Just curious and would love to hear folks thoughts and choices and such.
Which infusions are your go to? Why?
Any neat combos?
Anything that makes you a bit sad about an infusion?
For instance. I'm sad I cant put the Enhanced wand thing (the +1to hit/ignoring some miss chances) onto a magic item. Meaning I can't put that on a Magic Missle Wand, which was my go to idea.
THough now I have a Rod with that infusion +arcane firearm (blaster) on my artilirist. Which is neat. but again I'm a bit sad I can't make it out of an immovable rod. but now I've got a Rod that I use like a Cane. ~
Enhanced Defense is better than people are ever likely to admit it is. Artificers get both armor and shield proficiencies; being able to +1 your shield even after you get magical armor (or the other way around, if your DM is weird) is pretty great. Being able to +2 your shield at level 10 is even better. Even if you end up getting both magic armor and a magic shield, it's likely that at some point either a teammate will need some defense or you'll be denied your usual kit for a while. Enhanced Defense is just really cool and versatile, much more so than Enhanced Weapon.
I'm also actually increasingly fond of Returning Weapon. It's only super cool on the Battlesmith now, after they stole Arcane Assault from the other two, but javelins are cheap, plentiful, and have a decent throwing range of 30 feet. Best of all, Returning Weapon doesn't require attunement, which is super important. Artificers need to keep reeaaal careful control over their attunements, and having a solid, versatile (in the sense of 'useful for many things', not Versatile) workhorse weapon that leaves your shield hand free is pretty slick. Not to mention the fact that daggers are basically omnipresent, and also valid targets for your Returning Weapon infusion if your javelins are gone/stolen/broken for some reason.
Haven't played the new version of artificer enough to get a sense of what else is really bangin', but those two are in fact pretty bangin'.
I am getting ready to play this guy in a game... https://ddb.ac/characters/19406820/TQDwOe. His primary until I hit level 6 and can make a radiant weapon will be a returning handaxe. Great for range and I can still use it just fine if the enemy closes the gap.
As a lover of trickery, "Boots of the Winding Path" offers an interesting concept...leave the safety of cover, fire a shot, and teleport back to your safe zone. Or, alternatively, be like The Flash and run 15ft towards an enemy, bash them, then teleport backward, and then use your remaining movement to move further away. A baked-in way to avoid opportunity attacks, as well.
"Radiant Weapon" is a useful Infusion, as well...blinding an enemy can be incredibly useful if you find yourself in an unfortunate situation where an enemy has multi attack...that first strike will hit, but you can (hopefully) reduce the chance of being decimated.
"Repulsion Shield" is just fun. Send someone flying backward 15ft if they hit you.
"Returning Weapon" is simply cool...interesting for a rogue Arcane Trickster who dips two levels in Artificer. Add to a dagger to make the ultimate Sneak Attack you can fling at will.
Of course, "Replicate Magic Item" will give you total customization of your character...I'm hungrily looking at those Winged Boots.
My regulars will be the empowered focus, and goggles of the night (stupid human blindness). Boots of winding path are good too, they'll get some regular use.
Been tooling around with my new artificer all morning, and discovered a particularly juicy hidden gem of an Infusion - Perfume of Bewitching. A common item from Xanathar's Guide that gives you one hour of advantage on any Charisma check you make against "humanoids of challenge rating 1 or lower". I.e. most every ordinary townsperson you might ever meet, including merchants and most forms of guardsmen. Best of all, anyone affected by it is explicitly not aware of having been so affected.
Hanging out in town to accomplish some stuff for a day or two? Decommission whatever your 'weapony' Infusion is and infuse a vial of Perfume of Bewitching instead. Dot it on before going in to negotiate prices at your favorite shop, and enjoy sweet, buttery advantage on those Persuasion checks for a discount. And unlike a normal vial of Perfume of Bewitching? You can just re-up it the next day. At the worst, your DM will say you have to keep vials of regular perfume handy to infuse, at which point it's a measly 5gp per use. You'll make that back in spades the first time you use it. A great option for an 'off' infusion you use only when you need it, instead of one of the ones you want to have on all the time.
I'm making a character for a one shot, and i'm thinking that he'll have a +2 wand infusion, as he'll be an artillerist and that's his boomstick. If i read it correctly, i can have the wand as something simple like a wand of magic missiles made out of the special wood for force damage and i'll be able to use that one item as a multitude of things such as:
A wand that gets a bonus damage when using the charges
A +2 focus for my spells
A +d8 damage bonus for any attack rolled spells.
I also plan on using the spell storing ability (not an infusion i know) to give a party member a weapon stored with the shield spell in it. I haven't done the stats yet but i'll have either 18 or 20 int, so they'll be be able to drop the shield spell at least 8 times a day, which seems really OP. And if it doesn't work as per the spell (reaction) which i don't think it does, then i'll just give them a cure wands focus or something.
As for other infusions, well, probably a replicated item or two (depending on what the DM allows), a definite repulsion shield for myself, and maybe the armour infusion for myself.
I dont' think you can use Wand Enhancer Infusion on a Wand of Magic MIssle.. because I think Infusions are mundane non magical items only right? I originally wanted a Wand of Magic Missles to be my choice (though I prefer Rods visually. More so when boomsticks). Which is a shame.
Spell Storing Item lv11 ability, it only lets you put in spells with the cost of an Action. So Shield is invalid. So cure wounds is nifty. Or if you're a Mark of something halfling could give a Healing Word version since that subrace gives spells. Inx2 extra heals a day is pretty useful. Although I also like the idea of giving Scorching ray on the melee fellow's weapon.. just because it gies them ranged options that aren't too bad.
I really wish Artificer had magic missle. its weird to me that they don't.
Infusion rules are very clear - you can only infuse a nonmagical, mundane object.
The idea behind infusions is that you're temporarily creating a magical item through modifications and processes you, as an artificer, have studied and developed. Those processes have a fixed start point - the base, mundane item used to carry the enchantment. They don't work if other enchantments are already present. In a world/setting where stacking enchantments is virtually impossible (as is the case in most D&D settings), it makes sense that somebody cheating the system and cutting corners to quickfire some magic items cannot get around the difficulties with layering enchantments so easily.
Also? Balance. An artificer at level 3 creating a +1 Wand of Magic Missile that adds a d8 to spell damage (and opens the artificer's canned supplies, and cleans their boots, and sings them a lullaby at night, and...) is too much. Think about it - in any other circumstance a wand that +1'd your spell attacks, ignored half cover, added a d8 to all damage you deal through that wand, and which could cast a combat spell for you with charges would be a Very Rare item at the least. And not a weak one, at that.
One thing to note regarding stacking enchantments, infusions have to happen on a non-magic item, like a mundane wand with the Enhanced Arcane Focus infusion, but Arcane Firearm has no such restriction. So you take your mundane wand, infuse it, then convert it to your Firearm.
I like the ‘Gloves of Thievery.' Invisible gloves that you can use as a spellcasting focus. Not to mention you're already expertised in picking locks... why not add another +5.
Also? Balance. An artificer at level 3 creating a +1 Wand of Magic Missile that adds a d8 to spell damage (and opens the artificer's canned supplies, and cleans their boots, and sings them a lullaby at night, and...) is too much. Think about it - in any other circumstance a wand that +1'd your spell attacks, ignored half cover, added a d8 to all damage you deal through that wand, and which could cast a combat spell for you with charges would be a Very Rare item at the least. And not a weak one, at that.
The d8 only comes in at level 5 from the artillerist sub class. Also, where did you get the ignore cover from? Also, you couldn't add the d8 to any magic missiles, it's only added to any artificer spells you cast.
It also mentions in the infusions about infusing things that require attunement, why would a nonmagical item require attunement? And yes i know there's the replicated magical items, but it also says this stuff on the infusions for any wand/staff/rod etc.
Enhanced Focus grants a +1 to attack bonuses, as well as allowing the creature using it to ignore half-cover with spell attacks. The Artillerist d8 grants an extra d8 to one roll of any damaging spell. Wand of Magic Missile can, obviously, cast Magic Missile.
The argument is that all of these things should be compatible with each other - that the artificer can create a single wand that can cast Magic Missile, grant +1 (or +2, later)/half-cover penetration to any spell attack, and also serve as an Artillerist's arcane firearm. They are not. The Arcane Firearm can be carved into an existing magical implement - the feature does not specify a "nonmagical staff, rod or wand", and as such it can be added to either an Enhanced Focus or a Wand of Magic Missile, which is pretty ridiculous. WoMM and Enhanced Focus - or any other spellcasting implement, such as a Staff of Fire, a Wand of Winter, a Rod of Absorption, or what-have-you - are not compatible.
Save a few specific situations, I will always run Eldritch Cannon in its handheld form, along with an Enhanced Focus/Firearm in the other hand.
I've already talked to my DM about making a Quickdraw feat, allowing me to stow my Firearm and draw, say, Wand of Magic Missle or Fireball in one bonus action. That was my original vision for my artillerist. Swapping out wands on the go that had different spells and cantrips pre-loaded.
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Howdy!
Just curious and would love to hear folks thoughts and choices and such.
Which infusions are your go to? Why?
Any neat combos?
Anything that makes you a bit sad about an infusion?
For instance. I'm sad I cant put the Enhanced wand thing (the +1to hit/ignoring some miss chances) onto a magic item. Meaning I can't put that on a Magic Missle Wand, which was my go to idea.
THough now I have a Rod with that infusion +arcane firearm (blaster) on my artilirist. Which is neat. but again I'm a bit sad I can't make it out of an immovable rod.
but now I've got a Rod that I use like a Cane. ~
Enhanced Defense is better than people are ever likely to admit it is. Artificers get both armor and shield proficiencies; being able to +1 your shield even after you get magical armor (or the other way around, if your DM is weird) is pretty great. Being able to +2 your shield at level 10 is even better. Even if you end up getting both magic armor and a magic shield, it's likely that at some point either a teammate will need some defense or you'll be denied your usual kit for a while. Enhanced Defense is just really cool and versatile, much more so than Enhanced Weapon.
I'm also actually increasingly fond of Returning Weapon. It's only super cool on the Battlesmith now, after they stole Arcane Assault from the other two, but javelins are cheap, plentiful, and have a decent throwing range of 30 feet. Best of all, Returning Weapon doesn't require attunement, which is super important. Artificers need to keep reeaaal careful control over their attunements, and having a solid, versatile (in the sense of 'useful for many things', not Versatile) workhorse weapon that leaves your shield hand free is pretty slick. Not to mention the fact that daggers are basically omnipresent, and also valid targets for your Returning Weapon infusion if your javelins are gone/stolen/broken for some reason.
Haven't played the new version of artificer enough to get a sense of what else is really bangin', but those two are in fact pretty bangin'.
Please do not contact or message me.
I am getting ready to play this guy in a game... https://ddb.ac/characters/19406820/TQDwOe. His primary until I hit level 6 and can make a radiant weapon will be a returning handaxe. Great for range and I can still use it just fine if the enemy closes the gap.
Personally I'm a fan of repeating shot with a firearm, just because it's an unusual weapon and you can get around the trouble with ammunition.
So what is up with the replicate magic item list? Anyone else have waaaay more options showing than what are listed?
Edit: I think I figured it out, I had missed the part about Xanthars common items
As a lover of trickery, "Boots of the Winding Path" offers an interesting concept...leave the safety of cover, fire a shot, and teleport back to your safe zone. Or, alternatively, be like The Flash and run 15ft towards an enemy, bash them, then teleport backward, and then use your remaining movement to move further away. A baked-in way to avoid opportunity attacks, as well.
"Radiant Weapon" is a useful Infusion, as well...blinding an enemy can be incredibly useful if you find yourself in an unfortunate situation where an enemy has multi attack...that first strike will hit, but you can (hopefully) reduce the chance of being decimated.
"Repulsion Shield" is just fun. Send someone flying backward 15ft if they hit you.
"Returning Weapon" is simply cool...interesting for a rogue Arcane Trickster who dips two levels in Artificer. Add to a dagger to make the ultimate Sneak Attack you can fling at will.
Of course, "Replicate Magic Item" will give you total customization of your character...I'm hungrily looking at those Winged Boots.
My regulars will be the empowered focus, and goggles of the night (stupid human blindness). Boots of winding path are good too, they'll get some regular use.
Been tooling around with my new artificer all morning, and discovered a particularly juicy hidden gem of an Infusion - Perfume of Bewitching. A common item from Xanathar's Guide that gives you one hour of advantage on any Charisma check you make against "humanoids of challenge rating 1 or lower". I.e. most every ordinary townsperson you might ever meet, including merchants and most forms of guardsmen. Best of all, anyone affected by it is explicitly not aware of having been so affected.
Hanging out in town to accomplish some stuff for a day or two? Decommission whatever your 'weapony' Infusion is and infuse a vial of Perfume of Bewitching instead. Dot it on before going in to negotiate prices at your favorite shop, and enjoy sweet, buttery advantage on those Persuasion checks for a discount. And unlike a normal vial of Perfume of Bewitching? You can just re-up it the next day. At the worst, your DM will say you have to keep vials of regular perfume handy to infuse, at which point it's a measly 5gp per use. You'll make that back in spades the first time you use it. A great option for an 'off' infusion you use only when you need it, instead of one of the ones you want to have on all the time.
Please do not contact or message me.
Googles of Night and Repeating Shot here.
Watch your back, conserve your ammo,
and NEVER cut a deal with a dragon!
I'm making a character for a one shot, and i'm thinking that he'll have a +2 wand infusion, as he'll be an artillerist and that's his boomstick. If i read it correctly, i can have the wand as something simple like a wand of magic missiles made out of the special wood for force damage and i'll be able to use that one item as a multitude of things such as:
A wand that gets a bonus damage when using the charges
A +2 focus for my spells
A +d8 damage bonus for any attack rolled spells.
I also plan on using the spell storing ability (not an infusion i know) to give a party member a weapon stored with the shield spell in it. I haven't done the stats yet but i'll have either 18 or 20 int, so they'll be be able to drop the shield spell at least 8 times a day, which seems really OP. And if it doesn't work as per the spell (reaction) which i don't think it does, then i'll just give them a cure wands focus or something.
As for other infusions, well, probably a replicated item or two (depending on what the DM allows), a definite repulsion shield for myself, and maybe the armour infusion for myself.
I dont' think you can use Wand Enhancer Infusion on a Wand of Magic MIssle.. because I think Infusions are mundane non magical items only right? I originally wanted a Wand of Magic Missles to be my choice (though I prefer Rods visually. More so when boomsticks). Which is a shame.
Spell Storing Item lv11 ability, it only lets you put in spells with the cost of an Action. So Shield is invalid. So cure wounds is nifty. Or if you're a Mark of something halfling could give a Healing Word version since that subrace gives spells.
Inx2 extra heals a day is pretty useful. Although I also like the idea of giving Scorching ray on the melee fellow's weapon.. just because it gies them ranged options that aren't too bad.
I really wish Artificer had magic missle. its weird to me that they don't.
Doesn't that sound somewhat silly though? A Wand Enhancer not working on a proper wand instead of just a stick?
Infusion rules are very clear - you can only infuse a nonmagical, mundane object.
The idea behind infusions is that you're temporarily creating a magical item through modifications and processes you, as an artificer, have studied and developed. Those processes have a fixed start point - the base, mundane item used to carry the enchantment. They don't work if other enchantments are already present. In a world/setting where stacking enchantments is virtually impossible (as is the case in most D&D settings), it makes sense that somebody cheating the system and cutting corners to quickfire some magic items cannot get around the difficulties with layering enchantments so easily.
Also? Balance. An artificer at level 3 creating a +1 Wand of Magic Missile that adds a d8 to spell damage (and opens the artificer's canned supplies, and cleans their boots, and sings them a lullaby at night, and...) is too much. Think about it - in any other circumstance a wand that +1'd your spell attacks, ignored half cover, added a d8 to all damage you deal through that wand, and which could cast a combat spell for you with charges would be a Very Rare item at the least. And not a weak one, at that.
Please do not contact or message me.
One thing to note regarding stacking enchantments, infusions have to happen on a non-magic item, like a mundane wand with the Enhanced Arcane Focus infusion, but Arcane Firearm has no such restriction. So you take your mundane wand, infuse it, then convert it to your Firearm.
I do that with a Rod.. which I use as a stylish cane. Bronze, copper and silver cane-rod. If you've seen RWBY-Torchwick style cane-blaster
I use a sword cane where the sword is a rapier and the sheath is the cane.
Watch your back, conserve your ammo,
and NEVER cut a deal with a dragon!
I like the ‘Gloves of Thievery.' Invisible gloves that you can use as a spellcasting focus. Not to mention you're already expertised in picking locks... why not add another +5.
The d8 only comes in at level 5 from the artillerist sub class. Also, where did you get the ignore cover from? Also, you couldn't add the d8 to any magic missiles, it's only added to any artificer spells you cast.
It also mentions in the infusions about infusing things that require attunement, why would a nonmagical item require attunement? And yes i know there's the replicated magical items, but it also says this stuff on the infusions for any wand/staff/rod etc.
Enhanced Focus grants a +1 to attack bonuses, as well as allowing the creature using it to ignore half-cover with spell attacks. The Artillerist d8 grants an extra d8 to one roll of any damaging spell. Wand of Magic Missile can, obviously, cast Magic Missile.
The argument is that all of these things should be compatible with each other - that the artificer can create a single wand that can cast Magic Missile, grant +1 (or +2, later)/half-cover penetration to any spell attack, and also serve as an Artillerist's arcane firearm. They are not. The Arcane Firearm can be carved into an existing magical implement - the feature does not specify a "nonmagical staff, rod or wand", and as such it can be added to either an Enhanced Focus or a Wand of Magic Missile, which is pretty ridiculous. WoMM and Enhanced Focus - or any other spellcasting implement, such as a Staff of Fire, a Wand of Winter, a Rod of Absorption, or what-have-you - are not compatible.
Please do not contact or message me.
Save a few specific situations, I will always run Eldritch Cannon in its handheld form, along with an Enhanced Focus/Firearm in the other hand.
I've already talked to my DM about making a Quickdraw feat, allowing me to stow my Firearm and draw, say, Wand of Magic Missle or Fireball in one bonus action. That was my original vision for my artillerist. Swapping out wands on the go that had different spells and cantrips pre-loaded.