Artificer: Vivisectionist
Not all who study the art of healing do so with good intentions, some like vivisectionists do so with the intent of learning how best to carve up the flesh of their enemies. Such artificers, while undeniably efficient, often disturb the creatures they aid, and terrify the ones they choose to operate on.
Tool Proficiency
You gain proficiency with leatherworker's tools and all one handed melee weapons that deal piercing or slashing damage. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with other type of artisan tool of your choice.
Vivesectionist Spell List
| Artificer Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 1st | inflict wounds, wrathful smite |
| 5th | cloud of daggers, summon beast |
| 9th | blinding smite, feign death |
| 13th | locate creature, polymorph |
| 17th | contagion, steel wind strike |
Intellectual Brutality
Starting at 3rd level, you learn to apply your grotesque obsession with anatomy to combat. Whenever you make an attack with a one handed weapon that deals piercing or slashing damage, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of strength or dexterity for the attack and damage rolls, and the damage die becomes a d8 if it wasn't already. Additionally, if you use the weapon as part of a spell, the spell can deal either slashing, piercing or necrotic damage instead of the normal type (your choice.)
Swift Incisions
Also at 3rd level, you can use your knowledge of the systems to debilitate your foes. Once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon that deals piercing or slashing damage, you can cause one of the following effects:
- The target cannot take reactions until the start of your next turn.
- The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure it's speed is halved until the end of it's next turn.
- The target takes 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier necrotic damage at the end of it's next turn as it bleeds profusely.
Smart Attack
Starting at 5th level, once on your turn when you damage a creature with a weapon that qualifies for Intellectual brutality, it takes an additional 2d6 damage. This increases by 1d6 at 9th and 15th levels in this class.
Violent Genius
Starting at 9th level, your enthusiasm for violence inspires your peers. You gain the following benefits:
- When you use your Flash of Genius, you or the target can make a weapon attack as a reaction.
- When you kill a creature with a weapon attack, you can regain one use of Flash of Genius. You can do so a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all uses when you finish a long rest.
Deep Cuts
Starting at 15th level, your love of anatomy reaches its grisly apex. You gain the following benefits:
- You gain resistance to necrotic damage, and any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
- Whenever you damage a creature with smart attack, you have advantage on your next attack against it.
- You can choose two effects from Swift Incisions, instead of one.