I have an artificer battle smith character with a custom background as an Arcane Technologist espionage agent with a focus on investigation and stealth. I'm curious about thoughts on a feature I'm considering taking to my DM, but am unsure if it would be a class feature (reached at a certain level), a custom spell or magic item, infusion, or feat. This is what I have so far and honestly, I don't find it unbalanced as it really just adds a little more utility, creative RP, and fits with character concept.
As a Class Feature Concept: Improved Tinkering (Third level Class Feature)
Using your tinkered objects as prototypes, you have expanded your knowledge on how to imbue mundane objects with a more organized and focused spark of magic. These objects can now bear any 2 properties simultaneously from your magical tinkering feature. In addition, you have the option to modify the following features:
Recorded audio messages increase duration to 30 seconds or less and can be from a source other than yourself.
Visual effects can become recorded moving effects with a duration of 30 seconds or less. As an action, you can record an event occurring (within a 10x10 foot cube at a distance up to 15ft) into a small illusory image with a duration of 30 seconds. If the item is held, you can make a dexterity saving throw (DC10) and track along the event, but can only do so within the confines of the distance, space, and duration restrictions described above. On a failed save, the recording ends early and the item no longer functions.
As a bonus action, you can playback the contained recording and illusory images. It is obvious the image is illusory in nature due to its size and solid items can pass through it.
The number of these improved objects you can produce is equal to half your intelligence modifier (rounded down) and counts against your total objects produced from your magical tinkering feature. These properties last indefinitely. As an action, you can touch the object and end the properties early. If you try to exceed your maximum, the oldest object created in this manner ceases to function, and the new object takes its place.
As a class feature:
does this make sense in general?
should this be just for the battle smith?
is 3rd level too early for such feature?
As a Magic Item: Springer's Arcane Witness (uncommon?, requires attunement by an artificer or character with a journalist/reporter or investigator background)
This tinkered mechanical bauble is based on a prototype from a covert espionage group focused on the R&D and acquisition of arcane military technology for the kingdom of Cyre during the last war. Combining properties and components from sending stones and scrying crystals, it produces a small illusory recorded image/message with a duration of 30 seconds or less. If an artificer, you can modify its appearance or housing, but the object is Tiny and able to fit in one's hand.
As an action you can speak this item's command word and record an event occurring (within a 10x10 foot cube at a distance up to 15ft) into a small illusory image with a duration of 30 seconds into the item's arcane memory. If the item is held, you can make a dexterity saving throw (DC10) and track along the event, but can only do so within the confines of the distance, space, and duration restrictions described above. On a failed save, the recording ends early and a charge is consumed. The item can save up to 3 of these recordings. Alternatively, as a bonus action you can speak the item's command word and playback a saved image of your choice. It is obvious the image is illusory in nature due to its size and that solid items can pass through it. The item cannot exceed 3 illusory images and doesn't gain additional images until one is deleted as a bonus action.
As a magic item,
is this too OP? Should duration and number of recordings reduce?
should it be restricted to just artificer characters?
does it seem balanced or game breaking?
I don't think this works as a feat and would suck if it consumed an infusion slot tbh. Happy for feedback or thoughts. Thanks y'all!
Hi there,
I have an artificer battle smith character with a custom background as an Arcane Technologist espionage agent with a focus on investigation and stealth. I'm curious about thoughts on a feature I'm considering taking to my DM, but am unsure if it would be a class feature (reached at a certain level), a custom spell or magic item, infusion, or feat. This is what I have so far and honestly, I don't find it unbalanced as it really just adds a little more utility, creative RP, and fits with character concept.
As a Class Feature Concept: Improved Tinkering (Third level Class Feature)
Using your tinkered objects as prototypes, you have expanded your knowledge on how to imbue mundane objects with a more organized and focused spark of magic. These objects can now bear any 2 properties simultaneously from your magical tinkering feature. In addition, you have the option to modify the following features:
The number of these improved objects you can produce is equal to half your intelligence modifier (rounded down) and counts against your total objects produced from your magical tinkering feature. These properties last indefinitely. As an action, you can touch the object and end the properties early. If you try to exceed your maximum, the oldest object created in this manner ceases to function, and the new object takes its place.
As a class feature:
As a Magic Item: Springer's Arcane Witness (uncommon?, requires attunement by an artificer or character with a journalist/reporter or investigator background)
This tinkered mechanical bauble is based on a prototype from a covert espionage group focused on the R&D and acquisition of arcane military technology for the kingdom of Cyre during the last war. Combining properties and components from sending stones and scrying crystals, it produces a small illusory recorded image/message with a duration of 30 seconds or less. If an artificer, you can modify its appearance or housing, but the object is Tiny and able to fit in one's hand.
As an action you can speak this item's command word and record an event occurring (within a 10x10 foot cube at a distance up to 15ft) into a small illusory image with a duration of 30 seconds into the item's arcane memory. If the item is held, you can make a dexterity saving throw (DC10) and track along the event, but can only do so within the confines of the distance, space, and duration restrictions described above. On a failed save, the recording ends early and a charge is consumed. The item can save up to 3 of these recordings. Alternatively, as a bonus action you can speak the item's command word and playback a saved image of your choice. It is obvious the image is illusory in nature due to its size and that solid items can pass through it. The item cannot exceed 3 illusory images and doesn't gain additional images until one is deleted as a bonus action.
As a magic item,
I don't think this works as a feat and would suck if it consumed an infusion slot tbh. Happy for feedback or thoughts. Thanks y'all!