Artificer


Homebrew and House Rules


Hey guys... I was perusing the pfsrd website and I came across the Artificer class.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/adamant-entertainment/Ar tificer/#TOC-Salvage

I also found https://sites.google.com/site/eberronpathfinder/Home?authuser=0

for those of you into the Eberron world like I am. They also had their own conversion of the old 3.5 Artificer made for the setting.

Well... When I was looking at these 2 classes I found this I liked and didn't like and I tried to make my own version of it. I'm just wondering if it seems balanced to everyone. Here is my version of the class:

Artificer

1: Elbow Grease, Infusions, Artificer Knowledge, Scribe Scroll

2: Bonus Feat, Rugged Craftsman

3: Craft Wonderous Item

4: Brew Potion

5: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Retain Essense

6: Elbow Grease increase

7: Metamagic Science

8: Craft Wand

9: Forge Ring

10: Bonus Feat, Elbow Grease increase

11: Craft Rod

12: Craft Staff

13: Improved Metamagic Science

14: Bonus Feat

15: Jack of all trades

16: Skill Mastery

17: Master Smith

18: Bonus Feat

19: Exceptional Artisan

20: Extraordinary Artisan

Starting Wealth: 3d6 x 10 gp (average 105gp)

Class Skills:

The artificer’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Perception (Wis), Linguistics (Int), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Hit Dice: d8

BAB: Medium

Saves: Good Fort and Will, and Poor Reflex

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

Artificers are proficient with all simple weapons, all crossbows, with light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields). If the campaign allows for firearms or siege weapons, artificers also also proficient in these weapons as well.

Infusions:

An artificer casts infusions, which are like spells but are neither arcane nor divine. Like spells, artificers have a limited number of infusions per day, based on their level. Similar to other spellcasters, artificers get additional infusions per day based on their Intelligence attribute and regain their infusions per day after a normal 8 hours of rest and 15 minutes of concentration. Like sorcerers and bards, artificers can cast any infusion he knows without preparing them ahead of time, classifying him as a spontaneous spellcaster. However, given how limited his selection is, he automatically knows all infusions on the infusion list of any level he is capable of casting. Should an artificer encounter some rare or ancient infusion that does not appear on the normal infusion list, he can learn it by studying it for 8 hours and making a Spellcraft check with a DC equal to 20 + the infusion level. However, this is specifically not intended for artificers to reverse engineer normal spells to become infusions.

Infusions, like spells, are subject to concentration checks, using the same DCs as normal spellcaster and using his Intelligence modifier to the concentration check. Likewise, infusions have components (verbal, somatic and material) which must be met when casting an infusion. However, the somatic components are simple enough that artificers do not suffer spell chance failure from light or medium armor or from any shield, except tower shields. While rare, infusions that have saving throws have their DC equal to 10 + the infusion level + the artificer's Intelligence modifier. Infusions can be modified by metamagic feats spontaneously with the same alteration to the casting time as sorcerers. Like spells, infusions are identified using Spellcraft checks with same DCs.

Where infusions differ from spells is that no infusion qualifies for spells when making magical items or activating items, even if they are functionally similar when cast. For example, even though Light appears as both a spell and an infusion, the artificer does not have Light for the purposes of making magical items or activating a wand of Light.

Cantrips:

An artificer automatically knows all 0-level infusions that appear on the infusion list, but unlike normal infusions, they do not require spell slots and can all be used repeatedly. In all other aspects, they act as normal infusions.

Artificer's Knowledge:

Unlike normal spellcasters, artificers count as both casters and manifesters for the purposes of creating magical and psionic items. Likewise, they can create spell trigger, spell completion, power trigger and power completion items without having the ability to cast the necessary spells or manifest the necessary powers. They still need the necessary item creation feats, but the artificer can continue the item creation process with only a working knowledge of each spell or power needed. When an artificer puts their first rank into Knowledge: Arcana, they are considered to have a working knowledge of all 0th arcane spells from any arcane spell list. The same is also true for Knowledge: Religion and 0th divine spells from any divine spell list and Knowledge: Psionics and 0th level psionic powers from any power list. For each additional two ranks placed into a given skill, the working knowledge of the associated spell or power list increases by one level, to a maximum of 9th level spells or powers at 19 ranks.

When determining the spell or power level of a spell or power that appears on multiple lists, search the spells and powers list that have the full 9 levels of spells or powers first (i.e. sorcerer / wizard, cleric / oracle, druid, witch and psion / wilder). If the desired effect is on one or more of those lists, the artificer has the choice of which list to take it from, notating the spell or power level and, in the case of spells, whether it is arcane or divine. If, and only if, the desired effect is not located on any of those lists, check the spells and powers lists that only have 6 levels of spells or powers (i.e. bard, summoner, inquisitor psychic warrior, etc). If the desired effect is on one or more of those lists, the artificer has the same choice. If, and only if, the desired effect is not located on any of those lists, check the spells and powers lists that only have 4 levels of spells or powers (i.e. paladin, ranger, etc). If the desired effect is one or more of those lists, the artificer has the same choice. If, and only if, the desired effect is not on any of the above lists examined, then the artificer is free to duplicate from whatever spell or power list remaining. The choice of exactly which list the spell or power is taken from will determine the spell or power level mimicked and, in the case of spells, whether or not the effect is arcane or divine.

If an artificer needs a spell or power that he does not have a working knowledge of, he can still duplicate it with a successful Use Magic Device check with a DC equal to 20 + twice the spell or power level. Other item creation requirements can also be substituted as well, with the exception of the caster or manifester level. The artificer makes another Use Magic Device check, with the same DC as what is needed to emulate the needed class features, ability scores, race or alignments. Only one check per requirement is allowed.

All other aspects of item creation remain following the same rules for item creation (feats required, time, cost, etc). The artificer uses his caster level as either the caster level or manifester level for comparing to the item's requirements. After all Use Magic Device checks have been made, the normal Spellcraft check to actually create the magical or psionic item still needs to be made to see if the item is successfully created. If a spell or power is required for the item creation (like that for scrolls, wands, dorjes, etc) and it is not successfully emulated, the entire item creation process (time and construction cost) is wasted.

Thus, attempting to create a Minotaur Belt (a Wondrous Item with a CL of 4, requiring Bull's Strength and Feather Step) has a normal Spellcraft or Craft DC: 19 for someone that did not met either spell prerequisites. However, an artificer that does not have a working knowledge of either spell can make two UMD checks (first for Bull's Strength at a DC of 24, second for Feather Step at a DC of 22) to lower the final Spellcraft or Craft DC to just 9.

Elbow Grease:

The artificer gains a +2 bonus to all Craft checks. This bonus raises to +4 at 6th level, and +6 at 10th level.

Bonus Feats:

As an artificer progresses in level, he gains item creation feats as bonus feats. He does not need to qualify for the specified feats listed, but does for any bonus feat he gets to choose.

In addition to these specific feats, at 2nd level and every 4 levels thereafter, artificers gain an additional bonus feat chosen from the following list: any metamagic feat, any item creation feat not already listed (like Craft Construct), Attune Magic Weapon, Extra Ingenuity, Extra Rings, and Wand Mastery or any Combat Feat which he qualifies for.

Rugged Craftsman:

At 2nd level, when an artificer is crafting magical items while adventuring on in a dangerous environment, he gains the full benefit of 4 hours per day, rather than the normal 2 hours of work for 4 hours of effort. The amount of gold piece value achieved per hour is still based on the normal 8 hours per day and divided normally. The artificer can also create multiple magical items in single day, provided that the total gold piece value is still within his gold piece limit per day for enchanting.

Retain Essence:

At 5th level, an artificer gains the ability to salvage the gold piece value from an enchanted item for the sole purpose to create a new enchanted item or further enchant an existing magical or psionic item. In this sense, 'magical' and 'psionic' are interchangeable. The artificer must spend 8 consecutive hours with the item and he must also have all of the necessary item creation feats to create the item he is salvaging. After the 8 hours, the item, including the mundane item the enchanted was original placed on, is destroyed and the artificer now has a collection of reagents with a gold piece value of the construction cost of the enchanted item, which is usually one half the base price of the magical item. See the specific magical item for any unusual requirements in its creation.

This collection of reagents weighs one quarter of the original item and can be used by anyone that has the necessary item creation feats from the original magical or psionic item. These reagents never include talismanic components, like dragonshards or any part that is unique to a specific magical item.

For example, if an artificer with the Craft Wondrous Item feat recovers a Handy Haversack that he needs to convert, he spends 8 hours with the item to break down the item and recovers 1,000 gp worth reagents (the construction cost to make the item in the first place). Those reagents can then be used toward the cost of making any magical item, provided that whomever is making the item has the Craft Wondrous Item feat in addition whatever feats needed for the new item.

Attempting to salvage a cursed magical item can be done, but if the item is not identified as cursed before being salvaged, the artificer must make a Will save with a DC of 10 + the item's caster level or suffer a drawback (as per Corebook, pg. 538) and the cursed item is remains intact. If the cursed item is a specific cursed item, failing the initial Will save also means the artificer is wielding or wearing the cursed item, replacing whatever he might have been wielding or wearing at the time.

Magical items with Hit Dice can be salvaged using this class feature, but the item must be controlled by the artificer for the entire 8 hours, otherwise the item will automatically attack the artificer. Also, if the item is less than full hit points, the amount salvaged is less than it would normally be. If the item's hit points are less than full but more than its Hit Dice, the artificer can salvage 2/3 of the construction cost to make the magical item, rounded down. If the item has equal or less hit points than Hit Dice, but has at least 1 hit point, it can be salvaged for 1/2 of the construction cost to make the magical item. A magical item that is destroyed (either by conditions or 0 hit points) cannot be salvaged. Likewise, if destroying the item would be dangerous, like an Elemental Bound item, the artificer must deal with that situation at a randomly determined time during that process. Any combat that arises from a salvage attempt assumes that the artificer starts the first round of combat prone, but not surprised.

Artifacts (both major and minor), as well as magical items that do not have gold piece value, like living constructs, cannot be salvaged.

Metamagic Science:

At 7th level, an artificer gains the ability to apply a metamagic feat he knows to a spell trigger item (such as a wand). He must have the appropriate item creation feat for the spell trigger item he is using. Using this ability expends additional charges from the item equal to the number of effective spell levels the metamagic feat would add to a spell.

Improved Metamagic Science:

At 13th level, an artificer gains the ability to apply a metamagic feat he knows to a spell completion item (a scroll, for example). He must have the appropriate item creation feat for the spell completion item he is using. The DC for the Use Magic Device check is equal to 20 + (3 times the modified level of the spell).

Jack of All Trades:

At 15th level, the artificer has picked up a smattering of even the most obscure skills. They may use any skill untrained aside from Knowledge skills.

Skill Mastery:

At 16th level, an artificer can take 10 when making Spellcraft or Use Magic Device checks, even if stress and distractions would normally prevent him from doing so. This ability circumvents the normal rule that a character may not take 10 on a Use Magic Device check.

Master Smith:

At 17th level an artificer is truely a master at his art. When he wants to craft an item, an artificer uses 1/10gp value of armor, shields and weapons to determine how much time it takes to craft mundane items, and he requires only half the normal amount of time to enchant magical arms and armor.

Exceptional Artisan:

When determining the time you need to craft any magical item, reduce the final base time by 25%, rounding up to the nearest whole hour. This discount does not stack with any other discount to construction time, but does work with improvement in GP per day rates. Thus, if you normally craft wondrous items at 1,300 gp per day and you are making an item that has a purchase price of 5,200 gp, this feat will allow you to craft the item in three days, instead of four days normally.

Extraordinary Artisan:

When determining the construction cost you need to craft any magical item, reduce the final base price by 25%, rounding up to the nearest whole gold piece. This reduction does not apply to any special component cost of the item. Use the original base price when determining the time needed to create the magical item. This discount does not stack with any other reduction in construction cost.

So let me know what you guys think!! I also grabbed some inspiration from the Soul Forger magus archetype!!


He doesn't have to meet the prerequisites for the listed feats, but he does for any bonus feat he gets to pick.
slope io

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