Dungeons & Dragons 5e Subclass Features (5e): Aetherneer
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Aetherneer
base class
Artificer
subclass lore
While all Artificers are inventors and creators of magical engineering, the Aetherneer channels all of their wide knowledge into the effort of creating an unstoppable machine which they ride into combat, raining death on their opponents with both magic and might. WARNING: All Hierarch subclasses are inherently powerful archetypes that are intended to rival the most powerful and often-picked subclasses in D&D 5th Edition. Becoming a Hierarch requires a player (and their party) to achieve a set of goals and interact with the world of Gaia in a manner intending for its protection and hence should not be immediately accessible at the start of a campaign. It is intended as a reward for the effort of your players and their characters and provides a character that ascends in these subclasses with new gameplay options, but most importantly, roleplaying opportunities not otherwise available, reflected in unique interactions with the game world that would make little sense for other options in the system's standard array of choices.
As such, it is (as usual) solely within the DM's discretion to decide to what extent these subclasses are utilized. A good choice for DMs that might not want to introduce these classes right away could be to build powerful NPCs that use them that are relevant to the story and could perhaps play a major role in the group's fate, as an ally, rival or enemy. The features and abilities included with these subclasses are designed to allow the players to interact with the world in unique ways even if not directly utilized by the players themselves.
While all Artificers are inventors and creators of magical engineering, the Aetherneer channels all of their wide knowledge into the effort of creating an unstoppable machine which they ride into combat, raining death on their opponents with both magic and might. WARNING: All Hierarch subclasses are inherently powerful archetypes that are intended to rival the most powerful and often-picked subclasses in D&D 5th Edition. Becoming a Hierarch requires a player (and their party) to achieve a set of goals and interact with the world of Gaia in a manner intending for its protection and hence should not be immediately accessible at the start of a campaign. It is intended as a reward for the effort of your players and their characters and provides a character that ascends in these subclasses with new gameplay options, but most importantly, roleplaying opportunities not otherwise available, reflected in unique interactions with the game world that would make little sense for other options in the system's standard array of choices.
As such, it is (as usual) solely within the DM's discretion to decide to what extent these subclasses are utilized. A good choice for DMs that might not want to introduce these classes right away could be to build powerful NPCs that use them that are relevant to the story and could perhaps play a major role in the group's fate, as an ally, rival or enemy. The features and abilities included with these subclasses are designed to allow the players to interact with the world in unique ways even if not directly utilized by the players themselves.
subclass features
The mech can be fitted with any type of heavy armour over the course of an hour. Booting and assembling for battle the mech takes an amount of time equal to that of donning heavy armour.
Once the mech is booted, you may instantly enter the mech. You may not enter the mech while wearing armour or a shield, as the mech is not designed to handle the bulk of gear on the pilot. If you are wielding a weapon, you may stow it away in a special slot designed for such on the mech itself as an interaction before entering.
Leaving the mech at any point powers off the mech, requiring another boot sequence to ride again.
In order to cast spells from within the mech, you must fit all of your arcane gadgets that are the Artificer's means of spellcasting onto the mech. Fitting your gadgets to the mech takes a total of one minute per spell-slot level, as more complicated spells require a more advanced setup to function properly.
By default, this means the Artificer is unable to cast their non-cantrip spells while outside the mech unless they remove the gadget associated with said spell from the mech, which takes up an action in combat.
You may fit any type of gear you would normally wear onto the mech, such as magic items, by adapting them to fit into the mech's design.
While riding the mech, you gain the following benefits:
By performing a set of convoluted aether-engineering techniques, you stow your Crystalmech in the astral realm, fully booted and battle-ready. This process takes a minute to perform.
Once per long rest as an action, you open a portal to the astral realm above you from which your mech drops into combat in an unoccupied space adjacent to you. The mech is ready for entry immediately, negating the wait associated with its boot-up time.
Hierarchs are adept at excising corruption from the bodies and souls of other living creatures.
You are able to perform a gruelling ritual on creatures that carry traces of corruption affecting their bodies or souls.
The length and difficulty of the ritual is determined by your DM and can only be started out of combat, and requires the target to be restrained.
The ritual may last as little as a minute and require no ability checks, as it would be for a peasant with a low level of corruption.
A high-level wizard or cleric whose corruption has been deeply embedded into their soul, however, might require an hour or several days to exorcise, as well as multiple ability checks and even certain materials in special cases.
Most venerable Dungeon Master, please refer to the 'Spirit, divine purity examples' listed below for clues in the assembly of these rituals.
Once per long rest, you may exit your mech while leaving it in auto-pilot mode for up to a minute.
The mech retains all its equipped gear and enhancements, is immune to mind-affecting effects and has hit points equal to your maximum hit points.
The mech takes its action after yours during combat and can cast any spells still bound to it.
After the minute has expired, the mech deactivates but is still available for immediate entry without requiring a new boot-up process for up to another minute afterwards.
Engineering Prowess
When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, gain proficiency with smith's tools. If you already have this tool proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan's tools of your choice.Aetherneer Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Aetherneer Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don't count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.| Artificer Level | Aetherneer Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Magic Missile, Divine Favor |
| 5th | Dragon Breath, Flame Blade |
| 9th | Melf's Minute Meteors, Pulse Wave |
| 13th | Banishment, Electrified Hull (Fire Shield) |
| 17th | Flame Strike, Destructive Wave |
Crystalmech Pilot
Starting at 3rd level, you've finished the groundwork on your greatest invention: a mechanized, aether-powered exoskeleton that serves as your protection and main means of combat.The mech can be fitted with any type of heavy armour over the course of an hour. Booting and assembling for battle the mech takes an amount of time equal to that of donning heavy armour.
Once the mech is booted, you may instantly enter the mech. You may not enter the mech while wearing armour or a shield, as the mech is not designed to handle the bulk of gear on the pilot. If you are wielding a weapon, you may stow it away in a special slot designed for such on the mech itself as an interaction before entering.
Leaving the mech at any point powers off the mech, requiring another boot sequence to ride again.
In order to cast spells from within the mech, you must fit all of your arcane gadgets that are the Artificer's means of spellcasting onto the mech. Fitting your gadgets to the mech takes a total of one minute per spell-slot level, as more complicated spells require a more advanced setup to function properly.
By default, this means the Artificer is unable to cast their non-cantrip spells while outside the mech unless they remove the gadget associated with said spell from the mech, which takes up an action in combat.
You may fit any type of gear you would normally wear onto the mech, such as magic items, by adapting them to fit into the mech's design.
While riding the mech, you gain the following benefits:
- You are proficient with martial weapons that possess the 'heavy' or 'two-handed' properties.
- When attacking with any weapon that possesses the 'heavy' or 'two-handed' property, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity modifier, for the attack and damage rolls.
Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, rather than once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.Astral Recall
Starting at 9th level, you may call your mech forth from an astral rift, ready for battle.By performing a set of convoluted aether-engineering techniques, you stow your Crystalmech in the astral realm, fully booted and battle-ready. This process takes a minute to perform.
Once per long rest as an action, you open a portal to the astral realm above you from which your mech drops into combat in an unoccupied space adjacent to you. The mech is ready for entry immediately, negating the wait associated with its boot-up time.
Spirit, divine purity
12th-level Hierarch feature (shared among all Hierarch Subclasses)Hierarchs are adept at excising corruption from the bodies and souls of other living creatures.
You are able to perform a gruelling ritual on creatures that carry traces of corruption affecting their bodies or souls.
The length and difficulty of the ritual is determined by your DM and can only be started out of combat, and requires the target to be restrained.
The ritual may last as little as a minute and require no ability checks, as it would be for a peasant with a low level of corruption.
A high-level wizard or cleric whose corruption has been deeply embedded into their soul, however, might require an hour or several days to exorcise, as well as multiple ability checks and even certain materials in special cases.
Most venerable Dungeon Master, please refer to the 'Spirit, divine purity examples' listed below for clues in the assembly of these rituals.
Auto-Pilot
At 15th level, you've developed the means to give your mech limited independence during combat.Once per long rest, you may exit your mech while leaving it in auto-pilot mode for up to a minute.
The mech retains all its equipped gear and enhancements, is immune to mind-affecting effects and has hit points equal to your maximum hit points.
The mech takes its action after yours during combat and can cast any spells still bound to it.
After the minute has expired, the mech deactivates but is still available for immediate entry without requiring a new boot-up process for up to another minute afterwards.
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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.045 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 07:58, May 21 2025