While other artificers aim to overcome their obstacles with creations composed of material and magical might, the ingenuity of an Alternator steers them to achieve equally effective solutions through theoretically less practical means. By mastering the system of entropy, and the many forms of energy within, they harness true optimal efficiency: using their own energy waste as resource fuel. Manipulating the mechanisms of conservation and change for both magical and mechanical energies, the Alternator converts combative blows into a ferocious chain of attacks. Each oscillating strike builds into the next. Then, when the time is right and potential has reached its momentous peak, they unleash their stored creation upon unwitting foes.

Tool Proficiency

3rd-level Alternator feature

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

Alternator Spells

3rd-level Alternator feature

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

If using the appropriate books, you may make the following substitutions for your list:

Zephyr Strike for Heroism
Lightning Arrow for Protection from Energy
Staggering Smite for Resilient Sphere
Teleportation Circle for Circle of Power

Alternator Spells

Artificer Level	Spell
3rd	heroism, shield
5th	shatter, mirror image
9th	protection from energy, slow
13th	resilient sphere, fire shield
17th	wall of force, animate objects

Dynamic Weapon

3rd-level Alternator feature

Your ingenious tinkering and experience with weaponry has led you to brainstorm blueprints for a new concept the Dynamic Weapon. You may create one Dynamic Weapon by completing a 4 hour ritual uninterrupted while holding tinkers or smithing tools. This ritual requires 50 GP worth of dismantled weapon parts, and 1 ounce of your blood, sweat, and tears, which are consumed, and may be completed during a short or long rest. The Dynamic Weapon is magically tuned with your essence, allowing you to become proficient with it, and will cease to function when not wielded by you. If you create a new Dynamic Weapon, the magical bonding of your previous creation will decay, causing it to fall apart into 50 GP worth of parts. 

You may use one Magic Weapon in addition to the weapon part components in attempt to transfer any of it's magical properties, such as damage types, abilities, remaining charges, and any modifiers, to your Dynamic Weapon. To do so, make a Tinkering skill check with a DC equal to 10 for common rarity +2 for each item rarity upshift, adding both your Intelligence and Dexterity modifiers to the role. On a pass, the Dynamic Weapon's damage types become magical, and gains the desired magical properties. On a fail, a wild surge of magic is unleashed in your grasp. One of the Magic Weapon's charges is consumed, and its corresponding ability targets you. You take damage equal to the Magic Weapons damage die, and any remaining charges are consumed.

Your new Dynamic Weapon may be creatively flavored at you and your DM's discretion to represent any combination of ranged and melee weaponry. It could be an axegun, gunblade, warchain, or even a fishing pole. Use the template provided below, or any other systems if preferred, to further facilitate customization possibilities.

Creative Approach

3rd-level Alternator feature

Your experiments with weaponry and dynamics have paid off:

• When you attack with your Dynamic Weapon, or a magic weapon, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier, for the attack and damage rolls.

Kinetic Potential

3rd-level Alternator feature

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to generate, store, and unleash special dice called Kinetic Potential dice, charging your energy conversions.

Kinetic Potential Dice. Each time you alternate between ranged weapon attacks and melee weapon attacks, you generate and store one kinetic potential dice, up to a maximum equal to your proficiency modifier. A kinetic potential die is expended when you use it.  You lose all of your kinetic potential dice when you are incapacitated, disarmed, or when outside of combat for more than 1 minute.

Kinetic Potential dice start at a d6. When you reach certain levels in this class, the size of your Kinetic Potential dice increases: at 5th level (d8), 9th level (d10), and 15th level (d12).

Energy Conversions. You learn two energy conversions of your choice, which are detailed under “Energy Conversions” below. Many energy conversions enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one per attack. Some energy conversions allow you to use more than one kinetic potential dice at a time to increase their effectiveness. Some require you to use more than one kinetic potential dice to activate their effect.

You learn one additional energy conversion of your choice at 5th, 9th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new energy conversions, you can also replace one you know with a different one.

Saving Throws. Some of your energy conversions require your target to make a saving throw to resist the conversion's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Weapon Charge save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Extra Attack

5th-level Alternator feature

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

Momentum Mori

9th-level Alternator feature

You've begun to master the dynamics of entropy, allowing you to manipulate the trajectory and velocity of your attacks to seemingly magical effect.

• When you make a ranged weapon attack, your next melee weapon attack gains an additional weapon damage die.
• When you make a melee weapon attack, your next ranged weapon attack ignores up to 3/4 cover.
• When you expend one or more Kinetic Potential dice, your next weapon attack gains advantage.

Kinethematic Mastery

15th-level Alternator feature

Your combat performance defies the boundaries of physics itself, captivating your audience. Your strikes seem to preemptively designed to parry blows that have yet to be made.

• When you make a melee weapon attack and ranged weapon attack on the same turn, you may use your reaction to choose any amount of creatures within a range of 60 feet of you that you can see. Weapon attacks by the chosen creatures are made with disadvantage until the beginning of your next turn. This effect ends if you become incapacitated.

Energy Conversions

The energy conversions are presented below.

Big Bang

You may use your bonus action to expend four or more Kinetic Potential die to charge your next ranged weapon attack with dark energy. You add the spent Kinetic Potential dice to the total damage roll, dealing bonus force damage. The rapid expansion of energy released from the collision creates a micro singularity, spawning a spherical vector field for one minute. The vector field originates on the target, has a radius of 30 feet, and is considered difficult terrain. Any creature who starts it's turn in the sphere must make a Strength check or be restrained. A creature who ends it's turn inside the sphere is pulled 5 feet toward the center.

Big Rip

Centrifugal Force

 

Collision

When another creature damages you with a weapon attack, you may use your reaction to expend one or more Kinetic Potential dice, in an attempt to decelerate the attack. Reduce the damage taken from the attack by the amount rolled. If the amount rolled is higher than the original damage of the attack, the attack is reflected back at the attacker, dealing damage equal to the difference.

Concussive Overload

 You may use your bonus action to expend three or more Kinetic Potential die to charge your next melee weapon attack with potential energy. You add the spent Kinetic Potential dice to the total damage roll, dealing bonus thunder damage. The target creature must make a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. If more than three Kinetic Potential dice were spent, increase the saving throw DC by one for each additional dice.

Conservation

When you take fire, lightning, thunder, force, or radiant damage, you may use your reaction and expend 3 or more Kinetic Potential dice to capture some of the incoming energy, lessening its effect on you and storing it for your own weapon attacks. Until the end of your next turn, you are resistant to the damage of the triggering type, and your weapon attacks add the expended Kinetic Potential dice to the damage rolls, dealing damage of the triggering type.

Diffusion

Fission Chain

You may use your bonus action to expend four or more Kinetic Potential die to charge your next weapon attack. You add the spent Kinetic Potential dice to the total damage roll, dealing bonus radiant damage. You may select additional creatures up to the number of spent Kinetic Potential dice within 30 feet of the first target. The additional targets must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking radiant damage equal to the amount rolled on the Kinetic Potential die on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. 

Friction Ignition

 You may use your bonus action to expend two or more Kinetic Potential die to charge your next weapon attack with stored friction energy. The weapon crackles and glows, projecting a dim magical light in a 10 foot radius. After making your next weapon attack, superheated air or molten shrapnel disperses away from you in a 15 foot cone, originating on the attack's target. The weapon ceases to glow, and each creature caught in the cone must make a Dexterity (DC {{savedc:int}}) saving throw, taking fire damage on a failed save equal to the amount rolled on each Kinetic Potential die used to charge the attack, or half as much on a success.

Hooke Drag

Before you make a ranged weapon attack, you can use your bonus action to expend one or more Kinetic Potential die of piercing damage to the total damage roll. If the target is Large or smaller, it must make a STR saving throw (DC {{savedc:int}}). On a failed save, it is pulled up to 10 feet, plus an additional 5 feet for each Kinetic Potential die used, closer to you.

Radioactive Decay

You may use your bonus action to expend three or more Kinetic Potential dice to charge your next ranged weapon attack with stored electromagnetic energy. The attack is unleashed with such devastating radioactive power it ionizes some of the target's own atomic structures. On a hit, add the spent Kinetic Potential dice to the total damage roll, dealing bonus radiant damage. In addition, at the end of each of the target's turns, reroll the spent Kinetic Potential dice. The target takes additional necrotic damage equal to roll. At the beginning of each of it's turns, the affected target may make a Constitution save to reduce the number of Kinetic Potential dice rolled by one. The affect ends after the damage roll if only one Kinetic Potential dice remains.

Sonic Boom

You may use your bonus action to expend three or more Kinetic Potential die to charge your next ranged weapon attack. You add the spent Kinetic Potential dice to the total damage roll, dealing bonus force damage. In addition, a supersonic wake booms between you and your target in a 10 foot wide line. Any creature caught in the line between you and the target must make a Constitution saving throw or take thunder damage equal to a roll of the spent Kinetic Potential dice and is deafened until your next turn. A creature takes half damage on a successful save, and is not deafened.

Static Shock

You may use your bonus action to expend one or more Kinetic Potential die to charge your next melee weapon attack with stored electrical energy. On your next melee weapon attack hit, you discharge static energy on your foe. You add the spent Kinetic Potential die to the total damage roll, dealing bonus lightning damage. A creature hit with this attack loses it's reaction until your next turn.

Torque Moment

You may use your bonus action to expend two or more Kinetic Potential die to charge your next melee weapon attack with stored potential energy. The next time you make a weapon attack, you do so with momentous force and mechanical leverage. On a hit, add the spent Kinetic Potential dice to the total damage roll, dealing bonus force damage. Additionally, the target must make a Strength saving throw, or be knocked prone.