The Tinker, a Black Hack Class
This Tinker is a variant on the Wizard class for Black Hack 2nd Edition. What if instead of spells you had items? Am I backdooring into the Artefact system from Into the Odd? It seems like it.
Tinker
STARTING STATS
Starting Hit Points (HP): 1d6Starting Hit Die (HD): 1d4
Usable Weapons & Armor: All one-handed: axes, hammers, daggers; staff, cloth, leather
Attack Damage: 1d4 or 1 if unarmed
| D6 | PRIZED POSSESSION |
|---|---|
| 1 | Crystalline magnifying glass |
| 2 | Fireproof beaker |
| 3 | Giant’s tweezers |
| 4 | Hourglass pendant |
| 5 | Dragon’s tooth spike |
| 6 | Self-reflling canteen of ice water |
EQUIPMENT
Every Tinker starts with a Schematic Book containing 1d4+2 schematics of your choosing from level 1 & 2. Also choose to start the game with either A or B:
- A - lab smocks (AV1), one-handed dwarven steel hammer, 2d8 coins & purse, glowing tuning fork.
- B - cloth robes (AV1), gnarled elm staff, 3d6 coins & purse, leather tool belt.
ONE PERSON’S TRASH
When a Tinker purchases an item they always roll the cost of items with Advantage. A Tinker also gets more usage of items, the Usage die of the purchased item is increased one tier upon purchase.
TRY THIS WIRE
Roll with Advantage when a Tinker attempts to disarm a trap of mechanical design.
AS GOOD AS NEW
Once per Day select one gizmo’s Usage Die to roll. If you roll a value equal or greater than half of the die’s maximum value then the gizmo’s Usage die is increased one size.
CRAFTING GIZMOS
Once a Day a Tinker can spend an Hour to craft a number of gizmos equal to their Level from loose schematics or books. A Tinker can only create gizmos of levels up to and equal to their current Level. See the next page for a list of gizmos. Feel free to collaborate with your GM to create new ones.
These gizmos have a usage dice equal to their gizmo level times 2 with the minimum being Ud4. Each gizmo takes up one inventory slot.
OPERATING GIZMOS
A Tinker can spend an Action on their Turn to use a gizmo. Once the effects are resolved, the Tinker should roll the gizmo’s Usage Die. The full Usage Die rules can be found on p. 14 of the 2nd edition of the Black Hack rulebook.
GAINING A NEW LEVEL
Acquire and share a number of Experiences equal to your current HD to advance a Level. When you gain a Level:
- Roll a d20 once for each Attribute - if you roll over, it goes up one point. Make an extra roll for either Intelligence or Charisma.
- Gain 1HD - Roll 1d4 - gain that many additional maximum HP.
| lvl | Gizmo |
|---|---|
| 1 | Personal Shield Generator: Gives the caster Arcane Mail (AV2) Creates a buzzing sound and a scent of burnt hair.
Cloth Parachute: The wearer can fall at a very slow pace for Ud4 Minutes. Burning Gloves: The wearer can ignite the gloves and grab a Close target which takes 1d6 damage for each of the wearer’s Levels. Sleeping Gas Grenade: Roll the Tinker’s HD, Nearby Creatures with fewer HP than rolled fall asleep - lasts Ud6 Minutes. |
| 2 | Target Dummy: Create a 1d4 HD Creature that is Stuck, but makes it the target of 1d4 Nearby Creatures.
Skeleton Key: Use to unlock a door or lock. Doesn’t work on magically sealed doors or locks. Spider’s Boots: The Wearer can walk on walls, ceilings, and cliffs. Works for Ud6 Minutes before running out of power. Bag of Wind: When opened spews forth a strong blast of wind. Extinguish unprotected light sources, fan large fres, sends objects flying backwards. |
| 3 | Personal Darkness Generator: Once powered on, pure darkness covers the Nearby area around the wearer and blocks all types of vision - lasts Ud6 Minutes.
Magic Nullifcation Pendant: Removes or reverses the effects of an Arcane spell targeted directly at the wearer. The wearer’s flesh grows cold to the touch when this occurs. Pendant must be touching flesh to work. Icy Breath Mints: After chewing, the user can breathe a cloud of frost at 1d4 Nearby for 1d4 damage. Struck Creatures are Stuck. Giant’s Clap: All Nearby Creatures are deafened for Ud4 Minutes. |
| 4 | Invisibility Cloak: A Creature wearing this is made invisible until it Attacks or Ud12 Minutes has past.
Hermes’s Sandals: The wearer is granted magical speed. Can perform two actions per Turn for Ud6 Minutes. Needs to rest at least one Hour afterwards or suffers Ongoing Damage. Darkvision Goggles: A Creature wearing these can see in absolute darkness - lasts Ud6 Minutes. Rocket Punch: Hits a single Nearby or Faraway target and does 1d4+1 for each of the user’s Levels. |
| 5 | Lightning Rod: Summons a bolt of lightning down when it strikes a target. Deals 1d6 for each of User’s Levels to the struck Creature. Deals 1 damage per User’s Levels to all Creatures Close to the target.
Telekinesis Headband: As an Action, the Wearer may Move a Nearby object - lasts Ud10 Minutes. Headband glows when in use. Repair Bot: Repairs up to 1d4 Broken Armour Die per use. Antidote: Instantly removes the effects of poisons or venom. Everything tastes like strawberries for Ud4 Days. |
| 6 | Reanimator Device: Reanimate 2d4 Nearby corpses. Each has half the User’s HD and is under the effects of Charm.
Golden Gun: Fire a single shot at a Nearby Creature, and make a DEX Test. If passed the target is OofA. Robohound: Create a robotic dog (1d4 HD). It is under the effect of Charm. Shrink/Embiggen Raygun: Shrinks Creature to half their size / Enlarges Creature to double their size for 1 Hour. |
| 7 | Autocrossbow: Shoots 4 bolts at Nearby targets dealing 1d4 each.
MedKit: Allows the user to regenerate at the rate of 3 HP each Moment for Ud4 Moments. Flamethrower: Creates a cone of fre that deals 1d6 + 1 damage per user’s Level to all Nearby Creatures in a 45 degree arc in front of the user. Megingjörð: Doubles the wearer’s Strength for Ud6 Minutes. Wearer is ravenous afterwards. |
| 8 | Death Ray: 2d4 Nearby targets with 7HD or fewer are taken OofA.
RoboSquire: Creates a bipedal Robot (1d8 HD) with 30 inventory slots. Lasts Ud4 Days. Can repair up to 1d4 Broken Armour Die per Day. It is under the effect of Charm. Jumper Cables: Can be used to revive a OofA Character. The revived Character doesn’t roll on the OofA table. Energy Barrier: Creates a barrier of pure energy around a Close area. Any Creature that touches it takes damage equal to its HD+2. |
| 9 | Earthquake Generator: After it is set, it generates an earthquake within Ud6 Moments, dealing 7d6 damage to all Nearby Creatures on the ground.
Portal Box: When a symbol on the stone is tapped it opens a portal to a specifed location. Up to 6 locations can be saved. Angel Wings: Wearer gains the ability to fly for Ud8 Hours. Dynamite Crossbow: Fires 4 bolts a Turn. Each bolt does 5d6 damage to all Close Creatures at the impact point. |
| 10 | Death Ray 9000: A Nearby Creature with 50HP or less dies and cannot be resurrected.
Stopwatch: Stops time completely in a Nearby area - lasts Ud4 Moments. RoboDragon: Create a robotic Dragon up to your HD. Use the Black Hack Classic Monster’s Volume for stats. It is under the effects of Charm. MedBot XL: Heals up to 1d6 Characters for 6d8+5 HP, removes poisons and paralysis. |
You can download the Tinker and my other homebrew Black Hack classes for on itch.