Magitech Engineer

MAGITECH ENGINEER

Concept

Magitech Engineers are mana‑technologists: inventors who fuse arcane theory with ancient devices. They:

• Understand mana lattices, levitation crystals, gravity anchors, portal rings
• Repair, upgrade, and build magitech gear: powered armor, arcane weapons, drones, skyship components
• Serve as the party’s tech specialist, item crafter, and flexible half‑caster

They draw on Ambient Mana (Arcane/Primal), channeled through devices.

Chassis

• Hit Die: d8
• Primary Ability: Intelligence
• Secondary: Constitution or Dexterity
• Saves: Intelligence, Constitution
• Armor: Light and medium armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons, plus 1–2 “tech” weapons (e.g. arcane pistols, shock batons) as they’re introduced in your world
• Tools: Thieves’ tools, magitech tools (tinker’s kit, artificer’s tools, etc.), plus one artisan’s tools

Skills: Choose 3 from Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Religion, Survival, Insight.

Spellcasting (Summary)

• Half‑caster progression (like paladin/ranger):
• 1st level at 2nd
• 2nd at 5th
• 3rd at 9th
• 4th at 13th
• 5th at 17th
• Spellcasting Ability: Intelligence
• Prepared or known? I’ll make them prepared casters (like Cleric/Wizard hybrid) but from a fixed engineer list.

Spells Prepared: Int mod + half your Magitech Engineer level (rounded up).

Spell Themes:

• Buffs to weapons/armor, shields, mobility
• Utility: detect/identify magic, repair, enhance ability, knock, feather fall, fly, levitate, jump, locate object
• Defensive tech: absorb elements, shield, protection from energy, counterspell‑adjacent
• Battlefield control flavored as devices (turrets, mines, barrier generators)
• Later: teleportation circles (portals), gravity manipulation, skyship support

Full lists can come later; for now we just reference “your magitech spell list.”

Core Class Features by Level

Level 1 – Magitech Savant & Engineering Specialty

1. Magitech Savant

• You gain proficiency in Arcana and one additional Intelligence‑based skill (History, Investigation, or Nature).
• You add double your proficiency bonus to checks made to:
• Identify magical or technological devices
• Assess old portals, gravity anomalies, levitation crystals
• Repair or jury‑rig magitech items

2. Engineering Specialty (Subclass Seed)

Choose a Specialty at level 1. This is your subclass:

• Armorer – powered armor, personal shields, close‑range combat
• Artillerist – mana cannons, turrets, explosives
• Machinist – drones/constructs, familiars, utility bots
• (We can add Skyship Engineer, Portal Architect later.)

You gain your Specialty’s 1st‑level feature(s) now; more at 3, 6, 10, 14.

3. Prototype Gadgetry

You carry a prototype toolkit of small devices:

• At any time, you have a number of simple gadgets equal to your Int mod (minimum 1), chosen from a list like:
• Light emitter (bright light 20 ft)
• Static clamp (advantage on checks to hold doors, grapples)
• Spark detonator (minor fire/lighting burst, like a slightly boosted cantrip)
• Grapple hook launcher (short-range line)
• Reconfiguring your set of gadgets takes 1 hour of work.

Mechanically, treat these as flavored cantrip‑equivalents / situational tools. You can swap specifics later as we formalize the list.

Level 2 – Spellcasting & Mana Infusions

1. Spellcasting

You become a half‑caster, as above.

2. Mana Infusions

You can infuse mundane items with temporary magic:

• After a long rest, you can create a number of Infused Items equal to your Int mod (min 1, max = your Magitech Engineer level).
• Each infused item:
• Is a mundane object you touch (weapon, armor, tool, gadget).
• Gains a simple magical effect for 24 hours or until you die:
• +1 bonus to attack and damage (weapon)
• +1 bonus to AC (armor/shield)
• Counts as a spellcasting focus and grants +1 to spell attack rolls (wand/focus)
• Utility effect like always‑on light, minor levitation, or language translation (we can list later).
• You can have a total number of active infusions equal to your level; infusing beyond that ends the oldest.

This is your “daily enchantment” engine.

Level 3 – Engineering Specialty Feature & Tech Rituals

1. Specialty Feature

Your chosen Specialty grants a new feature here.

2. Tech Rituals

You can cast certain magitech spells as rituals, even if they don’t have the ritual tag, provided they:

• Are on your list
• Are utility/diagnostic/repair/travel type

Mechanically:

• Once per long rest per spell level (1–3), you can cast a prepared spell as a 10‑minute tech ritual:
• Spell slot is still expended.
• You gain a +2 bonus on any checks related to that casting (e.g., Arcana to calibrate, Investigation to analyze).

Level 4 – Ability Score Improvement

Level 5 – Extra Attack & 2nd‑Level Spells

1. Extra Attack

• You can attack twice when you take the Attack action.

2. Improved Infusions

• Your infused weapons and armor gain:
• +1 infusion becomes +2 at this level when you spend two infusion slots on the same item.
• You can choose to give an infused weapon an elemental damage rider (1d4 lightning, fire, or force).

Level 6 – Specialty Feature & Field Repair

1. Specialty Feature

New feature from your Specialty.

2. Field Repair

• As an action, you can repair:
• A construct, magitech device, or mechanical object within 5 ft.
• Heal 2d8 + Int mod hit points to a construct or magitech creature.
• Or restore a disabled device to functioning for 1 minute (GM discretion).
• Uses per long rest = Int mod (min 1).

Level 7 – Mana Shielding

You learn to shape ambient mana into a defensive field:

• As a reaction when you or an ally within 30 ft takes damage from a spell or magical effect:
• You can grant resistance to that damage type for that instance.
• Uses per long rest = Int mod.

If you’re in a dense-mana zone (night, Mana Storm Belt, auroral veil), you also gain temporary hit points equal to your level when you use this (once per long rest).

Level 8 – Ability Score Improvement

Level 9 – 3rd‑Level Spells & Advanced Gadgets

1. 3rd‑Level Spells

Teleportation/flight/major buffs begin to come online.

2. Advanced Gadgets

Your Prototype Gadgetry improves:

• You now maintain 2 × Int mod gadgets at once.
• You unlock “advanced” gadget options:
• Short‑range personal shield generator (reaction, +2 AC vs 1 attack)
• Micro‑turret (tiny device that makes a single ranged attack per round for 1 minute; damage like a cantrip)
• Gravity anchor (create a 10‑ft zone of difficult terrain or no‑levitation for 1 minute)
• Swapping gadgets still takes 1 hour.

Level 10 – Specialty Feature & Overclock

1. Specialty Feature

New feature from your Specialty.

2. Overclock

You can push your devices beyond safe limits:

• When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher or activate a gadget:
• You can Overclock it to gain one of:
• +2 to spell save DC
• +2 to attack roll with that spell or tech attack
• Double the gadget’s range or duration
• After Overclocking, roll a d20:
• On a 1, the device suffers a malfunction:
• You take force or lightning damage equal to the spell level (min 1).
• The device/gadget cannot be used again until you spend 1 minute repairing it.
• Uses per long rest = Int mod.

Level 11 – Mana Sight

You can see the world in mana overlays:

• You gain permanent detect magic out to 30 ft (can be suppressed/resumed as an action).
• Once per short rest, you can focus for 1 minute to gain:
• See invisible and the ability to see mana currents around portals, ley lines, wild‑magic zones.

Level 12 – Ability Score Improvement

Level 13 – 4th‑Level Spells & Modular Armor/Weaponry

1. 4th‑Level Spells

High‑end defensive and mobility tech.

2. Modular Design

You can install modules into armor and weapons you’ve infused:

• For each infused item, you can choose one module:
• Armor modules: glider wings (limited fall slow/fall), kinetic dampers (resistance to fall/bludgeoning), stealth mesh (advantage on Stealth).
• Weapon modules: shock coil (+1d4 lightning), gravitic spike (knocks target prone on failed STR save once per round), returning mechanism (thrown weapons return).
• Changing modules takes 8 hours of work.

Level 14 – Specialty Feature & Remote Interface

1. Specialty Feature

New feature from your Specialty.

2. Remote Interface

• You can control your magitech devices at range:
• As a bonus action, you can command:
• A turret, drone, or construct (if you have one from your Specialty) to take a specific action.
• You can interact with portals, consoles, or magitech controls within 30 ft as if adjacent, provided you can see them and they’re not fully analog-only.
• Once per long rest, you can attempt a “remote reboot” of a disabled magitech system up to 120 ft away:
• Make an Int (Arcana or Tools) check vs DC set by GM.
• On success, it functions for 1 minute.

Level 15 – Efficient Infusion

You’ve optimized your enchantment process:

• Your daily infusion limit increases by +Int mod.
• When you create an infusion for a non‑weapon, non‑armor item (tools, gadgets, utility devices), you can choose one:
• Double the duration (to 48 hours).
• Make it transferable: any creature you designate can attune/use it as if they were you.

Level 16 – Ability Score Improvement

Level 17 – 5th‑Level Spells & Mythic Calibration (Tech)

1. 5th‑Level Spells

Teleport circles, high‑end gravity/portal tech, big shields.

2. Mythic Calibration (Tech)

Similar to Wizard’s mythic calibration, but for tech:

• When you cast a spell of 4th level or higher or activate a high‑tier gadget, you can Calibrate:
• Spend an extra spell slot of 2nd level or lower.
• Double one parameter (range, duration, or number of targets) or maximize one die type (damage or healing).
• Afterward, roll a d20:
• On 1–2, you trigger a mana surge:
• GM introduces a minor wild‑tech effect: lights flicker, gravity hiccups, illusions appear, etc.
• Uses per long rest = Int mod.

Level 18 – Master Engineer

You become a recognized master of magitech:

• You can have twice your level in active infusions.
• You can attune to one extra magic/magitech item beyond your system’s normal limit (if you’re using attunement rules).
• Any magitech device you personally build gains:
• +1 to AC or save DCs if it has them.
• +10 ft to its movement speed (for vehicles, drones, etc.), if applicable.

Level 19 – Ability Score Improvement

Level 20 – Arch‑Technomancer of Aurelia

You are a living bridge between magic and technology.

• Intelligence +2, to a maximum of 22.
• Once per long rest, you can enter Overdrive for 1 minute:
• All your infusions count as +1 higher (e.g., +2 → +3).
• Your gadgets do maximized cantrip‑like damage.
• Your spells of 1st–3rd level can be cast as a bonus action if their normal time is an action.
• You radiate a visible mana halo; nearby magitech devices stabilize or reboot at GM’s discretion.

Engineering Specialties (Subclasses)

To keep this answer focused, I’ll sketch one Specialty fully and outline the others. You can tell me which you want fully detailed next.

1. Armorer

Powered armor / personal defense expert.

Level 1 – Prototype Harness

• You build a Runic Harness (light or medium armor base).
• While wearing it:
• You can cast magitech spells without somatic component penalties.
• Once per short rest, as a bonus action, you can activate Overcharge Plating:
• Gain temporary hit points = your level + Int mod.
• +1 AC for 1 minute.

Level 3 – Integrated Weaponry

• You can integrate one weapon into your harness:
• You can summon or stow it as a free object interaction.
• Once per turn when you hit with it, you can deal an extra 1d4 lightning or force damage.

Level 6 – Enhanced Armor Modes

• Choose 2 modes (you can switch as a bonus action):
• Assault Mode: +10 ft speed, advantage on Athletics checks.
• Bulwark Mode: +1 AC, advantage on saves vs being pushed or knocked prone.
• Stealth Mode: Disadvantage on Perception against you when you’re in dim light/darkness, advantage on Stealth.

Level 10 – Reactive Shielding

• When you take damage, you can use your reaction to:
• Halve that damage.
• Emit a shockwave: creatures within 5 ft must make a Dex save or take 1d8 lightning.
• Uses per long rest = Int mod.

Level 14 – Flying Harness

• You add levitation/flying arrays:
• Gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed for a total of 10 minutes per long rest, in 1‑minute increments.
• While flying, you can hover and ignore difficult terrain.

2. Artillerist (Outline)

Focus on turrets, cannons, and AoE:

• 1: Mana Cannon (ranged focus weapon; can fire a special blast 1/rest)
• 3: Deployable Turret (tiny construct that fires each round)
• 6: Elemental Conversions (swap damage types on the fly)
• 10: Overlapping Fields of Fire (turrets + you add damage or control zones)
• 14: Mobile Battery (turrets can move with you, or mount on vehicles/airships)

3. Machinist (Outline)

Focus on drones, constructs, utility bots:

• 1: Servitor Drone (scout/helper)
• 3: Combat Upgrade (drone gains attacks, can deliver touch spells)
• 6: Swarm Protocol (multiple tiny drones for scouting or harassment)
• 10: Self‑Repairing Systems (drone auto‑repairs, can patch allies)
• 14: Heavy Construct (medium/large combat construct, or upgraded main drone)