09-22-2013, 07:11 PM
I've some questions, comments and concerns regarding the Engineer class.
1. Is there any reason that engineers don't get Knowledge Technology as a class skill given their premise makes them the ones most likely to be familiar with such.
2. On the class overview (Table 3-15: The Engineer) at first level there is an ability listed "Halt" that doesn't appear in the text, likewise at level 5 "Crafting Expertise" is listed with nothing regarding it in the text.
3. The "Share Trick" automaton ability states that the trick may only be replicated when within 5' of the engineer, the Directive "Use Gadget" states that it can be combined with the Go directive in order to have the automaton position the gadget more advantageously, as written they contradict one another unless it is only intended to be used with the "User Friendly Gadget" technique.
4. Is there a reason why the Gadget "Utility Tool" is limited to being changed once per day? There is a relatively low cost (250 GP) magic item in the Pathfinder book Ultimate Equipment known as the "Traveler's Any-Tool" that functions almost identically to the utility tool, save that it requires no check and can be used and can be reformed as often as desired. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wond...s-any-tool)
5. The "Tinkering" ability given at level 2 gives no benefit until level 5 under the pathfinder system due to mechanical traps no longer requiring a "Trapfinding" style ability to find or disarm at any level of DC.
6. "Rough And Ready" gives no benefit 'till at least 4'th level since there are no gadgets that activate on a standard action available before then.
7. There are no rules for salvaging an automaton/construct larger then large despite the engineer class gaining the ability to have a huge automaton. Also some other size categories for some of the salvageable objects should be considered, such as airships smaller then huge that could be used as lifeboats/messenger-craft/etc.
8. For the Demolish ability you might consider adding in some means of reducing/negating the normally inherent DR or Hardness that constructs have, you might also consider applying the Demolish ability to non mechanical structures including doors, fortifications and other unattended inanimate objects that an engineer might be able to target a structural weak-point of.
9. "Quick Craft" if I'm reading it correctly until 15'th level there's no time reduction on crafting masterwork items and presumably alchemical items as well. Making it rather less useful since most non-magical, non-masterwork and non-alchemical items are of comparably negligible cost by that level with numerous relatively cheap magic items able to replicate the abilities of numerous such cheap items. Though I suppose it is useful for making Art-Objects and Trade-Goods which is really only useful for making money.
10. You might consider renaming "Hardened Materials" to something more like "Durability" since the current name makes it sound like it should increase an object's hardness rather then hit-points. Same can be said for the "Hardening Technique " trick.
11. Salvage expert might be better at a slightly lower level, but my main concern with it is that it's worded vaguely enough that it calls into question if it would be applicable to magic item construction or not (providing a character took measures to be able to craft magic items), based on over-all theme I'd assume not but as I said the wording is sufficiently vague.
12. Looking at the Machinist archetype it states under "Persistent Power" that "The machinist's automaton, gadgets, and other supernatural abilities function even in a dead magic zone." but in the base class neither the automaton or the support-droid is listed as a supernatural abilities nor are constructs by nature rendered inert by antimagic fields (with the exception of the animate object spell when used as default), nor are any of the abilities listed for the automaton or support droid listed as supernatural abilities.
13. Again Machinist the "Counter Science" replaces the currently non-existent Crafting expertise.
14. The page name for the Mako Weapon Specialist is listed as "Maki Weapon Specialist" presumably just a typo.
15. You might wish to specify whether the base forms are long or tall when their size increases, just to avoid arguments between players and GMs about if the reach increases, large tall creatures have 10' reach, large long creatures stay at 5' reach.
16. Magitek Operator doesn't specify that the base magitek is large even though it presumably would need to be for any character larger then small.
17. Against my own self interest (I play an engineer in my group) with the recent changes to the "Classic" spells, they no longer have any effect on the automaton due to it's construct nature "Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)."
18. The addition of "Directives" severely limited the automatons tactical use, giving it a "Fetch" directive to have it at least be able retrieve distant items again would be nice. The option to have it purposefully flank would also be appreciated, since as written the attack directive makes it seem as though it will do so in the most efficient manner possible as opposed to the most useful. Similarly a "Charge" directive and a "Run" directive would be useful as well.
19. I do absolutely love "Combat Awareness".
20. Sorry about the massive wall of text, a number of these I've been mulling over for some time and never gotten around to bringing them up previously.
1. Is there any reason that engineers don't get Knowledge Technology as a class skill given their premise makes them the ones most likely to be familiar with such.
2. On the class overview (Table 3-15: The Engineer) at first level there is an ability listed "Halt" that doesn't appear in the text, likewise at level 5 "Crafting Expertise" is listed with nothing regarding it in the text.
3. The "Share Trick" automaton ability states that the trick may only be replicated when within 5' of the engineer, the Directive "Use Gadget" states that it can be combined with the Go directive in order to have the automaton position the gadget more advantageously, as written they contradict one another unless it is only intended to be used with the "User Friendly Gadget" technique.
4. Is there a reason why the Gadget "Utility Tool" is limited to being changed once per day? There is a relatively low cost (250 GP) magic item in the Pathfinder book Ultimate Equipment known as the "Traveler's Any-Tool" that functions almost identically to the utility tool, save that it requires no check and can be used and can be reformed as often as desired. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wond...s-any-tool)
5. The "Tinkering" ability given at level 2 gives no benefit until level 5 under the pathfinder system due to mechanical traps no longer requiring a "Trapfinding" style ability to find or disarm at any level of DC.
6. "Rough And Ready" gives no benefit 'till at least 4'th level since there are no gadgets that activate on a standard action available before then.
7. There are no rules for salvaging an automaton/construct larger then large despite the engineer class gaining the ability to have a huge automaton. Also some other size categories for some of the salvageable objects should be considered, such as airships smaller then huge that could be used as lifeboats/messenger-craft/etc.
8. For the Demolish ability you might consider adding in some means of reducing/negating the normally inherent DR or Hardness that constructs have, you might also consider applying the Demolish ability to non mechanical structures including doors, fortifications and other unattended inanimate objects that an engineer might be able to target a structural weak-point of.
9. "Quick Craft" if I'm reading it correctly until 15'th level there's no time reduction on crafting masterwork items and presumably alchemical items as well. Making it rather less useful since most non-magical, non-masterwork and non-alchemical items are of comparably negligible cost by that level with numerous relatively cheap magic items able to replicate the abilities of numerous such cheap items. Though I suppose it is useful for making Art-Objects and Trade-Goods which is really only useful for making money.
10. You might consider renaming "Hardened Materials" to something more like "Durability" since the current name makes it sound like it should increase an object's hardness rather then hit-points. Same can be said for the "Hardening Technique " trick.
11. Salvage expert might be better at a slightly lower level, but my main concern with it is that it's worded vaguely enough that it calls into question if it would be applicable to magic item construction or not (providing a character took measures to be able to craft magic items), based on over-all theme I'd assume not but as I said the wording is sufficiently vague.
12. Looking at the Machinist archetype it states under "Persistent Power" that "The machinist's automaton, gadgets, and other supernatural abilities function even in a dead magic zone." but in the base class neither the automaton or the support-droid is listed as a supernatural abilities nor are constructs by nature rendered inert by antimagic fields (with the exception of the animate object spell when used as default), nor are any of the abilities listed for the automaton or support droid listed as supernatural abilities.
13. Again Machinist the "Counter Science" replaces the currently non-existent Crafting expertise.
14. The page name for the Mako Weapon Specialist is listed as "Maki Weapon Specialist" presumably just a typo.
15. You might wish to specify whether the base forms are long or tall when their size increases, just to avoid arguments between players and GMs about if the reach increases, large tall creatures have 10' reach, large long creatures stay at 5' reach.
16. Magitek Operator doesn't specify that the base magitek is large even though it presumably would need to be for any character larger then small.
17. Against my own self interest (I play an engineer in my group) with the recent changes to the "Classic" spells, they no longer have any effect on the automaton due to it's construct nature "Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)."
18. The addition of "Directives" severely limited the automatons tactical use, giving it a "Fetch" directive to have it at least be able retrieve distant items again would be nice. The option to have it purposefully flank would also be appreciated, since as written the attack directive makes it seem as though it will do so in the most efficient manner possible as opposed to the most useful. Similarly a "Charge" directive and a "Run" directive would be useful as well.
19. I do absolutely love "Combat Awareness".
20. Sorry about the massive wall of text, a number of these I've been mulling over for some time and never gotten around to bringing them up previously.