Artificer Specialty: Perfumer
At 3rd level an artificer gains the Artificer Specialty subclass feature. You specialize as a perfumer, an alchemists whose products find use in even the highest circles of society, where drinking a potion to enhance themselves or weaken their rivals would be too obvious.
The subtle art of magical perfumes commands wide renown (and a worthy source of income) for its practitioners, while demanding the utmost secrecy and discretion.
A well-timed spritz of your concoction could make the difference between war and peace, between love and fratricide, between conquest and ruin. There is no room for error. But, in your spare time, you can afford to experiment.
Tool Proficiency
You gain proficiency in the Herbalism Kit.
Perfumer Spells
You always have certain spells prepared after you reach certain levels in this class as shown in the Perfumer Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don't count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
Perfumer Spells
| Artificer Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | disguise self, false life |
| 5th | alter self, Nystul's magic aura |
| 9th | feign death, bestow curse |
| 13th | death ward, greater invisibility |
| 17th | seeming, skill empowerment |
Magical Perfume
3rd-level Perfumer feature
Whenever you cast a spell of range self or touch, such as disguise self or cure wounds, you can instead infuse it into a perfume that you craft using your Herbalism Kit as part of the cast spell action. This casting action can be counterspelled and the magic of your perfume can be removed with dispel magic.
When you or another creature spritzes the perfume on a willing creature within 5 feet as a bonus action, the spell is cast on that creature. If the spell requires concentration, that creature is concentrating. If that creature is already concentrating on a spell, it can choose to drop concentration on that spell and begin concentration on the perfume spell. Otherwise, the perfume’s magic fails.
After finishing a long rest, the first time you create a 1st level magical perfume, you may do so without expending a spell slot.
Beneficent Dose
6rd-level Perfumer feature
You carry with you rare oils, potent elixirs, powders of arcane relics, and magical extracts that can be quickly combined with your perfumer’s skill to generate a perfume with a desired effect. As an action you can produce one dose of a magical perfume. As a bonus action, you can spritz the dose of your perfume on a creature within 5 feet. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Your beneficent dose perfumes lose their potency when you finish a long rest. You recover all spent uses when you finish a long rest. You can also spend a spell slot to create a dose.
You know how to craft a number of perfumes equal to your Intelligence modifier. Choose from the list below. When you gain a level in this class you can replace one of your known perfumes with another from the list.
Perfume of Acuity. A dose of this perfume grants a creature enhanced awareness. The creature adds your intelligence modifier to their Wisdom checks, passive Perception, and passive Insight. The effect lasts 10 minutes.
Perfume of Acclaim. A dose of this perfume lends a creature an attractive and authoritative air. It adds your intelligence modifier to its Charisma (Persuasion) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks. The effect lasts 1 hour.
Perfume of Profundity. A dose of this perfume heightens a creature’s focus, sharpness of mind, and recall. It adds your intelligence modifier to its Intelligence checks and passive investigation. The effect lasts for one hour.
Perfume of Poise. A dose of this perfume infuses a creature with an unwavering sense of self confidence, identity, and security. It adds your Intelligence modifier to its saving throws to avoid or end the charmed or frightened condition. The effect lasts for 10 minutes.
Perfume of Agitation. A dose of this perfume heightens a creature’s wariness. It adds your intelligence modifier to their initiative rolls and Dexterity saving throws. The effect lasts for 10 minutes.
Perfume of Meticularity. A dose of this perfume gives a creature unnaturally steady hands. It adds your intelligence modifier to Dexterity checks, Wisdom (Medicine) checks, and their first ranged weapon attack on each of their turns. The effect lasts for 10 minutes.
Perfume of Polyphony. A dose of this perfume allows a creature to modulate its voice at will. It adds your intelligence modifier to Charisma (Performance) checks to imitate or impersonate another creature, and singing performances. The effect lasts for 1 hour.
Smelling Salts. A dose of this fragrance stimulates a creature’s instinct for survival. It adds your Intelligence modifier to Constitution saving throws and death saving throws. The effect lasts for 10 minutes.
Perfume of Vigor. A dose of this fragrance stills a creature’s flagging strength, reducing their exhaustion by one level and granting a number of temporary hit points equal to twice your intelligence modifier. The effect lasts for ten minutes.
Devious Dose
9th-level Perfumer feature
Starting at 9th level you can modify your Beneficent Dose perfume to cause the opposite effect. If a creature inspects the perfume, it must succeed on an Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Medicine) check of your spell DC in order to determine that the perfume is harmful. When a creature receives a dose of a devious perfume, it must attempt on a Constitution saving throw of your spell DC. On fail the creature must subtract your Intelligence modifier from die rolls specified in the perfume description. A devious perfume of vigor adds a level of exhaustion and removes any temporary hit points. The effects of a Devious Dose perfume last for 1 minute.
Whenever a creature fails a saving throw for a devious dose, it suffers the poisoned condition. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the poisoned condition (but not the dose’s effect) on a success.
This modification taxes your magical resources. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Chemical Mastery
15th-level Perfumer feature
By 15th level, you have been exposed to so many chemicals that they pose little risk to you, and you can use them to quickly end certain ailments.
You gain resistance to acid damage and poison damage, and you are now immune to the poisoned condition.
You can cast Greater Restoration and Heal without expending a spell slot, without preparing the spell, and without providing the material component, provided you use alchemist’s supplies as the spellcasting focus. Once you cast either spell with this feature, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest.
Contribution Credits
Artwork generated using Midjourney tool v5. Feel free to use for noncommerical purposes. This subclass was created for the Royal Academy campaign. (More soon!)
Change Log
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 2022.05.28 | Initial release. Play testing. |
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