Ultimate Engineering

Ultimate Engineering
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Inventioneering: Custom Gizmos

The Tinker sphere, and its development, has strived to provide the widest palette of options that should be commonly available, commonly asked for, or fill out a common “inventor’s toolkit”. In short, the Tinker sphere could only cover so many things and both GMs and players should be encouraged to create new effects as they see fit, and as they considered balanced, for their own games.

Inventioneering is a term for “Doing It Yourself”, or, in other words, creating gizmos and Tinker sphere effects to fulfill effects, fantasies, and functions not represented by the Tinker sphere. For any effect created by inventioneering, GMs should work with their players to readjust created effects after the fact if the resulting ability would be inappropriate, and adjust as needed to better suit the game (i.e. too weak, too strong, too convenient, too many times per day, too restrictive, etc.).

This section includes the general design philosophy of the Tinker sphere and how to go about creating new gizmos, abilities, and effects (collectively, “Tinker sphere ability” for the purposes of this section).

Note: This ruleset is a loose, open ended guideline to facilitate new ideas. The GM is the final arbiter for any inventioneered effect, and GMs and players should work together to adjust options created this way.

Inventioneering Basics

Inventioneering is a way for a character to invent Tinker sphere abilities. The time spent creating a Tinker sphere ability involves prototyping, testing, and iterating the design of the new gizmo (or ability), as the nature of the Tinker sphere is a character’s ability to quickly create functional technology.

An important note for the inventioneering process is that there is, realistically, no “upper limit” to the number of Tinker sphere abilities a character could create. A Tinker sphere character is usually more limited by their gizmo limit or the time needed to craft and create projects.

The Tinker sphere project could not feasibly cover each and every possible option, so this ruleset is meant to facilitate “filling in gaps” of certain concepts and effects. Inventioneering accomplishes this by creating new effects, or by creating new effects for an existing “class” of gizmo (i.e. new lifters for Aviation Set or new personal fields for Personal Field Projector, AI classifications, prosthetic secondary functions, and so on).

Inventioneered Gizmos and Projects: Inventioneered effects are an extension of the crafter’s ability to use the Tinker sphere. A character without the Tinker sphere generally cannot craft inventioneered effects.

An inventioneered gizmo, when crafted, counts against the character’s gizmo limit, as normal, and otherwise behaves as a normal gizmo that character could craft.

An inventioneered project (i.e. a permanent piece of infrastructure, lesser tool, robot or vehicle, etc.) should have its project cost determined accordingly. If the Tinker sphere ability has Hit Dice, compare the project cost to a mechanoid. Otherwise, consider how long it should take a character to collect the project materials and create a new permanent object of that kind.

Inventioneered Effects Known: A character can know any number of “inventioneered” effects; some GMs may instead limit this to the character’s practitioner modifier + 1/2 their ranks in their Tinker sphere associated skill.

Creating New Effects

When Inventioneering, the GM and the character should discuss what the goal of the new Tinker sphere ability is and attempt to create something that is balanced or otherwise comparable with existing effects (both class features, spells, other combat spheres, etc.). Consider what its gizmo effects should be, whether it requires a battery (or could be improved with a battery), and what package it should belong to (if any). Inventioneered effects can either take the form of a gizmo or an ability which modifies gizmos, such as the many abilities in the Tinker sphere which make the crafter’s gizmos do more (rather than offering an entirely new gizmo), or other shapes and forms at the GM’s discretion (new mechanoid base chassis, AI classifications, etc.).

Inventioneered effects should generally be somewhat conservative in their approach, as they are functionally a way for a character to infinitely add to their toolbox without spending talents or class resources. If emulating a powerful effect, consider making the resulting output more conservative, such as a lesser duration, higher battery upkeep cost, or similar.

Complexity and Crafting: If the character possesses relevant or closely related talents to the desired Tinker sphere ability, determine the total “complexity” of the desired Tinker sphere ability as 1 + the number of relevant or closely related Tinker sphere talents (or other talents and abilities) required for the ability. Advanced talents are treated as +2 complexity (rather than +1). An inventioneered effect with a uniquely powerful or setting-altering effect (similar to an advanced talent) is treated as an additional +1 complexity. Complexity may be further adjusted upwards based on how complicated or powerful or resource-intensive the resulting effect is (or should be) or if it relies on unusual knowledge or concepts for the setting’s technology level.

Non-Tinker sphere talents may be used to craft an inventioneered effect, using the same general principle of “closely related”. For example, the Emergency Gear flashlight talent gives a general ability to “create light”, but a spherecaster with the Light sphere’s glow sphere ability may also serve the same purpose.

Once the complexity of the desired Tinker sphere ability is known, a character must spend 8 hours per degree of complexity creating that new Tinker sphere ability. These hours do not need to be consecutive (similar to the item creation rules). If the character is out adventuring, the character can instead devote 4 hours each day to creating the new Tinker sphere ability (although the character only nets 2 hours of work).

Prerequisites for Inventioneered Effect: Some inventioneered effects may have a minimum level, associated ranks prerequisite, or other similar prerequisite, similar to a legendary talent.

Skill Challenges for Inventioneering

Sometimes, a character attempting to inventioneer a new Tinker sphere ability should be challenged to do so (or, at the bare minimum, display a high degree of competency in their craft to achieve the desired result).

In this scenario, the skill check DC to inventioneer a new Tinker sphere ability is equal to 10 + 5 x the complexity of the resulting Tinker sphere ability. The character must succeed at an associated skill check (using their Tinker sphere associated skill) against this DC upon completing the inventioneering process. A failure means the character treats the complexity as 1 lower the next time they attempt to inventioneer the desired Tinker sphere ability (to a minimum complexity of 1); this complexity reduction affects not only the time required to attempt the inventioneering process, but the skill check DC to complete the inventioneered effect.

Inventioneering Blueprints

Blueprints Overview: Inventioneered effects can be written down as blueprints and shared, sold, distributed, or otherwise stored for others to make use of.

The cost of a blueprint is generally 100 x the inventioneered effect’s total complexity. This cost is often negligible, as it represents the cost, time, and care needed to make the blueprint, not the time and effort a character may have spent to create the effect.

Some characters may keep their blueprints as closely guarded secrets, whereas others may distribute them more freely. The cost to purchase a particularly useful or valuable blueprint from a master Tinker practitioner may be proportionally higher, subject to GM discretion.

Using a Blueprint: A character that creates an inventioneered effect is always able to understand and make use of a blueprint they created.

If a character obtains a blueprint from someone else, that character must attempt an associated skill check (using the blueprint’s Tinker tradition’s associated skill) against a DC 10 + 5 x the inventioneered effect’s complexity. For example, a clockwork Tinker practitioner attempting to learn from a blueprint written by a biofloramachinst Tinker practitioner would need to roll a successful Profession (gardener or herbalist) check as well as Knowledge (nature), due to the Tinker tradition’s double major drawback, to understand and make use of that blueprint. The clockwork Tinker practitioner could then construct the inventioneered effect normally subject to their own tradition.

For exotic Tinker traditions, some Tinker practitioners are able to make a name for themselves by creating blueprints compatible with other Tinker sphere traditions (effectively translating the inventioneered effect from one Tinker tradition to another).

Inventioneering and “Magic-Like Effects”

Certain classic fantasy effects have been left out of the Tinker sphere for a variety of reasons, whether its “sticking to classic technology”, the effect usually being the domain of magic, or elsewise.

One of the primary options inventioneering offers is to allow a GM, or a player working with their GM, to emulate magical effects using technology. When doing so, use the closest approximate talents to determine complexity and have the resulting effect use similar prerequisites and requirements. Look to existing effects to balance the resulting inventioneered effect, including already available talents in the Tinker sphere. This general guideline can be extrapolated to most any function of magic, including magic spheres from Spheres of Power.

When using inventioneering to emulate magic, batteries should generally be required whenever a spell point or spell slot would be required, expensive material components should be “mirrored” or equivalently required, and so on. Higher level spell effects should have greater degrees of restrictions, as necessary.

For example, if trying to make a Tinker sphere ability that emulates raise dead, the effect should be available around the same level the spell could ordinarily be cast (i.e. a 9th level cleric) and possible require additional expensive materials to operate the gizmo, potentially justified as expensive medical supplies or elsewise, to fully emulate the effect. If attempting to emulate a high level, “higher magic” effect, such as greater create demiplane, appropriate limitations may be requiring extensive project materials, additional skill checks (including relevant skill checks such as Knowledge (planes), and so on to represent the complexity, cost, and strength of such an ability.

Reading an Inventioneered Effect

An inventioneered effect is read as follows:

Complexity: The complexity of the inventioneered effect.

Talents: The talents used to create the inventioneered effect; this does not include the Tinker sphere as a base sphere (and is presumed to always be included).

Prerequisites: If an inventioneered effect has prerequisites (minimum level or ranks in the associated skill, etc.), it is listed here.

Effect: This is the inventioneered effect’s properties, including its basic effects, battery use ability (if any), and so on.

Inventioneering Expanded [DRS]

^{Source: Diamond Spheres: Expanded Tinker and Silverminds}

Inventioneering as a ruleset was initially written as a way to provide coverage for concepts and abilities that were not able to be properly explored with the original Tinker sphere’s release. This includes certain feats of “high technology” or setting-specific forms of technology because the Tinker sphere, as an already massive undertaking, had the goal of most accurately covering as many classic technology concepts as possible.

A further benefit of the inventioneering subsystem is it allows for natural character growth (as a character develops or learns to replicate technological feats on their own) or, on a game mechanic level, the ability to pick and choose what further effects are available in the sphere without needing to weed through even more Tinker sphere talents.

With that context, this section contains new and expanded rules for Ultimate Engineering’s Section 4.4: Gamemaster’s Toolkit, Inventioneering. Specifically, the two optional rules “Inventioneering as Talents” and “Inventioneering as Prerequisite-Unlocked Abilities”.

Inventioneering Terminology: Inventing and Invented Gizmos and Effects

To simplify the inventioneering process, and use the term inventioneering less:

The process of creating an inventioneered effect is to invent (inventing, and so on).

A gizmo (or option that modifies or expands on an existing gizmo) is referred to as an invented effect, which can include an invented gizmo.

Inventioneering Optional Rules

This book makes use of the optional rules presented herein, primarily the Inventioneering as Prerequisite-Unlocked Abilities. Many invented gizmos list prerequisites for Tinker practitioners to access the invented gizmo (or as a suggestion for how to go about qualifying for the option).

Inventioneering as Talents

Optional Rule: Instead of treating an invented gizmo as something to research and work towards, an invented gizmo may instead be selected as though selecting a Tinker sphere talent.

Alternatively, at GM discretion, certain invented effects may cost talents when they create a sufficiently new or unique enough set of abilities or new gizmos. Minor improvements or additional functionalities may continue to be utilized normally.

Explanation: This rule works best for invented gizmos that offer multiple effects, similar to a normal Tinker sphere talent, such as the sample invented Energized Set included in this book.

This optional rule may also be implemented as a way for Tinker sphere characters to access invented gizmos in games where spellcrafting and technique crafting may be inaccessible, allowing a character to spend “real” character resources to have access to the invented gizmo instead of simply being able to research and access them by virtue of being a Tinker sphere practitioner.

Inventioneering as Prerequisite-Unlocked Abilities

Rule: A character that possesses the prerequisite talents to an invented gizmo is treated as having access to that invented gizmo as though they successfully researched and developed it.

At GM discretion, certain invented gizmos may be available either as part of the base technological competency of the character’s setting, or may similarly not be available due to complexity or secrecy requiring additional effort to learn or replicate.

Explanation: Talents serve as a basic web of knowledge and competency. “Technology”, as a concept and character power fantasy, encompasses a staggeringly massive web. Certain settings, especially higher technology ones, may have options that are more advanced and complex. A Tinker sphere practitioner may know about these options and may be able to replicate them by having the prerequisite talents to the invented gizmo as a form of knowledge or core competency that reflects the character’s societal or organizational affiliations.

For example, a high-spacefaring society may have high efficiency pressurized cabins for mechanoids that no longer count against the mechanoid’s upgrades due to how necessary the technology is. A Tinker sphere practitioner that understood the fundamentals of the technology (possessing the requisite talents) could then replicate that technology themselves without needing to research and invent the effect independently.

Unlike the “Inventioneering as Talents” optional rule, this optional rule can produce the opposite effect where a Tinker practitioner gains access to a massive web of options as they continue to invest in the Tinker sphere (even more so than normal). This optional rule works best in settings that have “tech trees”, similar to certain 4X strategy games, real-time strategy games, or base-building and survival games. The technological norm having already reached a certain point means that each Tinker practitioner does not need to constantly reinvent the wheel.

As a note of caution, invented effects should generally cost the inventor, either by counting against their gizmo limit, requiring project materials, or other restrictions so that invented effects are not “free” character resources.

Certain invented gizmos may not be generally available, however, as they may represent secret techniques or institutional knowledge that is not public. A Tinker practitioner could gain access to these techniques through blueprints, sharing information, and so on, but unlike the “tech tree analogy”, this means certain technology may be outside a Tinker practitioner’s reach without effort or efforts to reverse engineer.[/div]

Inventioneer Samples

Below are some sample inventioneered effects of varying complexity.

Advanced Firearm Modifications [DRS]

Complexity: 6
Prerequisites: (modification) package, Weapon Modifications, Ranged Set, advanced effect (see below)

In games where advanced firearms are widely available, it may be appropriate to treat this as though it were not an advanced effect. Modifications from this invention cannot be applied to siege weapons.

Modification: Advanced Aim (gizmo): This modification is attached to an early firearm. The modified weapon functions as an advanced firearm for the purpose of its attacks, allowing attacks within the first 5 range increments are resolved as touch attacks.

Modification: Advanced Misfires (gizmo): This modification is attached to an early firearm. The modified weapon functions as an advanced firearm when misfiring, automatically missing and gaining the broken condition, but it does not explode if already broken.

Modification: Extended Magazine (gizmo): This modification is attached to a firearm or other mechanical ranged weapon with a base capacity of 2 or more. An extended magazine increases the modified weapon’s capacity by 50%, +50% per 5 gizmo levels. If the modified weapon has an ability that allows it to fire its entire capacity (such as a double-barreled shotgun), the number of shots fired by that ability is not increased by this modification.

Advanced Gizmo: You may craft an extended magazine as an advanced gizmo. If you do, it can also be attached to mechanical ranged weapons with capacities of 1. When attached to such a weapon, it increases the capacity by +1, +1 per 10 gizmo levels.

Modification: Firearm Emulation (gizmo): This modification is attached to a crossbow or other non-firearm mechanical ranged weapon that must be loaded (except siege weapons). The modified weapon is treated as an early firearm. It resolves attacks within its first range increment as touch attacks, misfires on a 1, and has a misfire radius of 5 feet. This does not change the type of ammunition the weapon uses, the action required to load it, or its proficiency type or weapon group.

Device (gizmo, minor, project) [DRS]

Complexity: 1
Prerequisites: none

Effect: A device is a simple minor gizmo that has no functionality of its own but can gain accommodations and host routines.

Special: A device may optionally be crafted as a project, in which case it has a project cost of 20 gp per gizmo level.

Dirty Pick [DRS]

Complexity: 5
Prerequisites: (transmission) package, Disruption Set, Infiltration Set, Infiltration sphere.

Effect: You can craft an auto-pick as an advanced gizmo (a “dirty pick”). A dirty pick may be used to perform dirty trick combat maneuvers at range with the dirty pick’s remote hacking ability.

Disruptor Research [DRS]

Complexity: 4
Prerequisites: Disruption Set, advanced effect.

Effect: You gain the following options.

Expanded Disruptors: You may also choose from the following disruptor effects:

Bashing [Advanced Gizmo]: The target becomes battered for 1 round.
- Battery Use (2 batteries): The target becomes battered for a number of rounds equal to this gizmo’s practitioner modifier. An affected target is also staggered for 1 round (Fortitude negates). If the target was already battered, they are instead dazed for 1 round.
Catching (requires Tool Set) [Advanced Gizmo]: The target’s square and adjacent squares become difficult terrain. If the disruptor would affect an area, instead, all affected squares become difficult terrain. In addition, the target becomes entangled by bindings and unable to move (Reflex negates). Breaking free of the entangled condition is a move action, requiring either a Strength check or an Escape Artist check against the gizmo’s save DC. Alternatively, the bindings may be destroyed by dealing 2 damage per gizmo level. The difficult terrain and bindings created by this disruptor dissolve after 1 round per gizmo level.
- Battery Use (1 battery): In addition to the base effects, the affected area actively binds creatures. Any creature that enters or ends their turn in an affected square is entangled (Reflex negates). Once a creature succeeds on this saving throw, they are not subject to it again for the effect’s duration, but may still be impeded by the effect’s difficult terrain as normal.
Dual [Advanced Gizmo]: Choose two non-advanced disruptor effects. The target suffers both chosen effects. The target suffers both effects. Each effect may have its battery use ability activated separately, and the target saves separately against each effect.
Lacerating: The target takes 1 bleed damage per gizmo level (Fortitude or Reflex half, chosen when crafting). Bleed damage from this disruptor effect stacks with itself, to a maximum of 2 per gizmo level.
- Battery Use (1 battery): The bleed damage is increased to 2 per gizmo level (save for half).
Flaying (requires Technological Weapons): The target’s energy resistances are reduced by 1 per gizmo level for 1 round per gizmo level. For the duration, if the creature is immune to a damage type, that immunity is reduced to resistance 40 (before applying the effects of this disruptor).
- Battery Use (1 battery): Increase the energy resistance reduction to 2 per gizmo level.

Special: If this disruptor effect is applied by a damaging attack or effect (such as a blaster gizmo or a disruptor add-on), this disruptor effect is applied before calculating the damage of the attack or effect.

Menacing (requires Emotion Set): For 1 round, the target cannot take directly hostile actions (generally, attacking or using non-harmless effects that target an enemy or include an enemy in their area of effect). This is a fear effect.
- Battery Use (1 battery): The duration of the effect is increased to 1 round per gizmo level. The target may attempt a new saving throw against the effect as a standard action.
Sapping (requires Magic Set) [Advanced Gizmo]: The target loses 1 spell point (Fortitude or Will negates, chosen when crafted). If they would lose more spell points than they have. For every 4 gizmo levels, the spell point loss is increased by 1 step (1d2, 1d3, 1d4, 1d6, 1d8).
- Battery Use (2 batteries):A successful saving throw against this effect reduces the number of lost spell points to 1 (instead of negates). The user gains a number of temporary spell points equal to those lost by the target. If multiple creatures are affected by this effect at the same time, the user only gains a single instead of temporary spell points this way (i.e. if multiple creatures would lose 5 spell points, the user only gains 5 temporary spell points).
Slick (requires Tool Set): The target falls prone (Reflex negates).
- Battery Use (1 battery): In addition to the base effect, for 1 round per gizmo level, if the target moves more than half of its speed, it must make a Reflex save or fall prone. The target may end this effect by taking the total defense action.

Firestarter (gizmo, minor)

Complexity: 2
Talents: Emergency Gear

Effect: This gizmo can create fire and easily portable sources of heat. A firestarter is lit as a standard action, remains lit until extinguished, and can perform any of the following functions as part of lighting the fire. If the firestarter is already lit, its functions may be used as a swift action.

A firestarter may perform the following options:

Function as a flint and steel, igniting an unattended Fine-sized flammable object as a standard action.
Melt a 1-inch thick 5-foot square of ice (or 1 inch per round, with repeated use)
As a melee touch attack, deal 1d4 fire damage per 2 gizmo levels plus the gizmo’s practitioner modifier (increasing to 1d8 per 2 gizmo levels against creatures with the cold subtype or vulnerability to fire). A creature damaged this way is ignited for 1d6 fire damage (Reflex negates).
Weld, warp, or melt metal (requiring 1 minute per inch of metal) or provide sufficient heat for metalworking, blacksmithing, etc.

Battery Use: The user may deplete 1 battery as part of lighting the firestarter (or as part of using it as a swift action) to spray a gout of flames in a 30-foot cone or 60-foot line, chosen when used. Creatures caught in the area of effect take damage as though damaged by the firestarter’s touch attack.

Improved Nightvision (gizmo) [DRS]

Complexity: 4
Talents: (augmentation) package, Exploration Set, Sensory Set

Augmentation: Improved Nightvision: You may craft a nightvision gizmo as an advanced gizmo. If you do, it gains the following abilities:

Additive Nightvision: If the user has darkvision from another source, they may add half the short-range source of darkvision to the range of the other source of darkvision (for example, adding half of a nightvision gizmo’s normal 20 feet to a creature’s 60 feet).
Battery Use (1 battery) (requires 10 ranks in associated skill): The user may use this ability as a standard action to improve this gizmo’s functions for 1 minute per gizmo level. For the duration, the user also gains the see in darkness ability, allowing them to see perfectly in all darkness, including magical darkness that otherwise might obstruct darkvision.

Kinetic Launcher (gizmo) [DRS]

Complexity: 2
Talents: Pressure Set

Effect: You learn how to craft the following kinetic gizmos:

Launcher (gizmo): This gizmo functions as a ranged weapon. A launcher can be loaded with items and can fire loaded items as though making a thrown weapon attack with a range of 30 feet, +10 feet per 4 gizmo levels. You may choose to craft launchers as mechanical weapons that do not add the user’s strength bonus (or penalty) to damage. Items not designed to be launched, thrown, or used as weapons take damage equal to the damage dealt by their impact (before applying the target’s hardness or damage reduction, the damage the item takes is reduced by hardness normally).

A launcher can be loaded with items up to size Tiny, +1 size category for every 4 gizmo levels. At the GM’s discretion, items larger or heavier than the user may increase the time required to load the launcher (normally loading as a move action, or a standard action if oversized).

Advanced Gizmo: The launcher’s reload time becomes a free action (or a swift action if loading oversized objects).

Special - Arsenal Set: When using a launcher to launch an item, the user may protect the launched item, preventing it from taking damage or gaining the broken condition due to impact.

Special - Hammerspace: Loaded items are stored in an extradimensional space and are effectively weightless.

Augmentation: Launching Storage: Your prosthetics with a storage capacity secondary function gain an innate launcher gizmo. This launcher gizmo cannot be loaded, but instead may be used to launch items stored in that prosthetic’s storage capacity.

Nanomachines (gizmo)

Complexity: 5
Talents: (augmentation) package, (computation) package, Medical Set, advanced effect

Effect: When you craft a gizmo from the Medical Set talent, you may improve the gizmo’s effects by infusing them with nanomachines.

The following nanomachine customizations are available, with additional related prerequisites as noted:

Constant Repair (Health Optimizer): When you craft a health optimizer, the routine constantly produces small nanomachines. The health optimizer’s battery use ability is treated as being constantly active, but the health optimizer’s effective gizmo level is halved.
Nanite Injector (Rapid Injector) (requires 5 ranks in associated skill): Instead of storing potions or liquids, the rapid injector can directly apply nanomachines to the user. A rapid injector modified this way has a single chamber and can be used as a swift action. When used, the user reduces the duration of any one condition they are suffering from by 1 round per 2 gizmo levels. The nanite injector can be refilled as part of maintaining your gizmos.
- Battery Use: The user can deplete 1 battery as an immediate action in response to a failed saving throw that would apply a condition to the user. The user may immediately attempt a new saving throw against the effect, taking the new result.
Nanomachine Implant (Prosthetic Organ) (requires 5 ranks in associated skill): you may craft a prosthetic organ as an advanced gizmo, creating a nanomachine implant. Nanomachine implants reduce bleed by 1 each round (potentially ending the bleed effect, if it reaches 0), increasing by +1 per 3 gizmo levels.
- Battery Use: The user can deplete 1 battery as a free action to activate the nanomachine implant’s ability to harden in response to trauma for 1 minute per gizmo level. For the gizmo’s duration, the user gains DR /– equal to the nanomachine implant’s bleed reduction per round; this damage reduction improves by +2 each time the user takes physical damage (which could be reduced by this ability’s damage reduction). This increase stacks with itself, but is reduced by 1 each round the user does not take physical damage (to a minimum of the nanomachine implant’s bleed reduction). An attack which deals less damage than this gizmo’s damage reduction does not trigger this ability’s damage reduction increase.

Presentation Aid [DRS]

Complexity: 4
Prerequisites: (computation) package, Emotion Set, Sensory Set

Effect: You may craft a storage routine as an advanced gizmo (a “presenter” routine). A presenter can contain digital artwork (or a copy thereof) created by the Artifice sphere. If the presenter routine is installed in or can transmit this artwork to a suitable display (or directly to a creature through a sensory prosthetic), the artwork can be interacted with normally.

If the Artifice sphere user possessed the Clear Interpretation talent, the distinct function may be used when the artwork is transmitted to force other creatures to interact with the artwork (as the distinct function).

Additionally, the presenter gains the following battery use ability:

Battery Use (1 battery): The user may display a stored digital artwork even if its creator does not have the Clear Interpretation talent.

Special - (Transmission) package: The artwork may be displayed from a suitable gizmo within signal range.

Primitive AI (gizmo) [DRS]

Complexity: 6
Prerequisites: (computation) package, Advanced Computation, advanced effect

Computation: Primitive AI (gizmo, routine) [Advanced Gizmo]: When crafting this routine, choose an AI classification you could craft. The primitive AI grants the routine benefit of the chosen AI classification.

Secure Shelter (gizmo)

Complexity: 2
Talents: Exploration Set

Effect: You construct a gizmo that, when activated, harmlessly expands over the course of 1 minute. The secure shelter is a 10-foot cube, plus 1 10-foot cube per 4 gizmo levels. If the secure shelter would be unable to expand and occupy a space, it ceases expanding. The secure shelter functions similarly to the environmental cabin (upgrade), creating a hospitable environment with controlled temperature and breathable air. The secure shelter possesses an airlock that can create an airtight seal between the outside and inside of the secure shelter.

The secure shelter, in addition to its normal defensive statistics as a gizmo, possesses energy resistance to all energy types equal to 10 + its gizmo level.

The secure shelter collapses down into a portable state when deactivated.

Battery Use: The user may deplete 1 battery as part of activating the secure shelter. The secure shelter expands in 1 round (rather than 1 minute).

Project: A secure shelter may optionally be constructed as a project; the project cost is 800 gp, plus 400 gp per 4 gizmo levels (representing each additional 10-foot cube).

Special - (Transportation) Package: A secure shelter may be affixed to a vehicle, such as a suitably large mechanoid, to allow it to be transported (as though towing) or configured similarly. The secure shelter’s airlock may be positioned inward to the mechanoid, such that creatures must pass from the inside of the mechanoid (such as through its passenger seats/inner cabin area) to enter the secure shelter.

Sleep Technology (gizmo) [DRS]

Complexity: 2
Prerequisites: Medical Set

Modification: Comfort Enhancer (gizmo, minor): This modification is attached to a suit of armor. The user can sleep comfortably without a bedroll and in the modified armor without suffering any penalties.

Transportation: Ergonomic Seats: You improve the passenger seats upgrade. Creatures can sleep comfortably in the passenger seats, even while wearing medium or heavy armor.

Stochastic Foresight (gizmo) [DRS]

Complexity: 4
Prerequisites: (computation) package, advanced effect

Computation: Stochastic Denoiser (gizmo, routine) [Advanced Gizmo]: This routine has no effect unless its battery use ability is used.

Battery Use (2 batteries): The user may use this ability as a free action when using an effect that predicts the future or divines information and has a percentage chance of success (such as the Augury spell or one of the routines granted by this gizmo). The chance is rolled twice and the better result is used.

Computation: Augury Engine (gizmo, routine): An augury engine routine is a personal gizmo. It has no effect except when its battery use ability is used. The crafter must select a single battery use ability (chosen from below), and may make this routine 1 step more advanced to select an additional battery use ability (such as +2 steps advanced to possess all 3 battery use abilities below).

Battery Use (2 batteries): You may use this ability to produce an effect identical to the Divination sphere Augury talent, except that it is a technological effect and uses this gizmo’s gizmo level in place of your caster level.
Battery Use (4 batteries) (requires 5 ranks in the Associated Skill): You may use this ability to produce an effect identical to Divination sphere Read Omens talent, except that it is a technological effect and uses this gizmo’s gizmo level in place of your caster level.
Battery Use (6 batteries) (requires 10 ranks in the Associated Skill): You may use this ability to produce an effect identical to the Divination sphere Divine Knowledge talent, except that it is a technological effect and uses this gizmo’s gizmo level in place of your caster level.

Zipline

Complexity: 2
Talents: Grappling Hook

Grappling hooks you craft can be modified with this ability.

Effect: The grappling hook winch can be anchored to a surface within the user’s natural reach as part of firing the grappling hook. A creature may attach or detach themselves to any point along the grappling hook’s cord as a move or swift action.

While attached to the cord, the creature moves up or down the cord each round at the end of their turn at a speed equal to 20 + 5 feet per 2 gizmo levels, +10 feet if moving from a higher elevation to a lower elevation. A creature moves the chosen direction until they reach the end of the cord (and automatically detach) or may choose a new direction as a move or swift action. A creature may choose to ascend or descend the cord at a slower speed, chosen each round.[/div]

Class Feature Inventions [DRS]

^{Source: Diamond Spheres: Expanded Tinker and Silverminds}

This section contains sample inventions that specifically interact with class features. These can be novel ways to integrate Tinker into a character whose abilities may not normally mesh well.

Explorer’s Gear (gizmo) [DRS]

Complexity: 2
Prerequisites: (modification) package, Exploration Set

Modification: Explorer’s Gear (gizmo) [Advanced Gizmo]: This modification is attached to footwear or a suit of clothing. When crafting this modification, choose a single favored terrain (as though selecting a ranger’s favored terrain). A user with the favored terrain class feature is treated as having a favored terrain bonus of +2 in the chosen terrain for all purposes.

Personal Battery Use [Full Adaptation] (1 battery): For 1 hour per gizmo level, the user benefits from their highest favored terrain bonus in the chosen terrain.

Mechanical Flexibility (gizmo) [DRS]

Complexity: 2
Prerequisites: (augmentation) package, Cognitive Set

Augmentation: Mechanical Flexibility (gizmo) [Advanced Gizmo]: This augmentation is a personal gizmo that can only be used if you possess the martial flexibility ability or the Barroom Brawler feat. It grants the following personal battery use abilities:

Personal Battery Use [Flexible Logic] (1+ batteries): You may use this ability in place of expending a use of martial flexibility or the Barroom Brawler feat. If you do, all selected feats must instead be combat talents (except those that grant the ability to control subordinates or craft or perform prolonged tasks, such as Alchemy or Trap).

This personal battery use depletes 1 additional battery for each time it has been used in the same day.

Radio Coordination [DRS]

Complexity: 2
Prerequisites: (transmission) package, Transmission Mastery

Effect: If the user possesses the tactician class feature, the user may use a communicator to transmit their tactician ability. If you do, instead of granting benefits to creatures within a fixed radius, the user instead grants their tactician’s benefits to any number of creatures within signal range (provided that they have a communicator with this option).

Tinker Sphere Design Principles

As a guideline to assist with inventioneering, this section lays out some of the basic design principles that went into creating the sphere:

Generally: Tinker sphere is meant to make discrete, specific effects available to martials, non-magically. Magic vs. non-magic has always been contentious (balance, counter-options, price, etc.), so Tinker has tried to ensure a specialist mage does not lose their specialty, but the ability to fly, or command creatures, or create explosions is not out of the hands of a technologically themed character or a martial looking to expand their options.

Dedicated Tinker sphere practitioners go both “vertically” (specializing) and “horizontally” (diversifying) as they gain new talents, building on what they can already do but also gaining new gizmos to create as they specialize further.

When creating a gizmo, compare against existing precedent (items and equipment, class features, spells, etc.) to see if the option exists and balance expectations against the existing option.

Bonus Types and Effects: The Tinker sphere makes use of its five packages, as well as non-packed gizmo abilities and options to make certain effects accessible in thematic bundles.

Each Tinker package also has a “common bonus type”, or a specific typed bonus that gizmos of that kind will offer. Presented here is a loose guideline, however, bonuses from gizmos may vary depending on the gizmo, its effects, etc.

Augmentation: “Internal” effects and effects that directly modify the user.
- Common Bonus Type: Competence. Bonuses from augmentations are often conditional or “provided” by the augment in question.
Computation: “Advisory” effects, such as targeting routines or AI.
- Common Bonus Type: Insight. Routines operate similarly to an advisor or “over the shoulder” presence to guide or provide minor advantages which add up.
Modification: Effects that directly modify a user’s equipment.
- Common Bonus Type: Circumstance. Bonuses from modifications are directly relevant to the attached equipment in question and generally only apply when using that equipment.
Transmission: Effects that reveal information, or allow for interaction at range.
- Common Bonus Type: Insight (if any). Transmission does not frequently grant bonuses, although when available, it would operate similarly to a bonus from the (computation) package (although circumstances may vary).
Transportation: Effects that modify a mechanoid, or offer effects from other packages to a crafted mechanoid.
- Common Bonus Type: Racial, size, and untyped. Bonuses to //mechanoids are generally exclusive to mechanoids and inherent to the creature.

Spheres of Might by Drop Dead Studios
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About Legendary Talents		Martial Traditions		Martial Packages		Practitioner Feats
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Ultimate Engineering (Tinker)				Starfinder Conversion [3pp]
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Mythic Spheres of Might
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The Conqueror's Handbook				The General's Handbook
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The Inventor's Handbook 2				The Jester's Handbook
Woodfaring Adventures				The Youxia's Handbook
Spheres Apocrypha
Alch. Formulae		Alch. Poisons		Alch. Poisons 2		Armor Talents
Astrologian Archetype		Debilitating Talents		Pugilists		Racial
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Tinker Sphere
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