Long_shanks
2016-12-27, 10:45 AM
Hello Playgrounders
I'll be DMing a new game shortly in 3.P and a player wants to play an artificer. The idea fits perfectly in my campaign and I do love the artificer with a passion.
So I've tried to come up with adaptations toadapt the class to the new system (the XP pool has absolutely no use now) The end result is a boost in power (I know the artificer doesn't need said boost, but keep in mind that this player is not an optimizer, so it should be fine for my specific game), and I tried to prevent dead levels (only 19th level remains bereft of class features). I've also given it a capstone that basically only augments its WBL.
So here it is:
ARTIFICER
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Artificers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma is the most important ability for an artificer because several of his infusions and class features rely on his ability to make Use Magic Device checks. Intelligence is also important because it determines the effectiveness of his infusions and the size of his Charge pool, but it plays a lesser role than for most spellcasters. A high Dexterity improves the artificer’s defensive ability.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Class skills
The artificer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge, Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill ranks per level: 4 + Int modifier.
CLASS FEATURES
THE ARTIFICER
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Makeshift item value Special
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Artisan bonus, charge pool, item creation, magical knack, Scribe Scroll, trapfinding
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Brew Potion, Magic fuel
3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 Craft Wondrous Item, Trap sense +1
4th +3 +1 +1 +4 Craft Homunculus, bonus feat
5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, dismantle item
6th +4 +2 +2 +5 3000 gp Makeshift item (2/day), metamagic spell trigger, trap sense +2
7th +5 +2 +2 +5 4000 gp Forge Ring
8th +6 +2 +2 +6 5000 gp Bonus feat
9th +6 +3 +3 +6 6000 gp Craft rod, trap sense +3
10th +7 +3 +3 +7 8000 gp Makeshift item (3/day)
11th +8 +3 +3 +7 10000 gp Craft Staff
12th +9 +4 +4 +8 14000 gp Metamagic spell completion, bonus feat, trap sense +4
13th +9 +4 +4 +8 18000 gp Skill mastery
14th +10 +4 +4 +9 24000 gp Makeshift item (4/day)
15th +11 +5 +5 +9 30000 gp Trap sense +5
16th +12 +5 +5 +10 40000 gp Bonus feat
17th +12 +5 +5 +10 50000 gp Transfer magical property
18th +13 +6 +6 +11 60000 gp Makeshift item (5/day), trap sense +6
19th +14 +6 +6 +11 80000 gp --
20th +15 +6 +6 +12 100000 gp Permanent item, bonus feat
Infusions per day
Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1st 2
2nd 3
3rd 3 1
4th 3 2
5th 3 3 1
6th 3 3 2
7th 3 3 2
8th 3 3 3 1
9th 3 3 3 2
10th 3 3 3 2
11th 3 3 3 2 1
12th 3 3 3 2 2
13th 3 3 3 3 2
14th 4 3 3 3 3 1
15th 4 4 3 3 3 2
16th 4 4 4 3 3 2
17th 4 4 4 4 3 3
18th 4 4 4 4 4 3
19th 4 4 4 4 4 4
20th 4 4 4 4 4 4
All the following are class features of the artificer.
Weapon and armor proficiency: Artificers are proficient with all simple weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields).
Infusions: Same as the original in Eberron Campaign Setting (p. 31). No way I’m retyping all that.
Artificer Knowledge: An artificer has a developed knowledge of magic items and magic auras. He can use Detect Magic at will and Identify 1/day as spell-like abilities.
Artisan bonus: An artificer’s knowledge of magic items grants him a bonus when attempting to use them. He gains a bonus on all Use Magic Device checks equal to 1/2 his artificer level (minimum +1).
Artificer’s weapon: The artificer is treated has having the Weapon Focus feat for any weapon for which he has proficiency and that he has crafted or enchanted himself.
Furthermore, as a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, an artificer can expend 1 point of his charge pool and touch a weapon to grant it an enhancement bonus. The bonus is equal to 1 + 1 for every 6 artificer levels (to a maximum of +4 at 18th level). Enhancement bonuses gained by this ability stack with those of the weapon, to a maximum of +5.
He can also imbue the weapon with any one weapon special ability with an equivalent enhancement bonus less than or equal to your maximum bonus by reducing the granted enhancement bonus by the appropriate amount. The item must have an enhancement bonus of at least +1 (from the item itself or from Artificer’s weapon) to gain a weapon special ability. In either case, these bonuses last for 1 minute.
Charge pool: The artificer’s charge pool is used to power some of his abilities. An artificer has a number of charges equal to 1/2 his artificer level + his Intelligence modifier; these charges refresh daily.
Item creation: An artificer can use his Use Magic Device skill instead of his Spellcraft skill to create magic items. He follows the same rules than other crafters for determining the DC of the check he needs to make.
For purposes of meeting prerequisites, an artificer’s effective caster is equal to his artificer character level + 2. If the item duplicates a spell effect however, it uses the artificer’s caster level as its caster level. Costs are always determined using the item’s minimum caster level or the artificer’s caster level (if it is higher). Thus, a 3rd level artificer can make a scroll of fireball, since the minimum caster level of fireball is 5th. He pays the normal cost for making such a scroll with a caster level of 5th: 5X3X12.5 = 187,5 gp. But the scroll caster level is only 3rd, and it produces a weak fireball that deals only 3d6 points of damage.
An artificer can also make a Use Magic Device to emulate nonspell requirements, including alignment and race, using the normal DCs for the skill. He cannot emulate skill or feat requirement however, including item creation feat prerequisites. He must meet the level prerequisite, including the minimum level to cast a spell he stores in a potion, wand, scroll, or staff.
An artificer’s infusions do not meet spell prerequisites for creating magic items. For example, an artificer must still employ the Use Magic Device skill to emulate the light spell to create a wand of light, even though light appears on his infusion list.
Magical knack: An artificer has a developed knowledge of magic items and magic auras. He can use Detect Magic at will and Identify 1/day as spell-like abilities.
Trapfinding: An artificer adds 1/2 her 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.
Magic fuel: For an artificer, using magic items is a second nature. Beginning at 2nd level, an artificer can activate a scroll, a wand, or a staff by expending one charge of his charge pool. This ability cannot be used to cast a spell from a staff that has no charges remaining for the day and cannot be used more than once per day per scroll. When used in conjunction with the Metamagic spell trigger ability, it cannot reduce the number of charges expanded form the wand or staff below 1. For example, a 8th level artificer want to empower his wand of fireball using Metamagic spell trigger. He must expand 3 charges from the wand to do so. He can then lower that cost to one charge (but no lower) by spending two point from his charge pool. This ability cannot be used with Metamagic spell completion.
Trap sense: At 3rd level, an artificer gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, giving him 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 at 9th level, to +4 at 12th level, to +5 at 15th level, and to +6 at 18th level. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.
Bonus feats: An artificer gains every item creation feat as bonus feats at various levels. In addition, at 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, he gains a bonus feat derived from the following list: any metamagic feat, Attune Magic Weapon, Craft Construct, Exceptional Artisan, Expanded Charge Pool*, Extra Rings, Extraordinary Artisan, Legendary Artisan, Wand Mastery. The artificer must meet all prerequisites for the feats.
Craft homunculus: Same as the original in the Eberron Campaign Setting (p. 32), except that there are no XP costs.
Dismantle item: At 5th level, an artificer gains the ability to dismantle magic items to garner raw crafting materials. He can recoup half the value of the item in crafting materials. It takes one hour per caster level of the item to dismantle it.
Makeshift item: As the artificer’s understanding of magic increases, he can use this knowledge to create crude magic items that duplicate At 6th level, he can create crude magic items that duplicate the properties of a specific magic item. It takes one minute to create an item in such a manner. This item’s value cannot exceed the value shown on the table. This ability is usable 2/day, and the item lasts for 10 minutes per artificer level. The artificer cannot use his Magic fuel ability with items created that way. He cannot spend more than one use on a single item to increase its maximum value. He gains an extra use for every 4 artificer levels he gains above 6th, up to 5/day at 18th level. The artificer must be able to normally craft the item he is duplicating.
Metamagic spell trigger: Same as the Eberron Campaign Setting (p. 32).
Metamagic spell completion: Same as the Eberron Campaign Setting (p. 32).
Skill mastery: At 13th level, an artificer can take 10 when making a Spellcraft or Use Magic Device, even if stress or distraction 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.
Transfer magical property: The artificer’s prowess nears its pinnacle. At 17th level, an artificer can temporarily transfer a property from one item to another by spending two point from his charge pool. The bearers of each item must be willing, and he has to touch both items to activate this ability. The transfer is a swift action that last for 1 round per artificer level.
Permanent item: The artificer’s mastery of magic items is now complete. At 20th level, he can decide to make one of his Makeshift items permanent. He can only have one such item at a time; if he chooses to make a new item permanent, the previous one immediately looses its magical properties.
* NEW FEAT
Expanded Charge Pool
Prerequisite: Charge Pool class feature.
Benefit: Your charge pool increases by 2.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack, granting you an increase to your charge pool each time you take this feat.
I can see a few problems with some of my designs. I gave it the Occultist's legacy weapon ability which is pretty powerful (with the appropriate bane) and it competes with his normal infusions. I was thinking of adding a line that says he can't pass this weapon to other people.
But my big problem is with Magic fuel and scrolls. A group could pool its resources early to buy a high-level scroll and use it once per day (with the artificer's jacked UMD checks). I think I'm going to leave it for my non-optimizing player, but from a desing standpoint, I think this is a pretty big flaw. Also, should I expand this ability to other items that have charges per day (like the Celestial Armor, for example, that grants flight 1/day)?
Any constructive critics are appreciated.
Cheers.
I'll be DMing a new game shortly in 3.P and a player wants to play an artificer. The idea fits perfectly in my campaign and I do love the artificer with a passion.
So I've tried to come up with adaptations toadapt the class to the new system (the XP pool has absolutely no use now) The end result is a boost in power (I know the artificer doesn't need said boost, but keep in mind that this player is not an optimizer, so it should be fine for my specific game), and I tried to prevent dead levels (only 19th level remains bereft of class features). I've also given it a capstone that basically only augments its WBL.
So here it is:
ARTIFICER
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Artificers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma is the most important ability for an artificer because several of his infusions and class features rely on his ability to make Use Magic Device checks. Intelligence is also important because it determines the effectiveness of his infusions and the size of his Charge pool, but it plays a lesser role than for most spellcasters. A high Dexterity improves the artificer’s defensive ability.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Class skills
The artificer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge, Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill ranks per level: 4 + Int modifier.
CLASS FEATURES
THE ARTIFICER
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Makeshift item value Special
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Artisan bonus, charge pool, item creation, magical knack, Scribe Scroll, trapfinding
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Brew Potion, Magic fuel
3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 Craft Wondrous Item, Trap sense +1
4th +3 +1 +1 +4 Craft Homunculus, bonus feat
5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, dismantle item
6th +4 +2 +2 +5 3000 gp Makeshift item (2/day), metamagic spell trigger, trap sense +2
7th +5 +2 +2 +5 4000 gp Forge Ring
8th +6 +2 +2 +6 5000 gp Bonus feat
9th +6 +3 +3 +6 6000 gp Craft rod, trap sense +3
10th +7 +3 +3 +7 8000 gp Makeshift item (3/day)
11th +8 +3 +3 +7 10000 gp Craft Staff
12th +9 +4 +4 +8 14000 gp Metamagic spell completion, bonus feat, trap sense +4
13th +9 +4 +4 +8 18000 gp Skill mastery
14th +10 +4 +4 +9 24000 gp Makeshift item (4/day)
15th +11 +5 +5 +9 30000 gp Trap sense +5
16th +12 +5 +5 +10 40000 gp Bonus feat
17th +12 +5 +5 +10 50000 gp Transfer magical property
18th +13 +6 +6 +11 60000 gp Makeshift item (5/day), trap sense +6
19th +14 +6 +6 +11 80000 gp --
20th +15 +6 +6 +12 100000 gp Permanent item, bonus feat
Infusions per day
Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1st 2
2nd 3
3rd 3 1
4th 3 2
5th 3 3 1
6th 3 3 2
7th 3 3 2
8th 3 3 3 1
9th 3 3 3 2
10th 3 3 3 2
11th 3 3 3 2 1
12th 3 3 3 2 2
13th 3 3 3 3 2
14th 4 3 3 3 3 1
15th 4 4 3 3 3 2
16th 4 4 4 3 3 2
17th 4 4 4 4 3 3
18th 4 4 4 4 4 3
19th 4 4 4 4 4 4
20th 4 4 4 4 4 4
All the following are class features of the artificer.
Weapon and armor proficiency: Artificers are proficient with all simple weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields).
Infusions: Same as the original in Eberron Campaign Setting (p. 31). No way I’m retyping all that.
Artificer Knowledge: An artificer has a developed knowledge of magic items and magic auras. He can use Detect Magic at will and Identify 1/day as spell-like abilities.
Artisan bonus: An artificer’s knowledge of magic items grants him a bonus when attempting to use them. He gains a bonus on all Use Magic Device checks equal to 1/2 his artificer level (minimum +1).
Artificer’s weapon: The artificer is treated has having the Weapon Focus feat for any weapon for which he has proficiency and that he has crafted or enchanted himself.
Furthermore, as a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, an artificer can expend 1 point of his charge pool and touch a weapon to grant it an enhancement bonus. The bonus is equal to 1 + 1 for every 6 artificer levels (to a maximum of +4 at 18th level). Enhancement bonuses gained by this ability stack with those of the weapon, to a maximum of +5.
He can also imbue the weapon with any one weapon special ability with an equivalent enhancement bonus less than or equal to your maximum bonus by reducing the granted enhancement bonus by the appropriate amount. The item must have an enhancement bonus of at least +1 (from the item itself or from Artificer’s weapon) to gain a weapon special ability. In either case, these bonuses last for 1 minute.
Charge pool: The artificer’s charge pool is used to power some of his abilities. An artificer has a number of charges equal to 1/2 his artificer level + his Intelligence modifier; these charges refresh daily.
Item creation: An artificer can use his Use Magic Device skill instead of his Spellcraft skill to create magic items. He follows the same rules than other crafters for determining the DC of the check he needs to make.
For purposes of meeting prerequisites, an artificer’s effective caster is equal to his artificer character level + 2. If the item duplicates a spell effect however, it uses the artificer’s caster level as its caster level. Costs are always determined using the item’s minimum caster level or the artificer’s caster level (if it is higher). Thus, a 3rd level artificer can make a scroll of fireball, since the minimum caster level of fireball is 5th. He pays the normal cost for making such a scroll with a caster level of 5th: 5X3X12.5 = 187,5 gp. But the scroll caster level is only 3rd, and it produces a weak fireball that deals only 3d6 points of damage.
An artificer can also make a Use Magic Device to emulate nonspell requirements, including alignment and race, using the normal DCs for the skill. He cannot emulate skill or feat requirement however, including item creation feat prerequisites. He must meet the level prerequisite, including the minimum level to cast a spell he stores in a potion, wand, scroll, or staff.
An artificer’s infusions do not meet spell prerequisites for creating magic items. For example, an artificer must still employ the Use Magic Device skill to emulate the light spell to create a wand of light, even though light appears on his infusion list.
Magical knack: An artificer has a developed knowledge of magic items and magic auras. He can use Detect Magic at will and Identify 1/day as spell-like abilities.
Trapfinding: An artificer adds 1/2 her 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.
Magic fuel: For an artificer, using magic items is a second nature. Beginning at 2nd level, an artificer can activate a scroll, a wand, or a staff by expending one charge of his charge pool. This ability cannot be used to cast a spell from a staff that has no charges remaining for the day and cannot be used more than once per day per scroll. When used in conjunction with the Metamagic spell trigger ability, it cannot reduce the number of charges expanded form the wand or staff below 1. For example, a 8th level artificer want to empower his wand of fireball using Metamagic spell trigger. He must expand 3 charges from the wand to do so. He can then lower that cost to one charge (but no lower) by spending two point from his charge pool. This ability cannot be used with Metamagic spell completion.
Trap sense: At 3rd level, an artificer gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, giving him 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 at 9th level, to +4 at 12th level, to +5 at 15th level, and to +6 at 18th level. Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.
Bonus feats: An artificer gains every item creation feat as bonus feats at various levels. In addition, at 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, he gains a bonus feat derived from the following list: any metamagic feat, Attune Magic Weapon, Craft Construct, Exceptional Artisan, Expanded Charge Pool*, Extra Rings, Extraordinary Artisan, Legendary Artisan, Wand Mastery. The artificer must meet all prerequisites for the feats.
Craft homunculus: Same as the original in the Eberron Campaign Setting (p. 32), except that there are no XP costs.
Dismantle item: At 5th level, an artificer gains the ability to dismantle magic items to garner raw crafting materials. He can recoup half the value of the item in crafting materials. It takes one hour per caster level of the item to dismantle it.
Makeshift item: As the artificer’s understanding of magic increases, he can use this knowledge to create crude magic items that duplicate At 6th level, he can create crude magic items that duplicate the properties of a specific magic item. It takes one minute to create an item in such a manner. This item’s value cannot exceed the value shown on the table. This ability is usable 2/day, and the item lasts for 10 minutes per artificer level. The artificer cannot use his Magic fuel ability with items created that way. He cannot spend more than one use on a single item to increase its maximum value. He gains an extra use for every 4 artificer levels he gains above 6th, up to 5/day at 18th level. The artificer must be able to normally craft the item he is duplicating.
Metamagic spell trigger: Same as the Eberron Campaign Setting (p. 32).
Metamagic spell completion: Same as the Eberron Campaign Setting (p. 32).
Skill mastery: At 13th level, an artificer can take 10 when making a Spellcraft or Use Magic Device, even if stress or distraction 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.
Transfer magical property: The artificer’s prowess nears its pinnacle. At 17th level, an artificer can temporarily transfer a property from one item to another by spending two point from his charge pool. The bearers of each item must be willing, and he has to touch both items to activate this ability. The transfer is a swift action that last for 1 round per artificer level.
Permanent item: The artificer’s mastery of magic items is now complete. At 20th level, he can decide to make one of his Makeshift items permanent. He can only have one such item at a time; if he chooses to make a new item permanent, the previous one immediately looses its magical properties.
* NEW FEAT
Expanded Charge Pool
Prerequisite: Charge Pool class feature.
Benefit: Your charge pool increases by 2.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack, granting you an increase to your charge pool each time you take this feat.
I can see a few problems with some of my designs. I gave it the Occultist's legacy weapon ability which is pretty powerful (with the appropriate bane) and it competes with his normal infusions. I was thinking of adding a line that says he can't pass this weapon to other people.
But my big problem is with Magic fuel and scrolls. A group could pool its resources early to buy a high-level scroll and use it once per day (with the artificer's jacked UMD checks). I think I'm going to leave it for my non-optimizing player, but from a desing standpoint, I think this is a pretty big flaw. Also, should I expand this ability to other items that have charges per day (like the Celestial Armor, for example, that grants flight 1/day)?
Any constructive critics are appreciated.
Cheers.