Some engineers create magnificent technologies that enhance their already considerable abilities to forge, sculpt, or otherwise craft wondrous tools. These synthesists build constructors. These constructors, capable of building anything from mundane items to powerful magic weapons, are invaluable to adventuring synthesists looking for the right tool at the right time.
The synthesist is an archetype of the engineer class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The synthesist mainly focuses on DEX for martial combat and INT for his class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
4th – Support Droid.
Base Constructor (Ex)
Starting at 4th level, a base constructor is an item that takes up the synthesist’s belt or hands slot. It has a number of charges equal to the synthesist’s Intelligence modifier + half her engineer level per day. As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, the synthesist can expend a charge to create a simple item made of glass, clay, wood, stone, or a soft, non-precious metal or alloy such as brass, bronze, copper, or tin. The synthesist creates this item from raw energy and does not need to have the materials on hand that it would normally require.
The item can weigh no more than 5 pounds plus 1 pound per engineer level. The item cannot contain complex chemical components or moving parts, as a firearm would. The item must be sized so the synthesist can easily carry and hold in one or both hands. From the moment the item is created, it appears in hand, ready to use. Weapons created with a base constructor have the fragile weapon quality.
Using the base constructor, the synthesist can also create masterwork items. Doing so costs another charge, and the synthesist must make a Craft check with a DC equal to the item’s normal craft DC +10. If the synthesist fails this check, the base constructor creates a normal item instead, but the extra charge is still expended. Masterwork weapons created this way do not have the fragile weapon quality.
Items created by a base constructor have a fleeting existence. They last a number of minutes equal to the engineer’s class level before dissipating back into nothingness.
This ability replaces support droid and all upgrades.
Engineer Tricks
A synthesist can add the following engineer tricks to her repertoire when at the appropriate level.
Large Scale (Su): When the synthesist constructs a single item, its weight limit is multiplied by a hundred, letting her make large items such as wagons and small cottages. Creating such an item takes one round of concentration that provokes an attack of opportunity. When created, the item appears adjacent to the synthesist. Creatures present where the object appears are pushed into the nearest empty square but are otherwise unharmed. Prerequisite: The synthesist must be at least 12th level to select this trick.
Mass Assembly (Su): When making a non-magical, non-masterwork item, the synthesist can create more items at a time while still spending 1 charge. The combined weight limit of the items cannot exceed the normal weight limit. The synthesist can only create a maximum number of items at once equal to her Intelligence modifier. Prerequisite: The synthesist must be at least 6th level to select this trick.
Recall Item (Su): The synthesist selects a magical or masterwork item she has successfully created before. Whenever the synthesist uses the constructor to create this item, she receives a +10 circumstance bonus on all skill checks required to make it. Prerequisite: The synthesist must be at least 8th level to select this trick.
Constructor Upgrade 1
At 8th level, the synthesist can create iron and steel items. Also, she can create slightly more complex items than before, specifically those that require more than one component, such as a bow or a wooden spear with a steel point. The synthesist can also imbue a created item with magical properties.
To create a magical item, she must first create a masterwork item, then expend a third charge and make a Spellcraft check with a DC equal to the normal check required for creating the item + 15, not including any DC increases for not meeting the prerequisites of the item. The synthesist must still possess the necessary crafting feats for the item. If the synthesist fails this check, the item is destroyed and the charges are wasted.
For example, say that an 8th-level synthesist wishes to create a +1 longsword. First, she would spend 3 charges from her constructor and make a DC 20 Craft (Weapons) check.
Then, she would make a DC 23 Spellcraft check to imbue the sword with the appropriate amount of magic. If she instead wished to make a +1 flaming longsword, she would still need to expend the charges from her constructor and make the Craft check. However, in this case, the Spellcraft DC would increase to 30, or to 35 if she had not the scroll of the spell needed to fulfill the prerequisites.
The synthesist cannot create cursed items, materia, potions, scrolls, wands, or staves. Items with any abilities that emulate a spell (e.g., ring of invisibility) lose those abilities. If the synthesist creates an item that uses charges, that item starts with no charges and can only benefit the synthesist through passive means. For example, a luck blade still gives its bonus to saving throws and its reroll ability, but effectively has no wishes. Magic items created this way are even more temporary than mundane items created by the synthesist; they last only 1 round per level. The synthesist cannot create magic items for which she does not possess the necessary crafting feat. If a magic item created this way is successfully dispelled, the item dissipates entirely as if the duration of the item had expired. Magic items with effects that trigger upon destruction (e.g., staff of the magi) lose those effects.
Constructor Upgrade 2
At 12th level, the synthesist’s constructor can create more exotic and otherworldly materials from raw energy: mythril, darkwood, ironwood, alchemical silver, and even crystal. She can also create complex mechanical items, such as pocket watches and small steam engines, but not firearms unless she has the Gunsmithing feat. Any chemical components must still be provided normally. The mundane and masterwork items she creates become more persistent, lasting for 1 hour per engineer level.
Constructor Upgrade 3
At 16th level, the synthesist’s constructor can create more durable magic items, letting them last 1 minute per engineer level before dissipating entirely. Also, the synthesist can make a constructed item last indefinitely by expending double the normally needed charges to make that item. However, these spent charges do not return to the constructor until the item is destroyed or is dismissed by the synthesist, which requires a standard action.
Constructor Master Upgrade
At 20th level, the synthesist’s constructor becomes a veritable factory for all things the synthesist can imagine. As long as the item meets the necessary weight and handling requirements, the synthesist can create it by using the constructor. The synthesist can also create permanent magic items. To do so, she must create the item as normal through the constructor, spending double the normally required charges, as if giving the item unlimited duration. She must also sacrifice material equal to half the market value of the item. Items created this way are treated as normal magic items, receiving the normal number of charges and the ability to emulate spells. If these items are dispelled, they are suppressed as normal rather than destroyed. The synthesist must still possess the necessary crafting feats to build such items.
