You spend your life searching for things that are lost or forgotten. When not in the field, you pour over books and clues, with hope they’ll provide information that leads to your next discovery. Others may have see your obsession as a waste of time, but you believe that the past holds the key to the future.

Work with your DM to select lore that you would know about, then think about what kind of archaeologist you might be. Are you an adventurer obsessed with relics that might provide wealth, power, or both? Or do you seek lost treasures so that they may be preserved in museums?

Tool Proficiency

3rd-level Archaeologist feature

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd Level, you gain proficiency with cartographers’s tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice. Furthermore, you gain advantage on all history related skill checks and you gain proficiency in that skill if you don't already have it.

Additionally, any time you are able to use an object as an improvised weapon, tool, or other useful item, you may add your proficiency bonus to any attack, damage, or skill checks with that object.

Archaeologist Spells

3rd-level Archaeologist feature

Your training in historical artifacts, as well as your experience raiding ancient tombs, has provided you with the ability to deal with challenging situations in a variety of ways. 

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Archaeologist Spells Table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare. Additionally, you may cast the spells on this table at will once per short rest without expending a spell slot or consuming any material components.

Archaeologist Spells Table

Artificer Level	Spell
3rd	jump, identify
5th	locate object, find traps
9th	sending, tongues
13th	fabricate, freedom of movement
17th	legend lore, hallow

Master of the Whip

3rd-level Archaeologist feature

By 3rd level, you gain proficiency with whips if you don't already have it. When rolling damage for an attack with a whip, you may add an additional number of d4s equal to 1/3 your level in this class rounded down. Your attack and damage rolls with a whip can be made using your intelligence modifier.

Additionally, three times per short rest you may cast the zephyr strike spell at will, but you may only attack with a whip while using this spell.

Finally, you may use your whip to scale vertical or horizontal spaces up to 15 feet without making an ability check so long as there is some viable surface to latch on to. This action still counts as part of your regular movement.

Trusty Repeater

3rd-level Archaeologist feature

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms and crossbows if you don't already have it. You know how to turn a crossbow into your Trusty Repeater, which can be used to make devastating ranged attacks. When you finish a Long Rest, you can use the Repeating Shot Infusion on a heavy crossbow or hand crossbow and thereby turn it into your firearm, the Trusty Repeater. The infusion disappears from the object if you later use it on another item but otherwise lasts indefinitely. This infusion does not count against your infusions known or  your number of infused items, but your Trusty Repeater does require attunement. You may use your intelligence modifier when making attack and damage rolls with your Trusty Repeater.

The Trusty Repeater uses the same stats as a heavy crossbow, except you may ignore the two-handed and heavy properties for it. However, the Trusty Repeater must be manually reloaded after six shots, spending an action to do so. 

Special Notes: The Trusty Repeater can take on any shape, style, or sound that fits thematically into your current campaign. If using the optional firearm rules, the trusty Repeater can ignore any misfires or other complications.

Extra Intelligence

5th-level Archaeologist feature

Starting at 5th Level, you have two options and you can take either but not both on your turn.

Extra Attack. You can Attack twice, rather than once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Extra Skill Check. You can make two skill checks, rather than one, whenever you make a skill check action on your turn. Alternatively, you may make a skill check as a bonus action on your turn if you take the Attack action but only attack once.

Quick Reflexes

9th-level Archaeologist feature

Starting at 9th level you can use your lighting fast reflexes to further assist you and your allies, gaining the following two Quick Reflexes:

• If a spell targets you or any friendly creature within 100 feet, you can use your reaction to attack with your Trusty Repeater, doing so casts counterspell at will. If the single attack lands, the spell is countered so long as it is a level that is equal to or less than your proficiency bonus. If you miss with your Trusty Repeater the spell is not countered.
• If an enemy creature enters the reach you have with your whip, you may use your reaction to make a single melee attack with the whip. If the attack hits you may then cast healing word at first level and at will on any creature within range of the spell.

You can use your Quick Reflexes a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once), but you can do so no more than once per round. You regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Relic Hunter

15th-level Archaeologist Feature

At 15th level, you become even better at hunting down ancient relics and discovering hidden information:

• Once every 30 days you may barter for a magical item and have its selling price reduced by 75 percent. 
• You gain advantage on all persuasion checks related to bartering for a magical item.
• When using locate object, its range is extended to 100 miles.
• Identifying an object grants you, and up to five friendly creatures, inspiration.