Lord Artificer (3.5e Prestige Class)

Lord Artificer

“	Though the gods of our slaves seek to destroy our empire, as long as invention and innovation remains the Lord Artificers' legacy shall remain immortal!	”
—Yuvaraj, Last Lord Artificer of Imaskar, fragmentary records of the Empire of Imaskar, dated a day before Yuvaraj's battle with the god Horus

Once the Lord Artificers were the absolute rulers of the Ancient Empire of Imaskar, today they represent the few elite spellcasters that dedicate their entire existence in creating many terrible and wondrous magic items of great power.

Becoming a Lord Artificer

Arcane spellcasters that wish to dedicate themselves in crafting magic items are the ones most drawn to become a Lord Artificer. Most Lord Artificers are wizards or sorcerers, however, other arcane spellcasters have been known to become powerful Lord Artificers. Known to be capable of creating almost any magic item, NPC Lord Artificers are usually powerful and influential practitioners and are always in high demand within great cities.

Entry Requirements

Feats:	Any item creation feat, and Artificer Initiate feat.
Spellcasting:	Able to cast 2nd level arcane spells.

Table: The Lord Artificer

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Craft Reserve	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Lord Artificer Item Creation, Disable Trap, Detect Magic	500	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Bonus Feat, Artificer Power +1, Identify	700	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Artificer Defense +1	900	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus Feat, Metamagic Spell Trigger	1,200	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Artificer Power +2, Soul of Creation	1,500	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bonus Feat, Artificer Defense +2, Skill Mastery	2,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Metamagic Spell Completion, Vision	2,500	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Bonus Feat, Artificer Power +3, Recharge Item	3,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Artificer Defense +3, Absorb Essence 1/day, Discern Location	4,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Bonus Feat, Lord of Artifice 15%, Creation Genesis 1/day, Deny Exodus 1/day	5,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Table: The Epic Lord Artificer

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Craft Reserve	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
11th	+1	+0	+0	+0	Artificer Power +4, Lord of Artifice 16%, Absorb Essence 2/day	10,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
12th	+1	+1	+1	+1	Artificer Defense +4, Lord of Artifice 17%, Creation Genesis 2/day, Deny Exodus 2/day	15,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
13th	+2	+1	+1	+1	Bonus Feat, Lord of Artifice 18%, Absorb Essence 3/day	20,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
14th	+2	+2	+2	+2	Artificer Power +5, Lord of Artifice 19%, Creation Genesis 3/day, Deny Exodus 3/day	25,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
15th	+3	+2	+2	+2	Artificer Defense +5, Lord of Artifice 20%, Absorb Essence 4/day	30,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
16th	+3	+3	+3	+3	Bonus Feat, Lord of Artifice 21%, Creation Genesis 4/day, Deny Exodus 4/day	35,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
17th	+4	+3	+3	+3	Artificer Power +6, Lord of Artifice 22%, Absorb Essence 5/day	40,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
18th	+4	+4	+4	+4	Artificer Defense +6, Lord of Artifice 23%, Creation Genesis 5/day, Deny Exodus 5/day	45,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
19th	+5	+4	+4	+4	Bonus Feat, Lord of Artifice 24%, Absorb Essence 6/day	50,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
20th	+5	+5	+5	+5	Artificer Power +7, Lord of Artifice 25%, Creation Genesis 6/day, Deny Exodus 6/day	55,000	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

Class Features

As a Lord Artificer, you dedicate your life in discovering and creating new magic items and learning new ways to manipulate them and bring them to their full potential. All of the following are class features of the Lord Artificer.

Spellcasting: At each level, 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 an arcane 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 arcane spellcasting class before becoming a Lord Artificer, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known. Additionally, all infusions from the artificer list are added to your list of class spells and treated as arcane spells. Finally, you loose one spell slot from each non-epic spell level of the choosen arcane spellcaster class. A Lord Artificer cannot reduce his base spell slots to less that 1. For example a 5th level wizard has one 3rd level spell slot, while a 6th level wizard has one instead of two 3rd level spell slot, his second spell slot lost due to being a Lord Artificer. The lost spells represents the great training needed for this class.

Lord Artificer Item Creation (Ex): A Lord Artificer can create magic items even if he does not have access to the spells and other prerequisites for the item. The character must make a successful Use Magic Device check (DC 20 + caster level) to emulate each spell normally required to create the item. The Lord Artificer may also need to make other separate Use Magic Device checks emulate other requirements. See Use Magic Device entry for more info. He cannot emulate skill or feat requirements, however, including item creation feat prerequisites.

The Lord Artificer must make a successful check for each prerequisite for each item he makes. If he fails a check, he can try each day until the item is complete. 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 for that day. If that check also fails, then the creation process fails and the time, money and XP expended to create the item is lost.

For the purposes of meeting item prerequisites, a Lord Artificer's effective caster level is +2 higher. If the item duplicates a spell effect, however, it uses the Lord Artificer's actual spellcaster level. Costs are always determined using the item's minimum caster level or the Lord Artificer's caster level if it is higher. He must meet the caster level prerequisite, including minimum level to cast a spell stored in a magic item.

Craft Reserve (Ex): A Lord Artificer receives a pool of points he can spend instead of experience points when crafting a magic item or casting spells. Each time the Lord Artificer gains a new level, he gains an addition to his craft reserve. An epic Lord Artificer's craft reserve increases by 5,000 points per level above 10th. (10,000 at 11th level, 15,000 points at 12th level, and so on.)

Disable Trap (Ex): A Lord Artificer can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a DC higher than 20. Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create the trap.

A Lord Artificer can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. Usually the DC is 25 + the level of the spell used to create the trap. A Lord Artificer who beats a trap's DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with his party) without disarming it.

Detect Magic (Sp): A Lord Artificer is constantly under the effect of a Detect Magic spell at his caster level as if he has taken 3 rounds to analyze his surroundings. The area of the spell is also changed into 10 ft. radius per Lord Artificer level. This effect can be dispelled, but the Lord Artificer can reactivate it as a free action.

Bonus Feats: At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level a Lord Artificer gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, he can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, feats that can affect his class skills or any feat related to spellcasting. The epic Lord Artificer gains a bonus feat every 3 levels beyond 10th level.

Artificer Power (Ex): At 2nd level, when a Lord Artificer uses a magic item he can use his spellcaster level to determine its effective level. Spell effects that originate from a magic item are considered as being cast by the Lord Artificer, treat the saving throw as if the wielder cast the spell, including caster level and all modifiers to save DC and caster level checks to overcome SR among others. Also, the save DC of any effect from a magic item is equal to 10 + the Lord Artificer's level + its primary spellcasting ability modifier or it's original saving throw DC, whichever is higher. Futhermore, the save DC and attack rolls from a magic item increases by 1. This bonus increases by 1 for every 3 levels afterwards. (+2 Atk and DC at 5th level, +3 Atk and DC at 8th level, and so on.)

Identify (Sp): At 2nd level, a Lord Artificer can use Identify as the spell of the same name at will as a spell-like ability at his spellcaster level.

Artificer Defense (Ex): At 3rd level, a Lord Artificer's constant study of magic items grants him a +1 bonus to all saving throws and AC to resist attacks from magic items. This bonus increases by 1 for every 3 levels afterwards. (+2 at 6th level, +3 at 9th level, and so on.)

Metamagic Spell Trigger (Su): At 4th level, a Lord Artificer gains the ability to apply any number of metamagic feats he knows to a spell trigger item (generally a wand or staff). 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 feats would add to a spell.

Soul of Creation (Su): At 5th level, a Lord Artificer can now create magic items with less or no expensive material components by using greater portions of his life force. Whenever a Lord Artificer creates a magic item he can reduce its gold piece cost by 12.5 for each additional 1 experience point used. This ability can be used to reduce a magic item's total gold piece cost to 0. Additionally, the character can now create 1,000 gp per Lord Artificer level worth of magic items per day. (For example 5,000 gp per day at 5th level, 10,000 gp per day at 10th level, and so on.) Normally a character can only create 1,000 gp worth of magic items per day.

Skill Mastery (Ex): At 6th level, a Lord Artificer can always take 10 when using any of its class skills even if distracted or engaged in combat. This ability circumvents the normal rule that a character may not take 10 on a Use Magic Device check.

Metamagic Spell Completion (Su): At 7th level, a Lord Artificer gains the ability to apply any number of metamagic feats he knows to a spell completion item (generally a scroll). He must have the appropriate item creation feat for the spell trigger item he is using. The DC for the Use Magic Device check is equal to 20 + (3 x the modified level of the spell). A Lord Artificer can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Lord Artificer level + his primary spellcasting ability modifier.

Vision (Sp): At 7th level, a Lord Artificer can use Vision as the spell of the same name at will as a spell-like ability at his spellcaster level, however, he can only use this ability when pertaining to objects.

Recharge Item (Su): At 8th level, as a standard action a Lord Artificer can restore one charge on target touched item by expending a number of total spell levels equal to the highest spell level that the item can cast. Charged magic items that do not duplicate spell effects can also be charged, the DM determines the appropriate spell level based on the magic item's power.

Absorb Essence (Su): Once per day, at 9th level, a Lord Artificer can drain the magical properties of touched magic item as a standard action. This action provokes an attack of opportunity. The target item can resist this effect with a successful Fortitude Save (DC 10 + the Lord Artificer's level + primary spellcasting ability modifier). Once resisted, the magic item becomes immune to this Lord Artificer's absorb essence for 24 hours. Unattended, non-intelligent magic items do not get any saving throws. If the magic item fails its save, it immediately looses all magical properties and the Lord Artificer gains additional points to its craft reserve equal to the experience points used to create the magic item plus 1 additional experience point for every 12.5 gold piece used to create the item. For charged items reduce the items cost based on remaining number of charges. Artifacts can only be partially affected by this ability. Instead of loosing its magical properties an artifact instead temporarily looses its powers for 1d4 + the Lord Artificer's level rounds. No experience points are added to his craft reserve in this scenario. At epic levels, a Lord Artificer gains 1 additional use of this ability per day at every odd numbered level starting at 11th level. (2/day at 11th level, 3/day at 13th level, and so on.)

Discern Location (Sp): At 9th level, a Lord Artificer can use Discern Location as the spell of the same name at will as a spell-like ability at his spellcaster level, however, he can only use this ability when pertaining to objects.

Lord of Artifice (Ex): At 10th level, a Lord Artificer has mastered the art of crafting magic items. The Lord Artificer can now create magic items with its experience points and gold piece cost reduced by 15%. At epic levels, the cost is further reduced by 1% starting at 11th level. (16% at 11th level, 17% at 12th level, and so on.) A Lord Artificer cannot reduce the total creation cost of a single magic item to less than 10% of its base cost even if he has other feats or powers that can reduce its cost to lower than that value.

Creation Genesis (Su): At 10th level, a Lord Artificer has reach the epitome of magic item creation and can now create a single magic item as a full round action once per day. At epic levels, a Lord Artificer gains 1 additional use of this ability per day at every even numbered level starting at 12th level. (2/day at 12th level, 3/day at 14th level, and so on.)

Deny Exodus (Su): At 10th level, a Lord Artificer has gained the power to protect any magic item within 10 ft. per Lord Artificer level. Once per day, if a magic item within range is destroyed the Lord Artificer can instantly prevent its destruction and restore it to full hit points as an immediate reaction. At epic levels, a Lord Artificer gains 1 additional use of this ability per day at every even numbered level starting at 12th level. (2/day at 12th level, 3/day at 14th level, and so on.)

Campaign Information

Playing a Lord Artificer

Combat: As spellcasters, a Lord Artificer typically assumes the role of controller. You exert control through magical effects that cover large areas, sometimes hindering foes, sometimes destroying them outright. Your vast array of magical items also allows you to have whatever is needed in any given situation, which makes for a very versatile character.

Resources: Lord Artificers usually lead magic item creation and research branch of local arcane guilds. Visiting Lord Artificers can usually ask for assistance from arcane guilds in exchange for a favor, which usually takes the form of crafting magic items or helping research them.

Lord Artificers in the World

“	So you need a Staff of Power, eh? One moment... Here you go!	”
—Ilphemon, Human Lord Artificer

While traditional spellcasters delve into the arcane and use mighty spells, it is the Lord Artifcers that can claim to be the source of magic in the world iself. Indeed it is not far from the truth, for it is through the efforts of notable Lord Artificers that many of the magical conveniences of today are available. In many ways they keep the magical world running.

NPC Reactions: Most common people treat Lord Artificers as they do other arcane spellcasting classes. On the other hand, nobles and affluent merchants may request for the services of Lord Artificers to craft magic items for them.

Lord Artificer Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can research Lord 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
10	Lord Artificers are masters in creating magic items.
15	Lord Artificers gain greater mastery in item creation at the expense of their spellcasting power.
20	Lord Artificers can use magic items with greater efficiency than others and are also harder to affect using magic items.
25	The most powerful Lord Artificers can create, destroy or protect magic items at their whim.

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