Mystical Engineer (3.5e Class)
Mystical Engineer
Following in the footsteps of master craftsmen yet born with arcane powers. Mystical Engineers are crafters who sacrifice their own magical powers or life forces to the constructs they create, giving them a life and mind of their own. Mystical Engineers spend most of their time reading up on the mechanics of their works, working out precise equations or actually constructing the creations of their minds. Mystical Engineers typically do not have the time for much of a social life. Most eventually grow insane and lonely, forgoing human interaction for study and construction.
Making a Mystical Engineer
Being as reclusive as they are, Mystical Engineers are socially awkward, pale individuals with very little if any aesthetically pleasing things about them.
Abilities: Due to their reclusive nature, most Mystical Engineers tend to not care about strength, constitution or charisma much. However, dexterity, wisdom, and intelligence play significant roles in a mystical engineers life - they need to be dextrous to make intricate changes in their machines and for placing tiny parts on them, they need wisdom to learn from previous mistakes and remember their previous designs, and they need intelligence for envisioning the machines before they are ever built and for crafting them at all.
Races: Any humanoid.
Alignment: Any, usually true neutral.
Starting Gold: 4d6×10 gp (140 gp).
Starting Age: As wizard (Complex).
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Blood, sweat, & tears, Mechanical Pet, Builder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +1 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Upgrade, Scrapper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Run | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Mechanical Mount | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Mechanical Helper, Mechanical Pet II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Mobility, Second Upgrade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +4 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Fine Tuning, Mechanical Man | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +4 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Human Engineering | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +5 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Mechanical Pet III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +5 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Mechanical Fusion, Third Upgrade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +6/+1 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Mechanical Weapon, Spring Attack | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +6/+1 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Recycler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +7/+2 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Mechanical Pet IV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +7/+2 | +9 | +5 | +9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +8/+3 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Fourth Upgrade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +8/+3 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Mechanical Pet V | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Download/Upload, Mechanical Warrior | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Fifth Upgrade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Mass Production | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Mystical Engineer.
Blood, sweat, & tears(Su): Enables the Mystical Engineer to imbue his machines with life.
Mechanical Pet I, II, III, IV and V(Ex): As Summon Nature's Ally, but creates a Mechanical version of the animal. Mechanical animals have no constitution and their speed is halved, but their AC is increased by 4. Mechanical pets Can be upgraded but cannot be fused or built larger that the size of the actual animal. Creating a Mechanical Animal costs nothing if the parts are provided already or can be made and takes 3d6 hours to create.
Builder: As create construct, but no XP or gold cost if the parts are provided or can be made. All created constructs are considered to be of the Mechanoid race and has their racial abilities/modifiers.
Upgrade: At first upgrade level, only one of the following may be applied, after that, an extra upgrade can be applied per upgrade level. One upgrade cannot be taken twice.
Better Legs: +10 land speed.
Better Arms: +2 to Strength score.
Better Eyes: +5 on spot and search, + 20 feet effective dark vision and low-light vision.
Better Armor: +2 AC, -10 base land speed.
Better Hands: +2 Dexterity score.
Weapon Arms: Longswords instead of hands. No dual wielding penalties
Spikes: Body is covered in spikes, as armor spikes.
- At Upgrade Third Level
More Legs: Adds two additional legs to the subject, doubling land speed.
More Arms: Adds two additional arms to the subject, allowing it to weild more weapons or do other tasks while wielding weapons.
More Eyes: Adds two additional eyes behind the subjects head as well, increasing search and spot by 10 and allowing it to see all around itself.
Fusion Compatible: The Mystical Engineer spends an extra 2d8 hours during creation of two machines simultaneously leaving extra space, designing piston systems and attachment and circuitry mechanisms so that both machines fuse with each other as a swift action. (See Mechanical Fusion for more details)
Chains: The Machine is given chains. For weapons, this is counted as a locked gauntlet. For mounts, it works as a restraining device and give +5 to all ride checks for the mount. For other machines it can work as a whip weapon.
- At Upgrade Fifth Level
Even Better Armor: +5 to AC, Better armor is a prerequisite. Halve land speed.
Auto-Repair: As auto-repair spell.
Wheels: Triples base land speed, legs are replaced with wheels, subtracting the subjects Dexterity bonus to AC and cannot stack with Better Legs or More Legs.
Controller: The machine is enhanced with a controller feature that allows it to be controlled by a controller of the correct frequency.
Scrapper(Ex): Mystical Engineers Can scrap broken or outdated constructs for usable parts for newer, better models.
Mechanical Helper(Ex): The Mystical Engineer can create a helper to aid him in his work, halving the creation time of the project, but he can only have one helping him per project. Creating a Mechanical Helper costs nothing if the parts required are provided or can be easily made, creation takes 1d6 hours.
Fine Tuning: With fine tuning, Mystical Engineers can spend an extra 1d4 hours making sure his creation move perfectly, doubling the rate at which his constructs moves. (This can be done at the end of creation or as maintenance work to an already constructed machine)
Mechanical Man(Ex): By spending an extra 1d4 hours during creation, or 1d6 hours after creation, the Mystical Engineer makes his Machines look as realistic as possible, anyone looking has to win a spot check against the creators disguise skill to realize the machine is not what it appears to be.
Human Engineering: The Mystical Engineer can create wearable mechanical suits for humanoid use, the suits are as machines, they can be upgraded, fine tuned, and disguised. They may also have information downloaded or uploaded to them. They may not be fused.
Mechanical Fusion(Su): Fusion combines the attributes and upgrades of two fusion compatible machines and allows them to attack as a single unit. The fusion lasts 1d4 rounds and afterwards the same machines may not be involved in another fusion until the next day.
Mechanical Weapon: The Mystical Engineer manufactures a weapon for himself or others, the weapon is counted as a machine and as such may be upgraded twice within reason, fine tuned to add masterwork quality, and enchanted. The Mystical Engineer is automatically proficient with all mechanical weapons.
Mechanical Mount(Ex): The Mystical Engineer spends 1d4 days creating a mechanical mount. The mount can be shaped after an animal or of his own design. Mechanical Mounts may be fine tuned and have a base land speed of 20.
Recycler(Ex): The Mystical Engineer Recycles his unused parts and stores them for later, cutting down manufacturing costs by 1/4
Download/Upload(Su): The Mystical Engineer has become so connected with their machines that they can download information from them or upload information to them telepathically. The information may be any sensory detail or command.
Mechanical Warrior(Ex): The Mystical Engineer spends 1d6 hours creating a Mechanical warrior, mechanical warriors function as puppets of the Mystical Engineer to control, they must have information uploaded to them to attack and can be any class that does not require a specific alignment or race or for them to worship a deity. As magic-imbued constructs, Mechanical Warriors may even be spellcasters. Mystical Engineers may only have one Mechanical Warrior with them at a time.
Mass Production(Ex): Upon reaching a certain point, one realizes there are only so many machines they can create in a day. To fix this, they may spend an extra 1d4 hours building Mechanical Helpers to make them more compatible with each other, allowing up to four Mechanical Helpers creating a machine unsupervised in a quarter of the time it would take the Mystical Engineer to do it himself unaided.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mystical Engineers are proficient only with the weapons they create. Mystical Engineers are not proficient with any armor.
Spells: Mystical Engineers sacrifice their arcane powers to be able to bring their inventions to life.
Ex-Mystical Engineers
Should a Mystical Engineer choose to no longer follow this path, his constructs will continue working and living until they are destroyed, but will cease to follow any of his commands or commands through a controller.
Epic Mystical Engineers
| Level | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 21st | Epic Upgrade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22nd | Epic Human Engineering | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23rd | Micromechanics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24th | Mecha Squadron | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25th | Second Epic Upgrade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26th | Epic Machine Fusion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27th | Saboteur | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28th | Mechanical Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29th | Third Epic Upgrade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30th | Mechanical Fortress | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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6 + Int modifier skill points per level. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Epic Upgrade: The Mystical Engineer can now choose one of the following upgrades for regular upgrade and can place an additional upgrade on his machines.
Aerodynamics: +20 to jump, can glide or with assistance fly.
Waterproofing: Will not fail if submerged, +10 swim.
Better Wheels: Wheels is a prerequisite, adds better traction to the wheels, now they can go quadruple the original land speed instead of triple.
Epic Fusion Compatible: As fusion compatible, except may involve up to five machines.
Wind Engine: Aerodynamics is a prerequisite, allows flight speed +60, good maneuverability.
Massive Armor: Better Armor and Even Better Armor are prerequisites, +8 AC, halves land speed again. - 20 jump.
Living Soul: Though the machines made by Mystical Engineers have thoughts and feelings, they do not have souls, with the Mystical Engineer's magic however, a soul can be bound to a machine so that person may live as long as the machine can, in essence at least.
Epic Controller: As controller, but up to 20 machines can be on the same frequency and controlled at once. Controller is a prerequisite
Epic Human Engineering: The Mystical Engineer can create even better suits for humanoid use, now allowing Machine Fusion and Epic Machine Fusion to pilot a fused machine. (The fused machine does not get any of the pilots abilities and skills, but retains any feats applicable as fighter bonus feats)
Micromechanics: The Mystical Engineer May now make Fine, Diminutive, and Small machines. Each size below Medium doubles creation time and halves cost.
Mecha Squadron: The Mystical Engineer can now bring with him and control up to four Mechanical Warriors at once.
Epic Machine Fusion: Each machine involved in Epic Machine Fusion Must have the Fustion Compatable and Epic Fusion Compatible Upgrades, Epic Machine Fusion may last indefinitely and has no side-effects for diffusion.
Saboteur: The Mystical Engineer can spend an extra 1d4 hours rigging his machines with explosives that detonate when the machine is destroyed. If the machine has a controller upgrade enables, it can be remote detonated at any time.
Mechanical Army The Mystical Engineer May control up to 20 machines at once with a single controller if all them are upgraded with Controller and Epic Controller. More controllers may be used, but the Mystical Engineer must make a DC 20 Concentration check with the second controller and +10 to the DC for each added controller. If the Mystical Engineer fails his Concentration check, his armies do not follow any new commands given for 1 round, if he fails it by 5 or more, they do not accept new commands for 1 round + (the amount failed by/5)
Mechanical Fortress: The Mystical Engineer may spend 1d4 years Creating a Massive (maximum 50metersX×->50metersY×->50metersZ) Fortress with the help of his Mechanical helpers, 100 helpers minimum, Halve construction time for each 100 helpers after the 100 minimum. (maximum 600 helper total). This is unaffected by any effects to halve creation or construction time but its own. The fortress is a machine and as such may be upgraded and fine tuned. Upgrading a fortress takes 1d4 months per Upgrade and for fine tuning, and 2d4 months per Epic Upgrade. Fortresses include a factory that further doubles creation speed, and can serve as a small city or base of operations.
Humanoid Mystical Engineer Starting Package
Weapons: None
Feat: Dodge.
Gear: Repair kit, Bedroll, flint & Steel, Sack, 3 Torches, 1 day of Field Rations, Waterskin, Bag of random parts.
Gold: 4d6×10gp.
Playing a Mystical Engineer
Religion: Generally, Mystical Engineers Worship no deity, as they can create life of sorts on their own.
Other Classes: Mystical Engineers are socially awkward people whose machines generally have better personalities than they do themselves. They usually do not enjoy the company of others but will occasionally take the chance to try out one of their machines in the field. Others view Mystical Engineers as strange at least and most avoid speaking with them.
Combat: Mystical Engineers are a general support class, they rely on their machines to do the fighting for them, rarely using a weapon of their own, which is usually a ranged weapon.
Advancement: Mystical Engineers may want to multiclass as a mechanist.
Mystical Engineers in the World
| “ | Nuts and bolts, gears, sockets, and springs. These are a few of my favorite things. | ” |
| —The deranged mumblings of Arugan, Human Engineer | ||
Daily Life: Mystical Engineers are found around large towns and cities, usually selling their wares (mechanical pets or mounts generally) in a tent outside of one of the gates. If not, they are constructing more machines, or testing them.
Notables: Arugan, Layrn.
Organizations: Mystical Engineers generally do not assemble with each other unless in the interest of a group project of monumental proportion.
NPC Reactions: NPCs generally dislike or fear Mystical Engineers due to their appearance and seclusion.
Mystical Engineer Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Architecture & Engineering) or (Arcana) can research Mystical Engineers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 5 | Mystical Engineers are mechanics born with magical ability. |
| 10 | They use their magic to give life to their creations. |
| 15 | It is possible of Mystical Engineers to Download or Upload information to or from any of their machines telepathically. |
| 20 | Upon mastering the art of engineering, Mystical Engineers can create massive, flying fortresses in a matter of months, with help of their creations. |
Mystical Engineers in the Game
Mystical Engineers play a mainly support role and create constructs to fight for them.
Adaptation: Futuristic variants could include them building robots or vehicles.
Sample Encounter: The group of adventurers hear of a floating city above the sea. Upon arrival after a long flight, the party finds themselves inside of a massive flying fortress inhabited mainly by machines with few living people among them. The machines continue with their duty without paying much attention to the adventurers. Upon speaking with one of the people, the party is told of the city's construction and given a tour of the fortress.
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