Armorsmith (5e Subclass)
Armorsmith[edit]
Artificer Specialization
The armorsmith is a specialty for the artificer. This subclass focuses on altering the armor they wear, increasing their defense or giving them new abilities. Their trademark is an animated suit of armor which is their companion. This sometimes earns them the nickname of armor golemancers.
- Tools of the Trade
By the time you adopt this specialty at 3rd level, you’re deeply familiar with employing its tools.
- Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with smith's tools and leatherworker's tools, assuming you don’t already have them. You also gain smith's tools and leatherworker's tools for free — the result of tinkering you’ve done as you’ve prepared for this specialization.
- Crafting. If you craft a magic item in the armor category, it takes you a quarter of the normal time, and it costs you half as much of the usual gold.
- Armorsmith Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Armorsmith Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
| Artificer Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | mage armor, armor of agathys |
| 5th | arcane lock, nystul's magic aura |
| 9th | counterspell, protection from energy |
| 13th | private sanctum, stoneskin |
| 17th | antilife shell, transmute rock |
- Armor Animate
At 3rd level, you learn how to create a magical suit of armor that moves and attacks as your companion. Whenever you finish a short rest and your smith's or leatherworker's tools are with you, along with an unworn armor, you can animate this suit of armor in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of yourself. You can only animate one suit of armor at a time. If you already are animating another armor from this feature, the previous one immediately collapses. This suit of armor is friendly to you and other creatures friendly to you and will obey your commands. This Armor minion shares the same game statistics as an animated armor. The armor's appearance depends on what armor you used to animate it. In combat, the minion shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. The only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take one of the actions in its stat block or to take the Dash, Disengage, or Help action. If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d6 hit points. It cannot be healed by potions or healing spells. If it has died within the last hour, you can use your tools as an action to repair and reanimate it, provided you are within 5 feet of it and you expend a spell slot of 1st-level or higher. The armor minion returns to life with all its hit points restored.
- Armor Tinker
At 5th level, you know how to bolster the armors of allies to make them tougher without making them detrimental. As an action, you can touch a creature within melee range of you that is armored. If it is light armor, you can bolster it so it grants the AC bonus of medium armor. It retains its light armor quality and a creature can still fly wearing it. If the target creature is wearing medium armor, you can bolster it so it grants the AC of heavy armor, but it does not impose disadvantage in Dexterity (Stealth) checks. If the target is wearing heavy armor, you can remove any disadvantages it imposes on the creature. This effect lasts for a number of turns equal to double your Intelligence modifier. You may dispel these effects with a bonus action. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier. You regain use of this feature after finishing a long rest.
Alternatively, you can weaken the armor of enemies, making them more clunky or disabled. As a bonus action, you can touch a creature within melee range of you that is armored. You can choose one of the two effects to occur:
- You deftly disable their armor, ridding them of any armor bonus they have. On their next turn, they may use an action to reposition their armor and regain their armor bonus. You can use this feature a number of times equal to half your Intelligence modifier, rounded down. You regain use of this feature after finishing a long rest.
- You dent their armor here and there, making it very hard to move in it. The target creature rolls with disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws for a number of turns equal to your Intelligence modifier, after which they adapt or their movement at least shapes the armor back to its original state. You regain use of this feature after you finish a short or long rest.
- Shift Deterioration
Starting at 9th level, you gain the ability to change the weaknesses of enemies and tamper with their defenses, shifting them to your advantage. As an action, you magically mark a number of creatures equal to your Intelligence modifier within 60 feet of you that you can see. Choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. Each creature marked takes an additional damage dice from that damage type dealt for the next minute.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses after a long rest.
- Defense Enhance
By 15th level, your great knowledge about armor can not only bolster their defenses or debilitate them, but also augment and add extra bonuses to them. As an action, you can touch a creature within melee range of you that is armored and grant them resistance to slashing, bludgeoning, or piercing damage (magical and nonmagical). This effect lasts for one minute. You may dispel these effects with a bonus action. You can use this feature a number of times equal to half your Intelligence modifier, rounded down. You regain use of this feature after finishing a long rest.
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