Artificer

Artificer

250 points
Every delver loves wonderful toys – and you are the one
who makes them! You’re the go-to guy for potions, armor
adjustments, and finicky traps that even the thief is reluctant
to touch. But unlike alchemists and armorers in town, you’re
not happy to stay parked in a shop. Your goal is to perfect
your art, and there’s no better academy than the trick- and
trap-filled hell-holes commissioned by dying kings and mad
wizards.
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP
11 [0]; Will 13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [0];
Basic Move 6 [0].
Advantages: Dungeon Artificer 4 [20]; Equipment Bond ¥2
(Any two starting tools or kits) [2]; Gizmos 3 [15]; and Quick
Gadgeteer [50]. • 40 points chosen from among DX +1 or +2
[20 or 40], IQ +1 or +2 [20 or 40], Equipment Bond (other)
[1/item], Gizmos 4+ [5/level], High Manual Dexterity 1-4
[5/level], Lifting ST 1-3 [3/level], Luck [15] or Extraordinary
Luck [30], Serendipity [15/level], Signature Gear [Varies],
Versatile [5], Wealth (Comfortable, Wealthy, or Very
Wealthy) [10, 20, or 30], or Weapon Bond [1].
Disadvantages: Compulsive Inventing (12) [-5]. • -20 points
chosen from among Absent-Mindedness [-15], Bad Sight
(Mitigator, Corrective Spectacles, -60%) [-10], Curious [-5*],
Hard of Hearing [-10], Overconfidence [-5*], Pyromania
[-5], Trickster [-15], or worsen Compulsive Inventing from
(12) to (9) [-7] for -2 points or (6) [-10] for -5 points. • A fur-
ther -25 points chosen from among the previous traits or
Bad Temper [-10], Greed [-15], Impulsiveness [-10*],
Jealousy [-10], Kleptomania [-15*], Odious Personal Habits
[-5 to -15], Post-Combat Shakes [-5*], Sense of Duty
(Adventuring companions) [-5], or Stubbornness [-5].
Primary Skills: Alchemy (VH) IQ+3 [4]-16†; Engineer
(Gadgets) (H) IQ+3 [2]-16†; Fast-Draw (Gadget) (E) DX+4
[1]-17†; and Scrounging (E) Per+4 [1]-17†.
Secondary Skills: Forced Entry (E) DX+1 [2]-14; Armoury
(Body Armor), Armoury (Melee Weapons), Armoury
(Missile Weapons), and Traps, all (A) IQ+3 [1]-16†; and
Lockpicking (A) IQ [2]-13. • One of Crossbow (E) DX+2
[4]-15 or Throwing (A) DX+1 [4]-14. • One of Axe/Mace,
Broadsword, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, or Smallsword, all
(A) DX+1 [4]-14. • One of Shield or Shield (Buckler), both
(E) DX+2 [4]-15; Cloak or Main-Gauche, both (A) DX+1
[4]-14; or raise main Melee Weapon skill to DX+2 [8]-15.
Background Skills: Five of Knot-Tying or Leatherworking,
both (E) DX [1]-13; Climbing or Stealth, both (A) DX-1
[1]-12; First Aid (E) IQ [1]-13; Architecture, Cartography,
Hazardous Materials (Magical), Holdout, Merchant, or
Smith (any), all (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Counterfeiting or Jeweler,
both (H) IQ-2 [1]-11; or Search (A) Per-1 [1]-12.
* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
† Includes +4 for Dungeon Artificer (p. 4).
Customization Notes
Artificers are distinguished more by their actions in the
field – their Gizmos and jury-rigs – than by their abilities. Still,
there are two familiar, almost diametrically opposed stereo-
types. Most artificers fall somewhere in between.
The engineer is practical, and relies on a good stock of sup-
plies, a well-loved set of tools, and his skills. He tends to have
more IQ, and nearly always sufficient Wealth that he can
acquire a wide selection of items to reveal as Gizmos.
However, he doesn’t rely on Gizmos. He lugs a lot of gear (mak-
ing Lifting ST valuable), much of which is likely to be careful-
ly selected, justifying Equipment Bond with tools and
Signature Gear in the form of exceptional arms and armor (his
designs!). He favors weapons that double as tools, wielding a
hatchet with Axe/Mace or a machete with Shortsword. His
background skills tend to be crafts – Architecture, Jeweler,
Smith, Leatherworking, etc. – along with Merchant to help
him fund his work.
The mad inventor, by contrast, prefers to travel light, and
finds merchants and bank accounts tiresome. He meets each
challenge with genius, guts, good fortune . . . and Gizmos,
often 5, 10, or more. Lady Luck is his ally, and he’s as likely to
invest in Luck and Serendipity as in Gizmos. If forced to fight,
he uses weapons suited to a civilized genius, wielded with
Rapier, Saber, or Smallsword, and often enhanced with
Weapon Bond. Background skills inevitably include
Hazardous Materials for handling things that sane inventors
avoid. Counterfeiting, Holdout, Search, and Stealth are valu-
able when money runs short.
Artificers are served well by trading some points from
quirks for equipment – even if they’re Wealthy and have
Signature Gear. An artificer’s hardware defines him! The more
paraphernalia he has, the wider his options for Gizmos. Keep
detailed lists of what he’s carrying and what’s in limbo, waiting
to show up as Gizmos.