Jury-rig a miracle! Maverick Artificers are relentless improvisers who cobble together exactly what the party needs, exactly when it’s needed. You’ll never truly be out of options, even if you're trapped in a flooding ruin, faced with an arcane trap, or scrambling to survive a surprise ambush. 

With Exploring Eberron released on D&D Beyond, we sat down with Eberron creator Keith Baker to get some tips on creating your own magical MacGyver and how this subclass bolsters the creativity of the updated Artificer class. Let's dive into the Maverick's practical prototypes with a ready-to-play build you can bring to your table tonight! 

• Maverick Artificer Features
• Tinker, Maverick (Build)
• A Tool for Every Problem

Thomas Bourdon

Explore Eberron

Exploring Eberron delves deep into the untold lore of this wondrous world, and it provides a host of options for players and Dungeon Masters alike. This 248-page book includes:

• 6 subclasses: The Maverick Artificer, the Circle of the Forge Druid, the Living Weapon Monk, and more!
• 10 species and 2 backgrounds that allow you to create adventurers from across Eberron.
• 12 feats that support the species introduced in this book as well as the iconic species of Eberron.
• 4 spells and over 40 magic items that dig deeper into the weapons of the Last War, the symbionts of the Daelkyr, and the tools of the Dragonmarked Houses!
• 8 monsters, including powerful Archfey and a dreadful Daelkyr!

• Buy on D&D Beyond

Maverick Artificer Features

OLIE BOLDADOR

Mavericks are Artificers who specialize in flexibility. They can access spells from the Artificer, Wizard, and Cleric lists, and prepare more spells at higher spell levels to tackle any problem in front of them. 

This flexibility extends to the ability to pivot their spell list upon completing a Short Rest or plan long-term during Long Rests. This subclass rewards players who love solving puzzles, supporting allies, and always having the right button to press when the adventure throws a curveball. 

Level 3: Tool Proficiency 

You gain proficiency with Tinker’s Tools, or another set of Artisan’s Tools if you already have it. 

In addition, when you craft a magic item using the rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide, the amount of time required to craft it is halved. This reinforces the Maverick fantasy: you’re always building, always iterating, and always ready to produce the perfect device for the next obstacle. 

Level 3: Maverick Spells 

This cornerstone feature allows you to cobble together almost any spell by opening up your options to the Cleric and Wizard spell lists.

Extra Cantrip. You learn one cantrip of your choice from the Artificer, Cleric, or Wizard spell list; it counts as an Artificer spell for you, and Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it. This allows you to grab something like Spare the Dying for extra party support or Mind Sliver for sought-after Psychic damage.

Extra Prepared Spells. Need extra firepower, support, healing, crowd control, or debuffs beyond what the Artificer spell list offers? Whenever you prepare Artificer spells, you prepare an additional number of spells equal to your Proficiency Bonus. These extra spells can be chosen from the Artificer, Cleric, and Wizard spell lists, and they count as Artificer spells for you.

Spells like Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Wall of Fire, and Mass Cure Wounds are just the tip of the iceberg.

Level 3: Arcane Prototypes 

The Maverick’s signature invention—Arcane Prototypes—function like experimental Spell Scrolls, except only you can use them. 

You gain Arcane Charges, which you spend during a Long Rest to create prototypes holding spells from the Artificer, Cleric, or Wizard lists. While you hold a prototype, you can cast its spell without expending a spell slot, without preparing the spell, and without Material components. Once the spell is cast, the prototype crumbles to dust—unless you choose to preserve it by expending a spell slot equal to the spell’s level. 

This not only gives you extra spells that you don't have to prepare for your adventuring day, but also extra spell slots. Also, at level 17, you'll be able to create prototypes with level 6 spells, allowing you to reach arcane power levels most Artificers can't achieve without magic items.

Level 5: Fine Tuning 

Whenever you cast an Artificer spell while you have Tinker’s Tools in your possession, you can add your Intelligence modifier to one damage roll of the spell. 

Mavericks thrive when they are at range and casting spells; they don't want to be pushed into a melee fight. Your best damage is spell-driven, and you have access to some of the most potent damage spells in the game.

Level 9: Work in Progress 

Whenever you finish a Short Rest, you can replace one of your prepared spells with a new spell from the Artificer, Cleric, or Wizard spell list. This spell counts as an Artificer spell for you. 

It’s hard to overstate how useful this feature can be. Say you're in the middle of a dungeon, but run across a submerged section. Instead of having to head back to town and find a potion store, your Maverick can whip up Water Breathing after an hour of downtime.

Level 15: Final Breakthrough 

You become the ultimate magical compatibility expert: Your ability to prepare spells is unmatched, and you can make typically incompatible magic items work for you. 

• Prototype Swap. Whenever you finish a Short Rest, you can swap a spell contained in your Prototype for another spell of the same level, chosen from the Artificer, Cleric, or Wizard spell list. Remember—prototypes are your only way to access level 6 spells, so this allows you to change the most potent options in your kit on the fly.
• Ignore Magic Item Restrictions. In addition, you ignore all class, species, spell, and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item.

Level 20: Improved Genius (Variant Capstone)

With the DM’s permission, a level 20 Maverick can replace Soul of Artifice with Improved Genius—a variant capstone from Exploring Eberron.

This allows you to take a single Magic action to cast any level 8 or lower spell once per Long Rest. This is a toned-down version of the Wish spell, but still effectively lets you deploy any high-power spell, bypassing costly components and timing restrictions for a late-game burst of power.

Tinker, Maverick (Build)

CAROLINA CESARIO

Built for a Purpose—Not War

Tinker is a Warforged Envoy designed to be an engineer—a fixer, a problem-solver, and a creator. They weren’t forged to march to war, though sometimes the fastest way to fix a problem is to blow it up with a Fireball.

This problem-solving build is a jack-of-all-trades that can always devise a way out of even the stickiest situations. It focuses on Intelligence, but is surprisingly durable with a good Constitution, solid AC from Medium Armor plus a Shield (that will eventually be magic items through the Artificer's Replicate Magic Item), and warding spells. 

In a fight, you can blast away with a strong spell or swap damage for timely support. Outside combat, you are stacked Arcana and Investigation, a wide array of tools, and an ever-shifting prepared list that helps you adapt to whatever awaits in your adventure. 

Playstyle Priorities

Mavericks are only limited by their imagination—and their forethought to prepare the right spells and prototypes. They can prepare an entirely new set of spells for each adventuring day, but here are some boilerplate suggestions that integrate well with spellcasting-boosting feats: 

Strong Offense. Fire Bolt, Fireball, and Wall of Fire are all strengthened by the Elemental Adept feat. Shocking Grasp is what they use instead of bothering to carry a Melee weapon, and War Caster lets them cast it as an Opportunity Attack. The Disintegrate prototype adds a further punch.

Strong Support. Your party can rest easy know they've got backed up in the form of Cure Wounds, Enhance Ability, Lesser Restoration and Greater Restoration, Revivify, and Mass Cure Wounds.

Defense. Take the proactive approach to healing your party with Counterspell, Silvery Barbs, Sanctuary, and Shield. 

Wackiness. While the aforementioned spells cover general adventuring, don't be afraid to throw in a spell like Commune if you think they might need it.

A Tool for Every Problem

• See the Character Sheet
• Build Your Character

Build Information

Origin and Ability Scores

Artificer (Maverick) Build Guide

Fine-Tune Your Fun

With Exploring Eberron, you can choose your tools, prep your plans, and step into the dungeon with ingenuity as your greatest weapon. 

Using the Maverick’s swappable spell preparation and Arcane Prototypes, you can build a hero who thrives when the adventure turns unpredictable. Will you be a calm problem-solver who always has the right answer? Or a chaotic genius whose next breakthrough arrives as erratic as their spark of genius? It’s up to you to decide! 

Mike Bernier is the Content Marketing Manager for D&D Beyond, where he helps bring the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons to life. When he isn't adventuring across the multiverse in search of his next great story, Mike can be found gaming, hiking with his partner, or cooking something delicious while his dog waits for him to drop a bite.