SangoProduction
2021-03-23, 01:03 AM
Never actually played a technician. I've hypothesized a couple builds that used a couple inventions (most notable of which being with firearms), but never the class itself. I wonder if I can't rectify that unfortunate happenstance.
Especially since this bastard of a class has 3 pages just for hyperlinks to its various abilities and inventions. Somehow I don't feel like I'll get this done in just one day.
Post-Review Analysis: This class has way too many abilities. So far, it seems like it has a couple ways of building it, despite having such a variety of different abilities. Perhaps recognizing the compatible builds will come with experience.
Ranking system:
(S) Superb: You always want this. It's awesome.
(G) Good: These make useful additions to the right builds.
(M) Meh: While perhaps better than nothing, you are giving up something for it, so probably shouldn't without a good reason.
(N) No.
<Angle brackets> around a rating indicates situational usefulness, and how good it is in that favorable situation.
(C) Cheese: A talent so broken that it will be instantly banned if you use it as you could.
(I) Impossible: Can't be rated because it is just not defined well enough to give a meaningful rating - it depends too much on DM ruling, or personal use. I'll just place it where I guess the average result would put it.
(F) Flavor: This indicates that the main draw to the talent is going to be its inherent fluff or flavor, rather than raw power or utility.
(G-S): Powerful talents that are almost, but not quite, universally useful or desirable.
(M-G): These are pretty reasonable talents of mediocre strength.
(N-M): It technically has a use, but the cost simply doesn't outweigh the benefit.
Combat Training (M-G): Gains a martial tradition, and 3/4 combat talent per level. Eh. Neat.
Gadgets (M): Very minor utility. Exception: Detonator is like a near-melee destructive blast, but without any disables, and only scales on class level... Barring specific insights.
Trap specialist (M-G): Trap sphere is very...special. It simply doesn't jive with the vast majority of D&D encounters. But there is a drawback which lets you take Trap Wielder and not need setup. Still not the most incredible thing in the world, but it is a way for a martial to have what's effectively a Destruction sphere cantrip.
Trapfinding (<S>): Enables trap finding and disabling. And removes the hard No that magic traps have without this. Usefulness depends on campaign and whether you already have a trap finder.
Inventions (I): Each invention / improvement will be given its own little segment. But you can basically flex class features every day or so.
Technical Insight (I): Same for these.
Technically Minded (F): Flavor ability. Neat.
Danger Sense (M): I mean, if you're trap finding, you're at the highest risk of any in your party, so long as you're actually using it.
Trap Insight (G): It's a bonus talent. Not a horrible one at that.
Trapmaster (<G-S>): Decreasing disable device times by 2 steps actually moves them from narrative time to potentially combat time. So if you're regularly having issues with locked doors in combat....well, you're pretty weird, but here you go. You can open them with a move action.
Greater Trapmaster (<S>): Now pick locks as a swift action. Mostly superfluous by this point. But it does mean you get 3 chances per turn rather than just 2. You also get to make an altered dispel check using Disable Device. Could be useful. The check is actually quite trivial.
Supreme Trapmaster (<G>): Reduces time by 4 steps. Including reducing your dispel check to a standard action. Get to do AoE dispel now.
Perfect Trapmaster (S): Dispel as a move action now, so you're probably up on the actions required to debuff you. (Debuffing at this level though?). And you can immediate action dispel unwanted magical effects. Considering magic is god by this point, that's pretty cool.
True Genius (M-G): Stat bumps. Neat.
Mechanical Best Friends (S+): Actually...pretty powerful. Full effective druid level, and use construct type. And they can get a free subtype from the other insights, and can freely use your inventions. In addition to being an animal companion.
Greater Craftsman (G-S): Got gold? Want a particular invention, permanently? Here you go. Might unironically be a reason to take Aesthetic Insight, since you actually have slots to give to allies. Maybe not though.
Chemical Insight (G-S): Adds utility to the Detonator, a new archetype to add to his inventions, and some sick unlocks.
Electric Insight (G-S): It's kinda neat, and the Railgun unlock is critical for any firearms user, but the main thing that gets it this rating is the ability to trade gold for robots with sphere casting. Made 10x better through Greater Craftsman, if you can afford it. Going to be a lot cheaper than "real" magic weapons.
Steampower Insight (G): Fly speed, without getting a flying Mechanical Best Friend, which may or may not be allowed. Some other decent unlocks, but also has the Grapple Gun gadget for some mobility when you can't fly.
Mechanical Insight (G): This is a good subtype, and it's got a really nice set of improvements which simply amplify the inventions you might want anyway (particularly if you're using guns). But it doesn't tend to unlock new improvements.
Inventor’s Insight (G): An additional improvement, or a new invention with 1 improvement. Both options are pretty neat when they are useful.
Luck (G): More neat tools in your tool belt. 30 ft away is plenty far to avoid the trap you're trying to disable, and possibly even usable enough for disabling weapons in combat without using sunder.
Luck, Socialite’s (G): Advantage on Diplomacy is useful. And there's an entire (small) sphere devoted to intimidation. So also useful. Don't know why you would attack a Friendly, but there's an awful lot of burst that can come from this and the various inventions.
Always Ready (<G>): Depends on campaign. And how well you can think of useful cheap mundane items when you need them, but not when you have the chance to buy them normally. And the price doesn't scale, so it'll always be the same list at least.
Expert’s Insight (<G>): Always take 10 on some skills. I think it's useful. Most probably for disable device and similar such static DC checks where you don't need to roll high, just roll well enough.
Intuition, Reactive (G): If you want to make use of Intuition, then you really want to be able to choose to use it after you've rolled.
Gunpowder Insight (M-G, F): Eh. Firework isn't a bad single target cantrip. Guns are pretty horrible. But Technician is specifically the class most capable of overcoming their limitations via inventions.
Demolitions Insight (M-G, F): If you really hate objects, here you go. Can be nice to blast down a door, but generally blasting through a wall is going to be impractical with this limited resource. A reasonable house rule is to say that you can choose, rather than have to, deal full damage to objects. You don't always want to bust open the floor.
Magic Craftsmanship (M-G): Eh. Create magic items. Yay.
Aesthetic Insight (I): So, this takes a feat-equivalent from you to take, and then an actual feat for each of your allies to take, if they want to use your invention. I don't think these are actually that good.
Medical Insight (M): I really just feel like you could simply take a single talent in Alchemy for the Salve and just be better off. Not a strictly terrible source of healing. Just not impressive.
Intuition, Combat (M): More efficient use of Intuition for attacks and saves. Yay.
Intuition (M): A pool of d6s to add to your d20 rolls. Neat. Must use them before making the roll. Not so neat.
Luck, Showman’s (M): It's at least a useful idea.
Poisoner’s Insight (I): Maybe poison is good. Maybe it's not. I don't know.
Professional Insight (N-M, F): You are like...super great with your NPC skills.
Intuition, Meditative (N-M): Grants the basic ki pool abilities of a monk. Opens options for spec'ing out as a monk. Not sure you would like to though.
Intuition, Lucky (N-M): Mixes lucky and Intuition pools. Now you're reliant on Int, Wis, and Cha for your resources! Congrats!
Anatomical Insight (N-M): If you have rider effects that care more about being a sneak attack (like Headband of Ninjutsu), or cares about the number of SA dice you roll (idk), then it's better than it at first seems. But if you can't get those benefits, this is pointless beyond belief.
Luck, Combatant’s (N): Eh. I couldn't care. Opportunistic Evasion would at least occasionally come up, if you have an enemy casters at all.
Architectural Insight (N): 10 minutes to expend a gadget and make a temporary structure. Unlike Creation sphere, you must possess the materials to create it before doing so. The uses for this are so incredibly niche, and don't out compete the faster, better, creation sphere.
Golemsmith (I): This is just a rabbit hole all its own. A very expensive rabbit hole.
Invention Improvements Unlocked by Insights
Resistance [Armor] (<S>): Does your game regularly feature energy damage? Then you can flex this to any appropriate energy as needed, with minimal prep time. Even so, the energy resistance is quite nice, and having the option of preparing it is very nice.
Explosive Round [Firearms] (S): No extra actions, nor cost. You just get to spread your damage to adjacent squares.
Thermal Lens [Goggles] (<S>): See invisible. Useful if using vancian or natural invisibility. Hurts more than it helps if using spheres invisibility.
Chemical Thrower [Grand Gadget] (G): 3/day Close range cone (or doubled line) for cantrip destruction sphere damage. But of any element of your choice at the start of the day. It's quite a reasonable AoE.
Freezer (G): Bonus cold damage to some equipment. And you don't negatively impact the equipment for your allies. So it makes for good support. And I guess it gets better the more attacks your allies can make use of.
Poison Dispenser [Crossbow / Melee] (I): Not great for Alchemy sphere integration. Maybe you like the poisons you can buy for gold. idk.
Rocket Boots [Boots] (M-G): Get a very sudden burst of movement...at high levels... a few times per day. If you are high level, this is cool. But D&D tends to be a relatively static game. Ranged characters could theoretically be kiting out with these. Need to be at least level 12 before you can out kite a charge attack.
Flaming Shield [Shield] (M): I mean, it's really obnoxious to have it last only 1 round / lvl. And there's no real way to get a bunch of attacks off with it. But it is actually an all day bonus damage. So over time, you could get hypothetical value out of it.
Sticky Hand (N-M): It's a tiny bonus (with 0 scaling). But it's a bonus, I guess.
X-Ray Lens [Goggles] (S+): Now this is a scouting ability among scouting abilities. Literally seeing through walls is very useful. Granted, very thin walls, but almost always doors.
Railgun [firearm] (S): Makes firearm ammo trivially inexpensive, triples the range increment, and lets it be used when black powder wouldn't be.
Magnetic Shoes [Boots] (<G>): Spider Climb, if you regularly encounter metallic surfaces.
Super-Heated [Crossbow] (G): If you regularly loose tons of crossbow bolts, this can add up quite nicely. The recharge timer is probably not an issue unless you're dungeon delving. Stacks with Freezer.
Magnetized Attraction [Shield] (<G>): An automatic disarm check vs metal weapons on a near miss. Any creature that can be disarmed is much more likely to have low CMD to CR than for other combat maneuvers. Not the most generally useful of all CMs, but still useful when it's useful.
Electric Controls [Independent] (M-G, F): Remote control seems useful. Complete autonomy is probably edging on bad minionmancy, and almost certainly asking for Skynet.
Laser [Grand Gadget] (M): Single target, close range fire damage. But of full destruction sphere damage. Touch attack with no save. But you also don't get any consolation prize if you miss.
Transmitter [Backpack] (<M>): If you have to split the party, at least you have a way to communicate with them.
Electric Hands [Gloves/Melee] (M): Pretty hard to get both enough levels in both Striker and Technician to actually think this is particularly useful. Not a ton of ways to get a bunch of bonus unarmed/melee attacks. Maybe with Guardian AoO stacking. But it is at least an all day bonus damage to your attacks.
Magnetized Repulsion [Armor] (N-M): Deflection bonus may be hard to come across, but I really don't think it's worth going out of your way to get this. Maybe tack it on if you are already using improved armor and have no more useful improvements.
Augmented Reflexes [Suit] (N-M): Tiny bonus to Dexterity.
Flight [Independent] (S): Permanent Flight. Does not scale implicitly with levels, but does with improvements, which you gain through levels.
Propeller [Backpack] (<G-S>): Honestly, this fly speed is pretty respectable even for just 1 improvement. Duration not so much, until you get more improvements and levels.
Aided Flight [Backpack] (G, F): (insert AoT reference). Getting to use Grapple Gun infinitely is nice - particularly for mobility. Doing it as a move action is even better. But Fly speed is just so much better.
Machine Gun [Grand Gadget] (M, F): Medium range line for cantrip destruction sphere damage of physical type. That's a damned impressive range, and who wouldn't love a machine gun? But it would be better served with a better AoE shape, 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time...
Super Kick [Boots / Gloves / Melee] (M): Cantrip damage, but requires a move action to charge up, and then you can apply it to an attack. But it is at least an actually all-day cantrip, unlike the rest of this class's cantrips, and it only expends when you've actually hit. So it's got stuff going for it. And SoM needs only standards for attacking.
Pressurized Shot [Crossbow / Firearm / Shield] (M): Cantrip damage, but uses a move action, and then you can attack. At least when attacking from range, you need your move action less often. It's fun with the sniper sphere.
Increased Speed [Independent] (N-M): Largely meaningless.
Mechanized Strength [Armor] (N-M): A small bump to strength for a class that largely doesn't care about strength. Even as an ally buff, it's really modest.
(Note: Some aren't rated, as they aren't really newly unlocked improvements, just passive enhancements to improvements you could already use. And I don't think those two groups are directly comparable.)
Speed Lever [Crossbow / Firearm] (S) reduces reload by 2 steps rather than 1. Incredible for firearms.
Gears and Wires [Gloves] (G-S): Infinite hook and pulley for ranged trip and disarm, and just generally reaching further than you normally cool. Being able to grab the remote from 100 feet away is pretty cool.
Suit [Independent] (G): Hey? You know Synthesist Summoner? Yeah. Yeah. A bit less cool and less customizable though, barring the archetype.
Advanced Arm [Independent] (G): Solid bonuses for your arms.
[B]Attached Arm [Backpack]: doubles the qualities that each arm can have.
Improved Mobility [Armor]: When you don't have a mount, but still want to move quickly in the heaviest of heavy armor.
Bonus uses of [Grand Gadget]: +1 daily use of any Grand Gadget. +33%, in other words. And it doesn't expend an improvement to benefit from it.
Auto Retrieval [Gloves]: Boosts retrieval to only be a swift action.
Improved Joints [Armor]: Generally, the dexterity and check penalties aren't much of an issue.
Telescope Lens [Goggles]: If your GM even remembers that this is a thing, then woo. You add another 20 to your perception range increment over the normal benefit.
Aided Flight [Backpack]: Unlocks an improvement to Aided Flight to decrease the standard action to a move action. That's got its perks.
Dispenser [Shield]: Adds an additional item you can free action retrieve from the shield.
Augmented Handling [Melee]: Gains double the special qualities.
Farsight Scope [Crossbow / Firearm]: Move action to reduce range penalties by half. But this unlocks a +4 to hit when you do this. That's a fairly substantial bonus, but I dunno. You can't even prep the action before the combat starts.
Diverse Damage [Melee Weapon]: Your weapon now does all 3 types of damage. You may occasionally bypass some low level DR. Yay. It's great if you're consistently facing undead / alteration sphere users with Undead Body.
Mirrored Lens [Goggles]: Doubles bonus / penalty scaling. I mean, it's niche on its own, but hey. At least you get the bonus when you need the bonus.
Automatic Reloading [Independent] (N): Siege weapons are just generally really bad for your wallet. And you don't get much for all the trouble.
The Rest of the Inventions' Improvements
(IE. The ones that aren't locked behind insights)
Used as a light crossbow. But each gadget can be used 3 times / day, or 4 with mechanical insights. But it costs 10 gold to create.
Permanent Gadget (M): Use one of your gadgets 3 times per day. They are really kinda minor, and it's not that you get 3 extra gadgets. You just get to more repeatedly use that one gadget.
Weaponized Gadget (I): I'm not sure the purpose of this? Is it just so you can wield both at the same time with the same hands? Can you use Hook and Pully Grand Gadget to have really long reach with a weapon? I have no idea. Might be why I can't identify its purpose.
Parachute (<S>): You don't always need a parachute, but when you do, you really do.
Air Bladder (<G>): I've never had inhaled weapons be used against me. But this is hypothetically useful in an aquatic campaign. Probably want some actual floatation instead.
Attached Weapon (N-M): Attached weapon can't be disarmed. But otherwise holds basically no benefit, and it's really difficult to swap it out. Maybe useful for very emergency wands, and you're willing to just lose your off hand to cast from it.
Mechanized Fist (N--): Wow. I really try my best to see the good in these, but wow. Adds 1/5 level damage. And locks into a gauntlet. Not the most impressive of base weapons. To say the least.
Attached Arm (G-S): Extra arms are very useful. With mechanical insights, they are even more useful. Hell, worst case scenario, it simply lets you wield a shield with your two-hander. Actual worst case is you trying to use it for a slam, but details.
Turtle Shell (G): Removes the bonus to hit that flanking provides.
Self-Supporting (<G>, F): If you have no mule, no strong party members, no bag of holding, or anything else, then this has a use. Particularly when it comes to getting out with all the treasure. But obviously, if you have those other things and/or your DM ignores encumbrance, this is literally nothing but fluff.
Extra Quality (N-M): Not worth spending an improvement to simply add an arm quality. But you will at least potentially have a use for it if you decide to do so.
Inflatable Boots (<G-S>): Aquatic campaign? Here you go.
Retractable Skates (G): Yeah, when you add enough numbers, even speed is good. The drawbacks basically don't exist outside of fluff.
Retractable Toe Claws (N-M): So... yeah. Perhaps their intent is to not impede your actual speed, except when walking normally. But land speed is your speed.
Retractable Flippers (N): So... you are progressing at as little as 1/8 of your normal speed as a move action... Or you could just use Inflatable Boots.
Motorized Steps (N): Even with mechanical insight, this is basically nothing.
Speed Lever (S+): Beyond fantastic if you have Mechanical Insight. Still decent without it.
Integrated Shield (G-S): Gain benefits of wielding a shield without using a hand. Awesome.
Powerful Load (M-G): It may be a small, non-scaling increase... but it's explicitly weapon damage. So multiplying the damage (such as via Vital Strike and what not) multiplies this added damage.
Integrated Weapon (M-G): Hey. Sometimes a Greatsword Bayonet is just the thing you need! And it doesn't even off balance your shot.
Far-sight Scope (M): Not great. Halving the range penalties isn't generally an issue. Spending a move action to do so even less so. But with mechanical insight, you can get a +4 to hit for your next attack made before the end of your next turn, which is somewhat substantial.
Enhanced Reliability (M): Not great. Not horrible. Just makes sure you never fail so hard that you break your weapon. (Seriously, why is that a thing? Firearms aren't good.)
Improved Rifling (M): Range Increment is doubled. Great. Actually fantastic, due to how the first range increment is the one that hits touch. But it's completely overshadowed by Railgun (from Electric Insight)
Climbing Claws / Webbing(<G>): Assuming you don't have flight unlocked, and have the appropriate boots, this is some good alternate move speed.
Auto Retrieval (<G>): I've never had this issue come up, but being able to draw stuff without provoking is nice. And doing it as a swift action (with mechanical insights) is basically the nonmagical Handy Haversack.
Nightvision Lens (G): Darkvision. Yay.
Telescope Lens (<G>): Assuming your GM even remembers that perception fall off from distance is a thing, here you go. Now it's basically not. Especially with Mechanical Insights.
Mirrored Lens (<M-G>): Neat to have when you need to face illusions and gaze attacks. Specifically. Even better to have with mechanical insight.
Microscope Lens (N-M): Tiny, inconsequential bonuses to a few things. Sure, also Disable Device, but you've already got a much better, constant bonus from the class.
Augmented Handling (G): Adds special qualities to your weapon. Including reach. Doubles the qualities if you have mechanical insights.
Wire (I): I mean... if you're throwing your melee weapon... Generally not great. Also equipment sphere has a better free action return to you while throwing any weapon. And Gloves have a better anti-disarm effect, and even that's not good. Grapple isn't a particularly good/desirable quality.
Expanding (S): With mechanical insight, and a tower shield, you get the whole AoE full cover + move action package.
Dispenser (<G>): If you have good situational items that you would like to have available as a free action... Mechanical insight nets an additional item.
Glider (G-S): Grants fly speed that can't climb. Still useful. Especially if you have something like Grapple Gun. But if you do, then you probably have real flight too. So idk.
Slick Materials (N-M): Tiny bonus to escape artist. At least never turns into a penalty.
Camouflage (N-M): Situational, small stealth bonus. Can turn into a stealth penalty.
Independent Inventions
You can spend some money to create a minion as an invention. And if you don't have a way of magically repairing it, it'll cost you some more money. Oddly enough, it's got a flat size-based cost rather than HD-based cost. Probably for the best.
It would definitely not be unreasonable to say that you can recoup the costs if you dismantle your invention (modified by its repair costs, I guess - just Basic Magical Training creation sphere).
Independent Inventions have a 1-to-1 HD ratio to your technician level...which is useful.
Vehicle (G): Travel Made Easy. (So long as you don't mind paying the fee.) Constructs don't ever get tired, and you can probably fit your entire party in a single one by level 5. Definitely, if part of the party is willing to just sit in the trunk. No way to improve the maximum capacity outside of raw size.
Mechanical Arm (N-M): Basically, the backpack upgrade, but you must gain the slam ability, and don't gain a second one for having Mechanical Insight. And you have to pay gold for it. And unless it's a robot, you have to pilot it in order to get the attack.
However, with Auto Pilot, some GMs will let some useful things be done repeatedly. Get your mind out of the gutter.
Siege Engine (N): These are really expensive ways to deal an inconsequential amount of damage.
Flight (S): Flight is good. Permanent flight is better. Woo.
Auto Pilot (<S>): If you've got a repetitive task you need done, you simply spend a pilot action to teach it what to do, and then it does it. Depends on what exactly your GM allows to be automated.
Suit (I): It's like Synthesis Summoner, but with a less customizable eidolon. But it's more durable! But also costs gold...
Electric Controls (G-S): Remote Control is potentially useful. Also
Covered (G-S): Now you've got a tank protecting you, though you can hang out the window to shoot a gun or something.
Metal Parts (G): Extra Durability is good.
Aquatic (<G>): Useful when you need to dive under water. Less useful if you have more party members than the maximum capacity dictates.
All-Terrain (M): If flight isn't an option, then here you go.
Advanced Arm (M): Requires Mechanical Insight to even pick up, and grants you 1 ability rather than 2. Meh.
Automatic Reloading (N): Now you can throw money away even faster.
Advanced Siege Engine (N): Cool. More ways to spend your money in the same machine.
Archetypes
Gadgeteer (G-S): Trap sphere is not great. Tech sphere is good, if it's allowed. If it's not, then why are you even considering this archetype?
Recharging Gadgets (S): Doesn't lose anything. Just gain the option of spending a gadget to get more charges for tech sphere.
Jury-Rigged Device (M-G): Pretty fair trade off. You use your invention to flex (gadget) talents in exchange for having one fewer inventions than normal.
Drone Hacker (S): Strict upgrade.
Essentially: Give up your trap features to gain a heavily specialized steam power fist.
And it can be easily adapted to any of the other steam power [attack]. So yeah, pretty good, if you don't want to deal with traps.
Engineer (S+): Give up Trap sphere for mechanical insight. Mechanical Insight grants a hell of a lot of improvements (in addition to...obviously... enabling Suit independent inventions).
Suit Mechanic (G): Additional improvements for suits. Not a bunch of improvements worth getting, but they are there.
Ace Pilot (F): Replaces disable device with the profession sailor and driver. Both are just flavor.
Defensive Piloting (<M>): Objectively speaking, this gives up a bunch of abilities for nothing particularly useful. But if you weren't going to use them, they were not actually useful.
Skeptic (F): Swaps bonus vs traps out for bonus to sense motive. Neat.
Experimentation (I): Need UMD? Well, here you go. Costs an invention. And I don't know if you actually desperately need advantage on the roll. I thought that you could just auto succeed with a take 10.
Remove Magic (G-S): Don't lose anything. Gain dispel magic slightly earlier
Rigorous Mind (G): Slippery Mind, and a will save bonus. Neat. Relatively minor, all considered. But you lose nothing for it.
Essentially: Gives up gadgets for long-cast-time wizard spells. And Disable device stuff for Additional abilities. Overall, a pretty good trade.
I will never use it, because I hate the idea of needing to go back to the wizard spell list. Let alone sifting through the millions of spells just to find those that are actually useful given the constraints.
My adaptation would be to get rid of Supernatural Science... and that's it. lol.
Especially since this bastard of a class has 3 pages just for hyperlinks to its various abilities and inventions. Somehow I don't feel like I'll get this done in just one day.
Post-Review Analysis: This class has way too many abilities. So far, it seems like it has a couple ways of building it, despite having such a variety of different abilities. Perhaps recognizing the compatible builds will come with experience.
Ranking system:
(S) Superb: You always want this. It's awesome.
(G) Good: These make useful additions to the right builds.
(M) Meh: While perhaps better than nothing, you are giving up something for it, so probably shouldn't without a good reason.
(N) No.
<Angle brackets> around a rating indicates situational usefulness, and how good it is in that favorable situation.
(C) Cheese: A talent so broken that it will be instantly banned if you use it as you could.
(I) Impossible: Can't be rated because it is just not defined well enough to give a meaningful rating - it depends too much on DM ruling, or personal use. I'll just place it where I guess the average result would put it.
(F) Flavor: This indicates that the main draw to the talent is going to be its inherent fluff or flavor, rather than raw power or utility.
(G-S): Powerful talents that are almost, but not quite, universally useful or desirable.
(M-G): These are pretty reasonable talents of mediocre strength.
(N-M): It technically has a use, but the cost simply doesn't outweigh the benefit.
Combat Training (M-G): Gains a martial tradition, and 3/4 combat talent per level. Eh. Neat.
Gadgets (M): Very minor utility. Exception: Detonator is like a near-melee destructive blast, but without any disables, and only scales on class level... Barring specific insights.
Trap specialist (M-G): Trap sphere is very...special. It simply doesn't jive with the vast majority of D&D encounters. But there is a drawback which lets you take Trap Wielder and not need setup. Still not the most incredible thing in the world, but it is a way for a martial to have what's effectively a Destruction sphere cantrip.
Trapfinding (<S>): Enables trap finding and disabling. And removes the hard No that magic traps have without this. Usefulness depends on campaign and whether you already have a trap finder.
Inventions (I): Each invention / improvement will be given its own little segment. But you can basically flex class features every day or so.
Technical Insight (I): Same for these.
Technically Minded (F): Flavor ability. Neat.
Danger Sense (M): I mean, if you're trap finding, you're at the highest risk of any in your party, so long as you're actually using it.
Trap Insight (G): It's a bonus talent. Not a horrible one at that.
Trapmaster (<G-S>): Decreasing disable device times by 2 steps actually moves them from narrative time to potentially combat time. So if you're regularly having issues with locked doors in combat....well, you're pretty weird, but here you go. You can open them with a move action.
Greater Trapmaster (<S>): Now pick locks as a swift action. Mostly superfluous by this point. But it does mean you get 3 chances per turn rather than just 2. You also get to make an altered dispel check using Disable Device. Could be useful. The check is actually quite trivial.
Supreme Trapmaster (<G>): Reduces time by 4 steps. Including reducing your dispel check to a standard action. Get to do AoE dispel now.
Perfect Trapmaster (S): Dispel as a move action now, so you're probably up on the actions required to debuff you. (Debuffing at this level though?). And you can immediate action dispel unwanted magical effects. Considering magic is god by this point, that's pretty cool.
True Genius (M-G): Stat bumps. Neat.
Mechanical Best Friends (S+): Actually...pretty powerful. Full effective druid level, and use construct type. And they can get a free subtype from the other insights, and can freely use your inventions. In addition to being an animal companion.
Greater Craftsman (G-S): Got gold? Want a particular invention, permanently? Here you go. Might unironically be a reason to take Aesthetic Insight, since you actually have slots to give to allies. Maybe not though.
Chemical Insight (G-S): Adds utility to the Detonator, a new archetype to add to his inventions, and some sick unlocks.
Electric Insight (G-S): It's kinda neat, and the Railgun unlock is critical for any firearms user, but the main thing that gets it this rating is the ability to trade gold for robots with sphere casting. Made 10x better through Greater Craftsman, if you can afford it. Going to be a lot cheaper than "real" magic weapons.
Steampower Insight (G): Fly speed, without getting a flying Mechanical Best Friend, which may or may not be allowed. Some other decent unlocks, but also has the Grapple Gun gadget for some mobility when you can't fly.
Mechanical Insight (G): This is a good subtype, and it's got a really nice set of improvements which simply amplify the inventions you might want anyway (particularly if you're using guns). But it doesn't tend to unlock new improvements.
Inventor’s Insight (G): An additional improvement, or a new invention with 1 improvement. Both options are pretty neat when they are useful.
Luck (G): More neat tools in your tool belt. 30 ft away is plenty far to avoid the trap you're trying to disable, and possibly even usable enough for disabling weapons in combat without using sunder.
Luck, Socialite’s (G): Advantage on Diplomacy is useful. And there's an entire (small) sphere devoted to intimidation. So also useful. Don't know why you would attack a Friendly, but there's an awful lot of burst that can come from this and the various inventions.
Always Ready (<G>): Depends on campaign. And how well you can think of useful cheap mundane items when you need them, but not when you have the chance to buy them normally. And the price doesn't scale, so it'll always be the same list at least.
Expert’s Insight (<G>): Always take 10 on some skills. I think it's useful. Most probably for disable device and similar such static DC checks where you don't need to roll high, just roll well enough.
Intuition, Reactive (G): If you want to make use of Intuition, then you really want to be able to choose to use it after you've rolled.
Gunpowder Insight (M-G, F): Eh. Firework isn't a bad single target cantrip. Guns are pretty horrible. But Technician is specifically the class most capable of overcoming their limitations via inventions.
Demolitions Insight (M-G, F): If you really hate objects, here you go. Can be nice to blast down a door, but generally blasting through a wall is going to be impractical with this limited resource. A reasonable house rule is to say that you can choose, rather than have to, deal full damage to objects. You don't always want to bust open the floor.
Magic Craftsmanship (M-G): Eh. Create magic items. Yay.
Aesthetic Insight (I): So, this takes a feat-equivalent from you to take, and then an actual feat for each of your allies to take, if they want to use your invention. I don't think these are actually that good.
Medical Insight (M): I really just feel like you could simply take a single talent in Alchemy for the Salve and just be better off. Not a strictly terrible source of healing. Just not impressive.
Intuition, Combat (M): More efficient use of Intuition for attacks and saves. Yay.
Intuition (M): A pool of d6s to add to your d20 rolls. Neat. Must use them before making the roll. Not so neat.
Luck, Showman’s (M): It's at least a useful idea.
Poisoner’s Insight (I): Maybe poison is good. Maybe it's not. I don't know.
Professional Insight (N-M, F): You are like...super great with your NPC skills.
Intuition, Meditative (N-M): Grants the basic ki pool abilities of a monk. Opens options for spec'ing out as a monk. Not sure you would like to though.
Intuition, Lucky (N-M): Mixes lucky and Intuition pools. Now you're reliant on Int, Wis, and Cha for your resources! Congrats!
Anatomical Insight (N-M): If you have rider effects that care more about being a sneak attack (like Headband of Ninjutsu), or cares about the number of SA dice you roll (idk), then it's better than it at first seems. But if you can't get those benefits, this is pointless beyond belief.
Luck, Combatant’s (N): Eh. I couldn't care. Opportunistic Evasion would at least occasionally come up, if you have an enemy casters at all.
Architectural Insight (N): 10 minutes to expend a gadget and make a temporary structure. Unlike Creation sphere, you must possess the materials to create it before doing so. The uses for this are so incredibly niche, and don't out compete the faster, better, creation sphere.
Golemsmith (I): This is just a rabbit hole all its own. A very expensive rabbit hole.
Invention Improvements Unlocked by Insights
Resistance [Armor] (<S>): Does your game regularly feature energy damage? Then you can flex this to any appropriate energy as needed, with minimal prep time. Even so, the energy resistance is quite nice, and having the option of preparing it is very nice.
Explosive Round [Firearms] (S): No extra actions, nor cost. You just get to spread your damage to adjacent squares.
Thermal Lens [Goggles] (<S>): See invisible. Useful if using vancian or natural invisibility. Hurts more than it helps if using spheres invisibility.
Chemical Thrower [Grand Gadget] (G): 3/day Close range cone (or doubled line) for cantrip destruction sphere damage. But of any element of your choice at the start of the day. It's quite a reasonable AoE.
Freezer (G): Bonus cold damage to some equipment. And you don't negatively impact the equipment for your allies. So it makes for good support. And I guess it gets better the more attacks your allies can make use of.
Poison Dispenser [Crossbow / Melee] (I): Not great for Alchemy sphere integration. Maybe you like the poisons you can buy for gold. idk.
Rocket Boots [Boots] (M-G): Get a very sudden burst of movement...at high levels... a few times per day. If you are high level, this is cool. But D&D tends to be a relatively static game. Ranged characters could theoretically be kiting out with these. Need to be at least level 12 before you can out kite a charge attack.
Flaming Shield [Shield] (M): I mean, it's really obnoxious to have it last only 1 round / lvl. And there's no real way to get a bunch of attacks off with it. But it is actually an all day bonus damage. So over time, you could get hypothetical value out of it.
Sticky Hand (N-M): It's a tiny bonus (with 0 scaling). But it's a bonus, I guess.
X-Ray Lens [Goggles] (S+): Now this is a scouting ability among scouting abilities. Literally seeing through walls is very useful. Granted, very thin walls, but almost always doors.
Railgun [firearm] (S): Makes firearm ammo trivially inexpensive, triples the range increment, and lets it be used when black powder wouldn't be.
Magnetic Shoes [Boots] (<G>): Spider Climb, if you regularly encounter metallic surfaces.
Super-Heated [Crossbow] (G): If you regularly loose tons of crossbow bolts, this can add up quite nicely. The recharge timer is probably not an issue unless you're dungeon delving. Stacks with Freezer.
Magnetized Attraction [Shield] (<G>): An automatic disarm check vs metal weapons on a near miss. Any creature that can be disarmed is much more likely to have low CMD to CR than for other combat maneuvers. Not the most generally useful of all CMs, but still useful when it's useful.
Electric Controls [Independent] (M-G, F): Remote control seems useful. Complete autonomy is probably edging on bad minionmancy, and almost certainly asking for Skynet.
Laser [Grand Gadget] (M): Single target, close range fire damage. But of full destruction sphere damage. Touch attack with no save. But you also don't get any consolation prize if you miss.
Transmitter [Backpack] (<M>): If you have to split the party, at least you have a way to communicate with them.
Electric Hands [Gloves/Melee] (M): Pretty hard to get both enough levels in both Striker and Technician to actually think this is particularly useful. Not a ton of ways to get a bunch of bonus unarmed/melee attacks. Maybe with Guardian AoO stacking. But it is at least an all day bonus damage to your attacks.
Magnetized Repulsion [Armor] (N-M): Deflection bonus may be hard to come across, but I really don't think it's worth going out of your way to get this. Maybe tack it on if you are already using improved armor and have no more useful improvements.
Augmented Reflexes [Suit] (N-M): Tiny bonus to Dexterity.
Flight [Independent] (S): Permanent Flight. Does not scale implicitly with levels, but does with improvements, which you gain through levels.
Propeller [Backpack] (<G-S>): Honestly, this fly speed is pretty respectable even for just 1 improvement. Duration not so much, until you get more improvements and levels.
Aided Flight [Backpack] (G, F): (insert AoT reference). Getting to use Grapple Gun infinitely is nice - particularly for mobility. Doing it as a move action is even better. But Fly speed is just so much better.
Machine Gun [Grand Gadget] (M, F): Medium range line for cantrip destruction sphere damage of physical type. That's a damned impressive range, and who wouldn't love a machine gun? But it would be better served with a better AoE shape, 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time...
Super Kick [Boots / Gloves / Melee] (M): Cantrip damage, but requires a move action to charge up, and then you can apply it to an attack. But it is at least an actually all-day cantrip, unlike the rest of this class's cantrips, and it only expends when you've actually hit. So it's got stuff going for it. And SoM needs only standards for attacking.
Pressurized Shot [Crossbow / Firearm / Shield] (M): Cantrip damage, but uses a move action, and then you can attack. At least when attacking from range, you need your move action less often. It's fun with the sniper sphere.
Increased Speed [Independent] (N-M): Largely meaningless.
Mechanized Strength [Armor] (N-M): A small bump to strength for a class that largely doesn't care about strength. Even as an ally buff, it's really modest.
(Note: Some aren't rated, as they aren't really newly unlocked improvements, just passive enhancements to improvements you could already use. And I don't think those two groups are directly comparable.)
Speed Lever [Crossbow / Firearm] (S) reduces reload by 2 steps rather than 1. Incredible for firearms.
Gears and Wires [Gloves] (G-S): Infinite hook and pulley for ranged trip and disarm, and just generally reaching further than you normally cool. Being able to grab the remote from 100 feet away is pretty cool.
Suit [Independent] (G): Hey? You know Synthesist Summoner? Yeah. Yeah. A bit less cool and less customizable though, barring the archetype.
Advanced Arm [Independent] (G): Solid bonuses for your arms.
[B]Attached Arm [Backpack]: doubles the qualities that each arm can have.
Improved Mobility [Armor]: When you don't have a mount, but still want to move quickly in the heaviest of heavy armor.
Bonus uses of [Grand Gadget]: +1 daily use of any Grand Gadget. +33%, in other words. And it doesn't expend an improvement to benefit from it.
Auto Retrieval [Gloves]: Boosts retrieval to only be a swift action.
Improved Joints [Armor]: Generally, the dexterity and check penalties aren't much of an issue.
Telescope Lens [Goggles]: If your GM even remembers that this is a thing, then woo. You add another 20 to your perception range increment over the normal benefit.
Aided Flight [Backpack]: Unlocks an improvement to Aided Flight to decrease the standard action to a move action. That's got its perks.
Dispenser [Shield]: Adds an additional item you can free action retrieve from the shield.
Augmented Handling [Melee]: Gains double the special qualities.
Farsight Scope [Crossbow / Firearm]: Move action to reduce range penalties by half. But this unlocks a +4 to hit when you do this. That's a fairly substantial bonus, but I dunno. You can't even prep the action before the combat starts.
Diverse Damage [Melee Weapon]: Your weapon now does all 3 types of damage. You may occasionally bypass some low level DR. Yay. It's great if you're consistently facing undead / alteration sphere users with Undead Body.
Mirrored Lens [Goggles]: Doubles bonus / penalty scaling. I mean, it's niche on its own, but hey. At least you get the bonus when you need the bonus.
Automatic Reloading [Independent] (N): Siege weapons are just generally really bad for your wallet. And you don't get much for all the trouble.
The Rest of the Inventions' Improvements
(IE. The ones that aren't locked behind insights)
Used as a light crossbow. But each gadget can be used 3 times / day, or 4 with mechanical insights. But it costs 10 gold to create.
Permanent Gadget (M): Use one of your gadgets 3 times per day. They are really kinda minor, and it's not that you get 3 extra gadgets. You just get to more repeatedly use that one gadget.
Weaponized Gadget (I): I'm not sure the purpose of this? Is it just so you can wield both at the same time with the same hands? Can you use Hook and Pully Grand Gadget to have really long reach with a weapon? I have no idea. Might be why I can't identify its purpose.
Parachute (<S>): You don't always need a parachute, but when you do, you really do.
Air Bladder (<G>): I've never had inhaled weapons be used against me. But this is hypothetically useful in an aquatic campaign. Probably want some actual floatation instead.
Attached Weapon (N-M): Attached weapon can't be disarmed. But otherwise holds basically no benefit, and it's really difficult to swap it out. Maybe useful for very emergency wands, and you're willing to just lose your off hand to cast from it.
Mechanized Fist (N--): Wow. I really try my best to see the good in these, but wow. Adds 1/5 level damage. And locks into a gauntlet. Not the most impressive of base weapons. To say the least.
Attached Arm (G-S): Extra arms are very useful. With mechanical insights, they are even more useful. Hell, worst case scenario, it simply lets you wield a shield with your two-hander. Actual worst case is you trying to use it for a slam, but details.
Turtle Shell (G): Removes the bonus to hit that flanking provides.
Self-Supporting (<G>, F): If you have no mule, no strong party members, no bag of holding, or anything else, then this has a use. Particularly when it comes to getting out with all the treasure. But obviously, if you have those other things and/or your DM ignores encumbrance, this is literally nothing but fluff.
Extra Quality (N-M): Not worth spending an improvement to simply add an arm quality. But you will at least potentially have a use for it if you decide to do so.
Inflatable Boots (<G-S>): Aquatic campaign? Here you go.
Retractable Skates (G): Yeah, when you add enough numbers, even speed is good. The drawbacks basically don't exist outside of fluff.
Retractable Toe Claws (N-M): So... yeah. Perhaps their intent is to not impede your actual speed, except when walking normally. But land speed is your speed.
Retractable Flippers (N): So... you are progressing at as little as 1/8 of your normal speed as a move action... Or you could just use Inflatable Boots.
Motorized Steps (N): Even with mechanical insight, this is basically nothing.
Speed Lever (S+): Beyond fantastic if you have Mechanical Insight. Still decent without it.
Integrated Shield (G-S): Gain benefits of wielding a shield without using a hand. Awesome.
Powerful Load (M-G): It may be a small, non-scaling increase... but it's explicitly weapon damage. So multiplying the damage (such as via Vital Strike and what not) multiplies this added damage.
Integrated Weapon (M-G): Hey. Sometimes a Greatsword Bayonet is just the thing you need! And it doesn't even off balance your shot.
Far-sight Scope (M): Not great. Halving the range penalties isn't generally an issue. Spending a move action to do so even less so. But with mechanical insight, you can get a +4 to hit for your next attack made before the end of your next turn, which is somewhat substantial.
Enhanced Reliability (M): Not great. Not horrible. Just makes sure you never fail so hard that you break your weapon. (Seriously, why is that a thing? Firearms aren't good.)
Improved Rifling (M): Range Increment is doubled. Great. Actually fantastic, due to how the first range increment is the one that hits touch. But it's completely overshadowed by Railgun (from Electric Insight)
Climbing Claws / Webbing(<G>): Assuming you don't have flight unlocked, and have the appropriate boots, this is some good alternate move speed.
Auto Retrieval (<G>): I've never had this issue come up, but being able to draw stuff without provoking is nice. And doing it as a swift action (with mechanical insights) is basically the nonmagical Handy Haversack.
Nightvision Lens (G): Darkvision. Yay.
Telescope Lens (<G>): Assuming your GM even remembers that perception fall off from distance is a thing, here you go. Now it's basically not. Especially with Mechanical Insights.
Mirrored Lens (<M-G>): Neat to have when you need to face illusions and gaze attacks. Specifically. Even better to have with mechanical insight.
Microscope Lens (N-M): Tiny, inconsequential bonuses to a few things. Sure, also Disable Device, but you've already got a much better, constant bonus from the class.
Augmented Handling (G): Adds special qualities to your weapon. Including reach. Doubles the qualities if you have mechanical insights.
Wire (I): I mean... if you're throwing your melee weapon... Generally not great. Also equipment sphere has a better free action return to you while throwing any weapon. And Gloves have a better anti-disarm effect, and even that's not good. Grapple isn't a particularly good/desirable quality.
Expanding (S): With mechanical insight, and a tower shield, you get the whole AoE full cover + move action package.
Dispenser (<G>): If you have good situational items that you would like to have available as a free action... Mechanical insight nets an additional item.
Glider (G-S): Grants fly speed that can't climb. Still useful. Especially if you have something like Grapple Gun. But if you do, then you probably have real flight too. So idk.
Slick Materials (N-M): Tiny bonus to escape artist. At least never turns into a penalty.
Camouflage (N-M): Situational, small stealth bonus. Can turn into a stealth penalty.
Independent Inventions
You can spend some money to create a minion as an invention. And if you don't have a way of magically repairing it, it'll cost you some more money. Oddly enough, it's got a flat size-based cost rather than HD-based cost. Probably for the best.
It would definitely not be unreasonable to say that you can recoup the costs if you dismantle your invention (modified by its repair costs, I guess - just Basic Magical Training creation sphere).
Independent Inventions have a 1-to-1 HD ratio to your technician level...which is useful.
Vehicle (G): Travel Made Easy. (So long as you don't mind paying the fee.) Constructs don't ever get tired, and you can probably fit your entire party in a single one by level 5. Definitely, if part of the party is willing to just sit in the trunk. No way to improve the maximum capacity outside of raw size.
Mechanical Arm (N-M): Basically, the backpack upgrade, but you must gain the slam ability, and don't gain a second one for having Mechanical Insight. And you have to pay gold for it. And unless it's a robot, you have to pilot it in order to get the attack.
However, with Auto Pilot, some GMs will let some useful things be done repeatedly. Get your mind out of the gutter.
Siege Engine (N): These are really expensive ways to deal an inconsequential amount of damage.
Flight (S): Flight is good. Permanent flight is better. Woo.
Auto Pilot (<S>): If you've got a repetitive task you need done, you simply spend a pilot action to teach it what to do, and then it does it. Depends on what exactly your GM allows to be automated.
Suit (I): It's like Synthesis Summoner, but with a less customizable eidolon. But it's more durable! But also costs gold...
Electric Controls (G-S): Remote Control is potentially useful. Also
Covered (G-S): Now you've got a tank protecting you, though you can hang out the window to shoot a gun or something.
Metal Parts (G): Extra Durability is good.
Aquatic (<G>): Useful when you need to dive under water. Less useful if you have more party members than the maximum capacity dictates.
All-Terrain (M): If flight isn't an option, then here you go.
Advanced Arm (M): Requires Mechanical Insight to even pick up, and grants you 1 ability rather than 2. Meh.
Automatic Reloading (N): Now you can throw money away even faster.
Advanced Siege Engine (N): Cool. More ways to spend your money in the same machine.
Archetypes
Gadgeteer (G-S): Trap sphere is not great. Tech sphere is good, if it's allowed. If it's not, then why are you even considering this archetype?
Recharging Gadgets (S): Doesn't lose anything. Just gain the option of spending a gadget to get more charges for tech sphere.
Jury-Rigged Device (M-G): Pretty fair trade off. You use your invention to flex (gadget) talents in exchange for having one fewer inventions than normal.
Drone Hacker (S): Strict upgrade.
Essentially: Give up your trap features to gain a heavily specialized steam power fist.
And it can be easily adapted to any of the other steam power [attack]. So yeah, pretty good, if you don't want to deal with traps.
Engineer (S+): Give up Trap sphere for mechanical insight. Mechanical Insight grants a hell of a lot of improvements (in addition to...obviously... enabling Suit independent inventions).
Suit Mechanic (G): Additional improvements for suits. Not a bunch of improvements worth getting, but they are there.
Ace Pilot (F): Replaces disable device with the profession sailor and driver. Both are just flavor.
Defensive Piloting (<M>): Objectively speaking, this gives up a bunch of abilities for nothing particularly useful. But if you weren't going to use them, they were not actually useful.
Skeptic (F): Swaps bonus vs traps out for bonus to sense motive. Neat.
Experimentation (I): Need UMD? Well, here you go. Costs an invention. And I don't know if you actually desperately need advantage on the roll. I thought that you could just auto succeed with a take 10.
Remove Magic (G-S): Don't lose anything. Gain dispel magic slightly earlier
Rigorous Mind (G): Slippery Mind, and a will save bonus. Neat. Relatively minor, all considered. But you lose nothing for it.
Essentially: Gives up gadgets for long-cast-time wizard spells. And Disable device stuff for Additional abilities. Overall, a pretty good trade.
I will never use it, because I hate the idea of needing to go back to the wizard spell list. Let alone sifting through the millions of spells just to find those that are actually useful given the constraints.
My adaptation would be to get rid of Supernatural Science... and that's it. lol.