The Artificer can freely give the Martial weapons they create to other characters.
Also, the core 2014 Artificer has been limited to Simple Weapon Proficiency at least since Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. The Battle Smith subclass gained Martial Weapon proficiency as part of their third-level Battle Ready feature. (Edit: The Artificer in Eberron: Rising from the Last War also has just Simple Weapons proficiency on the core class)
In the 2024 update, the Artillerist gains proficiency in Martial Ranged Weapons (level 3, Tools of the Trade), and the Battle Smith gains Martial Weapon proficiency (Level 3, Battle Ready)
I think in the 2014 Artificer it got kind of lost that you’re supposed to be using your features to equip your party and not just carrying them all around your self so this might be a move to encourage that more
As notovny already pointed out, 2014 Artificers also had proficiency in simple weapons only. The class can’t lose something it never had.
And given that Artillerists now gain that proficiency when they didn’t before, it’s in fact the opposite — MORE artificers now get this, not fewer.
Not entirely true. The Tasha's Artificer in DDB shows "optional proficiency in firearms" as a core feature. Firearms were kind of their own category in this case. And they were divided up by technological era (Renaissance, Modern and Futuristic). So technically, ALL 2025 Artificers lost proficiency to around 7ish Firearms, while Artillerist gains the 4 classic ranged weapons, and 2 optional firearms that are now classified as Martial.
As notovny already pointed out, 2014 Artificers also had proficiency in simple weapons only. The class can’t lose something it never had. And given that Artillerists now gain that proficiency when they didn’t before, it’s in fact the opposite — MORE artificers now get this, not fewer.
Not entirely true. The Tasha's Artificer in DDB shows "optional proficiency in firearms" as a core feature. Firearms were kind of their own category in this case. And they were divided up by technological era (Renaissance, Modern and Futuristic). So technically, ALL 2025 Artificers lost proficiency to around 7ish Firearms, while Artillerist gains the 4 classic ranged weapons, and 2 optional firearms that are now classified as Martial.
The modern/futuristic firearms are in the DMG, with optional rules for how to make them available. And they are all classed as Martial Ranged Weapons.
2024 Artillerists have a much broader range of weapons they can use (and can use any Martial Ranged Weapon as their Arcane Firearm, like a Longbow).
As notovny already pointed out, 2014 Artificers also had proficiency in simple weapons only. The class can’t lose something it never had.
And given that Artillerists now gain that proficiency when they didn’t before, it’s in fact the opposite — MORE artificers now get this, not fewer.
Not entirely true. The Tasha's Artificer in DDB shows "optional proficiency in firearms" as a core feature. Firearms were kind of their own category in this case. And they were divided up by technological era (Renaissance, Modern and Futuristic). So technically, ALL 2025 Artificers lost proficiency to around 7ish Firearms, while Artillerist gains the 4 classic ranged weapons, and 2 optional firearms that are now classified as Martial.
Renaissance firearms are no longer classified as optional, as a note. They're part of the base rules for players, so any DM banning them is automatically playing by homebrew rules.
I think in the 2014 Artificer it got kind of lost that you’re supposed to be using your features to equip your party and not just carrying them all around your self so this might be a move to encourage that more
Can you show anywhere where it was actually stated as anything other than someone's opinion that artificers were intended to provide magic items to the whole party instead of just themselves?
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Honestly, the Artificer gets so few replicated/infused items that they really can't hand them out to party members. With only two in the first tier of play and four plans known, either they pick support items that benefit the whole party (bag of holding, sending stones, alchemy jug etc) or items that buff damage or defense. Maybe one of each. In second tier it gets to 3/5. It's not a lot.
You *can* hand the items around, but there's nothing in the text or the mechanics that suggests that you should or makes it particularly rewarding or beneficial to do so.
Exactly, the idea that artificers need to use infusions to benefit other party members instead of themselves is not actually born out in their stats, especially given that they start gaining the ability to use extra magic items or get additional benefits from magic items that other classes don't, like the Battle Smith's ability to use their Int instead of Dex or Str when wielding magic weapons or the Armorer's ability to treat a single suit of armor as multiple parts for the purposes of infusions. Using infusions for themselves means that they're not competing with the rest of the party as much when it comes to dividing up items that get found as loot.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Indeed, if you're a Battle Smith you pretty much have to have an infused/replicated weapon because you need a magic weapon to use your class feature (attack with INT) and you need a tool or an infusion/replicated item in your hands in order to cast. So that's most likely an infused shield or an infused weapon.
If you're an Armorer you need to use those abilities to get your special weapons and armor at full power.
I wish they'd do a version that is about sharing the goodies. That's what the artificer is in my head - that guy muttering to himself in the corner trying to get the latest contraption to work in time to help the rest of the team overcome the encounter. More like Rodney McKay than Tony Stark.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I wish they'd do a version that is about sharing the goodies. That's what the artificer is in my head - that guy muttering to himself in the corner trying to get the latest contraption to work in time to help the rest of the team overcome the encounter. More like Rodney McKay than Tony Stark.
Honestly I agree. I'd love a battle smith where you have the option to trade in the steel defender for a bunch more infusion/replication slots. Or a version where you can put your spell slots into items and then either use them yourself or hand them out.
Honestly, the Artificer gets so few replicated/infused items that they really can't hand them out to party members. With only two in the first tier of play and four plans known, either they pick support items that benefit the whole party (bag of holding, sending stones, alchemy jug etc) or items that buff damage or defense. Maybe one of each. In second tier it gets to 3/5. It's not a lot.
You *can* hand the items around, but there's nothing in the text or the mechanics that suggests that you should or makes it particularly rewarding or beneficial to do so.
The party gets magic items over time…. Its not like replicate is the artificers only source
Secondly, handing out magic item is simple application or logic. You WILL be in situations where a party member will be ill eqiuped. With a bit of coordination, you can have an emergency weapon or back up item handy to give someone. Like our fighter is all melee, and dumped dex; so I have a weapon of warning and returning hand axe plans to guve him if we expect trouble. Given more gold I’ll craft permanent versions for him to keep.
I also have spell tattoo and mind sharpening to give the monk and sorcerer respectively, and necklace of adaptation/manta cloak for myself since I dumped str and we seem to spend a lot of time around water.
Since I can craft or recycle uncommon items, I only need one infusion as a focus. My normal load out was repeating shot and elven boots, but both have been replaced with perm cavaloth armor and mercurial weapon. That freed up all my infusions to hand out or emergency against uncommon threats. and I just got my hands on an all purpose tool is my new focus.
Honestly, the Artificer gets so few replicated/infused items that they really can't hand them out to party members. With only two in the first tier of play and four plans known, either they pick support items that benefit the whole party (bag of holding, sending stones, alchemy jug etc) or items that buff damage or defense. Maybe one of each. In second tier it gets to 3/5. It's not a lot.
You *can* hand the items around, but there's nothing in the text or the mechanics that suggests that you should or makes it particularly rewarding or beneficial to do so.
And if your smart you would, once basic needs are filled. Then back fill with crafting permanent versions A weapon of warning in the hands of someone with alert is huge at lower levels. Give the paladin plate armor at level 2. Revealing lantern in general is great, and strap it to the midliner. You don’t need a bag of holding unless you play with encumbrance rules…… spoiler most don’t. And if you do, make the str guy the pack mule until you can buy or find one. If your DM is stingy with magic items, the becomes the first thing you craft.
As much as I love Artificer, we all know its anemic until it gets the subclass features. Getting useful items into the hands of better speced classes, while you run support, does a lot more for the party than you stacking magic items you can’t yet take advantage of. And you should ALWAYS be thinking of what perm items to craft next to free up spots.
Think of the replicate feature as a lease for things that can cover a weakness, or tide over a build until a permanent item can take its place. You’re not just giving the items to keep forever.
Currently playing an artificer at level 6, started at level 1. I can confirm that artificers are NOT designed to make magic items for the rest of the party.
Your magic item plans substantially lag the rarity of item that the party is finding by at least a level.
by artificer level 9 you can make all uncommon magic items from artificier levels 10-13, you can make uncommon magic items from artificer levels 14 and up, you can make rare magic items
Compare this to the DMG rate of awarding magic items to the party based on party level:
By level 4, everyone should have an common and uncommon magic item. by level 5-10, everyone shoudl have a rare magic item by levels 11+, everyone should have very rare magic items.
Artificer magic plans very quickly become useless, or at least, outpaced by magic items that are found or simply purchased.
The only real benefit to them is that you can pick and choose exactly whihc items you want, but even then by the time you can build them, you can probably just buy them.
The only stand-out magic item that artificers get is the spell storing item at level 11.
That will allow you to put a level 3 spell into a wand, and allow you, or anyone else, to cast it up to 10 times.
If you want the entire party to cast "fly" on themselves, your artificer can enable that at levle 11
Other than that, artificers get either an ironman suit, a metal dog sidekick, or a sentry gun turret. All their features are poured into their subclass abilities.
Currently playing an artificer at level 6, started at level 1. I can confirm that artificers are NOT designed to make magic items for the rest of the party.
Your magic item plans substantially lag the rarity of item that the party is finding by at least a level.
by artificer level 9 you can make all uncommon magic items from artificier levels 10-13, you can make uncommon magic items from artificer levels 14 and up, you can make rare magic items
Compare this to the DMG rate of awarding magic items to the party based on party level:
By level 4, everyone should have an common and uncommon magic item. by level 5-10, everyone shoudl have a rare magic item by levels 11+, everyone should have very rare magic items.
Artificer magic plans very quickly become useless, or at least, outpaced by magic items that are found or simply purchased.
The only real benefit to them is that you can pick and choose exactly whihc items you want, but even then by the time you can build them, you can probably just buy them.
The only stand-out magic item that artificers get is the spell storing item at level 11.
That will allow you to put a level 3 spell into a wand, and allow you, or anyone else, to cast it up to 10 times.
If you want the entire party to cast "fly" on themselves, your artificer can enable that at levle 11
Other than that, artificers get either an ironman suit, a metal dog sidekick, or a sentry gun turret. All their features are poured into their subclass abilities.
That hasn’t stopped me doing it. Our DM is stingy and plans hand outs, so half cost magic items on top of the “maybe roll” of finding them in town has been the goto for uncommons, as those can be made fast and cheap. And this is in a campaign that doesn’t have dedicated down time, but the party long rests in the middle of an invasion. I put pressure on the DM to let me use any extra rest days or travel time to make something. I even invested in a helianas crafting feat to accelerate the speed.
unless your table has virtually zero down time and exactly 8 hour long rests, you can put time into phasing out a replicated items for perm ones of at least common and uncommon with little issues beyond the gold cost.
And you need to think wider if you feel replicate is obsolete. It falls behind in rarity to not replace the normal reward curve. You are additive, which is boarder line broken if you know what you’re doing. And your options are more malleable then the normal “find drops or buy it” that takes down time and luck to get.
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I have a quick question about Artificers only proficient in simple weapons while they create in their plans Martial weapons why is this?
The Artificer can freely give the Martial weapons they create to other characters.
Also, the core 2014 Artificer has been limited to Simple Weapon Proficiency at least since Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. The Battle Smith subclass gained Martial Weapon proficiency as part of their third-level Battle Ready feature. (Edit: The Artificer in Eberron: Rising from the Last War also has just Simple Weapons proficiency on the core class)
In the 2024 update, the Artillerist gains proficiency in Martial Ranged Weapons (level 3, Tools of the Trade), and the Battle Smith gains Martial Weapon proficiency (Level 3, Battle Ready)
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I think in the 2014 Artificer it got kind of lost that you’re supposed to be using your features to equip your party and not just carrying them all around your self so this might be a move to encourage that more
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ModeratorExcept that move never happened. 😅
As notovny already pointed out, 2014 Artificers also had proficiency in simple weapons only. The class can’t lose something it never had.
And given that Artillerists now gain that proficiency when they didn’t before, it’s in fact the opposite — MORE artificers now get this, not fewer.
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They had the OPTION to be proficient in firearms, but that was EXPLICITLY given to Artillerist and Battle Smiths
Right, but firearms weren't part of the PHB back then either.
Not entirely true. The Tasha's Artificer in DDB shows "optional proficiency in firearms" as a core feature. Firearms were kind of their own category in this case. And they were divided up by technological era (Renaissance, Modern and Futuristic). So technically, ALL 2025 Artificers lost proficiency to around 7ish Firearms, while Artillerist gains the 4 classic ranged weapons, and 2 optional firearms that are now classified as Martial.
The modern/futuristic firearms are in the DMG, with optional rules for how to make them available. And they are all classed as Martial Ranged Weapons.
2024 Artillerists have a much broader range of weapons they can use (and can use any Martial Ranged Weapon as their Arcane Firearm, like a Longbow).
Renaissance firearms are no longer classified as optional, as a note. They're part of the base rules for players, so any DM banning them is automatically playing by homebrew rules.
Can you show anywhere where it was actually stated as anything other than someone's opinion that artificers were intended to provide magic items to the whole party instead of just themselves?
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Honestly, the Artificer gets so few replicated/infused items that they really can't hand them out to party members. With only two in the first tier of play and four plans known, either they pick support items that benefit the whole party (bag of holding, sending stones, alchemy jug etc) or items that buff damage or defense. Maybe one of each. In second tier it gets to 3/5. It's not a lot.
You *can* hand the items around, but there's nothing in the text or the mechanics that suggests that you should or makes it particularly rewarding or beneficial to do so.
Exactly, the idea that artificers need to use infusions to benefit other party members instead of themselves is not actually born out in their stats, especially given that they start gaining the ability to use extra magic items or get additional benefits from magic items that other classes don't, like the Battle Smith's ability to use their Int instead of Dex or Str when wielding magic weapons or the Armorer's ability to treat a single suit of armor as multiple parts for the purposes of infusions. Using infusions for themselves means that they're not competing with the rest of the party as much when it comes to dividing up items that get found as loot.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Indeed, if you're a Battle Smith you pretty much have to have an infused/replicated weapon because you need a magic weapon to use your class feature (attack with INT) and you need a tool or an infusion/replicated item in your hands in order to cast. So that's most likely an infused shield or an infused weapon.
If you're an Armorer you need to use those abilities to get your special weapons and armor at full power.
I wish they'd do a version that is about sharing the goodies. That's what the artificer is in my head - that guy muttering to himself in the corner trying to get the latest contraption to work in time to help the rest of the team overcome the encounter. More like Rodney McKay than Tony Stark.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Honestly I agree. I'd love a battle smith where you have the option to trade in the steel defender for a bunch more infusion/replication slots. Or a version where you can put your spell slots into items and then either use them yourself or hand them out.
The party gets magic items over time…. Its not like replicate is the artificers only source
Secondly, handing out magic item is simple application or logic. You WILL be in situations where a party member will be ill eqiuped. With a bit of coordination, you can have an emergency weapon or back up item handy to give someone. Like our fighter is all melee, and dumped dex; so I have a weapon of warning and returning hand axe plans to guve him if we expect trouble. Given more gold I’ll craft permanent versions for him to keep.
I also have spell tattoo and mind sharpening to give the monk and sorcerer respectively, and necklace of adaptation/manta cloak for myself since I dumped str and we seem to spend a lot of time around water.
Since I can craft or recycle uncommon items, I only need one infusion as a focus. My normal load out was repeating shot and elven boots, but both have been replaced with perm cavaloth armor and mercurial weapon. That freed up all my infusions to hand out or emergency against uncommon threats. and I just got my hands on an all purpose tool is my new focus.
And if your smart you would, once basic needs are filled. Then back fill with crafting permanent versions A weapon of warning in the hands of someone with alert is huge at lower levels. Give the paladin plate armor at level 2. Revealing lantern in general is great, and strap it to the midliner. You don’t need a bag of holding unless you play with encumbrance rules…… spoiler most don’t. And if you do, make the str guy the pack mule until you can buy or find one. If your DM is stingy with magic items, the becomes the first thing you craft.
As much as I love Artificer, we all know its anemic until it gets the subclass features. Getting useful items into the hands of better speced classes, while you run support, does a lot more for the party than you stacking magic items you can’t yet take advantage of. And you should ALWAYS be thinking of what perm items to craft next to free up spots.
Think of the replicate feature as a lease for things that can cover a weakness, or tide over a build until a permanent item can take its place. You’re not just giving the items to keep forever.
Currently playing an artificer at level 6, started at level 1.
I can confirm that artificers are NOT designed to make magic items for the rest of the party.
Your magic item plans substantially lag the rarity of item that the party is finding by at least a level.
by artificer level 9 you can make all uncommon magic items
from artificier levels 10-13, you can make uncommon magic items
from artificer levels 14 and up, you can make rare magic items
Compare this to the DMG rate of awarding magic items to the party based on party level:
By level 4, everyone should have an common and uncommon magic item.
by level 5-10, everyone shoudl have a rare magic item
by levels 11+, everyone should have very rare magic items.
Artificer magic plans very quickly become useless, or at least, outpaced by magic items that are found or simply purchased.
The only real benefit to them is that you can pick and choose exactly whihc items you want, but even then by the time you can build them, you can probably just buy them.
The only stand-out magic item that artificers get is the spell storing item at level 11.
That will allow you to put a level 3 spell into a wand, and allow you, or anyone else, to cast it up to 10 times.
If you want the entire party to cast "fly" on themselves, your artificer can enable that at levle 11
Other than that, artificers get either an ironman suit, a metal dog sidekick, or a sentry gun turret. All their features are poured into their subclass abilities.
That hasn’t stopped me doing it. Our DM is stingy and plans hand outs, so half cost magic items on top of the “maybe roll” of finding them in town has been the goto for uncommons, as those can be made fast and cheap. And this is in a campaign that doesn’t have dedicated down time, but the party long rests in the middle of an invasion. I put pressure on the DM to let me use any extra rest days or travel time to make something. I even invested in a helianas crafting feat to accelerate the speed.
unless your table has virtually zero down time and exactly 8 hour long rests, you can put time into phasing out a replicated items for perm ones of at least common and uncommon with little issues beyond the gold cost.
And you need to think wider if you feel replicate is obsolete. It falls behind in rarity to not replace the normal reward curve. You are additive, which is boarder line broken if you know what you’re doing. And your options are more malleable then the normal “find drops or buy it” that takes down time and luck to get.