Merchant

(This is a lightly modified version of the Artificer base class created by [1])

   In the Netherworld, Magic is prevalent over science, however the growth of Netherscience over the years has led to the combination of both the arcane arts and scientific know how. Merchants, Also known as Engineers by some, are known to combine those arts flawlessly and use the abilities to craft powerful magical and mechanical items.

**Alignment:** Any

**Hit Die:** d6

**CLASS SKILLS**

Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Martial Knowledge (Crossbows/Firearms, Light) (Int), Martial Knowledge (Blades, Light) (Int), Profession (Wis), Perception (Wis), Linguistics (Int), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha)

'*Skill Ranks at every Level:'*4 + Intelligence modifier

**Merchant Table**

**CLASS FEATURES**

All of the following are class features of the Merchant.

**\*EVILTY\*: Medical Insertion:** (The Merchant uses the same Evilties as the professor) Once per day, you can choose to extend the duration of one of your, or an ally's spells or extracts as if effected by the extend meta magic feat.

**Weapon and Armor Proficiency:** Merchants are proficient with all crossbows/firearms (Light), and Blades (Light). They are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

**Infusions and Martial techniques:** Merchants are not spellcasters, but they do possess the ability to infuse eldritch power into material objects by means of infusing it with energy. Infusions are not arcane or divine spells, but are instead the very building blocks that support the foundation of all magic. As a result, the Merchant's caster level does not qualify him for feats, prestige classes, or other character options that require a specific arcane or divine caster level. Infusions follow the normal rules for spells, however, and have all of the same components in their description, such as infusion level, casting time, and range. Infusions can be countered, they do not operate in an antimagic zone, and the Merchant must make successful Concentration checks for any reason a character would be required to make such a check when casting a spell.

Infusions can never be cast directly on living or unliving creatures. They affect only inanimate objects or constructs (this includes constructs with the living construct subtype). Some infusions mimic spell that normally target creatures; in this case, the infusion benefits a creature only when the infused item is equipped, readied, or worn (as appropriate). Merely having an infused item in one's possession is not enough to benefit from the magic; the item must be in proper use to affect its bearer. When appropriate, such infusions can be cast directly upon constructs.

To cast an infusion, the Merchant must have an Intelligence score of at least 14 + it's level; infusions never allow for saving throws (Except against constructs that also possess the monster subtype). He may spontaneously manifest any infusion that appears on the Merchant's infusion list, provided he has access to infusions of that level. Like spellcasters, the Merchant may only manifest a certain number of infusions each day. This base daily allotment is detailed on table 3-1 above; the Merchant may receive bonus infusions each day for high Intelligence.

The Merchant must rest for 8 hours before he can ready himself to manifest infusions for the day. He does not need to sleep during this period, althoug many Merchants use their restive hours for this purpose. This period must be consecutive, but he "resting" for this purpose requires only that he not be engaged in any sort of strenuous activity (such as combat or crafting). He must then undergo ten uninterrupted minutes of mental exercises, preparing his mind to hold the energy required for infusions. Without these periods of rest and reflection, the Merchant does not refresh expended infusions slots.

A Merchant gains a number of martial techniques he can utilize in battle. A Professor can qualify for bonus martial techniques from a high intelligence score in the same way a Wizard can. Unlike with spells, technique saving throws depend on the type of weapon wielded.

Very few classes gain martial techniques for free, they must train to learn how to utilize the techniques. However this also means there is truly no limit to the number of martial techniques one can learn. Martial Techniques need not be prepared beforehand, they can be performed so long as you have uses left in the day.

Learning martial techniques is described in the Skills Section of this system.

**Item Creation:** A merchant can create a magic item even without meeting all of its prerequisite. Since infusions do not count as spells, even if they simulate the effects of spells, this ability primary allows an merchant to craft magic items even though he or she may not meet the spell prerequisites of an item. However, it also allows the merchant to emulate other kinds of prerequisites: Specific class features, a particular race, a higher ability score, or even a particular alignment. Each prerequisite must be emulated separately; note that, for this purpose, each spell listed as a prerequisite must be emulated separately. The merchant cannot emulate access to feats or specific skill ranks.

To emulate a prerequisite, the merchant must attempt a Use Magic Device check. The base DC for this check is 10, with a +2 modifier for each prerequisite the character must emulate beyond the first. Note that this modifier applies to each attempt to emulate a feature, even though each attempt is made with a separate Use Magic Device check. For example, if the merchant needed to only emulate access to the fireball spell, the base DC of this skill check would only be 10 (and then modified as noted below). If, instead, the character also needed to emulate Elf as his or her race, and had to emulate a Chaotic Evil alignment (while actually being Neutral Good), then the base DC for this Use Magic Device check becomes 14; +2 each for emulating an alignment and a race. Additional modifiers are applied to this skill check DC as noted below.

**Emulate an Ability Score:** Add the difference between the target ability score and your actual score to the UMD check DC.

**Emulate a spell:** Add twice the level of the spell to the UMD check DC; for example, a 4th level spell raises the DC by +8. If the item lists a spell treated with a specific metamagic feat, instead add twice the spell's modified level.

**Emulate a race:** If you are attempting to emulate a race of the same type, such as a human merchant emulating demon blood, do not add to the UMD check DC. If you are attempting to emulate a race of a completely different type, such as a human merchant emulating a dragon, add +5 to the UMD check DC. If you are emulating a creature of a different size, then add +2 to the UMD check DC for each step of difference between your size category and that of the target race.

**Emulate a class feature:** Add to the UMD check DC the minimum class level required to achieve the class feature in question. If the class feature must be of a certain improved rating (such as Trap Sense Bonus +3, instead of just Trap Sense bonus in general), make sure to add the right minimum class level to the DC. If the class feature is available to different classes at different levels, and no mention is made of a particular class to emulate, then add the highest modifier to the UMD check DC available (as determined by the GM). If the class feature is from a class that you could not have levels in because of some restriction (such as alignment or race), add +5 to the UMD check DC.

**Emulate an alignment:** If you are attempting to emulate an alignment that is opposed to your own on one component (lawful versus chaotic, or good versus evil), then add +5 to the UMD check DC. If you are attempting to emulate an alignment that is completely opposed to your own (LG versus CE, CG versus LE; true neutral is opposed to all other alignments), add +15 to the UMD DC.

You must make a UMD check to emulate each prerequisite on the first day that you begin crafting the item. If you fail any of these checks, all hope is not lost; each day thereafter, on each day that you spend crafting the item, you may attempt to emulate each prerequisite once more. If you successfully emulate each prerequisite, the item is crafted normally. If the last day of item creation passes by and you have not been able to successfully emulate one or more prerequisites, then you are unable to craft the item and all the raw materials are lost. If you successfully emulate a prerequisite on the last day available to you, then the item is defective; the GM secretly rolls to determine a curse plaguing the item.

Magic items crafted by merchants are neither arcane nor divine. This rule takes precedence regardless of any prerequisites the character must meet or emulate in order to craft the item.

**Sabotage Construct (Ex):**

Merchants hold an intimate knowledge of architecture, engineering, and mechanics. They use these tools to construct great monuments to their own ego – and to tear down the monuments of others, as their pride so often drives them to do. Whenever an Merchant makes an attack against a construct or object, his damage ignores an amount of damage reduction or hardness it has equal to his class level. Beginning at 2nd level, he gains an insight bonus on Disable Device checks equal to ½ his class level.

If the Merchant holds a set of artisan's tools at the ready (he must have the tools in hand), he can make a special melee touch attack with those tools against a creature of the construct type. This attack can be made as an attack action, or it can be substituted for one or more attacks as part of a full-attack action. If the attack hits, the construct takes an amount of damage equal to his class level and the Merchant chooses to sabotage the construct in one of the ways listed below. A successful fortitude save (DC = 10 + the 1/2 Merchant's class level + his Intelligence modifier) negates the sabotage but not the damage. A sabotage effect normally lasts until the start of the Merchant's next turn, but he can extend this duration by 1 round for every 2 points he reduces the save DC.

Note that a single construct can only suffer from each of these sabotages once; additional uses of the same sabotage stack their duration, but their effects overlap. If the Merchant has a set of masterwork tools, his attack roll receives a +1 enhancement bonus.

Sabotage Effect

**Crack the Shell** The sabotaged construct loses any natural armor bonus it possesses.

**Disarming Rend** The construct loses access to one natural attack of your choice. This sabotage can be used against the same construct more than once, but each instance must apply to a different natural weapon. Attempting to sabotage the same natural weapon more than once has no effect.

**Enervation** This sabotages the power source or animating force of the construct. When you sabotage the construct, choose for it to lose either 2d4 points of Strength or Dexterity, or 1d6 points each of Strength and Dexterity. This loss of Strength/Dexterity does not count as ability damage or ability drain, so the construct is susceptible to this sabotage.

**Impair Senses** The sabotaged construct loses access to any special senses, such as low-light vision, darkvision, tremorsense, scent, and the like. This form of sabotage does not impair the creature's standard Perception checks.

**Render Immobile** When you sabotage the construct, choose one form of movement it possesses. If you sabotage its base speed, reduce the construct's base speed by ½ (minimum speed of 5 feet). If you choose the constructs burrow, climb, fly, or swim speed, it loses that method of movement. A construct can be rendered immobile more than once, but each attack must sabotage a different form of movement.

**Tear the Chassis** The sabotaged construct loses all inherent forms of Damage Reduction, including DR acquired by race or feats. It retains access to DR gained from class levels or magic.

**Craft Reserve:**

Merchants are masters of the enchanted item, and their diligent study of this craft unlocks a variety of secrets and useful shortcuts. At 2nd level, the Merchant gains a pool of 100 special points known as his craft reserve. As noted on table 2-1, each one of these points is the equivalent of a single Hell piece. Whenever the Merchant crafts a magic item or construct, he may use points from his craft reserve to pay for the cost of that item. An Merchant with a large enough reserve may pay for the item entirely using only points from the craft reserve, or he may choose to supplement an actual purchase (for example, spending 400 Hl and 100 points from his craft reserve to craft an item requiring 500 Hl).

As noted on the table above, an Merchant's craft reserve expands as he gains further experience and mastery over his trade. At each new level, the Merchant's current craft reserve is lost and instead replaced with the value indicated. A craft reserve never stacks between levels. For example, an 5th level Merchant with a craft reserve of 970 instead has a craft reserve of 1,600 upon reaching 6th level; none of his old craft reserve survives the level increase.

**Magic Sense (Sp):**

An Merchant's early training consists of repetitive attempts to sense and understand magic auras. As a rest, by 2nd level, he has mastered the spells detect magic, identify, and read magic, and may cast each at will as spell-like abilities. His caster level for these abilities equals his class level.

**Bonus Feats:**

Beginning at 2nd level, with Scribe Scroll, the Merchant begins a slow advance of bonus feats that help him to perfect his craft. He gains Brew Potion at 3rd level, Craft Wondrous Item at 5th level, Craft Magic Arms and Armor at 7th level, Craft Construct at 9th level, Craft Wand at 11th level, Forge Ring at 13th level, Craft Rod at 15th level, and Craft Staff at 17th level. He also gains Create Reliquary Arms and Armor at 17th level, but must make Use Magic Device checks as normal to simulate access to the the bless spell (see Item Creation, above).

**Practiced Artifice (Ex):**

As the Merchant advances in level and travels the world, he slowly acquires a wealth of cunning and insight. He uncovers ancient secrets and pioneers new tricks of the trade that help to make his effort both more profitable and more efficient. Each level of this ability reduces either the amount of Hell or time required for the Merchant to craft items and also provides a unique ability. Only one of these abilities can be used on any item the Merchant crafts, and the extra resources and enchantments necessary mean that the Merchant does not save any money or time if he chooses to apply one of these effects.

At 4th level, the character becomes a novice Merchant. When he crafts any magic item by way of an item creation feat, he spends 25% less Hell when purchasing the raw materials. When he crafts a magic item, he may choose to set a lockout on the item. A lockout item is primarily usable only by the Merchant himself, but he may name either a single creature type (and subtype, in the case of humanoids and outsiders) or he may name a specific number of individuals known to himself equal to his class level as creatures able to use the device. Anyone else attempting to activate the device must attempt a Use Magic Device check, with a 10 point increase to the DC. Magic items that are consumed when used can thus be ruined to no effect, with a failed Use Magic Device check.

At 8th level, the character becomes a journeyman Merchant. When he crafts any magic item by way of an item creation feat, he requires 25% less time to do so (minimum requirement of 1 day). When he crafts a magic item, he may set a personal resonance within that item. This resonance emphatically connects the item to the Merchant that crafted it. By focusing for 1 minute, he can track the item by means of an effect that functions exactly as locate object (this is a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to his class level). The Merchant must be on the same plane as the item for this ability to function, otherwise it simply tells the Merchant what plane the item is on (if the plane has no name known to the public, such as a secret demiplane or ancient, forgotten dimension, no answer is received). An item with the broken condition cannot be tracked. Alternatively, if the artifier has line of sight to the object, he may use a standard action to make the item explode violently – a creature carrying, wielding, or wearing the item automatically takes 1d4 points of force damage for every two class levels the Merchant possesses, while those within 30 feet of the epicenter are caught in the explosion and can make a Reflex save for ½ damage.

At 12th level, the character becomes an expert Merchant. When he crafts any magic item by way of an item creation feat, he spends 50% less Hell when purchasing the raw materials. When he destroys an item to add to his craft reserve (see Retain Essence, below) he retains 50% of the Hell spent to craft the item.

At 16th level, the character becomes a master Merchant. When he crafts a magic item by way of an item creation feat, he requires 50% less time to do so (minimum requirement of 1 day). If the item crafted uses charges, the Merchant can declare that item to be "freed." A freed charged item can be used by any character that can understand its functions (generally requiring an Intelligence score of at least 3) and physically capable of using the item (GM's discretion). Only function that use up the item's charges can be used by characters in this manner; each such use drains one more charge than normal.

**Retain Essence (Su):**

At 6th level, the Merchant uncovers a great secret and can absorb a small portion of the essence used to craft magic items. Destroying a magic item requires one day of work, but it adds a number of points to the Merchant's craft reserve equal to 25% of the number of Hell pieces required to craft the item. Retaining the essence from an item destroys that item. This extra reserve cannot exceed the amount of craft reserve you are allowed overall. Note that any points left in your craft reserve are lost each time you gain a level.

**Metamagic Spell Trigger:**

At 7th level, the Merchant can apply the effects of any one metamagic feat that he has to a spell trigger item as a free action when he activates it. Activating an item in this manner costs an extra number of charges equal to the additional number of sell levels required by the feat. If the item does not possess enough charges to fully purchase this additional cost, or if the item does not use charges, the Merchant cannot affect it with this class feature.

**Additional Ring (Ex):**

At 9th level, the Merchant can use one additional magic item that makes use of the ring body slot. When the Merchant achieves 18th level, he can wear one more ring item – this allows the Merchant to wear and benefit from up to four separate rings at one time.

**Heroic Charged Items (Ex):** At 10th level, an Merchant learns to bend fate and fortune to his own benefit. As a free action whenever he activates a charged item and expends at least one of these charges, he may instead spend one Hero point. No matter how many charges would normally be spent by activating the item, you lose only a single Hero point.

**Metamagic Spell Completion:**

At 13th level, the Merchant achieves even greater mastery of his magic items and the forces of metamagery. When he activates a spell completion item, he may declare that he is trying to affect it with any single metamagic feat he knows. If he makes a successful Use Magic Device check (DC = 20 + the caster level of the item + the spell's modified level), the scroll is correctly modified and cast. Like casting a typical spell, he may attempt to activate the item with any number of metamagic feats he possesses, each feat adding to the UMD check DC. Whenever this skill check fails, the Merchant suffers backlash as normal for failing to activate a scroll and the scroll is destroyed.

**Heroic Constructs (Ex):**

At 14th level, the Merchant is able to spur artificial allies on to heroic deeds. At his discretion, the Merchant may use one Hero point in order to benefit the action of a single construct or half-construct under his control rather than his own action. He cannot use Hero points for a construct to "cheat death" unless the creature has an Intelligence score of at least 3. The Merchant can use Heroic Construct to benefit constructs and half-constructs under his command due to the Leadership feat or similar effects; a single use of this feature can be used to benefit his cohort, or all followers involved in the same encounter as himself.

**Hasten Infusion:**

At 15th level, the Merchant masters the art of imbuing objects with haste. Once per day, the Merchant can hasten an infusion as the quicken spell meta-magic feat. Whenever the Merchant would gain a feat, including his feat at this level, he may instead choose to gain one additional daily use of this class feature.

**Skill Mastery (Ex):**

At 18th level, the Merchant approaches the zenith of his power – the pinnacle of his chosen craft. He may always choose to take 10 on Craft, Knowledge, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device skill checks, even if circumstances (or the rules of the skill) would typically prevent this.

**Infuse Self (Su):**

At 19th level, an Merchant can directly imbue himself with Merchant magic. Whenever he casts an infusion that mimics the effects of a spell which can affect a creature of his type, he may cast that infusion directly on himself instead of infusing it into an item.

**Paragon Merchant:**

By 20th level, the Merchant becomes a true master of his craft. First and foremost, this streamlines the process of crafting a magic item. He does not need to make any Use Magic Device checks to emulate spell requirements, though he must still emulate any other requirements as normal. In addition, when the Merchant creates a magic item that uses charges, he may declare that item to be "Freed." A freed magic item allows any creature with an Intelligence score of at least 3, and the physiological anatomy required, to use the item; even if the creature is not a spellcaster and could not normally make use of it without the use of Use Magic Device. For example, a freed wand could be used by a fighter – or by a psuedodragon.

# **Reincarnation**

If Reincarnating into this class after having already been this class, or a class with similar abilities, check the following page to see what ability you'll get instead at the levels you would normally gain an already achieved class ability.

Merchant Reincarnation