I play an artificer, and love my homunculus servant - a mechanical tressym named Meepo. But it feels like something is lost in that there is now no reason not to have a homunculus as a 2024 artificer. It’s effectively a class feature.
In 2014 Homunculus Servant was an Infusion, and it used to require your BA to tell it to attack. In 2024 its an artificer-exclusive 2nd level ritual spell with a duration of Instantaneous. Artificers can replace all of their level 1+ spells on a Long Rest. Homunculi no longer need a BA to command - they’re just a permanent extra ally. So an artificer really should be casting Homunculus Servant when they reach level 5, and then swapping the spell out the next day. They only need to prepare it again if the homunculus dies.
So I think it’ll now be unusual to see an artificer without a homunculus, unless I’ve missed something?
It's now a level 2 spell and not an infusion. So you can't get it until much later. If I'm understanding the new Artificer book right. So you can't even get it until level 5. So it's effectively a higher level familiar.
Yes… though given the valuable component many artificers wouldn’t have had them from 2nd level (when they could technically take the infusion) before.
My point is more that because the homunculus is so low cost in 2024, it’s effectively a class feature now. I think it’ll be unusual to see a level 5+ artificer without a homunculus.
It's now a level 2 spell and not an infusion. So you can't get it until much later. If I'm understanding the new Artificer book right. So you can't even get it until level 5. So it's effectively a higher level familiar.
In the old Artificer wasn't it a level 6 required Infusion to have it.
It's now a level 2 spell and not an infusion. So you can't get it until much later. If I'm understanding the new Artificer book right. So you can't even get it until level 5. So it's effectively a higher level familiar.
In the old Artificer wasn't it a level 6 required Infusion to have it.
Nope, no prerequisite.
I'm personally fine with a buff to the Homunculus. Especially the Telepathy. Artificer needed a rebalance anyway.
It doesn't scale with your level or proficiency anymore... only with spell level. So it's going to be mostly a scout at higher levels.
I don’t think that’s a huge change. People will probably cast at the highest level they can if they have a spell slot unused at the end of the day. So at artificer level 20 they’ll still have an attack of +11, dmg about 8.5, while their hp goes from 26 to 30.
Probably still mostly a scout, but if you really need bodies on the field, then it’s something.
It's now a level 2 spell and not an infusion. So you can't get it until much later. If I'm understanding the new Artificer book right. So you can't even get it until level 5. So it's effectively a higher level familiar.
In the old Artificer wasn't it a level 6 required Infusion to have it.
Nope, no prerequisite.
I'm personally fine with a buff to the Homunculus. Especially the Telepathy. Artificer needed a rebalance anyway.
Agreed - telepathy is much appreciated!
I don’t think the homunculus has been buffed much (besides the telepathy). They’ve just made it essentially 0 cost for any artificer to create one, which reduces the diversity in artificer builds. Not a huge problem, though it means battle smiths’ now probably have two robotic creations to act for on their turns.
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I play an artificer, and love my homunculus servant - a mechanical tressym named Meepo. But it feels like something is lost in that there is now no reason not to have a homunculus as a 2024 artificer. It’s effectively a class feature.
In 2014 Homunculus Servant was an Infusion, and it used to require your BA to tell it to attack. In 2024 its an artificer-exclusive 2nd level ritual spell with a duration of Instantaneous. Artificers can replace all of their level 1+ spells on a Long Rest. Homunculi no longer need a BA to command - they’re just a permanent extra ally. So an artificer really should be casting Homunculus Servant when they reach level 5, and then swapping the spell out the next day. They only need to prepare it again if the homunculus dies.
So I think it’ll now be unusual to see an artificer without a homunculus, unless I’ve missed something?
It's now a level 2 spell and not an infusion. So you can't get it until much later. If I'm understanding the new Artificer book right. So you can't even get it until level 5. So it's effectively a higher level familiar.
Yes… though given the valuable component many artificers wouldn’t have had them from 2nd level (when they could technically take the infusion) before.
My point is more that because the homunculus is so low cost in 2024, it’s effectively a class feature now. I think it’ll be unusual to see a level 5+ artificer without a homunculus.
It doesn't scale with your level or proficiency anymore... only with spell level. So it's going to be mostly a scout at higher levels.
In the old Artificer wasn't it a level 6 required Infusion to have it.
Nope, no prerequisite.
I'm personally fine with a buff to the Homunculus. Especially the Telepathy. Artificer needed a rebalance anyway.
I don’t think that’s a huge change. People will probably cast at the highest level they can if they have a spell slot unused at the end of the day. So at artificer level 20 they’ll still have an attack of +11, dmg about 8.5, while their hp goes from 26 to 30.
Probably still mostly a scout, but if you really need bodies on the field, then it’s something.
Agreed - telepathy is much appreciated!
I don’t think the homunculus has been buffed much (besides the telepathy). They’ve just made it essentially 0 cost for any artificer to create one, which reduces the diversity in artificer builds. Not a huge problem, though it means battle smiths’ now probably have two robotic creations to act for on their turns.