Occupational Template: Artificer

Occupational Template: Artificer

D&D artifiers are very different from the artificer found in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 4: Sages. In D&D, they are spellcasters that are adept at crafting and using magic items. Here's how I adapted artificer spellcasting for my games. In addition, I wrote up a 150-point occupation template.

Artificer Spellcasting

- Use Sorcery as the system.

- The artificer can only cast spells that affect objects and constructs, and all spells require the artificer’s touch (apply the Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35% limitation where appropriate). The Sorcerous Empowerment advantage gets the Limited Scope, Artifice, -40% limitation, as this is more or less equivalent to restricting the spellcasting ability to two colleges – Enchantment and Making & Breaking – and restricting the scope to only touch spells.

- Artificer’s spellcasting is subject to Repeated Attempts (GURPS Powers, p. 159).

- Despite not being able to cast many spells, artificers can create various magic items with the Enchant spell. Each “recipe” is a perk. For example, an artificer can create a wand of Fireball if he has the Enchantment Recipe (Fireball) perk. The spell’s full cost must be equal or lower than the amount of points spent on Sorcerous Empowerment. If the spell has levels, the artificer is allowed to imbue an item with the spell of any level without taking a separate perk, but only while the condition described above is met.

- When rolling a critical failure on a casting roll, use the Critical Spell Failure Table (p. B236).

The templates below also use a new skill that I have introduced in my games.

        Use Enchanted Item (IQ/Average)†
Defaults: None.
This skill lets you use enchanted items. Some items might require a successful roll of this skill to be used, but most do not. Use Enchanted Item may be substituted for most of the required rolls for enchanted items – IQ rolls to “cast”, Innate Attack rolls to aim (use a DX-based roll for that), etc. However, Use Enchanted Item cannot be used in place of a weapon skill – you still have to roll against Broadsword to hit with a magical sword. In addition, if an item has special requirements, such as possessing the Sorcerous Empowerment advantage, this requirement can be circumvented with a Use Enchanted Item skill roll at a -2 penalty per restriction.
You must specialize by power source – magic, divine, psi, etc.

ARTIFICER

150 points

Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 10 [0].

Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will 13 [0]; Per 12 [-5]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 5.00 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0].

Advantages: Artificer 1 [10]; Equipment Bond (Any one starting tool or kit) [1]. • Up to 30 points in Sorcerous Empowerment (Artificer) [12 for level 1 + 6/level]; put leftovers into known spells. • 40 points chosen from among DX +1 or +2 [20 or 40], IQ +1 or +2 [20 or 40], HT +1 or +2 [10 or 20], Artificer 2-3 [10/level], Artificer Talent 1-3 [5/level], Driver’s Reflexes 1-3 [5/level], Enchantment Recipe [1/recipe], Equipment Bond (other) [1/item], Gadgeteer [25], High Manual Dexterity 1-3 [5/level], Lifting ST 1-3 [3/level], Luck [15] or Extraordinary Luck [30], Master Builder 1-3 [5/level], Reputation [Varies], Versatile [5], Wealth (Comfortable, Wealthy, or Very Wealthy) [10, 20, or 30], Weapon Bond [1], or Widget-Worker 1-5 [5/level]. Any leftover points can be spent on known spells.

Disadvantages: -20 points chosen from among Absent-Mindedness [-15], Bad Sight (Mitigator, Corrective Spectacles, -60%) [-10], Code of Honor (Professional) [-5], Curious [-5*], Hard of Hearing [-10], Insomniac [-10 or -15], Missing Finger [-2], Missing Thumb [-5], Overconfidence [-5*], Pyromania [-5*], or Trickster [-15*]. • A further -25 points chosen from among the previous traits or Bad Temper [-10*], Clueless [-10], Easy to Read [-10], Greed [-15*], Impulsiveness [-10*], Jealousy [-10], Kleptomania [-15*], Loner [-5*], Miserliness [-10*], Oblivious [-5], Odious Personal Habits [-5 to -15], Post-Combat Shakes [-5*], Reputation [Varies], Sense of Duty (Adventuring companions) [-5], or Stubbornness [-5].

Primary Skills: Alchemy (any) (VH) IQ-2 [2]-11; Engineer (Artillery, Civil, Clockwork, Combat, Materials, Mining, Small Arms, or one Vehicle Type) (H) IQ+1 [4]-14†; Expert Skill (Artifice) (H) IQ [4]-13; Machinist (A) IQ+2† [4]; Scrounging (E) Per [1]-12; and Use Enchanted Item (Magic) (A) IQ+1 [4]-14.

Secondary Skills: Forced Entry (E) DX [1]-10; Lockpicking and Traps, both (A) IQ [2]-13. • One of Crossbow (E) DX+2 [4]-12, Guns (Gonne, Gyroc, Musket, Pistol, Shotgun, Rifle, or Wrist Gun) (E) DX+2 [4]-12, Liquid Projector (Flamethrower) (E) DX+2 [4]-12, or Throwing (A) DX+1 [4]-11. • Three of Armoury (Battlesuits), Armoury (Body Armor), Armoury (Esoteric), Armoury (Heavy Weapons), Armoury (Melee Weapons), Armoury (Missile Weapons), Armoury (Reflectors), Armoury (Small Arms), Armoury (Vehicular Hulls), and Armoury (Vimana Weapons), all (A) IQ [1]-13†. • One of Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, or Smallsword, all (A) DX+1 [4]-11. • One of Shield or Shield (Buckler), both (E) DX+2 [4]-12; Cloak or Main-Gauche, both (A) DX+1 [4]-11; or raise main Melee Weapon skill to DX+2 [8]-12.

Background Skills: Five of Fast-Draw (Potion or Wand), Gunner (Cannon, Catapult, Mirror, or Rockets), Knot-Tying, Leatherworking, Parachuting, or Sewing, all (E) DX [1]-10; Battlesuit, Climbing, Driving (any), or Stealth, all (A) DX-1 [1]-9; Area Knowledge (any), Current Affairs (Science and Technology), or First Aid, all (E) IQ [1]-13; Carpentry or Masonry, both (E) IQ+1 [1]-14†; Architecture, Cartography, Explosives (Demolition or Fireworks), Freight Handling, Hazardous Materials (Magical), Holdout, Merchant, Occultism, Packing, Piloting (Broom, Carpet, Glider, Ornithopter, Spelljammer, or Vimana), or Research, all (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Mechanic (any) or Smith (any), both (A) IQ [1]-13†; Chemistry, Counterfeiting, Expert Skill (Ultra-Tech), Jeweler, Mathematics (Applied), or Metallurgy, all (H) IQ-2 [1]-11; Engineer (any other specialty) (H) IQ-1 [1]-12†; Physics, Thaumatology, or Surgery (Golemics), all (VH) IQ-3 [1]-10; or Search (A) Per-1 [1]-11.

Spells: 15 points in known spells.

* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.

† Includes +1 for Artificer.

 

But wait, aren't we missing something? In D&D 3.5, there was a variant class - the psionic artificer. Let's adjust the template a bit then!

 

PSIONIC ARTIFICER

150 points

Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 10 [0].

Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will 13 [0]; Per 12 [-5]; FP 10 [0]; Basic Speed 5.00 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0].

Advantages: Artificer 1 [10]; Equipment Bond (Any one starting tool or kit) [1]. • Psionic Enchantment [37]. • 48 points chosen from among DX +1 or +2 [20 or 40], IQ +1 or +2 [20 or 40], HT +1 or +2 [10 or 20], Artificer 2-3 [10/level], Artificer Talent 1-3 [5/level], Driver’s Reflexes 1-3 [5/level], Equipment Bond (other) [1/item], Gadgeteer [25], High Manual Dexterity 1-3 [5/level], Lifting ST 1-3 [3/level], Luck [15] or Extraordinary Luck [30], Master Builder 1-3 [5/level], Psionic Enchantment Recipe [1/recipe], Reputation [Varies], Versatile [5], Wealth (Comfortable, Wealthy, or Very Wealthy) [10, 20, or 30], Weapon Bond [1], Widget-Worker 1-5 [5/level], or any psionic abilities and their associated skills and techniques.

Disadvantages: -20 points chosen from among Absent-Mindedness [-15], Bad Sight (Mitigator, Corrective Spectacles, -60%) [-10], Code of Honor (Professional) [-5], Curious [-5*], Hard of Hearing [-10], Insomniac [-10 or -15], Missing Finger [-2], Missing Thumb [-5], Overconfidence [-5*], Pyromania [-5*], or Trickster [-15*]. • A further -25 points chosen from among the previous traits or Bad Temper [-10*], Clueless [-10], Easy to Read [-10], Greed [-15*], Impulsiveness [-10*], Jealousy [-10], Kleptomania [-15*], Loner [-5*], Miserliness [-10*], Oblivious [-5], Odious Personal Habits [-5 to -15], Post-Combat Shakes [-5*], Reputation [Varies], Sense of Duty (Adventuring companions) [-5], or Stubbornness [-5].

Primary Skills: Alchemy (Psionic) (VH) IQ-2 [2]-11; Engineer (Artillery, Civil, Clockwork, Combat, Materials, Mining, Psychotronics, Small Arms, or one Vehicle Type) (H) IQ+1 [4]-14†; Expert Skill (Artifice) (H) IQ-1 [2]-12; Expert Skill (Psionics) (H) IQ-1 [2]-12; Machinist (A) IQ+2† [4]; Scrounging (E) Per [1]-12; and Use Enchanted Item (Psi) (A) IQ+1 [4]-14.

Secondary Skills: Forced Entry (E) DX [1]-10; Lockpicking and Traps, both (A) IQ [2]-13. • One of Crossbow (E) DX+2 [4]-12, Guns (Gonne, Gyroc, Musket, Pistol, Shotgun, Rifle, or Wrist Gun) (E) DX+2 [4]-12, Liquid Projector (Flamethrower) (E) DX+2 [4]-12, or Throwing (A) DX+1 [4]-11. • Three of Armoury (Battlesuits), Armoury (Body Armor), Armoury (Esoteric), Armoury (Heavy Weapons), Armoury (Melee Weapons), Armoury (Missile Weapons), Armoury (Reflectors), Armoury (Small Arms), Armoury (Vehicular Hulls), and Armoury (Vimana Weapons), all (A) IQ [1]-13†. • One of Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, or Smallsword, all (A) DX+1 [4]-11. • One of Shield or Shield (Buckler), both (E) DX+2 [4]-12; Cloak or Main-Gauche, both (A) DX+1 [4]-11; or raise main Melee Weapon skill to DX+2 [8]-12.

Background Skills: Five of Fast-Draw (Potion or Wand), Gunner (Cannon, Catapult, Mirror, or Rockets), Knot-Tying, Leatherworking, Parachuting, or Sewing, all (E) DX [1]-10; Battlesuit, Climbing, Driving (any), or Stealth, all (A) DX-1 [1]-9; Area Knowledge (any), Current Affairs (Science and Technology), or First Aid, all (E) IQ [1]-13; Carpentry or Masonry, both (E) IQ+1 [1]-14†; Architecture, Cartography, Explosives (Demolition or Fireworks), Freight Handling, Hazardous Materials (Magical), Holdout, Merchant, Occultism, Packing, Piloting (Broom, Carpet, Glider, Ornithopter, Spelljammer, or Vimana), or Research, all (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Mechanic (any) or Smith (any), both (A) IQ [1]-13†; Chemistry, Counterfeiting, Expert Skill (Ultra-Tech), Jeweler, Mathematics (Applied), or Metallurgy (Crystal), all (H) IQ-2 [1]-11; Engineer (any other specialty) (H) IQ-1 [1]-12†; Physics, Thaumatology, or Surgery (Golemics), all (VH) IQ-3 [1]-10; or Search (A) Per-1 [1]-11.

Psionic Skills: Psionic Enchantment (H) IQ [4].

* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.

† Includes +1 for Artificer.