Sapper

There are plenty of dvergr with a penchant for destruction, but no affinity whatsoever for d eep badgers or similar animals, and these studious soldiers take a different approach to underworld warfare, caving in tunnels and burying foes by the dozens on their way paved with explosive ambersticks.

Amberstick Sapper

As soon as you take this archetype at 3rd level, you get professional training for handling ambersticks. You add your proficiency bonus and Dexterity or Strength modifier (your choice) to the save DC of ambersticks you throw.

You also can craft a steady supply of ambersticks. Upon finishing a long rest, you create a number of ambersticks equal to your proficiency bonus. However, ambersticks you create this way are unstable and don’t work for anyone but you and are short-lived. They cannot be sold and become immediately inert after completing a long rest or 24 hours after creation, whichever happens first.

The Eternal Amberstick

Also at 3rd level, you gain a special amberstick that, oddly, is not destroyed upon exploding—instead, it just emits a devastating explosion. After exploding, it simmers and glows with an unearthly light, not unlike amber embers, slowly recharging its violent energies. By completing a short rest and meditating, you may recharge your eternal amberstick. If you lose your eternal amberstick, you may replace it by buying 450 gp worth of material and spending a day’s worth of downtime crafting a replacement.

Ambercaps

Starting at 7th level, you learn to prepare a special type of amber explosive after completing a long rest, so-called ambercaps. You may create one or more ambercaps that deal varying amounts of damage in a 20- ft.-radius; in total, the daily accumulated ambercaps from this ability can deal a number of 1d4s of both fire damage and bludgeoning damage equal to twice your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. You may freely distribute the damage caused and portion the ambercaps as you see fit. The minimum damage of an ambercap is 1d4 fire and 1d4 bludgeoning damage.

For example, an 8th level sapper with an Intelligence score of 14 can prepare one ambercap that deals 8d4 fire and 8d4 bludgeoning damage, two that deal 4d4 fire and 4d4 bludgeoning damage, etc. Ambercaps are more volatile than ambersticks and become immediately inert after completing a long rest or 24 hours after creation, whichever happens first. You treat ambercaps as ambersticks for all other intents and purposes, including saving throw DCs, range, etc. You may prepare ambercaps and place them strategically without immediately blowing them up. You may trigger ambercaps you have set as a bonus action or as a reaction for as long as you can see them.

Cave-in Master

Also at 7th level, you may spend a minute to properly prepare a tunnel or ceiling with ambercaps for collapse.

If the minimum damage caused exceeds the substance’s damage threshold, a cave-in happens. A GM has the ultimate say regarding the extent of the cave-in, but usually, at least a 20-foot radius of terrain is affected.

Improved Ambersticks

Also at 7th level, you increase the damage you cause when throwing your eternal amberstick and regular ambersticks, but not ambercaps, by +1d6 fire and +1d6 bludgeoning damage.

Amberstick Phase

Starting at 10th level, when using an Attack action to throw your eternal amberstick, it immediately rematerializes in your hand after exploding. You must have a free hand for the eternal amberstick to rematerialize in it. If your hands are full, instead rematerializes at your feet. Additionally, your eternal amberstick may explode a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus before needing to recharge.

Sapper Specialist

Beginning at 15th level, any explosions caused by ambercaps ignore any damage threshold and resistance to bludgeoning and fire damage. Additionally, you further increase the damage you cause when throwing your eternal amberstick and regular ambersticks, but not ambercaps, by +1d6 fire and +1d6 bludgeoning damage.

Shake the Earth

At 18th level, you learn to create a truly devastating shock with your explosives. By either using 8 amber sticks or the equivalent of 10 1d4-portions worth of ambercaps in one devastating throw at a strategicallyplaced locale, you can generate a seismic tremor at a point within range of your explosives. The tremor lasts 1 minute and the ground in a 100-foot circle entered on the point shakes and affects creatures and structures in contact with the ground in that area. The ground in the area becomes difficultterrain.Eachcreatureonthe ground that is concentrating must make a Constitution saving throw against your amberstick save DC. On a failed save, the creature’s concentration is broken. Additionally, each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is knocked prone.

This feature can have additional effects depending on the terrain in the area, as determined by the GM.

Fissures. Fissures open throughout the affected area at the start of your next turn after you activate the detonation. A total of 2d6 such fissures open in locations chosen by the GM. Each is 1d10 x 10 feet deep, 10 feet wide, and extends from one edge of the affected area to the opposite side. A creature standing on a spot where a fissure opens must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your amberstick save DC or fall in. A creature that successfully saves moves with the fissure’s edge as it opens. A fissure that opens beneath a structure causes it to automatically collapse (see below).

Structures. The tremor deals 50 bludgeoning damage to any structure in contact with the ground in the area when you activate the detonation and at the start of each of your turns until the duration ends.

If a structure drops to 0 hit points, it collapses and potentially damages nearby creatures. A creature within half the distance of a structure’s height must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 5d6 bludgeoning damage, is knocked prone, and is buried in the rubble, requiring a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check as an action to escape. The GM can adjust the DC higher or lower, depending on the nature of the rubble. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and doesn’t fall prone or become buried.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Underworld Races and Classes © 2017 AAW Games LLC; Designers: Thilo Graf and Mike Myler