Arcane Forge Adept

proposed Artificer subclass, unapproved WIP content

Intended as a setting-friendlier melee-capable subclass without a magic robot dog. Based on the Exploring Eberron Forge Adept which is a variant of the Battle Smith from TCE.

Background

The Arcane Forge Adept is an artificer with a special gift for creating and improving their use of a single weapon through arcane forging and runecrafting. The Dwarves of Gildenhome and Gnomes of Hakan live long enough to master the several complex skills required to imbue magic into their weapons, but even in the shorter-lived races this arcane craft is occasionally practiced, reverse-engineered, studied, and tinkered with by geniuses, mad scientists, and savants. If your character is a Dwarf or Gnome they may have studied under ancient practices and a long apprenticeship while characters from other nations may have studied under eccentric professors in Universities or learned from strange hermits practicing mad arcane science in the wild lands or made exciting new discoveries on their own. Regardless of how they came by their craft, these enchantments are non-permanent and fall well short of fairy tale stories of flying swords but the Arcane Forge Adept's magical connection with their weapon allows them to wield it with supernatural control, quickness, and power.

Subclass Features

• Level 3:
  • Tool Proficiencies: Smith's Tools, or sub another if already proficient as per Battle Smith.
  • Battle Ready: Martial weapon proficiency and can use INT for to hit and damage when using a magic weapon (including, but not limited to, your infused weapon(s)) as per Battle Smith.
  • Adept Weapon: At 3rd level, you learn to imbue a specific weapon with magical energies through engraving runes, magical tempering, alchemical formulas, or some other magical process of layering of arcane energy and intention into the material of the weapon. Both Gilden and Hakan artificer traditions name it as "Nazushkestarmid" from the Dwarven meaning "blood-engraved weapon". Despite the name, blood is not usually involved in the process as it refers instead to the process of the Arcane Forge Adept being able to imbue their magical will into the "blood" of the weapon allowing them to connect to the weapon as if it was a new limb on their body. This is best done during the process of creating a new weapon but can also be done through the use of tools and magic on an existing weapon even away from a full forge. (Replaces Battle Smith Steel Defender feature)
    • Imbuing this weapon works like infusing an item, but does not count toward your maximum number of infused items. When you finish a long rest, you can touch or use proficient artisan tools on a magic or non-magical simple or martial melee weapon, which becomes your Adept Weapon. Once imbued, it is a magic weapon that grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, unless the base weapon you imbued already grants a higher bonus. This bonus increases when you reach certain levels in this class, increasing to +2 at 8th level and +3 at 13th level. If the weapon you imbued has the thrown property, it returns to your hand immediately after it is used to make a ranged attack. Your Adept Weapon's benefits remain until the weapon is destroyed or until you use this ability to imbue a new item with this power. Other creatures can't benefit from the Adept Weapon, and to them, it functions only as the unimbued weapon did.
• Level 5: Extra Attack per Battle Smith.
• Level 9: Runes Of War - You gain the ability to enhance the weapons of your squad, targeting the damage to the weakness of your enemies. As an action, you can activate an aura that extends from you in a 30-foot radius. The aura moves with you, centered on you, and lasts for 1 minute or until your concentration ends (as if you were casting a spell). When you activate this aura, choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. Each creature of your choice in the aura deals an extra 1d4 damage of the chosen type when it hits with a weapon attack. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses after a long rest.
  • (might be better to sub the Battle Smith Arcane Jolt if auras are too annoying)
• Level 15 (yeah, right, but just for completion): Perfect Weapon - you learn how to imbue your Adept Weapon with additional power, and how to draw on it in time of need. The first time you attack with your Adept Weapon on your turn, you can transfer some or all of its bonus to your armor class, instead of using the bonus on any attacks that turn. For every 1 you reduce your attack and damage rolls by, you gain +1 to your AC. As long as you continue holding your Adept Weapon, the AC bonus remains in effect until the start of your next turn. Additionally, when you finish a long rest, you can select one of the following benefits. Until you finish your next long rest, you gain the selected benefit whenever you're holding your Adept Weapon:
  • You have resistance to psychic damage, and you can't be charmed or frightened.
  • You use your Adept Weapon to channel the elements. When you select this ability, select one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. When you hit with your Adept Weapon, the target takes an extra 1d6 damage of the chosen type.

Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Battle Smith Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don't count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

• 1st: armor of agathys, shield of faith
• 5th: spiritual weapon, warding bond
• 9th: beacon of hope, remove curse
• 13th: death ward, fire shield