranks in a skill than it has Hit Dice. Construction skill ranks are set once chosen, even if its design changes when the artificer gains a new level.
Feats: This is the total number of feats possessed by a construction. Construction can select any feat that they qualify for, but they must possess the appropriate appendages to use some feats. Construction feats are set once chosen, even if its design changes when the artificer gains a new level. If, due to changes, the construction no longer qualifies for a feat, the feat has no effect until the construction once again qualifies for the feat.
Armor Bonus: The number noted here is the construction’s base total armor bonus. This bonus may be split between an armor bonus and a natural armor bonus, as decided by the artificer. This number is modified by the construction’s base form and some options available through its creation pool. A construction cannot wear armor of any kind, as the armor interferes with the artificer’s design of the construction.
Str/Dex Bonus: Add this modifier to the construction’s Strength and Dexterity scores, as determined by its base design. Some options available through the construction’s creation pool might modify these scores as well.
Creation Pool: The value given in this column is the total number of points in the construction’s creation pool. Points from this pool can be spent on a wide variety of modifications and upgrades that add new abilities, attacks, and utilities to the construction. Whenever the artificer gains a level, the number in this pool increases and the artificer can spend these points to change the abilities and/or design of his construction. These choices are not set. The artificer can change them and redesign whenever he gains a level (and through the transmogrify spell).
Max. Attacks: This indicates the maximum number of natural attacks that the construction is allowed to possess at the given level. If the construction is at its maximum, it cannot take modifications that grant additional natural attacks. This does not include attacks made with weapons.
Special: This includes a number of abilities gained by all constructions as they increase in power. Each of these bonuses is described below.
Darkvision (Ex): The construction has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
Telecom (Ex): An artificer and his construction have a telecom system that allows for communication across any distance (as long as they are on the same plane). This communication is a free action, allowing the artificer to give orders to his construction at any time. In addition, magic items interfere with the artificer’s connection to his construction. As a result, the artificer and his construction share magic item slots. For example, if the artificer is wearing a ring, his construction can wear no more than one ring. In case of a conflict, the items worn by the artificer remain active, and those used by the construction become dormant. The construction must possess the appropriate appendages to utilize a magic item.
Fortification (Ex): A construction gains light, moderate, then heavy fortification as he increases in level due to the constant upgrades in covering weaknesses the artificer does to his own design.
Ability Score Increase (Ex): The eidolon adds +1 to one of its ability scores.
Multiattack: A construction gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has 3 or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite 3 or more natural attacks (or it is reduced to less than 3 attacks), the construction instead gains a second attack with one of its natural weapons, albeit at a –5 penalty. If the construction later gains 3 or more natural attacks, it loses this additional attack and instead gains Multiattack.
Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an eidolon takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.
Immunities (Ex): As the artificer gains experience in building and redesigning his construction he gives it new immunities, such as immune to all mind-affecting effects and not being subject to ability damage or non lethal damage.
Construction Skills
The following skills are class skills for constructions: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Stealth (Dex). In addition, at 1st level, the artificer can choose 4 additional skills to be class skills for his construction.
Base Designs
Each construction has one of three base designs that determines its starting size, speed, AC, attacks, and ability scores. All natural attacks are made using the construction’s full base attack bonus unless otherwise noted (such as in the case of secondary attacks).Construction attacks add the construction’s Strength modifier to the damage roll, unless it is its only attack, in which case it adds 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier. These base designs also note any free modifications that base form possesses. The bonuses from these free modifications are already factored into the starting statistics. The construction is small, it gains a +2 bonus to its Dexterity score. It also takes a –4 penalty to its Strength and a –2 penalty to its Constitution. It also gains a +1 size bonus to its AC and attack rolls, a –1 penalty to its CMB and CMD scores, and a +4 bonus on its Stealth skill checks.
Don't get me wrong, I like the concept of this. However, there's one thing I'd like to bring up.
In every other version of the Artificer I've seen online have included in one form or another a piece of technology that uses magic to power it. In DDO it's called the Runearm, in the d20pfsrd it doesn't have a name, but it's a gun that the artificer can build that fires off a number of spells a day before becoming unreliable.
I would love to use this class mod, but I don't see the steampunk-ish parts that make it the kind of thing I'd want to use
Don't get me wrong, I like the concept of this. However, there's one thing I'd like to bring up.
In every other version of the Artificer I've seen online have included in one form or another a piece of technology that uses magic to power it. In DDO it's called the Runearm, in the d20pfsrd it doesn't have a name, but it's a gun that the artificer can build that fires off a number of spells a day before becoming unreliable.
I would love to use this class mod, but I don't see the steampunk-ish parts that make it the kind of thing I'd want to use
see i thought about that but i wasnt sure if having that and the side pet would make it overpowered in pen and paper .... if you have any ideas on how tho id be glad to hear them
Ordin, you should check out the link in the post above yours. Lots of artificers in there.
Just to be clear here, the pet uses the Eidolon's table, and the artificer uses the summoner's spells per day?
As written, it seems like they're a full 9 level caster since it says it uses the sorc/wiz.
You should also make Rapid Reload work for repeating crossbows.
Yes same spells per level up to 6th level as the summoner and only will is the good save with 3/4 BAB... i also have an edited list of enhancements for the construction as well
I will try to post a Google doc with the entirety of the class, just wanted to show a preview for feedback at first
I thought you could already take Rapid Reload for repeating crossbows since it doesn't say anywhere that you cant?
I'll take back what I said about not liking the class you made. It's just about perfect, so thanks for making it. The runearm or magicgun or whatever you want to call it can all be taken as an open ended translation issue that is eventually decided by the DM what's right and wrong, so I'll bring it up with him.
