Artificer (3.5e Prestige Class)

Artificer

“	The forges are my home, the fiery heat, my ally, and the steel, my slave.	”
—Melissa Travoris, Grey Elf Artificer, The Massacre of 12 Pillows

The Artificer is a master of the arts of magic and creation, able to craft from the most worn out metal a magical item of power. They wield these constructive energies with a masterful grace and their art is one that has been passed down through many years of creation.

Becoming an Artificer

The Artificer is any spellcaster that wants to become a superior crafter. It fully focuses on the creation of items and reducing the time and cost of creation. In order for you to become an artificer, you must take 1 level in a spellcasting class.

Entry Requirements

Skills:	Knowledge(Arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge(Architecture and Engineering) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks, Craft(Any) 5 ranks.
Feats:	Craft Wondrous Item.
Spellcasting:	Can cast 2nd level spells or possesses imbue item class feature

Table: The Artificer

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Bonus Feat, Disenchant, Item Creation	+1 level of existing class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Efficient Progress 10%	+1 level of existing class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Bonus Feat, Magical Crafting +1	+1 level of existing class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Efficient Progress 20%	+1 level of existing class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus Feat	+1 level of existing class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Efficient Progress 30%, Magical Crafting +2	+1 level of existing class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bonus Feat, Superior Disenchant	+1 level of existing class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Efficient Progress 40%	+1 level of existing class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Bonus Feat, Magical Crafting +3	+1 level of existing class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Efficient Progress 50%	+1 level of existing class
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Appraise(Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha) .

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Artificer.

Spellcasting: At each level after first, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming an Artificer, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Bonus Feats: An Artificer may take any Craft feat as a bonus feat at first level, even if he doesn't meets the prerequisites for the feat. He also gains a bonus feat every two levels thereafter.

Disenchant (Su): At 1st level, the Artificer is capable of using the essences of other magic items to fuel his own work. He gains the ability to 'disenchant' magical items, turning them back into lesser components. A disenchanted magic item loses all of its magical properties and the Artificer gains magical essence that can be used for other crafting. This essence is equal to 25% of the original experience value on the disenchanted item. (same formula still works when the artificer disenchants items that are worth experience or have gem values) Magic Essence takes the form of dimly glowing crystals that weight 1 pound each. If an item has charges, the essence gained is divided by the amount of expended charges. Since there are so many items in the game, when an artificer disenchants an item, the essences that are given to him will be rolled for with a percentage die. (once again, the DM ultimately chooses what items to give the artificer.
Example: An artificer disenchants an item that is worth 200 exp. He gains an essence, worth 50 exp. He also gets items but only 25% of the original items value.

Item Creation (Ex): An artificer can create a magic item even if he does not have access to the spells that are prerequisites for the item. The artificer must make a successful Use Magic Device check (DC 20 + caster level) to emulate each spell normally required to create the item. Thus, to make a 1st-level wand of magic missile, an artificer would need a Use Magic Device check result of 21 or higher. To create a bottle of air (caster level 7th), he would need a check result of 27 or higher to emulate the water breathing prerequisite. The artificer must make a successful check for each prerequisite for each item he makes. If he fails a check, he can try again each day until the item is complete (see Creating Magic Items, page 282 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). If he comes to the end of the crafting time and he has still not successfully emulated one of the powers, he can make one final check—his last-ditch effort, even if he has already made a check that day. If that check also fails, then the creation process fails and the time, money, and XP expended to craft the item are lost. For purposes of meeting item prerequisites, an artificer's effective caster level equals his caster level +2. If the item duplicates a spell effect, however, it uses the artificer's actual caster level Costs are always determined using the item's minimum caster level or the artificer's actual level (if it is higher). An artificer can also make Use Magic Device checks to emulate nonspell requirements, including alignment and race, using the normal DCs for the skill. He cannot emulate skill or feat requirements, however, including item creation feat prerequisites. He must meet the caster level prerequisite, including the minimum level to cast a spell he stores in a potion, wand, or scroll.

Efficient Progress (Ex): The Artificer is adept at the crafting of magical items. At every even level, the Artificer is able to reduce the amount of time, gold and xp expended on the creation of a magic item by the indicated number (Increments of 10%)

Magical Crafting (Ex): The Artificer is a master of the energies he commands in order to imbue his items. Starting at level 3, whenever creating an item, treat the Artificer's caster level as 1 higher. This increases by +1 every 3 levels.

Superior Disenchant: At 7th level, the Artificer's understanding of magic allows him to draw even more power from magical items. Whenever he disenchants an item, he gains a Greater Magical Essence, which holds 50% of the original experience rather than 25%.

Campaign Information

Playing an Artificer

Combat: An Artificer is a primary spellcaster, they gain the full spell level of their base class and they can use that to their full advantage, especially when combining with their own magical creations to cause widespread destruction. Artificers are also proficient with all base weapons but cannot EVER use martial weapons.

Advancement: After fully becoming one with the constructive powers of the Artificer, they usually go back to their normal spellcasting class or pursue another class that will complement their creation abilities.

Resources: The Artificer can create and sell all kinds of various gadgets and doodads. This can often get them recogized by various trading companies and supplied with the necessary raw material.

Artificers in the World

“	She used such weird devices, they had no idea what hit them... Literally.	”
—Tim the Cowardly Monk, Elf Monk

The Artificer is a creator, bringing forth magical and wondrous items. They are the backbone of magical item selling, creating various items for the shops and their own party.

NPC Reactions: Normal people may be quite surprised by the variety of items that an Artificer may carry, various magical doodads and exotic items with special properties. But, some are known to be suppliers for various magic shops.

Artificer Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can research Artificer to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (Arcana)

DC	Result
11	Artificers make magic items with their own magic abilities.
16	Using his own magical powers, the Artificer can imbue mundane items cheaply by using extreme proficiency.
21	The Artificer gains the power to even draw the magical essences from items, using the essence for other items.
26	An Artificer's power draws directly from his own magic and his soul, creating powerful items without the need to complicate things with unnecessary methods.

Artificers in the Game

An Artificer can be anywhere where there is magic; creating items for adventurers or teaching their art at magical colleges. They could easily exist, simply mistaken as wizards or clerics in any society, with a range of strange gadgets.

Adaptation: Any caster could possibly be an Artificer, so slotting them in is easy.

Sample Encounter: While taking an ale in the 12 Pillows Inn, a fight suddenly kicks up; a band of five adventuers have provoked some low-lives and the party has been roped into the fight. One of the band is a female with a variety of peculiar gadgets...

EL 13: Melissa Travoris

Melissa Travoris (DnD NPC)

Weaker Redux Variant

Table: The Artificer

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Disenchant, Item Creation	+1 level of existing class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Efficient Progress 5%	+1 level of existing class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Magical Crafting +1
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Efficient Progress 10%	+1 level of existing class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus Feat	+1 level of existing class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Efficient Progress 15%, Magical Crafting +2
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Superior Disenchant	+1 level of existing class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Efficient Progress 20%	+1 level of existing class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Magical Crafting +3
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Efficient Progress 25%	+1 level of existing class
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Appraise(Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Artificer.

Spellcasting: At each level each level except for 3rd, 6th and 9th, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Artificer, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Redux Disenchant (Su): At 1st level, the Artificer is capable of using the essences of other magic items to fuel his own work. He gains the ability to 'disenchant' magical items, turning them back into lesser components. A disenchanted magic item loses all of its magical properties and the Artificer gains magical essence that can be used for other crafting. This essence supplies experience equal to 10% of the original experience used on the disenchanted item. Magic Essence takes the form of dimly glowing crystals that weight 1 pound each. If an item has charges, the essence gained is divided by the amount of expended charges.
Example: An artificer disenchants an item that's experience cost was 200. When he goes to craft another item, he can use the magical essence from the previous item to reduce the experience cost by 20 (10% of 200).

Item Creation (Ex): An artificer can create a magic item even if he does not have access to the spells that are prerequisites for the item. The artificer must make a successful Use Magic Device check (DC 20 + caster level) to emulate each spell normally required to create the item. Thus, to make a 1st-level wand of magic missile, an artificer would need a Use Magic Device check result of 21 or higher. To create a bottle of air (caster level 7th), he would need a check result of 27 or higher to emulate the water breathing prerequisite. The artificer must make a successful check for each prerequisite for each item he makes. If he fails a check, he can try again each day until the item is complete (see Creating Magic Items, page 282 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). If he comes to the end of the crafting time and he has still not successfully emulated one of the powers, he can make one final check—his last-ditch effort, even if he has already made a check that day. If that check also fails, then the creation process fails and the time, money, and XP expended to craft the item are lost. For purposes of meeting item prerequisites, an artificer's effective caster level equals his caster level +2. If the item duplicates a spell effect, however, it uses the artificer's actual caster level Costs are always determined using the item's minimum caster level or the artificer's actual level (if it is higher). An artificer can also make Use Magic Device checks to emulate nonspell requirements, including alignment and race, using the normal DCs for the skill. He cannot emulate skill or feat requirements, however, including item creation feat prerequisites. He must meet the caster level prerequisite, including the minimum level to cast a spell he stores in a potion, wand, or scroll.

Redux Efficient Progress (Ex): The Artificer is well adept at the crafting of magical items. At every even level, the Artificer is able to reduce the amount of time, gold and xp expended on the creation of a magic item by the indicated number (Increments of 5%)

Redux Superior Disenchant: At 7th level, the Artificer's understanding on magic allows him to draw even more power from magical items. Whenever he disenchants an item, he gains a Greater Magical Essence, which holds 20% of the original experience rather than 10%.

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