Engineering (SNS)

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Engineering takes place in two steps: design and construction. In the design stage, an engineer must discover viable solutions to an array of specific technical problems.
Once an engineer creates a design, he enters the construction phase. In this phase, the engineer must supervise the implementation of his design.
==Design==
Good engineers plan everything out well ahead of time, creating models, testing stress points, and thinking up new ideas. This highly organized and logical approach often saves time, money, and even lives.
When an engineer draws up plans for something, the DM rolls a secret Engineering proficiency check. The DM should feel free to add as many modifiers as he likes to this roll, depending on the situation. These can take the form of numerical penalties or bonuses (-4 penalties for complex designs and +4 bonuses for simple ones). Additionally, the DM can require multiple proficiency checks for various project stages, or he can allow the engineer to skip such checks when creating simple designs.
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If the project is particularly complex and actually depends on the design of several smaller stages, the DM is justified in making a proficiency check for each part of the design, plus a final check to make sure that each piece was fit properly into the final design.
If the end result is a success, the plans are good, and the engineer can move on to the construction of the item.
If the engineer fails these checks, his design is bad. Any structure or device created from such plans will eventually fall apart (in the case of houses) or fail when stressed (such as a castle wall that crumbles after the first ballista volley). The engineer cannot attempt to redesign that item until he reaches the next level.
If the DM rolls a 20 on the design check, the engineer believes that his design is solid. In reality, however, the design possesses severe flaws. Cautious engineers always try to have another engineer check their work, just in case.
If the DM rolls a 1 on the design check, the design is an exceptionally good one. In time, most engineers will see it as an innovation. An engineer earns triple the normal experience points for such a design.
==Construction==
Once the engineer has a good design to work from, he can begin construction. Note that the engineer does not have to design the structure that he is constructing. All an engineer requires is a copy of a design created by a qualified engineer.
In large engineering firms, the master engineer often does the design work. His higher-level engineering apprentices actually oversee the construction. In this way, the firm can crank out a large amount of product in a relatively short period of time.
﻿The length of time it takes to construct something varies a great deal. For example, castles can take years or even decades to finish. Many lords contract the construction of a beautiful manor and never live to see the final results of their planning.
When an engineer undertakes a construction, the DM makes a proficiency check. If the roll succeeds, the project succeeds.
If the roll fails, the structure or device is constructed poorly. Since so many external variables (quality of materials, weather, skill level of hired labor, etc.) influence any given construction effort, the engineer is not prohibited from immediately trying again. If the DM rolls a 20 on the check, the engineer has a poorly built structure. However, he believes that the structure is fine. Every time a poorly made item is used or a poorly built structure undergoes stress (battering rams, ballista fire, magical attack), it has a 25% chance of falling apart. Smart engineers always have a second engineer check their work.
If the DM rolls a 1, the engineer has built an extremely durable structure or item. Such well-built objects receive a +1 bonus to all saving throws.
==Evaluation==
An engineer can also use his Engineering proficiency to evaluate a design or construction by making a successful proficiency check. However, engineers cannot evaluate their own work. If the check
succeeds, the engineer knows if the other engineer's construction or design is any good. If he fails the check, the engineer is not sure. A roll of 20 indicates that the engineer completely misevaluates the structure or design in question.