Artificers are practitioners of a highly specialized form of Hermetic magic known formally as Ars Artifexia,
but colloquially known simply as Artificing. The sole focus of this craft is the creation of magical items;
rather than working spontaneous magic Artificers instead make permanent magical items...ideally from the
safety of their workshops and sanctums. When arrayed with their various curiosities, geejaws,
and artifacts they can be quite formidable, but are woefully vulnerable when caught unequipped or if
stripped of their possessions.
Many Artificers are retiring sorts, shuts ins who toil in their workshops making items of wondrous power,
either for their own use or as commodities to sell or trade. The making of magical items is a time consuming
process, supply is small, and demand is high. Thus, many Artificers are also wealthy. Having wealth or valuable
items ripe for theft, they also tend to be defensively minded.
However, some Artificers are more active (particularly early in their careers) and tend to be pragmatic,
making an array of utilitarian items to see to their own safety and wellfare as they pursue an adventurous lifestyle.
The basis of Artificing practice is represented on a character by taking the Artificer Vocation at a step appropriate to the character's level of mastery. An apprentice would take the Artificer Vocation at a d4, a journeyman at a d6, a master at a d8, and a grandmaster at a d10.
Mystic Ability Set
Artificers are first and foremost Mystics, and thus all Artificers without exception have a Mystic Ability Set, in which various Ability traits and the Supernatural Aura Limit that is common to Mystics are contained. Though individuals vary in the exact composition of their Mystic Ability Set, the most common basic Mystic Ability Set is provided below.
Mystic
Senses: d6
Stamina: d6
Warding: d6
Willpower: d6
Limit: Supernatural Aura: You have a supernatural aura that is detectable by those with special senses. Gain one (1) Plot Point when this becomes a Complication for you.
Artificer Differentiation
The primary differentiation between individual Artificers is found in the specific magic items they each carry.
Permanent, significant magical items are represented as Ability Sets (one per separate item).
Temporary, minor magical items can be represented as Assets.
Another important differentiation is that while many Artificers are solely focused on Artificing,
there are those who also practice some other form of mystical art. Such multi-disciplinarian Mystics
typically use bespoke magical items they've specifically crafted to synergize with the strengths
and / or mitigate the shortcomings of their other arts.
Finally, some but not all Artificers learn how to enchant immobile structures with some kind of protective effect,
or alternately some kind of trap...effectively turning a building, monolith, totem, machinery, large object, etc
into a magical item.
Magical Items
While some types of magic items are classically associated to Artificers such as wands and staves,
virtually any kind of object can be invested with magical potency by a sufficiently skilled Artificer.
Items from before the Accords tend towards the traditional and fantastical tropes of Artificing, but
modern Artificers tend to construct their items to pass in the mundane world so as to blend in.
Rings and other jewelry remains a popular choice, but an Artificer might carry an enchanted flashlight,
watch, pocket knife, or other such item that passes as "normal".
Magical Item Ability Sets
An Artificer should have one or more Ability Sets that represent significant magical items that they carry.
Each item is a separate Ability Set, which can have one or more Ability
traits, SFX, and Limits that are appropriate to represent what the item can do.
Additionally they have a Gear Limit and a Supernatural Aura Limit.
Common Artificer Magical Items
Following are several examples of typical magic items used by Artificers in the modern era. In all cases,
these are simple examples and a given Artificer with a similar item might have the suggested Ability traits
at a different step, have one or more additional Ability traits in the same item, and / or different or
additional SFX.
A fairly common artificed item favored by many Artificers is some type of magical protective device, worn on the body.
Amulets, rings, bracelets, cufflinks...such items can take many forms. A typical example of such an item is provided below, but many variations exist.
[Item] of Warding
SFX: Warded: When you are able to include the Warding trait from your Mystic Ability Set in a dice pool you may also include this Ability Set's Durability trait in that dice pool, and vice versa.
If you do and succeed, you may step down the highest die in the doom pool.
Limit: Gear: This Ability Set's traits are shut down if one or more items of gear are unavailable or rendered inoperable; gain one (1) Plot Point when this becomes a Complication for you. You may recover traits shut down in this way when it is appropriate to the narrative; this may require you to activate an opportunity or take an action against the doom pool at the GM's discretion.
Limit: Supernatural Aura: This object has a supernatural aura that is detectable by those with special senses. Gain one (1) Plot Point when this becomes a Complication for you.
Another common form of artificed item favored by Artificers is some type of magical offensive device.
[Item] of Mystical Missiles
SFX: Channeled Shot: When using this Ability Set's Ranged trait against a target, if you successfully inflict Body damage (Stress or Trauma) to that target you may step up the effect die; additionally you may spend one (1) Plot Point to step it up a second time.
Limit: Gear: This Ability Set's traits are shut down if one or more items of gear are unavailable or rendered inoperable; gain one (1) Plot Point when this becomes a Complication for you. You may recover traits shut down in this way when it is appropriate to the narrative; this may require you to activate an opportunity or take an action against the doom pool at the GM's discretion.
Limit: Supernatural Aura: This object has a supernatural aura that is detectable by those with special senses. Gain one (1) Plot Point when this becomes a Complication for you.
An Artificer can also take a normal item with a useful mundane function and magically improve it in some way.
For instance, rather than use a wand or ring (or whatever) that projects obviously mystical energies such as the previous example,
a modern Artificer might prefer a pistol that has its normal function plus magical augmentation.
Enchanted Pistol
SFX: Bullet-jumping: You may use this Ability Set's Ranged trait to justify attempting to shoot targets through obstructions by having the bullets teleport
when they leave the barrel of the weapon and re-appear immediately in front of their intended target.
Limit: Gear: This Ability Set's traits are shut down if one or more items of gear are unavailable or rendered inoperable; gain one (1) Plot Point when this becomes a Complication for you. You may recover traits shut down in this way when it is appropriate to the narrative; this may require you to activate an opportunity or take an action against the doom pool at the GM's discretion.
Limit: Supernatural Aura: This object has a supernatural aura that is detectable by those with special senses. Gain one (1) Plot Point when this becomes a Complication for you.
All of the previous examples have one Ability trait and one SFX, but magic item Ability Sets can have
multiple Ability traits, and zero or more SFX. They may also have additional limits beyond the standard Gear and Supernatural Aura limits.
Following is an example of such, a more elaborate magic item Ability Set representing a ring with multiple functions.
Ring of the Stone
Ranged: d8
Counterspell: d6
Shield: d6
SFX: Boost: You may step up or double one of this Ability Set's traits for an action or reaction. If you do, shut down this SFX after the action or reaction is resolved. You may activate an opportunity or spend a Transition Scene to recover this SFX if it was shut down in this way.
SFX: Punishing: When using this Ability Set's Ranged trait to make an attack against a target that is sensitive or vulnerable to something specific, you may choose to tune the Ring to take advantage of it.
If you do step up or double Ranged before adding it to your dice pool; a narrative explanation of how the tuned attack looks is appropriate.
If your attack is successful any relevant limits or restrictions of the target apply.
For instance, versus a target that cannot regenerate damage caused by fire, tuning the Ring to project a flaming bolt would prevent the target from regenerating any damage caused by the attack.
Limit: Destabilizing: To use one of this Ability Set's traits or SFX on an action or reaction you must either spend one (1) Plot Point, or take a die from the doom pool and include it in your dice pool. If you take a die from the doom pool, after the action or reaction is resolved step up that die and return it to the doom pool.
Limit: Exclusive Traits: The traits of this Ability Set are exclusive to one another, only one can be active at a time. You must decide which is currently active each time you have a panel; the other traits are shut down.
Limit: Gear: This Ability Set's traits are shut down if one or more items of gear are unavailable or rendered inoperable; gain one (1) Plot Point when this becomes a Complication for you. You may recover traits shut down in this way when it is appropriate to the narrative; this may require you to activate an opportunity or take an action against the doom pool at the GM's discretion.
Limit: Supernatural Aura: This object has a supernatural aura that is detectable by those with special senses. Gain one (1) Plot Point when this becomes a Complication for you.
Magical Item Assets
Simple magical items can also easily be represented with Assets or occasionally Complications,
typically created via invoking the Artificer Vocation Exploit that allows the creation of a d8 Asset
or two d6 Assets representing minor magical items such as scrolls or charmed trinkets.
Magical Wards
Some Artificers can also enchant structures to create magical wards; Artificers that want to do this
should take one of the following Signature Exploits, or something similar to them.
Signature Exploit: You may use a Transition Scene to create an immobile Complication with a step equal
to your Artificer Vocation die, representing a mystical ward protecting a structure or part of a structure
no larger than a zone and its adjacent zones, against a specific kind of supernatural entity.
Such entities must overcome the Complication to enter or to leave the protected area.
Signature Exploit: You may use a Transition Scene to create an immobile Asset with a step equal
to your Artificer Vocation die, representing a mystical ward protecting a structure or part of a structure
no larger than a zone and its adjacent zones, against supernatural attacks.
When a successful supernatural attack is made against one or more targets within the warded area,
if the effect die does not exceed the Asset's step the attack has no effect. If the attack's step is
higher than the Asset's, remove the Asset from play and resolve the attack normally.
Magical Traps
Adjacent to this, some Artificers can craft magical traps; Artificers that want to do this
should take the following Signature Exploit, or something similar to it.
Signature Exploit: You may use a Transition Scene to create an immobile Complication with a step equal
to your Artificer Vocation die, representing a mystical trap. When you do so, define what will trigger the attack
and whether it causes Body or Ego damage or inflicts a particular Complication. If the triggering condition
occurs, a dice pool composed of your Tier + Finesse + Smarts + Violence at their respective
steps when you made the trap, plus the Complication die itself. Others must roll against the same dice pool to detect the trap, and it lasts until
it is triggered or is overcome.
Other Mystical Practices
Artificing can be combined with any of the other Mystic disciplines, but within the default Here There Be Monsters
setting the most common examples of such are Wizard-Artificers and Artificer-Alchemists.
Artificers who are also Wizards should take the Wizard Vocation and follow the guidelines given in the
Wizards
document. Similarly, Artificers who practice Alchemy should take the Alchemy Vocation and follow the guidelines given in the
Alchemy
document. And so on for any of the other Mystic disciplines.