Artificer

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Overview & Creation

Artificers are the culmination of magical studies and technical know-how. Rigorously trained on the inner workings of the elemental planes as well as leyline maps, artificers can imbue items with certain effects by bending the universe's energies to their will. When combined with their knowledge of cutting edge technology, they can create otherwise impossible items of power, such as reusable grenades or potent medicines that require only simple ingredients. However, because their items' power uses the artificer's body as a conduit by channeling energy into the devices, such inventions cease working if not in the artificer' possession. Artificer's tend to only keep a handful of their inventions on them at any given time, as maintaining too many can lead to exhaustion and even death if the artificer is not careful.

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Class Features

Innovations

Beginning at 1st level, the you begin to build a collection of useful devices. You have created a Multitool and a Reusable Grenade to use on your adventures. You create additional innovations based on your artificer archetype at the 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels. If one of your innovations is destroyed or lost, it takes 24 hours, materials costing gold equal to 5 times the level you were when you first built the item, and an artificer's kit to recreate it.   The Multitool has three functions: Light Emitter, Noise Maker, and Stabilizer. You can switch between these functions as a free action, and use the multitool as an action. The multitool can be used indefinitely by you, and other creatures can use it as many times as the your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) before it must be returned to the Artificer for at least one hour to recharge.

• Light Emitter: The multitool creates a focused beam of light that shines bright light in a 30-foot cone and dim light for additional 30 feet. The effect lasts indefinitely while on the artificer's person; otherwise it lasts for 10 minutes.
• Noise Maker: Upon creation the artificer designates a noise, such as a chimes, clicks, or buzzes, that the multitool will make when this function is activated. The sound is booming and can be heard from 100 feet away. The effect lasts for 1 minute, and can be set on a delay of up to 1 minute.
• Stabilizer: The multitool injects a blast of planar energy into a living creature with 0 hit points. The creature becomes stable. Has no effect on undead creatures.

The Reusable Grenade is a handheld metallic orb covered in faint runes that explodes violently when thrown, only to reform and return to you moments later. After activating it, the grenade can be thrown up to 60 feet. Creatures within a 5-foot-radius sphere of the grenade must make a Dexterity saving throw. Each creature takes 1d6 magical piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The grenade's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 4th level (2d6), 8th level (3d6), 12th level (4d6), and 16th level (5d6). The grenade can be used twice before losing the charge it requires to activate. You regain all uses of your grenade on a short or long rest.  

Marksmanship

You are now better at landing any shot you make. Beginning at 1st level, the short range of crossbows and firearms is doubled for you.  

Fine Tuning: Primary Star

At 2nd level, you modify your grenade to better suit your needs by invoking one of the elemental planes in the Primary Star. Choose one of the modifications below to apply to your Reusable Grenade.

• Aurius Runes (Air): Energy from Aurius carries your grenade on the wind. Your grenade can be thrown up to 90 feet.
• Incinerus Runes (Fire): Pressure brought from Incinerus increases the blasting power of your grenade, increasing its damage by 1d6.
• Elieus Runes (Earth): The energy seems to leech from all who are hit by your grenade's blast. Any creature that fails their saving throw also has their movement reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn.
• Aquus Runes (Water): Your grenade blasts are as malleable as water. Choose any number of creatures within the effect radius of your grenade. These creatures automatically succeed their Dexterity saving throws.

 

Artificer Archetype

  Choose your artificer archetype, chosen based on your field of study: Gunslinger, Chemist, or Automaturge, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your archetype choice grants you features at 3rd level and then again at 7th, 11th, 15th, and 20th level.  

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.  

Expertise

At 6th level, choose one of your skill proficiencies and one of your tool proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
At 14th level, choose an additional skill proficiency and tool proficiency to gain this benefit.  

Fine Tuning: Octostar

At 14th level, you further modify your grenade to preform exactly to your specifications by invoking another elemental plane in the Octostar. Choose either one of the modifications from the Primary Star or from the Secondary Star table shown below to apply to your Reusable Grenade in addition to your original choice.

• Galvarus Runes (Lightning): A secondary energy store held in Galvarus allows your grenade to be used three times before it needs to recharge.
• Scorus Runes (Magma): Heated shrapnel brought by magma's heat changes your grenade's damage dice from d6s to d8s.
• Thressus Runes (Mud): The grenade's blast briefly causes the forces of Thressus to grasp onto creatures within the blast, creating a 15 foot x 15 foot square of difficult terrain, centered on the grenade, that lasts until the beginning of your next turn.
• Glacius Runes (Ice): Surfaces hit by your Glacius-infused grenades become slick and slippery to stand on for a few seconds. Creatures that fail their saving throw are also knocked prone.

Ballistic Bandolier

Starting at 18th level, you learn how to tap into more your energy reserves, allowing you to maintain additional grenades. You can create and maintain up to three Reusable Grenades and three grenades given to you by your subclass' Innovation: Grenades feature at a time. The additional reusable grenades all have the same bonuses from Fine Tuning as the original.

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Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:  

• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) an artificer's kit, (b) a dungeoneer's pack, or (c) an explorer's pack
• (a) two daggers or (b) a shortsword
• leather armor

 

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Spellcasting

While they do not cast spells in the traditional sense, many of the devices the artificer creates get more powerful as the artificer gives them upgrades or learns to channel more power into them.
Instead of a spell save DC, you use technology save DC for your devices. Your affinity with technology is based off of your Intelligence modifier.   Technology Modifier: your Proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Technology save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

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Subclass Options

Artificer Archetypes

As artificers fine tune their techniques, they also choose a specialization of study. This usually takes place in a school of magic or a city known for its engineers, where they can apprentice under someone. Some artificers do learn on their own, their inventions seeming strange in appearance or activation, as they were created without knowledge of engineering customs or tradition.

Gunslinger

Unlike most artificers, who channel as much energy from the elemental planes as they can directly into their inventions, gunslingers withhold some of it to flow back into themselves, making them more dexterous. This dexterity translates into faster movement, quicker reload times, an accelerated reaction speed. It is rare to see a true gunslinger take more than a moment to send a hail of bullets toward their target. It is rarer still to see them miss. Gunslinger inventions are simpler than other artificers, focusing on reliability more than anything else.  

Planar Conduit

Starting when you choose this archetype 3rd level, you can use your knowledge of extraplanar energy imbue your arrows, bolts, or bullets with magic by carving runes into them. As part of a long or short rest, you can imbue up to your Intelligence modifier of ammunition to deal your choice of magical Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison, or Thunder damage instead of their normal damage type. The ammunition does not have to be all of the same damage type, and they only work for you, as you are the only ones who can activate the runes. This imbuement lasts for 12 hours.  

Gunslinger Proficiencies

Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill and Tinker's Tools.  

Quick Shot

Starting at 3rd level, your enhanced speed and dexterity allows you to load ammunition faster. Weapons with the Loading or Long Reload properties be loaded faster. Loading weapons can be treated as non-loading weapons, the Long Reload(1) property can be treated as the Loading property, and the Long Reload(2) property can be treated as if it were Long Reload(1).  

Innovation: Flash Grenade

At 5th level, you create a Reusable Flash Grenade that can blind creatures in a short radius. Once activated, the flash grenade can be thrown up to 60 feet. Creatures within a 5-foot-radius sphere of where it lands must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, each creature is blinded until the end of their next turn. Once used, it can not be used again until you have taken a short or long rest.  

Reflexive Fire

Starting at 7th level, you begin to react to danger without realizing it. When a creature deals damage to you, you may use your reaction to either make a single ranged attack against the attacking creature or move 5 feet away from it. Moving this way does not provoke attacks of opportunity.  

Innovation: Caltrop Ejector

At 9th level, you construct a Caltrop Ejector to hinder your foes' approach by summoning spiked detritus from the elemental plane of earth and firing them all around it. The ejector may be either placed or thrown within a range of 30 feet. When placed, the ejector's activation may be delayed up to 1 minute. If thrown or not set to a delay, it will activate as soon as it hits a solid surface. Once activated, the ejector will spray caltrops in a 25 foot by 25 foot square, centered on itself, creating difficult terrain. Once used, it can not be used again until you have taken a short or long rest.  

Swift Movements

Starting at 11th level, you have learn to send energy into your legs, allowing you to react much quicker to danger than before. You may add your intelligence modifier to initiative rolls, and your speed increases by 10 feet.  

Innovation: Displacement Boots

At 13th level, you engineer a lightweight pair of boots that allow you to hover 1 inch off the ground. Walking, running, and jumping all function and feel like normal, but you ignore difficult terrain. The Displacement Boots only work on solid surfaces, and are only active when equipped by you, as they draw you strength to function.  

Reflexive Aid

Starting at 15th level, your reflexive fire extends to allies. When a creature deals damage to a friendly creature within 60 feet of you, you may use your reaction to make a single ranged attack against the attacking creature.  

Innovation: Polarity Boots

At 17th level, you upgrade your Displacement Boots to allow it to build intense friction. While wearing your Polarity Boots, you can set the boots to function as your old boots would (Displacement), or set them to High-Friction. While in high friction mode, you have climbing and swimming speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain advantage on checks and saving throws that attempt to move you against your will.  

Storm of Shots

At 20th level, you have learned how to push your body past its limit, increasing your already unnatural speed for a brief moment. You may activate this ability as a free action. When you do, you gain the following benefits until the end of your next turn:

• Your movement speed is doubled.
• You gain +2 bonus to your AC
• You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws.
• You may make two additional attacks as part of your Attack action.
• You ignore the reload and long reload properties on crossbows and firearms.

Once you use this feature, you must spend a long rest before you can use it again.  

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Chemist

Chemists have spent years studying epidemiology and how disease and medicine can relate to the elemental planes of the Octostar. In doing so, they have learned how to imbue certain mundane substances with the power to heal or harm their foes at the cost of a reduced sense of inhibition. These tinctures, gases, potions, and draughts come with the significant drawback of requiring them staying in the chemists possession in order to remain potent. Any more than a few minutes out of their hands and they lose all efficacy. Additionally, the power of the planes that they draw is usually as unstable as their mental state, making them chaotic partners in battle and in academia. Of the commonly found artificers, chemists tend to be most in tune with the elements.  

Tinctures

Starting when you choose this archetype 3rd level, you learn the art of imbuing elemental energy into vials of normally inert substances, creating tinctures with powerful effects. As part of a long rest, you create up to your Intelligence modifier of Tinctures. When creating a tincture, choose two of the effects below. Upon drinking a tincture as a bonus action, a creature experiences the effects immediately. Tincture's stay effective for 12 hours, and if out of your possession for more than 1 hour, a tincture will cease to work. Tinctures do not affect undead or constructs.
Tincture effect options:

• Restorative: Restores hit points equal to 2d4 + your Intelligence modifier. Healing increases by 1d4 when you reach 7th level (3d4), 11th level (4d4), and 15th level (5d4).
• Galvanizing: Gives temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier. These hit points last for 1 hour. Die changes to a d8 at 7th level, a d10 at 11th level, and a d12 at 15th level.
• Observant: Grants advantage on your first attack roll made before the end of your next turn.
• Focusing: Grants advantage on concentration saving throws for 1 minute.
• Invigorating: Increases movement by 5 feet for 1 hour.

 

Chemist Proficiencies

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Medicine skill and Alchemist's Supplies.  

Innovation: Elemental Grenade

At 5th level, you create a Reusable Elemental Grenade that explodes with the power of a chosen element before reforming and returning to you. When activated, you choose one of the following damage types: Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Thunder and throw it up to 60 feet. Creatures within a 5-foot-radius sphere of the grenade must make a Dexterity saving throw. Each creature takes 2d8 magical damage of your chosen type on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Once used, it can not be used again until you have taken a short or long rest.   The grenade's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 7th level (3d8), 11th level (4d8), and 15th level (5d8).  

Elemental Attunement

Beginning at 7th level, you may attune yourself to the elemental planes, tying their strengths and weaknesses to your own. As part of a long rest, choose two of the following damage types: Cold, Fire, or Lightning. You are now resistant to those damage types, and weak to the unselected damage type. These resistances and weakness override ones acquired from racial or class features, but not ones acquired from spell effects. This attunement lasts until you use this ability again or spend a long rest becoming unattuned to the elements.  

Innovation: Healing Vaporizer

At 9th level, you create a throwable Healing Vaporizer that creates a concealing mist and restores the hit points of those inside of it. Upon activating the vaporizer, you may throw it up to 30 feet. When it lands, it taps into the power of Aquus to create a minute, stationary portal that releases mist in a 10-foot sphere centered on the vaporizer, heavily obscuring the area. The first time living creatures enter or start their turn inside of the sphere, they regain hit points equal to 3d4 + your Intelligence modifier. Winds can temporarily blow the mist away, but as it is constantly being emitted from the vaporizer, it will return once the wind stops. If the vaporizer is moved the portal will close early. The vaporizer releases mist for 1 minute, and the mist lingers for an 1 minute after the vaporizer's portal closes. Once used, the vaporizer can not be used again until you have taken a short or long rest.  

Planar Poisoner

Beginning at 11th level, you have learned how to draw upon the Mud plane of Thressus to summon poisons at will. You learn the Acid Splash cantrip, and can add the following effects to the available choices when creating tinctures:

• Caustic: Deals Acid damage equal to 4d6 + your Intelligence modifier.
• Atrophying: Reduces maximum hit points by 2d6 + your Intelligence modifier until the imbiber takes a long rest.
• Poisonous: Imbiber makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they take 4d4 Poison damage and are poisoned for 1 minute. They may repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns.
• Slowing: Imbiber makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, their movement is halved for 1 minute.
• Entropic: Grants disadvantage on the next saving throw. If combined with an effect that requires a saving throw, the imbiber also gains disadvantage on that roll as well.

 

Innovation: Dart Launcher

At 13th level, you create a wrist-mounted Dart Launcher that can be used to fire your alchemic creations short distances. Your tinctures can be stored inside of darts that inject their contents into their target. These darts have Range (30/60) when using the dart launcher to attack, and they automatically hit when fired at a willing target that they can see.  

Tincturecraft

Starting at 15th level, you can create tinctures in greater numbers and with more effects. The amount of Tinctures you may make during your long rest is now equal twice your Intelligence modifier. Additionally, you may now choose three effects to imbue your tinctures with instead of two.  

Innovation: Multi-Planar Grenade

At 17th level, you upgrade your Reusable Elemental Grenade into a Reusable Multi-Planar Grenade, twisting its energies so that the destruction it brings can not be negated. When activated, you choose two of the following damage types: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison, or Thunder and throw it up to 60 feet. Creatures within a 10-foot-radius sphere of the grenade must make a Dexterity saving throw. Each creature takes 4d8 magical damage of the first damage type and 4d8 magical damage of the second damage type on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. When this grenade deals damage immunities are treated as resistances and resistances are ignored. Once used, it can not be used again until you have taken a short or long rest.

Concentrated Potency

Upon reaching 20th level, your mastery of medicines, poisons, and elemental imbuement allow you to make extremely powerful tinctures that transcend previous creations. When making tinctures, one of your tinctures can be made concentrated. A concentrated tincture gains one of the following effects on top of the other three:

• Revitalizing: The Restorative and Galvanizing effects are twice as strong for this tincture.
• Rejuvenating: Removes temporary Blinded, Paralyzed, and Poisoned conditions.
• Toxic: The Caustic and Atrophying effects are twice as strong for this tincture.
• Debilitating: Imbiber makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they are paralyzed for 1 minute. They may repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns.

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Automoturge

Automoturges dedicate their life to technology. They study its inception, creation, and application, along with any theory revolving around it. So expansive is their knowledge, that they have learned to tap into their latent magical prowess, and use it to further science. Less of a wizard and more like a mechanic, automoturges do not use their connection to the Octostar as a way to twist the elements around them. Rather, see their connection as a source of energy or a computational aid for their creations.  

Auto-turret

Starting when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you use your skills in engineering & math and splicing it together with a few planar energy draws, you build a turret. Choose one of the three turret types to create: Light Crossbow Turret, Heavy Crossbow Turret, or Sentinel Turret. This turret is connected to you, and draws its power from your ties to the elemental planes. As such, you are the only one that can activate it, and it will automatically deactivate if you are further away than its max firing range. The turret can remain active for a number of rounds equal to twice your technology modifier. All rounds of activation are restored during a short or long rest. All of your turret's hit points are restored when you take a long rest.   Turrets use reusable magazines to hold their ammunition. As part of choosing this archetype you have two magazines, and can build additional magazines for 10 gold each. The ammunition for each magazine is bought separately.  

Automoturge Proficiencies

Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Perception skill and the Tinker's Toolkit.  

Innovation: Landmine

At 5th level, you learn how to create a pair of Reusable Landmines to protect the areas around your defensive perimeter. Once activated, a landmine can be thrown up to 30 feet, and take until the end of your next turn (6 seconds) to arm themselves. When a creature stands on the mine, it explodes. Creatures within a 10-foot-radius sphere of the mine must make a Dexterity saving throw. Each creature takes 4d6 magical piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Once used, a landmine can not be used again until you have taken a short or long rest.   The mines' damage increases by 2d6 when you reach 7th level (6d6), 11th level (8d6), and 15th level (10d6).  

Programming

  At 7th level, you install more robust targeting parameters into your turret. Choose two states from the list below. Your turret can now use those states.

• Auto-Lock: Target a random creature within close range and attack it until it is no longer a threat. Can be set to only acquire targets in close range. Can be set as a default state.
• Anti-Regeneration Protocol: Attack the creature who most recently gained hit points during activation. Can be set as a default state.
• Chaos Protocol: Attack random creature within range. Can be set as a default state.
• Guardian Subroutine: Designate a creature stored in NHM. The turret will attack whatever creature most recently dealt damage to them.
• Protect: The turret will attack whatever creature most recently dealt damage to you. Can be set as a default state.

Innovation: Bulwark Shield

At 9th level, craft a fast deploying wall of metal and energy to provide cover for you and your allies. As a bonus action, you toss the Bulwark Shield up to 10 feet away from you. The shield rapidly folds out perpendicular to you, creating a 5 foot wide, 3 foot tall wall that provides three-quarters cover. The borders of the wall are made of metal, but the interior is made of an opaque energy wall, which has hit points equal to 5 times your Artificer level. The shield can be picked back up as an action and can be redeployed endlessly as long as it has hit points remaining. Upon reaching 0 hit points, the energy wall dissipates, leaving only the metal frame. The frame's hit points are fully recovered as part of a short or long rest.  

Tinkering

At 11th level, you modify your turret to drastically increase its capabilities. It changes based on what turret you created, as listed in its stat block, and it gains one of the improvements below.

• Regenerative Magazines: Turret no longer needs ammunition or reloading.
• Enhanced Lenses: Turret's has darkvision 120 ft.
• Telepathic Adapter: Turret can be activated and have its default state changed from 300 feet away.
• Rapid Activation Rotors: Turret can be activated as a bonus action.

Innovation: Robotic Familiar

At 13th level, you create a transforming Robotic Familiar that can assist you with various tasks. You create a familiar that can resemble a Cat, Hawk, Owl, Constrictor Snake, Fish (Quipper), Raven, or Weasel. It takes one minute for the familiar to rearrange its components from one form to the other.
Your robotic familiar acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. A familiar can't attack, but it can take other actions as normal.
When the familiar drops to 0 hit points, it is destroyed.
Your turret considers your familiar a Non-Hostile, and will never automatically target it. While your familiar is within 300 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an bonus action, you can see through your familiar's eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special sight or hearing-based senses that the familiar has. During this time, you are still aware of your surroundings, but have disadvantage on Dexterity-based skill checks.  

Specialization

At 15th level, you make more upgrades to your turret. It gains one of the upgrades below and another upgrade from the Tinkering class feature.

• Miniature Gravity Well: Turret can now be placed on walls and ceilings.
• Swivel Treads: Turret's speed increases to 10. You can direct its movement as part of giving orders.
• Trajectory Algorithms: Turret no longer has disadvantage for firing at long range.
• Efficient Transformer: The number of rounds the turret can be used before needing to recharge is increased by 3.

Innovation: Expanding Bulwark Shield

At 17th level, you upgrade your Bulwark Shield so that it expands and retracts to various sizes and stick to various surfaces. The shield can now be in one of three sizes: 15x2, 10x3, or 5x5, in any orientation granting half, three-quarters, or full cover, respectively. You can change the Expanding Bulwark Shield's size once every six seconds as a free action by tapping its metal siding. Additionally, the shield can be stuck on any surface where at least half of the shield's underside can lay flat against it.  

Automota Perfectum

At 20th level, you finish your final upgrades to your turret. Choose one of the upgrades below.

• Symbiosis: Turret can be affixed to or removed from the Expanding Bulwark Shield as an action. When they are together, they may be activated and as one, and the turret can not can not be targeted by attacks until the Shield's energy is expended. Activating and deactivating the pair uses the turret's Activation Sequences.
• Exponential Threat: You create a second turret that is identical to the first.
• Predictive Systems: Activating or deactivating your turret, changing default states, giving your turret orders, and adding or removing creatures from the NHM are all considered free actions. Additionally, the first attack it makes during its turn has advantage.
• Combat Drone: You turn your turret into a floating drone. It has a hover speed of 30 and can now make Dexterity saving throws.