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Table of Contents
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Ultimate Engineering
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This section contains the lengthier rules for the Tinker packages, as well as specific abilities with more involved rules (such as AI or mechanoids) as a consolidated reference section.
Tinker Package Rules
This section contains the basic rules for the various categories of gizmos granted by the Tinker base packages (excluding Artificial Intelligence and mechanoids, which have their own sections).
Augmentation
Augmentation
Augmentations are a type of worn gizmo that provide benefits to the user when activated. Equipping or removing an augmentation takes 1 minute. An augmentation’s effects do not stack (the same augmentation with different selections may be used simultaneously, such as a physical augmentation gizmo assigned to different ability scores).
Prosthetic
The (augmentation) package grants the ability to craft prosthetics. Prosthetics come in a variety of kinds and abilities.
Prosthetics are a type of augmentation gizmo that provide the functionality of a limb or other body part, either by replacing a missing body part or acting as a “sleeve” over an existing body part (i.e. a user could fully replace a limb that was destroyed, or can augment their existing limb with technology).
A prosthetic may be crafted to be worn either over an existing limb or body part or to replace a missing limb or body part the user would normally possess (but lacks, such as a humanoid missing a leg, eye, etc.). A prosthetic may be worn or removed as a full-round action (unless it would replace an internal organ, and must be implanted). Prosthetics are crafted for a specific user and cannot be worn by or implanted in a different creature unless adjusted first (see Section 4.1: Mastering Gizmos, Scavenging Gizmos).
A prosthetic worn over an existing limb or body part can be used in all ways like a body part of that kind (such as a real hand, a real leg, etc.) and is usually done to access unique or specific abilities, rather than replace a missing or defective limb (such as wearing a custom mecha-fist over your perfectly good hand to have mecha-fist abilities). Unless otherwise specified, a worn or implanted prosthetic functions as the user’s original body part, is appropriately sized for the user, and is crafted with the necessary parts to emulate that body part (such as a prosthetic arm for a bear would function like that bear’s arm, including its claws, for all purposes; if a prosthetic organ were provided to replace a dragon’s gland that produces a breath weapon, the breath weapon would function normally with this organ).
Certain prosthetics may alter how the body part functions by granting new or highly altered functionality (such as using the Primal Augmentations ophidian legs to have legs that act like a snake’s, rather than a bipeds, and substitutes that creature’s base land speed as appropriate), potentially restricting the creature’s normal use of that body part (subject to GM discretion).
Prosthetics that grant or function as the user’s natural attack or that could otherwise be used as a weapon may be targeted by effects as though they were manufactured weapons (such as with a magic weapon spell). Prosthetic limbs count as manufactured weapons for the purposes of modification and enhancement, but cannot count as both natural and manufactured at once.
Prosthetics may be sundered and targeted as any other gizmo. A prosthetic that is destroyed ceases to function as an appropriate body part for that creature and must be repaired. If using the optional called shots rules (Ultimate Combat), an internally implanted prosthetic may be targeted (such as making a called shot to the head or heart).
Secondary Functions: Secondary functions are additional abilities or functionality granted to a prosthetic. Whenever you craft a prosthetic, you may grant it a single secondary function. If a prosthetic could be made as a matching pair (or a matching set), the matching pair must be used together, and the matching pair have the same qualities (secondary functions, etc.). Secondary functions belonging to paired prosthetics are considered a “single” secondary function (i.e. one set of wheels, but also a single storage capacity, or only a single innate gizmo, etc.) that is considered part of both of the prosthetics.
Some secondary functions may conflict with the original prosthetic’s abilities (or another secondary function, if the prosthetic would have multiple); the user may use either the prosthetic’s normal abilities or the secondary function, but not both at the same time (such as a leg prosthetic with the wheels secondary function could be used as legs or wheels, but not as both simultaneously).
Some secondary functions grant the user innate gizmos (see Section 4.1: Mastering Gizmos, Innate Gizmos).
Implanted and Internal Prosthetics: While any gizmo can be implanted, a prosthetic of an internal organ must be implanted (see Section 1.1: Introduction & Sphere Basics, Implanted Gizmos for more).
Prosthetics and Batteries: Batteries are attached to a prosthetic the same as any other gizmo. Implanted prosthetics may include a “port” or similar means of accessing the outside of the user’s body, to which a battery may be attached normally.
Natural Prosthetics
Some abilities may allow a crafted prosthetic to add new body parts to a creature as a natural extension of their body, rather than supplement what they already had (such as granting legs to a fish, or arms to a bird). This primarily comes from the Tinker sphere Advanced Prosthetics legendary talent or granting an innate prosthetic to a mechanoid.
When a creature gains a body part they did not previously possess because of a prosthetic, the basic effects of that prosthetic are as follows:
- Arm (or Pair of Arms): The arms granted by the prosthetic may be used as a normal limb for all purposes. The arm may end in a hand or other prehensile feature.
- Head (including Senses): The head granted by the prosthetic grants the user normal vision, hearing, sense of smell, taste, and the ability to speak. The crafter may choose to exclude any sense or functionality. By default, a natural head prosthetic grants normal vision (and no special senses, such as low-light vision or darkvision) - despite senses that would normally be available to a creature with that creature type.
- Leg (or Pair of Legs): The legs granted by the prosthetic grant a 30-feet base land speed.
For prosthetics which grant a body part, limb, or organ a creature does not already possess, the creature gains the benefits of the appropriate supplemental prosthetic (as granted by the Tinker sphere Prosthetics Mastery talent). If a creature later gains body parts, limbs, or organs which they also possess from a natural prosthetic, the prosthetic are treated as supplemental prosthetic (and lose any benefits as a natural prosthetic while the creature would have other fully functional body parts, limbs, or organs of that kind).
Computation
Routine
A routine is crafted and installed directly into an existing gizmo that you crafted; a gizmo with an installed routine is referred to as the “host gizmo”. If a routine requires a battery, it must be attached to the host gizmo, and may deplete batteries attached to the host gizmo. A routine can be activated as long as its host gizmo is activated, and deactivates when the host gizmo is deactivated. If a routine’s host gizmo is destroyed, the routine’s stored data and other functions, if any, are unavailable but not destroyed or lost (and can be recovered and used normally once the host gizmo is repaired).
Routines grant their benefits and effects to the host gizmo’s user while the host gizmo is active.
Author's Note: A battery can be used as a "blank" gizmo to insert a routine or accommodation into, however, a any installed routines or other functions do not work if the battery is depleted due to the gizmo being turned off (just like a normal depleted, destroyed, or otherwise inactive gizmo).
Transferring Routines: You can transfer an installed routine from one active gizmo you crafted to another gizmo you crafted within your reach as a swift action. This does not deactivate an active routine unless the gizmo it is installed into is deactivated. Transferring a routine whose battery use ability is active (and depleting a battery) ends that battery use ability upon transferring the routine (ending the battery use ability’s duration early). Routines can be transferred between deactivated gizmos.
If a routine would store information (such as a storage routine, as granted by the (computation) package), stored information may also be transferred (usually to other routines of the same kind) as though transferring a routine.
Modification
Modifications are a type of gizmo that are attached to manufactured equipment or a specific type of object, as noted by that modification. Modifications refer to the object they are attached to as the “attached object” (i.e. attached weapon, attached armor, attached tool, attached creature, etc.). Modifications that are not attached to an appropriate object have no effects (even while active). Attaching or detaching a modification requires a swift action unless noted otherwise. Modifications can be activated or deactivated as part of drawing or stowing the attached equipment (or a minimum of a swift action, if the modification is already drawn, worn, etc.). Unless otherwise specified, you cannot attach multiple modifications of the same type to a single object, and if the same modification could apply, only the highest gizmo level effect is applied.
Modifications can be directly attached to a creature’s body, provided it is attached to a relevant body part (i.e. a modification for weapons being attached to the body, improving unarmed strikes, or a modification for armor being attached to the skin, improving natural armor).
Transmission
Signals: Signals generated by gizmos are emanations that are blocked by sufficient barriers. A signal can penetrate, on average, 3 feet of wood or dirt, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or a thin sheet of lead or other signal-blocking material by GM discretion. The gizmo’s own materials do not block a signal it generates. Force effects and other obstructions made of pure magic do not block signals.
Detector
Detectors are used to gather information from its surroundings. Activating a detector requires spending 1 minute. A detector deactivates unless the user spends a full-round action every turn keeping it activated, rendering the user flat-footed. Detectors have a signal range of close range and reveal information about things within its signal range depending on the parameters it is designed to detect (i.e. mechanical information, alchemical, creature types, heat, etc.). An active detector constantly relays information to the user and can be relied upon as though it were an extraordinary sense. Some detectors allow the user to learn more information about what the detector senses, usually by attempting an appropriate Craft, Knowledge, or other similar check.
Pinpointing: Some detectors may be able to designate the precise location of a detected subject. This detection allows the user to know exactly which square, how far, and in what direction the pinpointed subject is; this allows the user to bypass non-magical concealment the pinpointed subject might possess.
Specific Detection: Any detector capable of detecting information which includes a large set of potential parameters (such as a mechanical sensor) may be adjusted as a standard action to sense a more limited subset of the options normally detected. For example, the mechanical sensor normally senses all mechanical items. A user could spend a standard action to tune the mechanical sensor’s parameters to only sense prosthetics, or even specific types of prosthetics (such as an arm prosthetic). Another example, the Detector Set talent’s ecology detector senses specific creature types. The ecology detector could be adjusted to search for only specific types of animals (such as cats only), or even a specific animal (such as a particular large mountain cat). The user must be aware of a creature (such as having succeeded at an appropriate Knowledge check or similar) to set a detector’s parameters to sense for a specific or unique piece of information. A detector cannot be adjusted to sense a specific object or creature unless you possess the Advanced Transmission legendary talent.
All detectors have the following battery use:
- Battery Use: The user may deplete 1 battery to activate the detector as a standard action (down from 1 minute).
Transmitter
Transmitters use signals to send information, usually only to other gizmos crafted by the same crafter, but can be adjusted to receive information from other crafters as a swift action, and switch this function on and off as a free action. Transmitters have a signal range up to medium range (and may be intentionally crafted with a shorter signal range).
Non-Transmitter Gizmos and the (Transmission) Package: Any gizmo may be crafted to receive (or not receive) certain signals, even if the crafter does not possess the (transmission) package. The crafter may permit or exclude any number of signals, such as only signals they created, all signals, signals only from certain types of gizmos, and so on.
If a gizmo or other ability must be “within signal range”, the gizmo may be within the signal range of any transmitter the crafter could make (including the communicator accommodation). In essence, the crafter may adjust any transmitter to be able to function with gizmos or abilities which are activated, used, or must be within signal range, even if the transmitter would not normally produce that type of signal.
Special - (Computation) Package, Signals and Storage: Storage routines (or other effects capable of storing information) may log, store, or track signals that its installed gizmo receives. Signals are generally short, specific messages (constituting 10 words or less), or may be longer or more complex, such as those from the communicator accommodation.
Projects
Some gizmos require more materials than normal, and require more than just an engineering kit to craft. Such gizmos are considered projects.
Projects have costly material components that must be gathered and prepared before construction on the project can begin. The time spent collecting and preparing the project materials is considered to be part of, and included in, the labor and craftsmanship of assembling a project. After all the necessary materials are collected, a project can be crafted in 1 hour of work.
A project can also be modified with 30 minutes of work (such as changing the number of Hit Dice of a mechanoid). This still requires collecting the difference in materials. If modifying a project would cause a reduction in its cost, the excess materials are lost (unless otherwise stated).
Unlike a normal gizmo, a project is a permanent construction and does not count against the crafter’s maximum number of gizmos maintained (although a project may have its own maximum number, such as total gizmo level of crafted mechanoids or number of power plants from the Energy Set talent).
Projects are more permanent but can only be repaired by a crafter with the talents necessary to have built the project (and with the same Tinker tradition, if using Tinker traditions). While projects do not require maintenance like a normal gizmo, it is presumed some level of general maintenance is given to projects as they continue to function (whether by cleaning, general repairs for wear and tear, etc.).
“Project Materials” - Gathering and Preparing Materials for Projects: As part of paying the cost of a project, the creator can scavenge, produce, or otherwise find the materials to continue the project. The creator can spend 4 hours gathering materials to attempt a DC 15 associated skill check generating 50 gp worth of materials + 50 gp for every 5 points the check exceeds the associated skill DC (always collecting a minimum of 50 gp of project materials). Project materials otherwise hold no value and follow the rule for selling gizmos if sold (see Section 1.1: Introduction and Sphere Basics, Gizmos).
The time spent gathering project materials is also presumed to be time spent preparing the materials to be fabricated into the final product (i.e. forging the plates of a mechanoid’s chassis, preparing the copper wiring for an energy cable, mixing the cement for pipes, etc.).
When gathering project materials, the character must decide which project the gathered materials are being allocated to (i.e. a power plant, a specific mechanoid, etc.). Project materials are gathered on a project-by-project basis and cannot be allocated to another project. A character cannot stockpile, hoard, or otherwise have multiple sets of project materials prepared for an individual project (i.e. multiple sets of project materials ready for a mechanoid and rebuilding that mechanoid again).
Project materials can also be purchased for their gp cost while in a settlement.
Recycling and Recovering Project Materials: Whenever a project is destroyed (either by willingly dismantling it, as part of maintaining your gizmos, or by other means), 25% of the total gold spent on the project can be recovered as project material (this includes spent project material). The amount of project material you can recover is increased if you possess the Redundant Systems talent.
Artificial Intelligence
See AI and Mechanoids for more.
Mechanoids
See AI and Mechanoids for more.
Other Tinker Rules
This section contains quick references and rules for certain detailed pieces and interactions of the Tinker sphere.
Customizing Gizmos
As a reminder, a Tinker practitioner is not required to use every Tinker talent they possess when crafting a gizmo, and may choose to include or exclude certain options at their discretion. A gizmo only has the abilities it is intentionally crafted with, and cannot be sabotaged (such as with Disable Device) to have abilities or the capacity for effects that were not intended. Any ability that allows a craft to do something (“can” or “may”) is optional when crafting and customizing the gizmo, including accommodations and other free or linear improvements.
A primary example is whether a gizmo can receive signals. A gizmo intentionally crafted to be incapable of receiving signals cannot receive signals; this may be a decision of the crafter’s to prevent remote hacking at the cost of sending signals when the device would be hacked, and so on. A desktop computer without a Wi-Fi or bluetooth card cannot magically receive those signals, regardless of how hard a hacker might try.
Detector Reference Tables
This section includes the various tables that the (transmission) package detectors use to sense and display information. Each table notes the talent and detector name the table belongs to.
Table: Mechanism Signature Strength
| Gizmo Level | Strength | Lingering Signature Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | Weak | 1d6 rounds |
| 6-11 | Considerate | 1d6 minutes |
| 12-20 | Potent | 1d6 x 10 minutes |
| 21+ | Astounding | 1d6 days |
Talent: Base (transmission) package
Detector: Mechanism Sensor
Mechanism Signature Strength Notes: Mechanical items leave behind signs of their influence even after being removed from the area or being destroyed (such as gunpowder residue from a firearm, or lingering fuel particles from a used battery). In such a case, detection reveals a signature strength of diluted (even weaker than a weak signature). How long the signature lingers at this diluted level depends on its original power.
Craft DCs and Signature Strength: For non-sphere crafted items (mechanical items, alchemical items if using the alchemical sensor detector, etc.), use the object’s Craft DC as the relevant skill check DC to identify the item; if the detected item has no Craft DC, the DC to identify the item is subject to DM discretion.
Table: Armament Signature Strength
| Type | Strength |
|---|---|
| Unremarkable | Diluted |
| Masterwork | Weak |
| 1-2 enchantment | Considerate |
| 3-4 enchantment | Potent |
| 5+ enchantment | Astounding |
Talent: Detection Mastery
Detector: Armament Sensor
Note: The Craft DC to identify a detected object is equal to the detected object’s Craft DC. If there is no Craft DC associated with the detected object, treat the DC as 15 (or higher, subject to GM discretion).
Table: Creature Signature Strength
| HD | Strength |
|---|---|
| 1 or lower | Weak |
| 2-4 | Considerate |
| 5-10 | Potent |
| 11+ | Astounding |
Talent: Detection Mastery
Detector: Ecology Sensor
Table: Density Signature Strength
| Density | Example | Signature Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra light | Balsa wood, feathers, shredded paper | Weak |
| Light | Charcoal, cork, darkwood, flour, hay, snow | Considerate |
| Dense | Flesh, iron, mithral, sand, soil, stone, water, wood | Potent |
| Superdense | Adamantine, gold, lead, silver | Astounding |
Talent: Excavation Set
Detector: Density Sensor
Table: Radiation Effects
| Radiation Level | Fort Save | Primary Effect | Secondary Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | – | – | – |
| Low | 13 | 1 Con drain | 1 Str damage/day |
| Medium | 17 | 1d4 Con drain | 1d4 Str damage/day |
| High | 22 | 2d4 Con drain | 1d6 Str damage/day |
| Severe | 30 | 4d6 Con drain | 2d6 Str damage/day |
Talent: Radiation Set
Detector: Radiation Sensor
The rules for radiation are reprinted for convenience from Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Technology Guide.
Radiation is a poison effect, whose primary effect causes Constitution drain and secondary effect causes Strength damage.
Radiation dangers are organized into four categories: low, medium, high, and severe.
Primary Effect: Radiation initially deals Constitution drain unless the exposed character succeeds at a Fortitude saving throw. A new saving throw must be attempted to resist radiation’s initial damage each round a victim remains exposed to it.
Secondary Effect: Secondary effects from radiation deal Strength damage at a much slower rate than most poisons. This secondary effect ends only after a character succeeds at two consecutive Fortitude saving throws to resist secondary radiation damage. If a character has Strength damage equal to his current Strength score, further damage dealt a secondary effect is instead Constitution damage.
Removing Radiation Effects: All radiation damage is a poison effect, and as such it can be removed with any effect that neutralizes poison. Ability damage and drain caused by radiation damage can be healed normally.
Table: Relativistic Signals| Type | Strength |
|---|---|
| Equal to the relative variable | Equivalent |
| -3 or less of the relative variable | Diluted |
| -2 or less of the relative variable | Weak |
| +/- 1 of the relative variable | Considerate |
| +2 or more of the relative variable | Potent |
| +3 or more of the relative variable | Astounding |
Talent: Detection Mastery
Detector: Relativistic Signals (any)
Table: Temperatures
| Temp (C/F) | Reference Point | Temp (C/F) | Reference Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| -273.15 / -459.67 | Absolute zero | 38 / 100 | Desert temperatures |
| -30/-22 | Arctic temperatures | 100 / 212 | Water boils |
| 0/32 | Water freezes | 230 / 450 | Tin melts |
| 0/32 | Creatures with cold subtype1 | 233 / 451 | Flashpoint of paper |
| 10/40 | Incorporeal undead1 | 500 / 930 | Campfire |
| 20/70 | Average room temperature | 510 / 950 | Creature with fire subtype1 |
| 20/70 | Corporeal undead1 | 620 / 1,150 | Wood-fueled forge |
| 37/98 | Average human temperature | 1,500 / 2,750 | Iron melts |
1 This is the temperature of an average creature of its type/subtype, and variance within said type/subtype is to be assumed.
Note: When using a heat sensor, GMs are encouraged to approximate an area’s temperatures. Table: Temperatures provides average temperatures of common environments, locations, and creatures as suggestions and points of comparison.
Innate Gizmos
Some abilities may grant an “innate gizmo”, such as to a mechanoid or a prosthetic. Innate gizmos do not count against the crafter’s gizmo limit and are treated as though they were a gizmo the crafter crafted for all purposes (gaining any benefits or qualities that gizmo would have if the crafter made one normally).
An innate gizmo is treated as being part of the “base” gizmo (the source of the innate gizmo, i.e. a mechanoid or prosthetic) and cannot be detached or removed from the base gizmo, nor can they be damaged separately from the base gizmo (unlike combined gizmos).
The following are additional rules and clarifications for innate gizmos belonging to certain gizmo types:
- Mechanoid: A mechanoid is always treated as wielding all of their innate gizmos and may activate them regardless of their available limbs (although may be unable to if restrained, subject to GM discretion). Innate gizmos are treated as one of the mechanoid’s upgrades for all purposes.
- Prosthetic: An innate gizmo granted to a prosthetic can be wielded and used by the user without additional hands, even if it would ordinarily require a hand. An innate gizmo does not grant the user extra attacks.
Scavenging Gizmos
Occasionally, a Tinker practitioner may come across gizmos crafted by other gizmo practitioners, who may be long gone. This can be a great way to introduce new Tinker traditions or provide unusual or lost technology.
With a successful proficiency check (using the gizmo’s associated skill check), a Tinker practitioner can maintain a gizmo made by another crafter as though it were their own. A gizmo maintained this way cannot be altered or adjusted unless the crafter possesses the appropriate talents used to craft the gizmo, and their ranks in the associated skill equal or exceed the gizmo’s gizmo level; in effect, unless the Tinker practitioner could have built one themselves, they are only able to repair and maintain the gizmo in the state the crafter made it.
Adjusting Scavenged Prosthetics: Prosthetics can be adjusted for a new wearer, even if the tinker practitioner could not alter or adjust the prosthetic normally, by succeeding at a proficiency check (using the prosthetic’s associated skill check). For example, adjusting a prosthetic arm designed for a massive draconid warrior to be worn by the human knight that bested it in combat.
Sources of Mobility
The Pathfinder core rules do not cover how a creature with multiple types of movements can use them during the same turn (or multiple sources of the same type of movement, such as two different base speeds granted by various sources.
This book suggests the following, when considering the Tinker sphere granting numerous different movement modes of the same kind (such as treads for difficult terrain, wheels for flat surfaces, and so on):
Multiple Movement Modes: You may gain or grant different kinds of mobility (such as legs, wheels, or treads), that each provide separate benefits if used as your primary method of mobility. Whenever you move, you decide which movement modes (of each kind) to use. If you use multiple movement modes of the same kind (i.e. a land speed with 20 feet (“A”) and a land speed of 30 feet “(B”)), you could move 15 feet using “A” and then the remaining 15 feet with “B”, but if you already moved 15 feet with “B”, could only move up to 5 feet with “A”.
If you have multiple sources of legs, add all types of ‘legs’ together to determine if you are a quadruped for carrying capacity and bonuses against being tripped.