Arcane Tradition: Mechanist

A Mechanist can spend their entire life or even span multiple generations working on a single masterpiece of engineering. Not satisfied with the simple machines or magical tricks, these mad wizards combine magic and clockwork to create mechanomagical masterpieces that are truly beautiful and all their own. Some build machines of necessity, mechanical limbs to replace lost ones, or clockwork wheelchairs for mobility, while others build fearsome suits of armor and faster modes of transport for themselves and their allies. The possibilities are endless!

Masterful Materials

By 14th level, you have added a number of modifications to your machine, bringing it ever closer to your final masterpiece. You begin to retrofit outdated parts with rare materials, granting your machine additional properties.

You may only choose one material to use in your machine, you cannot change this material unless you choose to rebuild your machine from scratch as a result of it being destroyed or lost.

• Thermium A rare silver-blue metal that can only be found deep underground, thermium's chemical makeup leaves it largely unstable. The metal is constantly giving off a strong heat due to its chaotic internal structure, and yet it is still as strong as any iron known to exist, and takes an extremely long time to break down. A machine made of this material allows its user to maintain a comfortable temperature even in extreme cold. Additionally, if a thermium machine is hit by a melee attack, the attacker recieves fire damage equal to half your mechanist level, as the impact stirs its internal reaction and generates dangerous heat.

• Adamantium The infamous Adamantium is a sharp silver metal, normally without even the slightest imperfection on its surface. This material cannot be found naturally, and can only be produced by a skilled smith in conjunction with an adept mage. A machine enhanced with adamantium cannot be destroyed by physical means, and can only be destroyed by magic effects greater than those of a 6th level spell. Additionally, the user of an adamantium machine negates all of the damage of any single effect or attack dealing less than half your level in damage.

• Dimeritium The Mage's Bane, Dimeritium posesses the curious property of cancelling magical energy. This deep brown-gold metal is found naturally, but only in extremely rare surface deposits, and most dimeritium is now produced through magical smithing. Extremely careful placement of dimeritium shards in a machine can enable it to simultaneously disable hostile spells, while allowing its user to cast uninhibited. A dimetirium machine allows its user advantage on any saving throw made to resist spell effects of 3rd level or lower. Additionally, spell attack rolls for spells of 3rd level or lower have disadvantage when targeting this machine or its current user.

• Orichalcum Deep blue, opalescent, and devastatingly beautiful, orichalcum is a magical crystal normally found within other raw metals. The crystal itself is quite delicate, but orichalcum's value stems not from its strength, but rather from its ability to empower magic abilities. A machine enchanced with small shards of orichalcum has all of its small enchantments bolstered, almost managing to service itself while you use it. All modifications which can only be used a number of times before requiring a long rest can be used one additional time. In addition to this, Orichalcum can be made to glow brightly as a bonus action, causing your machine to emit light as if under the effects of the Light cantrip

• Iron Cold, hard, and abundant! While not incredibly advanced, Iron makes up most swords, armors and shields, and it works remarkably well in a variety of applications. what it lacks in special properties, it makes up for by being easily workable, naturally occurring, and inexpensive, allowing a machine made of it to be modified quickly and easily. A machine made up of iron is granted an additional 2 Modification Points.

Superior Servicing

At 17th level, you have completed your final creation, all that's left to do is add some minor modifications and adjustments. Meanwhile, you have enchanted your machine to service itself in dire situations. This technique requires a large amount of precise magical energy, however, and it can only be performed once before needing a long rest.

As an action, you can choose to spend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher to service your machine magically. This is identical to the effects of a long rest for your machine.

Arcane Artillery

You enchant a weapon with evocation magic, allowing it to store and fire magic darts. You have a reserve of 3 magic darts and can launch one as a bonus action on your turn. The dart hits a creature within 30 feet and deals 1d4 damage to its target. The enchantment replenishes all magic darts when you finish a long rest.

Your reserve of darts becomes 6 when you reach 11th level, and 9 when you reach 17th level.

Elemental Expungers

You enchant a series of small devices with targeted abjuration magic, dampening the effects of certain damage types. Choose one damage type from Acid, Cold, Fire, Force, Lightning, Poison, Psychic, or Thunder. you have resistance to that damage type.

This modification can be improved upon with more powerful protection enchantments, making it a 2-point modification. When improved, the damage resistance granted by this modification is also granted to all allied creatures within 10 feet of the machine.

This modification can be taken more than once in order to gain additional resistances.

Folding Crossbow

You've engineered a simple miniature crossbow, or other bolt-firing device into your machine. You can use an action on your turn to make a ranged weapon attack with a range of 60/240 feet. This attack deals 1d6 piercing damage on a hit. You are proficient in the use of this weapon.

This weapon's damage increases to 1d8 piercing damage when you reach 11th level, and 1d10 when you reach 17th.

Guiding Light

You house a small gem that gleams with divination magic within your machine. As an action on your turn you can activate this gem's enchantment to embolden yourself and your allies. The enchantment remains active for up to 1 minute while the gem glows, shedding bright light in all directions for 5 feet and dim light for another 5 feet. Allies within this enchanted light can add 1d4 to any saving throw once each round.

This effect ends when you fall to 0 hit points or when you end it early as a bonus action. Once you use this ability, it cannot be used again until you finish a long rest.

Hidden Stiletto

Requires: Prosthetic or Armor Type

You add a transmutation-based (or simply spring-driven) spike to your machine, allowing for a quick attack. As a bonus action on your turn you can make a melee weapon attack with your spike, dealing 1d4 piercing damage on a hit. This weapon has the finesse and light properties, and you are proficient with it. Additionally, any check made to detect this weapon upon your machine have disadvantage.

Ramming Gear

Requires: Transport Type

You add plates or spikes to your machine's front and enable it to accelerate rapidly. If your machine moves 15 feet or more straight toward a creature right before hitting it with a melee attack, that attack deals an additional 1d10 bludgeoning damage.

Rope Spool

You add a spool of simple hempen rope into your machine. The spool holds up to 100 feet of rope and has a winding mechanism not unlike that of a fishing rod attached to it. Objects can easily be tied to the end of the rope and swung like whips. The spool can withstand up to 1,000 pounds of force on the rope.

This modification can be improved upon with a more flexible mechanism and the addition of a transmutation enchantment, making it a 3-point modification. Once improved, you can use an action on your turn to launch the end of the rope up to 100 feet in a straight line. If an object at the end of the rope impacts a creature, the object stops and that creature must make a Dexterity saving throw versus your spell save DC, taking 1d8 bludgeoning damage on a failed save.

Additionally, you can fully retract the rope back into the spool as a bonus action, granted there is nothing obstructing the rope. When used for climbing, this equates to a climb speed of 40 feet. When used to pull an unwilling creature, that creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC, being pulled up to 20 feet toward you on a failed save

Second Gear

Requires: Transport Type

You have included a series of extra transmutation gears into your machine that allow it to move at enormous speeds. Your machine's speed increases to 45 feet.

This modification can be improved with an additional gear set and a more rugged construction, making it a 3-point modification. When improved, your machine's speed increases to 60 feet. Additionally, your machine ignores movement penalties caused by difficult terrain.

Simple Operation

By adding instructive notes and employing simple illusion magic to demonstrate its use, other creatures can use your machine easily. Any creature with an Intelligence score of 6 or more can choose to automatically succeed on the Intelligence saving throw necessary to use your machine.

Supplementary Seating

Requires: Transport Type

You add extra passenger space to your machine, either with simple seats or conjuration-based extradimensional spaces, allowing others to ride along. Your machine can now hold and transport up to 4 medium or smaller creatures, including its operator.

If this modification is gained as a part of the Make it Bigger! modification, the machine can instead hold up to 6 creatures.

Armor Plating

Requires: Armor-Type

You add plates of varying materials enchanted with abjuration magic to your armor, strengthening its defense. Your armor is considered medium armor, and its armor class is 13 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of +2). You also have disadvantage on stealth saving throws.

This modification can be improved upon with more armor and enchantments, making it a 4-point modification. When improved, your armor is considered heavy armor and your armor class is 17. You continue to have disadvantage on stealth saving throws.

Cannon

You create a devastating magical cannon to add to your machine using evocation magic. As an action on your turn, you launch a ball of energy at a point within 40 feet of you. All creatures within 10-foot sphere centered on that point must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 4d8 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. This cannon can hold a maximum of two charges, both of which are regained when you finish a long rest.

Alternatively, The cannon can be loaded with any number of other projectiles to be launched. The projectile must fit within a 1-foot cube and weigh less than 10 pounds. You can use an action on your turn and expend a cannon charge to launch the projectile up to 60 feet in a straight line or arc in front of you. If the object would impact a creature, that creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the object strikes the target and stops moving, with both the object and what it strikes each taking 3d8 bludgeoning damage.

Dagger Dispenser

Requires: Prosthetic Type

You add a small mechanized compartment to your prosthetic. The compartment houses localized conjuration enchantment which always creates a simple dagger. The dagger has no special properties, but it is visibly magical. A maximum of three daggers of this type can exist at any time, disapparating the oldest whenever a fourth dagger is created. Daggers obtained from this device are treated as drawing a weapon on your turn, and can be thrown or used as part of the same turn.

Expandable Shield

Requires: 11th level or higher, Prosthetic Arm Type

You build a mechanical shield, which can fold into your arm using a mix of clever clockwork and transmutation enchantments. You are proficient with this shield and can don and doff it as a bonus action.

Habitation Systems

Requires: Transport Type

You add several components to your machine, allowing it to transform into a comfortable home in times of rest. When you take a short rest within your machine, you recover an additional number of hit points equal to your spell attack modifier for each hit die you spend. When you take a long rest with your machine, you regain all spent hit dice, instead of half your total.

Other creatures can also benefit from these effects when they rest if you have the Supplementary Seating modification.

Arrow Acquisition Apparatus

Requires: Prosthetic Arms type

Using conjuration magic and mechanical systems, you have created a device for creating arrows and quickly delivering them to your bow. When you wield a bow with this modification, you can attack twice with that bow as part of your attack action, as the apparatus creates an arrow and delivers it into your bowstring effortlessly.

The apparatus can create an infinite number of arrows, but each arrow disappears when the next is created. The arrows have no special properties, but are visibly magical.

Additionally, if you have the Folding Crossbow Modification, it is considered a bow for the purposes of this modification.

Burrowing Gear

You add drill-like mechanisms or evocation enchantments to your machine, allowing it to displace earth quickly and allow for diggind and burrowing. Your machine gains a Burrow speed of 15 feet.

Flamethrower

Requires: 11th level or higher

You craft a compact flame-launching device using evocation magic. This modification has 2 charges and can be used in one of two ways:

Gout of Flame. As an action, you can expend 2 charges to create a forward blast of flame in a 15ft cone in front of you. Creatures within the blast must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 6d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Scorching Line As an action, you can expend 1 charge to release flames in a 5-foot by 15-foot line in front of you. Creatures within that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

All expended charges are regenerated when you finish a long rest.

Illusionary Appearance

Requires: Armor or Transport Type

you enchant various strategic points on your machine with strong illusion magic, allowing the machine to be veiled in a false appearance. Outside combat, your machine can appear any way you wish. The general shape of your machine cannot change, however. For example, you can't make an armor-type machine appear as a quadripedal creature, but you could possibly disguise it as a standing closet or as a humanoid creature.

A creature that examines the illusion can make an Intelligence (investigation) check contested by your spell save DC in order to see through it. A creature that sees through this illusion can't be fooled by it again for the next 24 hours.

Slippery Skates

Requires: Prosthetic Leg Type

Your legs have a pair of transmutation-enchanted blades built into the soles of their feet, allowing you to slide across the ground as if it were ice. Your movement speed increases by 10 feet as you slide across solid ground. You also ignore any difficult terrain caused by ice or snow.

Additionally, these blades can be used to empower standard kicks, making them a menacing weapon. This melee attack action deals 1d6 slashing damage and 1d6 cold damage on a hit.

Springtrap Mechanism

Requires: Prosthetic Arm Type

Within one of your prosthetic arms is a transmutation-driven clamp, which can be used to reliably immobilize your opponents. When you attempt to grapple a creature with a strength roll of less than 16, you can choose to treat this roll as if it was a 16 instead. This substitution can be made before or after the result of the grapple attempt is declared.

Supreme Weapon

Requires: 11th level or higher

You tune one of your weapons to perfection, making it much more effective. Choose one of the following modifications that you have equipped: Folding Crossbow, Hidden Stiletto, Melded Weapons, Dagger Dispenser, Mechanical Knuckle/Heel, or Slippery Skates. You gain a + 2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with weapons from this modification.

You can equip this modification multiple times to enhance several weapons, but it may only effect any single weapon once.

Autonomous Operation

Requires: 11th level or higher, Armor or Transport Type

In a true feat of mechanomagical mastery you've given your creation the ability to act autonomously. Whenever you exit your machine, you may choose to have it enter an "Autonomous Mode". While in this state, your machine will respond to any of your verbal orders it can hear. If it is not given orders, your machine will do nothing unless it is attacked, in which case it will attempt to defend itself. Your machine has access to all of its normal benefits while acting autonomously. If you are separated from your machine by more than 100 feet while it is acting autonomously, it immediately shuts down completely until you wear or operate it again.

In combat, your machine takes its own turns, has its own initiative, and can make skill checks and saving throws independently from you. Statistics for your machine can be found in the Machines Without Their Mechanists Note.

Your autonomous machine communicates, emotes, and reacts in the way you design it to, you may choose to give your machine a personality, have it react robotically, or any other way you make it.

Deflection Wave

Your machine is enchanted with powerful Transmutation magic, enabling you to release a forceful blast of energy in all directions. As a reaction when your machine is targeted by a melee attack but before its result is declared, you can release an energetic blast that imbalances any medium or smaller creatures within melee range. These creatures must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC, being pushed 10 feet away from you and knocked prone on a failed save. An attacking creature that fails its save also fails its attack roll immediately.

Once used, you must finish a short rest before you can use this modification again. This modification gains one additional use when you reach 11th level, and again when you reach 17th level.

Make it Bigger!

Requires: 11th level or higher, Armor or Transport Type

You double the size of your creation, making it much larger than yourself. Your machine's size is now Large. All attack modifications grow to fit your new machine. The
Folding Crossbow, Hidden Stiletto, Melded Weapons, Mechanical Knuckle/Heel, Cannon, and Flamethrower modifications all deal an additional 1d6 damage when they are used to deal damage to a creature or object. Your machine also has advantage on Strength-based checks and saving throws.

Being so large makes your machine a larger target. Your machine receives a -2 penalty to its Armor Class when you are piloting a large machine. Additionally, you have disadvantage on Dexterity-based checks saving throws.

If your machine is a Transport Type, it also gains the Supplementary Seating modification for no additional mod points when you equip this modification.