Merchant Artisan Specialization

Merchants are part game show host, part negotiator.

Trademaster

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with a gaming set, tinker’s tool, and navigator’s tools. If you already have one of these proficiencies, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice. You are also proficient with the Deception, Insight, Persuasion, and Performance skills.

If you have an engine available, you can combine it with your tinker’s tools as an action to create power tools. These power tools allow you to build creations at a much faster speed than would normally be possible by a single individual.

Let’s Make a Deal

Starting at 3rd level, you are a master at saying the right thing at the right time. When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Deception) check, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Size Up Player

At 3rd level, you develop a sense if someone is telling the truth. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine whether a creature is lying, treat a roll of 7 or lower on the d20 as an 8.

House Odds

At 5th level, you can turn the odds in your favor. When another creature you can see makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can use your reaction and spend 20 Repair Points to roll 1d4 and apply the number rolled as a bonus or penalty (your choice) to the creature’s roll. You can do so after the creature rolls but before any effects of the roll occur.

Vril Host

At 9th level, you can create a vril servant known as a host. You add the Host Automaton blueprint to your portfolio for free and it counts as one active innovation. You create the host automaton with a vril engine and tinker’s power tools as an action. It is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See this creature’s game statistics in the host automaton monster entry. In combat, the host automaton shares your initiative count, but takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take the action in its stat block or the Dash, Disengage, Help, Hide or Search action. If it has died within the last hour, you can use your tinker’s power tools as an action to revive it, provided you are within 5 feet of it. The host automaton returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored. At the end of a long rest, you can create a new host automaton if you have your tinker’s power tools with you. If you already have a host automaton from this feature, the first one immediately perishes.

Letter of Passage

At 15th level, you create a binding document using an action and calligrapher’s supplies. Any creature that belongs to a Progress Level 2 society and that can read the language on the document is obligated to respect what is outlined therein. The letter counts as one of your innovations; if you do not switch to another innovation, it lasts a full year. The letter provides the full support of your guild’s resource such that you are exempt from trade rules, violations, and taxation, as well as provided safe passage to and from a destination traveling through the local city or state. You also do not have to pay for any conversion rates between currencies. In cases where an individual may wish to violate the rules written on the document, they can make a Charisma saving throw. Failure means the individual (begrudgingly) must adhere to these rules, but can make a new saving throw each day.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

5E RPG: Steampunk Adventures. Copyright 2022, Mal and Tal Enterprises, LLC; Author Michael Tresca.

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