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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Base Class Contest: the Inventor [PEACH][WIP]



WarrentheHero
2018-04-16, 02:23 AM
This will be my submission for Requilac's 5e Base Class Contest, posted here: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?556338-D-amp-D-5e-Base-Class-Contest-I-Who-needs-Swords-OR-Sorcerery

THE INVENTOR
Not every individual possessed of great intelligence is interested in the magics studied by Wizards, or the internal awakening of Psions. Some become great architects or merchants, others mathematicians or physicists. Others prefer the hands-on approach of crafting items of great complexity and versatility. These Inventors craft technological marvels that would only otherwise be possible with the use of magic; ingenious Inventions that range from grappling hooks to traps, or even to walking mechanical servants.

Hit Die: d6 per Inventor level
Hit Points at 1st level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit points gained at higher levels: d6 (or 4) + your Constitution Modifier

Proficiencies
Armor: Light and medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, Shortswords, Warhammers, Hand Crossbows, Heavy Crossbows
Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Choose 3 from Arcana, Investgation, History, Perception, Medicine, Nature, Religion, Sleight of Hand
Tools: Smith's Tools, Woodcarver's Tools, and one other set of Artisan's Tools of your choice

Starting Equipment:
(a) Studded Leather Armor and a Light Crossbow with 20 bolts or (b) a Warhammer and a Chain Shirt
Two sets of Artisan's Tools you are proficient with
An Dungeoneer's Pack or an Explorer's Pack
15 Crafting Scrap




Level
Proficiency
Invention Points
Features


1
+2
0
Crafting Scrap, Inventions


2
+2
0
Ingenuity


3
+2
1
Inventor's Focus


4
+2
1
Ability Score Improvement


5
+3
1
Clockwork Dynamo


6
+3
2
Autonomous Inventions


7
+3
2
Inventor's Focus feature


8
+3
2
ASI


9
+4
3



10
+4
3



11
+4
3
Inventor's Focus Feature


12
+4
4
ASI


13
+5
4



14
+5
4



15
+5
5
Inventor's Focus Feature


16
+5
5
ASI


17
+6
5
Inventor's Focus Feature


18
+6
6



19
+6
6
ASI


20
+6
7




1st Level
Crafting Scrap
You can break down various nonmagical items and tools into useful component parts. To do so, you must make an Intelligence(Tool) check against a DC 12, using an artisan's tool appropriate for the item (such as Smith's tools for a suit of armor, or Jeweler's tools for a complex tiara). On a success, you break down the item into an amount of Scrap equal to half the gold value of the item. On a failure, you still break down the item, but only gain half as much Scrap (one-quarter of the item's value). This check is always successful if you are breaking down one of your Inventions, regaining half the Scrap the Invention was crafted from. If that Invention had a Clockwork Dynamo, you recover the Dynamo without breaking it into Scrap.
Your DM may rule that some items cannot be broken down into Scrap, such as Ball Bearings, if they are too simple to be "broken down" further, if they are not made from materials useful for crafting, or if they are made of a poor quality material. The process of converting an item into Scrap takes 1 hour for every 250 gold in the item's value. Each Scrap weighs one-quarter pound.

Inventions
You have a pool of Invention Points equal to your INT modifier + the number in the "Invention Points" column of the Inventor's Table. You can use these points, along with Scrap and perhaps Clockwork Dynamos, to create unique items. A single Invention can have a maximum of INT modifier Invention Points invested in it, and you cannot create a new Invention while you have no remaining Points, nor can you create and Invention with more Points than you have remaining. When an Invention is destroyed, or when you break it down, you regain all Invention Points invested in it.
There are three kinds of Inventions: Utility, Combat, and Autonomous. At 1st level, you can only create Utility and Combat Inventions. Many parts of creating an Invention require an Invention Check, defined below. If an Invention calls for an attack roll or saving throw, unless otherwise stated, they are:

Invention Attack Bonus: Your Intelligence Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus

Invention Save DC: 8 + your Intelligence Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus

Invention Check: Your Intelligence Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus
Utility and Combat Inventions require 2 hours of work to create for each 5 Scrap involved in their creation. At the end of this time, you must succeed on an Invention Check against a DC of 10 + the number of Invention Points invested in it. On a failure, the attempt is ruined, and half of the Scrap used in the attempt is rendered useless. Once created, an Invention cannot be modified; your choices are permanent until it is destroyed or broken down.

Utility Inventions usually take an action to use or set, and may have a simple trigger such as a pressure plate or tripwire. These kinds of Inventions serve some sort of out-of-combat purpose, or may be a kind of trap.
A basic Utility Invention requires 1 Invention Point and 15 Scrap to create, and requires an action to be used or set. If the Invention has a trigger, an action must be used to reset it each time it triggers. A Utility Invention can be placed on the ground or a wall, and you can make an Intelligence(Sleight of Hand) check to try and hide it; a Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investiagtion) check opposed by your check is needed to detect the trap. A Utility Invention can only be activated/triggered by a creature holding it or within 5 feet of it. A Utility Invention can do one of the following:

Emit 20 feet of Bright light and an additional 20 feet of dim light. This can be turned on or off as an action
Grant its user Darkvision with a range of 30ft
Grant a 1d4 bonus on a single kind of Strength or Dexterity skill check, such as athletics or acrobatics, chosen upon creation.
Force the activating creature to succeed on a Dexterity Saving Throw or else take 1d6 Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage chosen upon creation
Force a creature to succeed on a Dexterity or Strength Saving throw or else be grappled by the Invention, Pushed or Pulled 5 feet, or be knocked prone. A creature grappled by the Invention can attempt an Acrobatics or Athletics check as an action on each of its turns to free itself.
Grant Advantage on a single specific task, such as scaling a cliff

You can spend additional Invention Points during creation to add one of the following features for each additional point:

Add one of the base functions to it (for example, you could create a trap that knocks its target prone and then does damage)
Increase the radius of bright and dim light by 20 feet
Increase the range of Darkvision by 30 feet
Increase the effective range of the Invention by 30 feet (for example, you could fire a grappling hook at an enemy to try and pull them towards you)
Increase the distance of the pull or push by 10 feet
If the Invention would grapple a target, it instead restrains it.
Increase the damage done by the Invention by one step (from a d6 to d8, etc).

You can install a single Clockwork Dynamo while creating the Invention to add one of the following features to it:

The Invention resets itself automatically at the start of each of your turns if it was triggered.
If the Invention would grant a bonus die on a skill check, it instead grants advantage for that skill check
If the Invention would deal damage, and if you are proficient with Alchemist's Supplies and have some available, you can choose for the Invention to deal Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison damage instead.


Combat Inventions pertain to weapons and armor, and despite the name might have uses not directly related to combat. Nearly all Combat Inventions modify existing weapons or armor, rather than being new items themselves. You can place up to two modifications onto a single weapon, with each Invention Check being made separately, though they must be added at the same time. A suit of armor can only have one modification at a time. A Combat Invention requires 10 Scrap if applied to a weapon, or 20 if applied to armor. All Combat Inventions require 1 Invention Point.


You create a Multi-Weapon. Choose two kinds of weapons. Crafting this item requires a Clockwork Dynamo and additional scrap equal to half the base gold cost of the most expensive weapon. You may convert the Multi-Weapon from one of the chosen weapons into the other. Doing so does not require any action or item interaction. You may spend an additional Invention Point to choose a third kind of weapon that the Multi-Weapon can transform into.
You can install a Clockwork Dynamo to modify a crossbow to remove the Loading property.
You can install a Clockwork Dynamo to modify a crossbow to alter the Ammunition property. Such a crossbow still requires ammunition to fire, but can fire up to INT mod times before requiring a hand to reload. You can use a bonus action to reset this count back to INT mod. You may spend an additional Invention Point to also remove the Loading Property from the crossbow.
You can modify a melee weapon to have the Weighted Property, A creature wielding a Weighted weapon has advantage on Shove attempts. A Weighted weapon weighs one-and-a-half times as much as a normal weapon of its type.
You can modify a weapon or shield to have the Mechanized Concealment property. A weapon with this property can be transformed with an action into a relatively innocuous form such as a cane, bracer, or harness. An Investigation or Perception check that meets or exceeds your Invention DC reveals the item is more than what it seems, but won't reveal the item's true form. You may install a Clockwork Dynamo to when you craft this item to reduce its transformation time to a bonus action, unless the weapon is Heavy. A Multi-Weapon or Weighted Weapon cannot be given the Mechanized Concealment property.
You can modify a melee weapon to have the Thrown property. A light weapon has a range of 30/60, a non-light weapon has a range of 20/40, and a Heavy weapon has a range of 10/20.
You can modify a weapon that has the Thrown property to return to its thrower's hand. Once per turn, its wielder can throw the weapon with disadvantage on the attack roll. On a hit, the weapon returns to its' thrower's hand.
If you are proficient with Glassblower's Tools, you may add a lens-based sight to a ranged weapon, either granting it a +1 bonus to attack rolls, or increasing its range by 30/60 (chosen when you create this Invention)
If you are proficient with Alchemist's Supplies, you may modify a weapon to deal an addition 1d4 of Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison damage (chosen when you create this Invention) on the next number of attacks equal to twice your Intelligence modifier.



You can modify a suit of medium or heavy armor to double it's wearer's carrying capacity while being worn.
You can install a Clockwork Dynamo to modify a suit of armor to increase the walking speed of its wearer by 10.
You can install a Clockwork Dynamo to modify a suit of light or medium armor to grant +1d4 to its wearer's Dexterity saving throws.
You can insall a Clockwork Dynamo to modfiy a suit of medium or Heavy armor to grant +1d4 to its wearer's Strength saving throws.
You can add ablative plating to a suit of armor. That armor grants +3 AC while worn, but loses this bonus after its wearer is damaged by an attack. When this bonus is lost, the armor loses the modification and you regain the invested Invention Points.
You can modify a suit of armor to remove its penalty to Stealth checks, if any. You can add this modification to a suit of armor even if it has another modification. Both Invention Checks are made separately, and must be applied at the same time.
You can modify a suit of armor to reduce the time needed to don or doff it to 1 Action for light armor, 30 seconds for medium armor, or 1 minute for Heavy armor.
You can install a Clockwork Dynamo to modify a suit of armor. Such a suit of armor doubles its wearer's jump distances, as long as it has a running start.
You can install two Clockwork Dynamos, spend an additional Invention Point, and spend an additional 250 Scrap to modify a suit of armor with large mechanical wings, granting the user a fly speed of 30 feet, or 25 feet if it is heavy armor. This flight must end on a surface; otherwise you fall. You may spend an additional Invention Point and Clockwork Dynamo to remove the landing restriction.


2nd Level
Ingenuity
Your wit, intelligence, and ability to think on the fly are represented by a pool of Ingenuity Points equal to your INT modifier. You regain all Ingenuity upon completing a Long Rest. You can spend an Ingenuity to

Gain Advantage on an Attack roll. You must spend your Ingenuity before the roll is made.
Gain advantage on an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma skill check, or any Tool check. You must spend your Ingenuity before the roll is made.
For the next 10 minutes, you gain proficiency with one weapon, or with shields.
For the the next hour, gain proficiency in one set of Artisan's Tools, Poisoner's Tools, or Thieves' Tools


3rd Level
Inventor's Focus
Choose your Inventor's Focus; either Alchemy or Physics. An Alchemist Inventor can create potions, salves, and explosives while a Physicist Inventor can calculate angles and trajectories to ricochet shots, avoid harm, and increase damage.

4th Level
Ability Score Improvement
You know what this is. Why are you even reading this? You know what happens at 4th level.

5th Level
Clockwork Dynamo
You learn to craft Clockwork Dynamos, complex and powerful pieces of clockwork that can power or add features to a number of your other Inventions. A Clockwork Dynamo requires 8 hours of work and 250 Scrap to create. At the end of this time, you must make a DC 12 Invention Check. On a failure, the attempt is ruined and half of the scrap used is rendered unusable.

Argothair
2018-04-18, 05:03 PM
I like this class a lot! I think the idea of needing to collect scrap materials as you go, and taking time to craft your gadgets ahead of time, and having a wide power range on your gadgets (from hee-hee this is fun to potentially useful to game-changing) are all good features. I like the idea of incorporating a Clockwork Dynamo starting at Level 5 to mimic the bonus other classes get from Level 3 Spells or Extra Attacks. Here are my main suggestions for ways to improve the class:


Invention Points from INT
Ingenuity Points from INT
Clockwork Dynamo as Generic Buff
Low Stakes for Scrapping Items
Insufficient High-Level Features


I think giving Invention Points out for having an INT modifier is somewhat clumsy and out-of-sync with the rest of the D&D 5e classes. You already limit how many Invention Points can be sunk into a given gadget based on INT, and it sounds like at least some inventions will have saving throws based on the creator's INT. That's enough of a role for INT; you don't need to double down on it. It should be possible (if suboptimal) to play as a stupid inventor. Under your rules, an inventor with only 8 INT (-1) would get no inventions at all until Level 6, which doesn't feel right. I would say start the class out with 2 Invention Points at Level 1, and build from there up to about 10 Invention Points at Level 20. The number of Invention Points per Gadget is INT modifier, with a minimum of 1 -- i.e., even at INT 8, you can still build single-point gadgets.

I don't see the need for a separate pool of Ingenuity Points that refills during a long rest. This requires an excessive amount of bookkeeping (two new pools of points just for your class). Instead, let all Inventors use their Ingenuity once per short or long rest. This is simpler, roughly as powerful, and has the added advantage of letting characters roleplay the need to take an hour to be 'lost in thought' about how they will accomplish their ingenious task.

I think most of your Clockwork Dynamo features are spot-on (reset a trap every round, provide motive power to help player dodge, self-loading crossbows, launch a projectile further, etc.), but some of them are just a generic buff, e.g., swap a d6 for a d8. I would avoid that. If a player wants to add a generic buff, they should use more invention points. If a player wants to specifically add a motor to their invention to let the invention do motor-y things, they add a Clockwork Dynamo. Keep the two separate and distinct for flavor and balance.

When I scrap an item as an Inventor, I get 50% of the scrap value on a successful roll, and 25% of the scrap value on a failed roll. Honestly, except in very narrow circumstances, I don't care which of those two things happen. The stakes aren't high enough. I would say either eliminate the need to roll (and just always give players 50% of the scrap value) or make the roll more all-or-nothing...maybe you get 75% of the value on a success and 0% of the value on a failure.

Finally, I get that this is a work in progress, but you really need some features for your Inventor that go beyond Level 6. One idea that players might enjoy for a high-level feature is being able to dispense with the need to collect scrap, or to be able to use ordinary materials (rubble, twigs, leaves, etc.) as your scrap, or to triple the speed at which you craft objects, or something like that. By the time you get to higher levels, you often lose interest in the intense bookkeeping associated with figuring out whether you have enough pieces of scrap metal. Like, you could literally afford to have a servant follow you around 24-7 with a giant backpack of screws and nails, so why bother tracking individual nails? Another idea on a similar theme is being able to incorporate magical metals and substances into your inventions for an added boost. Instead of just alchemical fire damage, maybe you can use silver material in armor to provide resistance to necrotic damage, or put dragonhide leather into the hilt of your battleaxe to make it harder to disarm you, or other fun stunts like that based on the kind of materials you're using. Another possibility is a second use of Ingenuity per short/long rest, and a "Favorite Invention" that you can make up to 3 copies of without the extra copies counting against your Invention Point limit. E.g. if my favorite Invention is the Batarang (which costs 2 points), and I have 5 points available, and I also sometimes like to make Steampunk Spears and Clockwork Helmets (1 point each), then after I gain the ability to designate a Favorite Invention, I could make three Batarangs (all three for just 2 points total) plus two Steampunk Spears (1 point each for 2 points total) and one Clockwork Helmet (1 point). Maybe Favorite Inventions are also faster/cheaper/more reliable to craft.

WarrentheHero
2018-04-18, 06:27 PM
I like this class a lot!
Thank you for your feedback! It is all very good and useful! I've been asked to avoid posting this class outside of the main Contest Thread (linked above), so I stopped working on it here, only using this
thread to store my progress while I work on it elsewhere. I've since finished the class, all 20 levels, and will be posting it to that main thread later tonight! I think you'll like what I've "invented" for it. The early game features are all just about the same, with some minor changes to the Inventions list (such as renaming them "Gadgets" and "Equipment" instead of Utility and Combat, or having damage dice scale in number rather than size), and I've also finished the two subclasses, Alchemic Focus and Black Powder Focus.