Singular Genius

Mechanists are ahead of their time. Their creations are nothing their world has ever seen. Almost no one else could comprehend them, let alone create them. As such these mechanical wizards are considered amazing marvels. Lauded as creators of amusements by idle royalty, revered by the common folk as shapers of the impossible, and envied by other boundary pushing thinkers for the technical genius, an mechanist can be surrounded by accolades and aplomb. In a world where magic is mundane, it the unique brilliance of mechanist shines bright.

Mad Inventor

In a world where common spells can create wondrous comforts, and powerful spells can alter the framework of reality itself, the mechanist instead devotes their time to developing and creating poor mechanical substitutes. Instead of tapping into the arcane for a fireball, they carefully measure sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter to create their own version. Instead of transmuting their legs to give them powerful leaps, they construct springs to launch them skyward. Mechanists would rather blaze their own trail into the dark, unknown caverns of knowledge than follow a thousand wizards down the same grooved path.

As such mechanists can be thought of as quite mad, especially to established arcanists. For why would a person struggle and work tirelessly attempting to invent these novelties? Failing and failing again, until finally they learn for themselves how a physical law works or discover what necessary piece was missing when they might as simply cast a spell? What could possibly be driving their pursuits.

Creating an Mechanist

Keep in mind where your mechanist’s mechanical genius comes from and how they wish to use it. Do they rail against a world of magic? Do they wish to put their inventions in the hands of all to better their lives? Or do they like hoarding their devices for themselves, driven by their own sense of mental superiority? Perhaps they have never even thought that far ahead, and merely create for its own sake.

Your devices are well beyond anything anyone has crafted. How did you come to create them? You may be a student of the trade world naturally bringing your masonry or smithing to its next logical step. You may have derived your inventions purely from mathematical study and scientific experimentation. You may not even quite sure where your ideas come from, a true genius seemingly granted divine inspiration from a higher power.

Optional Rule: Multiclassing

If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player's Handbook, here's what you need to know if you choose mechanist as one of your classes.

Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must have at least a Dexterity and Intelligence score of 13 to take a level in this class or to take a level in another class if you are already a mechanist.

Proficiencies Gained. If mechanist isn't your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as a mechanist: all armor, smith’s tools, tinker's tools, and one skill from the class’s skill list.

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per mechanist level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: All armor, shields
• Weapons: Crossbows, light hammers, handaxes
• Tools: Smith's tools, tinker's tools, one other artisan's tools of your choice

• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
• Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Investigation, Medicine, Persuasion, Performance, and Sleight of Hand

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) chain mail or (b) chain shirt and a light crossbow with 20 bolts
• (a) a burglar’s pack or or (b) a diplomat’s pack
• A light hammer, smith’s tools, and tinker’s tools

If you forgo this starting equipment, as well as the items offered by your background, you start with 5d4 x 10 gp to buy your equipment.

Grenadier's Conference

Grenadiers have found the proper way to use black powder to create controlled explosion. Immense power released in a fraction of time; it is at the same time chaotic and precise. The more daring, or perhaps foolish, mechanists choose the life of a Grenadier.

Guns

When you choose this conference at 2nd level, you become proficient in firearms and craft a pistol (see the “Firearms” sidebar for how firearms work). When you would choose a device using the Devices feature, you may instead choose another firearm that has a gold cost (as shown in the Firearms table) or a Firearm Devices (listed below).

The firearms you craft are less prone to malfunction and easier to fix when they do. A firearm's misfire score is reduced by 1 for the first attack you make with it on your turn. Additionally, after a misfire, you may make your first attempt to repair the firearm as a bonus action. If you fail this repair check, the firearm is not broken, and you may make additional attempts to repair it as an action.

Firearm Devices

These devices are additions you can add to a firearm. A firearm cannot gain the benefits of a firearm device more than once. Unless specifically stated otherwise, a firearm device can be removed from the firearm and added to a different firearm over the course of 1 minute.

Bayonet. The firearm gains the melee, reach, and finesse properties, dealing 1d8 piercing damage on a successful hit.

Bipod. Attacking while prone does not impose disadvantage.

Caplock. The misfire score for the firearm decreases by 1. This cannot be changed to another firearm.

Emergency Chamber. You add a second barrel to the firearm which has a special payload for up-close firing. You may fire from the secondary barrel as an action. Each creature in a 15 foot cone from you must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 3d6 piercing and 3d6 fire damage on a failure and half as much on a success. To reload the emergency chamber you must complete a long rest and provide 5 gold worth of ammunition. This cannot be changed to another firearm.

Siege Engine

At 2nd level, you have developed a special device, the portable siege engine. The siege engine must be strapped to you to use, taking 10 minutes to don and 1 minute to doff. The siege weapon weighs 70 lb. in total, including storage for up to 10 stones that can be used as ammunition. Your siege engine is also designed to be scalable and can function similarly to a 10-foot ladder for creatures other than you.

Your siege weapon has a range of 200-800 feet, but can't hit targets within 30 feet of it. You must use a bonus action on you turn to load your siege weapon and an action to fire it. Another creature can use its action to load your siege weapon.

You use your Intelligence modifier for attack and damage rolls with your siege weapon. On a successful hit, the device deals 2d10 bludgeoning damage (this is assuming it is hurling a stone rather than other kinds of projectiles, such as flaming debris or sewage, which would deal different damage and have different effects). Your siege weapon has advantage on attack rolls against Huge or larger creatures and objects and structures and deals double damage to objects and structures.

Your device is immune to poison and psychic damage, has an AC of 15, and 30 maximum hit points and gains a number of maximum hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier each time you gain a level in this class. When your Intelligence modifier increases by 1, your device's maximum hit points increases by 1 for each mechanist level you have attained minus 2. For example, if at 12th level as a mechanist, you increase your Intelligence score from 17 to 18, thus increasing your Intelligence modifier from +3 to +4, your siege weapon's hit point maximum then increases by 12 - 2, or 10. You may take some time during a short or long rest to repair your siege engine and have it regain all its hit points.

Fortified Structure

Beginning at 7th level, you can use the heartiness of your device to protect you from attacks. Your siege weapon's AC is now 17 and when you are attacked, you may use your reaction to have the attack target your siege engine instead, or if your siege engine is attacked you may use your reaction to have the attack target you instead. You must make this decision before knowing the result of the attack roll.

Trajectory

At 9th level, you can calculate your shot to impact a greater area. After a successful hit on a creature of size Medium or smaller with your siege weapon, each creature of your choice within 5 feet of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it takes half the damage dealt to the target of the attack. Also, you can determine measurements, such as the dimensions of objects or distances, at a glance.

Combat Engineer

At 14th level, large scale war projects, such as digging trenches, building bridges, constructing fortifications, or laying traps, are done in half the time with your guidance.

Combat Repair

Also at 14th level, you can make a quick repair of a structure, object, or device as an action. Make a Dexterity check using your tinkerer's tools. The structure, object, or device regains hit points equal to the total.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before using it again.

Upgraded Siege Engine

At 18th level, you've improved your siege engine to strike with more force. Your siege engine now deals 4d10 bludgeoning damage, and when you successfully hit with your siege weapon, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Creatures of size Huge or larger that are on solid ground have advantage on this saving throw.

Bonus Proficiencies and Expertise

When you choose this conference at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in thieves' tools and one of the artisan's tools of your choice.

Also, choose two of your tool proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.

Improved Device Making

Also at 2nd level, you gain an additional device from the 1st level devices, and from now on whenever you would choose one device using the Devices feature, you choose two instead.

Clockwork Attack

Starting at 7th level, your expertise with your inventions allows you to attack with precision. Once on each of your turns when you make an attack roll with one of your devices, you may add a bonus equal to your Intelligence modifier to the attack roll. Additionally, when you use a device as an action or make an attack roll with one of your devices on your turn, you may make a single attack with one of your devices as a bonus action.

Defense

When you reach 9th level, your knowledge of smithing allows you to apply your Refinement feature to nonmagical armor and shields as a bonus to AC.

Traps

Starting at 9th level, you have advantage when checking for mechanical traps, disarming them, or making a saving throw involving them.

Electromagnetic Superconductor

When you choose this guild at 2nd level, you have developed a powerful device that utilize electromagnetic fields. This device has a number of charges equal to your mechanist level plus your Intelligence modifier. Your device regains expended charges when you finish a long rest.

While wearing the device, you can expend charges to perform a variety of electromagnetic powers, which are detailed under the "Electromagnetic Powers" section below. You learn three powers of your choice. You learn two additional electromagnetic powers of your choice at 7th, 9th, and 14th level.

Whenever you learn a new electromagnetic power, you can also replace one electromagnetic power that you already know with a different power.

In addition while wearing the device, you always know which way is north, and you have advantage on any checks involving the movement or manipulation of metal, such as Strength checks to bend or push a metal object, Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks to palm or plant a metal object, or a check with blacksmith's tools to work metal.

Levity

At 7th level, you are can attuned to the magnetic field that surrounds the world. While you are conscious and wearing the device, you are immune to the prone condition, and any fall damage you take is halved.

Resistor

Starting at 9th level, you are resistant to lightning damage while wearing the device. As a reaction to taking lightning damage, you can instead lose resistance and immunity to lightning damage and gain vulnerability to it instead. For every 10 lightning damage you take, you regain 1 charge for your electromagnetic superconductor.

Conductor

At 14th level, your device's current of electricity shocks attackers. When a creature hits you with a melee attack while you are wearing the device, it takes 1d4 lightning damage.

Recharge

Starting at 18th level, when you finish a short rest, your device regains 5 charges.

Electromagnetic Powers

The elemental powers are presented in alphabetical order. If a power requires a level, you must be that level in this class to learn the power.

Deadly Attraction. As an action, you may expend 2 charges and have each creature of your choice within 30 feet wielding a metal weapon make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, its weapon flings from its grasp toward you. Make an attack roll against yourself for each weapon (+2 to hit) and take 1d4 damage of the appropriate type for the weapon for each hit. Immediately after a hit or miss, the weapons fall to your feet.

Electrical Interference. As an action, you may expend 3 charges to have each creature concentrating on a spell within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving or lose concentration on the spell.

Electrify. As a bonus action on your turn, you may expend 1 charge to make the next successful weapon attack you make before the end of your turn deal an extra 2d6 lightning damage.

Electromagnetic Field. As an action, you may expend 3 charges to fill the area 15 feet around you with strong electric and magnetic forces for 1 minute or until you choose to end it. A creature's speed is halved in the area, and when a creature ends its turn in the area, it takes 2d6 lighting damage. You ignore these effects.

Grounded. As a reaction to taking lightning damage you may expend 3 charges to become immune to lightning damage until the beginning of your next turn. You must be touching the ground to use this power.

Lightning Rod. As a reaction when any creature within 30 feet of you takes lightning damage, you may expend 3 charges and take all the lightning damage that creatures within 30 feet of you would take instead of them.

Magnetize. As an action, touch a creature made of metal or wearing metal armor and expend 4 charges. Until the end of your next turn all attacks made with metal weapons or ammunition against the creature are made with advantage.

Manufactured Chain Lightning (11th level Required). As an action, you may expend 7 charges to replicate the chain lightning spell. This effect does not count as magic and thus would not be affected by effects that would restrict, prevent, or enhance magic.

Manufactured Levitate. As an action, you may expend 3 charges to replicate the levitate spell, but only for creatures made of metal or wearing metal armor or objects made of metal. This effect does not count as magic and thus would not be affected by effects that would restrict, prevent, or enhance magic.

Manufactured Lightning Bolt (5th level Required). As an action, you may expend 4 charges to replicate the lightning bolt spell. This effect does not count as magic and thus would not be affected by effects that would restrict, prevent, or enhance magic.

Manufactured Shocking Grasp. As an action, you may expend 1 charge to replicate the shocking grasp spell. This effect does not count as magic and thus would not be affected by effects that would restrict, prevent, or enhance magic.

Spellcasting

When you reach 2nd level, you begin to manipulate your mechanical creations with magic. In the Player's Handbook, see chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the wizard spell list.

Cantrips. You learn three cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn another wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots. The Magiktecknician Spellcasting table show show many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these 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.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell longstrider and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast longstrider using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know two 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, both of which you must choose from the evocation or transmutation spells on the wizard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Magiktecknician Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an evocation or transmutation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

The spells you learn at 3rd, 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Spell Storing Sphere

At 2nd level, you have constructed a device capable of storing your magic to be released later. It can store up to 2 levels worth of spells at a time. You can cast a spell into the special mechanical sphere by touching the device as the spell is cast. The spell has no effect, other than to be stored in the device. If the sphere can't hold the spell, the spell is expended without effect. The level of the slot used to cast the spell determines how much space it uses.

1st Level

3rd Level

5th Level

7th Level

After the device has been active for a total of 4 hours, you must finish a long rest before using it again.

Geared Grappling Hook.

Properties (Ammunition (60-240), loading)

As an action, you may make an attack roll against a structure or natural surface. On a success, the hook is embedded in the surface with a steel cable up to 240 feet long connected to your device. The hook can be removed with a successful Strength check against a DC equal to your attack roll or by pressing a button your device as a bonus action (which also retracts the cable and rope back to your device by the end of your next turn). While the hook is embedded in a structure, you may use an action to activate the gears to ascend or descend 30 feet.

Alternatively, you may also use this device to make a ranged attack against a creature. On a successful attack, you deal 1d6 piercing damage, and the tip embeds into their body for any creature that is not formless. While the hook is embedded in a creature, as an action you can try to pull it toward you. It must succeed a Strength saving throw or be pulled 20 feet toward you. A Huge or larger creature automatically succeeds this check.

Glider

As a bonus action while wearing this glider on your back, you may extend or retract the wings. You travel at a rate of 30 feet per turn as you descend at a rate of 10 feet a turn, taking no fall damage when reaching the ground. If the glider is carrying more than 1500 pounds the glider can not slow your fall rate. While active you automatically fail any saving throw to resist being pushed.

Rollingboots

You apply a set of retractable wheels to a pair of boots. As a bonus action while wearing these boots, you can activate and deactivate the wheels. While active, your movement speed increases by 40 feet while on any smooth surface.