Building the ultimate tinkerer

[weckar]

I have this idea for a gnome tinkerer, which seems to a be a big archetype with a lot of... support. Frankly, most of the things that allow a tinkerer (outside Artificer) are weak, situational or really slow. One only gets so much downtime.

Figuring CL10, what can we do to make a tinkerer that feels like a tinkerer (and not an enchanter, like, again, the Artificer)?

Don't get me wrong. I don't mind Artificer. But artificer is not enough. And playing off some gnome-exclusive things or racial strengths would be a real plus.

I frankly don't even know where to start... It'd be cool if I could eventually get something akin to power armor (or at least a full arm bracer), but I don't think that's a real option within the rules.

That said, all sources are open. Including that Master class from Dragonlance if we would need it for whatever reason...

[LordOfCain]

I have this idea for a gnome tinkerer, which seems to a be a big archetype with a lot of... support. Frankly, most of the things that allow a tinkerer (outside Artificer) are weak, situational or really slow. One only gets so much downtime.

Figuring CL10, what can we do to make a tinkerer that feels like a tinkerer (and not an enchanter, like, again, the Artificer)?

Don't get me wrong. I don't mind Artificer. But artificer is not enough. And playing off some gnome-exclusive things or racial strengths would be a real plus.

I frankly don't even know where to start... It'd be cool if I could eventually get something akin to power armor (or at least a full arm bracer), but I don't think that's a real option within the rules.

That said, all sources are open. Including that Master class from Dragonlance if we would need it for whatever reason...Perhaps the trapsmith PrC could work. Maybe take some crafting feats as well. I suggest maybe rogue 5/trapsmith 5/whatever 10 (maybe spellcasting progressing PrC) with Practiced Spellcaster and some crafting feats.

[Troacctid]

Check out the Gnome Artificer prestige class from Magic of Faerun.

[mabriss lethe]

At lower levels, the boobytrap rules from... DMG2?...are rather fun, and can still be useful occasionally afterwards. (it only requires a craft trapmaking skill roll iirc)

[Buddy76]

Check out the Gnome Artificer prestige class from Magic of Faerun.

Yeah, fluffwise I think that might be the closest to what you want. It allows you to build technological devices that duplicate some spells from a predetermined list.

I have a few suggestions regarding power armor:

1- You can get yourself a suit of clowork armor: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070212a (if you feel like it, check out the entire clockwork wonder series for inspiration: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/cw).

2- If Pathfinder is allowed, add the construct armor modification to a construct.

3- If you can't use PF, I once played a character that had a shrapnyl (a type of raggamoffyn found in MMII) cohort that served as "armor". When I "wore" it, it granted me the captured one template, boosting my low strenght and giving me the same immunities as a construct. I don't know how to get one at CL 10, however.

[weckar]

Gnome Artificer looks neat. That's a launcry list of prereqs though... And leaves me without a base class (or two) to call my own.

I know it's not entirely RAW, but do you think there's a way I could use the Master's Applied Craftsmanship: to only take one craft skill instead of four to qualify? Because as is it requires ranks in 8 different skills (most of which not very useful on their own)...

[Buddy76]

Personally, I'd allow it as a gm. The class is not terribly strong, so finding a way to bypass the stern and not very useful prerequisites seems fair.