Wow. That was unfulfilling. This version is way worse than the original. Literally any of the hombrewed artificers out there is better than this one. Here's the one i'm gonna be using from now on. https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LAEn6ZdC6lYUKhQ67Qk
I like it, and I'm sure my Artificer player will like having the extra attack; ability to imbue armor and weapons; a wider range of cantrips, etc; also the ability to copy magical items will be a good downtime addition, alongside the ability to craft potions on the cheap. Both of these areas that the player wanted to explore more too. The extra healing and damage done to spells is a nice little addition, as is being able to cast Lesser Restoration without using a spell slot.
As a DM, I've been inspired to come up with a number of infusions to add to the original list too. I'll probably allow something similar to the Wizard's ability to learn spells from Magical Scrolls or Books.
That's not to say that there aren't 'better' Homebrew versions out there.
I have a feeling there will be a more 'Tinker' based sub-class in the works, which might explain why the mechanical pet has been removed as a standard Artificer level addition.
Second thoughts after reading everyone elses comments today.
I saw it mentioned on somewhere else that they are pulling the class too thin trying to be a mechanical engineer and a magic item artificer. I think that is right and they should stick with magic and make Tinker/Engineer something else like The Critical Role gunslinger. It seems too much for one character then if you want that you mutliclass. By the title of Artificer, they should be about infusing objects into magic items.
What like, I REALLY like, its the Crafting bonus, Infuse Item, Spells storing(though at level 18 its so late they are denying a strong heart of the class like giving moon druids shape change at level 18), and Soul of Artifice (which is good but I liked Superior Attunement at level 5 easing you into it). I even like it as a half caster class with cantrips that they change as they level (its shifting low level magic which I can except with class that studies the workings and manipulation of magic for the purpose of infusing it into items) and 1st level spells at level 1 with ritual casting. To me this makes them Wizards who decided to specialize in crafting items then at level 3 they specialize into a specific type of items. I love this feel and it makes since as studied practitioners of magic learning to infuse that magic into items should require some of the same base fundamentals.
What I don't like is the support constructs (make Golemancy / Forge a subclass give them a "Warforged light assistant"), Arcane Armament (they are a caster class dedication way to much time to magic and construction to be picking up "Extra attack", its the same problem with magic and engineering. A little is fine. They have armor, shield, simple weapons, crossbow proficiencies and give them Green Flame Blade/Booming Blade a magic solution to melee but not extra attack a melee staple ability), and The right cantrip for the job (This is something wizards can't do and should be better at)
My Suggested fixes: switch Arcane Armament at level 5 for a "Superior Attunement/Spells storing" hybrid, The +1 attunement item is very artificer like but not useful until you get a magic item and scaling it up to level 15 is good but not useful at lower levels. Spell storing is key ability of awesomeness which becomes wasted at level 18 but perhaps too powerful at lower levels, so you need to cap it at lower levels then open it up at higher levels.
Magic Item connections At 5th level, your superior understanding of magic items allows you to use them to a greater degree. You can now attune to up to four, rather than three, magic items at a time. You also learn to store spells in none magical items. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one simple or martial weapon or an item that you can use as a spellcasting focus and store a spell in it, choosing one 1st level spell from the artificer spell list that requires 1 action to cast (you don’t need to have the spell prepared). With the object in hand, a creature can take an action to produce the spell’s effect from it, using your spellcasting ability modifier but their on concentration if required. Once used the item is once again mundane. You can have this ability active on a number of items equal to your intelligence modifier. If you cast it on an additional item after that the oldest active items magic dissipates and becomes mundane.
Superior Magic Storage At 10th level, You also learn to store larger spells in none magical items. You can now store spells of level 2 and level 3.
Master Infusion At 18th level, your superior understanding of magic items has expanded again. You may now attune to five items, rather than four. You also lean to use duplicate infusions letting you put the same infusion in multiple objects at a time for example if you learn "Returning Weapon" you can place it take it twice and use it on two separate weapons. You may also place two infusions on the same item however duplicate bonuses don't stack you simply take the higher bonus. For example, if you infuse a dagger with "Returning Weapon" and "Enhanced Weapon" after gaining 12 level in artificer, The Dagger would have +2 bonus to attack and damage and would return to your hand when thrown. It would not be +3.
(AKA, voids: "You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time.")
The lack of inflection in text means that a reader of any post adds their own inflection as they "verbalize" it in their head. I write long and repetitive in an effort to be clear and avoid my intent from being skewed or inverted. I am also bad at examples. It is common for people to skim my posts pull out the idea they think I mean or want to argue against or focus on my bad example instead of the point I am actually trying to make. I apologies for the confusion my failure to be clear and concise creates.
Just glancing over this and I don't know if people will agree with this, but the artillerist prototype wands seem like cantrip grenades.
The description doesn't state anywhere that the wand has to be in your possession when you activate it, simply that it cannot be used by others. It also states "As an action, you can cause the magic wand to produce the cantrip" Which to me suggests the wand is the origin of any effect, not the caster. Nothing in the wording suggests I can't slide a wand across the room and then activate it next turn, producing a mage hand with a 60ft bubble wayyyy over there. I know the description for mage hand refers to the caster as a point of origin but in this application that wouldn't make any sense, "I use the wand over there to cause an effect centred around myself" would be silly.
There's plenty of other applications, stick a wand in the back pocket of the weakest member of the party with spare from dying, if they go down you can cast it on them remotely (there'd be some clever wording to make sure the wand was touching them, not just their clothes but yeah.)
As for wands being fragile and not able to withstand being thrown around the place, if I'm making a wand I'm going to hurl at someone I'd make it as robust as possible. so long as it's a cylinder of wood, it's a wand, I can make it as big as as it needs to be to not break.
Any thoughts? would be good to hear how some DM's interpret this as to me the wording (or lack thereof) seems to almost suggest it.
I'm so pumped, I just wanted to ask if and when we can expect it to go live on DDB.
I know there's probably a lot that goes into coding a whole new class and abilities into the system, so it won't be immediate, but a projection would be nice.
(Bonus question, the mystic is a pretty popular piece of UA content, any updates about the possibility of getting that at some point?)
I'm so pumped, I just wanted to ask if and when we can expect it to go live on DDB.
I know there's probably a lot that goes into coding a whole new class and abilities into the system, so it won't be immediate, but a projection would be nice.
(Bonus question, the mystic is a pretty popular piece of UA content, any updates about the possibility of getting that at some point?)
They've said a few business days at least till it's on ddb
I'm so pumped, I just wanted to ask if and when we can expect it to go live on DDB.
I know there's probably a lot that goes into coding a whole new class and abilities into the system, so it won't be immediate, but a projection would be nice.
(Bonus question, the mystic is a pretty popular piece of UA content, any updates about the possibility of getting that at some point?)
Mike Mearls has been working on a Mystic replacement class on his Happy Fun Time stream called the Psion. It is no where near complete, I'd imagine 6+ months before it is released.
What I don't like is the support constructs (make Golemancy / Forge a subclass give them a "Warforged light assistant"), Arcane Armament (they are a caster class dedication way to much time to magic and construction to be picking up "Extra attack", its the same problem with magic and engineering. A little is fine. They have armor, shield, simple weapons, crossbow proficiencies and give them Green Flame Blade/Booming Blade a magic solution to melee but not extra attack a melee staple ability), and The right cantrip for the job (This is something wizards can't do and should be better at)
My Suggested fixes: switch Arcane Armament at level 5 for a "Superior Attunement/Spells storing" hybrid, The +1 attunement item is very artificer like but not useful until you get a magic item and scaling it up to level 15 is good but not useful at lower levels. Spell storing is key ability of awesomeness which becomes wasted at level 18 but perhaps too powerful at lower levels, so you need to cap it at lower levels then open it up at higher levels.
Based off their comments with more subclasses coming imagine the construct subclass could be on the way.
I will admit I like arcane armament if your setting has guns this class lets you take them and crossbows and you can make them +1 easily to give the extra attack, this kind of fits with the fantasy i imagine for them (for those who know warhammer am thinking of the Empire engineers who build and maintain the empires guns and artiller and from that are also good with the larger ranged weapons). Basically this class makes their weapons and know how to use them better than anyone.
With right cantrip for the job i think it works mainly because a wizard will be focused on learning new more powerful magics and exxpanding their library where as the artificer knows less spells and cannot expand it so it makes sense they focus on the weaker magics to make up for what they lack compared to the wizards.
Though I do agree spell storing at 18 is a little weak and could be pushed down to 10th. I mean clerics pretty much get all their abilities in the dirst 10 levels then is just upgrades so could see that here.
Reading through this with all the Hype I am a little disappointed even though I am happy to see it being iterated. Although the Subclasses and Infusions are much improved in my opinion, the core of the class seems weaker, more confused.
The changes I am going to recommend are:
Half caster with Cantrips: people are split on this but I think a bad precedent. My preferred change would be remove Cantrips from Spellcasting, move Spellcasting back to Level 2, but gain cantrips by the below Subclass change:
Subclass at level 1: I feel the subclasses partly fail to drive the theme of the class so I suggest:
Free tools at level 1
A weapon related to the subclass ie. thrown potions for Alchemist and Guns/Crossbows/Wands for Artillerist (with no Loading property)
2 Cantrips connected to your subclass tools which can be changed out from level 1 on short rests (but never learn more than 2 Cantrips)
3. Loss of Infuse Magic and Attunements: These I think were my favorite part of the original core artificer.
For Infuse Magic I would add an Infusion you can learn along the lines of "You craft an item that can store spells(choosable multiple times). At any short or long rest you can expend one of your spell slots to load one of your prepared spells into this item. If the item requires concentration the activator of the item uses their concentration"
For Attunement I would replace the 10th level Feature for Superior Attunement (4) and maybe at 15 level Superior Attunement (5)
For a recap the first few levels of the Feature Table would look like:
Magical Tinkering, Artificer Specialist(Tools, Weapons and Cantrips)
Spellcasting, Infuse Item(Adding feature to Infuse a spell into an item)
Actually i do like the idea of adding an add spell to item in the infuse item section so we are not waiting until 18th for it. Make it so you use it and the stored spell can be used once at low levels, equal to int modifier at mid levels thentwice int mod at higher levels.
Another thing to consider for people about why does this half caster have cantrips is this class intended first for Eberron then afterwards for other settings and in Eberron everyone can cast spells it is a wide magic setting, which does when you look at it through that lense explain some of these effects (including why infusing spells is such a high level thing).
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Loex - A Lizardfolk Lvl 4/6/4 Hexblade Profane Blood Hunter/ Battlesmith Artificer/ Cleric of the Forge Arborea - A Warforged Lvl 1 Hexblade Warlock
Half caster with Cantrips: people are split on this but I think a bad precedent. My preferred change would be remove Cantrips from Spellcasting, move Spellcasting back to Level 2, but gain cantrips by the below Subclass change:
I'm not sure I'd call that a bad precedent. That would be like saying "Warlocks refreshing their spell slots on a short rest is a bad precedent." It is different, for sure, but like the Warlock's unique way of casting spells, I don't think it changes anything for new spell caster classes that may come out after the Artificer.
Subclass at level 1: I feel the subclasses partly fail to drive the theme of the class so I suggest:
Free tools at level 1
A weapon related to the subclass ie. thrown potions for Alchemist and Guns/Crossbows/Wands for Artillerist (with no Loading property)
2 Cantrips connected to your subclass tools which can be changed out from level 1 on short rests (but never learn more than 2 Cantrips)
They kind of already get a Free tool at level 1, it is in their starting equipment (Thieves' Tools). In fact, they kind of have too have a set of tools at level 1, since their Magic Tinkering and Spellcasting requires them.
3. Loss of Infuse Magic and Attunements: These I think were my favorite part of the original core artificer.
For Infuse Magic I would add an Infusion you can learn along the lines of "You craft an item that can store spells(choosable multiple times). At any short or long rest you can expend one of your spell slots to load one of your prepared spells into this item. If the item requires concentration the activator of the item uses their concentration"
For Attunement I would replace the 10th level Feature for Superior Attunement (4) and maybe at 15 level Superior Attunement (5)
I have to admit, I was a little bummed that Infuse Magic was lost. That being said, I think what was gained with the Infuse Item class feature that replaced both Infuse Magic and Wondrous Inventions far outweighs what was lost. Now granted if you really loved the Infuse Magic feature (which it sounds like you did), Then it makes sense that you'd be bummed. I do agree it could easily be remedied with an Infusion:
Spell Infusion Prerequisite: 5th-level artificer Item: A tiny object. You can infuse a 1st or 2nd level artificer spell with a casting time of 1 action into a tiny object. Any creature holding the item thereafter can use an action to activate the spell if the creature has an Intelligence score of at least 6. The spell is cast using your spellcasting ability, but the creature activating the infused item chooses the spell's targets. Once this item has been used it cannot be used again until dawn of the next day.
One of the biggest gripes I had with Artificer 2017 is that it doesn't feel as though they are really tinkering and experimenting with anything. The Artificer 2019 definitely feels like it achieves that.
Hey thanks for the reply. I am happy with the additions you suggest.
For the first point I just dislike the half caster with Spellcasting feature at level 1, it's not natural and looks stretched to fit. Hence even if they changed it to Cantrips from level 1 but 1st level spells ("Spellcasting") from level 2 I would feel better. It is a niche thing Spellcasting at level 1 = Full caster, level 2 = Half Caster, level 3 = 1/3 Caster.
To help explain why this is where I pushed the Cantrips into Subclass as I think being that subclass is more of a core concept then something you pick up during adventure.
I also do compliment the additions they made for tinkering and experimenting. I would maybe also add a ribbon ability of "During long rests you never really rest instead tinkering with your tools. During a long rest you can remain awake for 6 of the 8 hours but make Perception checks with disadvantage, and passive perception checks with -5." That should help explain where all this tinkering time is coming from as you level fairly quickly over the adventure.
Yeah I can understand it being a different pacing for a half caster, but I love the uniqueness.
Regarding the long rest tinkering, I don't think that is really needed. It already discusses how long the tinkering takes (1 minute per spell level) and that is mostly for fluff. Adding exceptionally crunchy rules for an Artificers long rests seems superfluous.
I prefer some symmetry rather than breaking patterns if it doesn’t open a new path of development, but to each their own.
The long rest suggestion I think is in response to this line in infuse item:
“Infusing an Item Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a nonmagical object and imbue it with one of your artificer infusions, turning it into a magic item.“
It feels a bit jarring, lazy and breaks the above work they put into tinkering.
https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford
I like it, and I'm sure my Artificer player will like having the extra attack; ability to imbue armor and weapons; a wider range of cantrips, etc; also the ability to copy magical items will be a good downtime addition, alongside the ability to craft potions on the cheap. Both of these areas that the player wanted to explore more too. The extra healing and damage done to spells is a nice little addition, as is being able to cast Lesser Restoration without using a spell slot.
As a DM, I've been inspired to come up with a number of infusions to add to the original list too. I'll probably allow something similar to the Wizard's ability to learn spells from Magical Scrolls or Books.
That's not to say that there aren't 'better' Homebrew versions out there.
I have a feeling there will be a more 'Tinker' based sub-class in the works, which might explain why the mechanical pet has been removed as a standard Artificer level addition.
Looks really nice. I especially like the Artillerist Artillerist.
So, when we'll be able to use it on dndbeyond?
:D
Second thoughts after reading everyone elses comments today.
I saw it mentioned on somewhere else that they are pulling the class too thin trying to be a mechanical engineer and a magic item artificer. I think that is right and they should stick with magic and make Tinker/Engineer something else like The Critical Role gunslinger. It seems too much for one character then if you want that you mutliclass. By the title of Artificer, they should be about infusing objects into magic items.
What like, I REALLY like, its the Crafting bonus, Infuse Item, Spells storing(though at level 18 its so late they are denying a strong heart of the class like giving moon druids shape change at level 18), and Soul of Artifice (which is good but I liked Superior Attunement at level 5 easing you into it). I even like it as a half caster class with cantrips that they change as they level (its shifting low level magic which I can except with class that studies the workings and manipulation of magic for the purpose of infusing it into items) and 1st level spells at level 1 with ritual casting. To me this makes them Wizards who decided to specialize in crafting items then at level 3 they specialize into a specific type of items. I love this feel and it makes since as studied practitioners of magic learning to infuse that magic into items should require some of the same base fundamentals.
What I don't like is the support constructs (make Golemancy / Forge a subclass give them a "Warforged light assistant"), Arcane Armament (they are a caster class dedication way to much time to magic and construction to be picking up "Extra attack", its the same problem with magic and engineering. A little is fine. They have armor, shield, simple weapons, crossbow proficiencies and give them Green Flame Blade/Booming Blade a magic solution to melee but not extra attack a melee staple ability), and The right cantrip for the job (This is something wizards can't do and should be better at)
My Suggested fixes: switch Arcane Armament at level 5 for a "Superior Attunement/Spells storing" hybrid, The +1 attunement item is very artificer like but not useful until you get a magic item and scaling it up to level 15 is good but not useful at lower levels. Spell storing is key ability of awesomeness which becomes wasted at level 18 but perhaps too powerful at lower levels, so you need to cap it at lower levels then open it up at higher levels.
Magic Item connections
At 5th level, your superior understanding of magic items allows you to use them to a greater degree. You can now attune to up to four, rather than three, magic items at a time. You also learn to store spells in none magical items. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one simple or martial weapon or an item that you can use as a spellcasting focus and store a spell in it, choosing one 1st level spell from the artificer spell list that requires 1 action to cast (you don’t need to have the spell prepared). With the object in hand, a creature can take an action to produce the spell’s effect from it, using your spellcasting ability modifier but their on concentration if required. Once used the item is once again mundane. You can have this ability active on a number of items equal to your intelligence modifier. If you cast it on an additional item after that the oldest active items magic dissipates and becomes mundane.
Superior Magic Storage
At 10th level, You also learn to store larger spells in none magical items. You can now store spells of level 2 and level 3.
Master Infusion
At 18th level, your superior understanding of magic items has expanded again. You may now attune to five items, rather than four. You also lean to use duplicate infusions letting you put the same infusion in multiple objects at a time for example if you learn "Returning Weapon" you can place it take it twice and use it on two separate weapons. You may also place two infusions on the same item however duplicate bonuses don't stack you simply take the higher bonus. For example, if you infuse a dagger with "Returning Weapon" and "Enhanced Weapon" after gaining 12 level in artificer, The Dagger would have +2 bonus to attack and damage and would return to your hand when thrown. It would not be +3.
(AKA, voids: "You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time.")
The lack of inflection in text means that a reader of any post adds their own inflection as they "verbalize" it in their head. I write long and repetitive in an effort to be clear and avoid my intent from being skewed or inverted. I am also bad at examples. It is common for people to skim my posts pull out the idea they think I mean or want to argue against or focus on my bad example instead of the point I am actually trying to make. I apologies for the confusion my failure to be clear and concise creates.
Just glancing over this and I don't know if people will agree with this, but the artillerist prototype wands seem like cantrip grenades.
The description doesn't state anywhere that the wand has to be in your possession when you activate it, simply that it cannot be used by others. It also states "As an action, you can cause the magic wand to produce the cantrip" Which to me suggests the wand is the origin of any effect, not the caster. Nothing in the wording suggests I can't slide a wand across the room and then activate it next turn, producing a mage hand with a 60ft bubble wayyyy over there. I know the description for mage hand refers to the caster as a point of origin but in this application that wouldn't make any sense, "I use the wand over there to cause an effect centred around myself" would be silly.
There's plenty of other applications, stick a wand in the back pocket of the weakest member of the party with spare from dying, if they go down you can cast it on them remotely (there'd be some clever wording to make sure the wand was touching them, not just their clothes but yeah.)
As for wands being fragile and not able to withstand being thrown around the place, if I'm making a wand I'm going to hurl at someone I'd make it as robust as possible. so long as it's a cylinder of wood, it's a wand, I can make it as big as as it needs to be to not break.
Any thoughts? would be good to hear how some DM's interpret this as to me the wording (or lack thereof) seems to almost suggest it.
I'm so pumped, I just wanted to ask if and when we can expect it to go live on DDB.
I know there's probably a lot that goes into coding a whole new class and abilities into the system, so it won't be immediate, but a projection would be nice.
(Bonus question, the mystic is a pretty popular piece of UA content, any updates about the possibility of getting that at some point?)
They've said a few business days at least till it's on ddb
Mike Mearls has been working on a Mystic replacement class on his Happy Fun Time stream called the Psion. It is no where near complete, I'd imagine 6+ months before it is released.
Based off their comments with more subclasses coming imagine the construct subclass could be on the way.
I will admit I like arcane armament if your setting has guns this class lets you take them and crossbows and you can make them +1 easily to give the extra attack, this kind of fits with the fantasy i imagine for them (for those who know warhammer am thinking of the Empire engineers who build and maintain the empires guns and artiller and from that are also good with the larger ranged weapons). Basically this class makes their weapons and know how to use them better than anyone.
With right cantrip for the job i think it works mainly because a wizard will be focused on learning new more powerful magics and exxpanding their library where as the artificer knows less spells and cannot expand it so it makes sense they focus on the weaker magics to make up for what they lack compared to the wizards.
Though I do agree spell storing at 18 is a little weak and could be pushed down to 10th. I mean clerics pretty much get all their abilities in the dirst 10 levels then is just upgrades so could see that here.
Loex - A Lizardfolk Lvl 4/6/4 Hexblade Profane Blood Hunter/ Battlesmith Artificer/ Cleric of the Forge
Arborea - A Warforged Lvl 1 Hexblade Warlock
DM - "Malign Intelligence"
Reading through this with all the Hype I am a little disappointed even though I am happy to see it being iterated. Although the Subclasses and Infusions are much improved in my opinion, the core of the class seems weaker, more confused.
The changes I am going to recommend are:
3. Loss of Infuse Magic and Attunements: These I think were my favorite part of the original core artificer.
For a recap the first few levels of the Feature Table would look like:
Actually i do like the idea of adding an add spell to item in the infuse item section so we are not waiting until 18th for it. Make it so you use it and the stored spell can be used once at low levels, equal to int modifier at mid levels thentwice int mod at higher levels.
Loex - A Lizardfolk Lvl 4/6/4 Hexblade Profane Blood Hunter/ Battlesmith Artificer/ Cleric of the Forge
Arborea - A Warforged Lvl 1 Hexblade Warlock
DM - "Malign Intelligence"
Another thing to consider for people about why does this half caster have cantrips is this class intended first for Eberron then afterwards for other settings and in Eberron everyone can cast spells it is a wide magic setting, which does when you look at it through that lense explain some of these effects (including why infusing spells is such a high level thing).
Loex - A Lizardfolk Lvl 4/6/4 Hexblade Profane Blood Hunter/ Battlesmith Artificer/ Cleric of the Forge
Arborea - A Warforged Lvl 1 Hexblade Warlock
DM - "Malign Intelligence"
I'm not sure I'd call that a bad precedent. That would be like saying "Warlocks refreshing their spell slots on a short rest is a bad precedent." It is different, for sure, but like the Warlock's unique way of casting spells, I don't think it changes anything for new spell caster classes that may come out after the Artificer.
They kind of already get a Free tool at level 1, it is in their starting equipment (Thieves' Tools). In fact, they kind of have too have a set of tools at level 1, since their Magic Tinkering and Spellcasting requires them.
I have to admit, I was a little bummed that Infuse Magic was lost. That being said, I think what was gained with the Infuse Item class feature that replaced both Infuse Magic and Wondrous Inventions far outweighs what was lost. Now granted if you really loved the Infuse Magic feature (which it sounds like you did), Then it makes sense that you'd be bummed. I do agree it could easily be remedied with an Infusion:
Spell Infusion
Prerequisite: 5th-level artificer
Item: A tiny object.
You can infuse a 1st or 2nd level artificer spell with a casting time of 1 action into a tiny object. Any creature holding the item thereafter can use an action to activate the spell if the creature has an Intelligence score of at least 6. The spell is cast using your spellcasting ability, but the creature activating the infused item chooses the spell's targets. Once this item has been used it cannot be used again until dawn of the next day.
One of the biggest gripes I had with Artificer 2017 is that it doesn't feel as though they are really tinkering and experimenting with anything. The Artificer 2019 definitely feels like it achieves that.
Hey thanks for the reply. I am happy with the additions you suggest.
For the first point I just dislike the half caster with Spellcasting feature at level 1, it's not natural and looks stretched to fit. Hence even if they changed it to Cantrips from level 1 but 1st level spells ("Spellcasting") from level 2 I would feel better. It is a niche thing Spellcasting at level 1 = Full caster, level 2 = Half Caster, level 3 = 1/3 Caster.
To help explain why this is where I pushed the Cantrips into Subclass as I think being that subclass is more of a core concept then something you pick up during adventure.
I also do compliment the additions they made for tinkering and experimenting. I would maybe also add a ribbon ability of "During long rests you never really rest instead tinkering with your tools. During a long rest you can remain awake for 6 of the 8 hours but make Perception checks with disadvantage, and passive perception checks with -5." That should help explain where all this tinkering time is coming from as you level fairly quickly over the adventure.
Yeah I can understand it being a different pacing for a half caster, but I love the uniqueness.
Regarding the long rest tinkering, I don't think that is really needed. It already discusses how long the tinkering takes (1 minute per spell level) and that is mostly for fluff. Adding exceptionally crunchy rules for an Artificers long rests seems superfluous.
With the new release of the Artificer today by Wizards of the Coast, will DND beyond be adding this new playtest class soon???
http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/artificer-revisited
I prefer some symmetry rather than breaking patterns if it doesn’t open a new path of development, but to each their own.
The long rest suggestion I think is in response to this line in infuse item:
“Infusing an Item
Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a nonmagical object and imbue it with one of your artificer infusions, turning it into a magic item.“
It feels a bit jarring, lazy and breaks the above work they put into tinkering.
I am presuming that the Primary ability score for the Artificer is Intelligence with no secondary ability score?
Watch your back, conserve your ammo,
and NEVER cut a deal with a dragon!
@Memphisck
It will be coming to D&D Beyond. They will announce when it is added. For UA, especially a base class, expect about a 1-2 week delay.
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