artificer class ideas

[stille_nacht]

alright, there are rumors flying around about a new class, and myself, and i hear artificer tossed around a lot, so i decided to give some ideas

note- i am not making considerations here to coding difficulties, as i have no idea how the sourcecode works :/, i will edit if more knowledgeable people inform me what is impossible to code

note2- this is far from totally thought out, some suggestions may be over/underpowered

note3- the biggest leap you will see here is- i run under the assumption that artificers get martial proficiency, in 3.5 they cannot use martial weapons, this is because i am imagining them as a sort of "smith/inventor/fighter"

i sort of envision artificers as specialists in making and crafting weapons, who can either choose to make constructs to fight for them, or weapons to fight with themselves.

Crafting-
i do NOT want artificers to get significant bonuses to crafting.
why? simple. because i do not want artificer to be "that class you make one of to do stuff for your main character". People would use artificers as their crafting mules and nothing more often. I do not support this.

I do want artificers to have nifty crafting related abilities though, several thoughts (totally not final/set in stone/determined)-
Artificer imbue- artificers can spend sp to permanently add effects to items, they become BTC, imbue list would include things like added damage effects, special effects, and skill mods. Split into noprefix/improved/greater, these would represent puregood/holy/holyburst respectively or similar effects (say, flaming/flamingburst/flamingburst+blast). only one at a time
Artificer disenchant- removes imbues from items, they lose BTC
Artificer combat disenchant- in combat ability, artificers use their disenchant ability to remove all added effects and magical bonuses to weapons used by targeted enemy.
Artificer maintenance- manifests itself as a passive ability, weapons take half/one quarter damage.
Artificer Mass Imbue- can imbue the party's weapon (timed buff) with effects, available only at greater, level 1 buffs can be used (so only pg, flame, etc.)


Pet-
i want artificers to have a significant "creation", though AI problems might be an issue, but seeing as these will be a special part of a new class, i hope an improved ai can be configured :/.

Construct Conjuration- 1/day, artificer constructs a golem (disappears at shrine). it would scale noprefix/improve/greater for stronger and stronger golems, and perhaps more uses per shrine.

Enhancements could be made to facilitate this, as well as perhaps feats for those abilities powerful enough
Construct improved intimidation/hp/damage/armortype, etc. etc.

i am also toying around with the idea of giving weapons to constructs.

base hit dice and BAB= same as a rogue

class skills-
open lock, disarm trap, search, repair, haggle.

spells- (not sure what to add here tbh, just put in repair spells)
lv 1- repair moderate damage
lv 2- repair serious damage
lv 3- repair critical damage
lv 4- reconstruct, mass repair serious, mechanical failure (instadeath spell for constructs)

Overall scheme
1- granted feat: artificer path: creation or weaponry
2-
3-granted feat: Artificer Concentration +3
4-lv. 1 spells
5-
6-granted feat: improved artificer path: creation or weaponry
7-
8-lv. 2
9-granted feat: artificer mechanical knowledge- +3 disarm trap, unlock, find trap
10-
11-
12-granted feat: greater artificer path: creation or weaponry, lv. 3
13-
14-granted ability: combat disenchant
15-
16-granted feat: greater artificer mechanical knowledge- improved to +6 disarm, unlock, find, lv. 4 spells
17-
18-
19-
20-

farther out (and pretty ridiculous)-
PrEs, could make a "magic weaponsmith", which grants artificers the ability to create special weapons that fire spells (getting stronger as pre number goes up of course). PrE could include an energy drain rifle and a disintegrate rifle among other things. (spells fired can be maximized/empowered, expend charges which recharge at shrine, charges undetermined, i am unsure).

perhaps a different PrE for creation, dunno.

[Seikojin]

Pretty interesting.

I was thinking they would be pet based and enchantment based.

So as they level, they can add spell effects to party members or pets. Like give flaming to a players weapons, or a pets attacks.

As they level, they can have more than one pet. All their pets would be constructs or construct versions of other creatures.

I also think it would be cool if you could consume items to buff up pets.

[stille_nacht]

Pretty interesting.

I was thinking they would be pet based and enchantment based.

So as they level, they can add spell effects to party members or pets. Like give flaming to a players weapons, or a pets attacks.

As they level, they can have more than one pet. All their pets would be constructs or construct versions of other creatures.

I also think it would be cool if you could consume items to buff up pets.

yeah i was thinking thata they could get "mass imbue" as a party buff (so give icy to the party ), of course this would have to be limited, we dont want to be overpowered here.

i was tinkering with the idea of equipping swords and whatnot to pets, they could be kinda like WF in that respect.