The Engineer (SNS)

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: When Martia left the city and returned to her lands, she happily said farewell to the metropolis. The swordswoman had little patience for the bureaucrats and their ilk who filled the place like good-for-nothing vermin. Back in her homelands, she felt free.
: However, circumstances would not allow Martia any rest. Cardax, the vile necromancer, still held much power-despite the loss of his monstrous ally, Drahlix. All across Martia's lands, the people, heartened by Martia's victory over the evil dragon, were taking up arms and rising up against Cardax's unholy oppression. They were hungry for freedom. All they needed was a leader to sound the clarion call to the final battle.
: The time for simple battle cries had ended, though. Martia found herself confronted with an implacable foe, one who neither expected nor dispensed mercy of any kind. It was up to her to find a way to rid the world of this dead-hearted menace once and for all.
: She had taken up her father's tattered banner and called to her side all those still fit enough to do battle. They came in droves; not even fear of the necromancer's retribution kept them away.
: Once they were gathered, Martia put her plan in action. She took the battle directly to the necromancer himself, laying siege to his unholy castle. The black-stoned complex that Cardax called home struck terror into all who gazed upon it. Living dead patrolled the walls. Some of them sat perched atop parapets, looking like animated gargoyles, their dead eyes all-seeing and never blinking.
: When Martia arrived at the castle, she was supported by a force of over 1,000 soldiers. When compared to the number of warriors both living and undead-that served Cardax, this army seemed large enough to destroy the necromancer permanently. Unfortunately, she had not planned upon the stoutness of the edifice's walls.
: After a few runs at the walls, it became apparent that Martia's forces would be unable to simply walk into the castle, slay the necromancer, and exit with his head on a pike. She gave her warriors orders to dig in and ready themselves for a siege. Then she called Carter, her father's advisor, to her tent.
: "My child," he said as he entered, "it seems that the strength of your good right arm shall not be enough to carry the day. Perhaps it is time to turn to brains where brawn has failed."
: "What do you mean?" Martia demanded.
: Carter attempted to smother a smile unsuccessfully. "I have taken the liberty-on your behalf, young one-of arranging for some expert assistance in this matter." He drew back the tent flap behind him, and a hard-looking man stepped directly in.
: He was tall, and his sandy hair brushed against the top of the tent. His ruddy skin spoke of long hours spent working outdoors. As his eyes adjusted to the dimness inside the tent, they searched out and found Martia. A thin smile crept slowly across his face, broadening into a wide grin.
: Carter cleared his throat. "Permit me to introduce-"
: "No need, old friend," Martia leapt in, cutting the graybeard off. "I have made Wendat's acquaintance." She rose and offered the carpenter a hand which he shook strongly and did not let go of right away.
: Martia took back her hand and stared defiantly into Wendat's eyes. "So, how is it that you can help me destroy the necromancer?"
: Wendat laughed. "You always were one to leap right in." Then, seriously: "I have spent many years building things. With my skills, we could have several siege engines operating within just a few days. Within the week, we could be knocking on the door of Cardax's inner sanctum."
: Martia considered this for a moment. "Very well, Wendat. It seems you are a man of many talents."
﻿The engineer is one of the most unsung heroes of medieval fantasy. Without engineers, there would not be any castles, bridges, cathedrals, or architectural wonders of any kind. Elven and dwarven engineers also figure importantly in many fantasy settings. These demihuman builders are responsible for fantastic tree-cities and vast subterranean realms.
From a game point of view, military engineers occupy a rather important role, as well. Without their skills, invading armies would have a very difficult time breaching fortified gates and surmounting castle walls. Such edifices would stand nearly impervious to an unprepared army, but the engineer's knowledge can break even yard-thick walls.
Most adventurers will not need to hire an engineer's services until they reach higher levels. Experienced generals may contract engineers to build and operate siege equipment during the course of a battle, and high-level heroes often contract engineers to build a solidly fortified keep or base of operations. It is doubtful, however, that beginning adventurers will find themselves commanding vast forces or building their own castles.
Engineers are learned people who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. They like planning out buildings, roads, contraptions, and all sorts of construction projects. In addition, they like to personally supervise the construction of their projects from beginning to end.
Engineers also spend a lot of their time building models and testing new, innovative ideas. Many of these skilled men and women believe that the infrastructure of the world would fall apart without them.
==Experience, THAC0, and Hit Dice==
Engineers have their own level advancement detailed on the Engineer Experience Levels table below. Engineers spend most of their time either stuck behind a desk drawing up plans, or out in the field supervising their latest project. They are generally intelligent, and possess a strong dose of hard-won common sense. Some engineers are old warriors who have moved from the front lines to the rear. Now, these veterans create devices that help protect their fellow soldiers. For these reasons, engineers use the priest's THAC0 and saving throw table.
Engineers gain one eight-sided Hit Die per level, up to the 8th level. They only gain two hit points per level after the 8th and do not receive extra hit points from high Constitution scores.
 Table 17: Engineer Experience Levels
Level	XPs 	Hit Dice (d8)
1 	0 	1
2 	1,250 	2
3 	2,500 	3
4 	5,000 	4
5 	10,000 	5
6 	20,000 	6
7 	40,000 	7
8 	90,000 	8
9 	180,000 	8+2
10 	380,000 	8+4
11 	590,000 	8+6
12 	800,000 	8+8
13 	1,000,000	8+10
14 	1,200,000	8+12
15 	1,400,000	8+14
16 	1,600,000	8+16
17 	1,800,000	8+18
18 	2,000,000	8+20
19 	2,200,000	8+22
20 	2,400,000	8+24
==Ability Scores==
﻿Not everyone is cut out to be an engineer. It requires a great deal of patience, a strong desire to understand how things work, and the ingenuity to improve existing designs. In addition, engineers must have the ability to supervise complex construction projects. For these reasons, all engineers must have a minimum Intelligence of 12 and a minimum Wisdom of 10. The engineer's prime requisite is Intelligence.
==Permissible Armor and Weapons==
Engineers have no restrictions on the kind of armor they wear and can use any kind of protection that they like. However, when actually using their skills to plan or oversee the construction (or destruction) of something, they cannot wear any armor heavier than chain mail.
An engineer can use any weapon available to rogues. Their complex design and detailed supervision of projects precludes them from intense weapon training.
==Individual Experience Awards==
﻿Engineers are not concerned with picking locks, worshipping gods, or using and researching magic. Engineers are concerned with "larger" pursuits. Their individual experience awards reflect this bias.
An engineer's award depends on the nature and complexity of his project. A good rule of thumb is to figure out how long it takes the engineer to do something and base the experience award on that. For example, when an engineer actually designs something new (to him), he earns 100 experience points per day. If an engineer simply redesigns something he has already designed, he does not earn any points. 
Once the engineer finally develops a solid design, he can attempt to construct it (or at least supervise its construction). By doing so, the engineer earns 50 experience points per day. He earns this amount no matter how many times he has constructed a similar project. As any engineer will tell you, each project presents its own unique problems. Thus, if an engineer successfully designs a small castle, he can use that design to build castles for several different nobles and earn the construction XP for each structure. Experience points are only awarded for successfully constructed projects.
==Proficiencies==
An engineer receives three weapon proficiency slots at 1st level and another one every four levels (at the 4th level, 8th level, and so on). An engineer suffers a -3 penalty when using a weapon with which he is not proficient. An engineer also receives four nonweapon proficiencies at 1st level and gains a new proficiency every three levels after that (at the 3rd level, 6th level, and so on).
At first level, the engineer must select the Engineering nonweapon proficiency. Due to his dedication to his work, though, this initial selection only costs him a single proficiency slot. Additionally, the Engineering proficiency check modifier for an engineer is only -1 instead of the -3 normally assessed against characters from other classes.
In addition, engineers must take the Reading/Writing proficiency so that they can properly record their plans on paper or parchment for later use. No engineer is so foolish as to believe that he can consistently access all required information from memory. An engineer must also take at least one of the following proficiencies to determine the engineer's field of specialization: Carpentry, Mining, or Stonemasonry.
Engineers with the Carpentry proficiency can plan and construct wooden structures. This includes frame structures of all sorts. If they also take the Seamanship proficiency, they can apply their skills to building boats and other seagoing craft. When combined with Weaponsmithing, the Carpentry proficiency can be used to construct siege engines and other large-scale devices of war.
Engineers who choose to concentrate on Mining (as most dwarves and gnomes do) know how to plan and carve out mines in any kind of solid soil. These engineers can also use this proficiency to properly dig and reinforce trenches or walls of earth to protect friendly troops. They could even excavate an underground tunnel beneath the wall of an enemy keep or castle.
Engineers that choose Stonemasonry concentrate on building lasting structures. These engineers design and build edifices with sturdy foundations. A properly built structure will likely outlive its designer many times over. Any stone structure constructed and designed by a stonemason/engineer receives a +3 bonus on any saving throws it must make.
The engineer can fill any remaining nonweapon proficiency slots-as well as any future slots with any proficiency he wishes. However, many engineers are so dedicated to their craft that they simply pick slots that advance their ability in their field.
Certain proficiencies can prove particularly helpful to the engineer.
* Artistic Ability: The engineer can use this proficiency to make straightforward designs into actual works of art. Many cathedrals and palaces have been built by engineers who possessed Artistic Ability.
* Heraldry: The engineer can adorn his creations with the seals of all who commissioned the work.
* Modern Languages: Knowing other languages is particularly helpful to an engineer who regularly works with an army that travels in foreign lands. Such an engineer may be called upon to acquire both local supplies and labor in a pinch.
Engineers can choose proficiencies from the general, warrior, and wizard groups without additional cost.