In short, the Contractor subclass doubles down on the idea of an artificer who builds things and for this subclass, that thing is buildings. It focuses on using blocks made from building materials that they can use to manipulate the battlefield. Ranging from different kinds of uses such as moving enemies/allies, creating cover, being hurled into targets for damage, and even to protect others at a higher level. Currently I've been focusing on the clarity of each feature. Especially since most of the strength of this subclass will boil down to how the player/dm interpret the "Arcanum Blocks" feature. Let me know what you guys think of what I have so far and what you think could be done to help this subclass. I hope you enjoy what you see.
A Contractor is an artificer who specializes in the creation and destruction of structures. While most artificers focus on crazy inventions and magical contraptions, a Contractor can manipulate their surroundings aided by their Arcanum Blocks. With these blocks, a Contractor can create temporary structures, move various objects and even use them as a weapon. The amount of versatility that a contractor brings to any group makes them a vital asset anywhere they choose to put their efforts.
Tools of the Trade
3rd-level Contractor feature
You gain proficiency with Battleaxes, Greataxes, Mauls, and Warhammers. You also gain proficiency with Carpenter's Tools or Mason's Tools. If you already have proficiency in both tools, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.
Contractor Spells
3rd-level Contractor feature
You learn the Mold Earth cantrip, it counts as artificer cantrip for you and doesn’t count against the number of artificer cantrips you know.
You also always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Contractor Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
You can create magical blocks that you can manipulate. Using your carpenter's tools or mason's tools, as an action you create three Arcanum Blocks that are no larger than 1 foot on each side. Each block counts as a tiny object that floats around you for the duration. When you create the blocks, you determine what material that they are made of, such as stone, wood or another building material; your choice has no effect on its game statistics. When you reach higher levels in this class you can create an additional Arcanum Block, increasing to 4 blocks at 5th level, 5 blocks at 9th level, and 6 blocks at 15th level.
Once you create the blocks, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest or until you expend a spell slot to create more. If you create additional Arcanum Blocks while blocks are still present, the previously created Arcanum Blocks are destroyed.
The Arcanum Blocks are magical objects. Regardless of size, the each block has an AC equal to 10 + your proficiency bonus and have a number of hit points equal to three times your artificer level. The blocks have resistance against Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Adamantine. The blocks are also are immune to poison damage, psychic damage, and all conditions. If the mending spell is cast on a block, it regains 2d6 hit points. Each block disappears after 1 hour or if its hit points are reduced to 0. You can dismiss the blocks early as an action.
As a bonus action, choose one block within 60 feet of you up to move up to 30 feet and you can issue one command (see below). You can also use your action to choose up to three blocks within 60 feet of you and have each chosen block move up to 30 feet.
Slam. The block is hurled into a creature or object within 5 feet of it. Make a melee spell attack against the target using your spell attack modifier. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 + your proficiency bonus bludgeoning damage.
Push. The block tries to push a creature within 5 feet of it. The chosen creature must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be pushed up to 10 feet horizontally in a direction of your choice, which it can choose to fail. A Large or larger creature has advantage on this saving throw. The block moves with the target to remain within 5 feet of it.
Carry. The block picks up and carries an object within 5 feet of it. This object cannot be worn or carried by another creature, and must weigh less than 15 times your artificer level. After which, the block can use any remaining movement as part of this command. On subsequent turns, the block can move but cannot perform another command until the blocks drops the object, which can be done as a free action.
Build. If the block is in an unoccupied space, the block changes its shape and size to form a simple shape or structure. Such as a box, wall or pillar, as long as it is no larger than 5-feet on each side. Depending on the block's new form, it might provide cover to creatures next to it. Once a blocks changes its form, it cannot take another command until you issue an additional Build command to return to its normal form, or its duration ends. If a creature other than you tries to move the block, it must use its action to make a Strength check against your Spellcasting DC to move the block up to 10 feet on a success.
When an Arcanum Block is commanded to do an action, it can change its shape and size to accommodate the action. Such as taking the form of a maul following the Smash command or into a disk when following the Carry command. Changes in this manner have no effect on how the Arcanum Blocks function.
Wrecker's Impact
5th-level Contractor feature
You now wield your weapons with destructive force. Once on each of your turns, when you hit a target with a weapon that deals bludgeoning or slashing damage, you can deal additional force damage equal to 1d6 + half your artificer level.
In addition, the Arcanum Blocks and weapons that deal bludgeoning or slashing damage gain the Siege property (deals double damage to objects and structures). The Arcanum Block's attacks also count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Precautionary Measures
9th-level Contractor feature
Taking it upon yourself to protect those imminent danger, you can use your Arcanum Blocks to protect those in need. When a creature that you can see (including yourself) is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to have a block within 30 feet of the creature to move to their space and take the resulting damage instead. If the block is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed and creature takes any remaining points of damage.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once) and you regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest.
Master Builder
15th-level Contractor feature
Through hands-on experience and rigorous training, your control over the Arcanum Blocks has improved. You gain the following benefits;
When you use your action to move up to three Arcanum Blocks, you can now issue one command to each of the chosen blocks. Each command may be different, but you cannot issue a command to Arcanum Block more than once per turn.
You have the Arcane Hand spell always prepared. It counts as an artificer spell for you, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can have prepared. When you cast it, the hand is made of the same or similar building materials as your Arcanum Blocks. You can also cast it once without a spell slot, provided you use either carpenter's tools, or mason's tools as the spellcasting focus, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.
This is really good! Love the concept, and you clearly put alot of time and thinking into this. In addition, the abilities are pretty balanced.
Thanks, and yeah... this homebrew has taken me a lot longer to make than what I usually put into my homebrews and it shows. Does the use the of blocks, both the bonus action use and action use make sense to you? That's probably what I'm most worried about at the moment, especially with the buff to the action use at 15th level.
This is really good! Love the concept, and you clearly put alot of time and thinking into this. In addition, the abilities are pretty balanced.
Thanks, and yeah... this homebrew has taken me a lot longer to make than what I usually put into my homebrews and it shows. Does the use the of blocks, both the bonus action use and action use make sense to you? That's probably what I'm most worried about at the moment, especially with the buff to the action use at 15th level.
For the blocks in general, I feel like the best thing about the subclass is how the flavor can be changed. A bunch of tiny robots that do what you tell them? Or just bricks with arms and legs? There is no limit for the creativity.
The uses make sense to me. A use for every block can get messy. Instead, maybe you can get an additional bonus action to use for blocks only? High levels is where it gets the most messy power wise, and I think you shouldn't worry about it too much.
For the flavor, I do plan on doing another sweep. I do want to keep the general idea of the arcanum blocks to be the "building blocks" kind of trope. So one can argue that these are just magic legos, but I still want to keep it broad enough that people have to more or less image what their's would look like rather than I just spell it out for them.
And yeah, I did think about removing the action buff at 15 so thinks wouldn't get too complicated and in it's place add a second option for a spell at that tier. Which I would put either wall of force or bones of the earth as the other option.
In short, the Contractor subclass doubles down on the idea of an artificer who builds things and for this subclass, that thing is buildings. It focuses on using blocks made from building materials that they can use to manipulate the battlefield. Ranging from different kinds of uses such as moving enemies/allies, creating cover, being hurled into targets for damage, and even to protect others at a higher level. Currently I've been focusing on the clarity of each feature. Especially since most of the strength of this subclass will boil down to how the player/dm interpret the "Arcanum Blocks" feature. Let me know what you guys think of what I have so far and what you think could be done to help this subclass. I hope you enjoy what you see.
A Contractor is an artificer who specializes in the creation and destruction of structures. While most artificers focus on crazy inventions and magical contraptions, a Contractor can manipulate their surroundings aided by their Arcanum Blocks. With these blocks, a Contractor can create temporary structures, move various objects and even use them as a weapon. The amount of versatility that a contractor brings to any group makes them a vital asset anywhere they choose to put their efforts.
Tools of the Trade
3rd-level Contractor feature
You gain proficiency with Battleaxes, Greataxes, Mauls, and Warhammers. You also gain proficiency with Carpenter's Tools or Mason's Tools. If you already have proficiency in both tools, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.
Contractor Spells
3rd-level Contractor feature
You learn the Mold Earth cantrip, it counts as artificer cantrip for you and doesn’t count against the number of artificer cantrips you know.
You also always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Contractor Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
Contactor Spells
3rd
Catapult, Floating Disk, Mold Earth
5th
Enlarge/Reduce, Shatter
9th
Tiny Hut, Erupting Earth
13th
Fabricate, Resilient Sphere
17th
Passwall, Wall of Stone
Arcanum Blocks
3rd-level Contractor feature
You can create magical blocks that you can manipulate. Using your carpenter's tools or mason's tools, as an action you create three Arcanum Blocks that are no larger than 1 foot on each side. Each block counts as a tiny object that floats around you for the duration. When you create the blocks, you determine what material that they are made of, such as stone, wood or another building material; your choice has no effect on its game statistics. When you reach higher levels in this class you can create an additional Arcanum Block, increasing to 4 blocks at 5th level, 5 blocks at 9th level, and 6 blocks at 15th level.
Once you create the blocks, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest or until you expend a spell slot to create more. If you create additional Arcanum Blocks while blocks are still present, the previously created Arcanum Blocks are destroyed.
The Arcanum Blocks are magical objects. Regardless of size, the each block has an AC equal to 10 + your proficiency bonus and have a number of hit points equal to three times your artificer level. The blocks have resistance against Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Adamantine. The blocks are also are immune to poison damage, psychic damage, and all conditions. If the mending spell is cast on a block, it regains 2d6 hit points. Each block disappears after 1 hour or if its hit points are reduced to 0. You can dismiss the blocks early as an action.
As a bonus action, choose one block within 60 feet of you up to move up to 30 feet and you can issue one command (see below). You can also use your action to choose up to three blocks within 60 feet of you and have each chosen block move up to 30 feet.
When an Arcanum Block is commanded to do an action, it can change its shape and size to accommodate the action. Such as taking the form of a maul following the Smash command or into a disk when following the Carry command. Changes in this manner have no effect on how the Arcanum Blocks function.
Wrecker's Impact
5th-level Contractor feature
You now wield your weapons with destructive force. Once on each of your turns, when you hit a target with a weapon that deals bludgeoning or slashing damage, you can deal additional force damage equal to 1d6 + half your artificer level.
In addition, the Arcanum Blocks and weapons that deal bludgeoning or slashing damage gain the Siege property (deals double damage to objects and structures). The Arcanum Block's attacks also count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Precautionary Measures
9th-level Contractor feature
Taking it upon yourself to protect those imminent danger, you can use your Arcanum Blocks to protect those in need. When a creature that you can see (including yourself) is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to have a block within 30 feet of the creature to move to their space and take the resulting damage instead. If the block is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed and creature takes any remaining points of damage.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once) and you regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest.
Master Builder
15th-level Contractor feature
Through hands-on experience and rigorous training, your control over the Arcanum Blocks has improved. You gain the following benefits;
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To see my more recent homebrew creations, please check out my content on Hombrewery.
This is really good! Love the concept, and you clearly put alot of time and thinking into this. In addition, the abilities are pretty balanced.
My only good homebrews: Races, Subclasses.
An aspiring DM and Homebrewer. Ask me if you need anything.
Thanks, and yeah... this homebrew has taken me a lot longer to make than what I usually put into my homebrews and it shows. Does the use the of blocks, both the bonus action use and action use make sense to you? That's probably what I'm most worried about at the moment, especially with the buff to the action use at 15th level.
My Homebrew | Background | Feats | Magic Items | Races | Spells | Subclass | Homebrewery
To see my more recent homebrew creations, please check out my content on Hombrewery.
For the blocks in general, I feel like the best thing about the subclass is how the flavor can be changed. A bunch of tiny robots that do what you tell them? Or just bricks with arms and legs? There is no limit for the creativity.
The uses make sense to me. A use for every block can get messy. Instead, maybe you can get an additional bonus action to use for blocks only? High levels is where it gets the most messy power wise, and I think you shouldn't worry about it too much.
My only good homebrews: Races, Subclasses.
An aspiring DM and Homebrewer. Ask me if you need anything.
For the flavor, I do plan on doing another sweep. I do want to keep the general idea of the arcanum blocks to be the "building blocks" kind of trope. So one can argue that these are just magic legos, but I still want to keep it broad enough that people have to more or less image what their's would look like rather than I just spell it out for them.
And yeah, I did think about removing the action buff at 15 so thinks wouldn't get too complicated and in it's place add a second option for a spell at that tier. Which I would put either wall of force or bones of the earth as the other option.
My Homebrew | Background | Feats | Magic Items | Races | Spells | Subclass | Homebrewery
To see my more recent homebrew creations, please check out my content on Hombrewery.