An artificer lives on the edge between magic and science. They are craftsmen and engineers of exotic sciences and theories but are often viewed with distrust, derision or outright hostility by those versed in traditional magic.
Artificers are often far more interested in expanding the scope of their work than in its moral implications. Artificers focus on methods for improvement of their technology and tend to follow their whims, whether that road leads them to inventions of creation or destruction.
Artificers sometimes receive formal training and education through years of hard study guided by more seasoned experts, but oftentimes they arise almost spontaneously as mad geniuses driven by the spark of insight, ingenuity, and perhaps a touch of insanity. The talents and desire to enter the world of the artificer often manifest at a very early age, through the disassembling of objects and devices for no other reason than curiosity and reassembling them in unique ways that improve their functions or create entirely new functions.
Artificers tend to be a closely knit society, sharing a sense of camaraderie with others who have similar training and knowledge. They relish intellectual debate and conversation with their fellows, sharing theories and commentary upon each other’s techniques and innovations. However, rivalry between artificers is common, with each viewing themselves as the pinnacle of a rare and exclusive breed, jealously guarding their own advancements against “theft” by their fellow artificers and eager to correct the “mistakes” of their rivals.
Role
Artificers provide valuable support within their party, offering technological and magical assistance to others. Their abilities make them well suited to augmenting the specific needs of any adventuring group.
| Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spellcasting | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | ||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Artifice +1, construct companion, field of research, trapfinding | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Bonus Feat | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Trapmaking (least) | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Field of research | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Artifice +2, Bonus Feat | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Field of research | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Trapmaking (lesser) | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Bonus Feat | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Artifice +3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Field of research | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Bonus Feat, trapmaking (moderate) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Field of research | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Artifice +4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +9 | Bonus Feat | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Trapmaking (improved) | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Field of research | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Artifice +5, Bonus Feat | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Field of research | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Trapmaking (greater) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Bonus Feat, field of research | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Academics, Arcane Lore, Engineering, Perception, and Profession.
Starting Wealth: Rich (4d6 × 10 gp, Average 140 gp)
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
An Artificer is proficient with Basic weapons, Crossbows (including exotic crossbows), and with the Light Hammer and Warhammer. They are proficient with light and medium armor and with shields (but not with tower shields). An artificer can cast artificer spells while wearing light or medium armor and using a shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance.
If not using weapon groups, an Artificer is proficient with simple weapons.
Spellcasting
An artificer casts arcane spells which are drawn from the artificer spell list. You need not prepare your spells in advance and can cast any spell you know at any time, assuming you have not yet used up your spells per day for that spell level. You do not have to decide ahead of time which spells you’ll cast.
However, this flexibility comes with some significant drawbacks. Artificer spells are meticulously crafted constructs which take time to assemble. Regardless of the listed casting time, an artificer spell has a casting time of one round, unless the normal casting time is longer (this does not apply to spells cast from wands or scrolls). Applying metamagic feats to an artificer spell adds one additional round to the casting time per metamagic feat added in addition to the normal spell level increase. The Quicken Spell feat cannot be applied to artificer spells.
To learn or cast a spell, you must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against you artificer spells is 10 + the spell level + your Intelligence modifier.
Like other spellcasters, you can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Your base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Artificer. In addition, you receive bonus spells per day if you have a high Intelligence score.
Infusions
Artificers have access to a type of spell called an Infusion. Infusions can only be cast on the appropriate item, usually a weapon or suit of armor. Each infusion is a temporary arcane construct that grants some benefit, much like a normal spell; however, infusions are easily disrupted by other infusions. Casting an infusion on an object automatically dispels any other infusion already cast on that object.
Spellbooks
An artificer maintains a spellbook much like a wizard, though it is filled with more math and technical schematics than the typical wizard spellbook. You must study your spellbook each morning to regain your artificer spell slots, even though you do not prepare spells.
You begin play with a spellbook containing a number of 1st-level artificer spells of your choice equal to your Intelligence bonus (minimum 1). At each new artificer level, you gain one new spell of any spell level you can cast (based on your artificer level) for your spellbook. At any time, you can also add spells found on scrolls or in other spellbooks.
Artifice
You gain a +1 bonus on any skill check made to craft or activate a magic item. At 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1.
In addition, each time you gain the artifice ability, select one type of item from the following list: potions, scrolls, staves, or wands. You can craft items of the chosen type even if you don’t meet the spell prerequisites; however, the DC to create the magic item increases by 10 for each spell prerequisite you do not meet (you must still possess the appropriate item creation feats).
Scrolls you create using this ability cannot be transcribed into a spellbook, though they can still be cast from the scroll normally by any spellcaster.
Construct Companion
At 1st level, you build a construct to serve as a companion. This functions as the druid’s animal companion except as described here. Your effective druid level for determining your companion’s benefits is equal to half your artificer level, minimum 1.
You may select any animal from the following list: dire rat, dog, or hawk. The animal’s type becomes Construct. It loses all animal traits and gains construct traits. The bonus HD gained from a higher artificer level are d10s rather than d8s. Your construct companion is not capable of learning animal tricks and does not increase in size.
You companion’s natural attacks are always considered to be manufactured weapons for the purposes of casting magic weapon and similar spells. They cannot be targeted by spells which only affect natural weapons.
If your construct companion is destroyed, you can rebuild it at a cost of 100gp per artificer level. This effectively restores your construct companion to life, and it retains all memories from before its destruction.
Field of Research
At 1st level, you discover that one field of research that gets your creativity flowing. When you first gain this ability, you must choose one of the fields of research to follow. The benefits of your chosen field of research progress as you gain additional artificer levels.
Fields of Research
Trapfinding
You add 1/2 your artificer level (minimum +1) to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Engineering skill checks to set or disable traps. You can use Engineering to disarm magic traps.
Bonus Feat
At 2nd level and every three levels thereafter, you gain a bonus feat. These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as Item Creation feats, Metamagic feats, or artificer bonus feats. You must still meet all prerequisites for the selected bonus feat.
Trapmaking
At 3rd level, you master the ability to craft small, portable traps. These artificer traps typically consist of a small container which contains the trap itself along with an attached pressure plate, trip wire, magical proximity sensor, or time-delayed fuse. Placing an artificer trap requires a standard action and does not break Stealth.
Artificer traps come in several strengths from Least to Greater. Initially, you can only create least artificer traps. At 7th level and every four levels thereafter, you learn to create artificer traps of one tier higher.
You can create any type of artificer trap, as long as you have the required materials. Creating an artificer trap works the same as crafting an item; however, you may use 1/2 your artificer class level in place of your Profession (Trapmaker) skill rank. The listed Cost is the cost of raw materials necessary to craft the artificer trap. Market Price when buying an artificer trap is 3× this amount.
When you disable a standard trap, you gain Trap Parts with a gold piece value equal to 10× the CR of the trap. These parts can be used as raw materials for crafting an artificer trap.