Technician

A technician may combine combat spheres and talents to create powerful martial techniques. Technicians are considered Adept combatants and use Intelligence as their practitioner modifier.

Technicians are experts at building things, be they improvised tools or unique mechanical marvels. These items, called gadgets, are built out of components the technician has prepared in his spare time out of commonly-found items; so long as the technician has access to a trap bag, he is assumed to have access to all the parts he needs to build his gadgets, and to have already prepared components beforehand to quickly create whatever gadget he needs.

Creating and activating a gadget is a standard action, but may be reduced to a move action by expending martial focus.

A technician can create a total number of gadgets in a day equal to 1/2 his technician level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum: 1). If a gadget calls for a saving throw, that saving throw’s DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 his technician level + his Intelligence modifier. A gadget must be used the round it is created, or fall apart back into its component parts, which does not expend the gadget.

At 1st level, the technician gains the Trap sphere as a bonus sphere. If he already possesses this sphere, he instead gains one talent from that sphere.

A technician adds 1/2 his level on Perception checks to locate traps and on all Disable Device checks (minimum +1). A technician can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.

Every technician knows how to create custom items, called inventions. Inventions could be anything from a simple improved crossbow, to a powerful and complex machine that to the uneducated appears to be magic. Inventions are finicky, improvised things that require constant tinkering and fixing, and there is a limit to how many a technician can maintain at any one time. A technician can have and maintain a maximum of 1 invention at 1st level, plus an additional invention at 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter. If the technician has already reached this limit and wishes to create a new invention, he must select one of his existing inventions to dismantle. Whenever an invention includes an ability that calls for a saving throw, the DC equals 10 + 1/2 the technician’s class level + the technician’s Intelligence modifier.

Some inventions have prerequisites, which must be met before the invention can be created. These prerequisites might be items, a cost in gp for specialty parts, or feats and skill ranks the technician must possess. A technician may create any invention which he meets the necessary prerequisites to create.

Creating an invention takes 8 hours of work. The work need not be consecutive, and the technician can do this work while out adventuring, but in that situation he can only devote 4 hours each day to item creation, and only nets 2 hours’ worth of work due to being in a distracting environment. Once the invention has been created, altering its improvements requires only 1 hour of work.

See 'inventions' at the bottom of this page for more information on creating inventions.

At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the technician gains additional insights that expand his knowledge and capacity. He may choose one of the technical insights below. Unless otherwise noted, a technical insight may only be selected once.

See below for more information on creating inventions.

At 2nd level, a technician gains a bonus to all Knowledge (engineering) checks equal to 1/2 his technician level, and takes half the usual time when using the Craft skill to repair an object.

Whenever the technician uses the Disable Device skill, he reduces the required time by 1 step (2d4 rounds, 1d4 rounds, 1 round, a standard action, a move action, a swift action).

At 3rd level, a technician gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. In addition, he gains a +1 bonus on Perception checks to avoid being surprised by a foe. These bonuses increase by 1 every 3 technician levels thereafter (to a maximum of +6 at 18th level). This ability counts as trap sense for the purpose of any feat or class prerequisite. The bonuses gained from this ability stack with those gained from trap sense (from another class).

At 3rd level the technician gains Heightened Awareness from the Scout sphere, whether or not he possesses that sphere. If he already possesses that talent, he may instead gain any one martial talent for which he qualifies.

At 7th level, all uses of the Disable Device skill have their required time decreased by 2 steps instead of 1.

When a technician disarms a trap through the Disable Device skill and beats the trap’s DC by 10 or more, in addition to being able to pass by the trap without activating it, he gains one of the following benefits as well:

• Trap Sphere: If the technician beats the DC by 10 of a trap from the Trap sphere, he may take control of that trap. The trap’s previous owner is no longer able to pass through the trap’s space unharmed, although any creatures who knew where the trap was placed still gain the usual bonuses against activating the trap. Additionally, the technician may upgrade the trap if it is inferior to his own and it is a trap he is able to create, changing its variables such as damage, and saving throws, to become as if he had been the one to place the trap.
• Magical Trap: When disarming a magic trap that allows specific creatures to pass without danger and beating the trap’s DC by 10 or more, the technician can modify which creatures are allowed to pass, such as adding his allies or restricting his enemies if he desires.

At 11th level, all uses of the Disable Device skill have their required time decreased by 3 steps instead of 2, to a minimum of a swift action.

In addition to using Disable Device to sabotage mechanical gadgets, the technician can also use the Disable Device skill to tamper with magical effects as well. With 2d4 rounds of work (reduced to 1 round with the benefits of trapmaster and greater trapmaster), the technician may make a Disable Device check (DC 11 + the effect’s caster level) that dispels magical effects on a creature or area.

Instantaneous effects cannot be disabled in this fashion. The technician may target a specific effect if he has identified it, otherwise the effect with the highest caster level is affected first. He may also target a magical item, in which case the magic is not dispelled, but is instead suppressed for 1d4 rounds. The technician must be touching the target to affect it in this way; he may use this power on an unwilling target, but must succeed at a melee touch attack, and must remain in contact with the target for the entire process (if this process requires 1 round or longer, often the target must be grappled, helpless, unaware of the technician, or in some other way unable to get away from the technician for the duration).

At 15th level, all uses of the Disable Device skill have their required time decreased by 4 steps instead of 3, to a minimum of a swift action. In addition, the technician may use his Disable Device skill to dispel all non-item magical effects on a target, rather than just one. When making the Disable Device check, compare it to each effect individually; if the check exceeds a DC of 11 + that effect’s caster level, the effect ends.

At 19th level, all uses of the Disable Device skill have their required time decreased by 5 steps instead of 4, to a minimum of a swift action. In addition, when the technician is the direct target of an unwanted magical effect, as an immediate action he may attempt a Disable Device check to negate the incoming effect before it can affect him, as detailed under greater trapmaster.

At 20th level, the technician gains a permanent +2 bonus to all mental ability scores.

^{Source: Arcforge Players Compendium}

Mechanical enhancements are hardwired into your brain. Improvement benefits from an exocortex cannot be applied to any character other than the technician.

Prerequisites: None

Improvements

Combat Aptitude

The technician gains a combat feat of his choice as a bonus feat, chosen when this invention is created. This improvement may be selected once for every 6 technician levels the technician possesses, each time selecting a new combat feat.

Combat Tracking

As a move action, the technician can designate a foe for the exocortex to track. As long as that target is in sight, the exocortex feeds the technician telemetry, vulnerabilities, and combat tactics, allowing the technician to make attacks against that target and use combat sphere abilities on the target as if his base attack bonus from the technician levels were equal to his technician level. Designating another target causes the technician to immediately lose this bonus against the previous target.

This ability counts as the slayer’s studied target ability for the purpose of feats and for meeting prerequisites.

Echolocators (Requires Electrical Insight)

The technician gains blindsense (Echosense) out to 20 feet. This improvement may be selected multiple times, each time increasing the blindsense range by 20 feet.

Memory Module (Requires Chemical Insight)

The technician gains Skill Focus as a bonus feat. By spending martial focus, the technician may reduce the time needed to use the skill selected with Skill Focus. If the skill use would normally take 2 rounds or longer, the recipient of the aid finishes in half the time. If the skill use would normally take 1 round or less, reduce the time it takes by one step along this list: 1 round, 1 full-round action, 1 standard action, 1 move action, 1 swift action, 1 immediate action (taken at the end of the turn).

Multitargeting (Requires Combat Tracking)

The technician may use combat tracking on up to three creatures at a time. This improvement may be selected a second time, in which case the technician may use combat tracking on any number of targets.

Sonar Pulse (Requires Echolocators)

The echosense from echolocators improves to blindsight (Echosight).

Rather than create an improved version of another object or an independent machine, it is possible for the technician to create a device that functions similarly to a gadget, but on a more permanent basis. A grand gadget is an object similar in size and structure to a light crossbow, meaning it suffers a -2 penalty to any attack rolls if wielded with only one hand, and is considered a crossbow for the purposes of drawing it, being considered armed while holding it, or integrating it with another invention. If the technician possesses mechanical insight, he can craft smaller grand gadgets, about the size and structure of a hand crossbow, meaning they may be fired one handed without penalty and may be hidden with the Sleight of Hand skill. Anyone other than the technician suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls or to the grand gadget’s save DCs per improvement when using it.

Prerequisites: A grand gadget is not based on a pre-existing item, and therefore must be built out of other materials. A grand gadget costs 10 gp to create, and is considered to have a market price of 10 gp when calculating the cost of repairs.

A grand gadget can gain 1 improvement, +1 improvement at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. Anyone other than the technician suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls or to the grand gadget’s save DCs per improvement when using it.

Improvements

Chemical Thrower (Requires Chemical Insight)

Choose fire, cold, electricity, or acid. 3 times per day as a standard action, a creature wielding the grand gadget can fire a spray of that element in a close range cone (25 ft. +5 ft. per two levels) or a line of twice that length, dealing 1d8 damage per 2 technician levels (minimum: 1d8) to all creatures in the area. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the technician’s level + his Intelligence modifier) divides this damage in half. This improvement can be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, increase the number of times this ability may be used by 3, or gain 3 uses of a different element.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement grants 4 uses instead of 3.

Permanent Gadget

Choose a gadget the technician can create. The grand gadget allows the wielder to use this gadget 3 times, as if the technician had made it but without expending one of the technician’s gadgets. This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, the wielder may use the gadget an additional 3 times, or may use a different gadget 3 times.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement grants 4 uses instead of 3.

Laser (Requires Electric Insight)

With pressurized gas and an electrical array, the wielder can fire a short-range laser as a standard action, dealing 1d8 fire damage per technician level to a target. The laser has a range of close range (25 ft. +5 ft. per two levels), and requires a ranged touch attack to hit. This laser may be used 3 times per day. This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, increase the number of daily uses by 3.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement grants 4 uses instead of 3.

Machine Gun (Requires Steampower Insight)

Through steam-powered centrifugal forces, the grand gadget can fire pellets in rapid succession to create a stream of death. As a standard action, the grand gadget deals 1d8 bludgeoning and piercing damage per 2 technician levels (minimum 1d8) to all creatures within a line that extends out to medium range (100 ft. +10 ft. per level). Creatures in this area of effect are allowed a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the technician’s level + his Int modifier) for half damage. This ability may be used 3 times per day. This improvement can be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, the wielder may use this ability 3 additional times per day.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement grants 4 uses instead of 3.

Weaponized Gadget

The grand gadget is fitted with an attached item such that wielding one wields the other. A grand gadget can be fitted with any one-handed weapon, two-handed weapon, or any shield other than a buckler. The technician must supply the item to be attached.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, the grand gadget may be attached to any weapon (including light weapons) as well as bucklers.

Anyone other than the technician suffers a -2 penalty to the armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus (minimum: 0), and a +2 increase to its armor check penalty for every improvement it possesses.

Prerequisites: A suit of medium or heavy armor.

Improvements

Air Bladder

The suit of armor comes equipped with an air tank. Filling the air tank requires 10 minutes of work in a place that possesses air. After the tank is filled, the wearer may switch it on as a swift action, allowing the wearer of the armor to survive underwater or in other airless places for 1 hour before needing to hold his breath. While the air bladder is engaged, the wearer is immune to gases and other attacks or hazards that require a creature to breathe.

Attached Weapon

The armor includes a light or one-handed weapon that may be extended as a swift action, and retracted as a standard action. This weapon is attached to the armor and cannot be disarmed, but the hand needed to wield the weapon cannot be used for any other purpose when the weapon is extended.

If the weapon is used to make an attack on the same round it is extended, the added momentum adds +1 damage to that attack, +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. In place of a weapon, other items may also be attached in this manner, such as a wand or staff. The technician must supply the weapon or item to be attached.

Improved Joints

The armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 1, and the armor’s armor check penalty is reduced by 1. This improvement may be taken multiple times, increasing these bonuses by the number of times this improvement is taken.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement increases the armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus and decreases the armor’s armor check penalty by 2 instead of 1.

Improved Mobility

The penalty to movement from the armor is cut in half. This improvement can be taken twice. If taken a second time, this improvement removes the movement penalty completely.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement removes the armor’s entire movement penalty if taken once rather than twice.

Magnetized Repulsion (Requires Electric Insight)

The armor grants the wearer a +1 deflection bonus to AC, +1 at 5th level and every 4 technician levels thereafter.

Mechanized Fist

When making attacks with a gauntlet or spiked gauntlet attached to the piece of armor (this may be added to a suit of armor such as a breastplate that does not naturally come with these pieces), the gauntlet or spiked gauntlet deals additional damage equal to 1 +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. A mechanized fist can also be outfitted as an attached weapon, in which case these bonuses to damage stack. The technician must supply the gauntlet or spiked gauntlet to be attached.

Mechanized Strength (Requires Steampower Insight)

The armor is outfitted with gears, pistons, and pressure gauges to improve the wearer’s strength. The wearer gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter.

Parachute

The wearer of the suit of armor never suffers falling damage, regardless of the distance fallen. The wearer falls at a rate of 60 ft. per round, and can move 30 ft. in a horizontal direction for every 60 ft. fallen.

Resistance (Requires Chemical Insight)

The armor is tempered with chemicals that make it resistant to a type of energy. Choose fire, electricity, cold, or acid. The armor grants the wearer resistance to that energy type equal to 10 + 1/2 the technician’s class level. This improvement can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, choose a different element.

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -1 penalty to all Strength and Dexterity-based skill checks per improvement while wearing an improved backpack, and suffers an additional -1 penalty per improvement to any attack roll or skill check made involving the backpack’s attached arms.

Prerequisites: A backpack.

Improvements

Aided Flight (Requires Steampower Insight)

The backpack comes equipped with a system of grappling hooks and winches. Using a grapple gun gadget while wearing the backpack consumes 1 less gadget than normal. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight as well as steampower insight, this improvement may be gained an additional time. Doing so allows the wearer to use the grapple guns supplied by the backpack as a move action instead of a standard action. This also causes movement made via the improved backpack’s grapple guns to count as both flying and leaping for the purpose of the Athletics sphere.

Armor Improvements

The improved backpack can gain the air bladder or parachute improvements as if it were a suit of improved armor.

Attached Arm

The improved backpack contains an attached mechanical arm. This arm can hold objects or retrieve them from the wearer, although it does not possess the fine motor skills to wield a weapon or make Dexterity-based skill checks, and does not grant additional attacks. However, each attached arm gains 1 of the following qualities. This improvement may be gained multiple times. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, each arm gains 2 qualities instead of 1.

• Slam: The wearer may make a slam attack with the attached arms as either an attack action, or as a swift action with a -5 penalty when using the attack action with another weapon. This attack possesses the grab universal monster ability. A mechanical arm uses Intelligence in place of Strength when calculating its bonus to hit, and deals 1d6 damage (1d4 Small, 1d8 Large) with no Strength bonus. The attack deals an additional 1d6 damage and gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and grapple checks for each additional attached arm that possesses this quality. The wearer of the improved backpack is always considered proficient with this attack, and may treat it as a wielded melee weapon for the purposes of talents and feats. All arms with this quality are treated as a single manufactured weapon for the purpose of enchanting.
• Reach: The attached arms have a natural reach 5 ft. larger than would be normal for their size. The arms do not threaten this extra space, and therefore cannot make attacks of opportunity at this increased reach.
• Fine Manipulation: The attached arm counts as a normal arm for most purposes. It can manipulate objects as well as a hand, including making Dexterity-based skill checks. The attached arm can even wield weapons or shields, although this does not grant additional attacks.

Extra Quality (Requires Attached Arm)

All attached arms gain an additional quality.

Freezer (Requires Chemical Insight)

The improved backpack contains a compartment that is kept at freezing temperatures that may hold up to 50 pieces of ammunition including darts or shuriken, 10 daggers, or 2 other light weapons. After being stored in this freezer for 1 minute, the weapon or piece of ammunition deals an additional 1d4 cold damage. This counts as the frost weapon special ability and does not stack with it. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this damage is increased by one die step (1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6). This damage only applies to the first attack made with that weapon. Drawing a weapon or piece of ammunition from the freezer is the same as drawing it from a belt or quiver. A freezer can also be used to preserve organic objects, chill food, or other uses with GM permission.

Gloved (Requires Attached Arm)

The attached arm gains an improvement as if it were improved gloves. The technician must still meet all prerequisites for that improvement.

Propeller (Requires Steampower Insight)

The improved backpack possesses a propeller that can be activated as a move action. One round later, the wearer gains a 20 ft. fly speed with a maneuverability of average.

The propeller can be deactivated as a free action, and cannot be used for more than 1 round per technician level at a time (not including the round when it is first activated as a move action). If left on for too long without being allowed to rest for at least 10 minutes, the propeller gains the broken condition and cannot be used until the technician spends at least 10 minutes repairing it.

This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, the fly speed increases by 10 ft., and the duration increases by 1 step (1 minute per level, 10 minutes per level, 1 hour per level).

Self-Supporting

The backpack can hold x2 as much equipment as normal. This multiplier increases by 1 for every five technician levels possessed. In addition, the wearer gains a bonus equal to the technician’s level to their Strength score when determining their carrying capacity.

Transmitter (Requires Electric Insight)

The improved backpack possesses a dish that serves as a central transmitter. The technician may create a number of small 1 lbs. metal boxes, to a maximum equal to his technician level. Any creature holding one of these boxes may speak into it and be heard by any other creature holding one of the boxes, provided these creatures are each within medium range (100 ft. +10 ft. per technician level) of the transmitter.

This improvement can be gained twice. If taken a second time, the distance improves to long (400 ft. +40 ft. per level).

Turtle Shell

The backpack provides extra protection from the back, making it much more difficult to hurt the wearer from that side. Flanking bonuses against the wearer are reduced by 2, and they gain a +4 bonus to their AC when using the full defense action. This does not prevent rogues from being able to sneak attack with a flank nor other creatures from gaining other similar situational bonuses.

Anyone other than the technician himself has his base land movement speed reduced by 5 ft. per improvement while wearing improved boots (if dividing this penalty in half such as via the aesthetic insight improvement, it reduces to 5 ft. per 2 improvements).

Many improvements grant the boots different modes. The wearer may only have one mode active at a time. Activating, deactivating, or switching modes requires a swift action.

Prerequisites: A pair of boots, which may be both common boots or armored boots from a suit of armor, and may include a blade boot.

Improvements

Inflatable Shoes

The boots gain a waterwalking mode. While in waterwalking mode, the wearer’s land speed is reduced by half, but they may walk on liquid as if it were solid.

Magnetic Shoes (Requires Electric Insight)

The boots gain a magnetic mode. While in magnetic mode, the wearer’s base land speed is reduced by half, and they gain a bonus to their CMD to resist trip, drag, bull rush, reposition, and overrun attempts, equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1). Additionally, the wearer may walk on metal surfaces such as metal walls and ceilings as easily as if they were ground.

Motorized Steps

The wearer’s base speed is increased by 5 ft. This improvement may be gained multiple times. The effects stack. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement increases speed by 10 ft instead of 5 ft.

Retractable Flippers

The boots gain a swimming mode. While in swimming mode, the wearer’s land speed is reduced by half, but they gain a bonus to Swim checks equal to the technician’s level.

Retractable Skates

The boots gain a skating mode. While in skating mode, the wearer gains a +30 ft. increase to land movement speed, but they can only easily move in a straight line; each 45 degree turn costs 5 ft. of movement. Difficult terrain is even more difficult to traverse, and costs 20 ft. of movement for each 5 ft. moved. However, the wearer may still jump as normal as part of movement while in skating mode, including jumping over obstacles or difficult terrain.

Retractable Toe Claws

The boots gain a climbing mode. While in climbing mode, the wearer’s land speed is reduced by half, but they gain a bonus to Climb checks equal to the technician’s level.

Rocket Boots (Requires Chemical Insight)

The boots come equipped with packets that may be ignited to add power to a jump. Whenever the wearer makes an Acrobatics check to jump as part of a move action, as a free action they may activate a rocket boot packet, increasing the distance of the jump by 5 ft. per technician level in any direction. This can allow their jumping distance to exceed their movement for the round.

Rocket boots can be used a total number of times per day equal to the technician’s Intelligence modifier.

If activated right after making a successful attack with the improved boots (such as an unarmed strike or an attack with a bladeboot) or when otherwise stepping on or leaping off of a creature, in addition to the bonus movement the target also suffers 1d4 fire damage, which increases by 1 die size at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. The target is also subject to a bull rush combat maneuver made as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and gain a bonus to that maneuver equal to the technician’s Intelligence modifier.

This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, the rocket boots may be used an additional number of times per day equal to the technician’s Intelligence modifier.

Super Kick (Requires Steampower Insight)

The boots come equipped with a large pressurized piston. As a move action, the wearer can begin to build up pressure in the boots. Beginning the next round, whenever the wearer successfully makes an attack with the improved boot (such as an unarmed strike or an attack with a blade boot), they may release this pressure, dealing an amount of additional damage to the creature equal to 1d6, +1d6 per two technician levels beyond 1st (3rd, 5th, etc.). This extra damage is not increased on a critical hit.

Improved boots may only have one use of this pressure ready at a time; the pressure must replenish after each use to be used again. Pressure may be released as a move action, even if not used in an attack.

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls per improvement when using an improved crossbow.

Prerequisites: Any crossbow.

Improvements

Far-sight Scope

The crossbow is equipped with a scope to aid in distance-aiming. As a move action, the wielder may use the scope to aid in aiming, reducing range penalties by half for their next attack made before the end of their turn. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, using the far-sight scope also grants a +4 bonus to the wielder’s next attack made before the end of their turn.

Integrated Shield

The crossbow is fitted to a shield, such that wielding one wields the other. A hand crossbow can be fitted with a buckler, while any other one-handed crossbow can be fitted with a buckler or light shield. A two-handed crossbow may be fitted with any shield. The wielder does not lose this shield bonus when attacking or reloading with the crossbow. The technician must provide the shield to be attached.

Integrated Weapon

The crossbow is fitted with an attached melee weapon such that wielding one wields the other. A hand crossbow can be fitted with a light weapon, while any other one-handed crossbow can get fitted with a light or one-handed weapon. A two-handed crossbow can be fitted with any melee weapon. The technician must provide the weapon to be attached.

Poison Dispenser (Requires Chemical Insight)

The crossbow is attached with an automatic poison dispenser that can hold up to 1 dose of any poison, +1 dose at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. Loading the poison dispenser requires 1 standard action per dose, but once loaded, the technician can apply a dose of poison to a loaded bolt as a move action or swift action.

Powerful Load

The crossbow deals an additional +1d4 weapon damage. This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each additional time it is gained, this extra weapon damage die increases by 1 size category.

Pressurized Shot (Requires Steampower Insight)

The crossbow makes use of a system of steam pressure to fire bolts with additional power. As a move action, the wielder may built up pressure in the crossbow. Beginning the next round, when they make an attack with the crossbow they may release the pressure as a free action, increasing the shot’s damage. The shot deals an additional amount of damage equal to 1d6, +1d6 per two technician levels beyond 1st (3rd, 5th, etc.). This extra damage is not increased on a critical hit. The crossbow may only have a single use of this pressure ready at any one time; the pressure must replenish after each attack to be used again. The pressure may be released as a move action without firing a shot.

Speed Lever

The time required to reload the crossbow is reduced by one step (I.e., full-round action becomes a standard action, move action becomes a swift action). This improvement cannot reduce the reloading time below a free action.

Note: If the technician possesses Mechanical Insight, a speed lever instead may reduce the reloading time by up to 2 time increments.

Super-Heated (Requires Electric Insight)

As a swift or move action, the wielder may activate or deactivate an integrated current to super-heat the metal heads of the crossbow bolts. The crossbow deals an additional 1d4 fire damage. This counts as the flaming weapon special quality and does not stack with it. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this damage is increased by one die step (1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6). If the integrated current is left on for more than 10 minutes at a time without taking at least 10 minutes to rest, the crossbow gains the broken condition and cannot use this current again until it is repaired.

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls per improvement when using an improved firearm.

Prerequisites: The Gunsmith feat, any firearm.

Improvements

Common Improvements

The firearm may be given the Speed Lever, Far-Sight Scope, Integrated Shield, Integrated Weapon, Powerful Load, or Pressurized Shot improvements, as described under the improved crossbow invention. The technician may treat a coat pistol as a hand crossbow for the purpose of the Integrated Weapon improvement.

Enhanced Reliability

The firearm’s misfire chance is reduced by 2. This improvement may be given to the firearm multiple times, but cannot improve the firearm’s misfire chance lower than 0.

Explosive Round (Requires Chemical Insight)

The firearm is designed to fire explosive rounds. Whenever the wielder loads the firearm, he may choose to make that shot explosive. If the firearm deals damage to a target, the technician must choose one square that target occupies; creatures other than the original target in all adjacent squares suffer half damage from the weapon, which may be reduced to 0 with a successful Reflex save. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit.

This improvement may be applied multiple times. The technician may increase the radius of the explosive shot by an additional 5 ft. for every additional time explosive round is applied to the firearm.

Improved Rifling

The firearm has its range increment doubled. This improvement can be applied multiple times. Each time it is applied, increase this multiplier by 1 (thus, if this improvement were taken twice, the firearm’s range would be multiplied by 3).

Railgun (Requires Electric Insight)

The firearm is powered by electricity and magnetism instead of blackpowder. The firearm no longer requires gunpower or blackpowder, meaning it can fire underwater or in other wet environments that would normally stop a firearm from functioning. Additionally, the firearm has its range increment multiplied by 3. This stacks with the multiplier from the improved rifling improvement.

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty to all Strength or Dexterity-based skill checks and to attack rolls made with the gloves (such as an unarmed strike or an attack with a fist weapon) for each improvement it possesses.

Prerequisites: A pair of gloves, a prosthetic arm, or fist weapons, such as brass knuckles, cestus, gauntlet, katar, knuckle axe, punching dagger, rope gauntlet, sap, scizore, spiked gauntlet, or tekko-kagi.

Improvements

Auto Retrieval

Retrieving stored items no longer provokes an attack of opportunity. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, the wearer may retrieve stored items as a swift action instead of a move action.

Climbing Claws

The gloves are built with claws to aid in climbing. So long as the wearer is using at least one hand to climb, they gain a bonus to all Climb checks equal to 1/2 the technician’s level. If they are also using boots with the retractable toe claws improvement, they instead gain a 30 ft. Climb speed. If they already possess a Climb speed, this instead increases their Climb speed by 20 ft.

Electric Hands (Requires Electric Insight)

The wearer may empower their hands with electricity, turning it on and off as a swift action. When active, they cause any attacks made with the improved gloves (including an unarmed strike) to deal an additional 1d4 electricity damage. This counts as the shock weapon special ability and does not stack with it. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this damage is increased by one die step (1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6). The wearer may deal only this electricity damage (as opposed to their full unarmed strike) as a melee touch attack, and in fact deal this damage to anything they touch so long as this improvement is active. Having electric hands active counts as being ‘armed’, meaning they may be used to make attacks of opportunity and do not provoke attacks of opportunity when making unarmed strikes.

Gears and Wires (Requires Mechanical Insight)

The gloves contain a permanent hook and pulley system. Using this hook and pulley does not expend a gadget.

Sticky Hands (Requires Chemical Insight)

The wearer can make the improved gloves sticky, turning this condition on or off as a swift action. This grants a +1 bonus to all steal, dirty trick, and disarm combat maneuvers, as well as to the wearer’s CMD to resist disarm maneuvers, and to their Sleight of Hand checks made to steal objects. They cannot, however, voluntarily drop or stow any held items while their hands are sticky. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, the bonuses granted by sticky hands increase by +1.

Super Punch (Requires Steampower Insight)

The gloves gain the Super Kick improvement, as if they were improved boots. This can be used on any attack that uses the gloves, such as an unarmed strike or an attack with a fist weapon such as a gauntlet or cestus.

Webbing

The gloves are built with webbing to aid in swimming. So long as the wearer is using at least one hand to swim, they gain a bonus to all Swim checks equal to 1/2 the technician’s level. If the wearer is also using boots with the retractable flippers improvement, they instead gain a 30 ft. Swim speed. If they already possess a Swim speed, this instead increases their Swim speed by 20 ft.

Anyone other than the technician suffers a -1 penalty on attack rolls and Perception checks for each improvement the improved goggles possesses (if dividing this penalty in half such as via the aesthetic insight improvement, the -1 penalty alternates between Perception and attack with each improvement).

Many improvements grant different lenses. Improved goggles can only have one lens active at a time. Activating, deactivating, or switching lenses is a swift action. If the technician possesses steam-powered insight, they may build improved goggles with a hydraulic system, allowing the wearer to switch the active lens once per round as a free action.

Prerequisites: Glasses, goggles, or a monocle.

Improvements

Microscope Lens

This lens magnifies the wearer’s vision, letting him see in greater detail. The wearer cannot see further than 30 ft. away, but he gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Survival checks made to follow tracks, Appraise checks made to determine an item’s value, Craft checks made to create an item, and to all Disable Device checks. This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter.

Mirrored Lens

When this lens is active, it reflects and refracts the light in ways that subtly changes things. The wearer gains a +1 circumstance bonus on saves vs. gaze attacks and illusions, +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter (max +5 at Level 17), but suffers an equal penalty to all Perception checks.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this bonus and penalty increase to become equal to 1/2 his technician level.

Nightvision Lens

When this lens is active, the wearer sees on a different wavelength. The wearer gains darkvision 60 ft., but also gains light blindness.

Telescope Lens

This lens allows the wearer to see great distances, at the expense of what is close by. The wearer is considered flat-footed while using this lens, but his Perception check DCs increases by 1 per 30 ft. of distance to the target rather than 1 per 10 ft. This improvement may be taken multiple times, increasing the distance by an additional 20 ft. per +1 DC each time.

Note: If the wearer possesses Mechanical Insight, he is treated as having given this improvement twice the first time he gives them to the goggles.

Thermal Lens (Requires Chemical Insight)

This lens is chemically treated to react to things not normally on the visible spectrum, giving the wearer insight into what’s really there. The wearer suffers a -10 penalty to Perception checks, but he may see invisible creatures within his range of vision, as well as any that are ethereal, as if they were normally visible. Such creatures are visible to him as translucent shapes, allowing him easily to discern the difference between visible, invisible, and ethereal creatures.

X-Ray Lens (Requires Electric Insight)

When this lens is active, the wearer may see through 1 inch of of solid material per technician level. The wearer cannot use this lens for more than 1 minute per technician level per day, and each use of this ability uses a minimum of 1 minute of the remaining time. This cannot see through lead.

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls per improvement when using an improved melee weapon.

Prerequisites: A melee weapon. The technician may augment a shield as an improved weapon or an improved shield, but not both.

Improvements

Augmented Handling

The weapon gains one of the following weapon special qualities: Disarm, Sunder, Trip, Blocking, Brace, Deadly, Distracting. This improvement can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, the weapon gains a different special feature. The technician cannot grant a weapon a special quality it already possesses. Note: If the technician possess mechanical insight, he may add 2 weapon special qualities to the weapon per augmentation instead of 1. In place of 2 weapon special qualities, he may instead add the reach special feature.

Diverse Damage

The weapon gains one damage type it did not possess (slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning). This improvement can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, the weapon gains a different damage type. The technician cannot grant a weapon a damage type it already possesses.

Note: If the technician possess mechanical insight, he may add 2 new damage types to the weapon per augmentation instead of 1.

Electric Current (Requires Electric Insight)

The weapon gains the Electric Hands improvement, as if it were improved gloves. This improvement cannot be left ‘on’ while the weapon is sheathed without dealing its electricity damage to its holder each round.

Integrated Gun

The technician may attach a crossbow or firearm to the melee weapon such that wielding one wields the other. The technician may attach a coat pistol or hand crossbow to a light melee weapon, a one-handed crossbow or firearm to either a one-handed or two-handed melee weapon, or any crossbow or firearm to a two-handed melee weapon. Firearms with special conditions (such as the double hackbut or culverin applying a penalty when not stabilized) still apply when using them while integrated into a melee weapon. The technician must supply the weapon to be attached.

Integrated Shield

The melee weapon is fitted to a shield, such that wielding one wields the other. A light weapon can be fitted with a buckler, while any other one-handed weapon can be fitted with a buckler or light shield. A two-handed weapon may be fitted with any shield. The technician must supply the shield to be attached.

Piston (Requires Steampower Insight)

The weapon gains the Super Kick improvement, as if it were improved boots. This can be used on any attack that uses the weapon.

Poison tempering (Requires Chemical Insight)

Whenever the wielder applies a dose of poison to this weapon, he may apply an additional dose at the same time, +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. Each strike applies only one dose of poison to the target.

Wire

The technician attaches a wire to his weapon, allowing him to retrieve it as a swift action, such as after throwing it or being disarmed. Treat this wire as if it were 50 ft. of rope when determining the weapon’s maximum range or its statistics if a creature attempts to break it.

The weapon may gain this improvement a total of twice. If taken twice, the weapon also gains the grapple weapon special feature Note: If the technician possess mechanical insight, the first time the weapon gains this improvement counts as having gained it twice.

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -3 increase to the shield’s armor check penalty per improvement when using an improved shield. Prerequisites: The shield to be improved.

Improvements

Dispenser

The technician outfits the shield with an item for quick retrieval, such as a light weapon, a potion, a wand, or another item such as a 50 ft. length of rope or a set of tools. Other items may be used with GM approval, so long as they are reasonably smaller than the shield in question. Loading an item into the dispenser is a standard action, but retrieving the item is a free action.

The shield may gain this improvement more than once. Each time it is gained, the shield can hold an additional item for quick retrieval. Any creature may retrieve items from a shield that’s standing via the expanding improvement, but they must be in the shield’s space to use the dispenser. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, each time the shield gains this improvement it can hold up to 2 items instead of only 1.

Expanding

As a standard action, the bearer may expand the shield, granting himself total cover until the beginning of his next turn. When using a shield in this way, the bearer must choose one edge of his space. That edge is treated as a solid wall for attacks targeting him only. The bearer gains total cover for attacks that pass through this edge and no cover for attacks that do not pass through this edge. The shield does not, however, provide cover against targeted spells; a spellcaster can cast a spell on the bearer by targeting the shield his is holding.

A shield may gain this improvement a total of three times. Tower shields are already considered to have this improvement once.

If gained a second time, the expanded shield counts as total cover for all creatures who are attacked through the shield, not only for the bearer. The shield also counts as total cover in relation to targeted spells. The shield itself may still be targeted by effects.

If taken a third time, the bearer may deploy the shield in this manner as a move action instead of a standard action.

Additionally, he may let go of his shield and leave it as a freestanding wall, which remains in place until a creature in the correct square spends a move action to pick it up and end this effect.

Note: This improvement cannot be given to a buckler. If the technician possess mechanical insight, the first time the shield gains this improvement counts as having gained it twice.

Flaming Shield (Requires Chemical Insight)

As a swift action, the bearer may set his shield on fire for 1 round per technician level. Whenever he performs a shield bash, his shield deals an additional 1d4 fire damage. This does not stack with the flaming weapon ability. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this damage is increased by one die step (1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6).

Integrated Gun

The technician may attach a crossbow or firearm to the shield, such that wielding one wields the other. The technician may attach a hand crossbow or coat pistol to a buckler, any one-handed crossbow or firearm to a light shield, or any two-handed crossbow or firearm to a heavy shield. When wielding a heavy shield with a two-handed weapon attached, the bearer must wield the shield in two hands. The technician must supply the weapon to be attached.

Magnetized Attraction (Requires Electric Insight)

Whenever a target attacks the shield’s bearer with a metal melee weapon and misses him by a margin equal to or less than the shield’s bonus to AC, they must make a Strength check with a DC of 10 + 1/2 the technician’s level + his Intelligence modifier, or be disarmed of their weapon as it sticks to the improved shield. A creature may attempt a melee touch attack against the bearer followed by a Strength check (all as a standard action) to attempt to retrieve a weapon from the shield. The improved shield must be made of metal to gain this improvement.

Piston Push (Requires Steampower Insight)

The technician may give the shield the super kick improvement, as if it were improved boots, which can be used on a shield bash.

An improved suit of clothing cannot be worn underneath armor. Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty per improvement to all Str-based and Dex-based skill checks made while wearing the suit.

Prerequisites: A suit of clothing or light armor.

Improvements

Aided Flight

The suit can gain the aided flight improvement, as if it were an improved backpack.

Armor Improvements

The suit can gain the air bladder, parachute, and resistance improvements, as if it were a suit of improved armor.

Augmented Reflexes (Requires Electric Insight)

The suit is outfitted with low-level electric equipment that improves the wearer’s reaction time. The wearer gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity. This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter.

Camouflage

The suit is designed to have its appearance easily changed to fit its environment. With 1 minute of work, the wearer may cause the suit to grant him a bonus equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1) to all Stealth checks made in a single terrain, chosen from the ranger’s list of favored terrains. However, he suffers a penalty equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1) to Stealth checks made in any other terrain. Removing or changing camouflage also takes 1 minute.

Glider

The suit grants the wearer a bonus to Fly checks equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1). If the suit possesses the parachute improvement as well, the parachute improves, granting a fly speed of 30 ft. with average maneuverability. However, this fly speed does not allow the wearer to gain altitude; he may fly down or straight, but not up.

Slick Materials

The suit grants the wearer a bonus to Escape Artist checks equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1).

Spring-Loaded

The suit gains the dispense improvement, as if it were an improved shield. This improvement can be taken multiple times.

Every invention begins with one base form, and gains an improvement at 1st level and every four levels thereafter. The base forms the invention can take include siege engine, mechanical arm, and vehicle.

Mechanical Arm

The invention possesses a large mechanical arm, which may be used to lift and manipulate objects. While this arm is not fine enough to perform delicate tasks such as handle weapons, shields, or Dexterity-based skill checks, it does provide the invention with 1 slam attack. These slam attacks deal damage according to the invention’s size: Fine 1, Diminutive 1d2, Tiny 1d3, Small 1d4, Medium 1d6, Large 1d8, Huge 2d6, Gargantuan 3d6, Colossal 4d6. When calculating the invention’s to-hit bonus, add its size modifier and Strength modifier to the piloting creature’s base attack bonus. The pilot may apply feats and martial talents to attacks made with this mechanical arm as if it were a melee weapon the pilot is wielding.

Siege Engine

This invention contains a large weapon, which may be fired as a standard action. The creature piloting the independent invention use their base attack bonus + their Intelligence modifier when calculating the weapon’s attack bonus, with the appropriate size modifiers for the weapon’s size (i.e., -4 for Gargantuan, etc.). Although a technician is always considered proficient with any weapon attached to an invention he has built, all other creatures suffer a -4 penalty to their attack rolls unless they are proficient with the siege engine. The pilot may make attack actions and apply feats and martial talents to attacks made with this siege engine as if it were a ranged weapon the pilot is wielding.

While there are many similarities between an independent invention siege engine and a standard siege engine, there are also many noticeable differences. First, unlike a siege weapon, the invention doesn’t require a crew to arm and aim it; as the invention is a creature, it can fire in any direction at any time.

However, just like a siege engine, the invention can take multiple rounds to reload. Each weapon lists a ‘reload time’, which indicates the number of standard actions the independent invention must spend reloading the weapon before it can be fired again. Reload times of 1/2 require a move action on the part of the invention, while reload times of 0 require only a free action. A siege engine can be enchanted as a weapon, but at twice the usual enchantment cost.

There are four types of weapons the invention’s siege engine can take, each with different statistics.

Ballista

A ballista is a giant crossbow that fires its bolts directly at the target. This is treated the same as a standard ranged weapon attack. Ballistas do piercing damage and possess a critical threat range of 19-20/x2

Cannon

If the technician is proficient with firearms and possesses the gunsmithing feat, he may make the invention’s weapon a cannon. This functions similarly to a ballista; unlike a handheld firearm, this cannon never targets touch AC, and has no chance of misfire. Cannons deal bludgeoning and piercing damage and have a critical threat range of x3.

Catapult/Trebuchet

A catapult and a trebuchet are both siege weapons that throw large loads such as rocks high into the air to fall on their target. Although catapults and trebuchets use different mechanisms to accomplish this feat, for the purposes of an independent invention, they are mechanically handled the same.

When firing at a target the same size or larger than the invention, the catapult/trebuchet fires the same as a ballista, explained above. When firing at a target smaller than the invention, the catapult/trebuchet is considered a splash weapon; the piloting creature makes a ranged touch attack against a target, dealing damage on a successful hit.

If the invention is Gargantuan size it also deals half damage to all targets within 5 ft. of the target space (Reflex save to negate damage, DC 10 + 1/2 the firing creature’s base attack bonus + the firing creature’s Intelligence modifier).

If the invention is Colossal size it deals half damage to all targets within 10 ft. of the target space. The technician may target a square instead of a creature, in which case the attack deals its splash damage to any creature inside that square as well (Reflex negates).

If the pilot misses the target (whether aiming at a creature or a grid intersection), roll 1d8. This determines the misdirection of the attack, with 1 falling short (off-target in a straight line toward the thrower), and 2 through 8 rotating around the target creature or grid intersection in a clockwise direction. Then, count a number of squares in the indicated direction equal to the range increment of the throw. After determining where the weapon landed, it deals splash damage to all creatures within the attack area.

Catapults/trebuchets have a minimum firing distance; they cannot be used against a target closer than a certain distance. Catapults/trebuchets deal bludgeoning damage and have a critical threat range of x2.

Flamethrower

If the technician possesses chemical insight, he may give the invention a flamethrower. This weapon deals 1d6 fire damage per technician level in a cone or line, but does not count as a weapon for the purpose of feats and talents, as other siege engines do. Any creatures within the flamethrower's area of effect may make a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 technician level + Intelligence modifier) to halve the damage.

Vehicle

The invention is designed to carry creatures and cargo from one space to another. It can carry a total number of creatures equal to twice its size category (4 Medium creatures can fit inside a Large invention, 8 Medium creatures can fit inside a Huge invention, etc.), and is treated as a quadruped when determining its carrying capacity. A technician may choose to make the vehicle land, sea, or air-based: land vehicles begin with a speed of 40 ft., sea vehicles begin with a swim speed of 30 ft. (land base speed of 0 ft.), and air vehicles begin with the flight improvement (no land speed; a technician must possess steampower insight to create an air vehicle).

Improvements

In addition to choosing a base form, the technician may grant the invention 1 improvement, +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter, chosen from the list below. Unless otherwise stated, no improvement can be taken more than once. Some improvements require a specific base form to use.

Additional Capacity

Grant the invention an additional form it does not already possess. The invention may gain this improvement a total of twice, gaining a different form each time.

Advanced Arm (Requires Mechanical Insight)

An invention must possess the mechanical arm form to gain this improvement. The inventions’ mechanical arm gains one of two benefits, chosen from the following options:

1. The invention’s arm can reach twice as far as normal, and is treated as being 1 size category larger when determining the power of its slam attack.

2. The invention gains a second arm and a second slam attack. These arms are capable of performing delicate tasks such as handling shields and weapons or performing Dexterity-based skills.

Advanced Siege Engine

An invention must possess the siege engine form to gain this improvement. It gains an additional siege engine, which can be fired and reloaded as normal.

All-Terrain

The invention gains 1 rank in the Climb skill for every technician level the creator possesses. The invention ignores rough terrain.

Aquatic

The invention gains 1 rank in the Swim skill skill for every technician level possessed. If the invention contains the suit or vehicle improvements, it contains enough air to allow its maximum number of occupants to breathe for 8 hours while the vehicle is submerged.

Auto Pilot

When the invention has been piloted for a round, the piloting creature may set the machine to perform the exact same action the next round and forever until another creature pilots the invention and changes its actions. The invention moves in the same pattern and attacks the same place in relation to itself (for example, if the invention moves 2 spaces right and fires a weapon at a spot 10 spaces in front of it, the next round it will again move 2 spaces right and fire a weapon at a spot 10 spaces in front of it). If an action is impossible (i.e., firing a weapon that is not loaded, or finding its movement pattern blocked by walls), it will not perform the action until it finds itself able to do so once again.

Automatic Reloading (Requires Mechanical Insight)

The invention must possess the siege engine form to gain this improvement. Once the invention has used its siege engine, the invention can spend a free action once per round instead of a move or standard action to reload the siege engine, and will automatically do so, even if not being piloted. If the invention possesses multiple siege engines, this improvement must be taken separately for each siege engine.

Covered

The invention must have either the vehicle form or the suit improvement to gain this improvement. This invention is designed to completely protect its passengers. All creatures inside of the invention gain total cover, but cannot interact or make attacks against anything outside the vehicle. Any creature within the vehicle may create an opening as a move action, reducing this bonus to improved cover (+8 to AC, +4 to Reflex saves), to allow him to still make attacks and interact with targets outside the vehicle. When making an attack in this fashion, targets outside the vehicle gain partial cover against attacks originating from inside the vehicle (+2 AC, +1 Reflex saves).

Electric Controls (Requires Electric Insight)

The invention can be controlled from a distance via a small box, a tiny object weighing 1 lb. that the technician creates. Controlling the invention only requires a move action on the part of the pilot so long as they are holding this box, and the pilot can control the invention from anywhere within medium range (100 ft. +10 ft. per level). This does not stack with the suit improvement.

If this improvement is gained twice, the independent invention can act on its own without anyone needing to pilot it. It is considered a construct for all purposes such as controlling it or its interaction with magic, and gains a Wisdom and Charisma score of 1 and a base attack bonus equal to its Hit Dice. An autonomous invention acts on its own initiative and cannot benefit from another’s feats and talents.

Flight (Requires Steampower Insight)

The invention gains 1 rank in Fly for every technician level the creator possesses. It gains a 20 ft. fly speed with a maneuverability of clumsy. The invention may gain this improvement a total of 3 times. If gained a second time, the invention’s flight speed improves to 30 ft., and its maneuverability improves to average. If gained a third time, the invention’s flight speed improves to 50 ft., and its maneuverability improves to perfect.

Increased Speed (Requires Steampower Insight)

The invention gains a +10 bonus to its base speed, +5 ft. per two technician levels.

Improved Invention

The technician may choose to bestow the invention with the benefits of the Magnetized Repulsion, Mechanized Strength, or Resistance improvements, as detailed under improved armor. This improvement may be granted to an invention multiple times, granting a different improvement each time. Only the resistance improvement may be granted multiple times, choosing a different element each time. The technician must possess an improvement’s prerequisite insight to give it to an independent invention.

Improved Weapon

The invention must possess the siege engine or mechanical arm form to gain this improvement. The technician may augment one of his independent invention’s weapons as if it were an improved weapon of the same general type. For example, he could make a ballista or catapult into an improved crossbow, a cannon into an improved firearm, or an arm into an improved melee weapon. He must still use an invention to create these augmentations. If the invention possesses multiple siege engines, this improvement must be taken multiple times to apply to each.

Metal Parts

The invention is built of steel. It has a hardness of 10 instead of 5, and gains a +2 bonus to its natural armor. An invention may gain this improvement a total of three times; if gained twice, the invention is built of mithril, gaining a hardness of 15 and a +4 bonus to its natural armor. If gained three times, the invention is built of adamantine, with a hardness of 20 and a +6 bonus to natural AC.

The invention is twice as expensive to build. If taken twice is costs 5x as much. If taken three times, it costs 10x as much.

Suit (Requires Mechanical Insight)

The invention is designed to sit one creature (the pilot) who controls the invention’s movements from the inside. The pilot must be the same size or smaller than the invention.

It takes a full-round action to get into or out of the pilot’s seat. Once inside, the pilot can control the vehicle’s movements and actions as if he himself were the invention (moving the invention as a move action, attacking with a weapon it possesses as a standard action, etc.). If the invention possesses an appropriate weapon, the pilot may even make attacks of opportunity. The pilot may still perform actions not related to the invention (for example, throwing a detonator or other gadget), but doing so means the pilot cannot use that same action to control the invention.

While in the pilot seat, the pilot and the independent invention are essentially a single creature, using the independent invention’s physical stats and the pilot’s mental stats. The pilot cannot be targeted by weapons or by magic that behaves like a weapon (for example, effects that require an attack roll or allow a Reflex save) until the independent invention is reduced to 0 hp, but otherwise is still susceptible to magical effects. A creature who successfully grapples the independent invention or climbs onto it using Scale Foe from the Athletics sphere may attack the pilot directly, or even move the pilot instead of the independent invention after a qualifying grapple check, removing the pilot from their seat.