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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Simon Collins" data-source="post: 2010056" data-attributes="member: 9860">This is not a playtest review.Power Classes: Artificer is the sixth book in Mongoose's Power Classes series introducing new 20-level classes in a short space.Artificer is a mono softcover product costing $2.95. It consists of 16 pages, which are the same height as A4 but only half the width (equivalent of 8 full pages). The inside covers are used for credits, contents and OGL. Unfortunately, information from the back cover is repeated on the first page but margins, font size and white space are all within reasonable limits. The artwork, including the front cover showing what looks like a fighter with some clockwork in his armour and a repeating crossbow, is average. Writing style is serviceable. Editing seems good, apart from one or two simple spelling errors.The artificer creates mechano-magical constructs and machinery using arcane science. Obviously, gnomes make a good match for this class, as do humans, but there is some discussion of use with the other races. Of major note in the introductory section is the artificer's need to spend large amounts of time in construction and the effect this has on his personality. This has a potential drawback in terms of standard adventuring, and the GM will have plenty to deal with betwen adventures for this class.The artificer uses the same HD, BAB, and save progression as a wizard. Rather than gaining spells, though, he is able to construct items that mimic or produce spells using mechanical parts charged with arcane power, known as designs. The artificer gains designs in the same progression as a sorcerer gains spells. These designs can take one of several different forms as the artificer progresses in levels:* Weapons - through use of mechanomagical devices, the weapon gains an additional damage dice dependent on size, but requires a specific exotic weapon proficiency to use without penalty. Magical weapons cannot be enhanced with arcane science.* Armour - enhancing armour through arcane science provides damage reduction, increasing in power with the artificer's level. It is possible to enhance magical armour with arcane science.* Inventions - the artificer's equivalent of staves and wands with charges that create specific spell effects.* Elemental Modification - provides a weapon with additional damage dice of elemental damage (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic), increasing with the artificer's level. Again, this is limited to non-magical weapons.* Constructs - works somewhat like a creature template to produce a construct based on a corporeal creature with a definitive form, with supernatural and spell-like abilities recreated using the Invention design ability.* Steelgrafting - grafting of machanomagical inventions with the bodies of living beings.* Living Machines - provides the mechanomagical items with Fast Healing ability.* Technogenesis - reproduces the same effects as an awaken spell on a mechanomagical construct.Each class feature has details on costs and length of time for construction. There is also a section giving an example of construction costs and time.Three examples of mechanomagical equipment are given - boots of leaping, defending sphere, and a geargyre (clockwork message-bearing falcon). There is also a new feat (Craft: (mechanomancy)), a new magic item (runic tools - giving bonuses to craft skills), and two new feats - arcane researcher (giving bonuses to knowledge of magical items), and mechanomagical savant (reducing time and costs for creating mechanomagical items).Conclusion:An interesting addition to the core classes for those who enjoy the mixture of magic and mechanics. It seems to be reasonably balanced against the other classes but will demand more of a GM, who must regularly make calls as to the acceptability of the artificer's inventions. It seems particularly suited to a world such as the Iron Kingdoms from Privateer Press, but would be reasonable in any setting whose technology level is close to Renaissance or later.</blockquote>

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