An artificer is an individual who lives on the edge of magic and science. They are craftsmen and engineers, mixing magic with a new discipline: technology. Artificers are students of exotic sciences and theories, and are often viewed with distrust, derision or outright hostility by those versed in traditional magic.
The artificer is an archetype of the engineer class.
Limit Break (Su)
At 1st level, an artificer receives the Limit Break (Unbreaking Devices).
Unbreakable Devices (Su): This Limit Break grants the artificer’s devices from his weird science ability to be unbreakable, can use devices as many times as he wishes during the duration of this limit break. This limit break lasts for 1 round + 1 round per four engineer levels after 1st. This limit break requires only a swift action.
This ability replaces the Limit Break (Overdrive).
Rending (Su)
At 1st level, an artificer is capable of breaking down any existing magical item into a number of elemental shards equal to half of the cost of the item.
This ability replaces repair.
Jack of All Trades (Ex)
Also at 1st level, the artificer has picked up a smattering of even the most obscure skills. He may use any skill untrained.
This ability replaces technologist.
Weird Science (Ex)
An artificer is not a spellcaster, but instead possesses the ability to imbue items with magical power. This weird science allows the artificer to create devices that imitate the effect of 1 spell.
An artificer has access to any spell list, but only up to 4th level (from 1st – 5th level, he can imbue 1st level spells, from 6th – 10th level, he can imbue up to 2nd level spells, from 11th – 15th level, he can imbue up to 3rd level spells, and from 16th – 20th level, he can imbue up to 4th level spells). Only 1 spell can be placed into a single device. Spell statistics (casting times, etc.) remain unchanged, although no components are required and the artificer is considered the “caster” for the purposes of CL and using his Intelligencer modifier for all spell’s effects.
Weird science devices must be invented in advance, however — they cannot be created on the fly. The time to create such devices is 4 hours per spell level used. As such, an artificer usually has a fixed collection of regularly-carried devices.
Weird science devices are temporary and unreliable. They are able to be used reliably a number of times per day equal to 1 plus half his engineer level (rounding up). The device may be used by anyone — but if used by someone other than the artificer who built it, it requires a Use Magic Device roll at DC 15 to activate (a failed roll indicates that the device fails to activate for that user, and a roll of 1 means that the device breaks down for good).
If the device is used more times than allowed (by anyone), it requires a Use Magic Device skill check with a DC equal starting at 20 and rising by 1 every additional time the device is used. A failed roll means that the device breaks down and may not be used again (the artificer will have to build another).
This ability replaces automaton.
Item Creation (Ex)
At 2nd level, an artificer’s invention ability expands to include the creation of true magic items, even if the artificer does not have access to the prerequisite spells. The artificer must make a successful Craft check (DC 20 + caster level) to emulate each spell normally required to create the item. This ability does not stack with the Master Craftsman feat.
The magic item creation guidelines are used, and for the purpose of emulating prerequisites, the artificer’s effective CL equals his engineer level +2. However, if the item duplicates a spell effect, the statistics of that effect use the artificer’s actual level.
This ability replaces combat awareness.
Detect Magic (Sp)
At 2nd level, the artificer is able to sense magic due to his innate working with it. He can cast detect magic at will as a standard action.
This ability replaces an engineer trick gained at 2nd level.
Bonus Feats
At 2nd level, an artificer gains item creation feats as bonus feats as he levels. He gets Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat at 2nd level, Craft Alchemical Items at 3rd level, Craft Wondrous Item at 4th level, Craft Magic Arms and Armor at 5th level, Craft Wand at 7th level, Craft Rod at 9th level, Craft Materia at 10th level, Craft Staff at 12th level, and Forge Ring at 14th level. In addition, an artificer gains a bonus feat at 3rd, 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level. For each of these bonus feats, the artificer must choose a feat from the following list: Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Heighten Spell, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Skill Focus, Still Spell, Widen Spell.
This ability replaces tinkering, salvage, crafting expertise, salvage expert, construct expertise, and clockwork mimicries.
Metamagic Science (Su)
At 4th level, an artificer gains the ability to apply a metamagic feat he knows to a spell trigger item (such as a wand). He must have the appropriate item creation feat for the spell trigger item he is using. Using this ability expends additional charges from the item equal to the number of effective spell levels the metamagic feat would add to a spell.
This ability replaces jury-rig.
Ingenuity Pool (Su)
At 4th level, an artificer has a pool of ingenuity points equal to his engineer level plus his Intelligence modifier. This pool refreshes when an artificer rests for the day. While points from an artificer’s ingenuity pool can be spent on other class features, the artificer can also spend a point from his ingenuity pool equal to the spell level as part of casting a spell (from the spell lists above) that has a range of touch and does not involve an attack roll to cast it with close range instead. This increase in range for touch-based spells does not stack with any other source that alters the range of a spell.
This ability replaces support droid.
Ingenuity Tricks (Ex/Su)
Starting at 4th level and every two engineer levels thereafter, the artificer loses access to augmentation engineer tricks but gains ingenuity tricks listed below.
Crafted Wand (Su): The artificer can spend a number of ingenuity points to temporarily create a wand with a single charge. The artificer must have a mundane object to put the charge into. The artificer cannot use a Use Magic Device check to duplicate the desired effect as he would use during a normal enchantment process. The wand can only hold a single charge and the charge only lasts for one minute. However, unlike normal wands, the wand uses the artificer’s caster level and uses his Intelligence modifier, at the time of the enchantment, for any saving throw DCs. Likewise, the effect is not limited to 4th level or less. If the desired effect has a material component worth more than 1 gp, however, the material component must be consumed normally during the enchantment. The number of ingenuity points necessary is equal to the spell or power level, to a minimum of 1. The desired effect cannot be placed into the temporary wand with any metamagic or metapsionic feat (although see Spell Trigger below) and, in the case of psionic powers, cannot be augmented. This ability always provokes. Using this ability starts of as a full-round action. At 6th level, it becomes a standard action. At 9th level, it becomes a move action and at 12th level, it becomes a swift action. Only the artificer can use the charge, using the same rules as using a wand or dorje, but he does not need to make a Use Magic Device check to activate it.
Dispel (Sp): The artificer can spend one point of ingenuity to cast Dispel as a spell-like ability.
Duplication (Su): An artificer can spend one point of ingenuity to temporarily duplicate all of the properties of one enchanted item onto another item, non-magical or otherwise. If the item that is being altered is already enchanted, all of the target item’s current properties are suppressed for the duration of this ability. Likewise, the item that is being altered must be same type (weapon, armor, wondrous item, etc) and use the same body slot, if applicable, as the item being duplicated. For this purpose, wands as the same type. Any property that would not normally function on the altered item (like duplicating the Keen quality onto a mace) does not function, but is still present in case the altered item can somehow make use of it later. If the original item has charges or uses (either finite or per day), the duplicated has a number of charges or uses equal to the original, to a maximum of the artificer’s Intelligence modifier. Using this ability requires a standard action that provokes and the artificer must be touching both items. The duplication lasts for a number of minutes equal to the artificer’s Intelligence modifier, at which point, it reverts back to its original state. An enchanted item can only have one duplicate at a time and a duplicated item cannot be used to duplicate another item. The original item cannot be a spell or power completion item, like a scroll or power stone, or a construct. Prerequisite: The artificer must be 14th level to select this trick.
Greater Dispel (Sp): The artificer can spend one point of ingenuity to cast Greater Dispel as a spell-like ability. Prerequisite: The artificer must be 12th level to select this trick.
Greater Suppression (Su): The artificer can use his suppression ability has a standard action and, if successful, the effect lasts for minutes equal to his Intelligence modifier. Ending the suppression still requires a free action, but does not cost a point of ingenuity. He can also use this ability on attended magical items if successful with a melee touch attack that provokes. Prerequisite: The artificer must be 8th level to select this trick.
Instant Enchantment (Su): Assuming the artificer has necessary raw materials and mundane items, he can spend ingenuity points to instantly create an enchanted item. The resources, rules and necessary checks to make the item are still the same, but the total time required is a single standard action that provokes. The artificer must spend one ingenuity point per 10,000 gil of the intended item’s price. If the intended item is physically larger that the artificer, then it assembles itself adjacent to the artificer as if grew in place. Otherwise, the artificer is wielding (but not wearing), the finished item. Prerequisite: The artificer must be 18th level to select this trick.
Mass Duplication (Su): The artificer can his Duplication ability to copy the properties of a single magical item he is touching onto any appropriate item within 60 feet, spending one point of ingenuity per item that is being copied. Anyone wielding a targeted item to be copied can resist with a successful Will save with a DC equal to 10 + half the engineer’s level + his Intelligence modifier. With the exception of the original item having multiple copies, this functions exactly like the Duplication ability. Prerequisites: The artificer must be 20th level and have the Duplication ingenuity trick to select this trick.
Recharge (Su): An artificer can recharge certain enchanted items by spending ingenuity points. Only items that can be recharged normally, like staves, can be recharged by the artificer and regardless of the type of item recharged, it takes a standard action that provokes and the artificer must be wielding or wearing the item. If the item is recharged by sacrificing MP, the amount of ingenuity points required to recharge in the item is equal to the MP that the item can generate. Prerequisite: The artificer must be 8th level to select this trick.
Redesign (Su): An artificer can spend one point of ingenuity to temporarily redesign a magical item. The artificer must have all of the item creation feats necessary to create the original magical item and the desired item is limited in the following ways: The new item’s total gil piece value cannot exceed the current gil piece value of the original item (modified appropriately for reduced charges, etc). The new item cannot involve any item creation feats that the original item did not use. The caster level of new item cannot exceed the caster level of the original item. If the original item took a body slot, the desired item must use the same body slot or be slotless (costing appropriately more). If the new item would normally have charges or uses (either finite or per day), the new item only has a number of charges or uses equal to the artificer’s Intelligence modifier. If there is any condition that would cause the new item to become non-magical, like a single use wondrous item, the original item is no longer enchanted. Using this ability requires a standard action that provokes and the artificer must be touching the item. The redesign lasts for a number of minutes equal to the artificer’s Intelligence modifier, at which point, it reverts back to its original state (if able given how the temporary item was used). Prerequisite: The artificer must be 10th level to select this trick.
Rugged Craftsman (Ex): When an artificer is crafting magical items while adventuring on in a dangerous environment, he can spend a point of ingenuity to gain the full benefit of 4 hours per day, rather than the normal 2 hours of work for 4 hours of effort. The amount of gil piece value achieved per hour is still based on the normal 8 hours per day and divided normally. The artificer can also create multiple magical items in single day, provided that the total gil piece value is still within his gil piece limit per day for enchanting. Prerequisite: The artificer must be 8th level to select this trick.
Saving Throws (Su): Whenever an artificer is using a magical item that creates one or more effects that requires a saving throw, he can spend one point of ingenuity per effect (not per affected target) to replace the normal saving throw DC of the magical item with a DC equal to 10 + half of the engineer’s level + his Intelligence modifier. This ability cannot be used in constructs. Using this ability is part of activating or releasing the magical item. Prerequisite: The artificer must be 6th level to select this trick.
Spell Completion (Su): The artificer can apply any one metamagic feat he knows to a spell cast from a spell completion item, such as a scroll. To do this, the artificer spend a number of ingenuity points equal the spell level modifier of the metamagic feat. The maximum number of ingenuity points that can be spent using this ability is equal to one half the number of ranks the artificer has in Use Magic Device, rounded down. Using this ability is part of the same action as using the spell or power completion item. Prerequisite: The artificer must be 6th level to select this trick.
Spell Trigger (Su): An artificer can apply any one metamagic feat he knows to a spell cast from a spell trigger item, such as a wand. To do this, the artificer must spend a number of ingenuity points equal to 1 plus the spell level adjustment from the metamagic feat. The maximum number of ingenuity points that can be spent using this ability is equal to one half the number of ranks the artificer has in Use Magic Device, rounded down. Using this ability is part of activating the spell trigger item. Prerequisite: The artificer must be 6th level to select this trick.
Suppression (Su): By spending one point of ingenuity and a full-round action that provokes, the artificer can attempt to suppress an unattended magical item or an unattended object that is the subject of a magical effect for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier. Doing so requires the artificer to touch the item and succeed in a caster level check against a DC equal to 11 + the caster level of the item or the effect on the item. Using this ability on magical or psionic traps causes the trap to be bypassed for as long as it is suppressed. This ability can used to suppress a cursed item, although removing a suppressed cursed item does not always remove the effects of the curse. If the artificer knows the item is cursed before he attempts to suppress it, he is not subject the effects of the cursed item.
These abilities replace augmentation engineer tricks.
Improved Metamagic Science (Su)
At 8th level, an artificer gains the ability to apply a metamagic feat he knows to a spell completion item (a scroll, for example). He must have the appropriate item creation feat for the spell completion item he is using. The DC for the Use Magic Device check is equal to 20 + (3 times the modified level of the spell).
This abiliy replaces durable materials.
Improved Jack of All Trades (Ex)
At 11th level, all skills are now considered class skills for the artificer, receiving the usual +3 bonus given to class skill checks.
This ability replaces unflustered.
Skill Mastery (Ex)
At 13th level, an artificer can take 10 when making Spellcraft or Use Magic Device checks, even if stress and distractions would normally prevent him from doing so. This ability circumvents the normal rule that a character may not take 10 on a Use Magic Device check.
This ability replaces precise timing.
Efficient Crafting (Ex)
At 20th level, the rate at which the artificer crafts magical items increases by a factor of 10. Thus, an artificer that normally crafts at a rate of 1,000 gil per day now crafts at a rate 10,000 gil per day. Any increases to the the default rate also increase by the same factor of 10, so if the artificer normally created wondrous items at 1,300 gil per day, he now creates it at a rate of 13,000 gil per day.
This ability replaces one with machines.