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Metallurgist
The future of arcane studies is written in iron, at least that's what a metallurgist would say. Let the chemists pander with unstable compounds and the wizards play with momentary displays of power. The metallurgist works his magic through unbreakable iron and wields it with deadly efficiency.
Metallurgy: Metallurgists are masters of all forms of metalworking and can use this knowledge in concert with his arcane talents to imbue his or his allies' weapons and armor with magical properties.
When using a Craft check to create an item made of metal, a metallurgist gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on the Craft check. In addition, a metallurgist can use Craft (weapon) or Craft (armor) to to identify the magical properties of those items as if using detect magic. He must hold the item for 1 round to make such a check. This replaces the skill-related aspect of the Alchemy ability.
Inscriptions Rather than preparing formulae in the form of extracts as other alchemists, a metallurgist prepares inscriptions on objects made of metal or stone, most often weapons and armor. As with extracts, preparing an inscription on an object takes 1 minute of work. After this is done, the metallurgist may trigger the inscription at any time that day as a standard action by touching the object, which has the effect of casting the related spell. This modifies and otherwise functions as the extracts class feature.
Energy Sheath: When wielding a weapon bearing one of his inscriptions, a metallurgist can expend some of his arcane power to sheath his weapon in elemental energy as a swift action for 1 round. While under this effect, attacks made with the weapon resolve against touch AC and deal an additional 1d6 fire damage. At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the metallurgist adds an additional 1d6 to the additional damage (to a total of 10d6 at 19th level). A metallurgist can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his class level + his Intelligence modifier. This replaces bombs.
Metal Graft: Once per day, a metallurgist can use his mastery of metal to meld completely with his metal weapon or armor (weapons and armor must be made entirely of metal), sacrificing some abilities for powerful benefits. This effect lasts 1 hour per metallurgist level or until cancelled.
If the metallurgist chooses to graft to his armor, his armor becomes a thick extension of his skin. The metallurgist is considered to be an object with the hardness and hit points of the material his armor consists of (the armor skin is 1-inch thick) for the purses of attacks made against him and all spells and effects, except spells or weapons that bypass non-living matter, which damage the metallurgist normally. While under these effects, the metallurgist is slowed (as per the slow spell) and the metallurgist cannot be healed using Cure spells (though mend and make whole will restore hit points to the armor). If the armor-skin's hit points reach 0, it gains the broken condition and the ability ends.
If the metallurgist chooses to graft to his wielded weapons, the weapon hilts become meld with his arms and the damaging ends grow. The damage die for the weapons increases by one step and ignore DR equal to the metallurgists Intelligence modifier. While under these effects, the metallurgist cannot be disarmed, but he cannot use his hand for any purpose, including activating inscriptions.
Metal Magic: At 2nd level, the metallurgist receives a +2 bonus on UMD checks to use spell-trigger and spell-completion items that are made of metal. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, an then again to +6 at 8th level. At 10th level, a metallurgist can craft spell trigger and spell completion items as if he were a spell caster equal to her level, even if he does not know the require spell (in which case the craft DC increases by +5, as if other magic items). This replaces poison resistance and poison use.
Swift Metallurgy: At 3rd level, a metallurgist can craft metalworks at astonishing speed. It takes a metallurgist half the normal amount of time to create mundane metal items. At 18th level, he can enchant magical items in half the normal time. This replaces swift alchemy and instant alchemy.
Discoveries: Because of the vastly different nature of the metallurgist's work, he chooses from a different list of discoveries than a normal alchemist.
Acid Sheath: When using energy sheath, he can choose to have it inflict acid damage. Creatures hit by the sheathed take an additional 1d6 points of acid damage 1 round later.
Canny Offense: The metallurgist adds their Intelligence modifier on attack rolls with all metal weapons and on damage rolls while using Energy Sheath instead of Strength.
Dispelling sheath: When using energy sheath, he can choose to have it dispel magic effects instead of deal damage. Creatures hit by the sheathed weapon are subject to a targeted dispel magic spell, using the metallurgist's level as the caster level. This cannot be used to target a specific spell effect. The metallurgist must be at least 6th level before selecting this discovery.
Force Sheath: When using energy sheath, he can choose to have it inflict force damage. Force-sheathed weapons deal 1d4 points of force damage, plus 1d4 points of force damage for every odd-numbered level, instead of 1d6. Creatures hit by the sheathed weapon are knocked prone unless they succeed on a Reflex save. An metallurgist must be at least 8th level before selecting this discovery.
Madness Sheath The metallurgist's skeet does more than sear flesh—it sears the mind. A creature hit by the sheathed weapon takes damage from the weapon plus 1d4 points of Wisdom damage. Reduce the amount of normal damage dealt by the weapon by 2d6 (so a weapon that would normally deal 6d6+4 points of damage deals 4d6+4 points of damage instead). The amount of Wisdom damage dealt by a madness sheath is reduced by 1 for each time that hit the target in the past 24 hours, to a minimum of 1 point of Wisdom damage. A metallurgist must be at least 12th level before selecting this discovery.
Lesser Armor Sheath: The metallurgist can use energy sheath to cloak his armor in elemental energy instead of his weapon. By expending 1 round of energy sheath, the metallurgist can grant himself 2 points of energy resistance of any type he is capable of choosing for his energy sheath ability.
Armor Sheath: While using energy sheath on his armor, if the metallurgist is struck in melee combat, he deals half energy sheath damage to the opponent that struck him. Opponents using reach weapons are not affected by this damage. This ability can only trigger one per round. The metallurgist must have the Armor Sheath discovery and be at least 4th level before selecting this discovery.
Greater Armor Sheath: When using armor sheath and being struck by multiple opponents in the same round, each opponent is dealt half of the metallurgist's energy sheath damage. The metallurgist must have the armor sheath discovery and be at least 8th level before selecting this discovery.
Shock Sheath: When using energy sheath, he can choose to have it inflict electricity damage. Creatures hit by a shock sheath are dazzled for 1d4 rounds.
Analyze Dweomer: Once per day, the metallurgist may focus instantly upon the aura of a magical item made of metal in order to glean as much information from it as possible, as per the analyze dweomer spell. Using this ability does not consume any costly material components. The metallurgist must be at least 10th level before selecting this discovery.
Additional Thoughts/Concerns:
-The Metal Graft ability is definitely not right as-is. The armor option seems too powerful, but this should give you enough of an idea of what I'm going for that you can suggest more balanced alternatives.
-I'm working on replacing a lot of the alchemist spells for this archetype. Spells like CLW and Detect Secret Doors aren't the sort of things you would inscribe on an object, but spells like Alarm and Longstrider are. There a lot of those to move around, when I make an updated version I'll post those replacements with it.
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Personally I like this archetype. It seems well balanced enough and make the alchemist into a decent secondary fighter with his own advantages and limitations
I'm guessing that the Graft ability replaces Mutagen, if so you may want to write that in since im sure it will confuse some people.
Also does the sheath ability only last for the one turn? if so you should probably clarify that as well.
Dont worry about him seeming to powerful with his armorgraft, there are literally dozens of ways to counter and kill it and unless your allies are smat you'll crumble to peices.
Also, how are all of these abilities affected by anti-magic feilds or disjunctions?
Im confused with Armor Sheath since its saying it requires itself to work. Could you perhaps fix that typo and perhaps make it worth two expended ses of your Energy sheath?
Ah, yeah there are some typing errors.
-the metalgraft is supposed to replace mutagen, i forgot to write that in.
-energy sheath lasts for one round, as the suli's elemental assault.
- that typo with armor sheath requiring itself is supposed to say they must have Lesser Armor Sheath to select it.
If you feel the armor graft is fine in terms of powerlevel, does it compare alright to weapon graft?.
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Energy sheath as a swift action is to good. Make them spend a discovery like normal alchemists for fast bombs.
Canny offense is rediculous.
I think you need to tune down somemof the class but i love the idea. Firearms seem like a fun weapon to use this class with. I want a cannon arm!
Yeah, canny offence is a bit too cheep.
Also change weapon graft so that you either cant reload or it takes twice as long to reload your fire-arm weapon.
Thanks for the input both of you.
-Energy sheath will be reworded so that, while activating it is activated as a swift action as part of a SINGLE attack and enhances only that attack.
-As for Canny Offense, how about this: by spending 1 use of elemental sheath, the metallurgist can had their Intelligence modifier on attack rolls and critical hit confirmation rolls for one round.
-Using metal graft with a weapon that requires two hands to wield means he would not have any hands free to reload his weapon, since both hands would fused to the weapon. He could, however, have the vestigal arms discovery (which would be slightly reflavored to have the vestigal arm be a metal one) in order to reload his cannon arm, or he could just have allies piling cannon balls in.
"RELOAD ME, COMRADES!"
I'll post an updated version in a day or two with the spell replacements, but I want to see if I can get any more helpful criticism first from other homebrewers.
Criticism? no. Suggestion, yes!
Iron wood as a discovery. At 5th level or 10th, that's a balance issue.
It requires an equal amount of iron to transform wood or bone.
They need to choose the energy, fire, frost, acid, or lightning.
If they double select the energy sheath, it's 2 different energies.
I would like this to be a preferred class for dwarves.
Criticism? no. Suggestion, yes!
Iron wood as a discovery. At 5th level or 10th, that's a balance issue.
It requires an equal amount of iron to transform wood or bone.
They need to choose the energy, fire, frost, acid, or lightning.
If they double select the energy sheath, it's 2 different energies.
I would like this to be a preferred class for dwarves.
Good suggestions!
-Being able to turn wooden equipment into metal was something I'd been thinking of but hadn't written up for this 1.0 post, along with spells and additional new discoveries I've been working on (like Iron Arms). This or a discovery that allowed them to use items made of softer material with their abilities (like wood or clay) would be a way for a character to get around the metal limitation if they wanted to use certain weapons.
Two new discoveries that I want to make sure are well balanced because I know my players are going to pounce on them once I open it up for playtesting:
Armored Arm: The metallurgist transforms one of his arms into living metal. Unarmed strikes made with the arm do not provoke attacks of opportunity and deal damage as a gauntlet of its size (whether the arm deals bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage is decided when the discovery is taken and cannot be changed). They may also bear the metallurgist' inscriptions and energy sheath ability. Additionally, when damaging objects, it ignores hardness of less than 10. This discovery can be taken twice. When taken the second time, it applies to a different arm, and the metallurgist gains a +1 natural armor bonus for having both arms turned to metal.
Greater Armored Arm: The metallurgist's armored arms become more powerful. They now deal 1d6 damage and crit on 19-20. The metallurgist must have taken the Armored Arm discovery at least once.
As written, it would require 3 discoveries/feats in order to have the full desired effect. I'm not sure about how I've split it up though, since as -is I feel like no one would ever want to take Armored Arm just once. Maybe confer a natural armor bonus the first time it's taken instead?
Dot.
slowly becomes a golem? as he takes lvls he slowly replaces his flesh w/ metal plating and his inner organs w/ gears/pumps/mechanical stuff. becomes a true golem at lvl 20???
this is awesome...i actually see a gnome tinkerer doing this...but of course giving himself mechanical leg and arm extensions first and foremost...since hes always been sensitive about his height. haha
DOT
I really like the look of this one, it still retains the Alchemist flavor while giving them the necessary tools to be a melee powerhouse. Can't wait to see how the final draft looks!