Remedial Tinkering: Happier Little Automatons

This expansion for the Tinker-class clocks in at 6 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page SRD, leaving us with 4 pages of content, so let’s take a look!

Now, you probably have already expected this, but this would be a continuation or sequel of sorts to the amazing combo-potential and fun that paint inventions brought to the tinker class. We begin with the handy invention subtype cheat-sheet and then continue with new innovations: These include the spontaneous replacement of design and paint subtypes with others…or making the paint fumes enrage all automata nearby…dealing additional fire damage. Talk about incendiary rages… Similarly, temporary hit points granted to nearby automata upon deployment represents one cool gambit. My favorite, though, would be the mighty artist afro that qualifies as a separate target for paint! And no, just cutting hair doesn’t destroy it – the afro is a metaphysical concept…and eternal. Yeah, I actually laughed out when I read that one and smiled with glee! The pdf also allows you to gain two innovations instead of a greater innovation and a further expansion of aforementioned fume benefits allows for even more delicious combo potential and even some automaton healing via the application of the paint.

We also receive a collection of 16 inventions that build perfectly on existing material: Adding temporary hit points to asbestos or ablatic paint, caustic coats of paint, doubling numerical benefits of passive paint inventions…cool. And the really combo-monster would be the option to splatter nearby automata with heart’s paint upon death, allowing for even smoother transitions in combat. Also cool: losing a paint and still retaining its benefits for a number of rounds. Also cool: Upon slaying a creature, the automaton may anoint itself with the blood of the slain creature, using the respective blood as a use of a paint invention’s ability requiring the loss of the invention…which generally is cool, but I really wished it wouldn’t be potentially kitten-powered. Granted, the anointment does not allow for serious cheesing, but still.

Being treated as one size smaller (and thus look like an easy target), losing paint to make another creature’s attack flaming (not properly italicized) …some nice tricks here. Alphas can trigger the aforementioned fumes…and have I mentioned that the alpha, with instant abstract art can hold several warheads and use these to splatter paint…or acid…or fire…or extend the range? Yeah, this one is glorious.

What about an automaton that can remove fluidly primer coats as it moves? Or what about a pseudo-herby-automaton that can provide minor healing…or damage to an undead creature? Also really cool: Tagging spray that makes hitting a tagged target easier for everyone involved. And nope, this is not all. This pdf has a metric ton of amazing potential for the tinker class!!!

Conclusion:

Editing and formatting are very good, I noticed no significant issues apart from the aforementioned cosmetic glitches. Layout adheres to Interjection games’ no-frills two-column b/w-standard and the pdf has no bookmarks, but needs none at this length.

Bradley Crouch’s happier little automatons are a chess-master’s wet dream: The massive combo-potential of the previous installment is amplified greatly by this one; the fume-tricks are glorious and can most certainly present some truly fun and evocative options. Playful and funny, but thoroughly mechanically relevant, this is a gem and one of the absolute must-have-you-need-this-OMG-so-cool tinker expansions. I’m serious. Impressive work indeed…and in spite of the minor hiccups, the extremely fair price-point and quality of the material herein makes me settle on a final verdict of 5 stars + seal of approval. Amazing! Now get this, smile enigmatically and start scheming…I’ll keep the secret of the amazing combos we can inflict with this! (*Punches himself for bad attempt at Bob Ross imitation-joke*)

You can get this amazing, inexpensive little pdf here on OBS!

You can directly support interjection Games here on patreon!

Endzeitgeist out.

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