Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
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We'll see what the Hexblade looks like when/if it is updated. Currently, Pact of the Blade took some of the Hex Warrior abilities, but is limited to any simple or martial melee weapon, while the Hexblade is limited to any weapon they are proficient in (effectively simple or martial) that lacks the Two-handed property (melee or ranged). Since it also applies to any Pact Weapons, a Pact of the Blade weapon, the final restrictions are any melee simple or martial weapon or any ranged simple or martial weapon that lacks the two-handed property. This will allow ranged options of a dart, sling, blowgun, hand crossbow, and Pistol (unless your game does not automatically include firearms in martial weapon proficiencies).
Battle Smith is more weapon focused than the base Artificer, but weapons are hardly the defining feature of the class. The UA summary is "Command a Construct Guardian", Tasha's describe them as a Protector and Medic accompanied by a protective companion. They are more of a frontliner, sure, but the subclass is so divided. Comparing pre2024/preUA, every feature of the Bladesinger is offensive or personal defense related (except for the Performance proficiency). The Battle Smith features add a little bit to weapons in the form of proficiency and alleviating MAD issues and getting Extra Attack, they get a Construct Ally that defends them and other allies, and the Arcane Jolt damage or healing rider ability. Their spells include only 2 weapon attack oriented spells, the rest are save oriented, buffs, or heals.
If the Paladin is a combat medic that is 2/3rds martial, the Battle Smith is closer to 1/2 martial.
Not only that, but Battle Smiths have access to Green-flame Blade, Booming Blade, and True Strike (new to UA; works with ranged attacks) which can trigger their Arcane Jolt ability.
As you said with Warlock, that is their variant of Mastery.
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Overall Artificer is one of the few Classes with those extreme Martial / Spellcaster splits. The only others i can think of would be Cleric, but Cleric was fixed by adding the Divine Order where they choose between Martial and Caster.
True Strike is just another case that shows where Battlesmith has become useless.
True Strike grants the the same advantage as Battle Ready, meaning "you use int for your attacks", just better since True Strike can affect any weapon and even switch to radiance, one of the strongest elements. It works not just on magic weapons, but any weapon, so no need to wait for a magic weapon or use an "Infusion" to make one.
At level 5 they are even again because Battlesmith gets Extra Attack which is based on the weapon, while True Strike only adds 1d6.
But at level 11 and after True Strike is in the lead again, because it scales yet again to 2d6 and 3d6, so for example a heavy crossbow can deal up to 1d10 + 3d6 with True Strike, or 2x 1d10 with Extra Attack.
Basically..."ignore that Battle Ready exists and just use True Strike".
The Pet alone isnt a great argument for playing the class. Ranger has better pets, and even Artillerist has the option to use the Cannon to protect, without sending it into melee range. Eldritch Cannon deals more damage and has more utility. While Steel Defender can grant one attack disadvantage once per turn, Eldritch Cannon can theoretically grant 1d8+Int Temp HP to 24 Creatures around it. Not to mention that the cannon has an AC of 18, while the Defender has 15. Cannon has just 5 HP less than the Defender.
And at level 5 the Artillerist basically turns a Staff into a 1d8 ranged Weapon, where the Attack scale due to being cantrips.
Even at level 9 when Battlesmith gets Jolt, this 2d6 extra damage is limited due to using a long-rest resource.
So...Battlesmith is never as good at defending as an Artillerist. Will never deal as much damage as an Artillerist. Will never heal as good as an Alchemist. And will never be as Tanky as an Armorer. That subclass is outclassed by any other class now.
But since the level 20 Artificer capstone isnt that great anyway, it doesnt hurt to multiclass. But if thats the best way to make Battlesmith a martial, then the issue is in the core. My current plan is 5 Battlesmith and then 3-4 in another Class. Maybe Rogue for Expertise, Sneak Attack and Aim. Or maybe Fighter Champion for Mastery, Fighting Style and more Crits...
Indeed, it's the thing I like least about the Battle Smith. Would be nice to be able to trade out that functionality for additional magic items if you wanted.
This is the issue. No subclasses are martials. Only classes. All martial perks must be justified at the Artificer level, which they aren't. The only way to make an Artificer a martial is to multiclass with a martial class.
However, you are selling a number of Battle Smith features short.
Any issues with the Battle Smith's Battle Ready should be addressed at the Battle Ready level. Battle Ready uses the Attack Action, so it works in an anti-magic field, it works with feats like Polearm Master, the Light weapon property, weapon masteries if you took the appropriate feat or multiclassed. Additionally you aren't taking into account that extra attacks (assuming they hit) multiply the intelligence modifier to damage.
Simple Comparison, let's assume you have a +5 Intelligence using a Greatsword for the D6s. This doesn't take into account the magic weapon bonus as not all magic weapons have a bonus and I will get to it latter.
Apart from the ability to ignore damage resistance, Battle Ready with a Greatsword pulls away at level 5 and True Strike never fully catches up.
Looking at 2 magic shortswords (this is the class that summons magic items, this shouldn't be a problem). No masteries, no magic item bonuses to damage.
Battle Ready outpaces True Strike here too. True Strike doesn't allow the Bonus Attack from Light because the Light Property requires that you use the attack action.
Now let's look at an extreme example option that requires two rare weapons. Technically, this is available before level 14, but with Replicate Magic Item, it is more reliably accessible then. Let's do 2 shortswords, but they are Vicious.
At level 14, the raw damage difference is almost enough to make True Strike's damage resistance versatility moot. Any bonus to damage helps True Strike, but just causes Battle Ready to pull ahead even further.
If you fancy a level dip into Fighter, two vicious Scimitars with the Weapon Mastery property and Two-weapon Fighting Style, and the Dual Wielder Feat, the result is monstrous. At level 14+, it's 1d6 +5 + 2d6 twice (Attack Action with Extra Attack) plus 1d6 + 5 + 2d6 (extra attack from Nick property and attribute modifier from fighting style) plus 1d6 +5 + 2d6 (extra attack from Dual Wielder feat and attribute modifier from fighting style for a grand total of 62 (15.5x4) damage per round. This is the highest Battle Ready damage per round I can think of assuming a +5 Intelligence and True Strike can't touch it unless you are fighting something vulnerable to radiant damage.
Don't sell Battle Ready short. It is significantly better than you are portraying. However, if you want the higher damaging option between it and True Strike, you have lean into big weapon damage dice or lots of attacks. If you don't need the radiant damage, just use Battle Ready. It is about as good or better than True Strike in almost every case. Single weapon damage with small damage dice may favor True Strike, but probably not by much.
You are comparing the pet of the Battle Smith to the Ranger subclass dedicated to pets? That's unreasonable. You can't expect a subclass that splits its focus to be as good as subclass that is dedicated to that focus. An Eldritch Cannon's AC is hardly relevant when there is little reason to attack it instead of you. The AC of the Eldritch Cannon is 18 and never improves and cannot take the Dodge action (Disadvantage on your opponent's attack rolls is mathematically similar to, IIRC, a +3.8 AC). The Steel Defender's AC is 15 (effective 18.8 with Dodge) and improves to 17 (effective 20.8 with Dodge) at level 15.
This also applies to the Battle Smith. Yes, the Armorer will probably have a higher AC usually, but for one hit, that Disadvantage on an attack effectively reduces the enemy's attack roll by about 3.8 which stacks with magic armor, shields/the Shield Spell, and anything else other than advantage and disadvantage. For that one attack, the big bad will be hard pressed to hit you. +1 Half-Plate, a +1 shield, a 14 Dexterity, and Deflect Attack means hitting 22 AC twice which is about as likely as hitting AC 25.8 once. And, it's not limited to weapon attacks or melee attacks. If you are being targeted by Firebolt from a level 17+ Caster, Deflect Attack can turn that 4d10 damage into 0 damage on a miss. Don't write off Deflect Attack.
24 Creatures with the Protector ability will never happen in practice and the effects are apples and oranges. Protector never scales so it will always be 1d8 + Int Temporary Hit Points. If a Steel Defender gives a Runic Colossus disadvantage and causes their 4d10 + 7 damage attack to miss, that far outclasses the Protector ability. Secondly, at level 15, the Steel Defender picks up the rider ability to deal damage when deflecting an attack (no attack roll, no save). Plus, the Eldritch Cannon is stationary unless you take an Bonus Action to command it, while the Steel Defender will move and use the Dodge action on its own, freeing up your Bonus Action (for example, to use extra attacks with).
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Well written and good arguments indeed.
This leaves the following Problems then:
- No Weapon-Focus, which means Battlesmith cant cast Spells if they go "Full Melee" with Sword and Shield, unless they use a Ruby of the War Mage.
This is most likely an oversight due to the rewrite, but still. Battle Ready should grant the ability to use Weapons as a Focus for Artificer Spells. Considering that all others Weapon-Casters now have it (even Warlock), this should be re-added.
- Since Battlesmith is no Cantrip Slinger and focuses on Weapons, the Ranged-Variants are a bit meh when you consider the Blade-Cantrips as their form of "Mastery". Those Cantrips also cant be used with Extra Attack, which makes one of the two Versions useless, considering how late you get access to Jolt. And without Weapon-Focus, you limit them to One-Handed Melee Weapons.
So i would still like to see a limited form here, similar to what Armorer has. Alternatively maybe an earlier, weaker Jolt, like the Infiltrator uses, so that it works with Extra Attacks.
- And pleeeeease add a definition for what the Steel Defender can do and what they cant. Its a Medium Creature. As a Creature it can use Magic Items. Since i can choose how it looks, i can say it is Humanoid with hands, feet and all that.
So it could wear Armor and Weapons, but without Proficiency (as a sidenote, where are the Armor Proficiency rules now? I cant find them in the 2024 PHB. EDIT: Found it, its called Armor Training and is in the Equipment section).
This means i could say that my SD is humanoid, and i equip it with Full Plate to boost it to 18AC. It will never do a check, it will never attack. All it will ever do is stand there and use "Help" and "Deflect" and "Dodge".
So...i dont want to search through all the rules and loopholes to figure things out. "Can my pet use magic items" is one of the most common questions asked. And dont let me start with "Can my SD use Armor". There are multiple discussions about Proficiency, Barding and all that...
Please, just add a definition for that somewhere near the Pet Rules.
Battle Smiths should absolutely get using magic weapons as a spellcasting focus in addition to anything else. I usually think they also should get substitute a cantrip for an attack during the attack action.
Great points about Steel Defender clarity. The less left to per table rulings, the better.
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Stacking cantrips on extra attack with the pet might be a bit much.
Perhaps. You have to use a bonus action to get the pet attack though. Still, the fact that they are not competing resources could be a problem. And what about substuting an attack for a touch spell delivered by homunculus?
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Surely it's an oversight. But if they don't fix, then not the most difficult thing RAW to either strap one of the lockpicking tools to the handle of a shield to buy the common magic item Ruby of the War Mage at a shop. As a DM I will be happy to put Rubies of the War Mage in all the shops next to the arrows and the rations if that's what it takes.
I prefer though that any item the Artificer creates or wields should be usable as a focus for their magic. It's right on theme: an Artificer expresses their magic through magic items. I wouldn't limit it to only infusions either, but also to items the Artificer crafted.
All of these assumptions that talk about these cantrips forget how few cantrips the Artificer has access to. If you've only got two, or even three, it's hard to choose one of the blade cantrips. At least the ability to change out cantrips after a long rest will help.
If your focus is weapon attacks, Green-flame Blade, Booming Blade, and True Strike are more justifiable than for other roles. Particularly if you pick one that you think will serve you best. If you don't have the Battle Ready feature or another feature that gives you INT for attack and damage, one or more of these cantrips would be an automatic pick. You also have additional options, such as accessing Cantrips through races, such as Elf, or via feats such as Magic Initiate.
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for the limited cantrips: Artificer can swap them at Long Rest now. So that helps too.
Blade Cantrips: As the name suggests, they are only for Melee. They work if you play with just one weapon. you can no longer wear a shield if weapon-focus is not added back, which is a problem too.
But Melee-Smith is not the choice for everyone. I play my Artificer with a Musket and use my Defender with the Help action. Ranged Weapons have no cantrip-option here. And if you want to be a cantrip-slinger, thats where you play Artillerist instead.
Hopefully the lack of using infused/replicated items as spellcasting foci was an oversight.
Booming Blade, Green-flame Blade, and True Strike require a weapon as a material component so you can perform the somatic components with the same hand that you wield the weapon.
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I think the comparison between the Pact of the Blade and artificers isn’t entirely fair here. Warlocks, especially Pact of the Blade, are a unique case among full casters. Their design allows them to benefit from their pact weapon, but they aren’t dependent on it. Their Eldritch Invocations are much closer in concept to artificer infusions, as both enhance their abilities in specific ways. However, invocations are inherently self-focused, whereas infusions are party-oriented (yeah you could hoeard all of them and keep them yourself, but its more efficent to give the party some to boost them) and lack the direct combat synergy that invocations bring. (since they cant use them as arcane focus anymore and creating magic items isnt something special anymore. For me it feals underwealming as a whole core class feature)
Battle Smiths and Armorer, on the other hand, are heavily focused on their weapons and combat presence. Saying weapons aren’t a defining feature of the class downplays how integral they are to the Battle Smith’s design. They’re martial half-casters who are expected to frontline, as shown by features like martial weapon proficiency, Extra Attack, and the Steel Defender providing utility and tactical options. Weapon masteries would enhance this playstyle without taking away their support identity, adding tactical depth to both their offense and defense.
Also, comparing Battle Smiths/Arorer to Bladesingers highlights a critical issue. Bladesingers can mix attacks and cantrips using Extra Attack, blending magic and melee seamlessly. Artificers, even Battle Smiths, don’t have this flexibility, making their combat feel clunkier in comparison. Weapon masteries would provide a similar level of tactical choice, letting artificers feel more dynamic in combat without stepping on the toes of other hybrid classes.
It’s also worth noting that the ranger and paladin updates gave them weapon masteries, recognizing their status as half-casters. Artificers are in the same category, yet they’ve been left out of this improvement. All artificers interact with weapons to some extent, even the Alchemist, who benefits from ranged attacks while supporting allies. Weapon masteries wouldn’t make them overpowered but would give all subclasses a broader tactical toolkit, making their combat options more engaging.
Finally, while artificers have access to cantrips like Green-Flame Blade and Booming Blade (when the stuff from Tasha is alowed at your table), these are still situational and lack the consistent flexibility of weapon masteries. Even with the new True Strike, these options don’t address the core limitations in the artificer’s combat mechanics. Even worse, they make some features feel underwealming or in some cases even useless.
In short, weapon masteries would enhance all artificer subclasses, making their martial side more dynamic and rewarding. It could simbolise their experince of thesting their own creations. That would bring them in line with other half-casters, giving players more meaningful choices in combat and reinforcing the class’s versatility as both problem-solvers and halve casters.
To be honest, I thought that way first aswell and than i took the time to fix the problems the artificer has without changing him from his half caster design and keeping his identety as a crator of magic items, that uses its own creations in battle. When you want you can take a look at it and give me your opinion regarding it. I dont even have a problem if Wizzards woult take it as insperation or just release it as a UA as it is. If they read it, you are free to use it
Warlocks top off at 5th level spells, just like Artificers. They are not full casters. They are the best class to compare Artificers to.
Weapons aren't a focus of the Battle Smith and that is not new in UA. They are frontline Support/Strikers, but the subclass does not make them Martials. Look at their spell list. It's not a stab fest. Only two Battle Smith additions are weapon oriented. Weapon Masteries have been given out to primarily martial classes and Weapon Masteries don't make sense for Artificers, because they aren't primarily martial. Subclasses don't change that.
Artificers are not half-casters/half-martials. They are more like half-casters/half-tool or utility. Half-casters just defines their scope in spellcasting, but does not define what the other half is and combat focus is not the only option.
Giving every one who interacts with weapons to some extent Weapon Masteries eliminates the benefits given to actual Martial classes. If you want Weapon Masteries as an Artificer, take the Feat or multiclass.
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That was the case in 2014. It is no longer the case in 2024. Tool Expertise has been removed. Tools have been reimagined.
The "If you have proficiency with a tool, add your Proficiency Bonus to any ability check you make that uses the tool. If you have proficiency in a skill that’s used with that check, you have Advantage on the check too." Is there, yes, but the Ability Checks are not. The Tools in PHB have a few limited Utilize Actions, but no Ability attached to them (except Thieves Tools with Sleight of Hand)
If Weapons are not not the focus of a Battlesmith, then how do you explain that literally every single Feature requires a Weapon, or improves a Weapon?
Level 3: You gain proficiency with Martial Weapons. You use Int for Weapon Attacks. You craft Weapons in half the time.
Level 5: You get Extra Attack. You can only use this with a Weapon Attack.
Level 9: Jolt can only be used when attacking with a Magic Weapon or Steel Defender.
Level 15: Improved Jolt. Improved Defender
The Spells contain Shining Smite and Banishing Smite. Both require that you hit with a Weapon or Unarmed Strike.
Just because the Description says that Battlesmith is a Support / Medic, doesnt mean that it is. It is a Weapon Focused Subclass, Armorer is an Armor Focused Subclass...
That was the case in 2014 and continues to be the case in UA.
None of the Artificer Abilities revolve around utilizing weapons in combat. They are less martial than Monks who did not receive Weapon Masteries and UA makes them more spellcasting focused than 2014.
If they split their focus, then no one this is the focus of the Subclass. The Subclass splits the focus between the Defender, Weapons, and Arcane Jolt. Arcane Jolt is special because it triggers off of attacks, but it damages or heals as its rider ability and is shared as an improvement to both the weapons and the Steel Defender. It is part of the Support/Medic features. In all, the Battle Smith isn't a Support/Medic because the description says it is, it is a Support/Medic because:
It is a frontline optional Striker/Support subclass. Battle Smiths are far more magically focused than a Ranger or Paladin, which are the most magically adept classes that gain weapon masteries and fighting styles. College of Valor Bards also do not gain Weapon Masteries and a Battle Smith is closer to a College of Valor Bard than a Paladin or Ranger. While Artificer's don't get as high level spells as the Bard, the number of total spells possible nearly matches pure spellcasting classes before factoring in potential enspelled items or replicated items that cast spells themselves. UA Artificers are more akin to a pure spellcasting class that has traded high level spell access for more low level spells and thus, the College of Valor comparison is far more valid with the UA Artificer than the 2014 Artificer.
One feat is a small sacrifice for Weapon Masteries and I would not sacrifice any of the Battle Smith abilities to acquire access to Masteries.
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At level 6, Valor Bard can swap one Attack of Extra Attack with a Cantrip. At 14 they can swap it with a Spell. So...no, not really comparable. Valor Bard still uses mostly Spells, while the Weapon Attack is the secondary option. They have access to pretty much every single spell, no matter where it comes from. Bards are 90% Casters.
Battlesmith needs a Weapon Attack to trigger most of the features. Like a Paladins Smite. Ranger is primarily a Martial with the option to cast Spells. Since Battlesmith (and Artificer in general) Spells are mostly supportive and very limited, this is a close fit too.
A College of Valor Bard has no Pet that they are splitting the class focus with.
Battle Smiths get weapon Subclass Features, but they also get a pet and they don't suddenly lose all the spellcasting and spellcasting adjacent features of the core Artificer class.
If you want to ditch half your class and complain that it is underpowered, that is up to you. They have one subclass feature (Battle Ready) and two subclass spells (Shining Smite and Banishing Smite) that requires a weapon plus a second subclass feature that can use a weapon but doesn't have to (Arcane Jolt). Extra Attack is not actually tied to using a weapon, but you probably want to use one with it. If you think that Battle Smiths need weapon attacks to trigger most of the features, they don't. They don't need one for the Steel Defender, Arcane Jolt (the can use one, but don't need one), 80% of their Battle Smith-specific spells, and most of their Artificer core spells or abilities.
Artificers, including Battle Smiths, are spellcasters who have the option join the frontline of combat, but they are not martials and hopefully never will be. Paladins and Rangers cannot output the number of spells that an Artificer can in UA and 2014. That is in part due to the Spell-storing Item which can be used for some shenanigans. Battle Smiths can use it to let someone else cast Shield or Warding Bond. But with a 20 Intelligence, an Artificer will be able to directly Indirectly produce 10 spells (2014) or 11 spells (UA) over the slots in their Class table before even getting into replicating items that cast spells. This actually has them casting 3 or 4 (2014 or UA) more spells than a Bard at 20th level. The Bard of course gets Bardic Inspiration, but the Artificer gets Magical Tinkering (useful in 2014 and trivial in UA) and Infusions/Replicate Magic Item. The Bard and Artificer are far closer than the Artificer and the Ranger or Paladin in terms of both Magical ability and Martial nature.
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Collegue of Valor Bard has a completely different Skillset though.
First of all, they are Full Casters. Not only that, they get access to pretty much every single Spell in the Game, no matter if it is Arcane, Divine or Primal.
Then there is their variant of Extra Attack. When they get theirs, they can straight up use it to use a Cantrip and an Attack. Later on they can even use a Spell.
Ranger has the same Action Economy as Battle Smith.
Attack, Extra Attack, Bonus Action for Commands or a Feature (Hunters Mark, Smites).
Then there is another feature. If Artificer should not get access to Mastery because "they have Cantrips", then please look at Ranger and Paladin.
Ranger level 2: Instead of a Fighting Style, they can choose two Druid Cantrips.
Paladin Level 2: Instead of a Fighting Style, they can choose two Cleric Cantrips.
So, both of those classes now have Mastery, Expertise, and Cantrips. Both are Half Casters. Ranger can go "Battle Smith" by choosing Beast Master, yeah their Pet cant deflect, but they can do everything else. They have the same "Bond Feature", and are more versatile due to being Land, Air or Water. And Ranger has access to a very similar set of Spells.
Now...where is the fairness in that? Why not treat Artificers the same?
Dont let them start with Cantrips, let them choose a Path, just like the other two half caster / half martials do.
Choose between the path of the Caster, or the path of the Fighter. Artillerist and Alchemist would go down the Caster route, while Armorer and Battlesmith would go the Martial way.