The Aegis Master utilizes their expertise in weapon crafting, smithing and engineering to create an aegis; a personal armament created to defend the master of the aegis using their own mind power. The term "defend" is used liberally, as a weapon that vaporizes the opponent technically defends from the (now deceased) opponent's attack. An aegis can be a range of things from a clockwork greatsword that extends its length when a magical trigger is activated, to a hand crossbow that fires channeled beams of your own psychic energy from a specially crafted magical bowstring, the design is completely up to the crafter. Though, each Aegis falls into a category, to make it easier to know which parts can be exchanged onto a new weapon if the Aegis Master decides to turn a new weapon into their Aegis.
There is one thing that differentiates an Aegis from your typical weapon, or even magical weapon; an Aegis always has a small magical crystal embedded into the design of the weapon, called a channeling gem. The color and identity of the gem is up to the GM as it is dependent on the setting, and the identity or history of the gem may or may not be disclosed to you. A weapon is not an Aegis without the channeling gem, and therefore, any weapon can be turned into an Aegis if it's compatible with a channeling gem. Many are not able to differentiate the difference between an Aegis, the weapon and the channeling gem, so here it is; When a weapon and a channeling gem combine, they make an Aegis. The channeling gem is not itself an Aegis, nor the weapon.
When an Aegis is crafted by an aegis master, the channeling gem is socketed into place on the weapon and through the power of an infusion, a direct mental link is formed between the newly formed Aegis's channeling gem and its crafter/wielder. This link allows the aegis master to perform well with even types of weapons that they normally wouldn't use.
Tool Proficiency
When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with either smith's tools or tinker's tools. If you already have proficiency with the chosen set of tools, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan's tools of your choice.
Aegis Master Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Aegis Master Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
| Aegis Master Spells | |
|---|---|
| Artificer Level | Aegis Master Spells |
| 3rd | Armor of Agathys, Zephyr Strike |
| 5th | Branding Smite, |
| 9th | |
| 13th | |
| 17th | |
Channeled Aegis
Beginning at 3rd level, your focus on making your very own powerful armament has led you to channeling a specific type of weapon to be your Aegis through the use of a channeling gem. There is a channeling gem embedded somewhere on or within the weapon, which is powered by your own mental energy through a direct connection between your mind and the gem.
The channeling gem is considered a separate object from the weapon it is connected too. Imbuing your channeling gem works like infusing an item, but does not count toward your maximum number of infused items.