The Automaton

Some artificers felt that infusing items was just not enough. That the true experimentation was to elevate oneself.

The true artificers, as they call themselves, decided that they would need to intertwine themselves with machinery to reach a full ascension in power. This small group of artificers were named the automatons. Through advanced robotics and gizmos, they pushed the boundaries on their own view of evolution. These inventors may not be well known, but the few that wander the lands are sure to draw attention.

Arcane Frontline

3rd-level Automoton feature

You gain proficiency with heavy armor. You also gain proficiency with smith’s tools. If you already have this tool proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.

Automoton Spells

3rd-level Automaton feature

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

You also are required to choose fire bolt and shocking grasp as two of your cantrips.

Automaton Spells

Artificer Level	Spell
3rd	burning hands, shield
5th	aganazzar's scorcher, pass without trace
9th	fireball, counterspell
13th	wall of fire, greater invisibility
17th	flame strike, telekinesis

Upgraded Form

3rd-level Automaton feature

You begin the process of becoming more machine than man. As an action, you can alter one part of your body permanently by replacing it with an automaton part, provided you have smith’s tools in hand and 8 hours to complete the process. You may replace two parts at one time. You gain the ability to replace additional parts at levels 5 & 9.

You gain the following benefits based on which part you have installed.

You may never equip more than one item per slot regardless of integration. Arm modifications require at least artificer level 5 and do not benefit from the fighter class extra attack.

Upgrade Head

You implement new modifications to your face and head granting you additional abilities. You now have the following features:

• Plated Skull: You may integrate any helmet onto your head. Your helmet may no longer be removed against your will.
• Enhanced Darkvision: You gain darkvision up to 120 feet and can see in dim light up to 240 feet.
• Elevated Senses: Your passive Perception (Wisdom) and Investigation (Intelligence) checks receive a +5 bonus.
• Oxygen Recycling: You gain a protective mask that recycles oxygen, allowing you to breathe normally for 1 hour in water or in hazardous areas. You may use this feature twice, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Upgrade Left Arm

You implement new modifications to your left arm, granting you additional abilities. You gain the following features:

• Braced for Impact: You may integrate any bracers onto your arms. This requires you to have both arms modified. The bracers may no longer be removed against your will.
• Enhanced Servos: You may attack once with each arm whenever you take the attack action on your turn. This requires you to have both arms modified.
• Infused Knuckles: You are proficient in unarmed strikes with this arm and it is permanently infused with the cantrip shocking grasp. You may no longer cast this spell normally. Its infusion into your arm now causes it to trigger on unarmed melee attacks.
• Powered Strikes: When you make an unarmed or weapon attack, you deal 1d4 + Constitution modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, to the attack and damage rolls.

Upgrade Right Arm

You implement new modifications to your right arm, granting you additional abilities. You gain the following features:

• Braced for Impact: You may integrate any bracers onto your arms. This requires you to have both arms modified. The bracers may no longer be removed against your will.
• Enhanced Servos: You may attack once with each arm whenever you take the attack action on your turn. This requires you to have both arms modified.
• Infused Knuckles: You are proficient in unarmed strikes with this arm and it is permanently infused with the cantrip fire bolt. You may no longer cast this spell normally. Its infusion into your arm now causes it to trigger on unarmed melee attacks.
• Powered Strikes: When you make an unarmed or weapon attack, you deal 1d4 + Constitution modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, to the attack and damage rolls.

Upgraded Chest

You implement new modifications to your chest and torso, granting you additional abilities. You gain the following features:

• Plated Skin: You integrate a piece of heavy armor into your chest. If the armor normally has a Strength requirement, it now lacks this requirement for you.
• Enchanted Heart: You may use the integrated armor as a spellcasting focus for your artificer spells.
• Seamless Integration: The armor may no longer be removed against you will. If you wish you integrate a new armor, it will take 1 hour to remove the previous one and 1 hour to integrate the new one.
• Cutaneous Shielding: You gain temporary hit points equal to your level in this class + your Constitution modifier. These temporary hit points slowly regenerate 1 hit point per minute. You gain all temporary hit points back on a short or long rest.

Upgraded Feet

You implement new modifications to your feet granting you additional abilities. You have the following features:

• Infused Boots: You may integrate any footwear onto your feet and gain their bonuses.
• Muffled Steps: You have a dampening field that gives you advantage on stealth checks.
• Propulsion Rockets: You gain an increased standing jump distance in feet, equal to three times your Constitution modifier through the use of short range rockets in your heels. You may use this feature twice, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
• Underwater Thrusters: You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed for 1 hour by using your thrusters in your feet. You may use this feature twice, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
  
  

Upgraded Legs

You implement new modifications to your waist and legs, granting you additional abilities. You now have the following features:

• Utility Belt: You may integrate any belt onto your waist.
• Powered Steps: Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
• Energized Rush: You may use the dash action as a bonus action during your turn. You may use this feature twice, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
• Reinforced Frame: Your carrying capacity is also treated as if you were one size larger.

First Upgrade

3rd-level Automaton feature

You may choose two parts of your body to upgrade, provided you have smith’s tools in hand. You may do so again at levels 5 & 9.

Second Upgrade

5th-level Automaton feature

You may choose two parts of your body to upgrade, provided you have smith’s tools in hand. You may do so again at level 9.

Third Upgrade

9th-level Automaton feature

You may choose two parts of your body to upgrade, provided you have smith’s tools in hand.

Final Form

15th-level Automaton feature

Your parts all gain additional benefits.

• Head: You can now see in magical darkness up to 120 feet. You are also immune to diseases and being poisoned.
• Chest: You gain a +1 bonus to AC. You no longer need to sleep, eat, or drink and cannot be aged normally or magically.
• Arms: Your unarmed attacks deal 1d10 + your Constitution modifier in addition to being considered magical to overcome resistances. You may also use your Constitution modifier when making ability checks for the purposes of pushing, pulling, or lifting.
• Legs: Your walking speed increases by another 10 feet.
• Feet: You gain advantage on both your Athletics (Strength) and Acrobatics (Dexterity) checks.

Overcharge

You have built in an "in case of emergency" option into your final upgrade. You gain increased front line capabilities at a random cost.

Initiate Overcharge Project Gamma: You gain a temporary health shield equal to three times your cutaneous shielding upgrade until the end of your next turn, where you will also lose all temporary shielding. You may also make 2 attacks with each arm whenever you take the attack action on your turn.

You may use this ability twice per day, but the effects are more impactful.

Unstable Reaction: When your shielding reaches zero, you must roll a d10 and suffer the after effects of your overcharge. The possible effects are as follows:

d10	Effect
1	You suffer a critical malfunction and are reduced to 1hp. If this is your second use of the day, you drop to 0hp and suffer an immediate death saving throw loss.
2	You deal 4d8 thunder damage to all units, including yourself, in a 10ft sphere around you. If this is your second use of the day, the damage increases to 8d8 thunder damage.
3	You immediately gain 1 level of exhaustion. If this is your second use of the day, you gain 2 levels of exhaustion.
4	You are paralyzed until the start of your next turn. If this is your second use of the day, you are paralyzed until the start of your next turn and take 2d8 lightning damage.
5	You emit grease in a pool under you which ignites dealing 2d6 fire damage in a 5ft cube and you take 5 fire damage for 2 turns. If this is your second use of the day, the damage increases to 4d6 and you take 5 fire damage for 4 turns.
6	You are stunned until the start of your next turn. If this is your second use of the day, you are stunned and the next attack against you scores a critical hit at 19 or 20
7	You are frightened until the start of your next turn If this is your second use of the day, You are frightened until the start of your next turn and take 2d6 psychic damage.
8	You take 1d8 force damage and are pushed backwards 10ft. If this is your second use of the day, you take 2d8 force damage and are pushed backwards 20ft.
9	You are knocked prone. If this is your second use of the day, in addition to being knocked prone, you are blinded and deafened until the start of your next turn.
10	You suffer no ill effects. You may perform a tinkering check. On a 25 or higher you regain all of your base temporary hit points. If this is your second use of the day, You suffer no ill effects.