Soul Smith

There are people that capture souls and lock them into their creations to serve them, there are artisans that suffuse their crafts with the power of souls - destroying them in the process, and then there are the craftsmen, that build the lost souls that can't find their way to the beyond a new home to give them the chance at a second life until they are ready to depart. Those are the Soul Smiths. Some discover their calling by accident, when their creations suddenly get a life of their own, others set out on this path on purpose, following the Teachings of Moradin, but in the end each of them finds that machine and life, conciousness, souls are not as much a contradiction as many might believe.

Level 3: Tool Proficiency

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, 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.

Level 3: Soul Smith Spells

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

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Artificer Level                                                                        Soul Smith Spell

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3rd                                                                                 Heroism, Shield of Faith

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5th                                                                                 Warding Bond, Borrowed Knowledge

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9th                                                                                 Spirit Guardians, Speak with Dead

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13th                                                                               Summon Construct, Aura of Purity

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 17th                                                                              Animate Object, Dispel Evil And Good

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Level 3: Tool Fighter

When you reach 3rd level, you use your years of artisan experience to add your knowledge to your fighting style in two ways.

• You gain proficiency with martial weapons.
• When you attack with a magic weapon, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity modifier, for the attack and damage rolls.

Level 3: Soul Shelter

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to protect the soul of a fallen humanoid that doesn't want to move on to the afterlife in a Soul Shelter. As an action, when a humanoid you can see is dead, or has died within the past 5 minutes, and is within 90 feet from you, you can guide their soul into a crystal Shelter. The soul must be willing, it can't be forced into the Shelter. The Soul will stay in that Shelter indefinitely unless the Crytal is shattered, the soul decides to pass on, or is banished.

You can create a number of Soul Shelters equal to 1 + your intelligence modifier. A Soul Shelter is a gem worth at least 100gp primed by an artificer to hold life essence. Best conduits are amethysts but other gems of similar value can be used as well if proficiently prepared. To prime a gem the Artificer must spend a total of 5 spellslot levels over the course of 3 days maximum to reach the necessary concentration of energy and intent.

*Note: It is important that you track what kind of Souls you captured, if they belong into the Brawler, Caster, or Hunter category

You can cast Gentle Repose at will using one of your souls you have  in a Soul Shelter. After you use a Soul Shelter this way the Soul has to recharge and can't be used until the next dawn.
Additionally, the souls can protect you from the influence of the undead. The undead have difficulty harming you. As long as you have a filled Soul Shelter or Soul Walker with you, if an undead targets you directly with an attack or a harmful spell, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or forfeit targeting someone instead of you, potentially wasting the attack or spell. An undead needn't make the save when it includes you in an area effect, such as the explosion of Fireball, unless you use your reaction to  have one of your souls protect you. It adds half your INT mod. to the DC. If the undead then fails the save it has to move the area of effect in a way that it doesn't  include you. A soul used this way needs a number of days to recover equal to the spell's level it  tried to redirect.

Level 3: Soul Walker

By 3rd level you can use your Tinkering to create a Soul Walker in which you can install an Advanced Soul Shalter that can be charged with a soul from your Soul Shelters. It doesn't count against the maximum number of Soul Shelters you can prepare.
It's not a resurrection. They may have similar characteristics and habits but speech is limited and the soul seems somewhat distant, as if behind thick glass.
See its game statistics in the Soul Walker stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. You determine the construct's appearance but it has to be of a humanoid composition.

A Soul gives your Walker extra Features depending on its previous skillset. It manifest in one of three ways turning the Walker into a:
- Brawler [up to 1 ft. taller, natural defenses i.e. spikes, thicker plating]
- Caster [up to 1 ft. smaller, slight build, glowing channels of magic]
- Hunter [standard build, darker colour, no facial features]

In combat, the Soul Walker shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the Soul Construct can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

If the Mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d6 hit points. If it has died within the last hour, you can use your smith's tools as an action to revive it, provided you are within 5 feet of it and you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The Soul Walker returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored. There is a  50% Chance the Soul Shelter is destroyed. In case of a destruction you can recapture the soul, if you have an empty Soul Shelter with you.

At the end of a long rest, you can create a new Soul Walker with an Advanced Soul Shelter if you have smith's tools with you. If you already have a Soul Walker from this feature, the first one immediately perishes and the soul is lost if you haven't transferred it to an empty Soul Shelter first.

You can also choose to exchange the soul used to power the Walker once per short rest.

 

Level 5: Soul Stones

At 5th Level, you add more Crystals to your Soul Walker and enhance the channeling capacity of the Soul's power. Choose two Soul Stones. You can choose an additional two Soul Stones at lvl. 9 and  lvl. 15. Whenever you gain a level in this class you may exchange one of your previously chosen Soul Stones for a different one.

Lvl. 15 Green Aventurine

What a lucky soul, this Stone supports that trait and grants the Soul Walker a number of lucky coincidences equal to your half your INT mod. +1 per long rest. When the Soul Walker rolls a d20 and it is below 10 the Soul Walker can choose a lucky coincidence and treat that roll as a ten either way.

Lvl. 15 Hematite

The reflective properties of the Hematite allow the Soul to reflect effects both harmful and healing partially to a different target. Once per short rest, when the Soul Walker or a creature it can see within 30 feet of it is hit by an attack roll or healing effect, the Soul Walker can use its reaction to invoke those reflective properties and choose a different target within 30 feet of it, other than the source, using the same attack or healing roll. This magic can transfer the effects regardless of their range.

Lvl. 15 Moonstone

As sign of Rebirth once per long rest when a Walker with a moonstone drops to 0 HP, fails its CON save, and would be destroyed, the life energy stored in the Moonstone replenishes the Soulwalker to a state as if it has just finished a long rest.
Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The target takes a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Every time the target finishes a long rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it disappears.  As long as the construct has this penalty, the Moonstone can't be activated again.

Lvl. 5 Diamond

A diamond imbues the Soul with extra defensive power. +1 bonus to AC, increases to +2 at lvl 9, +3 at lvl 15.

Lvl. 5 Fluorite

Through the Fluorite, the senses of the Soul Walker are sharpened. It gains Blind Sight of 10ft. Within that range, it can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if it's blinded or in darkness. Moreover, it can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from it.

Lvl. 5 Obsidian

A Shard of Obsidian holds cleansing and restorative power. When the Constructs takes damage it can use its reaction to roll a d6 + CON and reduce the damage by that total. It can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and it regains all expended uses when it finishes a long rest. At lvl. 9 the dice increases to a 1d8 and at lvl. 15 to 1d10.

Lvl. 5 Red Jasper

The vitality enhancing properties of the Red Jasper improves the soul Walker's Repair feature.

The dice for the brawler increase to d12
The dice for the Hunter increase to d10
The dice for the Mage remain at d8

At Lvl. 9 the number of dice rolled double -> 4, and again at Lvl. 15 -> 8.

Lvl. 5 Ruby

A Ruby channels the aggressive force of the Soul. +1 to Attack und Damage, increases to +2 at lvl 9, +3 at lvl 15

Lvl. 5 Tiger's Eye

The Tiger's Eye emboldens the Soul and allows it to make another Attack when it takes the Attack action.

Lvl. 9 Emerald

Through the Emerald the Constructs Attacks grow in force. Upon a hit, the Construct deals another 1d6 force damage, the damage increases to 2d6 at lvl 13.

Lvl. 9 Lapis Lazuli

The foresight enhanced through the Lapis Lazuli allows the Soul Walker to add its DEX bonus to its creator's roll.

Lvl. 9 Onyx

The onyx helps build natural resiliance and endurance. The Soul Walker gains resistance against non-magical weapon damage. It's CON increases by 4 while its DEX is reduced by 2.

Lvl. 9 Pyrite

The Pyrite amplifies the Soul's confidence and assertiveness and will. The Soul Walker gains a climbing and swimming speed equal to its walking speed. Its STR increases by 4, while its INT is reduced by 2.

Lvl. 9 Quartz

A Quartz crystal enhances the conductivity and gives the Construct Advantage on Saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Lvl. 9 Saphire

The Saphire magnifies the Soul's swiftness. The Constructs movementspeed increases by 15ft., its DEX score increases by 4 while its CON Score decreases by 2.

Lvl. 9 Selenite

The cleansing properties of the Selenite enhance the resilient forces of the Soul. The Soul Walker gains resistance to one damage type from  acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder, psychic. This resistance can be changed over a long rest. At lvl. 15 it can also choose from necrotic, radiant, force resistance.

Lvl. 9 Sodalite

The Sodalite stimulates the Soul's mind and consciousness to enhance its powers of analysis and observation. The Soul Walker is able to simultaneously see onto the etherial plane. It's INT increases by 4 while its STR decreases by 2.

Level 9: Soul Connection

At Lvl 9 you have established a tight bond to your sheltered souls. Whenever you cast an Artificer spell on your turn, you can cast it as if you were in the Soul Walkers space, instead of your own as long as it is within 60 ft. of you. It can hold the concentration on a spell of lvl. 2 or lower for you. You can make use of this feature a number of times per day equal to your INT mod., and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Your strong connection extends over magic energy to life force. When one of you takes damage you can decide how to divide the damage between you and the Walker as long as both of you still have HP.

Level 15: Benevolent Smithing

At lvl. 15 the Soulwalker can concentrate on spells of 3rd lvl. and below. Its attunement slot contingent expends to 5.
The soul gains a higher level of autonomy, it can verbally communicate and act on its own - no BA required to control it.