Vehicle Savant

The Nautical Weapons Engineer specializes in manning the advanced weapons system of a vehicle. At lower levels, they can manage a limited number of cannons and shields. At higher levels, they can operate the entire ship, which they've customized, with a thought. 

Tool Proficiency

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with carpenter’s tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.

Battle Station

At 3rd level, you learn how to create a magical cannon to install in your vehicle. Using carpenter’s tools or smith’s tools, you can take eight hours to magically create and permanently install medium eldritch cannons in a vehicle. You also install a battle station anywhere on or in the vehicle. From this battle station, you may install and control a number of these cannons equal to your half of your artificer level (round down). You may not install more cannons than the vehicle could reasonably hold, at DM's discretion. As a bonus action while in the battle station, you may see anything from any point on the ship as if you had cast clairvoyance. You must specify the vantage point of your clairvoyance each turn.

The cannon is a magical object. Regardless of size, the cannon has an AC of 18 and a number of hit points equal to five times your artificer level. It is immune to poison damage, psychic damage, and all conditions. If it is forced to make an ability check or a saving throw, treat all its ability scores as 10 (+0). If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d6 hit points. It is destroyed at 0 hit points. The cannon fires any spell that requires a ranged attack roll which you can cast as if you had cast it. This spell uses a spell slot if not a cantrip. You can not operate the cannons outside of the battle station, however. 

Strapping yourself into and out of the battle station takes a move action, and while there you fail all DEX saves and can do nothing else but control the eldritch cannons. However, while in the battle station, your turn and the vehicle's turn are considered the same. In sacrificing your movement, you control the vehicle's movement. You may fire all of the ship's canons on your action by casting the required spell. Casting the spell on the battle station allows all canons to fire that spell on your turn. Any Infusions applied to the Battle Station apply to all cannons. You may choose separate targets per cannon. In addition, you may choose a 1st level Ranger Spell and add it to your spell list. You may change this spell whenever you would be able to change your artificer spells. 

 

 

Journeyman and Armorer

At 5th level, you gain insight to the mechanics required to operate a vehicle. The vehicle gets a speed bonus of 10ft per 5 levels of artificer you have. This bonus applies only when you are driving the vehicle from the Battle Station. In addition, you make the Dash and Dodge actions with your vehicle. 

In addition, the vehicle gains a shield generator while you are in the battle station. This shield works by giving temporary hit points equal to your artificer level times ten to the vehicle. If these hit points run out, the shield is down and can not be brought up again without a long rest. In addition, the shield generator can now be used to cast beneficial spells with the vehicle as the target, at DM's discretion. Any spell that adds temporary hit points increases the shield's durability. mending, if cast this way, restores 1d8 temporary hit points per artificer level.  

The shield may carry an infusion if you choose. 

You may also choose one Ranger Spell to add to your spell list. 

Wondrous Vehicle

Starting at 9th level, you may upgrade your enhancements to your vehicle. Each upgrade takes the same amount of time as re-creating the item. Once upgraded, you can use the item's magical ability to affect its function. The enhancements made to the cannons, engines, or shields must be permanent enchantments, not charge-based. Use the rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide to create them as wondrous items. 

In addition, you choose a 3rd level Ranger Spell to add to your list. 

My vehicle knows my voice

Your connection with your vehicle is mystical. You may operate the battle station from anywhere in or on the vehicle, thus allowing you to take your own move action in addition to the vehicle's. Furthermore, as long as you are within 10 miles per artificer level, the vehicle will respond to a distress call you make. Making the distress call takes one hour, after which the vehicle will come to in the most direct way possible without doing damage to itself. It will not fire its cannons without you, unless doing so is the only path to you. Total destruction, or your dismissal is the only way to stop the vehicle from finding you. In addition, you always know which direction your vehicle is relative to you so long as it is on the same plane as you, though you do not know the distance; and your clairvoyance spell is still usable from any distance. 

These abilities only work so long as your battle station is still intact on the vehicle. 

Lastly, you gain a 4th level Ranger Spell to add your spell list.