Battlesmith (3.5e Class)

Summary::Not all blacksmiths stay in the forge, some go into the world to gather rare supplies, craft new weapons and armor, and survive right besides adventurers on the go. Length::20 Minimum Level::1 Base Attack Bonus Progression::Good Fortitude Save Progression::Good Reflex Save Progression::Poor Will Save Progression::Poor Class Ability::Other Class Ability Progression::Other

Allowed Alignments::Lawful Good Allowed Alignments::Lawful Neutral Allowed Alignments::Lawful Evil Allowed Alignments::Neutral Good Allowed Alignments::Neutral Allowed Alignments::Neutral Evil Allowed Alignments::Chaotic Good Allowed Alignments::Chaotic Neutral Allowed Alignments::Chaotic Evil

Battlesmith
The battlesmith is a blacksmith who does not toil away solely in a forge, but instead goes out and turns wherever he stands into a workplace. Rather than wait for materials to show on market and have others test to see the quality of his wares, the battlesmith is a warrior who makes his own gear, improves upon it, and masters the art of using equipment in the most optimum way possible.

Making a Battlesmith
Abilities: As melee bruisers, Strength and Constitution are key to any build. He benefits from a healthy Intelligence for skills and the ability to imbue his gear with magic. With heavy armor available, Dexterity is not very important, nor Wisdom and Charisma, as only a few skills key off them, although Charisma does help with the inevitable Use Magic Device checks.

Races: While any race can join, the iconic blacksmiths, dwarves, are most likely to join possessing both the mindset, the endurance, and the reliability of materials to work with. Other races, particularly strong or tough ones, are also known to join.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 5d6&times;10 gp (125 gp).

Starting Age: As fighter.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Battlesmith.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A battlesmith is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields)..

 (Ex): Battlesmiths must be able to carry a great deal of items in their adventures, and so they learn how to handle a great mass through exercise and knowing how to manage weight and balance. A battlesmith adds his class level to his strength score for the purpose of determining how heavy a load the battlesmith can carry.

 (Ex): A battlesmith is an expert on items, and knowns just where to hit to to break it. A battlesmith may ignore up to 1 point of hardness per class level.

 (Ex): A battlesmith is a blacksmith by trade, and so he naturally has skills to account for it. He adds his class level as a competence bonus to all Appraise checks, Craft checks, and Profession Blacksmith.

 (Su): A battlesmith can distort and ruin metal objects with a heavy precise blow. As part of a melee attack, a battlesmith can attack a metal item on the target without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it hits, they take damage as normal and the item must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Constitution) or become warped and distorted. Weapons take a a penalty to attack and damage equal to 1/2 the battlesmith's class level (minimum 1), and armor and shields take an AC penalty equal to the same (to a minimum of 0 AC). Metal objects of other sorts become functionally useless and bent. This ability otherwise functions as warp wood, but on metal. Like the spell, this ability can also be used to unwarp metal objects. This ability may be used as a touch attack, but it deals no damage when used this way, only provoking the Fortitude save against it. He may use Warp Metal 1/day and an additional time at 5th and every five levels beyond.



 (Su): At 2nd level, a battlesmith can easily determine the nature of items with but a moment to study. He may determine if an item is magical as if using detect magic over the course of 1 minute. If he takes 1 hour, he may instead treat it as if he has cast identify on the item instead.

 (Ex): At 3rd level, a battlesmith becomes adapt in the proper use of armor of all sorts. Whenever a battlesmith is wearing any sort of armor or carrying a shield, he gains damage reduction 1/-. This damage reduction increases by 1 at 6th level and every three levels beyond. This damage reduction stacks with the damage reduction provided by adamantine armor and the Armor SpecializationPH2 feat, but not with other forms of DR/-. If the battlesmith is caught flatfooted, he loses the benefits of armor block, he must be aware of the attack to properly deflect it.

You may select one of the benefits listed below, and gain another item mastery benefit at 7th and every four levels beyond.

 (Ex): A battlesmith learns how to keep his grip locked and tight while wearing gauntlets and gr eaves, even if they aren't designed to be so. While wearing armor you gain a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). This stacks with dwarven stability. You also gain a +10 bonus against attempts to disarm you and to climb checks. This benefit stacks with the use of a locked gauntlet.

 (Ex): You gain any Exotic Armor ProficiencyRoS feat. You may take this ability multiple times.

 (Ex): You gain any Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat. You may take this ability multiple times.

 (Ex): You gain the Weapon Finesse feat, and may use weapon finesse on ANY weapon you are proficient in.

 (Ex): You gain an additional +1 armor bonus to any armor you wear. You may take this ability one other time, applying the benefit as +1 shield bonus to shields.

 (Ex): You gain the Improved Sunder feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. If you already have, or later gain, Improved Sunder the ability improves. Your bonus on attack rolls rises to +8, you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage on a sunder, and you ignore half the item's hardness.

 (Ex): Your armor check penalty is reduced by 1 and your maximum Dex rises by 1 for any armor you wear. You may also move your full normal speed in medium armor. You may take this ability a second time, which decreases your armor check penalty by 1 again, increases your maximum Dex by 1 again, and allows you to move in heavy armor at your full normal speed.

 (Ex): You have learned the art of making armor out of monstrous hides. You need a corpse of a creature with at least 2 points of natural armor that is still fresh (within 24 hours of death). You may make a craft check and turn it into superior armor whose AC is 1/2 of the original armor bonus of the creature (round down). Therefore if you took the hide of a creature with 25 natural armor, you gain +12 armor. Armors from 1 to 4 points of AC are considered light armor (ACP -1, ASF 5%, Max Dex 6), armor between 5-8 AC are medium armors (ACP -3, ASF 15%, Max Dex 4), and armors greater than 9 AC are heavy armor (ACP -5, ASF 25%, Max Dex 2). The value of these unique armors is AC Bonus x 300, so a +8 AC armor would be 2400 gp.

 (Ex): A battlesmith knows the weak points on objects. He may critical hit constructs, undead, plants, and objects.

 (Ex): The battlesmith discovers how to sunder armor being worn on the body while dealing damage to its user. The battlesmith makes a sunder attack as normal, and the target takes half damage from the damage to the armor. The battlesmith still provokes if he lacks the appropriate feat.

 (Ex): You are able to use a tower shield with no more issue than a heavy steel shield. You take no penalty to attack rolls, may use them riding upon a horse, and shield bash with it as a two-handed weapon with a requirement of Str 13 to use it one-handed.

 (Ex): You gain the Weapon Focus feat, and Greater Weapon Focus at class level 8th. If you have either feat or get them afterwards, their benefits stack for a total of +4 from all feats together.

 (Ex): At 3rd level, a battlesmith can literally craft anywhere, no longer tied to needing a building with a built in forge. By taking 1 hour he may construct a makeshift forge out of the surroundings, provided he can start a fire out of the materials on hand, and make craft checks at a -2 penalty.

He must still qualify for the pre-requisites of bonus feats.

 (Su): At 4th level, a battlesmith can hammer in the power of magic, without any magical ability of his own. His battlesmith level counts as his caster level and he qualifies for pre-requisites which require a caster level. He also gains Craft Magic Arms and Armor for free. When crafting a magical item, the battlesmith must make a Use Magic Device check equal to 10 + twice the caster level of the spell or spells required in the item. If he fails, he is delayed for 24 hours but may try again to complete the item the next day. If successful he creates the magic item as if he has successfully cast the required spells. This does not grant him any actual spells known.

You have access to all of the abilities below, but may only apply one quality to an item in lieu in the normal masterwork benefit. When he gains the Reforge ability he may reforge current weapons into improved masterwork weapons at his choosing.

 (Ex): Any item made from dragonhide can be made as dragonbond armor. Dragonbond armor retains some of the elemental properties of the associated dragon it is made from, up to energy resistance 30. Cost increases by +2000 gp, and Craft DC rises by +1 for every point of energy resistance added (max energy resistance 30 for 60,000 gp).

 (Ex): Any armor or shield can be made into a damageblocking armor or shield. An armor or shield can be made to resist slashing, piercing, bludgeoning, or ranged attacks (choose only one). The item grants you a higher AC against those types of attacks. Cost increases by bonus squared x 1000, and Craft DC increases by +4 for every point of AC added (maximum +5 for 25,000g).

 (Ex): Quickdon armor and shields are modified to be equipped very quickly, as seen below. Cost is +500 gp, and +10 to the craft DC.

 (Ex): Any metallic armor can be turned into ablative armor, which has a layer of small explosives fire chunks of flak at its attackers. Those who attack in melee with a non-reach weapon take slashing and piercing damage each time they hit. However doing so riddles the armor with pockmarks, and it must be repaired to restore its "ammunition" for the backlash damage. If the armor is enhanced, the ablative damage counts as magic for bypassing damage reduction. The user of ablative armor is not harmed by the explosion. It comes in three types, light armor deals 1 point of damage and has 10 points of "ammo". Medium armor deals 3 points of damage and has 30 points of ammo. Heavy armor deals 5 points of damage and has 50 points of ammo. Cost is +500 gp for light armor, +1500 gp for medium armor, and +4500 gp for heavy armor, with a +20 DC on Craft checks to make it. Reloading a spent ablative armor costs 1/4th the purchase price (125 gp, 375 gp, and 1125 gp) and is a straight DC 30 Craft check to perform successfully.

 (Ex): You craft a suit of armor which can seal completely air tight. This ability only works on medium or heavy armors, and takes up the head slot as a helmet is required (the helmet can be enchanted, but non-helmet head slot items will not do). With a move action you can lock your suit of armor airtight, making you immune to gases, water sealed, yet still able to see out of your visor. You have a limited air supply equal to your constitution score in minutes. In addition while sealed you have more limited mobility, increasing your armor check penalty by +3, arcane spell failure by +10%, and reducing maximum Dex by 1. Cost is +3750, and the craft DC increases by +20.

 (Ex): Any armor capable of employing armor spikes can become barbed armor. Treat barbed armor has having armor spikes, but dealing 1d8 medium damage. Those in barbed armor are better at climbing checks, gaining a +10 bonus. If grappled, the grappler takes the armor spike damage (1d8, no strength added) for as long as they hold onto you. However, the barbed armor is also clumsy and difficult to wear. Donning barbed armor takes twice as long. The armor check penalty rises by +3, arcane spell failure increases by +10%, and maximum Dex bonus is reduced by 1. Cost is +3750, and the craft DC increases by +20.

 (Ex): Battlecraft weapons are even finer than masterwork, attuned for war. The weapon gains a +1 competence bonus on attack and damage instead of the usual +1 enhancement on attack masterwork grants. Cost is +2000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +10.

 (Ex): Bloodchannel weapons keep wounds bleeding even after the blow. An attack with a bloodchannel weapon causes the target to bleed out 1 hp a round until they make a DC 15 Heal check, or get any form of curative magic such as from cure light wounds. Bleed damage does not stack. Cost is +3000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +20.

 (Ex): Brutal weapons are designed with sawed teeth and jagged edges for extra damage on a critical hit. The weapon gains an additional 1d6 points of damage if it is a x2 weapon, 2d6 for a x3 weapon, and 3d6 for a x4 weapon. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit. Cost is +3000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +10.

 (Ex): Crafted in hellfire and cooled in blood, or perhaps forged in purest light and doused in holy water... the manner of creation has bestowed a small essence of a planar trait upon your weapon. The weapon either gains a +1 damage vs evil (if celestial) or vs good (if fiendish). This bonus rises to +2 damage against good or evil outsiders of their respective alignments. Cost is +2500 gp and the craft DC increases by +15.

 (Ex): Powerforged weapons are designed big, unwieldy, but very powerful. The weapon deals damage one size category larger, but doubles in weight, requires a minimum Str 13 to use, and gives a -1 penalty on attack rolls. Cost is +3000 gp and the craft DC increases by +20.

 (Ex): Runecrafted weapons have etched in channels for magical energy to flow, granting boons to those who can control the supernatural. If a person with spellcasting ability uses a runecrafted weapon they gain +1 damage so long as they have 1 spell or spell-like ability left. Cost is +1000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +10.

 (Ex): Skycraft weapons are meant to be thrown. Weapons gain a throwing range of +10 feet (weapons without a throwing range gain a throwing range of 10 ft). In addition, two-handed weapons may be thrown as a standard action. Skycraft weapons benefit from lighter weight, mithril skycraft weapons gain an additional +10 feet, and two-handed weapons may be thrown as an attack action. Cost is +2000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +15. For mithril and other lightweight material weapons, cost is +6000 gp, and the craft DC increases to +25.

 (Ex): Styleforged weapons are crafted to excel in certain unique tasks. Select a combat maneuver such as disarming, tripping, bull rushing, overrunning, sundering, or (if the weapon can grip, such as gauntlets) grappling. You gain a +2 bonus on the desired task (such as disarming) and you are capable of using the weapon in that particular action. This stacks with previous abilities, such as adding an additional +2 trip on a tripping weapon such as a whip. Cost is +1000 gp, and the craft DC increases by +10.

 (Ex): At 5th level, a battlesmith is an expert as juggling his many items easily. He may draw weapons and shields and wield or don them as a free action. Donning armor now only takes half the time, to a minimum of 1 move action. If the battlesmith also has the Quick Draw feat, he may sheath or stow away weapons and shields as a free action, and donning armor takes 1/4th of the normal time (minimum 1 move action).

 (Su): At 6th level, a battlesmith selects a particular weapon or armor type. From that point on any time he wields or wears that type of item, the item gains an additional magical enhancement equal to a +1 bonus (or 6000 gp value for non-bonus enhancements) free. The bonus stems from the battlesmith's own personal energy and only operates while he is wielding or wearing the item. The item must be masterwork, and if it does not have a +1 enhancement bonus to start, he must give it a +1 enhancement bonus before he adds any other weapon or armor bonuses. At 12th level, the bonus rises to +2 (or 12,000 gp) value, and every six levels beyond adds another +1 bonus (or +6000 gp value). The selected enhancement bonus lasts for 24 hours, and may be changed once every 24 hours.

 (Ex) and (Su): At 7th level, a battlesmith can repair the unrepairable and change the unchangeable. He may forge mundane weapons into masterwork weapons, or change a steel weapon into a cold iron weapon even after it has been created. To do so, he pays the cost of the new material or masterwork quality, and makes a Craft check to determine if he is successful. If he fails, the weapon and the extra materials used are ruined. If successful, the weapon loses its old properties and gains the new properties of whatever material was infused into it. He must have a sample of the new material to work with if he is adding a new material. This is an extraordinary ability. However, as a supernatural ability, a battlesmith may repair magic items that have been broken or sundered. By paying half of its creation cost, the magic of the broken item is restored to how it was just before destruction. It can even repair the effects of ''mage's disjunction, restoring the destroyed magical properties.

 (Ex): At 9th level, a battlesmith no longer takes a penalty for working with a makeshift forge and in fact no longer requires a fire of any sort to work with metals. He's just that good. He also is faster and crafting, and craft checks take half the time, to a minimum of 1 minute if normally takes longer than that.

 (Ex): At 10th level, the battlesmith acts as if wearing a ring of sustenance, no longer needing to eat or drink, and only needing 2 hours of sleep. He also gains a +4 bonus on saves vs fatigue or exhaustion.

 (Su): At 14th level, a battlesmith has mastered the art of converting materials from one to another. By making a DC 40 craft check and spending 24 hours, a battlesmith can convert one material into an equal value of another material, such as converting 500 gp of mithril into 500 gp of adamantine. He can create any material listed as being able to be forged into objects. This only converts materials, you still spend the same monetary value for the supplies.

 (Ex): At 15th level, a battlesmith is so good at working on the fly he actually gains a +2 circumstance bonus when presented with an actual working environment. Crafting checks are cut to 1/4ths normal time, to a minimum of 1 round if it normally takes longer than that. As a real McGuyver, it becomes viable for him to attempt to forge a sword out of scrap iron right on the battlefield.

 (Ex): At 17th level, the battlesmith is immune to fatigue and exhaustion as all the hard work on the forges has paid off. He no longer sleeps and is immune to sleep effects, and is immune to damaged caused by overworking, such as from extended periods of running.

 (Su): At 19th level, you have achieved perfection in the art, and may attempt to create an item, granting it artifact status. It must be a permanent magical item of at least 5000 gp value, and may be a pre-existing item you are modifying and re-enforcing. As a major artifact, they cannot be dispelled or suppressed by any means short of epic spells and divine intervention1. It can be damaged but never destroyed, and only possesses two means of destruction; either sundering it at the location of its creation as an artifact, or by one specific mean such as "destroyed only by hellfire" or "swallowed by the tarrasque" or "at the dead of night on blessed silver". The method may be difficult, but never impossible such as being able to be destroyed by something that will no longer exist, like a person who can die of old age. You may continue to modify your artifact, but others cannot change its properties. Adding this artifact property takes 1 week of time, but no craft check. You may only have 1 artifact in existence at once, if you craft another the first loses its artifact status.

Epic Battlesmith
Armor Block: The battlesmith continues to increase his damage reduction by 1 at 21st and every 3 levels beyond.

Spiritual Bond: The battlesmith continues to gain an additional +1 bonus (or +5000 gp value) to his chosen weapon.

Armor Mastery: The battlesmith continues to gain another armor mastery ability at 23rd and every 3 levels beyond.

Bonus Feat: The battlesmith continues to gain bonus feats at 24th and every 4 levels beyond. He may also select from epic feats listed below in addition to the normal selection.

Warp Metal: The battlesmith gains another use of Warp Metal at 25th level and every 5 levels beyond.

Epic Battlesmith Bonus Feat List: <-list of bonus epic feats->.

Dwarven Battlesmith Starting Package
Weapons: Warhammer.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Feat: Skill Focus (Craft Metalworking).

Gear: Chain Shirt.

Gold: 13 gp.

Playing a Battlesmith
Religion: Battlesmiths often choose gods of creation, forging, and craft as their patrons. Their work is focused on protection, and while not overtly religious, battlesmiths do not mind having the graces of the gods on their side.

Other Classes: Few love the battlesmith more than martial classes, as they can both relate to them, and battlesmiths can provide valuable magical weapons and armor, even without the help of a caster. Expert crafters, intellectual classes may feel kinship. Casters are least interested in the matter of smithing, save crafting wizards, and generally rely on their magic for the same effect.

Combat: The battlesmith is a melee fighter, wading into combat with weapons and armor of his own design. He has much the same focus as a fighter, but while he gains less feats, he has masterwork and magical gear to make up the loss.

Advancement: Battlesmiths may be multiclassed with artificers for bonus feats and the valuable crafting pool, or they might focus more on the martial aspects, and employ various melee prestige classes to their goal.

Battlesmiths in the World
"No no lad, I said this is the One Ring to rule the MALL!"

Daily Life: When not being mistaken for fighters traveling on the road, battlesmiths do what they do best, blacksmithing. They craft away, building all sorts of items in record time and fantastic effort.

Notables: PENDING.

Organizations: Blacksmith guilds inevitably are full of battlesmiths as well as their non-combative kin. It is often well organized and run like any business is.

NPC Reactions: What about the smith? Yeah, he's good, and he has that fancy hammer. Think he'll be staying in town?

Battlesmith Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge Local can research battlesmiths to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Battlesmiths in the Game
Sample Encounter: A battlesmith in need of rare materials went down into the underdark to find them, but when he returned he was crazed, seemingly possessed, and is returning fully armed and dangerous. Stop him and try and find out what happened, finding who is responsible for his madness.

EL 10: PENDING