The Virtuoso

A History of Artistry

Long ago there was a renowned artificer known as The Maker, a skilled craftsperson who created machines as beautiful as they were efficient. Her passing was mourned across the lands, for it was believed there would never be an artificer as great as she. In secret however, The Maker still lived, retreating into isolation to teach those she deemed worthy of her craft. For there was much more to her work than simple form and function. There was art there, art she believed that could only be uncovered through using such beautiful tools for violent purposes. Her lifespan unnaturally lengthened by her mechanisms, she has taught generation after generation of deadly students to follow in her path, producing such infamous killers as Khada Jhin.

Beauty Through Destruction

Students of The Maker, known as Virtuosos, Virtuosas, or Virtuos; appear to most as simple artillerists or perhaps a bard with their dramatic flair, but to the trained eye they are so much more. Virtuosos train rigorously in the Maker's secluded workshop for years, endlessly perfecting their tools and following her tenants for both creation, performance, and destruction. There are 4 tenants of The Maker, just as there are 4 tools she teaches them to use.

1. Appearance is everything. The show is only as memorable as it's leading actor. Make them remember your name.
2. Life is a performance. Those who do not give their all are doomed to obscurity, the most terrible form of death.
3. Killing blooms into artwork. When you take a life, do not let it be in vain. Their death must be an opera, lengthy and artistic.
4. Finish with style. There is no drama in a peaceful death, only a disappointing finale. Let no character suffer this fate, not even yourself.

Tool Proficency

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with metalworker's tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan's tools of your choice.

Virtuoso Spells

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

Virtuoso Spells
Artificer Level	Artillerist Spells
3rd	Command, Silvery Barbs
5th	Enthrall, Wristpocket
9th	Fireball, Slow
13th	Gravity Sinkhole, Compulsion
17th	Destructive Wave, Telekinesis

Tools of the Trade

The Introduction, where our protagonist is introduced, as well as their foil...

At 3rd level, you have mastered The Maker's 4 tools of the Virtuoso. Your 4 artificer infusions gained at level 2 are replaced with the following 4 artificer infusions that cannot be replaced. You may create one of these 4 items for free when you unlock this feature, but the rest you must create yourself.

• Replicate Magic Item, Dancing Grenade: A one-time use magical item that allows you to confuse and befuddle your enemies. As a bonus action you can throw a Dancing Grenade at a creature within 30ft of you. The creature must make a DEX saving throw against your Spell DC or become blinded as the grenade explodes in their face with a flash of light. It costs roughly 25 gold worth of crafting materials and 1 day's worth of crafting sessions to make 4 dancing grenades. These grenades count as 1 infused item. You can infuse this item multiple times in order to create additional copies. This is the power behind your toolkit, their exciting pyrotechnics masking their deadly potential.
• Replicate Magic Item, Lotus Trap: An expertly crafted magical trap in the shape of a lotus blossom. As a bonus action you may place or throw or throw this trap to an empty space within 15ft. At the end of your turn, the trap will become active. When a creature enters the same space as the trap it will detonate, dealing 2d8 + half your artificer level (rounded down) force damage and granting the target a Mark of the Lotus. This trap costs 50 gold worth of materials to create and requires roughly 2 days of crafting sessions to create 4 Lotus Traps. These traps count as 1 infused item. You can infuse this item multiple times in order to create additional copies. You can disarm any Lotus Trap you placed within 5ft as a bonus action, allowing you to reuse them. This is the payoff for your toolkit, the item that allows you to control your audience as you please.
• Replicate Magic Item, Steel Cane: A steel staff used for performance and to amplify your other equipment. This item can be used as your Arcane Focus for your artificer spells. It can also be used as a melee weapon, using the statistics of a quarterstaff. It costs 100 gold worth of materials and 3 days worth of crafting sessions to create this item. This is the focus of your toolkit, the item that brings all the others together.
• Replicate Magic Item, Artist's Brush: An expertly crafted magical firearm. An Artist's Brush uses the following statistics of a firearm as detailed in the dungeon master's guide (1d10 piercing, 5 lb., Ammunition, (range 30/90), reload (4)). You are proficient with this weapon and it uses your INT modifier instead of your DEX modifier for making attacks. You can modify a pistol to become this weapon or spend 200 gold's worth of raw materials, either takes roughly 4 days of crafting sessions to complete. It is the base of your toolkit, a precise and deadly tool begging for improvements.

Eager Performer: When you gain artificer infusions at levels 6, 10, 14, and 18; you gain 3 artificer infusions instead of 2. However, you can only take Artificer Infusions presented in this subclass. Your number of Infused Items is always considered to be 1 higher than your Artificer Class Level specifies.

Sublime Modifications

The Rising Action, where stakes are set and the drama reaches it's boiling point...

At 5th level, you gain the ability to improve your Tools of the Trade with various deadly upgrades. You gain access to the following Artificer Infusions. Each infusion is combined with the Tool of the Trade they specify, improving their abilities. Once you know one of these Artificer Infusions, all instances of the specified Tool of the Trade gain these abilities. You may only take 3 infusions for each Tool of the Trade.

Dancing Grenade

1. Graceful Dance: When you through your Dancing Grenade at a target, it bounces to another target you choose within 10ft. This then repeats a maximum of 3 times total.
2. Lotus Dance: When a creature fails the DEX saving throw for your dancing grenade, it takes 1d8 psychic damage and receives a Mark of the Lotus.
3. Brilliant Dance: The Spell DC for your Dancing Grenade increases by 4. The DC increases by 6 for any creature that has a Mark of the Lotus. This consumes the Mark of the Lotus.
4. Echoing Dance: When a creature fails the DEX saving throw for your Dancing Grenade, they become deafened as well as blinded.

Lotus Trap

1. Enthralling Flower: When a Lotus Trap Activates, all enemy creatures that can see your Lotus Trap must make a CHA saving throw against your Spell DC. On a failed save, they become charmed by the trap and will use their full movement on their turn to move towards it.
2. Dramatic Flower: When one of your Lotus Traps that you can see is activated, you may declare that it will take a Dramatic Pause. A Lotus Trap that takes a dramatic pause only applies a Mark of the Lotus when it is activated. At the end of the turn after it was activated, the Lotus that took a Dramatic Pause trap deals 4d8 force damage.
3. Deadly Flower: Your Lotus Traps deal an extra 1d8 + half your artificer level rounded down damage.
4. Bountiful Flower: Your Lotus Traps now activate when a creature enters their space, or when a creature enters a space adjacent to the trap. They also deal damage to all creatures within 10ft of them instead of 5ft.

Steel Cane

1.  Contrary Flourish: When a creature attempts to hit you with a melee attack. You may use your reaction to attempt to deflect the attack with your Steel Cane. Make an attack roll with your Steel Cane (which uses the statistics of a Quarterstaff) using your INT score instead of STR or DEX. If the number you rolled is higher than the number your attacker rolled, you successfully deflect the attack and take no damage. If you failed, the damage is halved as you deflect the attack away from vital parts of your body. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
2. Performer's Flourish: You use a flourish of your Steel Cane to attempt to undermine a creature's resolve. When a creature attempts to make a Saving Throw, Attack Role, or Ability Check; you can use a reaction to subtract 4 from their roll. A creature with a Mark of the Lotus is instead forced to make the roll with disadvantage. This consumes the Mark of the Lotus. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
3. Elegant Flourish: Your Steel Cane gains the benefits of the Enhanced Arcane Focus artificer infusion.
4. Rejuvenative Flourish: You can use a reaction to pose dramatically for your audience, which refills 1d4 used spell slots and grants you the benefits of the Fighter's Second Wind Feature (using your Artificer level in place of your Fighter level). The spell slots you regain must be of level 3 or lower. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Artist's Brush

 

1. Flowing Brush: You may reload your Artist's Brush as a free action once per turn.
2. Beauty in Death: When you kill a creature with an attack from your Artist's Brush, a Lotus Trap appears on the nearest empty space to that creature. This Lotus Trap disappears after 4 hours.
3. Sharp-bristled Brush: Your Artist's Brush deals an extra 1d4 + half your artificer level rounded down force damage.
4. Zealous Brush: When you take the Attack action on your turn to attack with your Artist's Brush, you can attack twice as part of that action.

Perfect 4th

The Climax, where lives hang in the balance and the audience waits with baited breath for the story's resolution...

At 9th level you have developed the perfect capstone for each of your Tools of the Trade. If you have taken 3 Artificer Infusions from the Sublime Improvements feature in a single Tool of the Trade, the following Artificer Infusion is applied to the relevant Tool.

Dancing Grenade

• Final Dance: When a creature fails the DEX saving throw for your Dancing Grenade, a seed of magic is placed within it. You can use a reaction to detonate these seeds of magic, causing every creature within 120ft of you that has failed the DEX saving throw for your Dancing Grenade within the last day takes 4d10 psychic damage.

Lotus Trap

• Generous Flower: When you deal damage to a creature with a ranged attack or spell, a Lotus Trap appears on the nearest empty space to that creature.

Steel Cane

• Deadly Flourish: You can use a reaction to fire a bolt of magic at a creature from your Steel Cane. Make a ranged spell attack with advantage against a creature within 60ft, which deals 1d4 psychic damage. If the creature you hit had a Mark of the Lotus, the mark is consumed and the creature is stunned.

Artist's Brush

•  Death in 4 Acts: Every 4th time you attack without reloading your Artist's brush, the attack is always a critical hit. If the target has a Mark of the Lotus, you make the attack with advantage. This consumes the Mark of the Lotus.

Curtain Call

The grand finale, for some it is the peaceful ending, for others the last chance to impress...

At 15th level, you have perfected your Tools of the Trade. You have learned to combine these weapons into the ultimate tool of art and death, The Curtain Call.

• As an action you may combine 4 Dancing Grenades, 4 Lotus Traps, 1 Steel Cane, and an Artist's Brush. The Dancing Grenades fuel it's power, the Lotus Traps are it's ammunition, the Steel Cane forms it's barrel, and at the center of it all lies your faithful Artist's Brush. The Curtain Call is considered to be all 4 of your Tools of the Trade at once, sharing all of their properties. After you use this action, you must spend the rest of your turn charging the weapon, and you cannot take any actions, reactions, or bonus actions until the start of your next turn. On your next turn, you may attack 4 times in one attack action.

After your 4 attacks are complete, The Curtain Call falls apart. The Lotus Traps and Dancing Grenades are consumed. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again for 4 days,