Artificer Specialist

Biologist (v1.2)

Unable to accept the natural imperfections of flesh, the biologist casts aside both conscience and principles to bring about a higher form of life—regardless of the cost or legality of their ambitions.

Tool Proficiency

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with alchemist's supplies. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.

Biologist Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Biologist Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

Biologist Spells

Artificer Level	Spell
3rd	bane, bless
5th	barkskin, ray of enfeeblement
9th	bestow curse, remove curse
13th	elemental bane, stoneskin
17th	dispel evil and good, skill empowerment

Biological Formulae

Beginning at 3rd level, you learn two biological formulae of your choice—the products of numerous hours spent experimenting in your downtime. These formulae mutate the body in brief but significant ways, helping or hindering certain actions and biological functions depending on their chemical composition. A formula's composition is volatile and must be injected into the bloodstream to take effect (see below). Your formula options are detailed at the end of this specialist description. You gain an additional formula at 5th level, 9th level, and 15th level.

Additionally, when you gain a new biological formula, you can choose one of the formulae you already know and replace it with a new formula.

Field Testing

At 3rd level, you begin to utilise a number of biological formulae of your own design in the field. As an action, you can make a ranged or finesse melee attack against yourself or a creature within range with a syringe containing one formula of your choice, which you declare when you make the attack. You are proficient with these attacks. A ranged syringe attack requires a means of propelling the syringe, such as a crossbow or specialised firearm. You do not need to make an attack roll against a willing or unconscious creature within melee range, and any creature immune to non-magical piercing damage is unaffected as the syringe fails to penetrate their form. Syringe attack rolls you make against yourself cannot miss.

On a successful hit, the creature receives the effects of either the formula’s enhancement or defect (your choice) for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier unless otherwise specified. A creature can only be affected by up to one enhancement and one defect from a single biologist at any time, though it can be under the effect of multiple enhancements or defects originating from multiple biologists. Effects from identical enhancements or defects do not stack. A syringe deals no damage on a hit, and cannot benefit from any feature that grants additional damage to an attack (such as the extra damage from the Sharpshooter feat).

You hold a number of syringes up to 1 + your Intelligence modifier, which you replenish on a long rest. Once a syringe’s contents have been injected into a creature, it is considered empty and unusable. A missed melee attack with a syringe does not waste its contents, but a missed ranged attack scatters its contents across the floor and renders it unusable. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one spell slot and regain a number of syringes equal to the slot’s level.

Test Subjects

Also at 3rd level, you have established a close circle of associates who are willing—perhaps hesitantly—to submit to your experiments. Upon finishing a short or long rest, you can select a number of present and willing creatures equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier to designate as your test subjects. When you deliver a syringe at range to one of your test subjects, the attack is treated as an automatic hit unless the test subject creature decides otherwise.

Scientific Efficiency

Starting at 5th level, you learn to apply your experiments more efficiently in the heat of battle. You can attack twice with a weapon, rather than once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. You can replace one of these attacks with a syringe attack against a creature within range. Alternatively, you can take a moment longer to aim, ensuring that your formula finds its mark. If you use an action to make a syringe attack against a creature and make no other attack that turn, you gain advantage on your attack roll.

Evolution

Starting at 9th level, your formulae become more potent. Creatures can be affected by one additional enhancement and one additional defect at any time, to a maximum of two each per creature. Additionally, all formulae receive improvements, as described in their entries.

You also reinforce your syringes, making them sharper and more durable. Your syringes now affect creatures immune to non-magical piercing damage, and are not destroyed upon missing a ranged attack, allowing you to recover and reuse them (with their location determined by the DM).

Controlled Experiment

At 15th level, you learn to craft the perfect conditions for your experiments. As an action, you can expend any number of remaining syringes to immediately make syringe attacks against any creature(s) of your choice within range up to your expended uses. You may expend multiple uses against a single creature, for example to apply two enhancements or two defects at once, but this does not allow you to exceed the maximum number of active enhancements or defects on that creature. Each expended use requires its own attack roll, unless a creature has been designated as a test subject.

Formulae

These formulae are presented in alphabetical order.

Adaptability

Enhancement. The creature gains resistance to one of the following damage types of your choice: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder. If the creature already has resistance to the chosen damage type, this formula has no effect. At 9th level, if the creature already has resistance to the chosen damage type, it instead gains immunity to that damage type.

Defect. The creature loses resistance to one of the following damage types of your choice: acid, cold, fire,

Awareness

Enhancement. The creature gains advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to detect hidden or invisible creatures. Starting at 9th level, it adds your Intelligence modifier to these rolls.

Defect. The creature suffers disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to detect hidden or invisible creatures. Starting at 9th level, it subtracts your Intelligence modifier from these rolls.

Competency

Enhancement. The creature can choose to gain advantage on any attack roll it makes for the formula's duration. Once it has gained advantage in this way, the formula fades. At 9th level, the creature can gain advantage on one additional attack roll of its choice before the formula fades.

Defect. The creature suffers disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes, provided it doesn't already have disadvantage on that attack roll. Once it has suffered disadvantage in this way, the formula fades. At 9th level, the creature suffers disadvantage on one additional attack roll before the formula fades.

Conditioning

Enhancement. The creature can choose to gain advantage on any saving throw it makes for the formula's duration. Once it has gained advantage in this way, the formula fades. At 9th level, the creature can gain advantage on one additional saving throw of its choice before the formula fades.

Defect. The creature suffers disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes, provided it doesn't already have disadvantage on that saving throw. Once it has suffered disadvantage in this way, the formula fades. At 9th level, the creature suffers disadvantage on one additional saving throw before the formula fades.

Elusiveness

Enhancement. The creature gains advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Starting at 9th level, it adds your Intelligence modifier to these rolls.

Defect. The creature suffers disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Starting at 9th level, it subtracts your Intelligence modifier from these rolls.

Fortitude

Enhancement. The creature gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases to +2 at 9th level.

Defect. The creature suffers a -1 penalty to Armor Class. This penalty increases to -2 at 9th level.

Growth

Enhancement. The creature gains an extra appendage, which takes a fleshy form resembling one one-handed simple weapon of your choice, sharing its damage die, type, and properties (excluding thrown and versatile). As a bonus action on its turn, the creature can make an attack with the appendage, treating it as an ordinary weapon of that type. Starting at 9th level, the appendage's damage die increases by one size and becomes magical.

Defect. The creature gains an uncooperative extra appendage. Whenever the creature makes an attack for the first time on its turn, it must make a Dexterity saving throw immediately afterwards, falling prone on a failure. Starting at 9th level, it has disadvantage on this saving throw.

Mobility

Enhancement. The creature’s movement speed increases by 10 feet. This bonus increases to 15 feet at 9th level.

Defect. The creature’s movement speed decreases by 10 feet. This penalty increases to 15 feet at 9th level.

Readiness

Enhancement. The creature adds your Intelligence modifier to its initiative rolls. This bonus increases to twice your Intelligence modifier at 9th level.

Defect. The creature subtracts your Intelligence modifier from its initiative rolls. This penalty increases to twice your Intelligence modifier at 9th level.

Regeneration

Enhancement. The creature gains temporary hit points equal to your artificer level at the start of each of its turns. Starting at 9th level, it adds your Intelligence modifier to this amount.

Defect. The creature suffers necrotic damage equal to half your artificer level, rounded down, at the start of each of its turns. At the end of each of its turns, it can make a Constitution saving throw, ending the formula on a success. Starting at 9th level, it has disadvantage on this saving throw.

Violence

Enhancement. When the creature reduces another creature to 0 hit points with an attack on its turn, the creature can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a melee attack. At 9th level, the creature can move up to its full speed.

Defect. When the creature reduces another creature to 0 hit points with an attack on its turn, the creature's target can roll a d6. On a 4-6, the target withstands the attack, leaving it with 1 hit point. Once a creature has withstood an attack in this way, the formula fades. At 9th level, the target withstands the attack on a roll of 2-6.

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