With the two Unearthed Arcana and the Forge of Wonders coming out we now have six subclasses to chose from. The alchemist, the armorer, the artillerist, the battle smith, the cartographer, and the reanimator. It is clear that the artificer is finally getting some long deserved love but is it going in a good direction? The cartographer is still a mystery but it may be a ranger/explorer type of artificer. The reanimator is an adjustable beast master type. With six subclasses available what else does the artificer need that the other classes already have? An artificer only spell? Another artificer only magic item? A major character like Drizzt or Mordenkainen? Be a playable character in Baulders gate 3? What do you think Artificers deserve?
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
I feel like that would be redundant, like a monk subclass based on making unarmed strikes.
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
Making magic items that can be handed out to the party is kind of the core feature of the base Artificer class.
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
I feel like that would be redundant, like a monk subclass based on making unarmed strikes.
To be fair, that describes the Open Hand monk subclass pretty well. WoTC certainly isn't above making redundant subclasses, or subclasses that lean even further into the base mechanics of a class.
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
Making magic items that can be handed out to the party is kind of the core feature of the base Artificer class.
It's how the class is *described* but not how it *functions.* You have very few infusions to work with and they're fairly limited, in the 2014 version. You need to keep at least one for yourself in your hand. You probably need a Bag of Holding for all your tools and supplies. I find it very hard to be in a place to give away items. If you're an armorer, you can't make armor for others, really, only for yourself. It's a fine character but you don't really make magic items in any quantity; if you cast your spells as items, it's only as flavor.
If you want to craft magic items, there's no subclass that isn't a distraction from that.
Secondarily, I think there are some interesting ideas around making - for example a paper mage or a thread mage - and while artificer would seem to be the right base class, I haven't been able to figure out how to make one work from any of the artificer subclasses without really torquing it. The closest still seems to be the battle smith. You're better off trying to reflavor a wizard. Or possibly a swarmkeeper ranger.
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
I feel like that would be redundant, like a monk subclass based on making unarmed strikes.
To be fair, that describes the Open Hand monk subclass pretty well. WoTC certainly isn't above making redundant subclasses, or subclasses that lean even further into the base mechanics of a class.
Not really. Only their level 3 and 17 abilities depend on making unarmed strikes, and they're just basically giving rider effects. Actually, that's how I would sum up the subclass: rider effects.
To be fair, that describes the Open Hand monk subclass pretty well. WoTC certainly isn't above making redundant subclasses, or subclasses that lean even further into the base mechanics of a class.
Not really. Only their level 3 and 17 abilities depend on making unarmed strikes, and they're just basically giving rider effects. Actually, that's how I would sum up the subclass: rider effects.
Sure, but a similar thing could be done for an Artificer subclass.
Say there's a subclass that allows you to break the "each infusion can only be in one item at a time" rule and let you select one of your infusions to spread to multiple party members. Reasonably it'd come with some restrictions on what infusions apply (bag of holding bombs don't need to be encouraged).
Or perhaps it applies rider effects to your infusions like letting you cast a spell as if you were in the same place as one bearing your infusion a limited number of times per long rest. Or allowing a single item to bear multiple infusions. Or allowing the Artificer to apply an infusion to an already magical item.
They made a lot of restrictions to the base infusion mechanic (for good reasons I assume). A more infusion/magic item focused Artificer subclass could loosen specific restrictions as part of its power budget. While thematically redundant, it can be mechanically rich. Just like a punch focused monk who likes to punch more than other monks. (I'm oversimplifying yes, but hopefully you get the analogy)
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
Making magic items that can be handed out to the party is kind of the core feature of the base Artificer class.
Until level 10 you're only replicating a total of 2 or 3 magic items (and then you get 1 more and at levels 14 & 18 too). And in Tasha's, the 10th level Artificer using "Magic Item Adept" could craft any magic item (just like anyone else) but at 1/2 the cost and 1/4 the time. Not earth shattering. How many parties do you know that spend weeks or months and 100s of thousands in gold to craft a magic item?
But in the Unearthed Arcana, they've actually removed that language, nerfing even that small advantage. They've eliminated any cost bonus and they've fragmented the time buffs into the subclasses. Time is no longer quartered, but only halved for a handful of subclass focused items.
So there really is no core feature to hand out magic items.
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
They likely realized, as many who play the game have, that the ability make temporary magic items - unbalanced low magic campaigns.
And let's face it, very few artificers actually handed out magic items, the vast majority kept them for their own use. Imagine a low magic campaign where a character is lucky to find a single magic item by 5th level, and here comes a new character with 3x that many. Frankly, they never should have had that ability to begin with.
There's a reason Artificers are the single most banned character class at most tables. The two reasons most commonly cited are: 1. Too Steampunky-ish 2. Too easy to overload one character with magic items.
Eliminating the making of magic items is an attempt to correct that. Remove the ability to make magic items, and I would consider allowing artificers into more of the games I run. I know others would too.
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
They likely realized, as many who play the game have, that the ability make temporary magic items - unbalanced low magic campaigns.
And let's face it, very few artificers actually handed out magic items, the vast majority kept them for their own use. Imagine a low magic campaign where a character is lucky to find a single magic item by 5th level, and here comes a new character with 3x that many. Frankly, they never should have had that ability to begin with.
There's a reason Artificers are the single most banned character class at most tables. The two reasons most commonly cited are: 1. Too Steampunky-ish 2. Too easy to overload one character with magic items.
Eliminating the making of magic items is an attempt to correct that. Remove the ability to make magic items, and I would consider allowing artificers into more of the games I run. I know others would too.
There's no need to play the Artificer as steampunky at all. The Battle Smith is the subclass that most leans into that, from the steel defender, which can be reflavored. But in truth you have to work pretty hard to reflavor your artificer to cast through items or inventions.
The Artificer only can make two magic items through level 5, and one typically needs to be the spellcasting focus, which (a) means they're hard to give away and (b) doesn't seem outrageous. By level 5 it's pretty typical for campaigns I've been part of for characters to have access to a +1 magic weapon and for the party to have at least one bag of holding.
Artificer gets magic items instead of higher level spells and spell slots that the wizard (for example) has.
I think a subclass that traded the Steel Defender's power for a collection of smaller magic items, perhaps with limited charges, would be very fun to play and more on theme of a support character that is able to pass out items to the party.
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With the two Unearthed Arcana and the Forge of Wonders coming out we now have six subclasses to chose from. The alchemist, the armorer, the artillerist, the battle smith, the cartographer, and the reanimator. It is clear that the artificer is finally getting some long deserved love but is it going in a good direction? The cartographer is still a mystery but it may be a ranger/explorer type of artificer. The reanimator is an adjustable beast master type. With six subclasses available what else does the artificer need that the other classes already have? An artificer only spell? Another artificer only magic item? A major character like Drizzt or Mordenkainen? Be a playable character in Baulders gate 3? What do you think Artificers deserve?
Artificers desperately need class-specific spells. The other half-casters have a ton of them. I never understood why Artificers didn't.
pronouns: he/she/they
Ironically with all these subclasses, there's still not a subclass that... makes magic items. You can make a gun for yourself, there are now two subclasses with pets, but if you want to make an artificer who makes magic items and hands them out to the party or deploys them on the battlefield... there's still not that. My steel defender is cool but for example why isn't there a tinkerer version, maybe someone who swaps the steel defender for other kinds of semipermanent magic items?
I feel like that would be redundant, like a monk subclass based on making unarmed strikes.
Making magic items that can be handed out to the party is kind of the core feature of the base Artificer class.
pronouns: he/she/they
To be fair, that describes the Open Hand monk subclass pretty well. WoTC certainly isn't above making redundant subclasses, or subclasses that lean even further into the base mechanics of a class.
It's how the class is *described* but not how it *functions.* You have very few infusions to work with and they're fairly limited, in the 2014 version. You need to keep at least one for yourself in your hand. You probably need a Bag of Holding for all your tools and supplies. I find it very hard to be in a place to give away items. If you're an armorer, you can't make armor for others, really, only for yourself. It's a fine character but you don't really make magic items in any quantity; if you cast your spells as items, it's only as flavor.
If you want to craft magic items, there's no subclass that isn't a distraction from that.
Secondarily, I think there are some interesting ideas around making - for example a paper mage or a thread mage - and while artificer would seem to be the right base class, I haven't been able to figure out how to make one work from any of the artificer subclasses without really torquing it. The closest still seems to be the battle smith. You're better off trying to reflavor a wizard. Or possibly a swarmkeeper ranger.
Not really. Only their level 3 and 17 abilities depend on making unarmed strikes, and they're just basically giving rider effects. Actually, that's how I would sum up the subclass: rider effects.
Sure, but a similar thing could be done for an Artificer subclass.
Say there's a subclass that allows you to break the "each infusion can only be in one item at a time" rule and let you select one of your infusions to spread to multiple party members. Reasonably it'd come with some restrictions on what infusions apply (bag of holding bombs don't need to be encouraged).
Or perhaps it applies rider effects to your infusions like letting you cast a spell as if you were in the same place as one bearing your infusion a limited number of times per long rest.
Or allowing a single item to bear multiple infusions.
Or allowing the Artificer to apply an infusion to an already magical item.
They made a lot of restrictions to the base infusion mechanic (for good reasons I assume). A more infusion/magic item focused Artificer subclass could loosen specific restrictions as part of its power budget.
While thematically redundant, it can be mechanically rich. Just like a punch focused monk who likes to punch more than other monks.
(I'm oversimplifying yes, but hopefully you get the analogy)
Until level 10 you're only replicating a total of 2 or 3 magic items (and then you get 1 more and at levels 14 & 18 too). And in Tasha's, the 10th level Artificer using "Magic Item Adept" could craft any magic item (just like anyone else) but at 1/2 the cost and 1/4 the time. Not earth shattering. How many parties do you know that spend weeks or months and 100s of thousands in gold to craft a magic item?
But in the Unearthed Arcana, they've actually removed that language, nerfing even that small advantage. They've eliminated any cost bonus and they've fragmented the time buffs into the subclasses. Time is no longer quartered, but only halved for a handful of subclass focused items.
So there really is no core feature to hand out magic items.
The Crooked Moon did what i wanted for an artificer subclass, but made it a barbarian subclass. An artificer who uses potions to hulk out.
They likely realized, as many who play the game have, that the ability make temporary magic items - unbalanced low magic campaigns.
And let's face it, very few artificers actually handed out magic items, the vast majority kept them for their own use. Imagine a low magic campaign where a character is lucky to find a single magic item by 5th level, and here comes a new character with 3x that many. Frankly, they never should have had that ability to begin with.
There's a reason Artificers are the single most banned character class at most tables. The two reasons most commonly cited are:
1. Too Steampunky-ish
2. Too easy to overload one character with magic items.
Eliminating the making of magic items is an attempt to correct that. Remove the ability to make magic items, and I would consider allowing artificers into more of the games I run. I know others would too.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
There's no need to play the Artificer as steampunky at all. The Battle Smith is the subclass that most leans into that, from the steel defender, which can be reflavored. But in truth you have to work pretty hard to reflavor your artificer to cast through items or inventions.
The Artificer only can make two magic items through level 5, and one typically needs to be the spellcasting focus, which (a) means they're hard to give away and (b) doesn't seem outrageous. By level 5 it's pretty typical for campaigns I've been part of for characters to have access to a +1 magic weapon and for the party to have at least one bag of holding.
Artificer gets magic items instead of higher level spells and spell slots that the wizard (for example) has.
I think a subclass that traded the Steel Defender's power for a collection of smaller magic items, perhaps with limited charges, would be very fun to play and more on theme of a support character that is able to pass out items to the party.