Synaptic Surgeon
At its core, all mental activity stems from jolts of electricity leaping between synapses in the mind. The synaptic surgeon uses inventions that harness these surges of energy, manipulating them in ways that boost allies and hinder foes.
Synaptic Gadget
When you select this archetype at 3rd level, you create a unique device capable of manipulating the electric impulses in a living creature: a synaptic gadget. This device can take many forms, such as a pair of gloves that generate a manipulative static charge or a clockwork invention that generates a mind-altering frequency. Regardless of its form, only you know how to manipulate it effectively, and the device can only affect living creatures with an Intelligence score of at least 3 unless otherwise stated. You can’t use your synaptic gadget on yourself unless a feature allows it. Saves against your synaptic gadget’s effects are made against your spell save DC .
Your synaptic gadget has a number of uses equal to your proficiency modifier. You regain all expended uses when you complete a short rest or a long rest by taking the time to recharge it. You cannot regain expended uses this way if you don’t have access to your tools of artifice.
You can spend a use of your synaptic gadget to manipulate the mind in a variety of ways.
Adrenal Surge
As a bonus action, you apply your synaptic gadget to a willing creature within reach, including yourself, to suppress pain or push muscles to their limit. Choose Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. The target gains advantage on ability checks and saving throws for the chosen ability score until the end of its next turn. If you chose Strength or Dexterity, its weapon attacks made with the chosen ability score deal an additional 1d4 points of damage for the duration. If you chose Constitution, it gains 1d8 temporary hit points. These temporary hit points disappear at the end of the duration.These bonuses increase by 1 die at 5th level, 11th level, and 17th level (maximum 4d4 or 4d8).
At the end of the duration, the creature suffers a level of fatigue that persists until cured or until the combat ends. The creature can’t benefit from this feature again until this level of fatigue is removed. Fatigue suffered from other sources does not affect this limitation.
Danger Sense
As a bonus action, you apply your synaptic gadget to a willing creature within reach, heightening its awareness. For a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier, the target gains advantage on Insight and Perception checks and its Armor Class increases by 2 as long as it is not paralyzed or otherwise not able to move. This bonus increases by 1 at 5th level, 11th level, and 17th level (maximum 5).
Disruptive Burst
As an action, you can weaponize your synaptic gadget to disrupt the target’s nervous system. This feature has a range of 15 feet. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 lightning damage and makes a Constitution saving throw ] or is slowed until the end of its next turn. This damage increases by 1d10 at 5th level, 11th level, and 17th level (maximum 4d10).
Synaptic Surgeon Spells
At 3rd level, when you prepare your artificer spells you can prepare certain spells and create spell inventions for them in addition to your normal number of prepared spells. These spells count as artificer spells for you, even if they aren’t on the artificer spell list.
| Spell Level | Spells |
| 3rd | |
| 5th | |
| 9th | |
| 13th | |
| 17th |
Triggered Surge
At 5th level, you can spend a use of your synaptic gadget to create a beneficial effect that only triggers under conditions you determine. Activating this ability requires you to touch the gadget to a target for one minute, after which an unwilling creature can make a Wisdom saving throw at disadvantage . During the process, you designate the condition that will cause the surge to trigger, much like setting a posthypnotic suggestion. Only one condition can be designated, and once established it can’t be changed for the duration of this feature. Likewise, allies must be designated (or described, if the creature has never seen them, though this occasionally leads to misidentification and mishaps) for the purposes of this feature when the condition is designated and can’t be changed for the duration. The creature must be conscious for the effect to trigger.
Example conditions include: the creature is the target of a spell not cast by an ally; the creature is the target of a weapon attack; the creature falls from a height of more than 10 feet; the creature hears a designated phrase spoken as a reaction, bonus action, or action (the creature must be able to hear the phrase to trigger the effect, but does not need to understand the it); the creature casts a spell that deals damage; the creature makes a melee weapon attack against an ally.
Choose one of the following effects.
Triggered Vigor
Choose Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. When the condition is met, the creature gains the benefits of enhance ability for the chosen ability score. This effect does not require concentration .
Triggered Rebuke
Choose blindness/deafness or hold person . When the condition is met, the creature is affected by the chosen spell. It automatically fails its first save against the spell, but makes saving throws to end the spell at the end of its turn as normal. This effect does not require concentration.
The effect ends early if the creature becomes unconscious , is reduced to 0 hit points, or you spend 1 minute with your synaptic gadget removing the suggestion. This does not require an additional use of your gadget. The target can’t be subjected to more than one triggered surge at a time and the trigger wears off if the conditions are not met for 24 hours or if the creature dies and is brought back to life. Once a condition is triggered, the creature realizes it was affected by magic if it was not otherwise aware.
Advanced Synaptic Gadget
At 9th level, you’ve plumbed the depths of the mind. You can now choose from the following effects.
Back from the Brink
You must spend an infusion use to utilize this feature. As an action, you can shock a creature that has been dead for no more than 1 minute as though using the revivify spell without spending material components. You can only use this feature once a week.
Disorienting Frequency
Your synaptic gadget can now emit a sound that muddles the mind. As an action, you can make a 30-foot cone of sound. Each creature in the area makes a Constitution saving throw . A creature takes 3d6 sonic damage and 3d6 psychic damage and is slowed until the end of its next turn on a failed saving throw, or half damage and rattled on a success. This feature affects all living creatures, regardless of Intelligence.
Disruptive Overload
When using a Disruptive Burst, you can expend an infusion use as part of the action to supercharge your synaptic gadget and enable it to affect undead creatures and constructs made of conductive materials.
Improved Triggered Vigor
When using your Triggered Vigor on a willing creature, you can spend an infusion use as part of the process to boost two ability scores rather than one. However, the creature can’t benefit from your Triggered Vigor again for 24 hours once it has been affected in this way.
Rapid Triggered Surge
When using your Triggered Surge ability, you can spend an infusion use to implant the trigger over the course of 1 round. During this time you can’t take actions, bonus actions, or reactions or spend any movement. If the creature is unwilling, it makes a Wisdom saving throw . On a success, the use of your synaptic gadget is wasted.
Restore the Mind
Starting at 15th level, you can spend a use of your synaptic gadget to restore brain activity to its normal state or even temporarily revive someone whose mind has stopped working. By using your synaptic gadget on a living creature, you can remove either a level of strife , a charm effect, or a reduction to a single mental ability score. A creature can only benefit from this feature once a week.
If you use your synaptic gadget on a corpse, you can reactivate its brain activity for a short time. If the target died within the last week, you can ask it questions as though you had cast speak with dead without components. If the target died within the last 24 hours, you can also pass the electric impulses into its muscles, animating it to complete one task that takes 10 minutes or less. The temporarily revived target functions as a zombie . It can act on information it knew in life but cannot process new information or make decisions on its own.