Munitions Master (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)
While for the most part Second Edition has made the effort to make nearly all of their archetypes mostly universal to all playable classes except for when it simply won’t work, it is still nice to occasionally see “class archetypes”, which are meant for one, singular class, doing what the archetypes of yesteryear did by expanding on what it could mean to be a member of the class with specialization or divergence from the expectation. It’s how we got mounted knights that ride ghost horses and Herbert West-cosplaying alchemists and a myriad of other very awesome concepts.
That being said, I think today’s entry would have been better served as an expansion of the inventor class rather than an archetype for it.
Seriously, this archetype gives you: A. A new form of innovation and B. A selection of feats that complement it, in the same way that the baseline inventor has their own feats that complement specific innovations.
Nothing fundamental about the class is changed by this, so it really didn’t have to be a whole archetype preventing you from taking other archetypes early on and locking your second level class feat… But that’s how it currently is, so let’s see what we’ve got on tap.
Many inventors work on creating the next big leap in weapon technology, shaping their creation into something loaded with all sorts of gadgets to create a one of a kind weapon that may or may not ever get a mass-produced version, but certainly will prove unique.
Most of those, however, are personal portable weapons, meant to be wielded in the hand, but weapons technology does not end at the palm and fingers. There are those that instead seek to create the next great siege weapon, either a small portable one, or perhaps a scaled-down prototype for what will eventually be a massive heavy weapon.
Enter then, the munitions master, an inventor that forgoes any of the three normal innovation choices to instead work with a portable mortar or bombard. While small enough to be carried, this weapon packs a punch whether it fires rockets or explosive-propelled projectiles, or maybe just launches things with a powerful spring or experimental magnetic system.
With that in mind, let’s see what the mortal and it’s wielder have to offer.
First things first, let’s talk about the mortar itself, since this is a full-on innovation. It can be deployed and packed up with relative ease, and deals a decent amount of damage which increases as the inventor levels and refines the design, using the siege engine rules.
Additionally, the mortal interacts with the likes of overdrive, explode, and offensive boost as you might expect.
However, the mortar also has it’s own customizable innovations. For example, starting off the inventor might endeavor to make the explosives nonlethal or especially shrapnel loaded, or make the device even easier to deploy. As their breakthrough, they might load the explosives with cold iron and silver filings, or shape the shells to either rupture the ground or to reshape the blast to be directional. Finally, their revolutionary innovation might be loading shells with more exotic metals, bolster the damage even further, or even have such precise control of the blast as to be able to avoid harming allies within the radius.
Moving on to the archetype itself, the base dedication allows the inventor to load, aim, and fire the cannon much faster than normal, potentially freeing up time to do other actions.
Some munition masters develop a powerful low-explosive shell that either concentrates the power of the explosion into a single space or simply hits a single target with a solid, non-explosive slug, dealing extra damage at the cost of area coverage.
With their homebrewed munitions, it’s fairly easy for these inventors to ad hoc a quick smoke charge to conceal themselves or others.
A gun out of position is less than worthless, and so through clever design choices and their own practice, these gunners can move their weapon much faster than others.
Some train to work their mortar even faster, letting them load, aim, and launch with unprecedented speed. Doing so does put a strain on the weapon though.
Some of the more bizarre designs for these siege weapons can vent and redirect the propulsion of their shots, allowing them to use the firing of a shot to propel them in another direction.
With specially designed ammo, some inventors can turn their mortar into a wall-breaker, becoming especially effective against structures.
The most powerful and skilled are seemingly able to load and fire their mortar with uncanny speed.
This archetype is a fun option for characters that want to play around with siege weapons in adventures, either as part of an army or because they’re the kind of hero that absolutely would lug around a big unwieldy cannon. That being said, I really wish that there were not three different feats that basically do the same thing (reducing the actions needed to shoot the mortar) with slightly different stipulations. Additionally, one specific ability mentions that it cannot allow you to fire the mortar more than once a turn, but the other similar abilities do not mention that. Does that mean that they can? Clarification is needed there. Regardless, if you really like the idea of playing an inventor as a back line blaster, this archetype may be for you.
There are a lot of ways you can play these sort of inventors, everything from a member of a military research division to a more independent madcap inventor. They might be steely and focused, or ever-eager for the next big explosion, even if it comes from their own device!
The party is hired to clear an abandoned complex of goblins by the local mayor. However, after braving the goblin chief’s mighty bombard, the truth is revealed: The goblins haven’t done anything wrong, and the mayor wants them cleared purely to profit from plundering the ruins.
Using a complex system of cords to guide and aim the cannon with his hands, Braeg Thunderhoof is certainly a strange sight, being a centaur inventor who pulls his bizarre mortar behind him on a chariot. What isn’t silly is the power that the weapon packs, and his talent at aiming it.
The workshop of famed inventor Kleddvic von Vertraag is potentially a treasure trove, but much of the mechanical wonders have been consumed by vaultbreaker oozes. However, it is possible that his old notebooks remain intact, making them the real treasure to be found within. Just be careful where you step, as the traps were dangerous enough when they were in working order.
