Cuirassier

While House Cannith are content to leave their defences to their automatons, the artificers of House Rhodas take a more hands-on approach. Using a technique similar to that of creating Warforged, Cuirassiers instead construct enchanted suits of armor customized according to their preferred fighting style.

These suits, known as Cuirass, can range from swift melee combatants to walking artillery pieces and everything in between. A personal statement as much as a weapon of war, Cuirass are often decorated with their creator’s House crest, a personal sigil, or simply designs that catch their fancy. Cuirassiers treat their Cuirass like a second skin, tending lovingly to their lightest scratches and spending fortunes on minor upgrades, anything to give them an edge in battle, or simply to outshine their rivals.

While powerful tools, Cuirass are susceptible to dispel magic and similar effects, shutting down until the artificer succeeds on an Arcana check against the spellcaster’s spell save DC. Attempting to restart a Cuirass is an action. While the suit is shut down, your speed is halved, you cannot use your mounted weaponry or other Cuirass upgrades, and you have disadvantage on Dexterity and Strength saving throws.

Tool Proficiency

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

Cuirassier Spells

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

Cuirassier Spells

Artificer level Spells 3rd Shield, Searing Smite 5th Scorching Ray, Darkvision 9th Protection from Energy, Conjure Barrage 13th Fire Shield, Arcane Eye 17th Flame Strike, Banishing Strike

Artisans of War

When you reach 3rd level, your combat training and experiments in magic have paid off in two ways:

You gain proficiency with Martial Weapons.

When attacking with your Cuirass’s mounted weaponry, you may apply your Intelligence modifier to your attack and damage rolls, instead of Strength or Dexterity.

Mark I Cuirass

At 3rd level, a fledgling Cuirassier chooses either a light or heavy chassis for their Cuirass, as well as a basic weapon system. A Cuirassier can wield other weapons, however their mounted weaponry is always equipped and can be used as a spellcasting focus. You are automatically proficient with its mounted weaponry and armor chassis and infusions can be applied to them. You cannot wear armor atop your Cuirass.

Armor Chassis

Light Your AC equals 12 + your Dexterity modifier. Add 5ft to your speed. You may use Intelligence instead of Dexterity for Acrobatics checks Heavy Your AC equals 14 + your Dexterity modifier. You may use Intelligence instead of Strength for Athletics checks. You have Disadvantage on Stealth checks.

Mounted Weaponry

Arm Blades 1d6 slashing damage. Light. 1d6 slashing damage. Light. Heavy Gauntlets 1d6 bludgeoning damage. Light. 1d6 bludgeoning damage. Light. Mounted Cannon 1d10 force damage. 60/120ft range. Loading. 1d10 force damage. 60/120ft range. Loading.

Mark II Cuirass

At 5th level, you learn new ways to channel arcane energy through your Cuirass’s mounted weaponry. You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Your mounted weaponry is now considered magical for the purposes of bypassing resistances and immunities.

Arcane Overcharge

At 9th level, when you hit a target with your mounted weaponry, you can channel magical energy through the strike to create one of the following effects:

The target takes an extra 2d6 force damage.

You gain 2d6 temporary HP.

You can channel this magical energy a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once), but you can do so no more than once on a turn. You regain all expended uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.

Mark III Cuirass

At 15th level, you and your Cuirass have become one. You know its inner workings inside and out, and are able to install a highly powerful, experimental modification that can be used once per long rest. You also gain advantage on Arcana checks to restart the Cuirass.