Base Class: Artificer
While other Artificers dabble with magic items, you have started down the path to master them and have unlocked the secrets of turning items you create into conduits of power. These items become part of a special network that collects ambient energy from the weave of magic and is used to bolster allies in their time of need.
Tool Proficiency
3rd-level Magic Network Engineer feature
You gain proficiency with Jeweler's Tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.
In addition, when you craft nonmagical or magic jewelry, the amount of time required to craft it is halved.
Magic Network Engineer Spells
3rd-level Magic Network Engineer feature
You always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Magic Network Engineer Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
Magic Network Engineer Spells
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5th |
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9th |
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17th |
Magic Network
3rd-level Magic Network Engineer feature
Network Nodes. Through your research, you have learned how to install special circuits into items so that they collect and store ambient magical energy (called "nodes" elsewhere in the subclass). Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a number of objects equal to your proficiency bonus + your intelligence modifier and install your circuits onto each of the objects. To be eligible, an object must be an amulet, bangle, brooch, circlet, or other similarly sized piece of jewelry.
Your circuits remain in an item indefinitely, but when you die, the magic dissipates after a number of days have passed equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1 day). If you try to exceed your maximum number of nodes, the oldest circuit immediately ceases to function, and the new circuit is installed.
Energy Points. The energy accumulated by the network is represented as Energy Points, which allow you to enable certain actions. You have a number of Energy Points equal to your Artificer level and you regain all expended Energy Points when you finish a Long Rest.
Energy Convergence
3rd-level Magic Network Engineer feature
As a bonus action while you have a node equipped, you can direct collected energy to your node or a different node that is within one mile of you to convey one of the effects listed below. Each effect lasts for one minute unless otherwise stated. Additionally, you can choose to expend one Energy Point to gain the empowered effect instead of the normal effect.
Amp. The holder receives a bonus equal to 1d6 to the next damage roll they make as the result of a weapon attack or spell. The damage's type is the same as the originating damage.
Empowered Effect: The holder's next d20 test has advantage and the damage bonus becomes 2d6.
Ward. The holder receives a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d6.
Empowered Effect: The next attack roll against the holder has disadvantage and temporary hit points received becomes 2d6.
Locate. You sense the direction of and distance to the node.
Empowered Effect: The node broadcasts the direction and distance to anyone else that holds one of your nodes every 6 seconds for 1d6 hours. The broadcast can no longer be perceived by a holder if their node moves more than one mile apart from the broadcasting node. You can also choose to cancel the broadcast at any time (no action required).
Communicate. You send a brief, telepathic message to the holder. The message can be no longer than 6 seconds and the recipient must share a language with you in order to understand the message. The recipient can respond in a like manner immediately.
Empowered Effect: You create a telepathic link to the recipient for 1d6 hours. Your telepathic link is broken if you and the creature move more than one mile apart, either of you move more than 5 feet from the nodes, if either of you is incapacitated, or if either of you mentally breaks the contact (no action required).
Network Adept
5th-level Magic Network Engineer feature
When you target yourself with the Energy Convergence feature, your walking speed is increased by 10ft until the start of your next turn. Additionally, whenever you use the Amp or Ward options on a target other than yourself, you also gain the effects.
Refined Energy
9th-level Magic Network Engineer feature
The control and processing of the energy by the nodes becomes more refined. The number of dice used throughout the Energy Convergence feature is increased by one.
Network Master
15th-level Magic Network Engineer feature
When you use the Energy Convergence feature, you can expend five Energy Points to effect all holders within range instead of just one.
Additionally, if one of your nodes is also your Spell-Storing Item, then anyone holding one of your nodes can produce the spell without needing to hold the Spell-Storing Item.
Previous Versions
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Posted May 17, 2025Change Log:
13 - I have made large revisions for 5.2
Tool Proficiency: added “expertise”
Spells: finally got rid of my token spells changed out a few others for stuff I thought may be more thematic.
Magic Network (previously Network Infrastructure): removed dependence on infusions to accommodate the proposed changes from UA. Added A new resource like Focus and Sorcery points to fuel abilities.
Energy Convergence (formally Network Ping): Reverted damage option to buff damage. Buffed damage / THP by one die size. Added effects that consume new resource for more powerful effects that include the advantage/disadvantage stuff of the 5 level feature.
Network Adept: new feature since the old feature got rolled into the level 3 feature, gives you buffs
Refined Energy: old feature (teleport thing) removed and made into a spell, in its place is am upgrade to Energy Convergence.
Network Master (formally Infusion Resonance): Turned into full AOE instead of single extra target that mostly got rolled into the level 5 feature, consumes new resource.
Previous Updates:
12 - Changed the 5th level spells learned because I am still indecisive. Renamed Energy Surge to Quick Upload, changed from action + reaction to reaction only (the action part rarely got used in combat, so I figured just tie it all to the reaction and make it more simple to use). Renamed Energetic Translocation to Dynamic Transfer.
11 – Another arbitrary balance pass. Network Infrastructure: Changed wording, reduced the amount of infusions that can be learned after resting (half / all to 1 / 2). Network Ping: Replaced the Sending and Locate Object spells of the feature with generic, non-spell versions and standardized the range of the different pings (overall range increase, pretty huge nerf to the communication aspect, but large buffs to the other aspects), changed damage/scaling of Sword/Shield Ping to match cantrips (amounts to smaller numbers than version 10, but still slightly bigger than version 9). Energy Surge: reduced the range (sight to 30ft) and finally decided to add a usage limit (I was against a limit for a long time with the reasoning that a ranged “help” and “Protection (fighting style)” was not that strong for a core feature, but infinite usage outside of combat turned out to be pretty busted). Energetic Translocation: updated wording. Fractal Energy: renamed to Infusion Resonance, reduced number of additional targets (all to 1), updated wording.
10 - Never ended up 100% satisfied with the wording and function of the 15th level feature, so I ended up changing it to a modified form of what was previously called "Overload". Still strong and easier to manage, I think. Continued my effort to clean up text and ended up changing the name of the Network Ping and Energy Surge sub-features to have a more cohesive scheme. Reduced the range but increased the damage (and THP) of the Pings to correlate with the new 15th level feature.
9 - I have worked on a bunch of homebrew stuff since the last update and decided to do another pass on this one to do another round of changes (and changed the numbering scheme. No decimals moving forward.). It has always been pretty bloated, so one of the main goals this time was to address that while maintaining my original core concepts. It also helped adjust the overall power level down a bit more. Reverted/changed some spells again because why not. Removed damage components from all but Network Ping, but reverted a previous range nerf and removed the duration of the THP to compensate. Consolidated Energy Surge and Reactive Energy into one feature. Moved Infusion Adept into Network Infrastructure. Removed Overload altogether. Added some other little tidbits. I think it reads better overall and certainly less complicated.
Noticed after updating my playtest character that I messed with one of the actions at some point. Fixed that to display properly.
Forgot to update the snippet of Energy Surge because I still suck at proofreading.
Updated some formatting and wording.
Updated some snippets, mainly to address text that I forgot to change from a previous edit.
.82 - Changed up the spell list again to further support a little more variance. There is now one damage option and one non-damage option per tier. Moved Energy Surge to 5th level to make room for separating the special attack into it's own feature. The Network Ping is no longer is just an attack, but also a buff option to return some versatility for other builds that had been lost along the way. It also helped in adjusting the 3rd-5th level power level (maybe. it was rather strong on the damage side and this sorta lowers the potential overall output of the party with a VERY small personal damage increase by freeing up the 'action' slot).
.8 - Another large balance pass. Playtesting revealed that it was still too strong, so I decided to see how strong by collecting some empirical data. Using that data, I adjusted the various abilities damage output, action economy, and range in some cases to better match data from a non-dps oriented subclass. I also still couldn't decided on a damage type that I thought would be universally appropriate and came up with a better solution: I make YOU (the player) choose what type it is and make it swappable. This opens the door to more versatility and personalization and I am very happy with this change.
.7 - I was introduced to the concept of bounded accuracy and had it pointed out to me that my subclass would break that at higher levels. I decided that another rework was needed. It should amount to an overall buff, but we will see how long this one lasts. Changed spells on the spell list. Replaced numerical values of bonuses from Energy Surge to advantage, combined the bonus with the damage component and added a bit of scaling. Removed Energy Spike and dropped Reactive Energy in it's place, replaced the numerical values with disadvantage/advantage. Added Energetic Translocation to replace the 9th level active feature and grants a teleport type action. Capped Infusion Expert to not allow more than +3 to bonuses. Changed Overload to match new design.
.6 - I was not happy with the last iteration, so did another nearly complete rework. I was too focused on early game and the scaling made it too powerful late game (+10 to attack rolls or AC with massive AoE potential was not my goal). As a result, I removed most instances of scaling (including the janky "options" thing I did), preferring to have weaker but more frequent usage of abilities, mainly affecting Energy Spike. Changed Maximum Output to Reactive Energy, giving another avenue to use abilities by allowing them to be used as reactions. Buffed Overload a bit to compensate late game.
.52 - Fixed some formatting I missed. Made an effort to reduce clutter on the main page, builder, and character sheet by removing redundant text.
.51 - I broke the snippet for Energy Surge at some point. I swear it was fine before publishing. Should be fixed.
.5 - added "options" for the different level of abilities of various features (adds clutter to the main page here, but it works better in the sheet). Updated Network Infrastructure special attack. Updated Energy Surge text and custom action. Renamed Overload to Energy Spike and updated text and custom action. Updated Infusion Adept to fill the gap made by a change in a previous version that I did not notice right away. Updated Maximum Output text. Renamed Infusion Master to Infusion Expert and limited the infusions to ones I know can be easily worked into other items or on the sheet. Created a 2nd, more active capstone feature (new Overload).
.46.1 - Fixed syntax error of snippet code made after updating tooltips of Energy Surge.
.46 - Nerfed bonus of Energy Surge (thinking of it as an unlimited use Shield spell put how powerful it could be into perspective), clarified who chooses what the bonus gets applied to. Forgot version number again.
.45 - Tweaked custom actions granted by features, fixed errors that I found after essentially rewriting everything, made Energy Surge to choose one of the functions instead of having both activate at the same time (both a buff and damage from an unlimited use bonus action was too powerful, I came to realize), re-coupled the functions of Overload to be the same target again (thematically made more sense to me after thinking about it more).
.4 - Pretty big changes this time around. Changed Bane to Bless in spell list. Added pseudo-cantrip to emphasize caster archetype and free up a already limited cantrip slot for other choices. Buffed number of infused items. Energy Surge and Overload are now single target only (technically a nerf, but in playtesting the points only went to one person anyway), buffed ranges, changed damage type to psychic (lightning made less sense as I thought about it and took the cue from Gem Dragonborn and their more psionic abilities to match the jewelcrafting proficiency).
.32 - Updated wording to hopefully be less cumbersome.
.31 - (hopefully) fixed the custom actions granted by the Energy Surge and Overload features.
.3 - Refocused the Overload and Maximum Output features, added more flavor text, added some (probably) clarifying text. Forgot to add the version the first time.
.2 - Split the features of Energy Surge into two features and adding another step in progression, added method of "removing" Overload once Maximum Output is granted to reduce clutter in the character sheet (using the optional class features tab in character creation), updated some more text.
.15 - Corrected a silly spelling error that I finally noticed that REALLY bothered me.
.14 - Changed tool proficiency (again) to something that I figured was more fitting after thinking about it some more with the updated theme in mind, updated the other instances of the subclass name that I forgot to do before.
.13 - Renamed subclass to differentiate from other engineer types as the theme solidifies as well as started adding flavor text, updated some formatting and wording.
.12 - Capped range of Energy Surge, update some text.