Help with a homebrew class, the mechanics of a craft ability.

[Redpieper]

Alright you all, I have a question for you.
A player in my group wishes for me to make a character class that's sort of an inventor (like the artificer I guess, we don't have that book unfortunatly).
Only he wants it to be able to replace parts of his bodies with mechanical magic parts. Like a robot arcane arm and such.

This is all fine and dandy, however I'm having trouble creating the mechanic by which he could craft these items.
The costs and such in general and the time it would take is killing me since there is no way the party is going to wait for so many days everytime he has to make something.
Now I had the idea that he could build "helpers", small robotic servants that would shorten the time to craft.
But I'm still stuck with how to create the overal mechanic.

Could any of you offer any ideas? suggestions?
This is for a steampunk campaign BTW, with some heavy doses of magic involved :)

[DracoDei]

I think there have been at least 2 classes on these boards that fit the bill. One is based on Phil Foglio's sparks (like Agatha Hetrodyne). Try searching for "scientist".

[bkknightjustis]

Read Dragon Mech* they have that class azactly in a steam version it's an okay class you could potentaily work it abit to a true gears and electricity version though* instead of steam


The class is called steamborg

I kidna also requesting reading about some of the feats involved too like gear head ect. for mechanical uses and usefulness for that player

sorry thats all I can provide there MAYBIE is a PDF or soem file out there with steam borg in it but i can't fidn it right now

[pyrefiend]

I once tried to make a class like that... it never really got off the ground, but the idea was almost exactly what you're describing, right down to the mechanical body parts and robotic helpers. Maybe you'll find something that could help you. Here it is. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42001)

[dropdadgbe]

Alright you all, I have a question for you.
A player in my group wishes for me to make a character class that's sort of an inventor (like the artificer I guess, we don't have that book unfortunatly).
Only he wants it to be able to replace parts of his bodies with mechanical magic parts. Like a robot arcane arm and such.

This is all fine and dandy, however I'm having trouble creating the mechanic by which he could craft these items.
The costs and such in general and the time it would take is killing me since there is no way the party is going to wait for so many days everytime he has to make something.
Now I had the idea that he could build "helpers", small robotic servants that would shorten the time to craft.
But I'm still stuck with how to create the overal mechanic.

Could any of you offer any ideas? suggestions?
This is for a steampunk campaign BTW, with some heavy doses of magic involved :)
I know you said you don't have a copy, but see if you can get your hands on the Eberron Campaign Setting and Magic of Eberron. The Artificer class ought to cover your crafting mechanics pretty solidly, and the Renegade Mastermaker prestige class (from Magic of Eberron) is all about replacing body parts.

For costs, the Artificer's craft reserve should cut down on XP costs, and there are item creation feats to cut down time, gold, and XP xosts as well (although please note that as-written they say they can be taken multiple times, but in the eratta they say they can't).

For helpers, consider the "Craft Homunculus" feat, accompanied by the Homunculi in the monster sections of both books.

If you're still keen on making a homebrew that's one thing, but given that Eberron is already written and playtested, I really think that either you or your player picking up a copy would be worth the investment.