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Playtest the ARTIFICER (Kickstarter backers only)
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<blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8482107" data-attributes="member: 6915329"><p>My read-through, of course.</p><p></p><p>For starters, I think I like this concept more than the o5e artificer: having your spells automatically be tied into machines (and potentially having them break!) feels a lot more appropriate than the original half-caster, "but it's a good idea to say that it's a machine that produces the spell" of the original.</p><p></p><p><strong>Weapons:</strong> I'm surprised that crossbows and geared slingshots aren't on the list.</p><p></p><p><strong>Spell Invention:</strong> You say it weighs 1 pound per spell level. Is this <em>no more than </em>1 pound, or <em>at least </em>1 pound? Or must it be exactly 1 pound? I also hope that in the final version, you give a sample item or two. Also, each invention costs 1 gold (worth of material). Total, or per spell level? Personally, I think it should be per spell level. With a max of 5th level and therefore 5 gp, this isn't going to be a burden on most artificers who haven't been stripped of all possessions. (And even then, most artificers who <em>have </em>lost everything will still be able to find a BOX OF SCRAPS! to work with.)</p><p></p><p>But let me make sure I understand it. Say I'm 5th level. I have 2 spells prepared, each of which can be "cast" at 1st or 2nd level. How many inventions can I make? As many as I can afford? A number equal to my PB or Int mod? At 11th level, other people can use my inventions, and what with the Fizzle Die, there's a possible need for backups? This is important for Engineers and Stitchers, who can give up making inventions in order to add abilities to their pets.</p><p></p><p><strong>Fizzle Dice:</strong> I love the idea. However, I remember when WotC was playtesting the psionics archetypes and used the psionic die, where on certain rolls you'd be burned out. A lot of people on Reddit really did <em>not </em>like it (I did, though). I feel the fizzle die does a great job of mixing magic and technology and showing they don't blend perfectly, but I have no idea if most people will agree.</p><p></p><p><strong>Tactical Chemistry:</strong> Did you mean to say both torch and alchemical torch? Because I'd have regular torches as something <em>anyone </em>can make.</p><p></p><p><strong>Schematic Books:</strong> Roughly how common should schematics be in the wild? As common as spell scrolls? Or always super-rare and unlikely to be found except in the possession of another artificer?</p><p></p><p>However, in keeping this on par with the wizard (and inscribing new spells into their spell books), I suggest that copying a new schematic into your book should take X time and cost Y gold <em>per level </em>of rarity of the item. It should take a longer time to create the schematic of a Rare item than it does for a Common item. (I also wish you had included a check for a wizard to learn spells in the same way you require artificers to make an Engineering check, but I know that was a backwards compatibility thing.)</p><p></p><p><strong>Battlefield Smithing:</strong> Considering that objects other than weapons, armor, and vehicles can take damage and can become damaged and broken, maybe you want to have a generic Tinker option for this level, or turn the Caravan Smithing into a generic Tinker option.</p><p></p><p><strong>Toxic Synthesis:</strong> Anyway, this ability is fine. I'd like to see more poisons on the list, or at least the possibility for poison "schematics," since Rogues also get the option for the Analysis trick which lets them learn poison recipes. Unless these recipes are already in T&T, because I haven't read the entire treasure section yet. Or perhaps instead of putting poisons on the list by name, maybe give a max gp value to the poisons that can be crafted. There are poisons in the o5e DMG that aren't in LU (to the best of my knowledge), as well as homebrew poisons. It'd be nice to be able to use them with this class.</p><p></p><p>Aside: Is it just me, or is curare really weak? With a save DC of 13 and only stunning for 1 round, it doesn't seem quite as potent to me as you guys are holding it up to be. Maybe if it were DC 15 or 17, or lasting for a minute with a save at the end of each turn, or even also doing some ongoing damage, I'd see it being worth 100 gp and being a 9th-level ability for artificers. I dunno.</p><p></p><p><strong>Trinket Master: </strong>This seems pretty cool. I can't log into the LU Tools page anymore <sob!> so I can't see if there's a way to determine how many magic items cost 50 gp or less, but there are at least 10 50 gp items, so that's nice. I assume you still get the benefits of the long rest while making the item, yes?</p><p></p><p><strong>Marvel of Innovation: </strong>Love this! It reminds me of the time I was running Ravenloft in GURPS and the "legitimate businessman no really" used a combination of the Create Ice spell and flavored syrups to invent icees and sell them. </p><p></p><p><strong>Hotfixer:</strong> I assume this means "when you roll a 1 on the Fizzle Die," yes?</p><p></p><p><strong>Inventor Sidebar:</strong> I'm being pedantic here, but you might want to specify that this is a new type of follower.</p><p></p><p><strong>A Better Mousetrap:</strong> I like this a lot! However, I'd love to see a discovery that is designed to work with a rogue's traps, either for multiclass Artificers or simply to help out the party's rogue. </p><p></p><p><strong>Modern Comforts:</strong> Also really neat. I take it this doesn't cause a risk of the invention malfunctioning?</p><p></p><p><strong>Rope and Pulley Master:</strong> You need 300 feet of rope. Do you also need a block and tackle to use this ability, or is it assumed you are making one?</p><p></p><p>Now for the archetypes!</p><p></p><p><strong>Alchemical Grenades:</strong> This seems kind of weak to me, since it deals a cantrip's damage but starts at 3rd level and has limited uses. Maybe it should do 1d10 or more damage instead of 1d6. Also, there's no option for a sleep grenade, which you <em>know</em> people are going to want to use.</p><p></p><p><strong>Custom Vehicle:</strong> How long do these modifications last? If its permanent, that's a really good deal, since you can forgo all your spell inventions during a downtime. Also, while I'm pretty sure this is supposed to be a bike or car (or something similar), you might want to specify that it's a vehicle that doesn't require an animal to pull it. Otherwise you're going to get nitro burning funny oxen. (Hmm, can a multiclassed Artificer use Spirited Steed maneuvers on this vehicle?)</p><p></p><p><strong>Stitcher Spells:</strong> I feel like some of these spells, especially <em>gentle repose</em>, should be swapped out for healing spells. They <em>are </em>doctors of a sort, after all. <em>Fabricate </em>and <em>private sanctum </em>seem like odd choices for them--they should be on the general Artificer spell list.</p><p></p><p><strong>Monstrous Minion:</strong> This should be a construct, not a monstrosity. Also, how long does it take to tend to it with a sewing kit and again, how long do the modifications last?</p><p></p><p><strong>Medical Sutures:</strong> A great idea, but it needs expanding: let's see some really wacky new limb abilities! They should be able to use minion modifications on living customers.</p><p></p><p>And finally, the spells. While most spells will be represented by weird devices, you are treating cantrips normally and... I kind of don't like it. I kind of want them either to be represented by a device that doesn't have a Fizzle Die, or to say that the artificer learned a bit of wizardry and thus can choose cantrips from the wizard's list. </p><p></p><p>My only other suggestion is to include an alchemist and/or a mutagen-based archetype, since I gather those are popular archetypes.</p><p></p><p>All-in-all, the A5e Artificer is <em>quite </em>good, and I can't wait to see the finished version!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Faolyn, post: 8482107, member: 6915329"] My read-through, of course. For starters, I think I like this concept more than the o5e artificer: having your spells automatically be tied into machines (and potentially having them break!) feels a lot more appropriate than the original half-caster, "but it's a good idea to say that it's a machine that produces the spell" of the original. [B]Weapons:[/B] I'm surprised that crossbows and geared slingshots aren't on the list. [B]Spell Invention:[/B] You say it weighs 1 pound per spell level. Is this [I]no more than [/I]1 pound, or [I]at least [/I]1 pound? Or must it be exactly 1 pound? I also hope that in the final version, you give a sample item or two. Also, each invention costs 1 gold (worth of material). Total, or per spell level? Personally, I think it should be per spell level. With a max of 5th level and therefore 5 gp, this isn't going to be a burden on most artificers who haven't been stripped of all possessions. (And even then, most artificers who [I]have [/I]lost everything will still be able to find a BOX OF SCRAPS! to work with.) But let me make sure I understand it. Say I'm 5th level. I have 2 spells prepared, each of which can be "cast" at 1st or 2nd level. How many inventions can I make? As many as I can afford? A number equal to my PB or Int mod? At 11th level, other people can use my inventions, and what with the Fizzle Die, there's a possible need for backups? This is important for Engineers and Stitchers, who can give up making inventions in order to add abilities to their pets. [B]Fizzle Dice:[/B] I love the idea. However, I remember when WotC was playtesting the psionics archetypes and used the psionic die, where on certain rolls you'd be burned out. A lot of people on Reddit really did [I]not [/I]like it (I did, though). I feel the fizzle die does a great job of mixing magic and technology and showing they don't blend perfectly, but I have no idea if most people will agree. [B]Tactical Chemistry:[/B] Did you mean to say both torch and alchemical torch? Because I'd have regular torches as something [I]anyone [/I]can make. [B]Schematic Books:[/B] Roughly how common should schematics be in the wild? As common as spell scrolls? Or always super-rare and unlikely to be found except in the possession of another artificer? However, in keeping this on par with the wizard (and inscribing new spells into their spell books), I suggest that copying a new schematic into your book should take X time and cost Y gold [I]per level [/I]of rarity of the item. It should take a longer time to create the schematic of a Rare item than it does for a Common item. (I also wish you had included a check for a wizard to learn spells in the same way you require artificers to make an Engineering check, but I know that was a backwards compatibility thing.) [B]Battlefield Smithing:[/B] Considering that objects other than weapons, armor, and vehicles can take damage and can become damaged and broken, maybe you want to have a generic Tinker option for this level, or turn the Caravan Smithing into a generic Tinker option. [B]Toxic Synthesis:[/B] Anyway, this ability is fine. I'd like to see more poisons on the list, or at least the possibility for poison "schematics," since Rogues also get the option for the Analysis trick which lets them learn poison recipes. Unless these recipes are already in T&T, because I haven't read the entire treasure section yet. Or perhaps instead of putting poisons on the list by name, maybe give a max gp value to the poisons that can be crafted. There are poisons in the o5e DMG that aren't in LU (to the best of my knowledge), as well as homebrew poisons. It'd be nice to be able to use them with this class. Aside: Is it just me, or is curare really weak? With a save DC of 13 and only stunning for 1 round, it doesn't seem quite as potent to me as you guys are holding it up to be. Maybe if it were DC 15 or 17, or lasting for a minute with a save at the end of each turn, or even also doing some ongoing damage, I'd see it being worth 100 gp and being a 9th-level ability for artificers. I dunno. [B]Trinket Master: [/B]This seems pretty cool. I can't log into the LU Tools page anymore <sob!> so I can't see if there's a way to determine how many magic items cost 50 gp or less, but there are at least 10 50 gp items, so that's nice. I assume you still get the benefits of the long rest while making the item, yes? [B]Marvel of Innovation: [/B]Love this! It reminds me of the time I was running Ravenloft in GURPS and the "legitimate businessman no really" used a combination of the Create Ice spell and flavored syrups to invent icees and sell them. [B]Hotfixer:[/B] I assume this means "when you roll a 1 on the Fizzle Die," yes? [B]Inventor Sidebar:[/B] I'm being pedantic here, but you might want to specify that this is a new type of follower. [B]A Better Mousetrap:[/B] I like this a lot! However, I'd love to see a discovery that is designed to work with a rogue's traps, either for multiclass Artificers or simply to help out the party's rogue. [B]Modern Comforts:[/B] Also really neat. I take it this doesn't cause a risk of the invention malfunctioning? [B]Rope and Pulley Master:[/B] You need 300 feet of rope. Do you also need a block and tackle to use this ability, or is it assumed you are making one? Now for the archetypes! [B]Alchemical Grenades:[/B] This seems kind of weak to me, since it deals a cantrip's damage but starts at 3rd level and has limited uses. Maybe it should do 1d10 or more damage instead of 1d6. Also, there's no option for a sleep grenade, which you [I]know[/I] people are going to want to use. [B]Custom Vehicle:[/B] How long do these modifications last? If its permanent, that's a really good deal, since you can forgo all your spell inventions during a downtime. Also, while I'm pretty sure this is supposed to be a bike or car (or something similar), you might want to specify that it's a vehicle that doesn't require an animal to pull it. Otherwise you're going to get nitro burning funny oxen. (Hmm, can a multiclassed Artificer use Spirited Steed maneuvers on this vehicle?) [B]Stitcher Spells:[/B] I feel like some of these spells, especially [I]gentle repose[/I], should be swapped out for healing spells. They [I]are [/I]doctors of a sort, after all. [I]Fabricate [/I]and [I]private sanctum [/I]seem like odd choices for them--they should be on the general Artificer spell list. [B]Monstrous Minion:[/B] This should be a construct, not a monstrosity. Also, how long does it take to tend to it with a sewing kit and again, how long do the modifications last? [B]Medical Sutures:[/B] A great idea, but it needs expanding: let's see some really wacky new limb abilities! They should be able to use minion modifications on living customers. And finally, the spells. While most spells will be represented by weird devices, you are treating cantrips normally and... I kind of don't like it. I kind of want them either to be represented by a device that doesn't have a Fizzle Die, or to say that the artificer learned a bit of wizardry and thus can choose cantrips from the wizard's list. My only other suggestion is to include an alchemist and/or a mutagen-based archetype, since I gather those are popular archetypes. All-in-all, the A5e Artificer is [I]quite [/I]good, and I can't wait to see the finished version! [/QUOTE]
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