The Shredder

T
o use one’s gifts for the betterment of the world
they live in–whatever shape that endeavor
might assume–is a sentiment which most
inventors will usually agree on as being their
universal code of conduct. Most, but not all.
Simply put, the Shredder is a genius who
decided to use their intellect for evil. Be it for
the sake of larger machinations, or simply a crude lust for
blood, these demented artificers employed the entirety of
their talents into constructing an instrument of unparalleled
carnage: links of serrated metal spinning automatically
around the edge of a saw blade; an unhinged machine built
distinctively for slaughter.
Bringing into the world the ultimate in offensive weapon
technology, Shredders are a force to be feared on the
battlefield; and a wild variable outside of it.

Killer’s Craft
When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain Killer’s Lust
proficiency with martial weapons and smith’s tools. At 3rd level, you revel in the thrill of hunting your prey, being
In addition, you can use your Intelligence modifier instead revitalized by the sight of their blood dripping from your
of your Strength when rolling for attack and damage with a weapon:
martial weapon.
Whenever you deal slashing damage to a creature, it must
make a Constitution saving throw, gaining one stack of
Shredder Spells bleeding on a failed save. An affected creature loses an
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared amount of hit points equal to half your Intelligence
after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the modifier (rounded down), per stack of bleeding, at the
Shredder Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells start of each of your turns. Creatures with resistance to
for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer slashing damage lose half as much hit points from this
spells you prepare. feature (rounded up). The stacks disappear when the
creature is reduced to 0 hit points, or receives healing of
Shredder Spells any kind. The creature can also use its bonus action to
Artificer Level Spell patch itself up, removing one stack of bleeding. This
3rd Wrathful Smite, Hunter’s Mark feature has no effect on undead or constructs.
5th Hold Person, See Invisibility Whenever you reduce a hostile creature (CR 1/8 or
9th Slow, Vampiric Touch higher) to 0 hit points by any means, you recover 1 hit die.
Until the end of your next turn, you can use your bonus
13th Staggering Smite, Locate Creature
action to spend 1 hit die, recovering an amount of hit
17th Hold Monster, Steel Wind Strike points equal to the die roll + your Intelligence modifier.
 Once you completely use this feature, you can’t use it
Brutal Device again until you finish a long rest.
Also at 3rd level, you've learned how to create a deadly new
type of weapon: the Heavy Chainsaw. This weapon breaks down and becomes unusable if it is
Using tinker's tools or smith's tools, you can perform a 1 reduced to 0 hit points. If it is lost or taken too far from
hour long ritual to create this weapon in an unoccupied space you, you can then dismiss it as an action, thus enabling
you to create a new one.
on a horizontal surface within 5 feet of you. Once you create
a chainsaw, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest
or until you expend a spell slot to create one. You can have From 5th level onwards, you have the ability to deconstruct
only one chainsaw at a time and can't create another while magical weapons and integrate them into your chainsaw.
your current one is present. Whenever you encounter a non-wooden magical weapon,
You can use this weapon as a spellcasting focus for your you may spend 1 hour modifying your chainsaw to grant it the
artificer spells, and a target for your artificer infusions. You properties of the deconstructed weapon. Doing so destroys
determine its appearance each time you create it. the original item. You can only integrate the benefits of one
magical weapon at a time, but they are retained even if the
chainsaw is reconstructed. Performing this process with a
Heavy Chainsaw new magical weapon will replace the previous properties.
melee weapon (martial, chainsaw)
Category: Items High Gear
Damage: 1d8 At 5th level, you perform at your best once the blades start
Damage Type: Slashing spinning. You gain the following benefits while your chainsaw
Properties: Heavy, Special, Two-Handed is revved up:
Weight: 16 lb When you cast a spell which requires a melee attack
through your chainsaw, you can change the damage type
to slashing. If you do, it counts as an additional trigger for
You can activate the chainsaw as a bonus action on your Killer’s Lust.
turn, leaving it revved up for up to 1 minute or until you
choose to deactivate it (no action required). If you When you score a critical hit, the target gains one stack of
deactivate it before 1 minute, it’ll stay revved up for the bleeding, as well as one level of exhaustion. The points of
remaining number of rounds the next time you activate it. exhaustion gained in this way disappear when the
creature is reduced to 0 hit points, or receives healing of
While revved up, the chainsaw deals an additional 2d4
any kind.
slashing damage on a hit. This counts as an additional
trigger for Killer’s Lust. It also emits a loud whirring You have advantage on Intimidation checks. If you use
noise, giving you disadvantage on Stealth checks and your action to make one and succeed, the target becomes
revealing your location to any creatures that can hear it. frightened of you. They can make a Wisdom saving throw
at the end of each of their turns, as well as each time they
take damage, ending the effect on a successful save.
Wicked Rush
At 9th level, you enter a vicious streak when assailing your
targets, tearing deeper into vital areas as you continue to
strike them:

Your chainsaw's extra damage while revved up increases

to 2d6, and attacks made with it ignore resistance to
slashing damage.

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take

the Attack action on your turn.

When you hit a creature with a melee attack for the first
time, you deal your weapon’s normal damage. If neither
you nor the target move before your next melee attack,
you deal an additional 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. The
damage increases by 1d6 for each consecutive attack that
you hit in this way. This chain is reset if either of you move
away from each other.

Massacre of Steel
At 15th level, you reach the peak of your deranged combat
nature, becoming an exceptional menace while you have a
weapon at hand:

You now recharge your chainsaw’s activation on a short or

long rest.

Attacks made with your chainsaw ignore resistance to

slashing damage, and treat immunity as resistance.

While your chainsaw is revved up, when you attack a

creature that has at least one limb and roll a 20 on the
attack roll, you cut off one of the creature's limbs. The
creature dies if it can't survive without the lost limb. A
creature is immune to this effect if it doesn't have or need
limbs, has legendary actions, or the DM decides that the
creature is too big for its limb to be cut off with the
chainsaw.

Credit
Artwork: First page - background: Bogdan T;
character: Justin Reed/HarryBuddhaPalm. Second
page - background: panji andrian/panjoool;
character: Andrew E./SkullSplitterDice. Third page:
Jason Juta.
Watercolor: u/flamableconcrete
Design: u/CamunonZ