Mechanist (5e Subclass)

Original credit to forgottenduck, with changes made.

Mechanist

Artificers whose expertise lies in clockwork marvels and mechanical tinkering are known as Mechanists.

If you take this artificer subclass, this subclass replaces the Mechanical Servant feature of the base artificer class.

Master Tinker

When you choose this specialization at 3rd level, you learn the mending cantrip.

Mechanical Servant

At 3rd level, you complete a mechanical servant, formed from metal and clockwork. The servant is a construct that obeys your commands without hesitation and serves you loyally. Though magic fuels its creation, the servant is not magical itself. You are assumed to have recently succeeded in this creation after working towards it for sometime.

When you build your mechanical servant, you determine its game statistics by selecting a chassis and a build, which you apply to the the mechanical servant statistics provided at the end of the Mechanist description. Your construct's chassis determines its general appearance, but it can look however you like, as long as its form is appropriate for those statistics.

The construct has its own proficiency bonus which matches your own. Its level equals your Artificier level. Your servant may spend hit dice to heal during a short rest, however you must be present and able to make repairs. Long rests for the construct follow the same rules as players.

The construct gains a number of Mechanical Servant Upgrades equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).

Additionally, whenever you gain an ability score increase, your servant gains an ability score increase of its own. The construct’s Intelligence and Charisma scores cannot be increased through this feature.

The servant obeys your orders to the best of its ability. In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own. Your mechanical servant can’t wield weapons that it is not proficient with.

If the servant is killed, it can be returned to life via normal means, such as with the *revivify* spell. In addition, over the course of a long rest, you can repair a slain servant if you have access to its body. It returns to life with 1 hit point at the end of the rest.

If the servant is beyond recovery, you can reproduce the construct exactly as it was, with four days of work (eight hours each day) and 1,000 gp of raw materials.

Combat-Ready Construct

Starting at 5th level you are able to create weapon components for your construct. Choose 2 simple weapons, the mechanical servant is considered proficient with the chosen weapons. The construct follows the normal rules for wielding weapons and attacking.

These weapons may take a different form than a normal weapon. For example, curved blades may be attached to the wings of a flying construct, enabling it to deal slashing damage like a scimitar. Whatever its physical description, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon in chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook.

Additionally, the construct gains proficiency in all saving throws.

Upgraded Construct

At 9th level you improve your construct by upgrading or adding components. You make four upgrades of your choice to your servant from the Mechanical Servant Upgrades list, detailed at the end of the Mechanist description.

You choose an additional four upgrades each at level 13 and level 17.

Magic Imbued Strikes

Starting at 15th level your servant’s attacks count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunity from non-magical attacks and damage.

Mechanical Servant Statistics

Your mechanical servant uses these base statistics when created.

Mechanical Servant

Construct, unaligned
Armor Class 10 + proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier


Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
10 (+0)	10 (+0)	10 (+0)	3 (-4)	10 (+0)	1 (-5)

Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities exhaustion, charmed, poisoned
Senses passive perception 10 + Wisdom modifier, darkvision 60 ft.
Languages Understands creator’s languages,

Mechanical Servant Chassis

The basic physical form of your construct, including its size and speed. The specifics of its appearance can be tailored to your choosing.

Aerial Chassis

You construct a smaller, lighter chassis capable of flight. The servant gains the following additions to its statistics.

Size small
Skills athletics or acrobatics
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft.
Hit Die d6
Hit Points at 1st Level 6 + its Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Each Level After 1st 4 (or 1d6) + Constitution modifier

Biped Chassis

You construct a chassis built to stand upright on two legs. The servant gains the following additions to its statistics.

Size medium
Skills athletics, acrobatics
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Hit Die d8
Hit Points at 1st Level 8 + its Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Each Level After 1st 5 (or 1d8) + Constitution modifier

Quadruped Chassis

You construct a chassis designed to move quickly using 4 legs. The servant gains the following additions to its statistics.

Size medium
Skills athletics or acrobatics
Speed 40 ft.
Hit Die d8
Hit Points at 1st Level 8 + its Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Each Level After 1st 5 (or 1d8) + Constitution modifier

Expanding Chassis Options

Depending on the nature of your campaign, the DM might choose to expand the options for your mechanical servant. Any form for a servant can do, but these general guidelines should be followed.

The chassis size should not exceed medium
Skills should not be added that are available via upgrades
Mechanical benefits, such as a fly speed, should be offset by negatives, such as small size, or lack of features, such as a single skill proficiency.
Special abilities or extreme values can be used sparingly, but again should be offset. For example creating a limbless tank-like chassis with a d10 hit die, but a slow land speed.

Mechanical Servant Builds

The manner in which you build your mechanical servant is just as important as its components and design. The build determines your construct's strengths and weaknesses.

Strong Build

The servant gains a Strength score of 16.
The servant gains either a Wisdom, Dexterity, or Constitution score of 13.
Some Construct features require the target to make a saving throw to resist. The construct’s saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Construct save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Strength modifier

Flexible Build

The servant gains a Dexterity score of 16.
The servant gains either a Wisdom, Strength, or Constitution score of 13.
Some Construct features require the target to make a saving throw to resist. The construct’s saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Construct save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier

Intricate Build

The servant gains a Wisdom score of 16.
The servant gains either a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score of 13.
Some Construct features require the target to make a saving throw to resist. The construct’s saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Construct save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Wisdom modifier

Sturdy Build

The servant gains a Constitution score of 16.
The servant gains either a Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom score of 13.
Some Construct features require the target to make a saving throw to resist. The construct’s saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Construct save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier

Mechanical Servant Upgrades

Mechanical Upgrades can only be taken if you have met any and all prerequisites that it requires. You may take them the moment you qualify for them, provided that taking one does not put you over your limit.

Additionally, each time you level in the Artificer class, you may replace any upgrade you have given your Servant with any other that you meet the requirements for.

Advanced Materials

Prerequisite: 13th level Artificer

By utilizing rare ore in upgrading the construct’s armor, the construct gains resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Arcane Link

You develop an arcane link with your servant’s sensors. As an action, you can don or doff a special mechanism which allows you to see through your construct’s eyes and hear what it hears while it is within 100 feet of you. During this time, you gain the benefits of any special senses the construct has, and you are blind and deaf with regard to your own senses.

This mechanism is uniquely calibrated to you. If another creature uses the mechanism, they receive no information.

Arcane Shielding

Prerequisite: 17th level Artificer

You install a device which can generate a bubble of arcane energy. As a bonus action the construct can activate the shield. While the shield is active the construct gains resistance to all damage for 1 minute.

Once your construct uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.

Arcane Sensors

Utilizing an array of magical sensors of your own design, you enable your construct to detect threats with greater ease. The construct gains proficiency in the perception skill. Additionally, the construct has advantage on perception checks relying on hearing or sight.

Charge Attack

Prerequisite: Quadruped Chassis

By upgrading the construct’s joints to be more nimble at high speeds, your construct gains the ability to attack while dashing. When the construct uses its action to dash, it can use a bonus action to make a single melee attack or to shove a creature.

If the construct moves at least 10 feet in a straight line immediately before taking this bonus action, it gains either a +5 bonus to the attack’s damage roll (if it makes an attack and hits) or pushes the target up to 10 feet away from it (if it succeeds on the shove).

Cloaking Mechanism

Prerequisite: 9th level Artificer

Through a series of enhancements, magical and mechanical, you create an advanced stealth system. As an action, the construct can become invisible. The invisibility ends after one hour, or if the construct attacks or casts a spell.

Once your construct uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.

Clockwork Brain

Prerequisite: 6th level Artificer

You design a clockwork brain and install it into your mechanical servant. The construct gains an intelligence score of 6, allowing it to utilize items imbued with your magical infusion. It gains the ability to speak one language of your choice that you know.

Additionally, you can use your Infuse Magic feature directly on your construct once without counting against your max number of infused spells. Only the construct can activate the infusion.

Due to its increased intelligence, the construct loses its immunity to psychic damage.

Defensive Array

By upgrading the construct's protective plates and shielding, you allow it to defend itself more effectively. The construct gains proficiency with shields and always has a shield active.

Exoskeleton

Prerequisite: 6th level Artificer, Construct’s Strength score must be 15 or higher

By replacing much of the construct’s chassis with heavy metal plates you significantly upgrade its armor at the cost of more noticeable movement. The construct’s AC becomes 16 + proficiency bonus. The construct has disadvantage on stealth skill checks.

Extra Attack

Prerequisite: 5th level Artificer

Faster moving appendages allow your companion to attack rapidly. Your companion can make two weapon attacks whenever it takes the attack action on its turn.

Flame Spout

Prerequisite: 7th level Artificer

The construct is upgraded with a flame weapon. As an action, the construct can send out a blast of fire. Each creature in a 5 ft wide 60 ft line starting from the construct extending in a direction of your choice must make a Dexterity saving throw against the construct save DC. A target takes 8d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

This damage increases to 10d6 at 13th level and 12d6 at 17th level.

Once your construct uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.

Grapple

Prerequisite: Bipedal Chassis

You upgrade the arms of your bipedal construct, outfitting them with hooks, clamps, or another appropriate addition. When the construct strikes a target with their basic attack, the target becomes grappled. The escape DC is the Save DC shown in the construct chassis stat block or 10 + the construct's strength (athletics) skill, whichever is higher.

Greater Runic Engravings

Prerequisite: 6th level Artificer, Runic Engravings upgrade

By inscribing more powerful arcane runes onto your mechanical servant, it is able to utilize more spellcasting abilities. The construct learns a cantrip of your choice. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom.

Hair Trigger Springs

Prerequisite: 13th level Artificer

By honing your construct’s reaction times, it becomes able to avoid damage with lightning reflexes. When forced to make a dexterity saving throw to avoid taking damage, the companion takes half damage on a failed save, and no damage on a success.

High Tension Springs

Utilizing springs made of a superior alloy, you increase the construct’s movement speed. Your mechanical servant's base land speed increases by 10 ft. If the construct has other movement types, their speed also increases by 10 ft.

Improved Repertoire

You make modifications to the construct that allow it to perform certain tasks more effectively. The construct gains proficiency in a skill of your choice. You can select this upgrade multiple times.

Larger Chassis

You upgrade the chassis of your construct to create a larger, more powerful frame. The size of your construct increases one category.

Additionally, the construct’s hit die increases by one size (d6 becomes d8, d8 becomes d10).

Hit points are recalculated when this upgrade is taken, according to the following table.


Hit Die	1st Level Hit Points	Each Level After 1st
d6	6 + Constitution modifier	4 (or 1d6) + Constitution modifier
d8	8 + Constitution modifier	5 (or 1d8) + Constitution modifier
d10	10 + Constitution modifier	6 (or 1d10) + Constitution modifier
d12	12 + Constitution modifier	7 (or 1d12) + Constitution modifier

Locomotive Adaptation

You attach fins, webbing, grappling hooks, burrowing claws, or other appropriate locomotive aids. The construct gains a swim speed equal to its highest speed, a climb speed equal to its highest speed, or a burrowing speed equal to half its highest speed. You can select this upgrade multiple times.

Longer Reach

Prerequisite: Large size

You increase the reach of your servant’s melee attack, by adding tentacles, lengthening arms, or another appropriate modification. The construct's range for melee weapon attacks increases by 5 feet.

Magically Warded

Prerequisite: 13th level Artificer

You provide strong antimagic enchantments for your mechanical servant. The construct has advantage on saving throws against spells.

Nimble Flight Control

Prerequisite: Aerial Chassis

By upgrading the maneuverability of your flying construct, the construct is able to nimbly move in and out of combat. The construct does not provoke opportunity attacks while flying.

Overdrive

Prerequisite: 17th level Artificer

You develop a system which allows your construct to generate a surge of energy for a short flurry of activity. As an action, the construct may double its speed until the end of its turn. The construct may then make a single melee weapon attack against each creature it can reach during its turn. It has advantage on attack rolls, and opportunity attacks have disadvantage against it.

Once your construct uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.

Overload

Prerequisite: 6th level Artificer

The construct is upgraded with an energy discharge weapon. As an action, the construct can release a blast of electrical energy from its body. Each creature within a 20 ft cone must make a Dexterity saving throw against the construct save DC. A target takes 5d10 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

This damage increases to 6d10 at 13th level and 7d10 at 17th level.

Once your construct uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.

Powerful Build

You strengthen the lifting and pulling capabilities of your construct. The construct gains proficiency in the athletics skill. Additionally, the construct counts as one size larger when determining its carrying capacity and the weight it can push, drag, or lift.

Precision Instruments

You graft fine tools onto your construct allowing it to adeptly perform specific tasks. The construct gains three tool proficiencies of your choice, and it always has those tools available. You can select this upgrade multiple times.

Relentless

Prerequisite: 6th level Artificer

A variety of backup systems are installed into your construct. If the construct takes damage that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it instead is reduced to 1.

Once your construct uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.

Reserve Power

You install a node for conducting magical energy, enchanted to spontaneously repair your construct. By touching the construct and expending a 1st level spell slot, you can restore 2d8 + your Intelligence modifier hit points to your mechanical servant.

When you expend a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

Riding Harness

You design and craft a special saddle or harness to aid in using the construct as a mount. When an attack targets a creature that is using the construct as a mount, your mechanical servant can force the attack to target itself instead.

Runic Engravings

Prerequisite: Construct’s Wisdom score must be 13 or higher

By inscribing arcane runes onto your mechanical servant, it is able to utilize some spellcasting abilities. The construct learns a cantrip that requires a ranged spell attack. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom. You can select this upgrade multiple times.

Smoke Screen

You attach a mechanism capable of creating a 20-foot-radius sphere of thick grey smoke centered on a point within 120 feet. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. It lasts for 1 minute or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it.

Once your construct uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.

Spark of Intellect

Prerequisite: 17th level Artificer, Clockwork Brain Upgrade

Through an inexplicable breakthrough in the design of the clockwork brain, your mechanical servant gains an Intelligence score of 13. In addition, the companion gains the ability to speak in all the languages that you know.

Choose two level 1 spells and a single level 2 spell from the artificer spell list. The companion can spontaneously cast each of those spells once per short rest, without providing material components. Intelligence or Wisdom is its spellcasting ability.

Upgraded Build

Prerequisite: 6th level Artificer

You improve upon the foundation of your mechanical servant's build. Choose one ability score from Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Wisdom. The construct's score for the chosen ability becomes 16, if the score was already 16 or higher, you add 2 to the score, up to a maximum of 20.

Upgraded Sensor Array

Prerequisite: 9th level Artificer, Arcane Sensors upgrade

You work to advance the sensor modules on your construct. The construct gains blindsight out to a range of 30 feet and cannot be surprised.

In addition, the construct can make a perception check to search for hidden enemies as a bonus action instead of an action.

Weapon Mastery

Prerequisite: 6th level Artificer

By focusing on improving your servant’s weapon systems, you enable the construct to use more powerful weapons. Choose a weapon. Your construct becomes proficient with that weapon, and you are able to integrate the chosen weapon into the construct's design.

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