Artificer: Vault Cracker
Some artificer find power in a different path, a path of freedom. These artificers learn to use a lockpick in a far more philosophical way than most thieves, unlocking minds, objects, secrets and even the outer planes. Such artificers are called vaultcrackers, for they hold the key to their own potential.
Skill Proficiency
When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in stealth. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one artificer skill of your choice.
Vaultcracker Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Quartermaster Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
Vaultcracker Spell List
| Artificer Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 1st | silent image, unseen servant |
| 5th | knock, pass without trace |
| 9th | clairvoyance, summon shadowspawn |
| 13th | dimension door, greater invisibility |
| 17th | passwall, teleportation circle |
Metaphysical Lockpick
Also at 3rd level, you learn to pick more than locks, unlocking minds, weaknesses and secrets. Once on your turn when you damage a creature with an artificer spell while using thieves tools, you can can cause one of the following effects:
- You unlock space. If they are within 30 feet of you, you can teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of them.
- You can unlock their mind. The creature must subtract 1d4 from their next saving throw.
- You can unlock their armor. Until the start of your next turn, their AC decreases by 2.
Sly Strike
Starting at 5th level, once per turn when you cast an artificer spell using your thief's tools, you can deal an additional 2d6 damage to one of the targets. This increases to 3d6 at 9th level, and 4d6 at 15th level in this class.
Stealer of Secrets
Starting at 9th level, you learn to unlock the secrets of others. When you affect a creature with Metaphysical Lockpick, you can enter the creatures mind and learn one of the following:
- Its highest or lowest saving throw
- It's armor class
- It's current plan for it's next turn
- The highest level of spell it can cast
- Its creature type.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all uses when you finish a long rest.
Additionally, You can cast detect thoughts as a bonus action without concentration or expending a spell slot. Once you cast the spell this way, you can't cast it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Key to the Veil
By 15th level, your skeleton key can unlock the planes themselves. While holding your thief's tools, you gain the following benefits:
- You can cast the blink spell as a bonus action and without using a spell slot. When you cast the spell this way, you can roll the d20 twice when determining if you vanish, and can take either roll. You can use this feature three times, and regain all uses when you finish a long rest.
- You can cast Gate and plane shift without expending a spell slot as an artificer spell. When you cast either spell this way, you cannot cast either spell again until you finish 2d4 long rests.
- You add your proficiency bonus to the additional damage from Sly Attack.