People argue over whether Alchemical Savant works with spells that don't have material components, but that's always annoyed me, as nothing in the rules for a spellcasting focus actually says a spell must have material components before you can use it (the focus just normally doesn't do anything extra unless the spell has them). Assuming Alchemical Savant is actually intended to be used, it's a good feature, especially in the healing support role as you can get more healing out of your half casting; if your DM gimps the feature for no reason, then yeah, it's a bit weak.
Really? People argue about that? But the spellcasting feature of the Artificer class says that ALL your Artificer spells have automatically the material component in addition to their usual components. It's so Artificers actually use their tools (or infusions) instead of just shouting some magic words or such.
Huh, looks like that was errata'd in alongside the Tasha's Cauldron release and I never noticed; in the original release in the Eberron: Rising From the Last War book (one of the few I have physical copies of) it just says you need to be holding the tools, which created the issue of when you were actually using a spellcasting focus, it used to be a whole thing. Guess that can be safely ignored now, glad they fixed it properly!
But yeah, point is I like the Alchemical Savant feature; it comes in nice and early and it's fairly easy to use it to boost what you're doing in combat (plus you spell list gives you extra spells that trigger it). Is it as strong as Extra Attack? That's hard to say, though it works with cantrips (so it can add up over time), and it combines nicely with area spells like Cloudkill, Flaming Sphere and Tasha's Caustic Brew to amplify the bonus per target. You won't be delivering the same melee punch of Armorer or Battle Smith, or the ranged firepower of Artillerist, but that's not surprising really, as you're also support.
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I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
I like the Battle Smith, because it's more martial than other artificers. Unlike the Armorer, you aren't as reliant on your Thunder Gauntlets or Lightning Launcher for dealing damage. Those weapons deal elemental damage, which is resisted by a slew of creatures. Since artificers are half-casters, the Artillerist and Alchemist (both spellcasting inclined) suffer dramatically.
Battle Smith gains Extra Attack, just like other half-casters, and gives you a few spells from the paladin and ranger spell list. This makes it a paladin or ranger that can tinker and craft. There are several interesting builds you can make around the Steel Defender, such as using it to help you in attacking a creature, or becoming absurdly difficult to hit. Not only will enemy's have disadvantage on attack rolls against you, but you get shield, Enhanced Defence, Repulsion Shield, and a cloak of protection created by Replicate Magic Item. The biggest flaw about that build: FIREBALL!!! Oh wait, you can get shield master. What about blight? You are proficient in CON saves.
Keep in mind that branding smite and banishing smite are the only two smites that work with EITHER ranged attacks or melee attacks. This broadens the possibilities with this subclass. There's a lot of shenanigans you can do with the Steel Defender, and the Steel Defender is super customizable.
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Brains over brawn? Mind over matter? These canny warriors rightly answer, "Why not both?" - Tasha
Battle Smith. I like the idea of having a robot minion/pet. Also intelligence for magic weapons and martial wepon proficiency. Armorer is probably my second place.
I really like playing support/utility characters, so Battlesmith and Armorer are both near the top for me. They both benefit from being fairly self-sufficient and resource independent, which allows me to focus the rest of my kit (i.e. infusions and spells) on helping my team with minimal personal investment.
Alchemist and Artillerist are also cool and have some nice utility options, but the fact that you're somewhat expected to use spell slots to fuel their class features hamstrings their flexibility to some degree, so I'm not the biggest fan.
Artillerist gets better in campaigns that concentrate encounters over a short period of time, but also becomes genuinely awful in campaigns with very long (in hours) adventuring days with spread out combats (and in general I somewhat dislike how the artillerist's design puts them at odds with the rest of the party when it comes to short rests).
I know Im still the (10.8%) minority, but I absolutely adore the Alchemist. Currently lvl18 and without beating my own drum or tooting my own horn, my party would have died and/or failed a dozen times over by this point! Great utility, great healing, great set of options for actions. Im not hung up on the usual 'but I wanna do damage!" I hear about the alchemist, I'm not precious about my spell slots and Im very liberal with my infusions (I do keep one or two for myself, admittedly). My plague doctor is the best character Ive ever played and that may be because when I actually do get to take a break from ForeverDMing and play for a change, I prefer 100% support and utility. Previously it was backline bards, control sorcerers or prep time tomelocks, but I have found the alchemist to suit all those niches in one class, at least for the way I like to play.
This comment is based 100% on personal experience and there is no fact involved. The fun of a sub/class comes completely from what you make of it, RP and strategy wise. I mean, while I've never come across one in the wild, I'm sure there's people who loved their Beastmaster Ranger too. Anyway, thats my 2c in defence of those who'll come at me with stats, facts and minmax chats. haha Carry on, as you were. :)
Hjalmar Gunderson, Vuman Alchemist Plague Doctor in a HB Campaign, Post Netherese Invasion Cormyr (lvl20 retired) Godfrey, Autognome Butler in Ghosts of Saltmarsh into Spelljammer Grímr Skeggisson, Goliath Rune Knight in Rime of the Frostmaiden DM of two HB campaigns set in the same world.
I like the Battle Smith, because it's more martial than other artificers. Unlike the Armorer, you aren't as reliant on your Thunder Gauntlets or Lightning Launcher for dealing damage. Those weapons deal elemental damage, which is resisted by a slew of creatures. Since artificers are half-casters, the Artillerist and Alchemist (both spellcasting inclined) suffer dramatically.
Battle Smith gains Extra Attack, just like other half-casters, and gives you a few spells from the paladin and ranger spell list. This makes it a paladin or ranger that can tinker and craft. There are several interesting builds you can make around the Steel Defender, such as using it to help you in attacking a creature, or becoming absurdly difficult to hit. Not only will enemy's have disadvantage on attack rolls against you, but you get shield, Enhanced Defence, Repulsion Shield, and a cloak of protection created by Replicate Magic Item. The biggest flaw about that build: FIREBALL!!! Oh wait, you can get shield master. What about blight? You are proficient in CON saves.
Keep in mind that branding smite and banishing smite are the only two smites that work with EITHER ranged attacks or melee attacks. This broadens the possibilities with this subclass. There's a lot of shenanigans you can do with the Steel Defender, and the Steel Defender is super customizable.
It's also only dependent on one ability score, where as Rangers and Paladins are forced to have lower spell casting scores. This makes taking ASI over a Feat a lot more attractive, since you're bolstering both your attacks and your spell casting.
I would say Shield Master and PAM aren't as good of a choice, because the Steel Defender is already giving you free bonus action attacks. That and already having Constitution Save proficiency makes you less feat hungry.
A good build is to pick human variant and take Sentinel (16 Intelligence). Go into melee with your Steel Defender. If the enemy attacks you, the Steel Defender imposes disadvantage. If instead they attack your Steel Defender, you have a reaction attack. Then at level 4 up your Intelligence to 18.
I created a sample level 6 build. Straight point buy, no outside magic items.
21 AC / 51 Hit Points / 18 Intelligence / Sentinel Feat / +8 to hit / Spell DC 15
Artillery. Combat drone? YES! Summoned Cannon? YES! Magic Items to further enhance this? YES! What exactly do you do with a battle smith defender when you have the homunculus servant feature? If you already have a small one than you don't need another one.
Definitely Artillerist. It embodies what it means to be an Artificer. Artillerists have the ability to go melee and very well protected from an early level with replenishable temporary hit points or full-on blaster, all with a very good action economy. Not to mention the best spell list of the artificer subclasses: shield, shatter, fireball, and wall of force are amazing, and multiple are improved with arcane firearm.
Huh, looks like that was errata'd in alongside the Tasha's Cauldron release and I never noticed; in the original release in the Eberron: Rising From the Last War book (one of the few I have physical copies of) it just says you need to be holding the tools, which created the issue of when you were actually using a spellcasting focus, it used to be a whole thing. Guess that can be safely ignored now, glad they fixed it properly!
But yeah, point is I like the Alchemical Savant feature; it comes in nice and early and it's fairly easy to use it to boost what you're doing in combat (plus you spell list gives you extra spells that trigger it). Is it as strong as Extra Attack? That's hard to say, though it works with cantrips (so it can add up over time), and it combines nicely with area spells like Cloudkill, Flaming Sphere and Tasha's Caustic Brew to amplify the bonus per target. You won't be delivering the same melee punch of Armorer or Battle Smith, or the ranged firepower of Artillerist, but that's not surprising really, as you're also support.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
I like the Battle Smith, because it's more martial than other artificers. Unlike the Armorer, you aren't as reliant on your Thunder Gauntlets or Lightning Launcher for dealing damage. Those weapons deal elemental damage, which is resisted by a slew of creatures. Since artificers are half-casters, the Artillerist and Alchemist (both spellcasting inclined) suffer dramatically.
Battle Smith gains Extra Attack, just like other half-casters, and gives you a few spells from the paladin and ranger spell list. This makes it a paladin or ranger that can tinker and craft. There are several interesting builds you can make around the Steel Defender, such as using it to help you in attacking a creature, or becoming absurdly difficult to hit. Not only will enemy's have disadvantage on attack rolls against you, but you get shield, Enhanced Defence, Repulsion Shield, and a cloak of protection created by Replicate Magic Item. The biggest flaw about that build: FIREBALL!!! Oh wait, you can get shield master. What about blight? You are proficient in CON saves.
Keep in mind that branding smite and banishing smite are the only two smites that work with EITHER ranged attacks or melee attacks. This broadens the possibilities with this subclass. There's a lot of shenanigans you can do with the Steel Defender, and the Steel Defender is super customizable.
Brains over brawn? Mind over matter? These canny warriors rightly answer, "Why not both?" - Tasha
My Homebrews: Monsters, Magic Items, Spells, Races
Rhulg- Hobgoblin Gunsmith
Battle Smith. I like the idea of having a robot minion/pet. Also intelligence for magic weapons and martial wepon proficiency. Armorer is probably my second place.
i am a human being.
I really like playing support/utility characters, so Battlesmith and Armorer are both near the top for me. They both benefit from being fairly self-sufficient and resource independent, which allows me to focus the rest of my kit (i.e. infusions and spells) on helping my team with minimal personal investment.
Alchemist and Artillerist are also cool and have some nice utility options, but the fact that you're somewhat expected to use spell slots to fuel their class features hamstrings their flexibility to some degree, so I'm not the biggest fan.
Artillerist gets better in campaigns that concentrate encounters over a short period of time, but also becomes genuinely awful in campaigns with very long (in hours) adventuring days with spread out combats (and in general I somewhat dislike how the artillerist's design puts them at odds with the rest of the party when it comes to short rests).
Artillerist because the action economy is broken and you can just snipe so easily.
Bram Quikfoot fractured.
I know Im still the (10.8%) minority, but I absolutely adore the Alchemist. Currently lvl18 and without beating my own drum or tooting my own horn, my party would have died and/or failed a dozen times over by this point! Great utility, great healing, great set of options for actions. Im not hung up on the usual 'but I wanna do damage!" I hear about the alchemist, I'm not precious about my spell slots and Im very liberal with my infusions (I do keep one or two for myself, admittedly). My plague doctor is the best character Ive ever played and that may be because when I actually do get to take a break from ForeverDMing and play for a change, I prefer 100% support and utility. Previously it was backline bards, control sorcerers or prep time tomelocks, but I have found the alchemist to suit all those niches in one class, at least for the way I like to play.
This comment is based 100% on personal experience and there is no fact involved. The fun of a sub/class comes completely from what you make of it, RP and strategy wise. I mean, while I've never come across one in the wild, I'm sure there's people who loved their Beastmaster Ranger too. Anyway, thats my 2c in defence of those who'll come at me with stats, facts and minmax chats. haha Carry on, as you were. :)
Hjalmar Gunderson, Vuman Alchemist Plague Doctor in a HB Campaign, Post Netherese Invasion Cormyr (lvl20 retired)
Godfrey, Autognome Butler in Ghosts of Saltmarsh into Spelljammer
Grímr Skeggisson, Goliath Rune Knight in Rime of the Frostmaiden
DM of two HB campaigns set in the same world.
It's also only dependent on one ability score, where as Rangers and Paladins are forced to have lower spell casting scores. This makes taking ASI over a Feat a lot more attractive, since you're bolstering both your attacks and your spell casting.
I would say Shield Master and PAM aren't as good of a choice, because the Steel Defender is already giving you free bonus action attacks. That and already having Constitution Save proficiency makes you less feat hungry.
A good build is to pick human variant and take Sentinel (16 Intelligence). Go into melee with your Steel Defender. If the enemy attacks you, the Steel Defender imposes disadvantage. If instead they attack your Steel Defender, you have a reaction attack. Then at level 4 up your Intelligence to 18.
I created a sample level 6 build. Straight point buy, no outside magic items.
21 AC / 51 Hit Points / 18 Intelligence / Sentinel Feat / +8 to hit / Spell DC 15
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/80249453
Artillery. Combat drone? YES! Summoned Cannon? YES! Magic Items to further enhance this? YES! What exactly do you do with a battle smith defender when you have the homunculus servant feature? If you already have a small one than you don't need another one.
Alchemist by process of elimination.
I like artificers but the pet, canons, or armor focus don't appeal as much as something as traditional as elixirs.
Definitely Artillerist. It embodies what it means to be an Artificer. Artillerists have the ability to go melee and very well protected from an early level with replenishable temporary hit points or full-on blaster, all with a very good action economy. Not to mention the best spell list of the artificer subclasses: shield, shatter, fireball, and wall of force are amazing, and multiple are improved with arcane firearm.
Alchemist, simply because it's the underdog of Artificer subclasses, causing others to make fun and unique builds for it.
Also Barbarian/Artificer is actually really good because of this subclass.
Hey! I make (what I believe to be, could use some feedback) good homebrew!
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