Artificer Subclass: Spellslinger

# Artificer Spellslinger

Spellslinger artificers, also commonly referred to as arcane snipers or spellshooters, specialise in delivering spells in a streamlined manner, usually relying on firearms as their weapon of choice, with the use other ranged weapons being less common.

These long range specialists possess the methods by which a ranged weapon, typically firearms, can be infused with psionic energy and arcane runes to make it capable of acting as a spell focus while retaining its functionality as a ranged weapon.

## Tool Proficiency
_3th Level Spellslinger feature_

You gain proficiency with woodcarver's tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.

## Spellslinger Spells
_3th Level Spellslinger feature_

You learn one attack cantrip of your choice. At the DM's discretion, you may change this cantrip for another one when levelling up.

You always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Armorer SAdditionally yells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

### Spellslinger Spells

| Artificer Level 	| Spells                             	    |
|:---------------	|:---------------------------------------   |
| 3rd           	| *Chaos Bolt, Fog Cloud*                	|
| 5th           	| *Aganazzar's Scorcher, Hold Person*       |
| 9th           	| *Lightning Bolt, Counterspell*         	|
| 13th          	| *Polymorph, Dimension Door*  	            |
| 17th          	| *Synaptic Static, Telekinesis* 	        |

## Infusion and Inscription
_3th Level Spellslinger feature_

You are able to turn certain weapons into conduits for your magic. Using your woodcarver's tools, you can spend one hour to turn a weapon in your possession into an Arcane Weapon. This weapon has to have the ranged property and can not have the thrown property. The weapon continues to be your Arcane Weapon until you make another one or you die.

If this weapon is a firearm, it does not require black powder to fire, but when firing without it, it deals half the damage. Attacks made without black powder still make noise, even if it's a different one.

Additionally, you may study spells from spell scrolls or spell books to copy them into your notes and learn to inscribe special sigils into your Arcane Weapon to allow their casting, even if they are not in the artificer spell list. Your Arcane Weapon can hold 2 of these sigils. This number increases to 3 sigils at 9th level and and 4 at 15th level.

These spells must fulfill these conditions:

* Needs to be of 5th spell level or lower
* Range can not be Touch or Self (except spells with an area, which are applied to the weapon and move with it, if the spell does not allow for it to be applied to be applied to a creature or object, they can not be learned)
* Can not have the ritual tag

> ##### Inscription Rules
>
> **Studying a spell for inscription** takes 2 hours per level of the spell and requires you to write down notes with the method. 
> 
> You can **inscribe** any spell into your Arcane Weapon as long as you studied it previously and you have the notes on its inscription at hand.
>
> Every time you want to **inscribe a sigil** into your weapon you need to have your notes at hand and you must expend 20gp worth of materials per level of the spell. You can use an action to erase one of the sigils at any time, allowing you to inscribe new ones. 
>
> When casting a spell in this way, the artificer must **concentrate** on it as normal if required. Any consumed material components for the spell are only used when the spell is cast.

## Pre-casting
_3th Level Spellslinger feature_

You are able to pre-cast any spell attack that you have prepared or if it is inscribed in your Arcane Weapon, even if it requires concentration (in which case you must concentrate as usual).

In order to pre-cast a spell, you must cast it into the core rune of your Arcane Weapon (expending the spell slot and components as usual). After that, you can release it instead of an attack when you take the Attack action, or as a bonus action if you did not take the Attack action nor cast a spell during your turn.

The core rune can only hold 1 spell.

When a pre-casted spell is released, it happens without need for Verbal or Material components (since they were already used), but the artificer still needs to aim the Arcane Weapon at the intended target.

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## Extra Attack

_5th Level Spellslinger feature_

You can attack twice, rather than once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. This means you can release 2 pre-casted spells when you take the Attack action.

The core rune of your Arcane weapon can now hold 2 spells. They are released in the same order they were pre-casted in.

## Weapon Mods

_9th Level Spellslinger feature_

You have incorporated two different modes into your Arcane Weapon:

* Gauss Mode: This high-energy mode allows you to add your Intelligence modifier to damage rolls when attacking with your Arcane Weapon (not including spell attacks). Additionally, it adds 30ft. of range for spell attacks (not for those with the Self range and an area)
* Lovelace Mode: This mode emphasizes efficiency. When you cast a spell attack and roll a 1 in the dice, the spell slot is not spent. When attacking normally, the attack makes no noise, unless the Arcane Weapon is a firearm, in which case it's lower, but still audible within 30ft.

You use an action to switch between the two modes if you have your woodcarver's tools at hand.

Your Arcane Weapon can now hold 3 sigils.

If your Arcane Weapon is a firearm, the damage is no longer halved when firing without black powder.

## Quickslinger
_15th Level Spellslinger feature_

You are now able to pre-cast any spell you have prepared or those that are inscribed in your Arcane Weapon

Your Arcane Weapon can now hold 4 sigils.

The core rune of your Arcane weapon can now hold 3 pre-casted spells. They are released in the same order they were pre-casted in.

You may now use your Intelligence modifier instead of the usual modifier when attacking with your Arcane Weapon.

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## Appendix:

### Optional Feat: Smart Weapon

Your Arcane Weapon is capable of maintaining concentration on a spell if it is pre-casted in advance, letting you concentrate on another one.

You need to make concentration checks as usual for the spell maintained with the weapon. Bonuses and advantage to concentration do not apply for spells maintained with the weapon. If you take damage while the weapon is concentrating, you must make a concentration check all the same. If you let the weapon go, its concentration is lost unless the weapon is sentient.

<img src='https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/007/995/290/4k/dzhovanna-sallama-t1xqyexjm5q.jpg?1509802007' style='position:absolute;top:240px;right:30px;width:390px; mix-blend-mode:multiply;' />
<div class='footnote'style='position:absolute;top:620px;left:610px;'>Sniper by Dzhovanna Sallama at https://www.artstation.com/artwork/4QNK1</div>

<img src='https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/b51ca3e0-f18b-4ee7-9ec5-91c0f33eee5b/d8grmix-4919aab0-0a91-4f3c-a839-db9bf7f9510f.jpg/v1/fill/w_1269,h_630,q_70,strp/the_order_1886_contest_entry__rail_gun_by_devmarine_d8grmix-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9Nzk0IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvYjUxY2EzZTAtZjE4Yi00ZWU3LTllYzUtOTFjMGYzM2VlZTViXC9kOGdybWl4LTQ5MTlhYWIwLTBhOTEtNGYzYy1hODM5LWRiOWJmN2Y5NTEwZi5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTYwMCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.g9qLfeai2o3XXwDT8_wUcNTX_9nattokSEYJsdCDBqk' style='position:absolute;bottom:30px;left:200px;width:450px; mix-blend-mode:multiply; filter:brightness(150%);' />
<div class='footnote'>The Order 1886 contest entry: Rail gun, by Zheng Qu at https://www.deviantart.com/devmarine</div>