The Gadgeteer archetype for Rogue
Tenebrous Tinkerers
Most rogues have a knack for fine and delicate machinery, but that predilection is generally focused entirely on bypassing locks or traps. Those of the of the Gadgeteer archetype lean into and enhance this skill, using their intelligence to craft wondrous tools to aid them in their roguish exploits, be those infiltration, subterfuge, or assassination.
Subclass Features
Tools of the Trade
3rd-level Gadgeteer feature
You gain proficiency with tinker's tools and one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.
Additionally, you have advantage on any ability checks to spot or disarm nonmagical traps, as well as to pick nonmagical locks.
Artful Preparation
3rd-level Gadgeteer feature
You learn to create gadgets that can aid you in combat or intrigue.
Gadgets. You learn to craft and prepare two gadgets of your choice, which are detailed under “Roguish Gadgets” at the end of this class. Many gadgets enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one gadget per attack.
You learn to craft one additional gadget of your choice at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. You can also replace one gadget you have prepared with a different one whenever you complete a long rest.
Preparation Dice. You have a number of preparation dice equal to twice your proficiency bonus, which are d6s. A preparation die is expended only on a successful ability check or attack roll unless the gadget using it specifically says otherwise. You regain all of your expended superiority dice when you finish a long rest.
You gain another superiority die at 7th level and one more at 15th level.
Saving Throws. Some of your gadgets require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Gadget save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Artificer's Ingenuity
3rd-level Gadgeteer feature
Your skill with tinker's tools and the crafting of clever devices taps into a small measure of the same arcane energies of the finest artificers. You learn three Artificer Infusions from the Artificer Infusions List available to that class: The homunculus servant infusion and two others of your choice.
See the Infuse Item feature for the Artificer class for how Infusions work. This feature works identically to that one, with the following exceptions:
- Your number of Infusions Known does not increase, but you can still eplace one of the artificer infusions you learned with a new one when you gain a level in this class.
- You can only have one item Infused Item at a time at 3rd level, rather than the number shown in the Infused Items column of the Artificer table. This increased to 2 Infused items at 9th level, and 3 Infused Items at 17th level.
Infusion Prerequisites
Some artificer infusions have prerequisites. If an artificer infusion has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the infusion at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
Tinker, Trickster, Scoundrel, Spy
9th-level Gadgeteer feature
You have become adept at utilizing your gadgets from the shadows. If you are unseen by a creature who is the target of the effects of one of your gadgets, that creature has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes against those effects.
Uncanny Preparation
13th-level Gadgeteer feature
You are so thoroughly prepared that you cannot be caught unawares. You cannot be surprised, and when you roll initiative and have no preparation dice remaining, you regain two preparation dice.
Within Arm's Reach
17th-level Gadgeteer feature
When you slip past an enemy's defenses and get in close, nothing can keep you from your goals. If you are within 5 feet of a creature you target with one of your gadget's effects, you can use your Sneak Attack against that target even if you don’t have advantage on the attack roll or there are no other enemies of the target creature within 5 feet of it.
If you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points while attacking in this way, you can use your reaction to move up to your speed.
Roguish Gadgets
Skeleton Key
This small device fits into a lock to aid with lockpicking. When you make an ability check with your thieves' tools to pick a nomagical lock, you can expend one preparation die to add it to the roll. You can use this gadget before or after making the ability, but before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.
Eyes of the Cat
These special goggles, made with a light refracting substance, grant the wearer the senses and reflexes of a cat. While wearing the goggles, the wearer can use a bonus action to activate the goggles and grant themselves advantage on Dexterity saving throws, as well as blindsight out to a range of 10 feet and darkvision out to a range of 30 feet. If the wearer already has either of these senses, their ranges are doubled.
These effects last for a number of minutes equal to one roll of your preparation die, which is expended when the goggles are activated.
Artificer's Beads
Each of these pieces of specialized ammunition is a small bead containing alchemical compounds and a hint of arcane energy. It is a simple weapon with the ranged and light properties (range 20/60).
You can throw the bead as a part of the Attack action as normal, or use a bonus action to affix it to a melee weapon or piece of ammunition such as an arrow or a crossbow bolt. The ammunition's effects occur when you hit a creature with an attack roll with a weapon or piece of ammunition bearing the bead, or with the bead itself.
Specialized ammunition comes in the following varieties, each of which is considered a separate gadget for the purposes of the number of gadgets you can have prepared:
- Sticky Shot. When you hit a target with this bead or a weapon or piece of ammunition it is affixed to, the ground within 10 feet of that creature is difficult terrain for 1 minute. In addition, roll one of your preparation dice. The target and a number of creatures of your choice equal to the number rolled must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature is restrained for 1 minute or until it uses its action to Strength check against your Gadget save DC, freeing itself on a success.
- Incendiary Shot. When you hit a target with this bead or a weapon or piece of ammunition it is affixed to, The target takes additional fire damage equal to a roll of your preparation die, and is set ablaze for up to 1 minute. Thereafter, at the start of each of its turns, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw against your gadget saving throw or take additional fire damage equal to your proficiency bonus. This effect ends on a success.
- Shocking Shot. When you hit a target with this bead or a weapon or piece of ammunition it is affixed to, it takes additional lightning damage equal to a roll of your preparation die and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it must drop anything it is holding. If the target is concentrating on a spell, it has disadvantage on the check to maintain that concentration.
- Poisonous Shot. When you hit a target with this bead or a weapon or piece of ammunition it is affixed to, it takes additional poison damage equal to a roll of your preparation die and must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for up to 1 minute. A poisoned creature may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success.
Eye of the Mage
This arcane monocle allows the wearer to see the Arcane all around them. When you prepare this gadget at the end of a long rest, roll a preparation die, which is expended. You can cast the detect magic and identify spells a combined number of times equal to the number rolled before finishing a long rest.
Motes of Message
These small motes of magical energy can be placed inside the ear of a willing creature. When you prepare this gadget at the end of a long rest, roll a preparation die, which is expended. You can create a number of these motes equal to 1 + the number rolled. While a creature is bearing this mote, it can cast the message cantrip without components up to a range of 1 mile.
Stone of All Speech
This ensorcelled pebble rests inside a creature's mouth, just under its tongue. A creature can use a bonus action to activate the pebble and place it under their tongue. When the creature activates the pebble, roll a preparatione die, which is expended. For a number of hours equal to the number rolled, the creature holding the pebble under their tongue gains all the benefits of the tongues spell.
Apothecary's Needle
This small syringe carries a single dose of an alchemical healing agent that invigorates anyone injected with it. Using a bonus action, you can inject a target within 5 feet of you with the agent. The creature regains hit points equal to twice your Intelligence modifier + 1 roll of your preparation die, which is expended.
Dazing Dart
Preparing this gadget creates a dart with the same properties as that weapon. However, when a creature is hit by this dart, it takes no damage, but must make a Constitution saving throw or become drowsy for a number of minutes equal to a roll of your preparation die. On a success, it is aware it is hit by the dart. While drowsy, the creature has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks, and is unaware it was hit by the dart.
At the end of the duration of its drowsiness, the creature must repeat the Constitution saving throw or fall asleep for 1 hour until another creature uses its action to awaken the target.
Distraction Flare
This small device lets out a single bright flash when activated. When you or a creature within 30ft of you is attacked, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack. If the attack still hits, roll a preparation die, which is expended. The damage done to the target is reduced by a number equal to the number rolled + your Intelligence modifier.