Tinker Revised

[shivamuffin]

The Tinker
Expert based Core Class For the D20 System


Class Description:

The tinker is society’s inventor. The tinker create solutions to problems via the construction of
gadgets and constructs. The genius of the tinker can lead to devices that may help or hinder
society, depending on the nature of the things he creates. Sometimes the best intentions can lead
to terrifying results.

Hit Die: d6

Class Skills: Alchemy, Appraise, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Gather
Information, Knowledge, Profession, Use Magic Device

Skill Points at 1st level: ( 7 + int modifier x 4 )
Skill Points at Each Additional Level 7 + int modifier

Class features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency. The tinker is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor,
but not shields.

Level Base Attack
Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Wil Save Special
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Create
Gadget,
Repair item
2 +1 +0 +0 +3
3 +2 +1 +1 +3 Create
Device
4 +3 +1 +1 +4
5 +3 +1 +1 +4
6 +4 +2 +2 +5
7 +5 +2 +2 +5
8 +6/+1 +2 +2 +6
9 +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 Create Major
Device
10 +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Brew
11 +8/+3 +3 +3 +7
12 +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Create
Wondrous
Device
13 +9/+4 +4 +4 +8
14 +10/+5 +4 +4 +9
15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +9 Skill Mastery
16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10
17 +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10
18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11
19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11
20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Create
Construct



Create Gadget: The tinker may create a simple tool and or item, with up to one moving part for
every three levels of experience attained. This gadget can be used to assist with a task, but is not a
solution to a task. For example, the tinker could create a gadget that will aid in the opening of a
stuck door. The gadget will provide a +2 aid bonus and an additional +1 bonus for every 3 levels
of the tinker. Tools and material will be required to create the gadget.

Repair: The tinker has the ability to fix all sorts of mechanical devices. The tinker rolls a repair
roll D20 + Wis modifier and Dex modifier against the following Dcs. A set of Tinker Tools will
add an additional +2 modifier to the roll.

Simple ( Broken wagon wheel ) DC 10
Moderate ( Winch system for a portcullis ) DC 15
Difficult ( Elevator/lift system with counterweights and gears ) DC 20
Complex ( Dwarven siege machine ) DC 30
Impossible ( Magical/Mechanical construct ) DC 40


Create Device, Create Major Device, Create Wondrous Device: The tinker, with a suitable
lab/workshop may begin to build mechanical devices that are more stable than temporary gadgets.
The exact nature of the device depends on it’s intended use, but it cannot produce magical effects.

The Tinker may create a mechanical device size category small/medium/large. the contraption
may have 2/4/6 simple functions and 1/2/3 complex functions. the device will consume no less
than 4,000/8,000/16,000 gol. to build and research. If it is a weapon, the item may only inflict up
to 1d6 damage per simple function, and d10 per complex function.

Example Devices include printing presses, cotton gins, and even steam engines.

Brew: The tinker can brew non magical concoctions. Lubricants, adhesives, and even special
corrosive substances. When brewing such said concoctions, the tinker may take 20 for the
attempt. The tinker must perform this in a well stocked lab/workshop and may make one attempt
a week using this ability. Failure means that the particular batch of whatever was being brewed
was ruined, and the whole process has to be retried.

Skill Mastery: the tinker may choose one class skill, with the exception of alchemy, that he can
choose to take 20 on, even if it is usually not permissible to take 20 on that skill.


Create Construct: The tinker may create a construct at ½ the cost and ½ the time required,
provided that he has a lab/workshop, the materials, and assistants ( apprentices, and the
appropriate spell casters for the project ).

 

[der_kluge]

Tinker is a skill, not a class.

 

[shivamuffin]

Tinker is now a class and not a skill. Imagination is a wonderful thing.

 

[DreamChaser]

I tried a gadgeteer, which was basically like this: an inventor.

I found many problems with implementation.

Initially I designed the class to be based upon a series of Craft style feats that allowed the gadgeteer to make devices that would grant bonuses to skills or actions.

The problem with this turned out to be that the bonuses didn't scale enought at high levels. Add to this the frustration the player felt that most things that she did were nothing more than bonuses to die rolls (not very exciting when it comes down to it), the class began to look a little tarnished.

In addition, every version (and there were several) of this class included a mechanic for creating constructs. I started out basing the constructs upon the Astral Constructs of the PsH...then on Animated Objects...then back again...then a totally new set.

The problem: Trying to find a mechanic that fit the interal logic of the class. It makes sense that a psion could craft a construct that would disappear after the duration expired. This does not make sense for a tinker/gadgeteer class. The construct ended up needing to me more like a cohort. This requires more balancing, and feels less useful when the construct is so much weaker (overall) than the tinker.

Eventually, to make the class playable for the end of the campaign, I recrafted it to make it essentially another spellcasting class.

This frustrated me and the player but it made it so the gadgeteer could keep up with the other 18+ level characters in the game.

I used a mechanic similar to Craft Wonderous Item and Craft Magical Arms and Armor feats to allow the gadgeteer to construct longer term and more varied gadgets and devices.

The down side to this ended up that everying of value in the early rewrites of the class ended up being from this (fairly advanced) feat.

So in a nutshell, I found the following things hard to balance with an inventor class:

1) Useful gadgets vs essentially unlimited useage (how do you stop a device from working?)

2) Identifying the metagame role for the class (rogues are scouts and trap masters, clerics are healers, fighters protect the group, wizards are the artillary).

3) Keeping the abilities of the gadgets interesting (read: not just die bonuses) without infringing too heavily upon another class's area.

These are the areas I suggest you look at to balance this class. I still love the idea, but I've given up on it for right now.

DC
(feel free to let me know if you wanted to see my drafts...I think I have most of them)

 

[shivamuffin]

Sure, love to see the notes.

The Tinker isn't very exciting as a stand alone class. Not meant to be. It fills the niche for the Mcguyver types and creationists that want nothing more than to litter the campaign with gizmos and gadgets.

A smart player will have a few levels in rogue or wizard before going into tinkerdom full time, especially if the party is composed of a bunch of hard hitters. If it's mostly an rp group, with low intensity combat, then a straight tinker would hold up ok.
It's not a combat class, and thus not suited to the average campaign.

Lay out your notes, I want to see them. Hopefully it will keep the trolls away.

 

[DreamChaser]

there is no force on heaven or earth that can repel trolls but we'll give it a shot.

All the following files are .rtf so they should open for most computers.

This is my first gadgeteer w/ invention feats and devices.
First Gadgeteer

Invention Feats

Device Descriptions

This is my second gadgeteer. Probably my favorite of them but still in need of work.
Second Gadgeteer

This is my final gadgeteer. It is really little more than a sorcerer in gadgeteer's clothing.
Third Gadgeteer

Invention Feats

Device List

I hope all this works. It's a lot of stuff. I hope it helps.

DC

 

[shivamuffin]

Not as detailed or as in depth as your ideas, but workable.





The Tinker
Expert based Core Class For the D20 System


Class Description:

The tinker is society’s inventor. The tinker create solutions to problems via the construction of gadgets and constructs. The genius of the tinker can lead to devices that may help or hinder society, depending on the nature of the things he creates. Sometimes the best intentions can lead to terrifying results.

Hit Die: d6

Class Skills: Alchemy, Appraise, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Gather Information, Knowledge, Profession, Use Magic Device

Skill Points at 1st level: ( 7 + int modifier x 4 )
Skill Points at Each Additional Level 7 + int modifier

Class features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency. The tinker is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor, but not shields.

Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Wil Save Special
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Create Gadget, Repair item
2 +1 +0 +0 +3
3 +2 +1 +1 +3 Create Device
4 +3 +1 +1 +4
5 +3 +1 +1 +4
6 +4 +2 +2 +5
7 +5 +2 +2 +5
8 +6/+1 +2 +2 +6
9 +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 Create Major Device
10 +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Brew
11 +8/+3 +3 +3 +7
12 +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Create Wondrous Device
13 +9/+4 +4 +4 +8
14 +10/+5 +4 +4 +9
15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +9 Skill Mastery
16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10
17 +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10
18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11
19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11
20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Create Construct


Create Gadget: The tinker may create a simple tool and or item, with up to one moving part for every three levels of experience attained. This gadget can be used to assist with a task, but is not a solution to a task. For example, the tinker could create a gadget that will aid in the opening of a stuck door. The gadget will provide a +2 aid bonus and an additional +1 bonus for every 3 levels of the tinker. Tools and material will be required to create the gadget.
To build the gadget, the tinker uses his craft skill
DC 10 + 2 per moving part
The DM rolls the craft skill check. For every point below the target DC rolled, there is a 5% chance of item failure every time it is used, or once per day if it is in continuous operation.

Repair:
New Skill
Repair ( Int; Trained only )
The tinker has the ability to fix all sorts of mechanical devices. The tinker rolls a repair roll D20 + Int modifier + ranks in his repair skill against the DC s below. A set of Tinker Tools will add an additional +2 modifier to the roll.

Simple ( Broken wagon wheel ) DC 10
Moderate ( Winch system for a portcullis ) DC 15
Difficult ( Elevator/lift system with counterweights and gears ) DC 20
Complex ( Dwarven siege machine ) DC 30
Impossible ( Magical/Mechanical construct ) DC 40




Create Device, Create Major Device, Create Wondrous Device: The tinker, with a suitable lab/workshop may begin to build mechanical devices that are more stable than temporary gadgets. The exact nature of the device depends on it’s intended use, but it cannot produce magical effects.

The Tinker may create a mechanical device size category small/medium/large. the contraption may have 2/4/6 simple functions and 1/2/3 complex functions. the device will consume no less than 4,000/8,000/16,000 gol. to build and research. If it is a weapon, the item may only inflict up to 1d6 damage per simple function, and d10 per complex function.

To build the device, the tinker uses his craft skill
DC 10 + 2 per simple function, +5 per complex function
The DM rolls the craft skill check. For every point below the target DC rolled, there is a 5% chance of item failure every time it is used, or once per day if it is in continuous operation.

Examples of Device Functions:
Minor functions: non mobility, storage, functions that assist with a minor task such as operating a lift ( elevator ), opening a door, printing, small hand operated water pumps, and even dispensing liquid for example.

Major functions: Weaponry, automation, heavy industrial work ( Drilling, crushing, cutting, and melting ).

Example Devices include printing presses, cotton gins, and even steam engines.

Brew: The tinker can brew non magical concoctions. Lubricants, adhesives, and even special corrosive substances. When brewing such said concoctions, the tinker may take 20 for the attempt. The tinker must perform this in a well stocked lab/workshop and may make one attempt a week using this ability. Failure means that the particular batch of whatever was being brewed was ruined, and the whole process has to be retried.

Skill Mastery: the tinker may choose one class skill, with the exception of alchemy, that he can choose to take 20 on, even if it is usually not permissible to take 20 on that skill.


Create Construct: The tinker may create a construct at ½ the cost and ½ the time required, provided that he has a lab/workshop, the materials, and assistants ( apprentices, and the appropriate spell casters for the project ).