The Mad Scientist AAAAAAAAAnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaarr rrrrrr rtt tttttt tii iiiiii iff ffffff fii iiiiii iccccccccceeeeeeeeerr rrrrrr rssssssssspppppppppeeeeeeeeecccccccccii iiiiii iaaaaaaaaall llllll lii iiiiii izzzzzzzzzaaaaaaaaatt tttttt tii iiiiii iooooooooonnnnnnnnnoooooooooff ffffff fcccccccccrr rrrrrr raaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzii iiiiii innnnnnnnneeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnndddddddddgggggggggaaaaaaaaadddddddddgggggggggeeeeeeeeett tttttt trr rrrrrr ryyyyyyyyy,, ,, ,,,, ,ff ffffff fooooooooorr rrrrrr rtt tttttt theheheheheheheheheWWWWWWWWWooooooooorr rrrrrr rll llllll lddddddddd’’ ’’’’’’ ’sssssssssGGGGGGGGGrr rrrrrr reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaatt tttttt teeeeeeeeessssssssstt tttttt tRRRRRRRRRoooooooooll llllll leeeeeeeeepppppppppll llllll laaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyii iiiiii innnnnnnnngggggggggGGGGGGGGGaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmeeeeeeeee Art: ©©©Hi-Rez Studios (2015)
The Mad Scientist "So much has been done — more, far more, will I achieve: treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation..." -Dr. Victor von Frankenstein Mad Scientists are artificers who have become deranged or certifiably insane in their pursuit of knowledge. Astute observers of the world and all manner of creatures in it, they always remain true to the cause of Science, uncaring of what must be done in order to acquire information, the dangers of learning forbidden secrets, or the consequences of unrestricted experimentation (particularly for creatures other than themselves). Although somewhat scatterbrained, and often reliant on questionable practices, these technologists possess a level of intellect unparalleled in mortal kind; having the ability to create virtually any idea that enters their mind. They are usually found inside their private laboratories, building implausible gadgetry or slightly ridiculous superweapons. It is not unheard of, however, for a few of those scientists to willingly go out into the world; after all, adventuring and exploration go hand in hand for providing stimulating new insights into a wide variety of fields. Pseudoscience Manipulation When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with one type of artisan's tools of your choice. Additionally, you have a bonus of +1 to all your Intelligence (Arcana), Intelligence (History), Intelligence (Investigation), Wisdom (Medicine) and Wisdom (Survival) ability checks. This increases to +2 when you reach 12th level. Mad Scientist Spells Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Mad Scientist Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare. Mad Scientist Spells Artificer Level Spell 3rd Identify, Chaos Bolt 5th Enthrall, Enlarge/Reduce 9th Lightning Bolt, Thunder Step 13th Summon Construct, Vitriolic Sphere 17th Raise Dead, Cloudkill Quantitative Aptitudinal At 3rd level, you can briefly put your brain into overdrive, being able to thoroughly and completely understand the basic and complex functions of any creature you are focusing on, related to measuring the amount of matter usually estimated by spatial measurement. Once every 24 hours, you can use your action to make an Intelligence check against a DC equal to double the specified creature’s CR. On a success, you may learn the attacks, immunities, features or resistances granted by the target’s race or type. You must be able to see and hear the target for this feature to work, and the full breadth of what you learn is at the DM’s discretion (particularly obscure monsters may reveal very little, and a hidden weapon remains hidden). The DC of the check becomes equal to the creature’s CR when you reach 9th level, and equal to half the creature’s CR when you reach 15th level. Crazy Contraption At 3rd level, your unbridled genius gives you a knack for inventing the unthinkable, usually in disregard of your own safety. Once per day you may have a flash of inspiration, allowing you to build an insane gadget of unprecedented design. Using tinker's tools or smith's tools, you can spend 1 hour building the contraption in an unoccupied space on a horizontal surface within 5 feet of you. Have your DM roll on the Crazy Contraption table, and then describe to you the resulting creation.
Crazy Contraption d6 Contraption Properties - 1 Unstable Gadget This item is identical in appearance to one of the other contraptions, but faulty in its design. It will explode when a creature attempts to use it, dealing 1d8 fire damage and 1d8 lightning damage to the holder and any creatures within 5 feet of them. 2 Shock Gauntlet You can use this item as a spellcasting focus for your artificer spells. While you are wearing the gauntlet, you may cast either Shocking Grasp or Lightning Lure as a bonus action on your turn. 3 Laser Gun This item functions as a one-handed firearm with a range of 30/90. When rolling for attack with this weapon, use your Intelligence modifier instead of your Dexterity. On a hit, the target takes radiant damage equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. 4 Electron Grenade This single-use item can be thrown up to 30 feet away as an action, detonating when it reaches the end of its trajectory. Upon detonation, it creates a 15-footradius sphere of whirling electricity which remains in place for 1 minute. All creatures inside the sphere when it appears, as well as any that enter or end their turn in it, take 2d8 lightning damage. 5 Utility Gizmo This single-use item can be used to create a dramatic or specific effect, rather than causing damage. It might blast open an impenetrable wall, steal an object carried by an enemy, reactivate a fallen construct, or any other suitably dramatic effect that the DM approves. 6 Volatile Gadget This item works in the same way as one of the other contraptions, but its energy cell is overcharged. Each time you use it, the DM must roll a d4. On a 1, you take 1d6 lightning damage. When you reach 9th level, this damage increases to 2d6. Once you create a contraption, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, or until you expend a spell slot to create one. You can have only one contraption active at a time, and can't create another while your current one is present. You may dismantle your current contraption during the same hour spent on the creation of a new one. Starting from 9th level, you can have two contraptions active at the same time, but the second one only lasts for a number of days equal to your Intelligence modifier. Omnifabrication At 5th level, your absolute knowledge of all forms of science gives you the ability of improvisational inventing: to efficiently construct any item, device or weapon you might need in an exceptionally short time, by using the existing resources in your surroundings. You gain the benefits of one 3rd level feature from a different Artificer Specialization of your choice. If the chosen feature requires the use of a specific type of artisan's tools, you may instead use any type of artisan's tools that you are proficient with. You may change your chosen feature at the end of a long rest. In addition, you can now use your contraptions as the targets for your artificer infusions. Hardened By Experimentation At 9th level, your exploits in the pursuit of science have exposed your body to consistent hazards, granting you some level of acclimation to them. You gain resistance to acid, lightning, and poison damage. When you reach 12th level, you gain immunity to the poisoned condition.
Doomsday Device At 15th level, you reach the stage required to finally create your crowning achievement, the ultimate tool of destruction to take over any dungeon: a Doomsday Device! Once per long rest you may spend a spell slot of 4th level or higher to build your device, choosing from the following options: Killer Robot You can spend 1 minute building the robot in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. You can also choose to spend 1 hour on it instead, making it last for longer. Once created, the Killer Robot lasts for 1 hour if you spent 1 minute on it, or 8 hours if you spent 1 hour on it. The robot can take the form of any Large or smaller construct with a CR equal to or lower than 6. It has immunity to psychic and necrotic damage, in addition to the features given by its chosen form. It is friendly to you and your companions, and obeys your commands. During combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. If the Mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d8 hit points. The robot breaks down and becomes unusable if reduced to 0 hit points, unable to be healed or revived afterwards. Death Ray You can spend 1 minute building a highperformance laser turret in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, which lasts for up to 1 hour. The turret is a Medium-sized cannon, with an AC of 20 and a number of hit points equal to five times your artificer level. It is immune to poison and psychic damage. If it is forced to make an ability check or a saving throw, treat all its ability scores as 14 (+2). If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d4 hit points. You can activate the turret as an action on your turn, as long as you are within 5 feet of it. Once activated, it fires off a beam of searing light against a target within 60 feet of it. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, if the target has 80 hit points or fewer, it dies. Otherwise, it takes 5d6 radiant damage and 5d6 fire damage. The Death Ray ignores the damage threshold of objects and structures, always dealing maximum damage to them. You can fire off the ray a number of times equal to half your Intelligence modifier (rounded up). Once the number of shots is expended, the ray hits a living creature, or the turret is reduced to 0 hit points, the turret then completely breaks down and becomes unusable.
Credit Artwork: Cover: ©Smite, Hi-Rez Studios. First page - background: ©Fortnite, Epic Games; character: Ben Zhang. Second page: ©League of Legends, Riot Games. Third page: ©Legends of Runeterra, Riot Games. Fourth page: ©Galaxy Saga, Applibot. Watercolor: u/flamableconcrete Design: u/CamunonZ Bioweapon Beast You can spend 1 minute transforming the corpse of a Huge or smaller creature within 5 feet of you into your bioweapon. You can also choose to spend 1 hour on it instead, making it last for longer. Once created, the Bioweapon Beast lasts for 1 hour if you spent 1 minute on it, or 8 hours if you spent 1 hour on it. The bioweapon can be any beast of the same size as the corpse with a CR equal to or lower than 8. It has immunity to acid and poison damage, in addition to the features given by its chosen form. During combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. It is hostile to all creatures, including you, and will pursue and attack the nearest targets to the best of its ability. If the bioweapon is reduced to 0 hit points, its body breaks down into a pool of acid, unable to be healed or revived afterwards. Explodium Bomb You can spend 1 minute building a Large-sized missile launch pad in a 10-foot square unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, which lasts for up to 10 minutes. It has an AC of 16 and a number of hit points equal to three times your artificer level. It is immune to poison and psychic damage. If it is forced to make an ability check or a saving throw, treat all its ability scores as 10 (+0). If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d4 hit points. You can initiate the launching sequence as an action on your turn, as long as you are within 5 feet of it. Once activated, the structure takes one round to load the warhead, launching it to the sky at the start of your next turn. The sequence is interrupted if the launch pad takes any damage. Once successfully launched, one round later at the start of your following turn, the missile comes down at a point of your choice within 300 feet of you, generating an explosion of insensible proportions. Each creature in a 50-foot-radius sphere centered on the specified point must make a Dexterity saving throw. The sphere spreads around corners. A creature takes 1d4 fire damage and 1d4 lightning damage per artificer level on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The blast damages objects in the area and ignites flammable objects that aren’t being worn or carried. Once the Explodium Bomb is launched, or the launch pad is reduced to 0 hit points, the launch pad then completely breaks down and becomes unusable.