Inventor.........the Fantasy Engineer

[baran_i_kanu]

Hey all. One of my regulars has requested an inventor type class, originally wanting an Artificer but we slowly turned it towards a less magical and more steam-punkish powered class.

Putting our heads together we cobbled the following, based heavily on bits from the d20 pulp Inventor class and bits of repair ideas from the Steamtinker class posted almost a year ago on the Trolls' forums ( http://www.freeyabb.com/phpbb/viewtopic ... llordgames ), as well as Sky Gnomes from Top Ballista.

I think it isn't too overpowered and a lot of fun to play especially with the limited uses placed on the machines. Scrabbling to fix that fireball gun during a fight after only a shot or two is something i'm looking forward to DMing very much.
We'll find out tomorrow as we're rolling up 5th level characters tonight and are running a game with it tomorrow.

Inventor (Fantasy Engineer)

The Inventor is a fantastical engineer, fusing clockwork, water, steam, and other fantastic technology to create incredible machines which duplicate magical effects.

Exp: as Cleric

HD: d6

BtH: as Wizard

Armor: Leather, leather coat, padded, ring mail, studded leather, chain shirt, small shield

Weapons: Blowpipe, club, dagger, light hammer, hand axe, hand crossbow, javelin, knife, light crossbow, mace, short bow, short sword, sling.

Class abilities: Create machines (Int), free machines, improve machines, decipher script, open locks, traps.

1st Create Machines and Free Machines

4th Miniaturization

8th Simplification

12th Improvisation

Prime: Intelligence

CREATE MACHINES

Basics:

The player is capable of creating a machine, a machine that duplicates the effects of spells both divine and arcane. An Inventor can create a number of machines equal to his level plus his Int bonus.

Each machine replicates a specific spell, such as a shield spell backpack, a fireball gun, etc. The Inventor must be of sufficient level to replicate a spell. This is identical to a Wizard gaining spells as he levels.

Example: At 3rd level, the Inventor can now build a device to replicate 2nd level spells. At 5th level the Inventor may build a device to replicate 3rd level spells, etc..

The machine can only be used a limited number of times per before it is in need of repair. The use number is identical to the Wizards daily spell chart.

Example: At fifth level, the Inventor can use his fireball gun ( a 3rd level spell) once before it requires repair. He can use his magic missile (1st level) gun four times before it requires repair.

The Inventor can attempt to repair a machine with an Int check with a CL based on how fast he needs to do the repair plus the spell level replicated. CL = 10 for 1 round/ 5 for 1 minute/ 0 for 15 minutes + Spell level. There is no penalty for failure except time lost to reattempt the repair. Once the repair is completed the machine may be used the next round and will function until it has again reached its maximum usage and be repaired again. There is no limit to the number of repairs that can be made.

These machines only REPLICATE magical effects and cannot be dispelled. However, if the machine is attacked and is sufficiently damaged, its effects cease.

When a replicated spell calls for a Caster Level, the Inventors level is used.

Create Machine Checks:

Once the inventor has an idea of what he wishes to accomplish, he can set about creating a working model. Going from idea to working machine, however, takes some time, hard work, and gold. Base price for a machine is 500 gp per spell level of the machine.

A working model requires eight man-hours per level of the replicated spell to attempt and a successful Create Machine check, with the level of the discovery as the CL.

If he fails, then he has to start over losing the time spent. The materials may be damaged however.

Roll a 1d6: 1 the materials are destroyed in the machine failure. 2-3 half of the materials are useable again causing the Inventor to spend half the original cost for new materials. 4-6 the materials are all reusable.

Weight and Body Slots:

A machine tends to be bulky, weighing in at around ten pounds per level of the discovery. They also take up a number of slots as equipment, often resulting in a fantastic-looking outfit for an inventor with several machines being used. The higher level the item, the more slots it may take up. See the attached table for how many slots are required per machine level.

Possible slots for a machine include the head, eyes, back, torso, forearms, hands, belt, cape, legs, and boots. If an machine is not portable, that means that it must be a fixed position machine and cannot be carried or worn. It might, however, be mountable on a wagon or made into a fixed structure all its own.

Example: The magic missile gun (1st level) requires two slots, the Inventor builds it to cover the hand and arm.

Machine Spell Level Slots Used

1 2

2-3 3

4-5 4

6-7 5

8+ Not Portable

Complexity:

The machine is usually so complex that only the inventor himself, or someone who succeeds at an Int check with a CL of the discovery level can figure it out how to operate it. Only other Inventors, Sky Gnomes, etc. may add their level to this check.

FREE MACHINES

The first level Inventor begins with one 0-level (with four uses) and one 1st -level machine (with one use), built and working, for free. After this he must pay for and build his machines normally as he gains levels.

IMPROVE MACHINE ABILITIES

These abilities allows an Inventor to improve upon his machines by making them smaller, more affordable,

more durable, what have you. Whenever the Inventor gains this ability, he selects one of the following improvements, which he can use on his machines from then on.

4th Level, Miniaturization: This ability allows the creation of more portable versions of an machine, by reducing its number of slots by one.

8th Level, Simplification: Normally, only the inventor and a person succeeding an Int check can make use of an machine. However as the Inventor becomes more skilled at tweaking is machine he can make it simpler for others to use. With the simplification, anyone attempting to use it may add their level to the Int check.

12th Level, Improvisation: Normally, an inventor cannot build a machine for which he hasnt used a discovery slot. However,

this ability allows him to build someone elses discovery, so long as his level allows for it. The CL of copying a machine in this fashion increases by +2, however.

So that's it.

As I said it'll get tested tomorrow.

Comments and helpful hints will be appreciated as always but I think we're happy with the finished product here.

Dave

p.s. cross posted on Dragonsfoot.
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[Eisenmann]

I like it! Let us how how it goes in play. More classes for C&C is a good thing.

[baran_i_kanu]

And we already found something we forgot.

Int bonus added to number of times the machine is used before it needs repair. This is added to the chart the same as the Wizards bonus spells from high Int.

Int bonus of +2 gives extra first and second spell level use, etc.

This will give the lower level machines an extra use before repair.

Dave
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[baran_i_kanu]

well we're in the middle of the first game with this class. it's been a fun one and i'm running into problem areas i anticipated.

mainly the number of times the machines can be used.

i really need to put a more severe restriction on this one but i knew i would have to come up with something. with repairs the machiine is essentially of unlimited use.

i'm thinking of having the repair time increased greatly, almost to the eight hours per level of building the machine and having a percentage cost added in for repairs for materials needed.

will post more later.

dave
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[Nelzie]

I like the initial concept, I have something similar in my game world. I'm jut not keen on the whole replicating existing spells, the class may as well just be a standard wizard with the caveat that the wizard uses/creates devices, instead of memorizing spells everyday.
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[Turanil]

Nelzie wrote:
I like the initial concept. I'm jut not keen on the whole replicating existing spells, the class may as well just be a standard wizard with the caveat that the wizard uses/creates devices, instead of memorizing spells everyday.

+1

Using spells as guideline to what can be done or not, is a good idea. However, I would implement all of this in a different way. Suggestion: use the psionic powers progression (power points, power known, etc.) of 3.5 psions (found for free on d20srd.org).
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[johns]

This guy has some definite disadvantages, compared to the wizard. He has to carry bulky machines (and a tool kit, one would assume), where the wizard needs only a spellbook and spell component pouch (and maybe a pointy hat).

And while a wizard gets 1 free spell per level (I think that's in the C&C PHB), this poor guy has to spend oodles of money to gain new "spells".

It seems to me that he needs something not only to distinguish him from the wizard, but to give him an edge. The repair concept seems to do this; in this way, it's not too different from the d20 sorcerer - fewer spells, but more uses. If you're really worried about unlimited uses, allow the inventor to repair a machine only once per day, or increase the difficulty every additional time per day that he repairs a machine. A failure would put the machine out of commission until a complete re-haul can be effected, taking 8 hours.

Also, because of his mechanical inclinations, I would give him the open locks and traps abilities of a rogue.

[baran_i_kanu]

johns wrote:
This guy has some definite disadvantages, compared to the wizard. He has to carry bulky machines (and a tool kit, one would assume), where the wizard needs only a spellbook and spell component pouch (and maybe a pointy hat).

And while a wizard gets 1 free spell per level (I think that's in the C&C PHB), this poor guy has to spend oodles of money to gain new "spells".

It seems to me that he needs something not only to distinguish him from the wizard, but to give him an edge. The repair concept seems to do this; in this way, it's not too different from the d20 sorcerer - fewer spells, but more uses. If you're really worried about unlimited uses, allow the inventor to repair a machine only once per day, or increase the difficulty every additional time per day that he repairs a machine. A failure would put the machine out of commission until a complete re-haul can be effected, taking 8 hours.

Also, because of his mechanical inclinations, I would give him the open locks and traps abilities of a rogue.

damn johns you read our minds. we were talking about the number of uses problem and we had the exact same ideas: only one repair a day (and i'll increase this to x2 at prob 12th level) as well a making repair difficulties higher. failure is going to result in a roll on a simple 1d6 chart to see what got screwed up if anything.

i already put in the locks and traps. it's above, in the original post, under class abilities in the beginning class description stuff. ( i didn't expand on it like i did the new abilities cause they're already in the game) my fault for making it hard to see.
also we're going to add in costs and difficulties for upgrading inventions at higher levels (for example, upping a fireball gun from 5d to 6d when you gain a new level, etc.) and for integrating inventions into each other at higher levels.

thanks for the input people. we're playing again this weekend and we'll see how the changes work.

dave
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Hey now,

I've stepped into the black

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[baran_i_kanu]

Nelzie wrote:
I like the initial concept, I have something similar in my game world. I'm jut not keen on the whole replicating existing spells, the class may as well just be a standard wizard with the caveat that the wizard uses/creates devices, instead of memorizing spells everyday.

yep.

but this was requested by one of my players. it was never an attempt to replace the wizard class. it was built to make my player enjoy his character concept, a quick and fairly simple build to please the player and now i'm trying to balance it out so it is not overly powered.

he finds it a fun diversion from playing standard magic users.

he enjoys the tinkering, the repairs, the whole clockwork-steamwork aspect of the thing. he likes playing a grubby little gnome covered in whirring, dirty, mysterious gizmos instead of packing a spellbook and wizards robe.

sure he gets more spell uses per day, but his actual "spells" are limited to a number of machines equal to his level + Int bonus, far less variety than a wizard's spell list.

ah, i'm allow him to build nonmagical gizmos with his create invention ability: dirigibles, steamwagons, etc.

i'm probably going to use the Skygnomes fantasy physics skill guidelines from basic D&D's Top Ballista.

Turanil wrote:
+1

Using spells as guideline to what can be done or not, is a good idea. However, I would implement all of this in a different way. Suggestion: use the psionic powers progression (power points, power known, etc.) of 3.5 psions (found for free on d20srd.org).

that would be a good idea but i don't want to complicate things more than they are. dealing with power points, etc. is not something i or my player wished to deal with.

good idea but just not for us.

dave
_________________
Hey now,

I've stepped into the black

I say hey now

I wont be coming back

I say hey now

I've left it all behind