Technician

“If it only works as intended, it’s not working well enough.”

A technician is a man with a plan, capable of taking a piece of equipment and seeing not what it is, but what it could be. No matter what the problem, the technician is the one who will find a way to invent, contrive, or improvise a way to solve it. A technician could be a professional thief, a medieval engineer, or a master mechanic, but such details are unimportant in the long run. What is important is that when something needs doing or needs improving, the technician is the one who will see it gets done.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Starting Age: Self-taught

Role: The technician is a support class that aids his allies through tricks, traps, and machines. While the technician can face enemies down on the front line, his strength is always most manifest through cunning and careful planning.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

The technician’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier

Table: Technician

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Special	Combat Talents
1	+0	0	+2	+2	Gadgets, invention (1), trap specialist, trapfinding	0
2	+1	0	+3	+3	Technical insight, technically minded	1
3	+2	+1	+3	+3	Danger sense +1, invention (2), trap insight	2
4	+3	+1	+4	+4	Technical insight	3
5	+3	+1	+4	+4	Improvements (2)	3
6	+4	+2	+5	+5	Danger sense +2, technical insight	4
7	+5	+2	+5	+5	Invention (3), trapmaster	5
8	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Technical insight	6
9	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Danger sense +3, improvements (3)	6
10	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Technical insight	7
11	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Greater Trapmaster, invention (4)	8
12	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Danger sense +4, technical insight	9
13	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Improvements (4)	9
14	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Technical insight	10
15	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Danger sense +5, invention (5), supreme trapmaster	11
16	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Technical insight	12
17	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Improvements (5)	12
18	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Danger sense +6, technical insight	13
19	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Invention (6), perfect trapmaster	14
20	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	True genius	15

Class Features

Armor and Weapon Proficiencies

Technicians are proficient with simple weapons, as well as light armor and bucklers. In addition, if this is this character’s first level in any class, they may select a martial tradition of their choice.

Combat Training

A technician may combine combat spheres and talents to create powerful martial techniques. Technicians are considered Adept combatants and use Intelligence as their practitioner modifier.

Gadgets (Ex)

Technicians are experts at building things, be they improvised tools or unique mechanical marvels. These items, called gadgets, are built out of components the technician has prepared in his spare time out of commonly-found items; so long as the technician has access to a trap bag, he is assumed to have access to all the parts he needs to build his gadgets, and to have already prepared components beforehand to quickly create whatever gadget he needs.

Creating and activating a gadget is a standard action, but may be reduced to a move action by expending martial focus.

A technician can create a total number of gadgets in a day equal to 1/2 his technician level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum: 1). If a gadget calls for a saving throw, that saving throw’s DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 his technician level + his Intelligence modifier. A gadget must be used the round it is created, or fall apart back into its component parts, which does not expend the gadget.

Improvised Tools

By expending one use of his gadgets, the technician can make any skill check that requires having tools and requires less than 1 hour to make as if he possessed the necessary tools. The technician does not suffer the usual penalties for using improvised tools. If the technician already possesses the necessary tools, the technician can expend a gadget to treat those tools as masterwork for one skill check. The technician can create improvised tools that function as masterwork tools for one skill check, but doing so expends 2 gadgets.

Constructed Weapons

The technician can expend a gadget to allow an improvised weapon to function as a simple melee weapon of his choice for 1 minute.

Detonator

The technician may create a gadget that explodes in 1 round, at the end of his turn. As part of the standard action used to create this detonator, he may throw the detonator (with a range increment of 10 ft.), place it, or hide it in a space within his natural reach. After one round (at the end of his turn), the detonator explodes, dealing 1d6 damage per technician level to everything within 5 ft. of the square in which the detonator sits, half fire damage and half bludgeoning/piercing/slashing damage. Targets within this area may make a Reflex save for half damage.

A detonator counts as a trap from the Trap sphere for the purpose of determining its hardness, armor class, hit points, Disable Device DC, and its Perception DC if hidden, as well as for things such as the Opportunist or Trapper’s Recovery talents. A detonator cannot be placed in the same space as a trap, or another detonator.

If a detonator is destroyed (including by another detonator), it does not explode. If two detonators explode at the exact same time, creatures in the overlapped area suffer diminished results from every detonator but 1, suffering instead 1d6, +1d6 per 5 technician levels for each overlapping detonator after the first.

Hook and Pulley

The technician may create a gadget that allows him to manipulate objects from a distance. This gadget counts as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 20 ft. Make a ranged touch attack against an unattended object that he could hold in one hand. If successful, he may move that object to his hand as a free action. Targets whose natural reach includes the path that object must take (i.e., are within the line of effect) can make a Reflex save as an immediate action to attempt to grab the object as it flies by.

Alternately, the technician may use this gadget to attempt a drag, trip, disarm, or steal combat maneuver at a distance. Performing a maneuver from a distance in this fashion does not provoke an attack of opportunity (except as normal when making a ranged attack), but requires the technician to succeed on a ranged touch attack against the target first before the maneuver may be attempted.

Launcher

The technician can create a gadget to allow him to throw an object. The object can travel 10 ft. + 5 ft. per technician level before the technician begins adding range penalties or calculating its maximum range.

This gadget can be used at the same time as another gadget to hurl that first gadget a greater distance. This expends a gadget for the launcher as well as for the hurled gadget. The technician cannot attach more than one launcher to a device or object.

Trap Specialist

At 1st level, the technician gains the Trap sphere as a bonus sphere. If he already possesses this sphere, he instead gains one talent from that sphere.

Trapfinding

A technician adds 1/2 his level on Perception checks to locate traps and on all Disable Device checks (minimum +1). A technician can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.

Inventions

Every technician knows how to create custom items, called inventions. Inventions could be anything from a simple improved crossbow, to a powerful and complex machine that to the uneducated appears to be magic. Inventions are finicky, improvised things that require constant tinkering and fixing, and there is a limit to how many a technician can maintain at any one time. A technician can have and maintain a maximum of 1 invention at 1st level, plus an additional invention at 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter. If the technician has already reached this limit and wishes to create a new invention, he must select one of his existing inventions to dismantle. Whenever an invention includes an ability that calls for a saving throw, the DC equals 10 + 1/2 the technician’s class level + the technician’s Intelligence modifier.

Some inventions have prerequisites, which must be met before the invention can be created. These prerequisites might be items, a cost in gp for specialty parts, or feats and skill ranks the technician must possess. A technician may create any invention which he meets the necessary prerequisites to create.

Creating an invention takes 8 hours of work. The work need not be consecutive, and the technician can do this work while out adventuring, but in that situation he can only devote 4 hours each day to item creation, and only nets 2 hours’ worth of work due to being in a distracting environment. Once the invention has been created, altering its improvements requires only 1 hour of work.

See ‘inventions’ at the bottom of this page for more information on creating inventions.

Technical Insight

At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the technician gains additional insights that expand his knowledge and capacity. He may choose one of the technical insights below. Unless otherwise noted, a technical insight may only be selected once.

See below for more information on creating inventions.

Technically Minded

At 2nd level, a technician gains a bonus to all Knowledge (engineering) checks equal to 1/2 his technician level, and takes half the usual time when using the Craft skill to repair an object.

Whenever the technician uses the Disable Device skill, he reduces the required time by 1 step (2d4 rounds, 1d4 rounds, 1 round, a standard action, a move action, a swift action).

Danger Sense (Ex)

At 3rd level, a technician gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. In addition, he gains a +1 bonus on Perception checks to avoid being surprised by a foe. These bonuses increase by 1 every 3 technician levels thereafter (to a maximum of +6 at 18th level). This ability counts as trap sense for the purpose of any feat or class prerequisite. The bonuses gained from this ability stack with those gained from trap sense (from another class).

Trap Insight (Ex)

At 3rd level the technician gains Heightened Awareness from the Scout sphere, whether or not he possess that sphere. If he already possess that talent, he may instead gain any one martial talent for which he qualifies.

Trapmaster (Ex)

At 7th level, all uses of the Disable Device skill have their required time decreased by 2 steps instead of 1.

When a technician disarms a trap through the Disable Device skill and beats the trap’s DC by 10 or more, in addition to being able to pass by the trap without activating it, he gains one of the following benefits as well:

• Trap Sphere: If the technician beats the DC by 10 of a trap from the Trap sphere, he may take control of that trap. The trap’s previous owner is no longer able to pass through the trap’s space unharmed, although any creatures who knew where the trap was placed still gain the usual bonuses against activating the trap. Additionally, the technician may upgrade the trap if it is inferior to his own and it is a trap he is able to create, changing its variables such as damage, and saving throws, to become as if he had been the one to place the trap.
• Magical Trap: When disarming a magic trap that allows specific creatures to pass without danger and beating the trap’s DC by 10 or more, the technician can modify which creatures are allowed to pass, such as adding his allies or restricting his enemies if he desires.

Greater Trapmaster (Ex)

At 11th level, all uses of the Disable Device skill have their required time decreased by 3 steps instead of 2, to a minimum of a swift action.

In addition to using Disable Device to sabotage mechanical gadgets, the technician can also use the Disable Device skill to tamper with magical effects as well. With 2d4 rounds of work (reduced to 1 round with the benefits of trapmaster and greater trapmaster), the technician may make a Disable Device check (DC 11 + the effect’s caster level) that dispels magical effects on a creature or area.

Instantaneous effects cannot be disabled in this fashion. The technician may target a specific effect if he has identified it, otherwise the effect with the highest caster level is affected first. He may also target a magical item, in which case the magic is not dispelled, but is instead suppressed for 1d4 rounds. The technician must be touching the target to affect it in this way; he may use this power on an unwilling target, but must succeed at a melee touch attack, and must remain in contact with the target for the entire process (if this process requires 1 round or longer, often the target must be grappled, helpless, unaware of the technician, or in some other way unable to get away from the technician for the duration).

Supreme Trapmaster (Ex)

At 15th level, all uses of the Disable Device skill have their required time decreased by 4 steps instead of 3, to a minimum of a swift action. In addition, the technician may use his Disable Device skill to dispel all non-item magical effects on a target, rather than just one. When making the Disable Device check, compare it to each effect individually; if the check exceeds a DC of 11 + that effect’s caster level, the effect ends.

Perfect Trapmaster (Ex)

At 19th level, all uses of the Disable Device skill have their required time decreased by 5 steps instead of 4, to a minimum of a swift action. In addition, when the technician is the direct target of an unwanted magical effect, as an immediate action he may attempt a Disable Device check to negate the incoming effect before it can affect him, as detailed under greater trapmaster.

True Genius

At 20th level, the technician gains a permanent +2 bonus to all mental ability scores.

List of Technical Insights

At 2nd level and every two levels thereafter, the technician gains additional insights that expand his knowledge and capacity. He may choose one of the technical insights below. Unless otherwise noted, a technical insight may only be selected once.

Aesthetic Insight

The technician knows how to create inventions that are user-friendly, balanced, and sleek. Other creatures suffer only half the usual penalty when attempting to use one of his inventions. If attempting to pilot an independent invention, the piloting DC increases by +2 per improvement rather than +4.

Always Ready (Ex)

The technician may expend a gadget to create any non-magical piece of equipment with a market value of 10 gp or less and a size of one cubic foot or smaller, such as rope, soap, oil, etc. This item remains functional for 1 hour per technician level.

Anatomical Insight (Ex)

Whenever the technician attacks a target who is flat-footed, is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC, or that the technician is flanking, the technician’s attacks deal an additional amount of damage equal to 1/2 the technician’s class level (minimum: 1). This insight qualifies the technician for feats and other options that require sneak attack dice, as if each point of precision damage dealt was a sneak attack die that always rolls ‘1’. This stacks with any sneak attack the technician might possess from another source.

Architectural Insight (Ex)

With 10 minutes of work, the technician can expend a gadget to create quick, artificial structures that last for 24 hours.

The nature of the structure depends on what materials are available; if the technician only has cloth available he can create a cloth structure, but if he is in a forest or has access to wood he may build a structure out of wood, and if he is in a cave with loose stones or have access to stone he could build a structure out of stone. The technician must have about 10 square feet of cloth, 50 lbs. of wood, or 100 lbs. of stone to create a 5 ft. square of structure. Other materials can be substituted with GM permission, and the GM makes the final decision about what materials are available. All structures have 5 hp per technician level, but a hardness dependent on the material in question (0 for cloth, 5 for wood, 8 for stone).

There are three types of structures that can be created: huts, platforms, and walls.

Huts give cover from all sides except any entrances the technician chooses to leave. Huts provide cover and impede movement as walls do, except they only fill a 5 ft. space. This hut can comfortably sit 2 people. Several huts can be combined together to form a single, larger hut.

Platforms either raise terrain by 5 ft. in a single 5 ft. square, or create a bridge or platform up to 5 ft. wide and 15 ft. long. The platforms themselves are about an inch thick.

Walls are 10 ft. tall and long, and impede movement unless a creature first climbs or destroys the wall. The technician may expend an additional gadget when creating the wall to create stairs to allow easy scaling on one side, and to allow someone climbing the wall from that side to stand on the top and fire, retaining partial cover from attacks coming from the other side.

Chemical Insight

The technician unlocks special options for his inventions, as detailed under that section. Whenever he creates an independent invention, he may give it the alchemical subtype by adding the following properties (a construct or independent invention cannot possess more than one subtype):

• Alchemy: All natural attacks made by the alchemical construct deal an additional 1d6 acid damage.
• Broken Containers: Any strike on an alchemical construct with a melee weapon deals 1 point of acid damage to the attacker. This amount increases to 1d6 points of damage if the attack is a critical hit. Alchemical constructs are not immune to bleed damage, and if subject to a critical hit, they suffer 1d6 bleed damage in addition to other effects. It is possible to provide first aid to stop bleeding as if the construct were a living creature.
• Vulnerable to Fire: Alchemical constructs take 150% as much damage as normal from fire attacks, unless they are immune to fire via other special defenses.
• Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create an alchemical construct by 50% over normal for a construct.

In addition, whenever he creates an detonator, he may choose to grant it one of the following benefits.

• Powerful: The detonator’s explosion radius increases to 10 ft around the square it is in, rather than 5 ft.
• Foam: The detonator fills an area with a radius of 10 ft, +5 ft per five class levels with foam. Any invisible creatures in the area at the time of the explosion are revealed for 1 minute per class level, or until the creature spends a full-round action wiping it off. Any invisible creature who enters this area leaves footprints behind, revealing their location so long as they remain in the foam-covered area. The foam dissipates on its own after 1 minute per level. The technician may choose to have this detonator not deal damage. Instead, the foam makes all affected creatures entangled, and all creatures who are within the blast radius or who enter the area while the foam remains must pass a Reflex save or be stuck in place until the foam is removed. This foam may also be burned or cut with a slashing weapon, and each 5 ft. square possesses 5 hp per technician level.
• Flare: The detonator sheds bright light for 30 ft +5 ft per two class levels, and increasing the light level by one step to a maximum of normal for 30 ft +5 ft per two class levels beyond this for 1 minute per class level. The technician may choose to have this detonator not deal damage. Instead, all creatures within the area of bright light must pass a Fortitude save each round they are within this area or be blinded for 1 round.
• Incendiary: The detonator deals all fire damage instead of half fire/half piercing, and any flammable materials within its area of effect catch fire. Creatures who fail their Reflex save are also set on fire.
• Smoke: The detonator fills a 5 ft. radius + 5 ft per five levels with harmless smoke. The smoke obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature within 5 feet has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target). The smoke remains for 1 minute per level. A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the smoke in 4 rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the smoke in 1 round. The technician may choose to have this detonator not deal damage. Instead, all creatures within the blast area or who enter the area must pass a Fortitude save or be sickened for 1d4+1 rounds. If a creature stays in this area for multiple rounds they must make an additional save each round or be sickened. If a target is already sickened and enters the area or stays in the area for an additional round, they must pass a Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round.

Demolitions Insight

The technician’s detonators deal full damage to objects rather than half, and deals an additional 3 damage per technician level to unattended objects, walls, and terrain.

Additionally, the technician may choose to give his detonator a cone area of effect rather than a burst area of effect. Rather than affecting all squares within 5 ft., it affects everything in a 15 ft. cone. He may choose which direction this cone extends when holding or placing the detonator, and if the detonator destroys a wall or piece of terrain, it can affect creatures on the other side of the blast. If combined with a benefit from Chemical Insight, the cone’s size becomes 3x the effect’s radius.

Electric Insight

The technician gains many new options for inventions, as detailed under that section.

He may give his independent inventions the robot subtype by adding the following properties (a construct or independent invention cannot possess more than one subtype):

• Intelligent: Robots are intelligent, and thus have skills and feats as appropriate for their Hit Dice. Unless otherwise indicated for a specific robot, all robots have Intelligence scores of 10. The following are class skills for robots: Climb, Disable Device, Fly, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Perception, and Sense Motive. independent inventions can be made Intelligent. Note: When piloting an independent invention with its own feats, the pilot may choose on any given round to use his own feats or the construct’s, but not both.
• Vulnerable to Critical Hits: Whenever a robot takes extra damage from a critical hit, it must make a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid being stunned for 1 round. If it makes the saving throw, it is instead staggered for 1 round.
• Vulnerable to Electricity: Robots take 150% as much damage as normal from electricity attacks, unless they are immune to electricity via other special defenses.
• Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create a robot by 50% over normal for a construct.

In addition, he may create the following gadgets:

• Shocker: The technician may attach a gadget to a target that fills them with low-grade electric shocks, debilitating them. Make a melee touch attack against a target. The technician may also throw the gadget as a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10 ft. If successful, the target suffers 1d8 nonlethal damage per round for a number of rounds equal to the technician’s level. Each round the target suffers this damage, their muscles seize up causing them to be sickened and staggered. Either the affected target or another creature may remove this gadget as a standard action. The gadget cannot be used again after being removed.
• Taser: The technician may create a gadget that sends electric shocks through a target to incapacitate them. Make a melee touch attack against a target. That target suffers 1d8 electricity damage for every level the technician possesses, half of which is nonlethal damage. The target must pass a Fortitude save or be sickened and staggered for 1 round. The technician may choose to make the taser weaker than his maximum damage if he so chooses.

Expert’s Insight

The technician chooses a number of skills equal to his Intelligence modifier. He may take 10 on these skills, even when stress or other circumstances would normally impede him from doing so. A technician must be at least level 10 to select this insight. This insight may be gained multiple times, choosing additional skills each time.

Golemsmith

You gain the Craft Construct feat. You may use your ranks in any relevant Craft or Profession skills as your caster level with this feat and for the required check to create the construct, but you may only use it to create animated objects. These animated objects cannot possess the haunted drawback.

If you have chemical insight, you may create any ‘alchemical’ constructs from official bestiaries, as well any construct so long as you give it the alchemical subtype.

If you have electrical insight, you may create any ‘robot’ constructs from official bestiaries, as well any construct so long as you give it the robot subtype.

If you have mechanical insight, you may create any ‘clockwork’ constructs from official bestiaries, as well any construct so long as you give it the clockwork subtype.

If you have steampowered insight, you may create any ‘steam’ constructs from official bestiaries, as well any construct so long as you give it the steampowered subtype.

If you possess the Craft Wondrous Items and Craft Magical Arms and Armor feats, these restrictions are lifted and you may craft any constructs you meet the prerequisites for. A technician must be at least level 8 and possess Greater Craftsman to gain this insight.

Greater Craftsman

The technitian may create permanent inventions. These inventions are still limited by the maximum number of improvements he is able to give them, but do not count against his usual maximum number of inventions. Just as with all inventions, permanent inventions still grant penalties to anyone other than the technician who uses them.

In addition to any other costs, a permanent invention costs 500 gp x (the technician’s level x the number of improvements) to create. Crafting a permanent invention uses the same time crafting rules as magic items, and just as with magic items, the technician may decrease his effective technician level when creating a permanent invention. However, an item must still have an effective technician level high enough for its total number of improvements (thus, an item must be constructed with a minimum technician level of 5 to gain 2 improvements, etc.). The technician must be at least level 6 to gain this insight.

Gunpowder Insight

The technician gains proficiency with all firearms (except siege weapons) and gains the Gunsmithing feat. If the technician already possesses these abilities via feats or martial talents, he may immediately retrain them.

In addition, the technician may make the following gadget:

• Firework: This gadget flies in a specific direction and loudly explodes in a color of the technician’s choice. A firework is considered a splash weapon, but with a range increment of 100 ft. The firework deals 1d6 fire damage per 2 technician levels on a direct hit, and the target must pass a Fortitude save or be blinded for 1 round. On a successful save, the target is still dazzled for 1 round. Creatures within 5 ft. of the target square suffer splash damage equal to the firework’s minimum damage and are dazzled for 1 round.

Intuition (Ex)

The technician has learned to trust his gut as much as calculations, and to have faith in wisdom and meditation as well as science.

He gains a pool of intuition points equal to 1 + his Wisdom modifier (minimum: 1). These intuition points refresh after roughly 8 hours of rest. A technician may spend 1 point of intuition as part of any skill check or ability check to add 1d6 to that roll. He may spend 2 points as part of an attack roll or saving throw to also gain this bonus. The decision to spend intuition must be made before the d20 is rolled. Intuition can only be used once on any individual roll.

Intuition, Combat

The technician’s intuition pool increases by 1. When spending intuition to improve an attack roll or saving throw, he only needs to spend 1 point instead of 2.

A technician must have the intuition technical insight to select this insight.

Intuition, Lucky

The technician’s luck pool and intuition pool both increase by 1 point. In addition, he may spend luck points as if they were intuition points, and intuition points as if they were luck points.

A technician must possess the luck and intuition technical insights to gain this insight.

Intuition, Meditative

The technician’s intuition pool increases by 1, and counts as a ki pool when meeting the prerequisites for feats. In addition to other uses of intuition, he may spend a point to grant himself a +20 enhancement bonus to speed for 1 round, a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round, or a +20 bonus on a single Acrobatics check made to jump. An intuition pool counts as a supernatural ability when used in these ways.

A technician must have the intuition technical insight to select this insight.

Intuition, Reactive

The technician’s intuition pool increased by 1. Rather than spending a point of intuition before the d20 is rolled, he may spend his intuition after the die is rolled but before the results are revealed. This can change a failure into a success.

A technician must have the intuition technical insight to select this insight.

Inventor’s Insight

The technician may create one extra invention with no more than 1 improvement. Alternately, he may add 1 additional improvement to one of his other inventions. If he dismantles this invention, he may create a new invention with 1 improvement, or choose another invention to gain +1 improvement. This insight may be selected multiple times. The effects do not stack. Each time this insight is gained, the technician may create a new invention with only 1 improvement, or choose a different invention to gain a bonus improvement.

Luck

The technician’s plans and creations are often halfbaked and highly improvised, yet somehow always seem to work out.

The technician gains a pool of luck equal to 1 + his Charisma modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes after roughly 8 hours of rest. Throughout the day, he may spend luck points to accomplish any of the following feats.

• Uncanny Disarm (Ex): As a standard action, the technician may spend a luck point and throw an object or fire a ranged weapon at a trap or object within 30 ft. to attempt a Disable Device check to disable or sabotage it. This could include disarming a trap, jamming a door, causing a chandelier to fall immediately or fall in 1 round, or cause a mechanical object such as a siege engine or a crossbow or firearm to gain the broken condition. If the object to be affected is being carried by a creature, he must succeed at a ranged touch attack against the target first. He suffers a -5 penalty to his Disable Device check when making an Uncanny Disarm.
• Quick Fix (Ex): The technician may spend 1 luck point as a move action to remove the broken condition from an object for 1 minute.

Luck, Combatant’s

The technician knows how to stay one step ahead of an opponent and survive situations he should not be able to. His luck pool increases by 1, and he gains the following abilities:

• Lucky Strike (Ex): Whenever the technician threatens a critical hit, he may spend a point of luck to roll the critical confirmation twice and take the better result.
• Opportunistic Evasion (Ex): Whenever the technician succeeds at a Reflex saving throw against an effect that deals half damage on a successful save, he can spend 1 luck point to instead take no damage for that effect.

A technician must possess the luck technical insight to gain this insight.

Luck, Showman’s

The technician knows how to use showmanship to his advantage. His luck pool increases by 1 point, and he gains the following abilities:

• Manipulative (Ex): Whenever the technician makes a Bluff check or Sense Motive check, he may spend 1 point of luck to roll the dice twice and take the better result. He must choose to use this ability before the dice are rolled.
• Lucky Distraction (Ex): As a standard action, the technician may make a Bluff check to make a distraction opposed by the Sense Motive skill of all creatures within 30 ft. All creatures who fail this check do not see him, allowing him to hide from them via the Stealth skill. In addition, all creatures who fail this check are considered to have been successfully feinted, losing their Dexterity bonus vs. his next attack, as well as any other benefits associated with his feint.

A technician must possess the luck technical insight to gain this insight.

Luck, Socialite’s

People are like machines, and can be manipulated just as easily. The technician’s luck pool increases by 1, and he gains the following abilities:

• Charming Smile (Ex): Whenever he makes a Diplomacy check or Intimidate check, the technician may spend 1 point of luck to roll twice and take the better result.
• Misplaced Trust (Ex): When attacking a flat-footed target whose attitude towards him is Friendly or higher, the technician may spend a point of luck. If his attack is successful, it deals double damage. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit, and precision damage is not doubled by this ability.

A technician must possess the luck technical insight to gain this insight.

Magic Craftsmanship

The technician gains the Master Craftsman feat and either the Craft Wondrous Items or Craft Magical Arms and Armor feat (player’s choice). The technician may use his ranks in any relevant Craft or Profession skill as his caster level and when making checks with either feat, not just the skill selected with Master Craftsman. This insight may be gained twice. If gained a second time, the technician gains the feat not chosen the first time. The technician must be at least level 6 to gain this insight.

Mechanical Insight

The technician unlocks special options for his inventions, as detailed under that section. He may also give his independent inventions the clockwork subtype by adding the following properties (a construct or independent invention cannot possess more than one subtype):

• Winding: The construct must be wound with a special key in order to function. As a general rule, a fully wound clockwork can remain active for 1 day per HD, but shorter or longer durations are possible.
• Vulnerable to Electricity: Clockwork constructs take 150% as much damage as is normal from electricity attacks.
• Swift Reactions: Clockwork constructs generally react much more swiftly than other constructs. They gain Improved Initiative and Lightning Reflexes as bonus feats, and gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC.
• Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create a clockwork construct by 50% over normal.

In addition, he may add one of the following triggering mechanisms to his detonators, chosen whenever one is created. When using any of these triggering mechanisms, the detonator becomes inert if not detonated within 10 minutes per technician level, and may be recovered to reclaim the expended gadget.

• Land Mine: A tripwire trigger causes the detonator to explode when a creature enters its square. This allows the detonator to count as a snare trap for the purpose of Trap sphere talents such as Remote Trigger and Trap Wielder.
• Remote: A remote trigger allows the gadget to be placed as a standard action, then triggered as a swift action from anywhere within medium range. He may place multiple detonators and detonate them with the same swift action, but as mentioned under detonators, multiple blast radiuses do not stack.
• Timed: A timed trigger causes the detonator to explode after a set amount of time. A timed trigger has a duration of 1 hour per technician level rather than 10 minutes per technician level.

Medical Insight (Ex)

The technician may create a gadget that heals a target within his natural reach for a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + his technician level. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this gadget heals for an additional 1d8. The technician may also create a gadget that empowers a willing target within his natural reach. That target gains a +2 alchemical bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution for 1 minute per technician level.

Poisoner’s Insight

The technician no longer suffers a chance to poison himself when applying poison to a weapon, and may apply poison to a weapon as a move action rather than a standard action.

Professional Insight (Ex)

The technician adds 1/2 his technician level to all Craft and Profession skill checks.

Steampower Insight

The technician unlocks special options for his inventions, as detailed under that section. He may also give his independent inventions the steampowered subtype by adding the following properties (a construct or independent invention cannot possess more than one subtype):

• Refill: A steampowered construct can only function for 1 day per HD before needing to be refilled with water. A Medium construct must be refilled with 8 gallons of water. This is multiplied by 4 for each size category over Medium, or divided by 4 for every size category below Medium.
• Hydraulic Force: Steampowered constructs Gain a +2 bonus to Strength. This bonus increases by +2 for every size category above Medium they possess.
• Vulnerable to Cold: Steampowered constructs take 150% as much damage as normal from cold attacks, unless they are immune to cold via other special defenses.
• Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create a steampowered construct by 50% over normal for a construct.

In addition, he may create the following gadgets:

• Grapple Gun: The technician may create a gadget that uses pressurized steam to fire a rope and grapple. This grapple gun has a range of close (25 ft. + 5 ft. per two levels). If used to attack a creature, make a ranged attack with the gadget. If successful, the grapple gun deals 1d6 piercing damage to the target. If the target is the same size or smaller than the technician, he may make a drag combat maneuver at range against the target as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity, and gains a bonus on the check equal to his Intelligence modifier. The technician needn’t move with the target. The target cannot move further away than the length of the rope without first breaking it, or making a drag combat maneuver against the technician to pull him along. If the technician uses the grapple gun to successfully attack a target larger than himself, or if he targets a wall, floor, or ceiling, he moves to that spot, provoking attacks of opportunity as normal, except for the space in which he began his movement. If he ends his movement in the air such as dangling from a wall or ceiling, he may end his turn hanging in place, or may grab a ledge or even let go and fall to the ground. The technician cannot remain hanging in the air for more than 1 round, after which the grapple gives way and he falls. Dangling from the grapple gun counts as climbing a rope for all purposes. The technician may expend 2 uses of a gadget to increase the grapple gun’s range to medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. per technician level).
• Steam Release: The technician may create a gadget that releases a jet of steam. This deals 1d6 fire damage per 2 technician levels to all creatures within a 15 ft. cone (Reflex half). He may increase the cone’s size by 5 ft. per 5 technician levels he possesses. The steam obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet within its area of effect for 1 round. A creature 5 feet away has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker cannot use sight to locate the target). Unlike most sources of fire damage, a steam release can function underwater but cannot ignite flammable substances.

Inventions

Inventions are usually improved versions of regular items, and can be made from both mundane or magical equipment. All inventions have the ability to be granted one improvement, +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. Many inventions or improvements have requirements that must be met, be they materials or technical insights the technician must know.

Because inventions are unwieldy objects, each invention also carries a penalty that anyone other than the technician suffers when trying to use an invention. Unless otherwise specified, an improvement may only be granted to an invention once.

Grand Gadget

Rather than create an improved version of another object or an independent machine, it is possible for the technician to create a device that functions similarly to a gadget, but on a more permanent basis. A grand gadget is an object similar in size and structure to a light crossbow, meaning it suffers a -2 penalty to any attack rolls if wielded with only one hand, and is considered a crossbow for the purposes of drawing it, being considered armed while holding it, or integrating it with another invention. If the the technician possesses mechanical insight, he can craft smaller grand gadgets, about the size and structure of a hand crossbow, meaning they may be fired one handed without penalty and may be hidden with the Sleight of Hand skill. Anyone other than the technician suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls or to the grand gadget’s save DCs per improvement when using it.

Prerequisites: A grand gadget is not based on a pre-existing item, and therefore must be built out of other materials. A grand gadget costs 10 gp to create, and is considered to have a market price of 10 gp when calculating the cost of repairs.

A grand gadget can gain 1 improvement, +1 improvement at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. Anyone other than the technician suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls or to the grand gadget’s save DCs per improvement when using it.

Improvements

Chemical Thrower (Requires Chemical Insight)

Choose fire, cold, electricity, or acid. 3 times per day as a standard action, a creature wielding the grand gadget can fire a spray of that element in a close range cone (25 ft. +5 ft. per two levels) or a line of twice that length, dealing 1d8 damage per 2 technician levels (minimum: 1d8) to all creatures in the area. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the technician’s level + his Intelligence modifier) divides this damage in half. This improvement can be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, increase the number of times this ability may be used by 3, or gain 3 uses of a different element.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement grants 4 uses instead of 3.

Permanent Gadget

Choose a gadget the technician can create. The grand gadget allows the wielder to use this gadget 3 times, as if the technician had made it but without expending one of the technician’s gadgets. This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, the wielder may use the gadget an additional 3 times, or may use a different gadget 3 times.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement grants 4 uses instead of 3.

Laser (Requires Electrical Insight)

With pressurized gas and an electrical array, the wielder can fire a short-range laser as a standard action, dealing 1d8 fire damage per technician level to a target. The laser has a range of close range (25 ft. +5 ft. per two levels), and requires a ranged touch attack to hit. This laser may be used 3 times per day. This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, increase the number of daily uses by 3. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement grants 4 uses instead of 3.

Machine Gun (Requires Steampower Insight)

Through steam-powered centrifugal forces, the grand gadget can fire pellets in rapid succession to create a stream of death. As a standard action, the grand gadget deals 1d8 bludgeoning and piercing damage per 2 technician levels (minimum 1d8) to all creatures within a line that extends out to medium range (100 ft. +10 ft. per level). Creatures in this area of effect are allowed a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the technician’s level + his Int modifier) for half damage. This ability may be used 3 times per day. This improvement can be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, the wielder may use this ability 3 additional times per day.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement grants 4 uses instead of 3.

Weaponized Gadget

The grand gadget is fitted with an attached item such that wielding one wields the other. A grand gadget can be fitted with any one-handed weapon, two-handed weapon, or any shield other than a buckler. The technician must supply the item to be attached.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, the grand gadget may be attached to any weapon (including light weapons) as well as bucklers.

Improved Armor

Anyone other than the technician suffers a -2 penalty to the armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus (minimum: 0), and a +2 increase to its armor check penalty for every improvement it possesses.

Prerequisites: A suit of medium or heavy armor.

Improvements

Air Bladder

The suit of armor comes equipped with an air tank. Filling the air tank requires 10 minutes of work in a place that possesses air. After the tank is filled, the wearer may switch it on as a swift action, allowing the wearer of the armor to survive underwater or in other airless places for 1 hour before needing to hold his breath. While the air bladder is engaged, the wearer is immune to gases and other attacks or hazards that require a creature to breathe.

Attached Weapon

The armor includes a light or one-handed weapon that may be extended as a swift action, and retracted as a standard action. This weapon is attached to the armor and cannot be disarmed, but the hand needed to wield the weapon cannot be used for any other purpose when the weapon is extended.

If the weapon is used to make an attack on the same round it is extended, the added momentum adds +1 damage to that attack, +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. In place of a weapon, other items may also be attached in this manner, such as a wand or staff. The technician must supply the weapon or item to be attached.

Improved Joints

The armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 1, and the armor’s armor check penalty is reduced by 1. This improvement may be taken multiple times, increasing these bonuses by the number of times this improvement is taken.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement increases the armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus and decreases the armor’s armor check penalty by 2 instead of 1.

Improved Mobility

The penalty to movement from the armor is cut in half. This improvement can be taken twice. If taken a second time, this improvement removes the movement penalty completely.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement removes the armor’s entire movement penalty if taken once rather than twice.

Magnetized Repulsion (Requires Electric Insight)

The armor grants the wearer a +1 deflection bonus to AC, +1 at 5th level and every 4 technician levels thereafter.

Mechanized Fist

When making attacks with a gauntlet or spiked gauntlet attached to the piece of armor (this may be added to a suit of armor such as a breastplate that does not naturally come with these pieces), the gauntlet or spiked gauntlet deals additional damage equal to 1 +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. A mechanized fist can also be outfitted as an attached weapon, in which case these bonuses to damage stack. The technician must supply the gauntlet or spiked gauntlet to be attached.

Mechanized Strength (Requires Steampower Insight)

The armor is outfitted with gears, pistons, and pressure gauges to improve the wearer’s strength. The wearer gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter.

Parachute

The wearer of the suit of armor never suffers falling damage, regardless of the distance fallen. The wearer falls at a rate of 60 ft. per round, and can move 30 ft. in a horizontal direction for every 60 ft. fallen.

Resistance (Requires Chemical Insight)

The armor is tempered with chemicals that make it resistant to a type of energy. Choose fire, electricity, cold, or acid. The armor grants the wearer resistance to that energy type equal to 10 + 1/2 the technician’s class level. This improvement can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, choose a different element.

Improved Backpack

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -1 penalty to all Strength and Dexterity-based skill checks per improvement while wearing an improved backpack, and suffers an additional -1 penalty per improvement to any attack roll or skill check made involving the backpack’s attached arms.

Prerequisites: A backpack.

Improvements

Aided Flight (Requires Steampower Insight)

The backpack comes equipped with a system of grappling hooks and winches. Using a grapple gun gadget while wearing the backpack consumes 1 less gadget than normal. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight as well as steampower insight, this improvement may be gained an additional time. Doing so allows the wearer to use the grapple guns supplied by the backpack as a move action instead of a standard action. This also causes movement made via the improved backpack’s grapple guns to count as both flying and leaping for the purpose of the Athletics sphere.

Armor Improvements

The improved backpack can gain the air bladder or parachute improvements as if it were a suit of improved armor.

Attached Arm

The improved backpack contains an attached mechanical arm. This arm can hold objects or retrieve them from the wearer, although it does not possess the fine motor skills to wield a weapon or make Dexterity-based skill checks, and does not grant additional attacks. However, each attached arm gains 1 of the following qualities. This improvement may be gained multiple times. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, each arm gains 2 qualities instead of 1.

• Slam: The wearer may make a slam attack with the attached arms as either an attack action, or as a swift action with a -5 penalty when using the attack action with another weapon. This attack possesses the grab universal monster ability. A mechanical arm uses Intelligence in place of Strength when calculating its bonus to hit, and deals 1d6 damage (1d4 Small, 1d8 Large) with no Strength bonus. The attack deals an additional 1d6 damage and gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and grapple checks for each additional attached arm that possesses this quality. The wearer of the improved backpack is always considered proficient with this attack, and may treat it as a wielded melee weapon for the purposes of talents and feats. All arms with this quality are treated as a single manufactured weapon for the purpose of enchanting.
• Reach: The attached arms have a natural reach 5 ft. larger than would be normal for their size. The arms do not threaten this extra space, and therefore cannot make attacks of opportunity at this increased reach.
• Fine Manipulation: The attached arm counts as a normal arm for most purposes. It can manipulate objects as well as a hand, including making Dexterity-based skill checks. The attached arm can even wield weapons or shields, although this does not grant additional attacks.

Extra Quality (Requires Attached Arm)

All attached arms gain an additional quality.

Freezer (Requires Chemical Insight)

The improved backpack contains a compartment that is kept at freezing temperatures that may hold up to 50 pieces of ammunition including darts or shuriken, 10 daggers, or 2 other light weapons. After being stored in this freezer for 1 minute, the weapon or piece of ammunition deals an additional 1d4 cold damage. This counts as the frost weapon special ability and does not stack with it. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this damage is increased by one die step (1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6). This damage only applies to the first attack made with that weapon. Drawing a weapon or piece of ammunition from the freezer is the same as drawing it from a belt or quiver. A freezer can also be used to preserve organic objects, chill food, or other uses with GM permission.

Gloved (Requires Attached Arm)

The attached arm gains an improvement as if it were improved gloves. The technician must still meet all prerequisites for that improvement.

Propeller (Requires Steampower Insight)

The improved backpack possesses a propeller that can be activated as a move action. One round later, the wearer gains a 20 ft. fly speed with a maneuverability of average.

The propeller can be deactivated as a free action, and cannot be used for more than 1 round per technician level at a time (not including the round when it is first activated as a move action). If left on for too long without being allowed to rest for at least 10 minutes, the propeller gains the broken condition and cannot be used until the technician spends at least 10 minutes repairing it.

This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, the fly speed increases by 10 ft., and the duration increases by 1 step (1 minute per level, 10 minutes per level, 1 hour per level).

Self-Supporting

The backpack can hold x2 as much equipment as normal. This multiplier increases by 1 for every five technician levels possessed. In addition, the wearer gains a bonus equal to the technician’s level to their Strength score when determining their carrying capacity.

Transmitter (Requires Electrical Insight)

The improved backpack possesses a dish that serves as a central transmitter. The technician may create a number of small 1 lbs. metal boxes, to a maximum equal to his technician level. Any creature holding one of these boxes may speak into it and be heard by any other creature holding one of the boxes, provided these creatures are each within medium range (100 ft. +10 ft. per technician level) of the transmitter.

This improvement can be gained twice. If taken a second time, the distance improves to long (400 ft. +40 ft. per level).

Turtle Shell

The backpack provides extra protection from the back, making it much more difficult to hurt the wearer from that side. Flanking bonuses against the wearer are reduced by 2, and they gain a +4 bonus to their AC when using the full defense action. This does not prevent rogues from being able to sneak attack with a flank nor other creatures from gaining other similar situational bonuses.

Improved Boots

Anyone other than the technician himself has his base land movement speed reduced by 5 ft. per improvement while wearing improved boots (if dividing this penalty in half such as via the aesthetic insight improvement, it reduces to 5 ft. per 2 improvements).

Many improvements grant the boots different modes. The wearer may only have one mode active at a time. Activating, deactivating, or switching modes requires a swift action.

Prerequisites: A pair of boots, which may be both common boots or armored boots from a suit of armor, and may include a blade boot.

Improvements

Inflatable Shoes

The boots gain a waterwalking mode. While in waterwalking mode, the wearer’s land speed is reduced by half, but they may walk on liquid as if it were solid.

Magnetic Shoes (Requires Electric Insight)

The boots gain a magnetic mode. While in magnetic mode, the wearer’s base land speed is reduced by half, and they gain a bonus to their CMD to resist trip, drag, bull rush, reposition, and overrun attempts, equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1). Additionally, the wearer may walk on metal surfaces such as metal walls and ceilings as easily as if they were ground.

Motorized Steps

The wearer’s base speed is increased by 5 ft. This improvement may be gained multiple times. The effects stack. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this improvement increases speed by 10 ft instead of 5 ft.

Retractable Flippers

The boots gain a swimming mode. While in swimming mode, the wearer’s land speed is reduced by half, but they gain a bonus to Swim checks equal to the technician’s level.

Retractable Skates

The boots gain a skating mode. While in skating mode, the wearer gains a +30 ft. increase to land movement speed, but they can only easily move in a straight line; each 45 degree turn costs 5 ft. of movement. Difficult terrain is even more difficult to traverse, and costs 20 ft. of movement for each 5 ft. moved. However, the wearer may still jump as normal as part of movement while in skating mode, including jumping over obstacles or difficult terrain.

Retractable Toe Claws

The boots gain a climbing mode. While in climbing mode, the wearer’s land speed is reduced by half, but they gain a bonus to Climb checks equal to the technician’s level.

Rocket Boots (Requires Chemical Insight)

The boots come equipped with packets that may be ignited to add power to a jump. Whenever the wearer makes an Acrobatics check to jump as part of a move action, as a free action they may activate a rocket boot packet, increasing the distance of the jump by 5 ft. per technician level in any direction. This can allow their jumping distance to exceed their movement for the round.

Rocket boots can be used a total number of times per day equal to the technician’s Intelligence modifier.

If activated right after making a successful attack with the improved boots (such as an unarmed strike or an attack with a bladeboot) or when otherwise stepping on or leaping off of a creature, in addition to the bonus movement the target also suffers 1d4 fire damage, which increases by 1 die size at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. The target is also subject to a bull rush combat maneuver made as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and gain a bonus to that maneuver equal to the technician’s Intelligence modifier.

This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, the rocket boots may be used an additional number of times per day equal to the technician’s Intelligence modifier.

Super Kick (Requires Steampower Insight)

The boots come equipped with a large pressurized piston. As a move action, the wearer can begin to build up pressure in the boots. Beginning the next round, whenever the wearer successfully makes an attack with the improved boot (such as an unarmed strike or an attack with a blade boot), they may release this pressure, dealing an amount of additional damage to the creature equal to 1d6, +1d6 per two technician levels beyond 1st (3rd, 5th, etc.). This extra damage is not increased on a critical hit.

Improved boots may only have one use of this pressure ready at a time; the pressure must replenish after each use to be used again. Pressure may be released as a move action, even if not used in an attack.

Improved Crossbow

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls per improvement when using an improved crossbow.

Prerequisites: Any crossbow.

Improvements

Far-sight Scope

The crossbow is equipped with a scope to aid in distance-aiming. As a move action, the wielder may use the scope to aid in aiming, reducing range penalties by half for their next attack made before the end of their turn. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, using the far-sight scope also grants a +4 bonus to the wielder’s next attack made before the end of their turn.

Integrated Shield

The crossbow is fitted to a shield, such that wielding one wields the other. A hand crossbow can be fitted with a buckler, while any other one-handed crossbow can be fitted with a buckler or light shield. A two-handed crossbow may be fitted with any shield. The wielder does not lose this shield bonus when attacking or reloading with the crossbow. The technician must provide the shield to be attached.

Integrated Weapon

The crossbow is fitted with an attached melee weapon such that wielding one wields the other. A hand crossbow can be fitted with a light weapon, while any other one-handed crossbow can get fitted with a light or one-handed weapon. A two-handed crossbow can be fitted with any melee weapon. The technician must provide the weapon to be attached.

Poison Dispenser (Requires Chemical Insight)

The crossbow is attached with an automatic poison dispenser that can hold up to 1 dose of any poison, +1 dose at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. Loading the poison dispenser requires 1 standard action per dose, but once loaded, the technician can apply a dose of poison to a loaded bolt as a move action or swift action.

Powerful Load

The crossbow deals an additional +1d4 weapon damage. This improvement may be gained multiple times. Each additional time it is gained, this extra weapon damage die increases by 1 size category.

Pressurized Shot (Requires Steampower Insight)

The crossbow makes use of a system of steam pressure to fire bolts with additional power. As a move action, the wielder may built up pressure in the crossbow. Beginning the next round, when they make an attack with the crossbow they may release the pressure as a free action, increasing the shot’s damage. The shot deals an additional amount of damage equal to 1d6, +1d6 per two technician levels beyond 1st (3rd, 5th, etc.). This extra damage is not increased on a critical hit. The crossbow may only have a single use of this pressure ready at any one time; the pressure must replenish after each attack to be used again. The pressure may be released as a move action without firing a shot.

Speed Lever

The time required to reload the crossbow is reduced by one step (I.e., full-round action becomes a standard action, move action becomes a swift action). This improvement cannot reduce the reloading time below a free action.

Note: If the technician possesses Mechanical Insight, a speed lever instead may reduce the reloading time by up to 2 time increments.

Super-Heated (Requires Electric Insight)

As a swift or move action, the wielder may activate or deactivate an integrated current to super-heat the metal heads of the crossbow bolts. The crossbow deals an additional 1d4 fire damage. This counts as the flaming weapon special quality and does not stack with it. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this damage is increased by one die step (1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6). If the integrated current is left on for more than 10 minutes at a time without taking at least 10 minutes to rest, the crossbow gains the broken condition and cannot use this current again until it is repaired.

Improved Firearm

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls when using an improved firearm.

Prerequisites: The Gunsmith feat, any firearm.

Improvements

Common Improvements

The firearm may be given the Speed Lever, Far-Sight Scope, Integrated Shield, Integrated Weapon Powerful Load, or Pressurized Shot improvements, as described under the improved crossbow invention. The technician may treat a coat pistol as a hand crossbow for the purpose of the Integrated Weapon improvement.

Enhanced Reliability

The firearm’s misfire chance is reduced by 2. This improvement may be given to the firearm multiple times, but cannot improve the firearm’s misfire chance lower than 0.

Explosive Round (Requires Chemical Insight)

The firearm is designed to fire explosive rounds. Whenever the wielder loads the firearm, he may choose to make that shot explosive. If the firearm deals damage to a target, the technician must choose one square that target occupies; creatures other than the original target in all adjacent squares suffer half damage from the weapon, which may be reduced to 0 with a successful Reflex save. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit.

This improvement may be applied multiple times. The technician may increase the radius of the explosive shot by an additional 5 ft. for every additional time explosive round is applied to the firearm.

Improved Rifling

The firearm has its range increment doubled. This improvement can be applied multiple times. Each time it is applied, increase this multiplier by 1 (thus, if this improvement were taken twice, the firearm’s range would be multiplied by 3).

Railgun (Requires Electric Insight)

The firearm is powered by electricity and magnetism instead of blackpowder. The firearm no longer requires gunpower or blackpowder, meaning it can fire underwater or in other wet environments that would normally stop a firearm from functioning. Additionally, the firearm has its range increment multiplied by 3. This stacks with the multiplier from the improved rifling improvement.

Improved Gloves

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty to all Strength or Dexterity-based skill checks and to attack rolls made with the gloves (such as an unarmed strike or an attack with a fist weapon) for each improvement it possesses.

Prerequisites: A pair of gloves, a prosthetic arm, or fist weapons, such as brass knuckles, cestus, gauntlet, katar, knuckle axe, punching dagger, rope gauntlet, sap, scizore, spiked gauntlet, or tekko-kagi.

Improvements

Auto Retrieval

Retrieving stored items no longer provokes an attack of opportunity. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, the wearer may retrieve stored items as a swift action instead of a move action.

Climbing Claws

The gloves are built with claws to aid in climbing. So long as the wearer is using at least one hand to climb, they gain a bonus to all Climb checks equal to 1/2 the technician’s level. If they are also using boots with the retractable toe claws improvement, they instead gain a 30 ft. Climb speed. If they already possess a Climb speed, this instead increases their Climb speed by 20 ft.

Electric Hands (Requires Electric Insight)

The wearer may empower their hands with electricity, turning it on and off as a swift action. When active, they cause any attacks made with the improved gloves (including an unarmed strike) to deal an additional 1d4 electricity damage. This counts as the shock weapon special ability and does not stack with it. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this damage is increased by one die step (1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6). The wearer may deal only this electricity damage (as opposed to their full unarmed strike) as a melee touch attack, and in fact deal this damage to anything they touch so long as this improvement is active. Having electric hands active counts as being ‘armed’, meaning they may be used to make attacks of opportunity and do not provoke attacks of opportunity when making unarmed strikes.

Gears and Wires (Requires Mechanical Insight)

The gloves contain a permanent hook and pulley system. Using this hook and pulley does not expend a gadget.

Sticky Hands (Requires Chemical Insight)

The wearer can make the improved gloves sticky, turning this condition on or off as a swift action. This grants a +1 bonus to all steal, dirty trick, and disarm combat maneuvers, as well as to the wearer’s CMD to resist disarm maneuvers, and to their Sleight of Hand checks made to steal objects. They cannot, however, voluntarily drop or stow any held items while their hands are sticky. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, the bonuses granted by sticky hands increase by +1.

Super Punch (Requires Steampower Insight)

The gloves gain the Super Kick improvement, as if they were improved boots. This can be used on any attack that uses the gloves, such as an unarmed strike or an attack with a fist weapon such as a gauntlet or cestus.

Webbing

The gloves are built with webbing to aid in swimming. So long as the wearer is using at least one hand to swim, they gain a bonus to all Swim checks equal to 1/2 the technician’s level. If the wearer is also using boots with the retractable flippers improvement, they instead gain a 30 ft. Swim speed. If they already possess a Swim speed, this instead increases their Swim speed by 20 ft.

Improved Goggles

Anyone other than the technician suffers a -1 penalty on attack rolls and Perception checks for each improvement the improved goggles possesses (if dividing this penalty in half such as via the aesthetic insight improvement, the -1 penalty alternates between Perception and attack with each improvement).

Many improvements grant different lenses. Improved goggles can only have one lens active at a time. Activating, deactivating, or switching lenses is a swift action. If the technician possesses steam-powered insight, they may build improved goggles with a hydraulic system, allowing the wearer to switch the active lens once per round as a free action.

Prerequisites: Glasses, goggles, or a monocle.

Improvements

Microscope Lens

This lens magnifies the wearer’s vision, letting him see in greater detail. The wearer cannot see further than 30 ft. away, but he gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Survival checks made to follow tracks, Appraise checks made to determine an item’s value, Craft checks made to create an item, and to all Disable Device checks. This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter.

Mirrored Lens: When this lens is active, it reflects and refracts the light in ways that subtly changes things. The wearer gains a +1 circumstance bonus on saves vs. gaze attacks and illusions, +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter (max +5 at Level 17), but suffers an equal penalty to all Perception checks.

Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, this bonus and penalty increase to become equal to 1/2 his technician level.

Nightvision Lens

When this lens is active, the wearer sees on a different wavelength. The wearer gains darkvision 60 ft., but also gains light blindness.

Telescope Lens

This lens allows the wearer to see great distances, at the expense of what is close by. The wearer is considered flat-footed while using this lens, but his Perception check DCs increases by 1 per 30 ft. of distance to the target rather than 1 per 10 ft. This improvement may be taken multiple times, increasing the distance by an additional 20 ft. per +1 DC each time.

Note: If the wearer possesses Mechanical Insight, he is treated as having given this improvement twice the first time he gives them to the goggles.

Thermal Lens (Requires Chemical Insight)

This lens is chemically treated to react to things not normally on the visible spectrum, giving the wearer insight into what’s really there. The wearer suffers a -10 penalty to Perception checks, but he may see invisible creatures within his range of vision, as well as any that are ethereal, as if they were normally visible. Such creatures are visible to him as translucent shapes, allowing him easily to discern the difference between visible, invisible, and ethereal creatures.

X-Ray Lens (Requires Electric Insight)

When this lens is active, the wearer may see through 1 inch of of solid material per technician level. The wearer cannot use this lens for more than 1 minute per technician level per day, and each use of this ability uses a minimum of 1 minute of the remaining time. This cannot see through lead.

Improved Melee Weapon

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls per improvement when using an improved melee weapon.

Prerequisites: A melee weapon. The technician may augment a shield as an improved weapon or an improved shield, but not both.

Improvements

Augmented Handling

The weapon gains one of the following weapon special qualities: Disarm, Sunder, Trip, Blocking, Brace, Deadly, Distracting. This improvement can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, the weapon gains a different special feature. The technician cannot grant a weapon a special quality it already possesses. Note: If the technician possess mechanical insight, he may add 2 weapon special qualities to the weapon per augmentation instead of 1. In place of 2 weapon special qualities, he may instead add the reach special feature.

Diverse Damage

The weapon gains one damage type it did not possess (slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning). This improvement can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, the weapon gains a different damage type. The technician cannot grant a weapon a damage type it already possesses.

Note: If the technician possess mechanical insight, he may add 2 new damage types to the weapon per augmentation instead of 1.

Electric Current (Requires Electric Insight)

The weapon gains the Electric Hands improvement, as if it were improved gloves. This improvement cannot be left ‘on’ while the weapon is sheathed without dealing its electricity damage to its holder each round.

Integrated Gun

The technician may attach a crossbow or firearm to the melee weapon such that wielding one wields the other. The technician may attach a coat pistol or hand crossbow to a light melee weapon, a one-handed crossbow or firearm to either a one-handed or two-handed melee weapon, or any crossbow or firearm to a two-handed melee weapon. Firearms with special conditions (such as the double hackbut or culverin applying a penalty when not stabilized) still apply when using them while integrated into a melee weapon. The technician must supply the weapon to be attached.

Integrated Shield

The melee weapon is fitted to a shield, such that wielding one wields the other. A light weapon can be fitted with a buckler, while any other one-handed weapon can be fitted with a buckler or light shield. A two-handed weapon may be fitted with any shield. The technician must supply the shield to be attached.

Piston (Requires Steampower Insight)

The weapon gains the Super Kick improvement, as if it were improved boots. This can be used on any attack that uses the weapon.

Poison tempering (Requires Chemical Insight)

Whenever the wielder applies a dose of poison to this weapon, he may apply an additional dose at the same time, +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. Each strike applies only one dose of poison to the target.

Wire

The technician attaches a wire to his weapon, allowing him to retrieve it as a swift action, such as after throwing it or being disarmed. Treat this wire as if it were 50 ft. of rope when determining the weapon’s maximum range or its statistics if a creature attempts to break it.

The weapon may gain this improvement a total of twice. If taken twice, the weapon also gains the grapple weapon special feature Note: If the technician possess mechanical insight, the first time the weapon gains this improvement counts as having gained it twice.

Improved Shield

Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -3 increase to the shield’s armor check penalty per improvement when using an improved shield. Prerequisites: The shield to be improved.

Improvements

Dispenser

The technician outfits the shield with an item for quick retrieval, such as a light weapon, a potion, a wand, or another item such as a 50 ft. length of rope or a set of tools. Other items may be used with GM approval, so long as they are reasonably smaller than the shield in question. Loading an item into the dispenser is a standard action, but retrieving the item is a free action.

The shield may gain this improvement more than once. Each time it is gained, the shield can hold an additional item for quick retrieval. Any creature may retrieve items from a shield that’s standing via the expanding improvement, but they must be in the shield’s space to use the dispenser. Note: If the technician possesses mechanical insight, each time the shield gains this improvement it can hold up to 2 items instead of only 1.

Expanding

As a standard action, the bearer may expand the shield, granting himself total cover until the beginning of his next turn. When using a shield in this way, the bearer must choose one edge of his space. That edge is treated as a solid wall for attacks targeting him only. The bearer gains total cover for attacks that pass through this edge and no cover for attacks that do not pass through this edge. The shield does not, however, provide cover against targeted spells; a spellcaster can cast a spell on the bearer by targeting the shield his is holding.

A shield may gain this improvement a total of three times. Tower shields are already considered to have this improvement once.

If gained a second time, the expanded shield counts as total cover for all creatures who are attacked through the shield, not only for the bearer. The shield also counts as total cover in relation to targeted spells. The shield itself may still be targeted by effects.

If taken a third time, the bearer may deploy the shield in this manner as a move action instead of a standard action.

Additionally, he may let go of his shield and leave it as a freestanding wall, which remains in place until a creature in the correct square spends a move action to pick it up and end this effect.

Note: This improvement cannot be given to a buckler. If the technician possess mechanical insight, the first time the shield gains this improvement counts as having gained it twice.

Flaming Shield (Requires Chemical Insight)

As a swift action, the bearer may set his shield on fire for 1 round per technician level. Whenever he performs a shield bash, his shield deals an additional 1d4 fire damage. This does not stack with the flaming weapon ability. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, this damage is increased by one die step (1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6).

Integrated Gun

The technician may attach a crossbow or firearm to the shield, such that wielding one wields the other. The technician may attach a hand crossbow or coat pistol to a buckler, any one-handed crossbow or firearm to a light shield, or any two-handed crossbow or firearm to a heavy shield. When wielding a heavy shield with a two-handed weapon attached, the bearer must wield the shield in two hands. The technician must supply the weapon to be attached.

Magnetized Attraction (Requires Electric Insight)

Whenever a target attacks the shield’s bearer with a metal melee weapon and misses him by a margin equal to or less than the shield’s bonus to AC, they must make a Strength check with a DC of 10 + 1/2 the technician’s level + his Intelligence modifier, or be disarmed of their weapon as it sticks to the improved shield. A creature may attempt a melee touch attack against the bearer followed by a Strength check (all as a standard action) to attempt to retrieve a weapon from the shield. The improved shield must be made of metal to gain this improvement.

Piston Push (Requires Steampower Insight)

The technician may give the shield the super kick improvement, as if it were improved boots, which can be used on a shield bash.

Improved Suit

An improved suit of clothing cannot be worn underneath armor. Anyone other than the technician himself suffers a -2 penalty per improvement to all Str-based and Dex-based skill checks made while wearing the suit.

Prerequisites: A suit of clothing or light armor.

Improvements

Aided Flight

The suit can gain the aided flight improvement, as if it were an improved backpack.

Armor Improvements

The suit can gain the air bladder, parachute, and resistance improvements, as if it were a suit of improved armor.

Augmented Reflexes (Requires Electric Insight)

The suit is outfitted with low-level electric equipment that improves the wearer’s reaction time. The wearer gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity. This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter.

Camouflage

The suit is designed to have its appearance easily changed to fit its environment. With 1 minute of work, the wearer may cause the suit to grant him a bonus equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1) to all Stealth checks made in a single terrain, chosen from the ranger’s list of favored terrains. However, he suffers a penalty equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1) to Stealth checks made in any other terrain. Removing or changing camouflage also takes 1 minute.

Glider

The suit grants the wearer a bonus to Fly checks equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1). If the suit possesses the parachute improvement as well, the parachute improves, granting a fly speed of 30 ft. with average maneuverability. However, this fly speed does not allow the wearer to gain altitude; he may fly down or straight, but not up.

Slick Materials

The suit grants the wearer a bonus to Escape Artist checks equal to 1/2 the technician’s level (minimum: 1).

Spring-Loaded

The suit gains the dispense improvement, as if it were an improved shield. This improvement can be taken multiple times.

Independent Invention

In addition to improving weapons and armor, the technician can create an independent invention. These independent inventions are considered creatures that possess the construct creature type, but they cannot be awakened or modified as a construct can. An independent invention possesses its own hit points, armor class, saving throws, and ability scores. It can carry items like a horse or wagon can. However, unlike other construct creatures, independent inventions cannot act, move, or attack on their own.

Independent inventions are mindless, even compared to other constructs. They possess only a Strength and Dexterity score, with no skill points or feats or magic item slots. In order to perform actions, a creature must be adjacent to the independent invention, and spend a standard action operating the invention. The invention may take a full turn of actions at the time it is operated, but cannot take more than one turn per round (i.e., so long as the technician or another creature has piloted the independent invention that round, another creature cannot take control of the invention unless he impedes the piloting creature from controlling the invention for 1 round). Technicians needn’t make any skill checks to control an invention they have built, but all other creatures must pass a DC 10 Profession (driver) check any round they attempt to control an invention. This check DC increases by +4 for every improvement the independent invention possesses.

Rather than being based on a pre-existing item, an independent invention is built from raw materials, and therefore does have a cost associated with their construction. A technician can repair an independent invention for an amount of hp equal to his technician level with 1 hour of work and by spending money on raw materials equal to 1% of the invention’s cost, or heal them completely full with 8 hours of work and 10% of the invention’s raw materials cost.

An independent invention gains one base form outlined below, as well as an improvement at 1st level and every four levels thereafter. In addition to the qualities provided by technician level, size, and base form, each independent invention begins with a hardness of 5 and a 30 ft. land speed.

An independent invention cannot wear armor, but is instead considered to always be wearing armor with an AC bonus determined by its Hit Dice. This armor may be enchanted, but at twice the normal cost. Independent Inventions gain a stat bonus increase for every 4 Hit Dice, just like other creatures.

Technician Level	Hit Dice	Maximum Size	Minimum Size	Armor Bonus	Base Saving Throws (all)	Improvements
1	1d10	Medium	Medium	+0	+0	1
2	2d10	Medium	Medium	+0	+0	1
3	3d10	Medium	Medium	+1	+1	1
4	4d10	Medium	Medium	+1	+1	1
5	5d10	Large	Small	+1	+1	2
6	6d10	Large	Small	+2	+2	2
7	7d10	Large	Small	+2	+2	2
8	8d10	Large	Small	+2	+2	2
9	9d10	Huge	Tiny	+3	+3	3
10	10d10	Huge	Tiny	+3	+3	3
11	11d10	Huge	Tiny	+3	+3	3
12	12d10	Huge	Tiny	+4	+4	3
13	13d10	Gargantuan	Diminutive	+4	+4	4
14	14d10	Gargantuan	Diminutive	+4	+4	4
15	15d10	Gargantuan	Diminutive	+5	+5	4
16	16d10	Gargantuan	Diminutive	+5	+5	4
17	17d10	Colossal	Fine	+5	+5	5
18	18d10	Colossal	Fine	+6	+6	5
19	19d10	Colossal	Fine	+6	+6	5
20	20d10	Colossal	Fine	+6	+6	5

Table: Size Bonuses and Penalties

Size	Base Str/Dex	Hit Points	AC/Attack	Natural AC	CMB/CMD	Space	Natural Reach	Fly Skill	Stealth Skill
Fine	4/18	+0	+8	+4	–8	1/2 ft.	0	+8	+16
Diminutive	4/16	+0	+4	+4	–4	1 ft.	0	+6	+12
Tiny	6/14	+0	+2	+4	–2	2 1/2 ft.	0	+4	+8
Small	10/12	+10	+1	+4	–1	5 ft.	5 ft.	+2	+4
Medium	14/10	+20	+0	+4	+0	5 ft.	5 ft.	+0	+0
Large	22/8	+30	–1	+6	+1	10 ft.	10 ft.	–2	–4
Huge	30/6	+40	–2	+9	+2	15 ft.	15 ft.	–4	–8
Gargantuan	38/6	+60	–4	+13	+4	20 ft.	20 ft.	–6	–12
Colossal	46/6	+80	–8	+18	+8	30 ft.	30 ft.	–8	–16

Size	Cost	Weight
Fine	1 gp	1/8th lb.
Diminutive	5 gp	1 lb.
Tiny	10 gp	8 lbs.
Small	25 gp	40 lbs.
Medium	50 gp	200 lbs.
Large	100 gp	1 ton
Huge	500 gp	5 tons
Gargantuan	1,000 gp	25 tons
Colossal	5,000 gp	125 tons

Base Forms

Every invention begins with one base form, and gains an improvement at 1st level and every four levels thereafter. The base forms the invention can take include siege engine, mechanical arm, and vehicle.

Mechanical Arm

The invention possesses a large mechanical arm, which may be used to lift and manipulate objects. While this arm is not fine enough to perform delicate tasks such as handle weapons, shields, or Dexterity-based skill checks, it does provide the invention with 1 slam attack. These slam attacks deal damage according to the invention’s size: Fine 1, Diminutive 1d2, Tiny 1d3, Small 1d4, Medium 1d6, Large 1d8, Huge 2d6, Gargantuan 3d6, Colossal 4d6. When calculating the invention’s to-hit bonus, add its size modifier and Strength modifier to the piloting creature’s base attack bonus. The pilot may apply feats and martial talents to attacks made with this mechanical arm as if it were a melee weapon the pilot is wielding.

Siege Engine

This invention contains a large weapon, which may be fired as a standard action. The creature piloting the independent invention use their base attack bonus + their Intelligence modifier when calculating the weapon’s attack bonus, with the appropriate size modifiers for the weapon’s size (i.e., -4 for Gargantuan, etc.). Although a technician is always considered proficient with any weapon attached to an invention he has built, all other creatures suffer a -4 penalty to their attack rolls unless they are proficient with the siege engine. The pilot may make attack actions and apply feats and martial talents to attacks made with this siege engine as if it were a ranged weapon the pilot is wielding.

While there are many similarities between an independent invention siege engine and a standard siege engine, there are also many noticeable differences. First, unlike a siege weapon, the invention doesn’t require a crew to arm and aim it; as the invention is a creature, it can fire in any direction at any time.

However, just like a siege engine, the invention can take multiple rounds to reload. Each weapon lists a ‘reload time’, which indicates the number of standard actions the independent invention must spend reloading the weapon before it can be fired again. Reload times of 1/2 require a move action on the part of the invention, while reload times of 0 require only a free action. A siege engine can be enchanted as a weapon, but at twice the usual enchantment cost.

There are four types of weapons the invention’s siege engine can take, each with different statistics.

Ballista

A ballista is a giant crossbow that fires its bolts directly at the target. This is treated the same as a standard ranged weapon attack. Ballistas do piercing damage and possess a critical threat range of 19-20/x2

Size	Dmg	Range	Reload Time	Cost per Shot
Fine	1d3	10 ft.	0	1 cp
Diminutive	1d4	30 ft.	0	5 cp
Tiny	1d6	60 ft.	1/2	1 sp
Small	1d8	90 ft.	1/2	5 sp
Medium	2d8	120 ft.	1	1 gp
Large	3d8	150 ft.	1	5 gp
Huge	4d8	180 ft.	2	10 gp
Gargantuan	6d8	210 ft.	2	25 gp
Colossal	8d8	240 ft.	3	50 gp

Cannon

If the technician is proficient with firearms and possesses the gunsmithing feat, he may make the invention’s weapon a cannon. This functions similarly to a ballista; unlike a handheld firearm, this cannon never targets touch AC, and has no chance of misfire. Cannons deal bludgeoning and piercing damage and have a critical threat range of x3.

Size	Dmg	Range	Reload Time	Cost per Shot
Fine	1d4	30 ft.	1/2	5 cp
Diminutive	1d6	50 ft.	1/2	1 sp
Tiny	1d8	100 ft.	1	5 sp
Small	2d6	150 ft.	1	1 gp
Medium	3d6	200 ft.	2	5 gp
Large	4d6	250 ft.	2	10 gp
Huge	6d6	300 ft.	3	25 gp
Gargantuan	8d6	350 ft.	3	50 gp
Colossal	12d6	400 ft.	4	100 gp

Catapult/Trebuchet

A catapult and a trebuchet are both siege weapons that throw large loads such as rocks high into the air to fall on their target. Although catapults and trebuchets use different mechanisms to accomplish this feat, for the purposes of an independent invention, they are mechanically handled the same.

When firing at a target the same size or larger than the invention, the catapult/trebuchet fires the same as a ballista, explained above. When firing at a target smaller than the invention, the catapult/trebuchet is considered a splash weapon; the piloting creature makes a ranged touch attack against a target, dealing damage on a successful hit.

If the invention is Gargantuan size it also deals half damage to all targets within 5 ft. of the target space (Reflex save to negate damage, DC 10 + 1/2 the firing creature’s base attack bonus + the firing creature’s Intelligence modifier).

If the invention is Colossal size it deals half damage to all targets within 10 ft. of the target space. The technician may target a square instead of a creature, in which case the attack deals its splash damage to any creature inside that square as well (Reflex negates).

If the pilot misses the target (whether aiming at a creature or a grid intersection), roll 1d8. This determines the misdirection of the attack, with 1 falling short (off-target in a straight line toward the thrower), and 2 through 8 rotating around the target creature or grid intersection in a clockwise direction. Then, count a number of squares in the indicated direction equal to the range increment of the throw. After determining where the weapon landed, it deals splash damage to all creatures within the attack area.

Catapults/trebuchets have a minimum firing distance; they cannot be used against a target closer than a certain distance. Catapults/trebuchets deal bludgeoning damage and have a critical threat range of x2.

Size	Dmg	Range	Reload Time	Cost per Shot
Fine	1d4	15 ft. (5 ft. minimum)	1/2	1 cp
Diminutive	1d6	30 ft. (10 ft. minimum)	1/2	5 cp
Tiny	1d8	60 ft. (30 ft. minimum)	1	1 sp
Small	2d6	100 ft. (50 ft. minimum)	1	5 sp
Medium	3d6	150 ft. (75 ft. minimum)	2	1 gp
Large	4d6	200 ft. (100 ft. minimum)	2	5 gp
Huge	6d6	250 ft. (125 ft. minimum)	3	10 gp
Gargantuan	8d6	300 ft. (150 ft. minimum)	3	25 gp
Colossal	12d6	400 ft. (200 ft. minimum)	4	50 gp

Flamethrower

If the technician possesses chemical insight, he may give the invention a flame thrower. This weapon deals 1d6 fire damage per technician level in a cone or line, but does not count as a weapon for the purpose of feats and talents, as other siege engines do:

Size	Range (cone)	Range (line)	Reload Time	Cost per Shot
Fine	5 ft.	10 ft.	2	5 gp
Diminutive	10 ft.	20 ft.	2	10 gp
Tiny	15 ft.	30 ft.	3	20 gp
Small	20 ft.	40 ft.	3	30 gp
Medium	30 ft.	60 ft.	4	40 gp
Large	40 ft.	80 ft.	4	50 gp
Huge	50 ft.	100 ft.	5	75 gp
Gargantuan	60 ft.	120 ft.	5	100 gp
Colossal	80 ft.	160 ft.	6	150 gp

Vehicle

The invention is designed to carry creatures and cargo from one space to another. It can carry a total number of creatures equal to twice its size category (4 Medium creatures can fit inside a Large invention, 8 Medium creatures can fit inside a Huge invention, etc.), and is treated as a quadruped when determining its carrying capacity. A technician may choose to make the vehicle land, sea, or air-based: land vehicles begin with a speed of 40 ft., sea vehicles begin with a swim speed of 30 ft. (land base speed of 0 ft.), and air vehicles begin with the flight improvement (n0 land speed; a technician must possess steampower insight to create an air vehicle).

Improvements

In addition to choosing a base form, the technician may grant the invention 1 improvement, +1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter, chosen from the list below. Unless otherwise stated, no improvement can be taken more than once. Some improvements require a specific base form to use.

Additional Capacity

Grant the invention an additional form it does not already possess. The invention may gain this improvement a total of twice, gaining a different form each time.

Advanced Arm (Requires Mechanical Insight)

An invention must possess the mechanical arm form to gain this improvement. The inventions’ mechanical arm gains one of two benefits, chosen from the following options:

1. The invention’s arm can reach twice as far as normal, and is treated as being 1 size category larger when determining the power of its slam attack.

2. The invention gains a second arm and a second slam attack. These arms are capable of performing delicate tasks such as handling shields and weapons or performing Dexterity-based skills.

Advanced Siege Engine

An invention must possess the siege engine form to gain this improvement. It gains an additional siege engine, which can be fired and reloaded as normal.

All-Terrain

The invention gains 1 rank in the Climb skill for every technician level the creator possesses. The invention ignores rough terrain.

Aquatic

The invention gains 1 rank in the Swim skill skill for every technician level possessed. If the invention contains the suit or vehicle improvements, it contains enough air to allow its maximum number of occupants to breath for 8 hours while the vehicle is submerged.

Auto Pilot

When the invention has been piloted for a round, the piloting creature may set the machine to perform the exact same action the next round and forever until another creature pilots the invention and changes its actions. The invention moves in the same pattern and attacks the same place in relation to itself (for example, if the invention moves 2 spaces right and fires a weapon at a spot 10 spaces in front of it, the next round it will again move 2 spaces right and fire a weapon at a spot 10 spaces in front of it). If an action is impossible (i.e., firing a weapon that is not loaded, or finding its movement pattern blocked by walls), it will not perform the action until it finds itself able to do so once again.

Automatic Reloading (Requires Mechanical Insight)

The invention must possess the siege engine form to gain this improvement. Once the invention has used its siege engine, the invention can spend a free action once per round instead of a move or standard action to reload the siege engine, and will automatically do so, even if not being piloted. If the invention possesses multiple siege engines, this improvement must be taken separately for each siege engine.

Covered

The invention must have either the vehicle form or the suit improvement to gain this improvement. This invention is designed to completely protect its passengers. All creatures inside of the invention gain total cover, but cannot interact or make attacks against anything outside the vehicle. Any creature within the vehicle may create an opening as a move action, reducing this bonus to improved cover (+8 to AC, +4 to Reflex saves), to allow him to still make attacks and interact with targets outside the vehicle. When making an attack in this fashion, targets outside the vehicle gain soft cover against attacks originating from inside the vehicle (+2 AC, +1 Reflex saves).

Electric Controls (Requires Electric Insight)

The invention can be controlled from a distance via a small box, a tiny object weighing 1 lb. that the technician creates. Controlling the invention only requires a move action on the part of the pilot so long as they are holding this box, and the pilot can control the invention from anywhere within medium range (100 ft. +10 ft. per level). This does not stack with the mount or suit improvements.

If this improvement is gained twice, the independent invention can act on its own without anyone needing to pilot it. It is considered a construct for all purposes such as controlling it or its interaction with magic, and gains a Wisdom and Charisma score of 1 and a base attack bonus equal to its Hit Dice. An autonomous invention acts on its own initiative and cannot benefit from another’s feats and talents.

Flight (Requires Steampower Insight)

The invention gains 1 rank in Fly for every technician level the creator possesses. It gains a 20 ft. fly speed with a maneuverability of clumsy. The invention may gain this improvement a total of 3 times. If gained a second time, the invention’s flight speed improves to 30 ft., and its maneuverability improves to average. If gained a third time, the invention’s flight speed improves to 50 ft., and its maneuverability improves to perfect.

Increased Speed (Requires Steampower Insight)

The invention gains a +10 bonus to its base speed, +5 ft. per two technician levels.

Improved Invention

The technician may choose to bestow the invention with the benefits of the Magnetized Repulsion, Mechanized Strength, or Resistance improvements, as detailed under improved armor. This improvement may be granted to an invention multiple times, granting a different improvement each time. Only the resistance improvement may be granted multiple times, choosing a different element each time. The technician must possess an improvement’s prerequisite insight to give it to an independent invention.

Improved Weapon

The invention must possess the siege engine or mechanical arm form to gain this improvement. The technician may augment one of his independent invention’s weapons as if it were an improved weapon of the same general type. For example, he could make a ballista or catapult into an improved crossbow, a cannon into an improved firearm, or an arm into an improved melee weapon. He must still use an invention to create these augmentations. If the invention possesses multiple siege engines, this improvement must be taken multiple times to apply to each.

Metal Parts

The invention is built of steel. It has a hardness of 10 instead of 5, and gains a +2 bonus to its natural armor. An invention may gain this improvement a total of three times; if gained twice, the invention is built of mithral, gaining a hardness of 15 and a +4 bonus to its natural armor. If gained three times, the invention is built of adamantine, with a hardness of 20 and a +6 bonus to natural AC.

The invention is twice as expensive to build. If taken twice is costs 5x as much. If taken three times, it costs 10x as much.

Suit (Requires Mechanical Insight)

The invention is designed to sit one creature (the pilot) who controls the invention’s movements from the inside. The pilot must be the same size or smaller than the invention.

It takes a full-round action to get into or out of the pilot’s seat. Once inside, the pilot can control the vehicle’s movements and actions as if he himself were the invention (moving the invention as a move action, attacking with a weapon it possesses as a standard action, etc.). If the invention possesses an appropriate weapon, the pilot may even make attacks of opportunity. The pilot may still perform actions not related to the invention (for example, throwing a detonator or other gadget), but doing so means the pilot cannot use that same action to control the invention.

While in the pilot seat, the pilot and the independent invention are essentially a single creature, using the independent invention’s physical stats and the pilot’s mental stats. The pilot cannot be targeted by weapons or by magic that behaves like a weapon (for example, effects that require an attack roll or allow a Reflex save) until the independent invention is reduced to 0 hp, but otherwise is still susceptible to magical effects. A creature who successfully grapples the independent invention or climbs onto it using Scale Foe from the Athletics sphere may attack the pilot directly, or even move the pilot instead of the independent invention after a qualifying grapple check, removing the pilot from their seat.