Tech Knight v1.1.1
A Tech Knight believes that it is neither brains nor brawn that determine the best fighter, but the combination thereof.
Why limit yourself to what nature has provided you
when you can supplement your combat superiority in
unique and inventive ways
that give you the edge?
You build and innovate on the
cutting edge... and use that edge to
hew through your foes. There
are few things more
dangerous than
weaponized creativity in
the hands of someone that knows
how to use it.
A Tech Knight could be called an
inventor that opened the door of
innovation, found the deadliest thing
they could invent, and closed it once more,
but that wouldn't be accurate - they innovate
continuously, improving their art, just with a highly specialized focus.
Some perhaps adventure and fight to test their weapons, others perhaps turned to innovation to overcome some obstacle or seek the change the world, and others still care little for the science and engineering of the weapon, and merely cobbled together something to annihilate their foes.
Brutal Invention
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you build
a devastating new weapon to help you dominate the battlefield in a unique way. You can build one weapon.
Select one weapon from the below list:
| Weapon | Damage | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Chainblade | 2d4 slashing | Versatile (3d4), Special |
| Ramming Gauntlet |
1d8 bludgeoning | Light, Special. |
| Repeating Hand Crossbow |
1d6 piercing | Ammunition (30/120), Light, Special |
| Ricocheting Weapon |
1d8 bludgeoning | Finesse, Thrown (30/90), Special |
| Transforming Weapon | 2d6/1d8 | Two-Handed, Heavy, Special |
You gain proficiency with the selected weapon. Only you have proficiency with this weapon. If your weapon is lost or destroyed, you can remake it over the course of 4 hours spending 25 gold pieces of materials.
Special Properties
Chainblade: When you roll damage dice for this weapon, you can reroll as many damage dice as you would like once per attack, but you must use the new roll any dice rolled. After hitting an attack with this weapon as part of the Attack action, if you have additional attacks you can make as part of the action, you can forgo them to deal an additional 3d4 slashing damage per attack forgone.
Ramming Gauntlet: When you make an attack roll, you can choose to forgo adding your Proficiency bonus to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you can add double your Proficiency bonus to the damage roll.
Repeating Hand Crossbow: This weapon does not require a free-hand to load, as it has a built-in loader. Once per turn, if you make an attack with this weapon as part of the Attack action, if you do not have disadvantage on that attack, you can give yourself disadvantage to make a single additional weapon attack with this weapon as a bonus action (also at disadvantage).
Ricocheting Weapon: When this weapon is thrown you can target two creatures within 10 feet of each other, making a separate attack roll against each target; the damage dealt is halved for targets hit after the first. This weapon returns to your hand after you make an attack with it using the Thrown property.
Transforming Weapon: As a bonus action, you can convert this from a 2d6 melee weapon to a 1d8 ranged weapon with the Ammunition (100/400) property. When you convert the weapon, it becomes overcharged with power, and the next time you roll damage with it before the end of your turn you deal an additional 1d6 lightning damage. Select the damage type when creating this weapon from bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, or lightning damage. You can select a different damage type for the melee and ranged forms.
Rev Up
When hit an attack with your Brutal Invention, you can overcharge with an effect based on your Brutal Invention selection, granting it an additional benefit:
- Reckless Power (Chainblade): The weapon's damage dice become d6's for that attack (including the special property if activated).
- Excessive Force (Ramming Gauntlet): The target is knocked 10 feet backwards.
- Full Auto (Repeating Hand Crossbow): You immediately make a single additional attack as part of the same action, rolling three d20s for the attack roll and taking the lowest.
- Overcharge (Transforming Weapon): You deal an additional 1d6 lightning damage.
- Hypervelocity (Ricocheting Weapon): The weapon bounces to an additional target.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, regaining all uses on a short or long rest.
Weapon Improvement
Additionally, over the course of a long rest, you can destroy a +1/+2/+3 magic weapon to transfer the bonus to attack and damage rolls to your Brutal Invention weapon. At the DMs discretion, other properties can be transferred (it is recommended that most cannot, but a final decision is up to the DM).
Changing Your Invention
If a player wishes to change their Brutal Invention, it takes 1 full day of down time, working for at least 8 hours. You can change any option that requires a selection in this manner.
Tinker's Proficiency
Additionally at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Tinker's Tools. If you already have proficiency in Tinker's tools, you can select another artisan tool to gain proficiency in.
Contingent Options
At 7th level, you extend your innovation of the art of war to give yourself a unique advantage from your gear. For any option that has a spell save DC, your save is 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. Select one of the following options:
- Charged Armor: As a bonus action, you can juice your armor with power with the effect of lightning charged.
- Rocket Boots: As a bonus action you can activate these do give yourself a jumping distance equal to your movement speed until the end of the turn. You take no fall damage from this movement, but creatures of your choice within 5 feet of where you land take 2d4 fire damage. Alternatively, you can use this to cast feather fall targeting only yourself.
- Belt: You can use this to cast enlarge/reduce without expend a spell slot.
- Flame Thrower: As an action or in place of an attack as part of the Attack action, you can use this to cast burning hands as a 2nd level spell without expending a spell slot.
- Force Shield: You can deploy a temporary field field, with the effect of casting shield.
- Thunder Grenade: As an action or in place of an attack as part of the Attack action, you can use this to cast shatter without expending a spell slot.
You can use the selected item once, after which you must complete a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Implements of War
Starting at 10th level, you can select one of the following, or one additional selection from Brutal Invention or Contingent Options.
- Returning Chain: When you throw the weapon at a target 30 or less feet away, you can return the weapon to your hand. If the weapon doesn't have the thrown property, it gains the Thrown (10/30 property).
- Grappling Hook. As an action or in place of an attack as part of the Attack action, you may target a surface, object or creature within 20 feet. If the target is Small or Smaller, you can make a Strength (Athletics) grappling check to pull it to you and grapple it. Alternatively, if the target is Medium or larger, you can choose to be pulled to it, however, this does not grapple it. Attacks of opportunity generated by this movement have disadvantage.
Reactive Armor
Starting 15th level, you can tune your armor during a long rest to grant specialized defense. At the end of a long rest, select one damage type and gain resistance to that damage type until the end of your next long rest.
Arms Race
Starting at 18th level, you can select two additional options from any of Brutal Invention, Contingent Options, and Chains of War (two options total, selected from any of those features).
Spells
Lightning Charged
2nd-level evocation
- Classes: Artificer
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, M (a piece of once used lightning rod)
- Duration: 10 minutes
You channel lightning energy into a creature. The energy is harmless to the creature, but escapes in dangerous bursts to other nearby creatures.
Every time that creature strikes another creature with a melee attack, a spell with a range of touch, is struck by another creature with melee attack, or ends their turn while grappling or being grappled by another creature, they deal 1d6 Lightning damage to that creature.
Once this spell has discharged 6 times (dealing up to 6d6 damage), the spell ends.
At Higher Levels: The spell can discharge damage 2 additional times (dealing 2d6 more total damage) before the spell ends for each slot level above 2nd.