New Base Class: The Tinker

[Tinker Gnome]

Tinker

Person who helped me balance this: Cheiromancer.

Tinkers are the people of the world who invent wonderous devices that mimic magic without actually being using any magic at all. Tinkers also like to study the world around them and its creatures. Tinkers are often taught by a mentor, but there are some large schools devoted to teaching the ways of the Tinker. Intelligence is the stat that determines what level of device the TInker can make. A Tinker must have an INT of 10 to even be able to make any devices.

Races: Gnomes, Dwarves and Humans are the race smost likely to be Tinkers, but Half-Elves, Elves, and Halflings can also become them. Half-Orcs rarely become Tinkers.

Alignment: Any

Religion: Tinker usually do not worship any deity, if they do it would be a god or godess of invention and innovation.

Hit die: d6

Armor and Weapon Proficieny: Tinker are proficient with Simple weapons and light armor, but not shields.

BAB: As a Rogue

Save Progression: Good Will, Bad Reflex and Fortitude

Skill points: 4 + int modifier x 4 at first level
4 + int modifier at all subsequent levels

Class skills: Craft (Any), Profession (Any), Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering), Knowledge (Nature), Appraise, Disable Device, Open Lock, Handle Animal, Ride, Search, Use rope, Heal

Tinkering: Tinkers have the ability to make devices that mimic arcane spells, but the devices themselves are not magical. Tinkers also must have a tool box with them at all times to be able to maintain their devices. A toolbox contains a variety of tools ushc as wrenches and washers and hammers and screwdrivers. If a Tinker does not have a toolbox then they can not regain use of their devices once they have used up its uses per day. A normal toolbox costs 100GP. Tinkers are assumed to be messing with mechanical and clockwork parts and other small devices that they carry with them so that they can have new devices when they level up. The Tinkers devices come with some weaknesses that arcane spells dont have, such as the ability to be sundered by oppenents. The hardness of a device is (10 + the Tinkers level + the device's level). Device levels are similar to spell levels, the Tinker's device level progression is as the Wizard with the Sorceror's spells known as Device's known, and the Sorcerors uses per day minus two. Devices can only be used a limited number of times per day or they risk breaking, devices must be maintained regularly by a Tinker. Once the device has been used for all of its uses per day then it needs to be allowed to "rest" so it can be maintained properly for use again the next day. So, a 1st level Tinker will have access to one level one device that he may use one that day. The Tinker may have a plethora of different devices on him. but he has to choose which of his devices he will maintain for the day to use. So he can decide he wants to use his Flamethrower type device that mimics the Burning Hands spell that day, even though he has access to other devices, such as one that could mimic Magic Missile, he can only use the device that mimics Burning Hands for that day. The next day he could decide to maintain the device that mimics Magic Missile and not be able to use the Burning Hands Device. Tinkers get Bonus Devices uses per day based on their Intelligence.

Weight Reduction: (EX) At 8th level a Tinker gains the ability to halve the weight of any Device he makes. This also makes the device less bulky. So a gun-type device that fired out the spell web would now weight only five pounds instead of ten pounds.

How do you fit all that in there? (EX) At 15th level the Tinker may choose a backpack that he now designates to have weight reduction 100%. The pack has as much space in at as a Mordenkainens Magnificent Mansion spell. The Tinker may at any time hcange which backpack this affects, but he will have to move all his devices to the new backpack.


New Devices: Tinkers may choose to make new devices, making new devices cost (The level of the device to be made X 300) new device is like researching a new spell.

Device body slots: Some devices must fit into a body slot, such as boots that allow use of the Jump spell would go in the boots slot. The body slots are as follows: Head, legs, boots, gloves, rings, torso, back, belt, and neck. Not all devices do however, a flamethrower type device that fire out a Burning Hands spell takes up a weapon slot, not a gloves slot. Similarly a grenade like weapon that when throw lands to produce a Fireball does not take up any slots. A device weighs ( the Devices level x 5 pounds)

So, what do you think? I realize the hit die and BAB are high for someone that can basically use arcane spells. But I chose to offset this by knowing few devices and being able to use them only a few times a day. Not too mention they can be sundered or just break if used too much. If it is too strong now then I am considering allowing them to only learn up to level 6 spells/devices.

Please tell me what I can do to improve it.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Does the tinker get bonus device uses per day for high intelligence like a wizard, corresponding to the bonus spells per day that a wizard gets?

Device levels are similar to spell levels, the Tinker's device level progression is as the Wizard with the Sorceror's spells known as Device's known, and the Wizards spell use per day.

A small problem: a 3rd level sorcerer doesn't know any 2nd level spells, but a 3rd level wizard gets 1/day. So by these rules a tinker can use a device he doesn't know. A similar thing happens at levels 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17. Maybe just say that uses per day are 2 less than a sorcerer's spells per day. In any event, are these the uses for *all* devices of that level, or of *each* device of that level?

Tinkers may choose to make new devices, making new devices cost (The level of the device to be made + 1,000 GP per Tinker level x 3)

When you say "new," do you mean new for that tinker (devices learned while levelling up), or do you mean new for the campaign (like a wizard who researches a unique spell)?

Either way, your cost is wonky. A first level device made by a first level tinker costs 1 + 1000 x 1 x 3 = 3001 gp. A cantrip device costs 0 + 1000 x 1 x 3 = 3000 gp. A first level device made by a second level tinker costs 1 + 1000 x 2 x 3 = 6001 gp. Why is the cost doubled? If the device is an automatic targeter (rtrue strike in device form) it isn't twice as effective; why should it cost twice as much?

At first level a tinker has, what, 2 first level devices and 3 cantrip devices? How much do these devices cost? I hope the answer is not 15002 gp. How could a 1st level character afford such a thing?

Device body slots: Some devices must fit into a body slot, such as boots that allow use of the Jump spell would go in the boots slot....

How much do devices weigh?

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Heh, thanks for the comments. i will read over them again tomorrow when I am not half dead to see what I can fix.

Okay, I agree with you on the first ,manner and will change it so they use two less than a Sorceror per day, but know as many as a Sorceror does. New Devices are really "new", like researching a spell. The price you say is wonky is the cost to research a new device, not for the ones they automatically get each level.


I will fix the price tomorrow.

I also need to ponder on the weight problem, as I admit IMC we dont bother with weight.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Hello? Does anybody even care?

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Bump

 

[Cheiromancer]

The device research cost is still weird. It costs more for a 10th level tinker to do research than a 1st level tinker?

I'm still not clear on the uses/day bit. Say you are a 3rd level tinker. You know 3 first level devices. You automatically have these devices (you put them together in your spare time, kinda how wizards learn new spells and scribe them into their books), and can use them 3 times per day. Is that 9 uses total (3/device)?

If so, then it is almost certainly too powerful. I'm going to assume it is 3 uses total. If that is right, then are the uses determined at the start of a day, or "on the fly"? The former actually makes more sense; if the tinker spends more time calibrating his "ray gun" (magic missile device) and neglects his "shield generator" (shield device), then he might get excellent results from the ray gun, but the shield generator might not work at all.

So say that is how you do it. Then (aside from a few variants about spells known and spells/day) you basically have a themed wizard. His toolbox is basically his spell book, and his devices are his prepared spells. But this variant wizard doesn't get bonus feats or a familiar, his prepared spells use up item slots (and can be sundered), and he also gets d6 hit dice, medium BAB, and 4 skill points per level.

Actually, that seems about right. As a higher level character he'll find that not being able to wear magic rings/boots/gloves/robes/headbands etc will be very constraining. That alone is probably worth as much as the familiar and bonus feats; ie. its about 5 feat equivalents. And what's a few BAB or skill points to a wizard type?

So yeah, it seems to be balanced (provided I am understanding the class correctly- if not, please clarify your earlier post so as to clear up the misunderstanding), and doesn't need any further limitations.

Good Job!

p.s. You should let the tinker have bonus uses/day based on high intelligence. I would also drop the bit about using the device more often at the risk of an expensive breakdown. When the last use is up, it means it has malfunctioned. Still a good job... but it still needs a little tinkering.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

The device research cost is still weird. It costs more for a 10th level tinker to do research than a 1st level tinker?

I'm still not clear on the uses/day bit. Say you are a 3rd level tinker. You know 3 first level devices. You automatically have these devices (you put them together in your spare time, kinda how wizards learn new spells and scribe them into their books), and can use them 3 times per day. Is that 9 uses total (3/device)?

If so, then it is almost certainly too powerful. I'm going to assume it is 3 uses total. If that is right, then are the uses determined at the start of a day, or "on the fly"? The former actually makes more sense; if the tinker spends more time calibrating his "ray gun" (magic missile device) and neglects his "shield generator" (shield device), then he might get excellent results from the ray gun, but the shield generator might not work at all.

So say that is how you do it. Then (aside from a few variants about spells known and spells/day) you basically have a themed wizard. His toolbox is basically his spell book, and his devices are his prepared spells. But this variant wizard doesn't get bonus feats or a familiar, his prepared spells use up item slots (and can be sundered), and he also gets d6 hit dice, medium BAB, and 4 skill points per level.

Actually, that seems about right. As a higher level character he'll find that not being able to wear magic rings/boots/gloves/robes/headbands etc will be very constraining. That alone is probably worth as much as the familiar and bonus feats; ie. its about 5 feat equivalents. And what's a few BAB or skill points to a wizard type?

So yeah, it seems to be balanced (provided I am understanding the class correctly- if not, please clarify your earlier post so as to clear up the misunderstanding), and doesn't need any further limitations.

Good Job!

p.s. You should let the tinker have bonus uses/day based on high intelligence. I would also drop the bit about using the device more often at the risk of an expensive breakdown. When the last use is up, it means it has malfunctioned. Still a good job... but it still needs a little tinkering.

Thanks a lot man. I will work on the cost of the devices, and I yes, it does work like you described in terms of device uses per day. And I will give them bonus device uses per day.

 

[Sravoff]

I do like this class quite bit. Though knowledge(nature) and heal don't make sense for class kills fto me. Did you have something in mind when you did the class skills? I would give them use magic device. Other than that and Cheiromancer's suggestions reeally nice work. I thin I will definitly use this calss.

-Sravoff

 

[Cheiromancer]

I was thinking a little more about the item slots. A 20th level sorcerer knows 43 spells. That's way more than the number of item slots that a character has available. So either he has to switch devices (a perfectly valid option; you might want to add in a comment about how high level tinkers can make devices that are less bulky and more miniaturized, since otherwise its hard to see how the unused devices would all fit in a backpack), or the tinker starts to make devices that have multiple functions. Or both. The ray gun might have an attachment that can be quickly replaced, allowing the ray gun to cast ray of enfeeblement instead of magic missile. How easy it would be to swap out (assuming both devices are prepped) I don't know. A move equivalent? A full round? 10 minutes?

Has this issue occurred to you? It isn't a problem for low level tinkers, but I think it would have to be addressed relatively soon in a tinker's career.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

I was thinking a little more about the item slots. A 20th level sorcerer knows 43 spells. That's way more than the number of item slots that a character has available. So either he has to switch devices (a perfectly valid option; you might want to add in a comment about how high level tinkers can make devices that are less bulky and more miniaturized, since otherwise its hard to see how the unused devices would all fit in a backpack), or the tinker starts to make devices that have multiple functions. Or both. The ray gun might have an attachment that can be quickly replaced, allowing the ray gun to cast ray of enfeeblement instead of magic missile. How easy it would be to swap out (assuming both devices are prepped) I don't know. A move equivalent? A full round? 10 minutes?

Has this issue occurred to you? It isn't a problem for low level tinkers, but I think it would have to be addressed relatively soon in a tinker's career.

I think I will go with the smaller devices idea. Maybe at 8th level they gain an ability that makes all devices weigh half of what they used too. There I Tinkered with the class some more, let me know what you think.

Sravroff: They have Knowledge (Nature) and Handle Animal because they also study the natural world and animals, they do not rever the Natural World like Druids, but instead study it. I put those two in because I have this image of the crazy old man in the woods that is also a Tinker and makes different machines.

Heal is there because a Tinker could also be interested in anatomy, becuase as I said in the text, they do like to study the natural world so it makes since. If you relly wanted to go with this you could even have the Tinker devices take on a Biological bent a bit and replace the Toolbox with some different type of tools....I will work on that idea when I get back from dinner.