So I'm going to be DMing a Xmas themed OS that requires Level 5 starting characters. One player has created a Rock Gnome Artificer specialising in Battle Smith. During creation, they selected the following Artificer Infusions: Enhanced Defense, Enhanced Weapon, Replicate Magic Item (In the drop down, they chose Bag of Holding) & Enhanced Magic Focus. I've just checked their character sheet and they have the Bag of Holding in their inventory, a breastplate, a heavy crossbow and some Goggles as the Arcane Focus.
As a new-ish DM with no knowledge of this class, I have some questions (and excuse me if the answer is obvious and I just didn't see it)
1. They appear to have the Crossbow Expert feat. I've tried recreating this character and can't see this feat available. Is this correct/have they 'cheated' to get this?
2. Should they have this Heavy Crossbow already selected as a starting weapon? Again, I don't see it selectable. With it being 1d10+5, it got me a little suspicious. I'm thinking that Enhanced Weapon allows you to enhance a weapon you already have (being a light crossbow from the starting equipment) and doesn't just allow you to choose a new weapon.
3. Same question as Q2 but with the breastplate.
4. Should they already have the bag of holding?
5. From reading, I believe the Arcane Focus is either a rod, staff or wand. Where did these goggles come from?
There was just something suspicious about the build and that maybe there were some items/weapons that they shouldn't actually have. (Given themselves items they shouldn't have)
For number 1 do you have the Player's Handbook? If I'm not mistaken Crossbow Expert comes from the PHB.
I believe they shouldn't have a heavy crossbow or a breastplate unless they asked you. There are a few justifications for having like since they are starting at a higher level they should have better equipment but, he should have consulted with you before adding either of those pieces of equipment.
Number 4 is a bit dicey, again since they are a higher level and may have a background in doing things already it's not unreasonable to expect his character to have a Bag of Holding but, he should have consulted you the DM before he added it.
For the 5th, he can technically use it as a spellcasting focus assuming he used one of his infusions on his goggle, as artificers can use any items bearing their infusions as a spellcasting focus but, I believe they have to be holding it for them to cast through it.
It looks like they are a player trying to powergame.
Hello sir, I hope your OS goes well. As to your suspected artificer -
1. crossbow expert feat - he can have selected this if he was a variant human, used tasha creation rules to use variant human starting perks (I think... look this one up), or took it as his level 4 ASI.
2 & 3. unless you specified differently, starting equipment doesn't include heavy crossbow or breast plate.
4. Bag of holding is an infusion option. As an artificer he can make Prototype artifacts. At that level he can choose 4 items from the "menu". But can only make two of them at a time. (i.e. He can have a bag of holding, and enchant his crossbow to make it (+1 dmg,+1tohit, eliminate loading property); however, doing so means he can not make the other two choices from that list of 4. He can swap among the four after a long rest.
5. Enhanced focus is an infusion item he can make himself (using one of his two infusion slots). It adds +1 to spell to hit rolls, and ignores up to 1/2 cover I think.
6. Goggles of night (name?) is an infusion item that grants dark vision. It is an infusion item, but as above it uses one of his two infusion slots.
Finally, as an artificer, you can use your infused items as a focus item. So yeah, if he made the dark-vision goggles (as one of his two items), he could use them to cast your spells. I'd encourage him to think about how to rollplay it so its just not a silly excuse to use a mechanic.
Artificer is a lovely class, but its a class of careful choices. If he's not familiar with the rules, or tries to abuse them, he's missing out on half the fun.
You said the 4 infusions they know - but haven't detailed what items they have put them on. It's a good time for me to tell you that Artificers can know twice as many infusions as they can have active at a time. That is - a 5th level Artificer can know 4 infusions - but only have 2 active. So if they have a Bag of Holding - they can only infuse one other item.
The things is - DNDBeyond will let you make all of your infusions (incorrectly so) - so double check they are not doing this.
Small creatures technically can use weapons with the Heavy property, they just have disadvantage on attack rolls made with them according to the Heavy property itself.
1: They are level 5, so if they skipped the ability score improvement (Level 4), they could have taken the cross bow expert feat instead.
2&3: This is up to you. While those are NOT starting materials, their total cost is 450gp. Do you think a character who has been through enough to make it to level 5 could have earned that much gold. I would think so, but you are the DM so you get to say. I know I'm playing a game coming up and we are starting with NO equipment, because we are starting in jail. each game is different.
Big question with these items though: What is their subclass. Because a cross bow is a martial weapon, which artificers are not default proficient with, unless they are a Battlesmith. So something to check out there.
4: Yes, they should have their bag of holding, since it is an infusion they took. Just make sure to track their use of infusions since, as has been stated by others, they can only have 2 active at a time at this level.
5. For most arcane casters the focus is a staff, rod, or wand, HOWEVER for an artificer our magical focus are our tools. So this might be your artificer flavoring their goggles as a part of their tool set. Once again, you're the DM. Do you want to allow that is the question.
All in all, I would suggesting having a conversation with your Artificer and making sure you're all on the same page. We all have confidence in you. have fun!
Hi all,
So I'm going to be DMing a Xmas themed OS that requires Level 5 starting characters. One player has created a Rock Gnome Artificer specialising in Battle Smith. During creation, they selected the following Artificer Infusions: Enhanced Defense, Enhanced Weapon, Replicate Magic Item (In the drop down, they chose Bag of Holding) & Enhanced Magic Focus. I've just checked their character sheet and they have the Bag of Holding in their inventory, a breastplate, a heavy crossbow and some Goggles as the Arcane Focus.
As a new-ish DM with no knowledge of this class, I have some questions (and excuse me if the answer is obvious and I just didn't see it)
1. They appear to have the Crossbow Expert feat. I've tried recreating this character and can't see this feat available. Is this correct/have they 'cheated' to get this?
2. Should they have this Heavy Crossbow already selected as a starting weapon? Again, I don't see it selectable. With it being 1d10+5, it got me a little suspicious. I'm thinking that Enhanced Weapon allows you to enhance a weapon you already have (being a light crossbow from the starting equipment) and doesn't just allow you to choose a new weapon.
3. Same question as Q2 but with the breastplate.
4. Should they already have the bag of holding?
5. From reading, I believe the Arcane Focus is either a rod, staff or wand. Where did these goggles come from?
There was just something suspicious about the build and that maybe there were some items/weapons that they shouldn't actually have. (Given themselves items they shouldn't have)
For number 1 do you have the Player's Handbook? If I'm not mistaken Crossbow Expert comes from the PHB.
I believe they shouldn't have a heavy crossbow or a breastplate unless they asked you. There are a few justifications for having like since they are starting at a higher level they should have better equipment but, he should have consulted with you before adding either of those pieces of equipment.
Number 4 is a bit dicey, again since they are a higher level and may have a background in doing things already it's not unreasonable to expect his character to have a Bag of Holding but, he should have consulted you the DM before he added it.
For the 5th, he can technically use it as a spellcasting focus assuming he used one of his infusions on his goggle, as artificers can use any items bearing their infusions as a spellcasting focus but, I believe they have to be holding it for them to cast through it.
It looks like they are a player trying to powergame.
Hello sir, I hope your OS goes well. As to your suspected artificer -
1. crossbow expert feat - he can have selected this if he was a variant human, used tasha creation rules to use variant human starting perks (I think... look this one up), or took it as his level 4 ASI.
2 & 3. unless you specified differently, starting equipment doesn't include heavy crossbow or breast plate.
4. Bag of holding is an infusion option. As an artificer he can make Prototype artifacts. At that level he can choose 4 items from the "menu". But can only make two of them at a time. (i.e. He can have a bag of holding, and enchant his crossbow to make it (+1 dmg,+1tohit, eliminate loading property); however, doing so means he can not make the other two choices from that list of 4. He can swap among the four after a long rest.
5. Enhanced focus is an infusion item he can make himself (using one of his two infusion slots). It adds +1 to spell to hit rolls, and ignores up to 1/2 cover I think.
6. Goggles of night (name?) is an infusion item that grants dark vision. It is an infusion item, but as above it uses one of his two infusion slots.
Finally, as an artificer, you can use your infused items as a focus item. So yeah, if he made the dark-vision goggles (as one of his two items), he could use them to cast your spells. I'd encourage him to think about how to rollplay it so its just not a silly excuse to use a mechanic.
Artificer is a lovely class, but its a class of careful choices. If he's not familiar with the rules, or tries to abuse them, he's missing out on half the fun.
You said the 4 infusions they know - but haven't detailed what items they have put them on. It's a good time for me to tell you that Artificers can know twice as many infusions as they can have active at a time. That is - a 5th level Artificer can know 4 infusions - but only have 2 active. So if they have a Bag of Holding - they can only infuse one other item.
The things is - DNDBeyond will let you make all of your infusions (incorrectly so) - so double check they are not doing this.
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Also Rock Gnomes, being small creatures, cannot use heavy weapons unless you as a DM house rule it.
Small creatures technically can use weapons with the Heavy property, they just have disadvantage on attack rolls made with them according to the Heavy property itself.
1: They are level 5, so if they skipped the ability score improvement (Level 4), they could have taken the cross bow expert feat instead.
2&3: This is up to you. While those are NOT starting materials, their total cost is 450gp. Do you think a character who has been through enough to make it to level 5 could have earned that much gold. I would think so, but you are the DM so you get to say. I know I'm playing a game coming up and we are starting with NO equipment, because we are starting in jail. each game is different.
Big question with these items though: What is their subclass. Because a cross bow is a martial weapon, which artificers are not default proficient with, unless they are a Battlesmith. So something to check out there.
4: Yes, they should have their bag of holding, since it is an infusion they took. Just make sure to track their use of infusions since, as has been stated by others, they can only have 2 active at a time at this level.
5. For most arcane casters the focus is a staff, rod, or wand, HOWEVER for an artificer our magical focus are our tools. So this might be your artificer flavoring their goggles as a part of their tool set. Once again, you're the DM. Do you want to allow that is the question.
All in all, I would suggesting having a conversation with your Artificer and making sure you're all on the same page. We all have confidence in you. have fun!
Thank you all for the responses! All taken on board and will have a chat with the Artificer.