This subclass is a bit of a weird one for me. It began as a desire to make a "cook" subclass based around using Cook's Utensil's or Brewer's Supplies. As I made it, it began to shift towards being a sort of Hunter Gatherer. Ultimately what I have is an artificer subclass who has a mix of features, some which are helpful in buffing a party outside of combat and some which make them sort of a "half ranger" in the same way that a Battle Smith is almost like a "half paladin" in my opinion. Admittedly, its "core" feature is dependent on the DM early on letting you find enough beasts of varying type to make it interesting. Let me know what you think. 

Forager Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach certain levels in this class. These spells count as Artificer spells for you but do not count against your number of spells known.

 

Artificer Level	Spells
3rd	Goodberry, Hunter’s Mark
5th	Locate Animals or Plants, Protection from Poison
9th	Create Food and Water, Hunger of Hadar
14th	Dominate Beast, Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum
17th	Steel Wind Strike, Conjure Volley

 

Tools of the Trade

When you choose this school at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Cook’s Utensils or Brewer’s Supplies (your choice) and can use the chosen tool as a spellcasting focus for casting your artificer spells. 

Hunter Gatherer 

Also at 3rd level, you have a distinct eye for tracking and procuring ingredients. You gain proficiency in the Survival skill. You also gain proficiency with martial weapons. 

Nature’s Gifts

Finally at 3rd level, you are able to quickly prepare empowering meals to strengthen and revitalize your allies. As part of a short rest, if you or any friendly creatures regain hit points at the end of the short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d4 hit points. 

 Additionally, if you have the body of a beast which has been dead for no longer than 24 hours, you can prepare it as part of the meal. Any creature who regains extra hit points from this feature also gains one of the traits of that beast, so long as they are physically capable of doing so (DM’s discretion). If the beast has multiple traits, you choose which one is granted as part of this feature. For example, you could grant yourself and friendly creatures the Keen Smell of a bear or the Bloody Frenzy of a quipper. This trait lasts for each creature until it completes a long rest or benefits from this feature again.

 If you complete this rest in a natural environment you can forage up extra components from your surroundings as part of the meal, granting additional benefits to any creature who regains hit points from this feature. The benefit depends on which type of environment you complete the rest in. 

Arctic. You have advantage on all saving throws against the extreme cold 

Coast. You gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed. 

Desert. You have advantage on all saving throws against the extreme heat.

Forest. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.

Grassland. You gain 1d4 temporary hit points. 

Mountain. You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. You’re also acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet.

Swamp. You have advantage on saving throws against poison and disease

Underdark. You gain darkvision out to a range of 10 feet. If you already have darkvision, it is extended by 10 feet. 

This benefit lasts until the creature completes a long rest or regains hit points from this feature again. 

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. 

Exotic Gifts

Starting at 9th level, creatures which benefit from your Nature’s Gifts feature regain 2d4 extra hit points instead of 1d4.

Additionally, you can now use the body of creatures other than beasts to prepare as part of the feast; however, the creature used cannot be a construct, humanoid, or undead. The traits acquired from such creatures cannot be Legendary Resistance or any feature which grants access to additional actions. 

 Additionally, if you have the body of a creature which has been dead for no more than 24 hours, you can prepare it as part of your meal provided it is not a construct, humanoid, or undead. Choose one trait belonging to it, which cannot be Legendary Resistance or any which grants access to additional actions. Any creature which regains hit points from your Nature’s Gift feature also gains that trait, which lasts until it completes a long rest or benefits from this feature again. 

For example, if you have the body of a bear each creature which regains hit points could gain the Keen Smell trait.

Feast of Champions

You can assemble the finest ingredients to bolster those who consume your creations. At 15th level, while holding your Cook’s Utensils or Brewer’s Supplies, you can cast Heroes' Feastusing this feature, ignoring the material component. When cast this way, the amount of hit points granted is treated as the maximum value for the spell. After you have cast the spell this way, you cannot do so again for 1d4 days.

Very interesting. I've got a very similar work in progress, but coming from the Ranger side that I call the Scavenger. I do often feel that it might be more of an Artificer.

One thing about Artificers is that their subclass gives substantial benefits, and being a half caster they really need it to keep up. I imagine there's some pretty strong beast features out there, but also a whole lot of trap options and no guarantee what you'll come across. Many adventures may also journey into places that put you up against only undead, or only constructs and humanoids. Sure, the DM can throw you a bone but at that point they're basically picking the benefit you get. I'd like to see a default option here that you can use if you don't happen to come across something better - like maybe something you forage up from your surroundings?

Quote from scatterbraind >>

Very interesting. I've got a very similar work in progress, but coming from the Ranger side that I call the Scavenger. I do often feel that it might be more of an Artificer.

One thing about Artificers is that their subclass gives substantial benefits, and being a half caster they really need it to keep up. I imagine there's some pretty strong beast features out there, but also a whole lot of trap options and no guarantee what you'll come across. Many adventures may also journey into places that put you up against only undead, or only constructs and humanoids. Sure, the DM can throw you a bone but at that point they're basically picking the benefit you get. I'd like to see a default option here that you can use if you don't happen to come across something better - like maybe something you forage up from your surroundings?

 Hmmmmm. Maybe the best way to balance this is to remove the creature requirement and simply state that you have to be in an area connected to nature (i.e. not inside of a man-made building) to gain the additional benefit. 

Edit. I have updated the level 3 and level 9 abilities. Let me know what you think of the new versions (the old parts are in the spoiler tag for comparison)