Tinkerer (5e Class)

Tinkerer

A Dragonborn mutters magic incantations as he carves protective runes into a companion’s chest plate. A half-deranged human cackles as she tosses a hand-crafted explosive into a swarm of goblins. A gnome grabs a broken table leg and bashes it over someone’s head. An elf lets forth pent up magical energy from a gauntlet, sending missiles of purple energy soaring through the air. A tinkerer fills everyday objects with powerful magic and improvises the rest.

Creating a Tinkerer

Quick Build

You can make a Tinkerer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the Acolyte background. Third, choose <!-elaborate on equipment choices->

Class Features

As a you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: None
Weapons: None
Tools: Tinker’s tools
Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from: Arcana, History, Religion, Nature, Investigation, Insight, Survival.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• Tinker’s Tools
• (a) Explorer’s pack or (b) dungeoneer’s pack
• Alchemist’s fire
• 10lbs of material (metal) and 15 blank pieces of parchment.

Table: The

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Tinker Points	Features
1st	+2	8	Tinkering, Brainstorm, Unarmored Defense
2nd	+2	9	Practical Improvisation, Enchant tier 0 -lesser
3rd	+2	11	Create Contraption, Learn Arcane
4th	+2	12	Ability Score Improvement, Enchant tier 0 -full
5th	+3	14	Extra Attack, Enchant tier 1 -lesser
6th	+3	15	Educated Guess, Simple Magic, Enchant tier 1 -full
7th	+3	16	Hex and Dismantle
8th	+3	17	Ability Score Improvement, Construct tier 1
9th	+4	19	Practical Improvisation, Enchant tier 2 -lesser
10th	+4	20	Construct tier 2, Enchant tier 2 -full
11th	+4	21	Lucidity, Enchant tier 3 -lesser
12th	+4	21	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	22	Construct tier 3, Hex and Dismantle
14th	+5	22	Enchant tier 4 -lesser
15th	+5	23	Imitation
16th	+5	23	Ability Score Improvement, Enchant tier 4 -full
17th	+6	24	Imitation
18th	+6	24	Enchant tier 5 -lesser
19th	+6	25	Ability Score Improvement, Masterful Imitation
20th	+6	26	Enchant tier 5 – full

You also have 1 premade, enchanted item per level you start with up to 4 items, as well as 1d4 times your starting level of spells in your spell book (see enchanting for details). You can’t cast these spells until you have the “simple magic” feat. Your spell save DC is 8 + proficiency bonus + Intelligence modifier and your spell attack bonus is proficiency bonus + int modifier.

Tinkering

Using tinker points, a tinkerer may take any one of three actions:

craft explosive 5 tinker points

With at least 3lbs of metal material, tinkerers can create a small handheld explosive, which has a range of 60ft. Creatures within a 5ft radius of the small explosion must make a dex saving throw (DC 8 + proficiency bonus + Intelligence modifier) or take 1d10 fire damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. The damage upgrades 1d4 fire damage per tinkerer level minus one. (i.e. tinkerer level six rolls 5d4 and 1d10).

Lesser explosive

Can be cobbled together with an action (bonus to throw). Creatures within the blast radius get advantage on their saving throw against this explosive and the explosive must be used the next turn or it detonates in the tinkerer’s hand.

inspire 3 tinker points

You generate sparks of inspiration which give you advantage on any one skill check you make per short rest. You can also use this action to aid a party member who is making an Intelligence check.

uncommon knowledge 2 tinker points

A tinkerer can add half their proficiency bonus to a skill check that uses Intelligence. Lasts one hour and does not stack upon itself.

magical experience 3 Tinker points

Using a piece of parchment, you inscribe a spell that you know into a scroll during a short or long rest. This scroll retains its power for up to 1d4 days and can be used by anyone able to read it. You can expend additional tinker points to add days to its life span for 1 point per day.

clockwork fiddling

You can spend the required number of tinker points to create a clockwork device, or half that value during a short or long rest. All devices have an A.C. of 5 and an HP of 1. They also must be wound up as a bonus action in order to function. The device can be set to active at a given trigger (pressing a button, impacting against something, etc.) or after a certain time. If the device you create can be used multiple times, roll the 1d8 every time you wind it up. If you roll a one, the device breaks and has to be rebuilt.

If another creature uses any device you make, they must roll a 1d8 per use with the device breaking on a 1. You can dismantle these devices to regain their materials. You can have your tinkerer level of devices active at once (they don’t count as active if they aren’t wound up).

Weapons made this way count as improvised weapons. See list below for sample devices available to you. Other devises can be negotiated over with your GM.

Tinker Points	Contraption
1	Timer
2	Clockwork toy
2	Music box
3	Fire starter
8	Explosive toy
9	Noise maker
10	Clockwork blowgun
10	Clockwork lock
12	Grapple arrow/bolt
12	Explosive arrow/bolt
12	Water arrow/bolt
12	Oil arrow/bolt
14	Shrapnel arrow/bolt
14	Clockwork scope
18	Clockwork spiders
24	Clockwork crossbow
40	Clockwork gun

Brainstorm

At 1st level, you recover your tinker points during a long rest. In addition, a tinkerer may replenish 1d4 x their tinkerer level + their Intelligence modifier Tinker points once per short rest. This takes the full short rest.

Unarmored Defense

When not wearing armor, a tinkerer has an AC of 10 + Dexterity modifier + Intelligence modifier.

Practical Improvisation

Tinkerer gains proficiency with all improvised weapons and can add half of their proficiency bonus (rounded down) to any ability check or saving throw once every short or long rest. The player must use this ability before they know if the roll succeeds or fails.

At full potential, a tinkerer may use their Intelligence modifier for attack rolls made with improvised weapons.

Create Contraption

5 tinker points

You create a small, handheld contraption with a range of 60ft with a random effect decided by a d8 roll. The DC for all saves is determined by your Intelligence. The contraption can be cobbled together or pre-built. It takes an action to cobble together a contraption and a bonus action to throw it.

1: Upon impact, it does nothing. But it looks cool!

2: Upon impact, the contraption explodes. If it was pre-built, it deals 2d10 + 1d4 per tinkerer level above 3 fire damage. (i.e. level six would deal 2d10 +3d4 fire damage). The damage is halved if the contraption is cobbled together.

3: Upon impact, ropes shoot out and attempt to grapple all nearby creatures (small or medium). If the contraption is pre-built, all small or medium creatures within a 10ft radius must make a Dexterity saving throw. The radius is halved if the contraption is cobbled together.

4: Upon impact, a healing mist sprays out. The mist heals every creature in a 15ft radius for 5 hp.

5: Upon impact, a gallon of pure water bursts out. Creatures within a 5ft radius of the contraption must make a Dexterity saving throw making the targeted creature gain vulnerable to lightning damage and resistant to fire damage on a failed save, or just wet on a successful one.

6: Upon impact, a flash of light bursts out. Creatures within a 10ft radius must make a Constitution saving throw, or be blinded for two combat rounds.

7: Upon impact, a loud noise emanates from the contraption, dealing 1d8 of thunder damage and deafening any creatures in a 10ft radius. The damage increases 1d4 per tinkerer level above 3. Creatures that succeed a con saving throw are not deafened and take half damage.

8: Upon impact, a black liquid spurts out of the contraption. The area in a 5ft radius is turned into difficult terrain and any creatures in the radius are blinded. If the creature succeeds in a Constitution saving throw, they are not blinded.

Enchant

As a tinkerer, you know very little magic and can cast even less. Your magical strength lies in imbuing items with magic and using them as a focus for your spells. When creating your character, roll 1d4 multiplied by your tinkerer level up to four times. The total number you get is the number of cantrip wizard spells you can enchant with. Divide that number by two to get the number of level 1 spells you already know. Continue to divide in half for spells with a casting level less than or equal to your enchanting tier. (For example, a level 9 tinkerer would roll 4d4. They could, at maximum chose 16 cantrips, 8 level 1 spells, and 4 level two spells.)

Enchanting items

During a short rest, you may enchant one lesser tier item. During a long rest, you may either enchant two lesser tier items or one full tier item. The spell save and spell attack damage are equal to that of your own at the time of enchanting. If you are enchanting an item at your max tier level, roll the 1d8. On a 1, the item is cursed. The curse is decided on by another 1d4 roll as follows:

1d4	Result
1	the item disintegrates immediately and tinker points spent are lost till next short or long rest.
2	the item is bound to the next person to equip it. If the item is unequipped, the enchantment is lost.
3	The item is left intact, but the enchantment is lost.
4	the item gives the user a “pins and needles’ feeling.

Items that can be enchanted are:

helms, goggles, glasses, necklaces, light armor, medium armor, heavy armor, gauntlets, gloves, rings, bracelets, belts, boots, simple weapons, martial weapons, shields, ammo, wands, clockwork devices, and staffs.

Lesser Tiers

Only one lesser tier enchantment may be placed on an item and the item cannot have been previously enchanted. You must succeed an Intelligence check based on GM discretion. Enchantments can either be passive (background effects) or active (triggered via an action) but cannot be both. If the item has an active enchantment, you can take an action to use your tinkers points in order to recharge it with a ratio of one point per charge. During enchantment, you may use up to your tinkerer level of tinker points towards enchanting your item to: improve your Intelligence check and/or add charges.

Full tiers

Unlocking a full tier allows you to add multiple enchantments to a single item. This could mean either: the same spell is applied to an item but in both its active and passive forms OR multiple spells of the same form are applied to a single item. If multiple spells are being enchanted with, their spell levels must add together to be less than or equal to your enchantment tier level. How these enchantments work with each other is for you to deiced, however, your GM has veto over what can and cannot be done. Each enchantment requires its own intelligence check. If one Intelligence check fails, the others remain unaffected. The item cannot have any previous enchantments on it. If the item has an active enchantment, you can use your tinker points in order to recharge it with a ratio of one point per charge. During enchantment, you may use up to your tinkerer level of tinker points towards enchanting your item to: improve an individual Intelligence check and/or add charges.

Learn Arcane

1d4 x spell level tinker points

During a long rest, you can take an action to learn a spell from a spell scroll, a spell book, an enchanted item, or a potion. You learn this spell/enchantment permanently and it is used in your enchantments. Enchantments cannot be used to craft potions. You can only learn spells with a spell level less than or equal to your enchantment tier. The spell scroll is consumed upon completion.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

When taking the attack option, you make 2 attacks instead of 1.

Educated Guess

3 tinkers points

Re-roll a contraption roll. You must use the new roll.

Simple Magic

After a long time of studying magic, you’ve learned to harness what little casting ability you have to cast minor spells. You can cast any cantrip you’ve learned in its regular spell form.

Hex and Dismantle

Hex

Using your magical abilities and knowledge of enchantments, you can take an action to remove an enchantment on any item at will that is visibly within 30ft. The wielder must make a wisdom saving throw against your intelligence in order to deflect the hex. Hex works like a cantrip. At full potential, the target has disadvantage.

Dismantle

Using your knowledge of machines, you can take an action to interact with a trap, lock, or construct within 5ft of you. The construct takes a wisdom saving throw against your Intelligence. On a failure, the construct is destroyed, falling to pieces under your hand. On a success, deal 1d6 times your tinkerer level to the construct. If you are attempting to dismantle a lock or a trap, you must make an Intelligence check based on GM discretion. At full potential, the target has disadvantage or you have advantage.

Construct

As your mastery of the mechanical and the arcane improves, you begin to experiment with creating autonomous life. At level eight you can create a mechanical companion construct. During combat, the construct makes actions during your turn as you command it to do so.

Tier 1

During your next long rest, you can create what is known as an “iron pup.” You must use 3lbs of metal and 7 tinker points to create a tiny construct in the shape of a mechanical puppy that has a 13 AC, 15 HP, a speed of 25ft, a Strength score of 8, and a bite attack that deals 1d4 + 1 points of slashing damage. It is immune to poison and psychic damage, as well as diseases. It is resistant to cold, fire, force (magic), radiant, and necrotic damage. It is vulnerable to piercing and lightning damage. It has mechanical lungs so it does require air to breath, but this can be any form of gas. Only its creator can control it and it can’t be persuaded to go against a command its creator gives it.

It can perform a few simple commands like fetching a given object, holding open a door, or flipping a switch. Other tasks can be negotiated with the GM. Only one construct can be active at a time.

Tier 2

During your next short or long rest, you can upgrade your construct using 5lbs of metal and 10 tinker points. It is now a medium construct and can take on one of two variants:

Iron defender

You upgrade your iron pup to be sturdier and stronger. In addition to its pre-existing stats and abilities, it now has an AC of 18, 30 HP, a speed of 35ft, a strength score of 15, as well as a bite attack which deals 2d6 + 4 piercing damage and a claw attack which deals 2d6 +2 slashing damage.

Command – Protect

You can use this command to make your Iron defender protect yourself or another creature as a bonus action. It adds +2 to the selected creature’s AC if it is within 5ft of the creature. When the creature moves, it follows as far as its movement speed will allow it. When another creature attacks the creature, the defender makes a bite attack as a reaction. When another creature disengages from the creature, it takes an attack of opportunity as well.

Command – Heal

You can use this command to make your iron defender heal you or another creature for 1d8 + 2 hit points as an action twice per short or long rest. The defender must be within 5ft of the target and uses 5 of your tinker points.

Emotional connection

You and your construct are bound emotionally to each other. If you are damaged, the defender stops whatever action it is doing to come to your aid and uses its reaction to either heal you or bite your attacker. If your defender is destroyed, you have disadvantage on each proceeding roll equal in number of days your construct was alive. You also immediately lose as many tinker points equal in number of days your construct was alive and cannot make a new construct until one half of those days have passed.

Iron hound

You upgrade your iron pup to be faster and more powerful. In addition to its pre-existing stats and abilities, it now has an AC of 14, 60 HP, a speed of 55ft, a Strength score of 17, as well as a bite attack which deals 3d6 + 4 piercing damage and a claw attack which deals 2d6 +4 slashing damage.

Command – attack

You can use a bonus action to command your hound to attack a target creature of your choice. It deals both a claw and bite attack with advantage if it doesn’t have to move to the target before-hand. It does not have advantage if the hound has to move to attack, but still multi-attacks.

Command – scout

You can command your hound to scout ahead of you up to its movement speed before returning. Upon returning, it telepathically shows you what it saw using 5 of your tinker points.

Emotional connection

You and your construct are bound emotionally to each other. If you are damaged, the hound stops whatever action it is doing to come to your aid and uses its reaction to both bite and claw your attacker. If your hound is destroyed, you have disadvantage on each proceeding roll equal in number of days your construct was alive. You also immediately loose as many tinker points equal to the number of days your hound was alive and cannot make a new construct until one half of those days have passed.

Tier 3

During your next short or long rest, you can upgrade your tier 2 construct using 10lbs of metal and 10 tinker points. Your construct takes on one of two variants:

Iron Bastion

If your tier 2 construct was made as a defender, it now becomes even stronger. In addition to its pre-existing stats and abilities, it now has an AC of 20, 60 HP, a speed of 60ft, a Strength score of 19, as well as a bite attack which deals 4d6 + 4 piercing damage and a claw attack which deals 3d6 +2 slashing damage. You can also store in it one level one spell which can be triggered by a command for 5 tinker points.

Command – change form

You spend 15 tinker points to command your Iron Bastion to change its form. It increases in size to become a large creature of the same shape. It takes on the stats and feats of the “shield guardian” creature including movement speed and excluding bound. The spell it has stored is the same one you gave it when upgrading your defender to tier 3. It remains under your control but has its own turn which follows yours.

Once you’ve commanded it to change form, you can take a bonus action to mount it. This makes you both invulnerable to melee attacks and unable to make them yourself unless the creature is flying. You can move your bastion on your turn or its turn, but not both. It returns to its tier 2 form after 5 rounds of combat and must be upgraded to tier 3 again.

Iron Defiler

If your tier 2 construct was made as a hound, it now becomes even stronger. In addition to its pre-existing stats and abilities, it now has an AC of 18, 130 HP, a speed of 65ft, a Strength score of 21, as well as a bite attack which deals 4d8 + 4 piercing damage and a claw attack which deals 3d8 +4 slashing damage.

Command – change form

You spend 15 tinker points to command your Iron defiler to change its form. It stands on its hind legs and increases in size to become a Large creature. It takes on the abilities and feats of the “iron golem” creature including movement speed. It remains under your control but has its own turn which follows yours. It returns to its tier 2 form after 4 rounds of combat and must be upgraded to tier 3 again.

Lucidity

When using contraption, you can choose which form it takes upon impact.

Imitation

When you witness a spell be cast, you may take an action to copy that spell. You must have something to write the spell down on (blank parchment) for you to study and learn later. You must also succeed on an Intelligence check greater than twice that of the spell’s level. When skilled, skip the Intelligence check. When masterful, copy spell immediately.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the tinkerer class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Intelligence or higher.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the tinkerer class, you gain the following proficiencies: Tinker tools and choose one from Arcana, History, Religion, Nature, Investigation, Insight, Survival.

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