Pilot

His hands firmly grasping the controls of the steel behemoth, the clanging of swords and shouting of commands reverberated through his creation's steel hull as the pilot pulled a lever, breathing life into the construct. A robotic voice echoed through the machine's helm: "All systems operational. Welcome back, pilot."

Level 3 Features:

Strider Proficiency.

You gain proficiency with vehicles, specifically Striders. You also gain proficiency with 3 martial melee weapons of your choice and 1 martial ranged weapon of your choice.

Pilot Spells.

You always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Pilot Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don't count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

Arcane Armor.

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you become a pilot- the capable operator of a Strider; a hulking apparatus which combines protection and transport into one imposing feat of artifice. The Strider is a Large construct. See the Strider stat block for its game statistics- which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) and Intelligence ability modifier (INT) in several places- detailed in its own page.
See the Pilot's Guide to Striders for the mechanics regarding your Strider. You determine the Strider's appearance and personality; your choice of aesthetics no effect on its mechanics nor statistics. At the end of a long rest, you can create a new Strider if you have tinker's tools with you, If you already have a Strider from this feature, the first one immediately perishes. The Strider perishes 24 hours after you die.

Entering and Piloting your Strider.

Your Strider features a hatch which you can open to enter it. This grants you access to its helm, where your Strider's controls are located. To enter your Strider, it and you must meet the following criteria:
-Your Strider has at least 1 hit point.
-Your Strider does not have a pilot operating it already.
-You are no larger than Medium.
-You aren't polymorphed into a non-humanoid creature.
If these criteria are met, you may board your Strider, which follows the rules for mounting a creature

Piloting a Strider.

After boarding your Strider, you may use your Object Interaction to assume control of it. After doing so, the following occurs:
-You assume its game statistics but retain your alignment, personality and mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) as well as their respective skill and saving throw proficiencies. You also retain any senses you possess, such as darkvision.
-You retain the ability to cast spells, and can use your Strider as a spellcasting focus for your artificer spells.
-You assume the Strider's current hit points and Hit Dice.

Exiting and Maintaining your Strider.

Exiting your Strider is done manually or automatically through either its hatch or the ejection seat upon its destruction. Exiting the Strider is done as follows:
-You may exit the Strider as a bonus action, reappearing in an available space of your choosing within 5 ft. of it. Alternatively, when the Strider is reduced to 0 hit points, you are ejected, reappearing in an available space of your choosing within 15 ft. of it.
-When you are ejected, any excess damage beyond that which reduced the Strider to 0 hit points is carried over to you. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce you to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.
-When you exit your Strider, you return to the number of hit points you had before you entered the Strider.
-The Strider is considered unconscious after you exit it.

Maintenance.

If the Mending spell is cast on the Strider, it regains 2d6 hit points. If the Heat Metal spell is cast on it for the duration of the Mending spell, Heat Metal does no damage to the Strider and instead heals additional hit points equal to the damage otherwise dealt.

Repairing a Destroyed Strider.
A Strider is destroyed when it is reduced to 0 hit points, after which it must be repaired by using tinker's tools and a 1st-level spell slot or higher to return it to full health over the course of an hour, provided you are within 5 ft. of it.

Level 5 Feature:

Pilot Kit.

When you are not piloting your Strider and are wearing light armor, you gain the following benefits:
-Your walking speed increases by 10 ft.
-You gain a climbing speed equal to your movement speed.

Augmented Frame.

Also at 5th level, you obtain the experience to augment your Strider's base frame. The options available to you are detailed at the end of this feature. Additionally, as a bonus action, you may choose a space within 30 ft. of you. Your Strider vanishes from its current location at the end of your turn, and reappears in the nearest unoccupied space of your chosen location at the start of your next turn, along with anything it was carrying. You can use this feature twice per long rest.
"Cyclops" Frame.
The groundborne Cyclops improves on the base Strider model by granting it increased speed and improved suspension, gaining a 10 ft. bonus to its walking speed and the ability to ignore nonmagical difficult terrain.
"Roc" Frame.
The Roc is outfitted with thrusters which grant it a flying speed equal to its walking speed. Additionally, the Roc can hover.
"Scylla" Frame.
The Scylla comes equipped with the means for subaquatic travel. As a result, your Strider gains a swimming speed equal to its walking speed, and has sufficient air for creatures inside it to survive in oxygen- deprived environments for a number of days equal to your Proficiency Bonus.

Level 9 Feature:

Strider Materiel.

At 9th level, you may further customize your Strider to fill a particular niche. Having previously selected a frame, you may now select one augment to add onto your Strider, detailed at the end of this feature. You gain an additional augment at 13th, 17th and 20th level.
Additionally, as part of the augmentation process, your Strider may now wield weapons. Over the course of a long rest, you can alter a nonmagical weapon, transforming it into its appropriately-sized variant for your Strider. Through this process, it becomes a Strider Weapon.
Lastly, your Strider's weapon attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical weapons.

Strider Weapons.

Strider Weapons' larger size allows them to hit harder than their regularly-proportioned counterparts. A Strider Weapons deals an additional damage die's worth of damage. For example, a Strider-fitted Glaive would deal 2d10 (slashing damage), and a Strider-fitted Maul would deal 3d6 (bludgeoning damage).

Fleet Footwork.

Your Pilot Kit gains additional features. When you are not piloting your Strider and are wearing light armor, you gain the following benefits:
-Whenever you jump, you can use your bonus action to propel yourself a number of feet further, out to a maximum number of feet equal to 5 times your proficiency bonus. Additionally, if you land in difficult terrain, you have advantage on the Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to land on your feet.
-Enemies have disadvantage on attacks of opportunity made against you.
-You gain a bonus to all skill checks made to climb onto and remain on larger creatures equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Level 15 Feature:

Become One.

When you roll initiative and are within 15 ft. of your Strider, you can use both you and your Strider's reactions to immediately enter your Strider.
Additionally, your Pilot Kit allows you to be extraordinarily nimble. When you are not piloting your Strider and are wearing light armor, hen you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Signature Augment.

At 15th level, your Strider is outfitted with a signature augment, drastically overhauling its functionality and improving on its base design. You may choose one of four options available to you, detailed below.

Automation Module "Ghost in the Machine"
Your Strider gains autonomous control of its functions as a result of the installing of the Automation Module. Your Strider gains autonomous control of its functions as a result of the installation of the Automation Module, gaining sentience in the process. Your Strider's mental ability scores (Wisdom, Intelligence, & Charisma) gain a bonus equal to your proficiency modifier. Additionally, it gains the following benefits:
-Your Strider no longer goes unconscious when you cease piloting it.
-Your Strider can move and act on its own, although its primary objective will always be to protect you.
-You can command the Strider on your turn using a bonus action. If you do not issue a command, it will try to protect you to the best of its ability.
-The Flame Propellant & Reactive Plating augments can be used autonomously by your Strider twice per short rest.
-When you are piloting the Strider and miss with a weapon attack, your Strider slightly adjusts the attack, adding a 1d4 bonus to the attack roll, potentially turning the miss into a hit.

Nomad Helm "Bigger on the Inside"
Your Strider's helm is augmented to function as a mobile base for you and your party through the installation of the Nomad Helm- a dome-shaped extradimensional space with a radius of 30 feet, sporting the necessary features for you and up to six others to cook, eat, and sleep. You determine the aesthetic of its interior, such as its furniture, temperature, and humidity. Creatures residing inside the Nomad Helm cannot be detected from outside the Strider through nonmagical means. If your Strider is destroyed, any objects left inside the Nomad Helm will remain there until the Strider is repaired, or will be carried over to a new Strider should you choose to make one.
Aside from the included sleeping quarters, kitchen, and dining table, additional furniture can be added to the Nomad Helm, provided that you install them yourself. You determine the aesthetic of its interior, such as its furniture, temperature, and humidity. Creatures residing inside the Nomad Helm cannot be detected from outside the Strider through nonmagical means. If your Strider is destroyed, any objects left inside the Nomad Helm will remain there until the Strider is repaired, or will be carried over to a new Strider should you choose to make one.

Systemwide Arsenal Augmentation "Terminator"
Your Strider's offensive and defensive capabilities reach their pinnacle. Your Strider's offensive capabilities are drastically improved upon. As a result your Strider gains the following benefits:
-Your Strider can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on your turn.
-You gain access to two Weapon Protocol augments of your choosing. You can apply the effects these augments grant you on only one of your attacks when you take the Attack action.

Haptic Drivesuit "Jaeger"
As a result of full-body haptic sensors, your Strider is now just as nimble as you are. While piloting your Strider, you gain the following benefits:
-Your Strider's Dexterity score changes to match your own.
-You gain access to two augments of your choice from the following options: Improved Distributors, Noise Repressant, Precision Tooling, Precision Ranged Targeting, and Gyroscope Module.
-Your Strider uses your Spell Attack modifier for its melee weapon attacks.

Strider Augments

Abnegation Protocol
When an enemy creature within reach that you can see attacks an ally, you can use your reaction to force that enemy to make the attack against you instead.

Blast Shield Module "Punch & Judy"
When the Strider hits an enemy with a melee weapon attack, it gains temporary hit points equal to your INT modifier. The temporary hit points are doubled when this attack is made with the Strider's "Strike" attack.

CQB Drop Module "Shock and Awe"
When the Strider reappears in a chosen location as per the Augmented Frame feature, enemies within 15 ft. of it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 5d6 thunder damage. Enemies that fail the saving throw by 5 or more are knocked prone. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes half damage.

Critical State Protocol "Out with a Bang"
When your Strider is reduced to 0 hit points, you are ejected to an available space within 60 ft. of the Strider, rather than 15 ft. Afterwards, your Strider self- detonates. This detonation creates a 3rd-level Fireball, centered on your Strider.

Emergency Repair Module "Second Phase"
Your Strider can use an action to expend a number of Hit Dice up to your Intelligence modifier to restore hit points with.

Flame Propellant "Firebreather"
A flame-spitting apparatus is installed on your Strider's chassis. While piloting your Strider, you can cast Burning Hands, even when you do not have it prepared, without needing spellcasting components, for free.

Galvanized Plating
Your Strider's hull is coated with an oxidation-proofed layer, which grants your Strider immunity to acid- and poison damage.

Gyroscope Module "Tightrope"
Your Strider no longer suffers disadvantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.

Heat Sink "Stovetop"
Your Strider gains resistance to fire damage. Additionally, when your Strider takes fire damage, any creature that makes a melee weapon attack against the Strider before the end of your next turn takes fire damage equal to your INT modifier.

Improved Alloys
Your Strider's hull is replaced by a more hardy variant. As a result, you may add your INT modifier to the damage threshold of your Strider's Resilient feature.

Improved Distributors
Your Strider gains a 10 ft. bonus to its walking speed, and can use the Dash action as a bonus action.

Noise Repressant "Bugbear"
Your Strider no longer suffers disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Precision Tooling "Legerdemain"
Your Strider no longer suffers disadvantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks.

Precision Ranged Targeting "Marksman"
You may use your spell attack modifier for ranged attack rolls made by your Strider.

Reactive Plating "UN-0 Reverse"
The Strider is outfitted with special armor which stores elemental magic. While piloting your Strider, you can cast Absorb Elements, even when you do not have it prepared, without needing spellcasting components, for free.

Shock Harpoon "Manticore"
Your Strider is equipped with a ballista which can fire at and subsequently reel in targets. As an action, make a ranged spell attack against a target within 60 ft. of you. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 piercing damage plus lightning damage equal to your INT modifier. When you hit a target, you can pull them 15 ft. towards you as part of the same attack. If this pulls the target within 10 ft. of you, the lightning damage is doubled.

Sonar Module "Humpback"
Your Strider gains blindsense out to a range of 30 ft., and cannot be surprised.

Weapon Protocol: Cleave
When your Strider hits an enemy with a weapon that deals slashing damage, enemies within a cone take slashing damage equal to your Proficiency modifier. The cone uses the Strider's reach for its size, to a minimum of 10 ft.

Weapon Protocol: Earthshatter
When your Strider hits an enemy with a weapon that deals bludgeoning damage, enemies within 5 ft. of the target take bludgeoning damage equal to your Proficiency modifier.

Weapon Protocol: Skewer
When your Strider hits an enemy with a weapon that deals piercing damage, it can target an additional enemy within 5 ft. of the original target in a line originating from itself.