Stealthscout
2017-09-08, 03:15 PM
Replacement for the first try (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?406160-Artificer-5ed-Style).
A bedraggled gnome spits out ‘That Does It!’ and pulls a contraption from his belt while his fellows go wild-eyed and step away. A ways off an archer hits enemy reinforcements with an empowered arrow, leaving a cloud to cover their escape. The trap smith grumbles that any Real Dwarf could seal a door better without resorting to five conjoined runes encircling the dead bolt, then pulls out his dispelling picks sighing ‘I can tell you five ways to do this better before I finish…’.
Artificers are craftsmen who know how to mix magic into craft. They are often well-known experts in their field, though public relations is often lacking. Wizard mishaps occur in the lonely tower outside of town, but artificers do it at 2am in the west wing of the palace and refuse to stop working long enough to explain things.
Through tinkering, Artificers create portable magical setups called ‘schema’ to produce special effects. With time they create more stable effects on their own equipment. At this point adventuring calls to them both for practical reasons (money and materials) and so they can learn from or about other spellcasters.
Cantrips are simple enough to be ‘safe’, and anyone (with training and confidence) can create potent effects. True spells attain more varied effects by channeling that power through foci. Without the foci to direct the power, the most likely result is somewhere between a gust of wind and sudden planar rifts.
While there are many foci available, the cheapest and most flexible one is your own soul and will – which is why most practitioners are spell casters. Use of the soul is self-limiting because your soul has a built-in ‘style’, so it is very difficult to cast spells of other classes. It is possible to imitate the effects of a soul via a magical item, but it is fundamentally a different discipline. Most casters only create items from careful formulas which don’t vary far from their area of expertise as a result.
Artificers rely almost completely on foci, minimizing their direct involvement in the effect. The gain is flexibility and the ability to cross magical styles, the cost is a heavy backpack and having to compensate for the endless number of things can go wrong. Most prospective artificers lose their sense of wonder quickly, but a few prove to have that creative spark that bridges the gap between an artisan’s rigor and rigorous Art.
We like artificers. Even if you aren’t in a steampunk or Eberron game, they really are fun and flexible. They have a bad reputation, though. The original 3rd edition artificer breaks some critical unwritten game rules without realizing it:
If you are stripped naked except for one item, you must still be effective in the party. You can also recover almost completely with some money and a couple days in town.
Your character’s schtick can’t be taken away by other party members – including when you die.
PCs can feasibly level up/power up while inside a super-huge dungeon.
PCs can’t break fundamental things like the world’s economy unless the DM specifically goes into that realm.
To this end, the class below is designed to allow a character to be interesting and have that ‘I can do things you can’t’ feel without being overpowered or break a campaign. I call this the no-items artificer because it can capture that artificer feel without any permanent magical items, though it leaves that option open if the DM wants to go there.
And lastly, there should be more than one class that is based off of intelligence. Despite the behavior of most adventuring parties, it should not be the most common dump stat in the game.
Game mechanics.
Hit dice: d6
Weapon proficiencies: simple weapons and all crossbows
Armor proficiencies: Light / medium armor and shields
Save proficiencies: Intelligence and Constitution
Choose two skills from the following list: Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Religion, Medicine
Proficient with artisan’s tools or thief’s tools (pick any two)
Class Features:
Level
Features
Cantrips
Schema Slots
Masteries
1
Spell list access (Any 1 class), Field Training, Mending
1
1
0
2
Sequester, Masteries
1
2
1
3
Specialization Bonus, Bound Item
2
2
2
4
Ability Score Improvement
2
2
2
5
Spell List Access (Any 2 classes), Push It
3
2
3
6
Reset Preparations, Crafter’s eye, Extra Tool proficiency
3
2
3
7
Specialization Bonus
3
2
4
8
Ability Score Improvement
3
2
4
9
Personal Item Discovery
3
2
5
10
Spell list access (any 3 classes), Improved Sequester
4
2
5
11
Greater Schema (6), Extra Tool Proficiency
4
3
6
12
Ability Score Improvement
4
3
6
13
Greater Schema (7)
4
3
7
14
Specialization Bonus
4
3
7
15
Greater Schema (8), Spell List Access (any 4 classes)
4
4
8
16
Ability Score Improvement
4
4
8
17
Greater Schema (9)
4
4
9
18
4
4
9
19
Ability Score Improvement
4
4
9
20
Legendary Item Discovery
4
4
9
Artificer’s pack:
An artificer carries around a mess of wadding, catalysts, runes, springs, and unsavory materials called an Artificer’s pack. Without this pack, an artificer cannot trigger any schema. It is hard to remove the pack from the artificer without removing everything else, though. A pack can be reconstructed fairly easily – materials can be purchased for 1gp at a general store but require 4 hours to organize properly. In a pinch, an artificer can create their own from raw materials by crafting it.
Spell list access:
Artificers can learn schema and trigger magical items tied to certain classes. At first level, the artificer has access to one casting class which contains cantrips. At 5th, 10th, and 15th, the artificer gains access to another spell list they choose. Note a ‘spell list’ doesn’t include spells given only due to class features.
Cantrips:
The artificer learns cantrips from their accessed spell lists. These are true spells, but are always tied to the artificer’s Intelligence regardless of what spell list they came from.
Schema:
Schemas are notoriously unstable rigs often used in magical study. An example is two opposing holy symbols pressed close to each other while whispering obscenities to both at the same time. Putting a rod in a wire frame focuses the conflicting energy into a ray. The same effect could be created with awakened crystals in a copper tube and some springs or an alchemal combination using spit as a catalyst. If not done right it just doesn’t work… or explodes in your face.
Schemas are not spells and rely entirely on foci from the Artificer’s pack. Even if the artificer can cast spells, they don’t necessarily have access to that schema effect. That said they function as the spell they mimic including casting time, costly materials, an unoccupied hand, casting as a ritual, etc. Schemas are always based on the artificer’s Intelligence.
An artificer knows 6 schemas at 1st level from the spell list the artificer has access to 3 more with each level increase. Extra schemas can be researched from accessible spell lists as a wizard does for extra spells. After any short rest, the artificer chooses 2 + 1 for every 2 artificer levels (round up) schema to prepare for use. The artificer can trigger a prepared schema by using a schema slot if one is available.
Once used, a schema slot is refreshed with any short or long rest but cannot be triggered again until the previous effect ends naturally or by use of an action. For this reason, some effects can be a drain on the Artificer such as Mage Armor, Suggestion, or Animate Dead. As soon as the effect ends, the slot can be used for a schema again so long as a rest occurred.
Example: Beeble is a first level artificer and casts Mage Armor before a long rest. Four hours later, kobolds attack from a hidden door near their resting area. His slot is refreshed but he can’t use it unless he spends an action to turn ‘off’ the Armor.
Greater Schema:
Effects using 6th level slots and above are much trickier. During a long rest choose one effect for a given greater schema slot. It can be any effect you know of that level or lower and does not need to be one of your prepared effects for your normal schema. You can trigger the Greater Schema as you would a normal Schema, but it only works once until your next long rest. Otherwise, they function as normal Schema do.
Example: Bertra just became an 11th level Artificer and excitedly starts her day by preparing a Hero’s Feast schema for breakfast. This expends the greater schema for the entire day. The next morning she expects combat and creates a Scorching Ray greater schema. In both cases, she is unable to change the effect she chose until after her next long rest.
Field Training:
All Artificers supplement their craft with real-world training to survive. At 1st level, the character must choose between the following options. The schema are automatically added to your known schema list and considered readied for free:
Martial: During a short rest, you can weave enhancements into one suit of armor or weapon plus any item you are bonded with (see that class ability). You can use your intelligence instead of Strength or Dexterity for all purposes when using that specific item.
Shield of Faith, Healing Word, Magic Weapon
Caster: You gain 2 extra cantrips from your known spell list.
Cure Wounds, Magic Missile, Detect Magic, Enhance attribute, Sleep
Components: With an action, you can produce a pint of oil or a tar-like glob from your Artificer Pack and use it to help or hinder others taking physical actions within a 30’. The intended target gains advantage/disadvantage for either two rounds or two checks of your choice (whichever comes first). Note you can choose to ‘help yourself’ on your following round. You can also create rope with an action that lasts for 8 hours – up to 400 feet per day.
Guiding Bolt, Bless, Grease, Fog Cloud
Mending:
The artificer gains the Mending cantrip at first level for free. If mending an object they could create with their tool proficiency, they can repair any damage in a 1 foot cube with a single casting. This includes complex fractures or simple wear and tear.
Sequester:
For a few days, Artificers can focus their efforts and magical tricks on crafting. They can do this only when the artificer meets the following conditions:
No distractions or interaction with others is allowed. You work alone for 16 hours a day and sleep for 8.
The crafted item requires artisan’s tools that you are proficient in (ex. alchemal items, statues, complex machinery, magical items)
Sequester a maximum of 7 days in a row and you cannot sequester for 2 days for every day you were in sequester before doing it again.
During sequester an artificer crafts 50gp per day instead of the normal 5gp and can make quality items from the most unrefined materials. If the DM allows crafting magical items by PCs, they can be created by crafting the mundane item and incorporating a schema effect that you know.
For example, Lag is an alchemist smith and needs to make a sword and some healing potions. He breaks out his smithing and alchemy tools next to an exposed an iron vein near a stream (using them as raw materials). The sword is done in the first day and he produces 6 healing potions before he must stop to rest (7 days total). Lag has to wait 14 days to start up again, but could adventure or craft using normal rules in that time. A request for a magical sword could not be done in one sequester, but two might do it.
At 10th level, sequesters can be 14 days long with only 1 day off per day in sequester. Additionally, you can combine your crafting rate with one or more artificers in your workspace, so long as you are both crafting the same item. No crafter can be involved if they are not also artificers.
Bound item:
During a long rest you can mystically bind certain items to yourself, enhancing them in the process. Each gains properties depending on the type of item it is, but only when you are the one using it:
Armor or shields can be put on/taken off with a bonus action and weigh nothing when worn
Weapons or sets of ammunition (ex. ‘my arrows’) are considered magical and are summoned to your hand with a bonus action.
An object with one or more openings (ex. a vest or backpack) gets a 5 inch wide extra dimensional pocket that can carry 100 lbs material. You find any item as a bonus action or draw ammunition/weapons as part of your attack action.
If the item is destroyed or you bind to another item, any special qualities are immediately lost and any held items spill out.
Masteries:
Masteries are skills or schema permanently joined with the Artificer’s body and/or mind (ex. tattoos, memorized techniques, potions in your blood). Each is a constant effect unless otherwise specified and can only be utilized by you.
Amorphic Homunculi (req min lvl 8, Homunculus master only): Your homunculi can reshape into another object you could otherwise create as an action (ex. changing from a humanoid doll to a toy snake) and squeeze through cracks as small as 2” wide.
Cantrippery: You gain three cantrips from any spell list(s) that you know.
Construct Arm: One of your arms is replaced or covered up by an artificial arm. It functions as either a bound weapon or a shield in combat. You can manipulate items in that hand at the same time as using it as a weapon/shield.
Contingency Planning (min 5th level): You learn and always have prepared the following effects: Absorb Energy, Create Food and Water, Darkvision, Expeditious Retreat, Featherfall, and Waterbreathing. Once per day you can trigger one of them without using a schema slot.
Dual Wand User (min level 5): You can use a bonus action to activate a permanent magical wand in your off hand.
Early Spell List Access: Access another spell list that you don’t already know. If you gain access by leveling up, you can switch this mastery for another one.
Empowered Alchemy: Mundane alchemal items (ex. alchemal fire or a healing potion) deal or heal your intelligence modifier in extra damage and you don’t suffer any disadvantage for long range attacks.
Extra Bound Item: You can bind an extra item and summon all bound items with one bonus action. Any other mastery that improves bound items affects this extra item as well.
Illumination Goggles (min lvl 5): You gain darkvision to 60’ or extend it by 60’. You see normally in non-magical darkness or bright light and gain advantage on saves from similar spells (ex. flash bang grenade or planes with intense light)
Improved Pack: If you are bound to a pack, it can carry up to 300 lbs of materials and the opening can be as big as the object could allow (e.g. a 2 foot diameter sack). If desired, you can close the pocket and prevent access to anyone but yourself.
Integrated Armor:You can summon/dismiss weightless armor with a bonus action granting AC 13+Dexterity. The armor is considered bound to you and it cannot be destroyed or dispelled.
Integrated Schema:Your schemas are linked to your body and don’t require hands to use. Any schema you prepare can’t be removed from your body and once per short rest you can trigger an effect without giving away the source. Note the DM may declare some spells cannot be hidden (ex. scorching ray)
Phased Binding (min lvl 8): With a bonus action, choose what a bound item interacts with - all things, all things except you, all things except creatures, only creatures, or nothing. ‘Creatures’ includes anything living/dead/animated or used by them (ex. orcs and their weapons, trees, but not walls). If interacting with only creatures you must be in contact with it or it reverts to ‘nothing’, where it is considered on your person but unavailable until it changes states.
Potion splash: You make potions react on contact, including schemas infused into potion form. Applying is a bonus action for willing and an attack action for unwilling creatures. Thrown vials do 1 point of damage before the potion takes effect.
Quick Rig: If you spend an extra 10 minutes to set it up, you can trigger any schema you know which mimics a ritual (even if not prepared) without using a schema slot.
Recharge Items (min lvl 8): With an action and spending a schema slot, one wand you are holding regains a charge. Once per day, you can recharge any permanent magical item which is not a wand with an action as though a long rest was taken. In both cases the item can be activated at the same time. Certain items may not be able to be recharged at the DMs discretion.
Schema Traps:With an action you create a seal on a closed object or a 5’ square containing a cantrip you know. If the seal or area is violated, the cantrip targets the violator and dissipates. The rune is considered the caster using your intelligence modifier and you can have your intelligence modifier of traps active at any time.
Scholar:Choose two skills from the following list that you have proficiency in. You gain expertise: Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Religion, and Medicine
Specialized tool set:Choose a skill you don’t have expertise in. You gain proficiency or (if already proficient) expertise in that skill whenever you have your artificer’s pack. You can choose this mastery multiple times.
Survivalist Gear: You create a personal ward which keeps you comfortable in natural heat/cold and grants advantage against poisons or diseases. Once per day, you can extend this ward to everyone within 10’ of you for eight hours. Lastly, it can produce one Goodberry per point of intelligence per day as the spell.
Tool Mastery (min lvl 12): Choose a tool you are proficient in. Material costs are halved and you craft at double speed for items primarily made with that tool.
Translator: You can ‘learn’ a language spoken by another creature by listening to it speak for a full minute. You can store up to three languages this way.
Weapon Training (min lvl 5, battlemaster only): You gain a second attack when using the attack action. You can also make multiple attacks with a crossbow.
Crafter’s Eye:
During a short rest, an artificer proficient in a tool used to create a given item can study it and learn the item’s general function and current number of charges become known (if applicable). If proficient in more than one tool used to create it, they also know the exact trigger to activate it, plus any hidden or unusual functions (if applicable).
Example: Brash is proficient in weaponsmith and gemcutting tools. She could analyze a sword or wand with a gemstone setting. A sword with several gems in the pommel would be much easier. A powerfully runed wooden club or sequined cloak would intrigue her, but she wouldn’t understand the object any better than any other character.
Push It:
You can trigger a prepared schema effect after all your standard slots are expended by dangerously cutting corners. Roll a die. On an even number, it works. On an odd number it backfires, causing 1d8 damage to you per spell level involved and half that to anyone else within 5 feet. This damage cannot be resisted or reduced by any means. In either case, all other readied schema are disrupted until you take a short rest.
Greater schema cannot be pushed or deactivated with this ability.
Extra tool proficiency:
You gain proficiency in another artisan’s tool or thief’s tools.
Personal Item Discovery:
The artificer discovers a unique magical item design.
Choose one permanent magical item of 1000gp or less. After one week’s time of crafting, it is yours at no cost. It is considered an extra bound item. If destroyed or lost completely, it can be re-created in one week for no cost. If the artificer dies, the item becomes nonmagical, but regains all properties if the Artificer is raised.
Legendary Masterpiece
At 20th level, the artificer finds out how to create a truly legendary magical item which is their crowning achievement. With one week of work they can create one rare magical item which is bound to them for free and can be summoned from any distance or across planar boundaries. If it is ever destroyed, it can be re-created for 500gp and another week of sequestered work. If the artificer ever dies, this item continues to exist and likely becomes a legend of its own.
A bedraggled gnome spits out ‘That Does It!’ and pulls a contraption from his belt while his fellows go wild-eyed and step away. A ways off an archer hits enemy reinforcements with an empowered arrow, leaving a cloud to cover their escape. The trap smith grumbles that any Real Dwarf could seal a door better without resorting to five conjoined runes encircling the dead bolt, then pulls out his dispelling picks sighing ‘I can tell you five ways to do this better before I finish…’.
Artificers are craftsmen who know how to mix magic into craft. They are often well-known experts in their field, though public relations is often lacking. Wizard mishaps occur in the lonely tower outside of town, but artificers do it at 2am in the west wing of the palace and refuse to stop working long enough to explain things.
Through tinkering, Artificers create portable magical setups called ‘schema’ to produce special effects. With time they create more stable effects on their own equipment. At this point adventuring calls to them both for practical reasons (money and materials) and so they can learn from or about other spellcasters.
Cantrips are simple enough to be ‘safe’, and anyone (with training and confidence) can create potent effects. True spells attain more varied effects by channeling that power through foci. Without the foci to direct the power, the most likely result is somewhere between a gust of wind and sudden planar rifts.
While there are many foci available, the cheapest and most flexible one is your own soul and will – which is why most practitioners are spell casters. Use of the soul is self-limiting because your soul has a built-in ‘style’, so it is very difficult to cast spells of other classes. It is possible to imitate the effects of a soul via a magical item, but it is fundamentally a different discipline. Most casters only create items from careful formulas which don’t vary far from their area of expertise as a result.
Artificers rely almost completely on foci, minimizing their direct involvement in the effect. The gain is flexibility and the ability to cross magical styles, the cost is a heavy backpack and having to compensate for the endless number of things can go wrong. Most prospective artificers lose their sense of wonder quickly, but a few prove to have that creative spark that bridges the gap between an artisan’s rigor and rigorous Art.
We like artificers. Even if you aren’t in a steampunk or Eberron game, they really are fun and flexible. They have a bad reputation, though. The original 3rd edition artificer breaks some critical unwritten game rules without realizing it:
If you are stripped naked except for one item, you must still be effective in the party. You can also recover almost completely with some money and a couple days in town.
Your character’s schtick can’t be taken away by other party members – including when you die.
PCs can feasibly level up/power up while inside a super-huge dungeon.
PCs can’t break fundamental things like the world’s economy unless the DM specifically goes into that realm.
To this end, the class below is designed to allow a character to be interesting and have that ‘I can do things you can’t’ feel without being overpowered or break a campaign. I call this the no-items artificer because it can capture that artificer feel without any permanent magical items, though it leaves that option open if the DM wants to go there.
And lastly, there should be more than one class that is based off of intelligence. Despite the behavior of most adventuring parties, it should not be the most common dump stat in the game.
Game mechanics.
Hit dice: d6
Weapon proficiencies: simple weapons and all crossbows
Armor proficiencies: Light / medium armor and shields
Save proficiencies: Intelligence and Constitution
Choose two skills from the following list: Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Religion, Medicine
Proficient with artisan’s tools or thief’s tools (pick any two)
Class Features:
Level
Features
Cantrips
Schema Slots
Masteries
1
Spell list access (Any 1 class), Field Training, Mending
1
1
0
2
Sequester, Masteries
1
2
1
3
Specialization Bonus, Bound Item
2
2
2
4
Ability Score Improvement
2
2
2
5
Spell List Access (Any 2 classes), Push It
3
2
3
6
Reset Preparations, Crafter’s eye, Extra Tool proficiency
3
2
3
7
Specialization Bonus
3
2
4
8
Ability Score Improvement
3
2
4
9
Personal Item Discovery
3
2
5
10
Spell list access (any 3 classes), Improved Sequester
4
2
5
11
Greater Schema (6), Extra Tool Proficiency
4
3
6
12
Ability Score Improvement
4
3
6
13
Greater Schema (7)
4
3
7
14
Specialization Bonus
4
3
7
15
Greater Schema (8), Spell List Access (any 4 classes)
4
4
8
16
Ability Score Improvement
4
4
8
17
Greater Schema (9)
4
4
9
18
4
4
9
19
Ability Score Improvement
4
4
9
20
Legendary Item Discovery
4
4
9
Artificer’s pack:
An artificer carries around a mess of wadding, catalysts, runes, springs, and unsavory materials called an Artificer’s pack. Without this pack, an artificer cannot trigger any schema. It is hard to remove the pack from the artificer without removing everything else, though. A pack can be reconstructed fairly easily – materials can be purchased for 1gp at a general store but require 4 hours to organize properly. In a pinch, an artificer can create their own from raw materials by crafting it.
Spell list access:
Artificers can learn schema and trigger magical items tied to certain classes. At first level, the artificer has access to one casting class which contains cantrips. At 5th, 10th, and 15th, the artificer gains access to another spell list they choose. Note a ‘spell list’ doesn’t include spells given only due to class features.
Cantrips:
The artificer learns cantrips from their accessed spell lists. These are true spells, but are always tied to the artificer’s Intelligence regardless of what spell list they came from.
Schema:
Schemas are notoriously unstable rigs often used in magical study. An example is two opposing holy symbols pressed close to each other while whispering obscenities to both at the same time. Putting a rod in a wire frame focuses the conflicting energy into a ray. The same effect could be created with awakened crystals in a copper tube and some springs or an alchemal combination using spit as a catalyst. If not done right it just doesn’t work… or explodes in your face.
Schemas are not spells and rely entirely on foci from the Artificer’s pack. Even if the artificer can cast spells, they don’t necessarily have access to that schema effect. That said they function as the spell they mimic including casting time, costly materials, an unoccupied hand, casting as a ritual, etc. Schemas are always based on the artificer’s Intelligence.
An artificer knows 6 schemas at 1st level from the spell list the artificer has access to 3 more with each level increase. Extra schemas can be researched from accessible spell lists as a wizard does for extra spells. After any short rest, the artificer chooses 2 + 1 for every 2 artificer levels (round up) schema to prepare for use. The artificer can trigger a prepared schema by using a schema slot if one is available.
Once used, a schema slot is refreshed with any short or long rest but cannot be triggered again until the previous effect ends naturally or by use of an action. For this reason, some effects can be a drain on the Artificer such as Mage Armor, Suggestion, or Animate Dead. As soon as the effect ends, the slot can be used for a schema again so long as a rest occurred.
Example: Beeble is a first level artificer and casts Mage Armor before a long rest. Four hours later, kobolds attack from a hidden door near their resting area. His slot is refreshed but he can’t use it unless he spends an action to turn ‘off’ the Armor.
Greater Schema:
Effects using 6th level slots and above are much trickier. During a long rest choose one effect for a given greater schema slot. It can be any effect you know of that level or lower and does not need to be one of your prepared effects for your normal schema. You can trigger the Greater Schema as you would a normal Schema, but it only works once until your next long rest. Otherwise, they function as normal Schema do.
Example: Bertra just became an 11th level Artificer and excitedly starts her day by preparing a Hero’s Feast schema for breakfast. This expends the greater schema for the entire day. The next morning she expects combat and creates a Scorching Ray greater schema. In both cases, she is unable to change the effect she chose until after her next long rest.
Field Training:
All Artificers supplement their craft with real-world training to survive. At 1st level, the character must choose between the following options. The schema are automatically added to your known schema list and considered readied for free:
Martial: During a short rest, you can weave enhancements into one suit of armor or weapon plus any item you are bonded with (see that class ability). You can use your intelligence instead of Strength or Dexterity for all purposes when using that specific item.
Shield of Faith, Healing Word, Magic Weapon
Caster: You gain 2 extra cantrips from your known spell list.
Cure Wounds, Magic Missile, Detect Magic, Enhance attribute, Sleep
Components: With an action, you can produce a pint of oil or a tar-like glob from your Artificer Pack and use it to help or hinder others taking physical actions within a 30’. The intended target gains advantage/disadvantage for either two rounds or two checks of your choice (whichever comes first). Note you can choose to ‘help yourself’ on your following round. You can also create rope with an action that lasts for 8 hours – up to 400 feet per day.
Guiding Bolt, Bless, Grease, Fog Cloud
Mending:
The artificer gains the Mending cantrip at first level for free. If mending an object they could create with their tool proficiency, they can repair any damage in a 1 foot cube with a single casting. This includes complex fractures or simple wear and tear.
Sequester:
For a few days, Artificers can focus their efforts and magical tricks on crafting. They can do this only when the artificer meets the following conditions:
No distractions or interaction with others is allowed. You work alone for 16 hours a day and sleep for 8.
The crafted item requires artisan’s tools that you are proficient in (ex. alchemal items, statues, complex machinery, magical items)
Sequester a maximum of 7 days in a row and you cannot sequester for 2 days for every day you were in sequester before doing it again.
During sequester an artificer crafts 50gp per day instead of the normal 5gp and can make quality items from the most unrefined materials. If the DM allows crafting magical items by PCs, they can be created by crafting the mundane item and incorporating a schema effect that you know.
For example, Lag is an alchemist smith and needs to make a sword and some healing potions. He breaks out his smithing and alchemy tools next to an exposed an iron vein near a stream (using them as raw materials). The sword is done in the first day and he produces 6 healing potions before he must stop to rest (7 days total). Lag has to wait 14 days to start up again, but could adventure or craft using normal rules in that time. A request for a magical sword could not be done in one sequester, but two might do it.
At 10th level, sequesters can be 14 days long with only 1 day off per day in sequester. Additionally, you can combine your crafting rate with one or more artificers in your workspace, so long as you are both crafting the same item. No crafter can be involved if they are not also artificers.
Bound item:
During a long rest you can mystically bind certain items to yourself, enhancing them in the process. Each gains properties depending on the type of item it is, but only when you are the one using it:
Armor or shields can be put on/taken off with a bonus action and weigh nothing when worn
Weapons or sets of ammunition (ex. ‘my arrows’) are considered magical and are summoned to your hand with a bonus action.
An object with one or more openings (ex. a vest or backpack) gets a 5 inch wide extra dimensional pocket that can carry 100 lbs material. You find any item as a bonus action or draw ammunition/weapons as part of your attack action.
If the item is destroyed or you bind to another item, any special qualities are immediately lost and any held items spill out.
Masteries:
Masteries are skills or schema permanently joined with the Artificer’s body and/or mind (ex. tattoos, memorized techniques, potions in your blood). Each is a constant effect unless otherwise specified and can only be utilized by you.
Amorphic Homunculi (req min lvl 8, Homunculus master only): Your homunculi can reshape into another object you could otherwise create as an action (ex. changing from a humanoid doll to a toy snake) and squeeze through cracks as small as 2” wide.
Cantrippery: You gain three cantrips from any spell list(s) that you know.
Construct Arm: One of your arms is replaced or covered up by an artificial arm. It functions as either a bound weapon or a shield in combat. You can manipulate items in that hand at the same time as using it as a weapon/shield.
Contingency Planning (min 5th level): You learn and always have prepared the following effects: Absorb Energy, Create Food and Water, Darkvision, Expeditious Retreat, Featherfall, and Waterbreathing. Once per day you can trigger one of them without using a schema slot.
Dual Wand User (min level 5): You can use a bonus action to activate a permanent magical wand in your off hand.
Early Spell List Access: Access another spell list that you don’t already know. If you gain access by leveling up, you can switch this mastery for another one.
Empowered Alchemy: Mundane alchemal items (ex. alchemal fire or a healing potion) deal or heal your intelligence modifier in extra damage and you don’t suffer any disadvantage for long range attacks.
Extra Bound Item: You can bind an extra item and summon all bound items with one bonus action. Any other mastery that improves bound items affects this extra item as well.
Illumination Goggles (min lvl 5): You gain darkvision to 60’ or extend it by 60’. You see normally in non-magical darkness or bright light and gain advantage on saves from similar spells (ex. flash bang grenade or planes with intense light)
Improved Pack: If you are bound to a pack, it can carry up to 300 lbs of materials and the opening can be as big as the object could allow (e.g. a 2 foot diameter sack). If desired, you can close the pocket and prevent access to anyone but yourself.
Integrated Armor:You can summon/dismiss weightless armor with a bonus action granting AC 13+Dexterity. The armor is considered bound to you and it cannot be destroyed or dispelled.
Integrated Schema:Your schemas are linked to your body and don’t require hands to use. Any schema you prepare can’t be removed from your body and once per short rest you can trigger an effect without giving away the source. Note the DM may declare some spells cannot be hidden (ex. scorching ray)
Phased Binding (min lvl 8): With a bonus action, choose what a bound item interacts with - all things, all things except you, all things except creatures, only creatures, or nothing. ‘Creatures’ includes anything living/dead/animated or used by them (ex. orcs and their weapons, trees, but not walls). If interacting with only creatures you must be in contact with it or it reverts to ‘nothing’, where it is considered on your person but unavailable until it changes states.
Potion splash: You make potions react on contact, including schemas infused into potion form. Applying is a bonus action for willing and an attack action for unwilling creatures. Thrown vials do 1 point of damage before the potion takes effect.
Quick Rig: If you spend an extra 10 minutes to set it up, you can trigger any schema you know which mimics a ritual (even if not prepared) without using a schema slot.
Recharge Items (min lvl 8): With an action and spending a schema slot, one wand you are holding regains a charge. Once per day, you can recharge any permanent magical item which is not a wand with an action as though a long rest was taken. In both cases the item can be activated at the same time. Certain items may not be able to be recharged at the DMs discretion.
Schema Traps:With an action you create a seal on a closed object or a 5’ square containing a cantrip you know. If the seal or area is violated, the cantrip targets the violator and dissipates. The rune is considered the caster using your intelligence modifier and you can have your intelligence modifier of traps active at any time.
Scholar:Choose two skills from the following list that you have proficiency in. You gain expertise: Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Religion, and Medicine
Specialized tool set:Choose a skill you don’t have expertise in. You gain proficiency or (if already proficient) expertise in that skill whenever you have your artificer’s pack. You can choose this mastery multiple times.
Survivalist Gear: You create a personal ward which keeps you comfortable in natural heat/cold and grants advantage against poisons or diseases. Once per day, you can extend this ward to everyone within 10’ of you for eight hours. Lastly, it can produce one Goodberry per point of intelligence per day as the spell.
Tool Mastery (min lvl 12): Choose a tool you are proficient in. Material costs are halved and you craft at double speed for items primarily made with that tool.
Translator: You can ‘learn’ a language spoken by another creature by listening to it speak for a full minute. You can store up to three languages this way.
Weapon Training (min lvl 5, battlemaster only): You gain a second attack when using the attack action. You can also make multiple attacks with a crossbow.
Crafter’s Eye:
During a short rest, an artificer proficient in a tool used to create a given item can study it and learn the item’s general function and current number of charges become known (if applicable). If proficient in more than one tool used to create it, they also know the exact trigger to activate it, plus any hidden or unusual functions (if applicable).
Example: Brash is proficient in weaponsmith and gemcutting tools. She could analyze a sword or wand with a gemstone setting. A sword with several gems in the pommel would be much easier. A powerfully runed wooden club or sequined cloak would intrigue her, but she wouldn’t understand the object any better than any other character.
Push It:
You can trigger a prepared schema effect after all your standard slots are expended by dangerously cutting corners. Roll a die. On an even number, it works. On an odd number it backfires, causing 1d8 damage to you per spell level involved and half that to anyone else within 5 feet. This damage cannot be resisted or reduced by any means. In either case, all other readied schema are disrupted until you take a short rest.
Greater schema cannot be pushed or deactivated with this ability.
Extra tool proficiency:
You gain proficiency in another artisan’s tool or thief’s tools.
Personal Item Discovery:
The artificer discovers a unique magical item design.
Choose one permanent magical item of 1000gp or less. After one week’s time of crafting, it is yours at no cost. It is considered an extra bound item. If destroyed or lost completely, it can be re-created in one week for no cost. If the artificer dies, the item becomes nonmagical, but regains all properties if the Artificer is raised.
Legendary Masterpiece
At 20th level, the artificer finds out how to create a truly legendary magical item which is their crowning achievement. With one week of work they can create one rare magical item which is bound to them for free and can be summoned from any distance or across planar boundaries. If it is ever destroyed, it can be re-created for 500gp and another week of sequestered work. If the artificer ever dies, this item continues to exist and likely becomes a legend of its own.