Gnome Tinker / Engineer

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by Darthsylver

Tinkers are gnomes and gnomes are tinkers. It is their gift and their curse to be the masters or pawns of technology (depending on who you ask) in a world where magic is the ruling force. To fully understand the tinkers you need to read the story of the Graystone of Gargath. Almost all gnomes on Ansalon are tinkers until after the second cataclysm. Very few tinkers live on Taladas and nearly all that do have come from Ansalon, but this continent is gifted with hundreds of engineers. After the second cataclysm all tinker gnomes are freed from the curse of the tinker and are thereafter engineers.

Engineers are those gnomes (and possibly those who have the patience to tutor under gnomes) who have been freed from the curse of the “tinker.” While they are more capable of building devices that function correctly than their cousins the tinkers, they do not necessarily build devices more useful or sensible. Like all gnomes they have in inordinate love of devices and constructions to the point where they will overbuild a device – simply to make it better. Most gnomes residing on Taladas are engineers and do not suffer from the curse of the tinker.

Regardless of being a tinker or engineer, it is these scientists that will help to bring science and technology to the world of Krynn. Each gnome belongs to a guild that perpetuates its own peculiar branch of technology. These guilds include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Aerodynamics
• Hydrodynamics
• Perpetual Motion
• Architecture
• Kinetics
• Pneumatics
• Ceramics
• Magnetics
• Sonics
• Chemistry
• Mathematics
• Thermodynamics
• Communication
• Mechanics
• Transportation
• Hydraulics
• Optics

Each guild has unnumerable committees that oversee individual accomplishments and seek to discover the cause of a system failure. These committees also oversee the required duties of a gnome within gnomish society.

In addition to any regular durties that a tinker/engineer has to his guild or committee, each tinker/engineer has a Lifequest. A Lifequest is to attain perfect understanding of one device. Few tinkers have ever attained this goal.

Gnomish devices are almost exclusively driven by basic mechanical devices: gears, windmills, waterwheels, pulleys, and screws. Tinkers/engineers have done elementary work in steam and chemical combustion, but know next to nothing about electricity. Clockwork mechanisms are a reletively recent development for the gnomes on Ansalon, whereas the gnomes of Taladas have been creating these items for years.

Hit Die: d4.

Requirements

On Ansalon the Engineer cannot be taken as a class until after the Chaos war.

Class Skills

Skill points at first level: (8 + Int Mod) x 4.
Skill points per level: 8 + Int mod.

The following are class skills for a tinker/engineer. Alchemy (Int), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Technology-Exclusive Skill) (Int), Knowledge (all skills) (Int), Open Lock (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex).

New Skill

Knowledge (Technology). Select a field of study. (See highlighted table above for some ideas). +2 Synergy bonus to craft checks on inventions when involving your chosen field of study.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Engineer/Tinker.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Engineers/Tinkers are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor, medium armor and shields.

Tinker Curse: All tinkers suffer from the effects of the greystone gem. Whenever using a device built by a tinker roll a d20 against the complexity rating of the device. If the roll is less than the complexity rating consult the Tinker Mishap table below. If the roll fails by 5 or more the device fails to function and cannot be used until repaired. The device can be repaired by any tinker/engineer with a succesful Repair Device checks.

Gnomish Devices: All egngineers/tinkers have the ability to create gnomish devices. When a gnome sets out to invent something, it’s a good bet that the invention will be at least 30 times larger than necessary, will make 10 times the noise it should and will have many totally redundant features. Whenever a engineer/tinker character wishes to create a technological device, he is required to design it himself with the following prochedure. The DM is of course free to check the work and make any modifications he deems necessary. To Create a gnomish device, follow these steps:

Step One: Determine what the invention wil do.

Step Two: Determine the inventions complexity level.

To determine the complexity refer to the Gnome Device Complexity Table (see below). Determine all factors that are involved in the invention. Start with the highest complexity of all factors involved. Then add 1 for each factor beyond the first. For example: an elevevator that will move 3 levels.

Factors involved, the elevator will be the size of a large wagon. It will move 5 five people up and down 30 feet at a rate of 10 feet per round. It will provide lamplight within the elevator. Complexity numbers; Size is a 10, Vertical movement is a 8, Light is a 5. Final complexity is a 12. Should the gnome decide to build the device bigger or smaller than the predetermined size. Subtract 1 from the complexity for each size larger the object is built. Add 1 to the complexity for each size smaller than the object is built (in the case of the eleveator this means extremely cramped space inside). Note that the gnome who attempts to build a large device must also pay for the material swith which to build the device.

* This represents the damage caused or the distance an object is moved in one round. For increased duration of such as flight, use the duration modifiers chart for increasing the length of the effect over a period of time. This also assumes that the object being moved is size 1 (fine). If the object being moved is larger than size 1 (fine), add 1 for every two sizes larger than size 1, to the complexity of the machine.

**The degrees are degrees of change from its present state to its new state. If two entries are seperated by a slash, the first indicates a shift towards cold, while the second inidicates a shift towards hot. The changing elements from one state to another is not permanent, except as modified by duration factors (see below). Transmutation is always permanent and deals with changing the basic properties of an item (lead to gold for example). Note also this column does not take into account any secondary effects as a result of the heat or cold involved. For example, the heating of sand to melt it into glass is figured on the Alter Object column rather than this one.

***Not only does this column deal with the state of the atmosphere, but with differences in air pressure as well. Note that hypoxia (drunken condition due to lack of sufficient oxygen) occurs at altitudes over 10000 feet.

**** This column is used somewhat differently than other columns: to determine the size/complexity number of the end state of the device. First, find both the initial state and the end state of the desired. Second, subtract the complexity of the end state from that of the initial state. The result is the size/complexity number required. If you are trying to take a finely crafted object and it rougher (e.g. reduce a polished table to the state of broken wood) then subtract the lower number from the higher number and subtract an additional 4. It is always easier to make something less finished than to take something raw and make it beautiful.

Step Three: Determine availability of materials and final cost. Every gnomish invention must include at least one selection fromat least three of the five component groups: Mechanical transmissions, Other transmissions, Drive sources, Basic Frames, and Clockworks*, in order to function. It must also fit the following basic criteria:

• It must have a number of components at least equal to its complexity rating. If it has a complexity rating of 15 then it must have at least 15 components.
• There must be a balance in the number of parts from the three part groups, or number of groups if more than three groups are used. (if three groups are used and 9 parts are required then basically 3 parts from each group).

* A clockwork is required for any device that has a delayed action, an automatic sequence, has anything to do with information storage or communications.

The components used are determined by the gnome designer. The DM must then determine if the items mentioned are obtainable in the quanities required. The size also affects availability. Multiply the total costs of all components by the size of the device to determine the the cost of building the device.

Note: a gnome can construct any of these items from elementary materials (cut wood from trees for frames, cut gears from sheets of metal, etc.), but this doubles the cost of the device.

For our elevator the tinker has decided that it will have:
From Part Group #1:
1 pulley
1 gears
1 belt
From Part goup #2:
1 rods (steel)
2 pumps
From Part group #3:
1 counterweght
2 coiled springs
From Part group #4:
3 iron frames
cost is 2355 was Size complexity (10) = 23550.

The total cost is 23,550 gp. The tinker now sets to work building the elevator by making craft checks. Using his Tinker/Engineer class levels as ranks in craft. For instacne out tinker building the elevator is a 5th level tinker. He therefore has 5 ranks in craft with which to build his elevator. If he has a craft skill in a technology relevant to building the elevator then he checks a +2 synergy bonus.

Multiple gnomes can assist the tinker on building his new device by making a craft check using the complexity value as the DC. If the gnome fails his craft check he imposes a –2 circumstance penalty to the craft check.

Record the statistics of the invention to include the complexity rating and whether it was built by a tinker or an engineer. Tinkers also suffer from innate “tinkering,” as such a tinker cannot build a device made from somone else without adding “improvements.” This is expressed as a +1 circumstance penalty to the complexity rating of the device, for each previous model for the machine. For instance if the tinker is creating a model IV something then he has a +3 to its complexity rating.

Uncanny Dodge: At 5th level the tinker/engineer gains the extraordinary ability to react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. At 5th level and above, the tinker/engineer retains his Dext to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.) At 10th level the tinker/engineer gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger, giving him a +1 bonus to Ref saves and a +1 dodge bonus to AC. This ability improves by a +1 bonus every four levels thereafter, +2 at 14th, +3 at 17th , etc… Living among exploding machines tends to make one jumpy and constantly alert.

Repair Magical Device: Tinker/engineers can repair magical items, tinker/engineer inventions and artifacts. If the item has a market value, the tinker makes craft checks, using his tinker class level as ranks in craft, as outlined in the craft skill description in the player's handbook. The tinker gets a +2 synergy bonus to the check if he has 5 ranks in knowledge arcana. If the item is an artifact or invention use the following procedure. First; determine a complexity rating using the procedure as explained in gnomish devices. Second; multiply the complexity rating by the highest spell level effect,this is the Artifact's complexity rating (for repairs only, tinkers cannot create magical items in this way). For devices, use the complexity rating determined during its creation. The complexity rating represents the DC of the repair check and the number of times the tinker must succeed at the check. Each check takes one hour.

1-8 Needs replacement part: Pay the complexity x 10 in gp to aquire the part and have a tinker/engineer install the part with a successful Repair Magical Device check.

9 Communiation Glitch: If the device was designed to communicate it will function in unexpected ways at the discretion of the DM. If it was not designed to communicate it will starting screaming and yelling at a level consistent with it's complexity rating. The device can be fixed using the tinker/engineer Repair Magical Item rules.

10-11 Improper Alignment: If designed to alter an object it will do the opposite. If it was not designed to affect an object it will do so at a level consistent with its complexity rating. The device can be fixed using the tinker/engineer Repair Magical Item rules.

12 Unexpected Glow: The machine suddenly begins to glow so brightly that anyone within a radius equal to 5 feet times its complexity rating, is blinded as the spell Blindness/Deafness as long as they stay within the device's radius and the device has power. If the gnome can somehow find a way to see within this radius, the device can be fixed using the tinker/engineer Repair Magical Item rules.

13 Olfactory: If the device was designed to change the state of surrounding atmotsphere, it will hav eht ereverse effect (machines to clean the air will pollute it, machines to obscure air will cleanse it.) If not so designed, it will create a gaseous cloud as the gaseous cloud spell, using the machine's size category as the caster level. The device can be fixed using the tinker/engineer Repair Magical Item rules.

14 Unbearable Temperature Change: If designed to create a cetain temperature the machine whill have the opposite effect (ovens will refrigerate, for example.) If not, roll 1d20, 1-10 the device will get hot, on 11-20 it will get cold, to a degree equall to its complexity. This may result in the destruction of the machine should the temperature reach the point to which it will burn or even change the state of its components (solids to liquids for instance). If the machine is not destroyed then the device can be fixed using the tinker/engineer Repair Magical Item rules.

15 Horrendous Sound: The machine suddenly begins scream so loudly that anyone within a radius equal to 5 feet times its complexity rating, is deafened as the spell Blindness/Deafness as long as they stay within the device's radius and the device has power. The device can be fixed using the tinker/engineer Repair Magical Item rules.

16-17 Moves Uncontrollably Upward: The device suddenly takes flight, straight up. The device moves a number of feet per round consistent with its complexity rating (rating 5 moves 20 feet in a round, rating 10 moves 200 feet in a round, etc..). Should the device somehow be knocked out of the sky, it can be fixed using the tinker/engineer Repair Magical Item rules.

18 Reverse Damage: If the device was designed to inflict damage then it inflicts damage equal to its complexity rating upon the user and then shuts down. It cannot be used again until it is fixed using the tinker/engineer Repair Magical Item rules.

19 Machine Pursuit: The device attacks it's operator and chases him for a number of rounds equal to it's complexity and then shuts down. The device has a movement rate based on the following chart. The item does damage as shown on the gnome invention table determined by its size. For example a device that is medium size with a complexity rating of 13, will chase its user for 13 rounds has a movement of and causes 2d10 points of damage. It cannot be used again until it is fixed using the tinker/engineer Repair Magical Item rules.

20 Explosion: The machine explodes dealing damage equal to its complexity rating multiplied by its size rating, to all within 5' x its size rating. All targets are entitled to a reflex save, DC is 10 + device complexity rating, for half damage. For example; a device that has a complexity rating of 8 with a size rating of 5 that explodes would deal 40 points of damage to all within 25 feet, half damage would be taken with a reflex save DC 18. The device cannot be repaired.

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