Im thinking of playing a artificer /armorer and arcane trickster rogue

 hi guys and gals,

  I've been looking into the artificer armorer and arcane trickster.... as a multiclass i was thinking of going 11in artificer and 9 in rogue following the arcane trickster tree my thoughts on the build.

Reasons for the split build Infiltrator armor Dampening field. Expanded field of spells. Magic tinkering items Use to cause a distraction for rogue skills like mage hand to move a lighted stone around to prompt a sneak attack on a distracted enemy. also adding addition attack using the artificer tree. the eventual scimitar of speed. adding a 3rd. Infusions to boost the stats to the armor. higher survivability with the stronger armor, extra magic item attunement, the ability to make a spell storing item at (lvl 11 arti) use of a friend or a homunculus to use magical ambush at lvl 9 trickster. uncanny dodge from rogue. the movement speed increase from the infiltrator armor, it just stacks really nicely with the arcane trickster spells and artificer infusions and spell list not to mention the stat increases per each class should balance out nicely as it progresses

                                                                                                                                                                                     what do you think any suggestions or critiques?

If its a level 20 oneshot, i suppose .  Artificer is good for a 3 level dip for armorer so you can run around in plate. But if youre playing a rogue, youll max your dex and could wear studded leather. But then it will be tough to also max your int for artificer stuff.,

I suppose you could max your int and use your lightning launcher for sneak attack since its a simple ranges weapon. But then youre a rogue who cant pick pockets or locks?

The build could be a bit MAD.

Quote from toobakedone >>

 hi guys and gals,

  I've been looking into the artificer armorer and arcane trickster.... as a multiclass i was thinking of going 11in artificer and 9 in rogue following the arcane trickster tree my thoughts on the build.

Reasons for the split build Infiltrator armor Dampening field. Expanded field of spells. Magic tinkering items Use to cause a distraction for rogue skills like mage hand to move a lighted stone around to prompt a sneak attack on a distracted enemy. also adding addition attack using the artificer tree. the eventual scimitar of speed. adding a 3rd. Infusions to boost the stats to the armor. higher survivability with the stronger armor, extra magic item attunement, the ability to make a spell storing item at (lvl 11 arti) use of a friend or a homunculus to use magical ambush at lvl 9 trickster. uncanny dodge from rogue. the movement speed increase from the infiltrator armor, it just stacks really nicely with the arcane trickster spells and artificer infusions and spell list not to mention the stat increases per each class should balance out nicely as it progresses

                                                                                                                                                                                     what do you think any suggestions or critiques?

 Okay, just trying to break down what you're looking for here (I am assuming we're doing 2024 rules, for the record):

• Infiltrator Armor's Dampening Field giving you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and a 5-foot speed boost.
• Expanded spell list (Level 11 Artificer plus Level 9 Rogue would get access to 5th-level spell slots, as well as 3rd-level Artificer spells and 2nd-level Wizard spells).
• Using Magical Tinkering to create distractions for your rogue (an example would be using Magical Tinkering to create a ball of light that you could manipulate with the invisible Mage Hand granted by Arcane Trickster).
• The ability to use a Scimitar of Speed (? not really sure how this factors into the build other than it being a fun weapon).
• The Extra Attack feature of the Armorer subclass, increased armor effectiveness with the Armorer subclass, being able to attune extra magical items, Spell-Storing items (just grouping these together as they are all Armorer class features)
• Being able to craft a Homunculus to aid in Magical Ambush.
• Uncanny Dodge.

One at a time:

1. The Infiltrator Armorer's Dampening Field and 5-foot speed boost would make you considerably more effective as a sneaky little guy, and a speed boost is always helpful as a Rogue. I'd like to speak to the MAD argument that SunIsGettingRealLow made: I don't think it's prohibitive, a well-built character using a standard array could have 16's in DEX and INT to start, and you could easily achieve 20 in one of those stats with an ASI, but because you're going 9/11 and not 8/12, you WILL lose out on one ASI that you could have used to go 20/20 in DEX/INT. This is a drawback you'll have to consider (unless you're using a more elite ability array, or are rolling ability scores).
2. From a Rogue standpoint, it wouldn't expand your spell list THAT much. Artificer spells are largely utility spells, most of which are available to Wizards. There are some valuable exceptions, like Guidance and Healing Word, but you're not going to get the full array of spells a Wizard would. Kind of up to you. From a pure Artificer perspective, you're obviously losing access to full spell levels, so it's up to you if the rogue dip is worth it.
3. Perfectly reasonable, fun way to create distractions. A LOT of tradeoff for something that's not much different than throwing a rock, but again, flavor is important, it's up to you.
4. I don't know? The weapon is cool? You could use it as a Rogue without being an Artificer? Is there a reason being a multiclass makes this better I don't know about?
5. Artificer class features are good. You'll be trading off Rogue class features, which are also good. So it's up to you whether you want to do that or not.
6. This one I want to speak to specifically, because I think maybe you don't know how Magical Ambush works. You don't get the benefit of Magical Ambush whenever you would gain the benefit of Sneak Attack. You specifically only get the benefit of Magical Ambush if you have the Invisible condition when you cast a spell on a creature. Having a homunculus or a friend nearby will not make a difference. The advantage to Dexterity (Stealth) checks granted by Infiltrator armor will make you more successful at taking the Hide action to become Invisible, but I'd encourage you to make sure you understand how the class feature works before you fully commit to it. Also bears mentioning that, while you cannot cast Homunculus Servant as a pure Arcane Trickster, you could pick up Find Familiar as one of your Wizard spells to guarantee you always have a little buddy to help you Sneak Attack.
7. Rogue class features are good. You'll be trading off Artificer class features, which are also good. So it's up to you whether you want to do that or not.

well once i get infusions replicate magic item i was going to use gloves of thievery to enhance pickpocketing and lockpicking my dex checks and with stat bonuses as i progress levels i should be able to boost need stat progression as i level up. well hers my thought on the perks magical ambush. better armor extra attacks plus the ability to make magic items. evasion and dodge saves. homunculus using a spell storing item for extra spell attacks while in combat, mage hand legerdemain for distraction and picking locks and dealing with traps, also the extra magic item will give me a chance to balancing the build stat wise. also being able to use cure wounds and revivify gives some extra survivability yes homunculus is good but with find familiar i can use 2 pets instead of 1 that's alot of the reasons for the build but it gives alot of flexability like i can use the the find familiar to catch attention strike with arcane ambush, follow up with homunculus with spell storing item attack. plus magical lightning from the amor or use infusion boots of winding path to close distance and get off a sneak attack and a second or third attack using the scimitar. the options are kinda endless with the build. when you break it down theoretically.

I won't lie, this is a dense block of text. Lemme see if I can speak to each part:

• You're gonna get Gloves of Thievery to improve your pickpocketing and lockpicking. That is what that magic item is used for, and you can make them as an Artificer infusion. You can probably find/buy a pair pretty easily as well, but that's up to your DM.
• You feel you will be able to manage your ability score progression through level-ups. If you want 20 Dex and 20 Int, you could achieve that with this build. This is a correction from what I said above. You could not take any other feats, however.
• You believe magical ambush is good. Yes. But I'd like you to keep reading, I want to make sure you understand it before you start dreaming big.
• You believe you will get better armor with an Artificer than with a bog-standard Rogue. Maybe? As an 11th-level artificer, the best straight armor bonus you can grant is +1 via infusion. Most campaigns make that pretty achievable without infusions. You can, of course, always get other armor improvements, so it's up to your interpretation. Also, depends on what kind of game you're playing, because a 20th-level character with +1 armor is... not ideal.
• You believe you can make magic items with the Artificer. You can create items with Infusions. Some of them are creative and interesting. Almost all of them are Uncommon or lower rarity (there are a few rares snuck in the higher levels), which are pretty easy to come by on your own.
• Rogue grants improved Dex saves and the Evasion class feature. IF you take Rogue as your primary class, you would get improved Dex saves. Otherwise, you would have the Artificer's save proficiencies, and would not gain the Dex saves from the Rogue class. Evasion is a Rogue class feature.
• If you have a Homunculus Servant, you can give it a spell storing item and have it use that on its turn. Sure.
• You enjoy the Arcane Trickster's ranged hand legerdemain feature. Sure.
• You believe the extra magic item attunement from the Artificer will allow you to balance out your ability scores. Aside from Ioun Stones, there is no way to raise your Intellect or Dexterity past 20 via magic items.
• You like the Artificer's support spell list. Sure.
• You want to have both Find Familiar and a Homunculus Servant. Sure.
• You believe you can use your familiar/homunculus to distract an opponent and use Magical (sic?) Ambush, which you could then follow up with a magic spell from the Homunculus' spell-storing item. Okay, I cannot stress this enough: You ONLY gain the benefit of Magical Ambush if you are Invisible when you cast a spell. Nothing your Familiar OR Homunculus could do could allow you to use Magical Ambush. You can take the Hide action to become Invisible before casting a spell, but only if you are Heavily Obscured or behind Full or Three-Quarters Cover. Having a familiar will in no way assist you with Magical Ambush, unless you want the familiar to give you the Help action for Advantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide (keeping in mind that, with Infiltrator armor, you will already have Advantage on that check).
• The Infiltration armor has a ranged lightning attack that does 1d6 extra damage and can be used for sneak attack. It sure does. Bears mentioning that, if dealing damage is your goal, giving up 11 levels of Rogue is the equivalent to giving up 5d6 in Sneak Attack damage. But, again, it softens that particular blow a bit.
• You could use an Infusion to make Boots of the Winding Path to allow yourself to close the gap for a melee sneak attack, and make an additional attack with the Scimitar of Speed. A couple things you'll want to pay attention to here: The Boots of the Winding Path in the 2024 rules only allow you to teleport 15 feet to a place you have already traveled that turn. They're meant more for hit-and-run than for adding to your speed. Also, using them requires a Bonus Action, which competes with the Bonus Action extra attack granted by the Scimitar of Speed
• The options are endless. There are lots of options. Multiclass is fun, an Artificer/Rogue is entirely doable. Just make sure you're communicating with your DM and paying close attention to the rules around the two classes so you don't get blindsided by those rules when you play.

Quote from toobakedone >>

follow up with homunculus with spell storing item attack. 

 RWinnie did a great job replying to these various points but also just calling out that a lot of these items don't come on line until you're quite far in the class. To get the spell-storing item requires 11 levels in Artificer, so it's a long way out even if you start all Artificer and don't add Rogue until then, unless you're creating straight up as a very high level character.

By the time you're at level 20 you probably have very good permanent magic items that are as good or better available than the artificer spells you can put in a spell-storing item.

Quote from RWinnie >>

Quote from toobakedone >>

 

1. The Infiltrator Armorer's Dampening Field and 5-foot speed boost would make you considerably more effective as a sneaky little guy, and a speed boost is always helpful as a Rogue. I'd like to speak to the MAD argument that SunIsGettingRealLow made: I don't think it's prohibitive, a well-built character using a standard array could have 16's in DEX and INT to start, and you could easily achieve 20 in one of those stats with an ASI, but because you're going 9/11 and not 8/12, you WILL lose out on one ASI that you could have used to go 20/20 in DEX/INT. This is a drawback you'll have to consider (unless you're using a more elite ability array, or are rolling ability scores).

 Another thing I would like to point out is that with careful planning and a bit of power sacrifice early on you can get access to +20 in two stats via taking two epic boons if you go with the 8/12 build.

Assuming you’re starting maxed out with 15+2 and 15 +1 in a stat, that lets you get your main stat to 19 with a +2 buff, take a feat and a +2 in the other, and then at levels 8 and 12 in your multiclass (levels 19 and 20) you take two epic boons to give you a solid 20 with the ability to grow past that. Which stat you give a 17 and which one you give a 16 just depends on what feat you want. It’s hard to explain, but if you are planning on going all the way to level 20, I would strongly recommend doing this!

Let us know if you have any questions regarding this or any others.