Machinist
With the continuous advancement of
mechanical engineering, the best inventors have learned to create increasingly complex devices using steam power. A machinist is an expert of artificial vehicles and alternative methods to magic as fuel for one's inventions.
Tools of the Trade
By the time you adopt this specialty at 3rd level,
you’re deeply familiar with employing its tools.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with
smith’s tools and tinker's tools,
assuming you don’t already have them. You also
gain smith’s tools and tinker's tools for free —the result of tinkering you’ve done as you’ve prepared for this specialization
Crafting. If you craft a magic item in the tinker category, it takes you a quarter of the normal
time, and it costs you half as much of the usual
gold.
Machinist Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Machinist Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
Machinist Spells Table
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | floating disk, catapult |
| 5th | enlarge/reduce, skywrite |
| 9th | tiny servant, sending |
| 13th | wall of fire, fire shield |
| 17th | creation, skill empowerment |
Steamsuit
At 3rd you gain the knowledge to create and drive a multi-functional mechanical armor named steamsuit, usable only by its creator. After a long rest, the artificer can build a steamsuit admitted that you have access to your tools. You can supply or create one-handed weapons and crossbows as appendages for your armor, it is proficient with these weapons and they can not be removed by force, only the artificer can remove them by using his tools.
The steamsuit weights 14kg, it has 18 Strenght, hit points equal to 5 + 3 times your level in this class + your Intelligence modifier and AC 18. Wearing and removing the armor takes 10 minutes, using it requires an action with which the artificer can choose one of the following actions:
- Attack. The armor makes an attack using its fist or a weapon equipped. When hits with a melee attack, it inflicts 1d6 extra damage of the weapon's type and the length of its arms allow the artificer to attack at 10 feet instead of 5.
- Hide. the artificer has disadvantage on any ability check to hide and Dexterity saving throw.
- Disengage.
- Grappling.
- Help.
When an enemy hits the artificer half of that damage is inflicted to the steamsuit, if it falls to 0 hp the artificer loses all the armor's benefits but the AC bonus. Each hour spent to fix the armor grants hit points equal to your level in this class + your Intelligence modifier + 1d6. If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 1d6 hit points.
- The steamsuit is built to protect the artificer from any overheat. If the heat metal spell is cast on the armor, only the armor suffers damage.
- When the artificer uses its steamsuit, he must provide both hands to pilot and use the armor actions (except for the movement).
Extra Appendices
At the discretion of the DM, an artificer may add new devices to its steamsuit by spending at least 4 hours of work and assuming he has access to enough material and his tools. These additions can be small devices, like a small cannon that shoots ball bearings or a device that drops caltrops or a hunting trap, and so on. A steamsuit may have a number of maximum devices equal to the artificer Intelligence modifier.
Advanced Steamsuit
At 6th the artificer has experimented with new inventions in the field of mechanics. As part of a short rest you can modify your steamsuit using your tools. When you do so, you must replace the steamsuit arms with one of the following devices:
- Wings. The armor weights 2 kg less and provide the artificer with fly movement of 20 feet (if it is not overloaded). The artificer can't carry heavy objects or other medium-sized creatures.
- Transport. The armor transforms the artificer in a sort of centaur, allowing him to carry up to 2 medium or smaller creatures on the armor's back. Also, the artificer movement become 60 feet.
- Air tanks. The artificer obtains swimming speed of 20 feet and can breath under water for 1 hour, the armor needs 30 minute to recharge its tanks.
Replacing the arms results in the loss of the Attack, Grappling actions and the Strength bonus. Finally, attacks made with the armor are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance and immunities.
Battle Machinist
At 14th the steamsuit gets Strength 20 instead of 18 and new actions:
- Extra Attack.
- Dodge. When the artificer uses this action, it gets the half cover bonus instead of giving disadvantage to enemy's attacks.
- Parry (only arms). In response to a melee attack, the artificer can uses his reaction to add a +2 bonus to AC against that attack.
- Grappling (only arms). When an enemy causes an opportunity attack, the artificer can use its reaction to grab that creature.
- Sweep (only wings). All creatures in a 30-feet-long and 10-feet-wide line must make a Strength saving throw against the artificer spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature suffers 2d6 bludgeoning damage and falls prone.
- Charge (only transport). The artificer moves 30 feet in a straight line overwhelming all the creatures on the way. A creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against the artificer spell save DC, on a failed save a creature suffers 2d8 bludgeoning damage and falls prone. On a successful save a creature suffers half of that damage but no other effect.
- Evasion. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Credits
Author: ranikirn @ranikirn
Artists: Akeiron, Ian McQue Little Druid
This archetype is based on the Unearthed Arcana Artificer class (05/14/2019)
