Artificer

See also Specialist Wizard (POSM)#Artificer.

Artificer (Specialist Wizard Subclass)
Ability Score Requirements:	Intelligence 12 Constitution 15
Prime Requisite:	Intelligence
Races Allowed:	Human, Gnome
Alignment Allowed:	All

The Artificer is Specialist Wizard who specializes in Artifice Spells and creating temporary magical items.
No saving throw adjustments for their own saves or their targets' saves.
One extra spell slot at each spell level (with working laboratory). This slot has to be an Artifice Spell.
+15% chance when learning Artifice Spells.
-15% chance when learning spells from other school
Learns one Artifice Spell at level up.
Cannot Learn Necromancy, Enchantment/Charm spells.
20% chance at 1st level to identify the general purpose and function of any magical item simply by examining it for one full turn.
- Based on artificer's ability to analyze the construction and enchantments on the item, not the item's historical significance.
- This chance increases by 5% per level, so a 5th-level artificer can identify items with a 40% chance of success.
The DM should always consider the artificer's proposed item research and construction very carefully; any item that the DM feels is too powerful or out-of-character can be disallowed.
- In particular, items with absorption or negation powers should be considered very carefully—these can be very unbalancing in a game.

Artificer's Laboratory and Workshop[]

The artificer must maintain a well-equipped laboratory and workshop. A 1st-level artificer begins play with a suitable facility in their base of operations. Building a new laboratory costs at least 1,000 gp per character level, and existing laboratories cost 50 gp per level to maintain each month. An artificer without a laboratory loses access to the bonus spell provided by specialization, and can't conduct research, make magical items, or add new spells to their spell book.

Storing Spells[]

At 4th level, the artificer gains the ability to store spells in prepared items. Once placed in an item, a stored spell may be indefinitely retained for ready casting. The spell to be stored must be one which the wizard knows and can cast; at any given time, a wizard may have no more total spell levels stored than their own character level, so a 5th-level artificer could store up to five levels of spells.

Preparing an item to receive one stored spell requires one uninterrupted week of work, and the actual process of casting the spell into the item requires one day and 500 gp per level of the spell. The item must be of the finest workmanship, worth at least 100 gp; after the spell it holds has been discharged, the artificer can re-enchant it.

Only the artificer may release the stored spell, with a casting time of 1; in all other respects the spell is treated as if the artificer had cast it normally. Also, an item can only contain one spell at a time. Any attempt to cast another spell into the item will simply replace the current spell. In effect, this ability allows the artificer to create one-shot magical items such as a ring enchanted with feather fall or a cloak prepared with protection from normal missiles.

Creating Temporary Magical Items[]

At 7th level, the artificer may create a temporary magical item. Any magical item in the (DMG) not specifically restricted to nonwizards is allowed, but the item will function only for the artificer. This is a special ability unrelated to the enchant an item spell.

First, the artificer must successfully research the item creation process, taking one week per 500 XP value of the item and spending at least 100 gp per week. This time is halved if the artificer has a sample of the item to copy or if they succeeds in a contact other plane, legend lore, or other research spell. The artificer must pass a learn spells check to succeed and may never know the processes for more magical items than their maximum number of spells per level.

Actually building and enchanting the item requires half the research time and 2d6 x 100 gp, plus the cost of the item itself. Fine materials must be used, but rare and exotic materials and processes aren't necessary for temporary items (see Chapter 7). After completing the work, the artificer must pass another learn spells check to successfully enchant the temporary item.

A temporary item lasts 1d6 days, plus one day per level of the artificer. Once the enchantment fades, the item can be re-enchanted with one uninterrupted week of work, the expenditure of 2d6 x 100 gp, and another learn spells check. If the temporary item normally possesses charges, the artificer automatically places one charge per level into the item when creating it.

Artificers may create permanent magical items using the normal magical item creation rules and the enchant an item spell when they reach the appropriate levels. (If an artificer creates a true magical item they once made a temporary version of, their research time and expense is reduced to its minimum value—see Chapter 7.) Artificers gain a +10% bonus to their chance to successfully enchant items.