Artificer

## Summary

To the commonfolk, artifice is a mysterious and unknowable practice alien to their everyday experiences.  Magic items - most so far beyond the means of the peasant masses they may as well be myths - are not like the tools shaped by hand at the blacksmith's forge or the weaver's loom.  Artificers, however, know better.  To an Artificer, a magic item is no different, simply more demanding of skill and resources to make.  But in the course of studying this commonality, they transcend it, finding secrets that even Wizards don't fully comprehend, and developing a supernatural unity with the artificial.  Common practice in Candora, whose Elves have jealously guarded these secrets for millennia, Artificers are as synonymous with Candorans as sand.  Contrary to popular belief and Candoran propaganda, however, the ability to learn and master the Artificer's art is not unique to the Elves of the Great Desert.  Nevertheless, the zeal with which the Candorans seek to silence challenges to their claims of mastery makes Artificers of other races a rare breed indeed; even the arrival of the Gremlins and N'Ekar has done nothing to change this, as the dour newcomers are no more willing to teach and so few realize they can learn.

## Game Rule Information

**Abilities:** Intelligence is the single most valuable resource for Artificers, as it enhances the effectiveness of their spells and the effectiveness of magic items in their hands.  A high Dexterity or Strength improves an Artificer's ability to fight at range or in melee, while a high Constitution improves an Artificer's ability to survive in melee.

**Alignment:** Any, but most Artificers lean towards lawful alignments.

**Hit Die:** d8

### Class Skills

Artificer class skills (and key abilities for each) are Appraise (Int), Craft (any)(Int), Disable Device (Int), Knowledge (arcana)(Int), Knowledge (engineering)(Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

**Skill Points per Level:** 4+Int Modifier

### Artificer Class Features

**Weapon and Armor Proficiency:** Artificers gain proficiency with all simple weapons and with firearms. They also gain proficiency with light and medium armors, and shields (but not tower shields).

**Crafter's Art (Ex):** Artificers add one-half their level to Craft skill checks and to Spellcraft checks made to identify magic items (minimum +1).

**Trapfinding (Ex):** Artificers add one-half their level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1).  An Artificer can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.

**Scribe Scroll:** Artificers gain the Scribe Scroll feat for free at 1st level.

**Gunsmith**: At 1st level, an Artificer gains one of the following firearms of their choice: blunderbuss, musket, or pistol. This starting weapon is battered, and only he or she knows how to use it properly. All other creatures treat the gun as if it had the broken condition.  If the weapon already has the broken condition, it does not work at all for anyone else trying to use it.  This starting weapon can only be sold for scrap (it's worth 4d10 gp when sold).  The Artificer also gains Gunsmithing as a bonus feat.  The Artificer is treated as a Gunslinger of their level for the purposes of using this feat.

In addition, the Artificer can add firearm modifications to their battered firearm for free.  This benefit does not apply to any other firearms and does not increase its sale value from 4d10 gp.

**Armored Magic:** Artificers can cast spells in armor more easily than their more scholarly counterparts.  Artificers ignore the arcane spell failure chance of light armor when casting Artificer spells.

**Spells:** An Artificer casts arcane spells drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list.  An Artificer must choose and prepare his or her spells ahead of time.

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the Artificer must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell's level.  The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an Artificer's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the Artificer's Intelligence modifier.

An Artificer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day.  His or her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Artificer Spells Per Day.  In addition, he or she receives bonus spells per day if he or she has a high Intelligence score.  Spell levels that indicate 0 spells per day do not grant spells unless the Artificer's Intelligence score grants them a bonus spell slot of that level.

An Artificer may know any number of spells.  He or she must choose and prepare their spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying their spellbook(s).  While studying, the Artificer decides which spells to prepare.

An Artificer begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level Sorcerer/Wizard spells, plus three 1st-level spells of his or her choice.  At each new Artificer level, he or she gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that he or she can cast for his or her spellbook.  At any time, an Artificer can also add spells found in other Artificers' or Wizards' spellbooks to their own or from eligible scrolls.  Artificer and Wizard spellbooks are interchangeable with each other - that is, a Wizard can learn spells from an Artificer and an Artificer can learn spells from a Wizard.  Multi-classed Wizard/Artificers can use the same spellbook(s) for both classes, but otherwise maintain separate sets of spells per normal multiclassing rules.

**Disassemble (Su):** Artificers are not picky about where they get the components to create magic items from.  Artificers can destroy magic items to recover 75% of their market value in usable components that can be incorporated into new magic items, offsetting the cost of production.  Doing so completely destroys the item, and the recovered components are worthless to anyone but an Artificer.

Artificers can also scavenge components from creatures of the Construct type, allowing the Artificer to either reclaim half of the construct's body construction cost or to salvage one natural attack, sensory ability, special quality other than spell or magic immunity, or other special trait available to the destroyed construct to incorporate into a new construct that the Artificer builds.  Reclaimed body components are worthless for any purpose other than building new constructs, and the total amount of materials recovered in gold pieces is based only the cost of the reclaimed construct's body cost, not the construct's total market value.  Recovered abilities occupy a number of Hit Dice equal to one-half the originating creature's Hit Dice, and a new construct cannot have more recovered abilities worth of Hit Dice than it itself has Hit Dice.  For example, the Artificer could recover an Adamantine Golem's Destructive Strike ability, which has a Hit Dice cost of 15 (Adamantine Golems normally have 30 Hit Dice).  The Artificer could then grant a new construct an Adamantine Golem's Destructive Strike, so long as the new construct has at least 15 Hit Dice.

Recovered abilities that use a function of Hit Dice or which modify an attack form use the new construct's respective values as a baseline rather than the original construct's.  Recovered natural attacks use the original construct's damage values modified by the size of the new construct; for example, if the Artificer were to recover an Adamantine Golem's slam attack and put it into a new Medium construct, the natural attack would be treated as a 6d10 weapon reduced three size categories, resulting in a weapon that deals 6d4 damage.

**Empower Item (Su):** Artificers enhance the effectiveness of any magic item they wield.  An Artificer adds one-half their level to the save DC of any effect resulting from using a magic item.  This benefit does not apply to any magic item that already has a spellcaster's ability score modifier included as part of its effect, such as scrolls or staves.

**Craft Wondrous Item:** Artificers gain the Craft Wondrous Item feat for free at 3rd level.

**Bonus Feat:** At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, an Artificer learns an additional feat for free so long as they qualify for it.  The Artificer must select an item creation feat or the Skill Focus feat.

**Guardian:** At 4th level, an Artificer completes and animates a construct Guardian unique to the Artificer.  This ability functions similarly to a Druid's animal companion, except as noted under Creating a Guardian below.  See Table: Size Modifiers below for the effects of a Guardian's size on their statistics.

An Artificer can repair their Guardian with the Craft skill; the Artificer can repair their level in damage per hour of work, costing 25 gp per hour of work.

Guardians come in several different forms.  Once the choice has been made, it cannot be changed unless the Artificer builds a new Guardian.  An Artificer can only have one Guardian at a time as this unique construct requires too much time, energy, and maintenance to have more than one.  Building a new Guardian requires 200 gp in raw materials per Hit Dice and one week of work per Hit Dice the new Guardian possesses.  A replacement Guardian can be of a different base type than the previous Guardian, and the Artificer can select new options for the Enhanced Power and Master's Touch class features (see below) when finished, along with any additional options granted through feats or other special abilities that use the Enhanced Power traits.

**Craft Magic Arms and Armor:** Artificers gain the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat for free at 5th level.

**Metamagic Spell Trigger:** At 6th level, an Artificer can apply any metamagic feat the Artificer knows to spell trigger items such as wands.  The Artificer must have the appropriate item creation feat for the spell trigger item they are using.  Using this ability requires an additional number of charges equal to the spell level modification of the metamagic feat.  This does not apply to spell trigger items that are single-use, do not have charges, or which do not have enough charges to benefit from the chosen metamagic feat.

**Tinker (Su):** Artificers can't leave well enough alone when it comes to their own gear.  At 6th level, Artificers treat the enhancement bonus on any magic weapons they wield and armor they wear as being 1 point higher.  Nonmagical equipment is unaffected by Tinkering.  This bonus does not increase the value of the item in any way, and this bonus does not benefit anyone but the Artificer.  This bonus increases by 1 at 12th level and every 6 levels thereafter.

**Craft Wand:** Artificers gain the Craft Wand feat for free at 7th level.

**Craft Rod:** Artificers gain the Craft Rod feat for free at 9th level.

**Enhanced Power (Su):** At 10th level, an Artificer's Guardian gains a new power chosen from the following list.  This power is in addition to those granted by its form and special bonuses granted by the Artificer's effective level for determining Guardian traits.

*Awakening:* The Guardian gains an Intelligence and Charisma score equal to 3 plus the Artificer's Intelligence modifier before any modifiers from magic items or other temporary bonuses or penalties.  The Guardian loses its immunity to mind-affecting magic, but gains skills and feats as normal for a creature of its Hit Dice.  The Guardian retroactively gains all skill points and feats it is entitled to.  If the Artificer decides to replace a Guardian that possesses the Awakening ability, the replaced Guardian becomes a free-willed NPC (retaining all abilities granted to them at the time they are released from service) that, although usually either Helpful or Friendly towards the Artificer that created them, is no longer bound to their orders and will attempt to find their own way in the Multiverse.  Such Guardians cannot be salvaged without first destroying them, an act that is usually quite evil if the Artificer is responsible for destroying the Guardian.  A free-willed awakened Guardian can potentially be recruited as a cohort, treating their builder's effective Artificer level - 2 as their character level, before counting any class levels the Guardian has acquired since becoming free-willed.  Awakened Guardians still bound to an Artificer through the normal Guardian rules cannot acquire class levels.

*Combat Upgrade:* The Guardian gains additional hit points equal to its Hit Dice and DR 3/adamantine; this damage reduction stacks with any other source of DR/adamantine possessed by the Guardian.  The Guardian also gains two integrated weapons, which it can substitute for one of its existing natural attacks; switching between an existing natural weapon and an integrated weapon is a swift action for the Guardian.  These weapons can be of any type of weapon the Artificer is proficient in or a shield; any two-handed weapons (except crossbows or firearms) require the use of both integrated weapon slots to incorporate into the Guardian and the use of both natural attacks when employed.

*Hulking Upgrade:* The Guardian's size category increases by one step.  Apply the effects of the table below based on the Guardian's new size.

### Table: Size Modifiers

1 - These bonuses are cumulative with each other.  Find the Guardian's old size in the first column; apply the bonuses in the same row.  Repeat this process if the Guardian grows more than one size category.

2 - Use the Guardian's size listed under the New Size column.  These values are not cumulative.

*Magic Immunity:* The Guardian becomes immune to all forms of magic that allow spell resistance.  The Guardian cannot choose to lower its spell resistance.

*Modular Chassis:* The Guardian treats its Hit Dice as being twice their actual value for determining how many salvaged abilities can be installed.  The Guardian also gains the ability to wear and use equipment, although the Guardian does not use these items particularly efficiently and must be ordered to either enable or disable the use of a particular magic item's properties.  Awakened Guardians with this trait use equipment as efficiently as their Intelligence allows them to, however.

*Prototype:* The Guardian gains a new movement form - a fly speed of 30, a swim speed of 15, a climb speed of 15, or a burrow speed of 5.  Alternatively, the Artificer can increase the Guardian's land speed by 10 ft per round.  Guardians with a burrow speed can elect to move at half speed (5 feet as a double move) in order to shore up a temporary tunnel in their wake, provided the ground they are burrowing in has a reasonably solid consistency.

**Construct Bane (Su):** At 10th level, an Artificer treats any weapon they wield as though it had a lesser version of the *construct-bane* property.  This ability functions like the *bane* property, except that the bonuses are halved (+1 enhancement and +1d6 damage).  At 15th level, this ability improves and the Artificer treats any weapon they wield as though it had the *construct-bane* property.  This special ability does not stack with the *construct-bane* property.

**Metamagic Spell Completion:** At 11th level, an Artificer can apply any metamagic feat the Artificer knows to spell completion items such as scrolls.  The Artificer must have the appropriate item creation feat for the spell completion item they are using.  Using this ability requires a Use Magic Device check with a DC of 20 + (2 x the total modified level of the spell).  The Artificer can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + the Artificer's Intelligence modifier.

**Craft Staff:** Artificers gain the Craft Staff feat for free at 12th level.

**Skill Mastery:** At 13th level, an Artificer can take 10 when making a Spellcraft or Use Magic Device check, even if stress or distractions would otherwise prevent the Artificer from doing so.  This ability allows an Artificer to take 10 on a Use Magic Device check (normally, a character cannot take 10 on such checks).

**Forge Ring:** Artificers gain the Forge Ring feat for free at 14th level.

**Shield of Artifice (Su):** At 17th level, an Artificer's experience with magic items allows them a limited but nearly foolproof defense against their effects.  Once per day per point of Intelligence modifier (minimum one) that the Artificer possesses, the Artificer can create an anti-magic aura that encompasses their own body and possessions for one round; activating this aura is an immediate action.  This aura is limited to stopping the effects generated by magic items only (including traps), and is not effective against spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, or any other magic effect that does not originate from an item (nor does it protect from magic effects produced by a creature of the Construct type), and affects the Artificer's own equipment as well as any equipment used against him or her.

**Master's Touch (Su):** At 20th level, the Artificer's Guardian gains another trait described under Enhanced Power above.  Additionally, the Artificer can direct his or her Guardian mentally as a free action.

Alternatively, the Artificer can build a second Guardian without replacing the first.  Both Guardians have one of the traits listed under Enhanced Power rather than two.  The Artificer treats his level as being three lower for the purposes of determining both Guardians' traits and abilities.  The Artificer can give verbal instructions to both Guardians as part of the same action.

### Creating a Guardian

When creating a Guardian, refer to these rules below.  A Guardian's abilities are determined the Artificer's level and its Construct racial traits.

\* Guardians do not gain feats unless they acquire an Intelligence score

\*\* These numbers are included to reflect effective increases in Artificer level from feats

**Class Level**: This is the character's Artificer level. The Artificer's class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to a Guardian for the purpose of determining the companion's statistics.

**HD**: This is the total number of ten-sided (d10) Hit Dice the Guardian possesses.  Constructs gain bonus hit points based on their size as noted on Table: Size Modifiers above.

**BAB**: This is the Guardian's base attack bonus. A Guardian's base attack bonus is the same as that of a Fighter of a level equal to the Guardian's HD.  Guardians do not gain additional attacks using their natural weapons for a high base attack bonus, but they may gain extra attacks with any manufactured weapons they wield.

**Saves**: These are the Guardian's base saving throw bonuses. A Guardian has no good saving throws.

**Skills:** Unlike an Animal Companion, a Guardian does not normally gain skill points.  However, if the Guardian acquires an Intelligence score, the Guardian earns 2 + Int modifier skill points for every Hit Dice it possesses.  Guardians do not have any class skills.

**Feats:** Unlike an Animal Companion, a Guardian does not normally gain feats.  However, if the Guardian acquires an Intelligence score, the Guardian gains the indicated number of feats.

**Natural Armor Bonus**: The number noted here is an improvement to the Guardian's existing natural armor bonus.

**Str/Dex Bonus**: Add this modifier to the Guardian's Strength and Dexterity scores.

**Special**: This includes a number of abilities gained by animal companions as they increase in power. Each of these bonuses is described below.

*Share Spells (Ex):* The Artificer may cast a spell with a target of “You” on their Guardian (as a spell with a range of touch) instead of on themselves.  An Artificer may cast spells on their Guardian even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the creature's type (Construct). Spells cast in this way must come from a class that grants a Guardian.  This ability does not allow the Guardian to share abilities that are not spells, even if they function like spells.

*Evasion (Ex):* If a Guardian is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex save for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

*Ability Score Increase (Ex):* The Guardian adds +1 to one of its ability scores.

*Improved Evasion (Ex):* When subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a Guardian takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

#### Standard Construct Traits

A Construct possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature's entry)

* No Constitution score. Any DCs or other statistics that rely on a Constitution score treat a construct as having a score of 10 (no bonus or penalty).
* Low-light vision.
* Darkvision 60 feet.
* Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).
* Immunity to bleed, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning.
* Cannot heal damage on its own, but as noted under the Guardian class feature. Constructs can also be healed through spells such as *make whole*. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
* Constructs gain bonus hit points based upon their size as indicated on the table below.
* Not subject to ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, or nonlethal damage.
* Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
* Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
* A construct cannot be raised or resurrected.
* Proficient with its natural weapons only.
* Proficient with no armor.
* Constructs do not breathe, eat, or sleep.

 Tiny
 Small
 Medium
 Large
 Huge
 Gargantuan
 Colossal

### Guardian Choices

#### Humanoid Guardian

**Starting Statistics: Size** Small; **Speed** 20 ft.; **AC** +2 natural armor; **Attack** 2 slams (1d4); **Ability Scores** Str 13, Dex 12, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1; **Special** **Qualities** construct traits, labor.

**7th-Level Advancement: Size** Medium **AC** +2 natural armor; **Attack** 2 slams (1d6); **Ability Scores** Str +4, Dex –2 **Special Qualities** modified construction

*Labor (Ex):* Humanoid Guardians can be instructed to perform crude manual labor (such as digging or moving heavy objects) or to assist other creatures in tasks.  Humanoid Guardians can perform the aid another action with any skill based on Strength or on Craft checks despite being non-intelligent.

*Modified Construction (Ex):* Particularly advanced humanoid Guardians have extensive modifications made to them to improve upon the humanoid form on which they were originally based.  These modified versions have one of the following special traits - two additional arms (grapple CMB +4, two extra slam attacks), submersability (swim speed 40 ft, immune to pressure and rust effects), wings (fly speed 60 ft, clumsy maneuverability), two extra legs (trip CMD +4, land speed +20 ft, trample 1d8+Str), enhanced senses (Perception +4, all-around vision, blindsense 30 ft), or one of the special abilities listed under Enhanced Power.

#### Feral Guardian

**Starting Statistics: Size** Medium; **Speed** 30 ft.; **AC** +3 natural armor; **Attack** bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d4); **Ability Scores** Str 14, Dex 8, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1; **Special** **Qualities** construct traits, mount.

**7th-Level Advancement: Size** Large; **AC** +3 natural armor; **Attack** bite (1d8), 2 claws (1d6); **Ability Scores** Str +8, Dex –2; **Special Qualities** grab (bite), rake (2 claws, 1d6+Str)

*Mount (Ex):* Feral Guardians are treated as combat-trained mounts for the purposes of using the Ride skill.

#### Insectile Guardian

**Starting Statistics: Size** Small; **Speed** 30 ft., Climb 30 ft.; **AC** +1 natural armor; **Attack** bite (1d4); **Ability Scores** Str 7, Dex 15, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1; **Special** **Qualities** construct traits, reservoir, all-around vision; **CMD** +8 vs trip

**7th-Level Advancement: AC** +1 natural armor; **Attack** bite (1d6) **Special Qualities** tremorsense 60 ft

*Reservoir (Ex):* Insectile Guardians contain a small internal reservoir that can be filled with any liquid alchemical substance or vial of poison, and this reservoir can hold up to three units of such liquids.  The Guardian automatically uses one of these liquids when authorized by the Guardian's master.  It is a free verbal action to enable or disable authorization, and after using the fluid the Guardian ejects the spent vial from its back.  If the liquid in question only applies to weapon attacks, it applies to the Guardian's bite attack; thrown or splash weapons instead project as a cone from the Guardian's mouth.  Replacing a reservoir vial is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

#### Serpentine Guardian

**Starting Statistics: Size** Medium; **Speed** 30 ft.; **AC** +1 natural armor; **Attack** bite (1d6); **Ability Scores** Str 10, Dex 13, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1; **Special** **Qualities** construct traits, grab (bite), constrict (1d8+1.5 x Str); **CMD** cannot be tripped.

**7th-Level Advancement: Size** Large; **AC** +2 natural armor; **Attack** bite (1d8); **Ability Scores** Str +8, Dex –2; **Special Qualities** constrict (2d6+1.5 x Str), swallow whole, imprison

*Swallow Whole (Ex):* Advanced Serpentine Guardians can swallow creatures whole at least two size categories smaller than the Guardian.  Swallowed creatures are placed into the Guardian's prison.

*Imprison (Ex):* Creatures swallowed by the Serpentine Guardian are imprisoned inside its "stomach."  Serpentine Guardians can hold one creature of the maximum size category they can swallow, or twice as many creatures of the next size category smaller (or four times the next smaller, etc).  Imprisoned creatures are considered grappled while the Guardian is not, but imprisoned creatures do not suffer any additional damage while imprisoned.  Imprisoned creatures can cut through the Guardian's side using a light slashing or piercing weapon; this requires hitting an AC equal to 10 plus 1/2 the Guardian's natural armor bonus and dealing a total amount of damage equal to 1/10th the Guardian's maximum hit points (this damage does not apply to the Guardian's hit point total).  If an imprisoned creature cuts its way out of the Guardian, the Guardian cannot imprison other creatures until the damage to the Guardian's prison is repaired.