Inventor

Inventor

A faerin sits hunched over a workbench in a room cluttered with every sort of tool, carefully drawing the final lines to an intricate rune. With a crackling hum of arcane energy, the completed rune flares with power, and she watches with a smile of pride as the golem comes to life and stands.

A troll growls in hunger as it looms over a dwarf, who slides a long, metal tube from a holster at his belt. With a thundering boom, a gout of energy erupts from the tube, and the troll's growls turn into shrieks of panic as it turns to flee.

With a thunderous crash of energy a figure lands in the middle of the battlefield. As the smoke clears, a towering presence stands amidst the war-torn battlefield clad in glowing mechanical plate mail. The glowing visor swivels to inspect the wreckage. It raises a gauntlet, and lightning crackles forth.

Makers of magic-infused objects, inventors are defined by their innovative nature. Like wizards, they see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and controlled through a combination of thorough study and investigation. Inventors, though, focus on creating marvelous, new magical objects. Spells are often too ephemeral and temporary for their tastes. Instead, they seek to craft durable, useful items.

Cunning Inventors

Every inventor is defined by a specific craft. Inventors see mastering the basics of a craft as the first step towards true progress, the invention of new methods, and innovative approaches. Inventors are arcane engineers, students of invention and warfare who craft deadly firearms, ingenious gadgets, magical armor, and mechanical beings that they can augment with magic.

All inventors are united by their curious and creative nature. To an inventor, magic is an evolving art with a leading edge of discovery and mastery that pushes further ahead with each passing year.

Inventors value novelty and innovation. This penchant pushes them to seek a life of adventure. A hidden ruin might hold a forgotten magic item or a beautifully crafted mirror perfect for magical enhancement. Inventors win respect and renown among their kind by uncovering new lore or inventing new methods of creation.

Boundless Imagination

An inventor is not the sort to be limited by what already exists or by conventional wisdom. They combine all the tools at their disposal to go beyond—to discover new boundaries and promptly exceed them. Few things can stand in the path of an inventor with a mind to change the world.

Seeking to push beyond all and striving for the new is the unifying call of inventors, but how jealously they guard their secrets can vary greatly. Some push their knowledge upon the worlds, while others hoard it.

Creating an Artificer

When creating an inventor character, it is important to consider their background and motivation for adventure. Did they have a rival that drove them to become an inventor? What inspired them to pursue this path, curiosity and innovation, or the power their inventions bring? Did they learn their craft from another inventor or receive a vision of inspiration?

It is also essential to consider how your character interacts with the world and what they represent. You can consult with your GM regarding any guilds or societies your character may belong to.

Quick Build

If you want to create an inventor quickly, you can follow these suggestions. For the Gadgetsmith, Thundersmith, Cursesmith, or Relicsmith specializations, prioritize Dexterity as your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. For the Golemsmith, Infusionsmith, Potionsmith, or Runesmith specializations, prioritize Intelligence as your highest ability score, followed by Constitution or Dexterity. For the Warsmith specialization, you can choose either Strength or Intelligence as your highest ability score, with Constitution as your second-highest ability score. Finally, choose a background that emphasizes your connection to a guild or society.

Class Stats

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Artificer level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbow, heavy crossbows Tools: Thieves' tools, one other tool of your choice Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence Skills: Choose three from Arcana, Deception, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Religion, Sleight of Hand
Starting Equipment
(a) a light crossbow and quiver of 20 bolts or (b) any two simple weapons. (a) scale mail, (b) leather armor, or (c) chain mail. thieves' tools and a dungeoneer's pack ※ Alternatively, you may start with 5d4 × 10 gp to buy your own equipment.

Class Table

	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Upgrades	Spells Known	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
					1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	Artificer Specialization, Magic Item Analysis	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	Spellcasting, Arcane Retrofit, Tool Expertise	—	3	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	Inventor Specialization Feature, Specialization Upgrade	1	4	3	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	1	4	3	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	Inventor Specialization Feature	2	5	4	2	—	—	—
6th	+3	Arcane Reconstruction, Cross Disciplinary Knowledge	2	5	4	2	—	—	—
7th	+3	Wondrous Item Proficiency	3	6	4	3	—	—	—
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	3	6	4	3	—	—	—
9th	+4	─	4	7	4	3	2	—	—
10th	+4	Improved Magical Crafting, Wondrous Item Recharge	4	7	4	3	2	—	—
11th	+4	Study of Magic	5	8	4	3	3	—	—
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	5	8	4	3	3	—	—
13th	+5	─	6	9	4	3	3	1	—
14th	+5	Inventor Specialization Feature	6	9	4	3	3	1	—
15th	+5	─	7	10	4	3	3	2	—
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	7	10	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+6	─	8	11	4	3	3	2	1
18th	+6	Wondrous Items Mastery	8	11	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	9	12	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	Peerless Inventor	9	12	4	3	3	3	2

Class Features

Inventor Specialization

At 1st level, you focus your craft on a particular specialization. You can choose from the list of specializations. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 3rd, 5th, and 14th level.

Magic Item Analysis

Starting at 1st level, your understanding of magic items allows you to analyze and understand their secrets. You know the detect magic and identify spells, and you can cast them as a ritual, requiring no material components.

Arcane Retrofit

Additionally at 2nd level, you gain the ability to retrofit magical gear. During a long rest you can perform a ritual using any +1, +2, or +3 weapon—excluding artifacts and sentient weapons—to transfer the magic into an inventor weapon (a weapon created by a subclass feature or upgrade). For example, you can turn a +1 longsword and your Impact Gauntlet into a +1 Impact Gauntlet. This includes weapon-like Upgrades that make attack and damage rolls, such as a Warsmith’s Force Blast.

You can’t transfer any properties from a magical weapon besides a bonus to attack and damage rolls, and the original weapon is destroyed in the process.

Additionally, you can convert a set of armor with a magical bonus to AC to a lighter armor type.

Additional Retrofits

At the GM’s option, this feature can be expanded to do similar tasks. For example, you may be allowed to turn a +1 heavy crossbow into a +1 light crossbow, or the GM may choose to allow this feature to work with other magical armor or weapons, such as converting adamantine chain mail into an adamantine chain shirt.

Tool Expertise

Starting at 2nd level, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses any of the tool proficiencies you gained from this class.

Spellcasting

As part of your study of magic, you gain the ability to cast spells at 2nd level. The spells you learn are limited in scope, primarily concerned with modifying creatures and objects or creating items.

Spell Slots

The artificer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your artificer spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of your Artificer spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level spells of your choice from the artificer spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Artificer table shows when you learn more Artificer spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Artificer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Artificer spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your artificer spells. See chapter 5, "Equipment" in the Player’s Handbook for various arcane focus options.

Artificer's Spell Casting

An Artificer is fundamentally someone that understands and regularly interacts with magic, leading to the ability to apply this knowledge as spell casters, but how you want to approach your Artificer's spell casting is up to you.

While the Focuses listed in Chapter 5 "Equipment" are certainly functional options, feel free to explore other approaches in coordination with your DM. From a functional standpoint, the only requirement would be that you have a defined material or focus for the spell.

Consider for some spells that perhaps your Artisan's Tools are your focus, or perhaps a specific item you've made is your material component for a spell. Perhaps instead of a "Component Pouch" that simply contains all the material components you could need for your spells, you have an "Artificer's Tool Belt" that contains the various spellcasting assistance contraptions you've made to cast your spells. For the purposes of mechanics, the only thing that matters is that if functions the same way, and is used consistently.

Specialization Upgrade

At 3rd level, choose an upgrade from the list at the end of your specialization, gaining the benefits listed in its description.

You select an additional upgrade at 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th level. You can’t select an upgrade more than once, unless the upgrade’s description says otherwise. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can exchange one of your existing upgrades with another upgrade of the same level requirement as the replaced upgrade.

Whenever an existing upgrade is exchanged for a replacement upgrade (either by a subclass feature or when you gain a level), the new upgrade is selected as if you’re the level you were when you originally gained that upgrade. For example, if you replace your Stormforged Weapon and reselect all of your upgrades as a 5th-level inventor, you could select one 3rd-level upgrade and one 5th-level upgrade, or two 3rd-level upgrades, but you would not be able to select two 5th-level upgrades.

Customizing Inventor Upgrades

The upgrades for each Inventor Specialization are presented in a list at the end of the subclass, but invariably there will always be ideas for upgrades not included in that list. At the heart of an inventor beats an unrelenting drive for creativity, after all! Feel free to consult your GM for potential custom upgrades.

The following generic upgrades are available to all subclasses, and can be selected in place of any subclass upgrade:

• Shield Proficiency Generic Unrestricted Upgrade. You gain proficiency with shields.

• Tool Proficiency Generic Unrestricted Upgrade. You gain proficiency with a tool of your choice.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Arcane Reconstruction

At 6th level, you have mastered the knowledge of using magic to repair things. You learn the mending cantrip, and you can cast it at will. Additionally, you learn the cure wounds spell. If you already know cure wounds, you learn a different spell of your choice from the inventor spell list. Constructs targeted by your cure wounds can regain hit points as normal.

Cross Disciplinary Knowledge

At 6th level, you can expand on your knowledge across fields. You can craft one of the following: any of the Gadgetsmith’s Unrestricted Upgrades, an Infusionsmith’s Animated Weapon, Blasting Rod, or Infused Weapon, a Potionsmith’s Alchemical Reagent Pouch and Alchemical Fire or Alchemical Acid, or a Thundersmith’s Stormforged Weapon.

If you select a Stormforged Weapon, you gain proficiency with that weapon and knowledge of how to make ammunition for it (if required). You can’t apply Infused Weapon to another weapon granted by this class.

If this crafted item is lost or destroyed, you can remake it following the rules for remaking it in its respective subclass.

Wondrous Items Proficiency

At 7th level, your familiarity with the workings of magical items means that you ignore all class requirements on the use of magic items.

Additionally, you can now attune to 4 magical items at once.

Improved Magical Crafting

At 10th level, your experience in creating your own wondrous inventions makes you more adept at crafting a magic item than normal spellcasters. Creating a non-consumable magic item takes you half the time it would normally take.

Additionally, you can make 1 hour of progress toward crafting a magic item, potion, or scroll during a long rest. If you are using the Crafting System presented later in the book, this reduces the time a crafting check takes to 1 hour, allowing you to make two crafting checks during a long rest, or eight during a work day.

Interaction with the Crafting System

If you are using the Crafting System presented later in the book, this reduces the time a crafting check takes to 1 hour, allowing you to make two crafting checks during a long rest, or eight during a work day.

Wondrous Item Recharge

Starting at 10th level, you can recharge a magic item that has charges or per rest uses, as long as those charges or uses can only be used to cast spells. To restore charges or uses, you perform a ritual that takes 1 minute and expend a spell slot of a level equal to or greater than the spell slot level of a spell cast by the item.

The number of charges or uses restored to the item is equal to the number of charges or uses required to cast that spell using the item once.

Study of Magic

At 11th level, your proficiency in the workings of magic has become so great that you can cast detect magic and identify spells at will without expending a spell slot.

Additionally, you have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks made to understand the workings of magical traps, effects, or runes.

Wondrous Item Mastery

Starting at 18th level, you can use a magic item that would normally take an action as a bonus action instead. In addition, you can now attune to up to 5 magic items at once.

Peerless Inventor

At 20th level, your mind is always thinking of new options and clever solutions. At the end of a short or long rest, you can create a temporary version of an Upgrade from your subclass that you meet the prerequisites for but don’t already have. This upgrade must have a level requirement of 11th level or lower and lasts until you finish a short or long rest, at which time you can select a temporary Upgrade with this feature again.