Which is better, 5e or 5.5e Artificer?

I don’t really play artificers but my friend asked my to make an artificer for him since I have both versions and I don’t know which one to use. Please tell me!

If the game is 5.5 you should use the new one if the game is 5.0 you should use the old one.

Ok, which subclass?

Quote from Exodus_Auran >>

I don’t really play artificers but my friend asked my to make an artificer for him since I have both versions and I don’t know which one to use. Please tell me!

The 5.5e version is mostly better, in my opinion, with the exception that the 5e version's Magical Tinkering feature is vastly more interesting than the boring nonsense that replaced it in 5.5e.

Deathmvp is correct that you should use the version corresponding to the edition of the game your friend will be playing under, which is up to their DM.

Quote from Exodus_Auran >>

Ok, which subclass?

It's going to depend on what they want the character to do. There are five official subclasses for the 5.5e Artificer:

• Alchemist: play this if you want to be a support caster.
• Armorer: play this if you want to be Iron Man.
• Artillerist: play this if you like ranged combat.
• Battle Smith: play this if you like melee combat.
• Cartographer: play this if you like battlefield control and movement.

Ok, thanks!

Forge Adept: play this if you want to be like Hex Blade, or throwing 2-handed/Heavy weapons.

Maverick:  Play this is you want more spell slots.  And if its a high level campaign, you get the old "ignore all class, species, spell, and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item" feature from the Tasha's version, that didn't carry over into the new 5.5 version. 

Quote from starlinvf >>

Forge Adept: play this if you want to be like Hex Blade, or throwing 2-handed/Heavy weapons.

Maverick:  Play this is you want more spell slots.  And if its a high level campaign, you get the old "ignore all class, species, spell, and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item" feature from the Tasha's version, that didn't carry over into the new 5.5 version. 

Yeah, Forge Adept is basically Battle Smith without the pet and really leaning in on weapons. Maverick is kinda what Alchemist could've been.

Worth noting that neither of these is official D&D content, so check with the DM about whether they're okay to use.

What book has forge and maverick again?

Quote from SunIsGettingRealLow96589 >>

What book has forge and maverick again?

Exploring Eberron. While this was co-written by Keith Baker, the original creator of the Eberron setting, it's not considered official content as it's published by Visionary, not Wizards of the Coast.

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from Exodus_Auran >>

Ok, which subclass?

It's going to depend on what they want the character to do. There are five official subclasses for the 5.5e Artificer:

• Alchemist: play this if you want to be a support caster.
• Armorer: play this if you want to be Iron Man.
• Artillerist: play this if you like ranged combat.
• Battle Smith: play this if you like melee combat.
• Cartographer: play this if you like battlefield control and movement.

 6 now. The Reanimator has been released.

Quote from Nechaef >>

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from Exodus_Auran >>

Ok, which subclass?

It's going to depend on what they want the character to do. There are five official subclasses for the 5.5e Artificer:

• Alchemist: play this if you want to be a support caster.
• Armorer: play this if you want to be Iron Man.
• Artillerist: play this if you like ranged combat.
• Battle Smith: play this if you like melee combat.
• Cartographer: play this if you like battlefield control and movement.

 6 now. The Reanimator has been released.

Well, it has if you have a master-tier subscription. It releases to everyone on June 16.

It hadn't come out for anyone yet when I made that post, but I guess it would now be fair to add:

• Reanimator: play this if you want to be Victor Frankenstein.

Quote from Nechaef >>

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from Exodus_Auran >>

Ok, which subclass?

It's going to depend on what they want the character to do. There are five official subclasses for the 5.5e Artificer:

• Alchemist: play this if you want to be a support caster.
• Armorer: play this if you want to be Iron Man.
• Artillerist: play this if you like ranged combat.
• Battle Smith: play this if you like melee combat.
• Cartographer: play this if you like battlefield control and movement.

 6 now. The Reanimator has been released.

 

 I had to look that one up! It's pretty damn cool.