Base Class: Artificer
The Arsonist
For some, fire is a fearful thing. For others, it can be a symbol of progress. Bringer of energy, heat, life and death alike; it’s said that a few have even fallen in love with it. The Arsonist is an artificer who has honed their talents and magical abilities while focusing on one thing, and one thing only: to create an instrument capable of bringing their beautiful flames to all things. Be it for the sake of duty or coin, Arsonists revel in the incendiary destruction of the world around them.
Tool Proficiency
When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms. You also gain proficiency with smith's tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan's tools of your choice.
Arsonist Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Arsonist Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
Arsonist Spells
| Artificer Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Burning Hands, Hellish Rebuke |
| 5th | Aganazzar's Scorcher, Scorching Ray |
| 9th | Fireball, Melf's Minute Meteors |
| 13th | Fire Shield, Wall of Fire |
| 17th | Destructive Wave, Immolation |
Arcane Flamethrower
Beginning at 3rd level, you've learned how to create a magically-powered portable flamethrower. Using tinker's tools or smith's tools, you can perform a 1 hour long ritual to create your arcane flamethrower in an unoccupied space on a horizontal surface within 5 feet of you. Once you create a flamethrower, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest or until you expend a spell slot to create one. You can have only one flamethrower at a time and can't create another while your current one is present.
The flamethrower is a magical object, functioning as a ranged weapon of the firearm category. You can use it as a spellcasting focus for your artificer spells, and a target for your artificer infusions. During the process of creation, you determine its appearance and which type it is, choosing from the options on the Arcane Flamethrowers table.
Arcane Flamethrower
| Flamethrower | Properties | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| Spitter | Firearm, Range 30/90. When rolling for attack and damage, use your spellcasting ability modifier instead of your dexterity. On a hit, the target takes fire damage equal to 1d10 + your ability modifier and proficiency bonus. | ||
| Heavy Duty | Firearm, Special, Two-Handed. When attacking, it exhales fire in a 15-foot cone that you designate. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC; taking fire damage equal to 2d6 + your ability modifier on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire ignites any flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried. You can use this attack a number of times per long rest equal to double your proficiency bonus. |
It breaks down and becomes unusable if reduced to 0 hit points. You can also choose to dismantle it in a ritual which takes 1 hour to perform. If the flamethrower is lost or taken too far from you, you can then dismiss it as an action; thus enabling you to create a new one.
From 5th level onwards, you have the ability to deconstruct magical weapons and integrate them into your flamethrower. Whenever you encounter a non-wooden magical weapon, you may spend 1 hour modifying your current flamethrower to grant it the properties of the deconstructed weapon. Doing so destroys the original item. You can only integrate the benefits of one magical weapon at a time, but they are retained even if the flamethrower is reconstructed. Performing this process with a new magical weapon will replace the previous properties.
Pyromania
Also at 3rd level, your relish for flames manifests itself even in your magic:
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When you cast an evocation spell through the flamethrower, all damage types are changed to fire.
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Whenever you cast a spell (1st level or higher) that normally deals fire damage, the targets must make a Constitution saving throw. They catch on fire on a failed save, taking 1d6 damage at the start of each of their turns. A creature can end this condition by using its action to extinguish the flames. The fire damage increases to 2d6 at 7th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 15th level.
Improved Specs
At 5th level, you learn to modify your flamethrower’s internal structure, making it more advanced and reliable:
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Any spell you cast through the flamethrower that deals damage of any type, now deals fire damage instead.
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Your attacks and spells ignore resistance to fire damage.
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When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with damage caused by a spell, you can use your bonus action to regain one spell slot with a level lower than the spell you just cast (minimum of 1). You can't regain spell slots higher than 3rd-level, and once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Charged Blaze
At 9th level, you've learned new ways to use your flamethrower in battle, charging it with extra power to better and further incinerate your foes.
You gain a number of charges equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded up). As an action, you can expend one charge to perform one of the following maneuvers:
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Roaring Burst (Heavy Duty only). You spray everything in a 20 feet long, 10 feet wide line in front of you. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d8 fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The area remains conflagrated for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus, and any creature who enters or starts its turn in the area takes 1d8 fire damage.
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Ring Torrent. You activate your flamethrower in a spinning motion, catching all those around you. Creatures within 10 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d6 fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.
- Explosive Blast (Spitter only). You release a concentrated shot onto a single creature you can see within 30 feet of you. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 8d6 fire damage. You have advantage on this attack if the targeted creature is currently on fire.
A charge can be expended only once per turn. You regain all expended charges when you finish a long rest.
Master of Ignition
At 15th level, no living creature can escape from your flames:
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All instances of fire damage now can cause the targets to catch on fire.
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Your attacks, spells and abilities ignore resistance to fire damage, and treat immunity as resistance.
- The fire exhaled from Heavy Duty now ignites any flammable objects in the area, including those that are being worn or carried. This includes the Roaring Burst and Ring Torrent features.
Previous Versions
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10/13/2021 5:48:45 AM
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10/13/2021 5:52:32 AM
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Posted May 3, 2023The flame throwers don’t show up when making the character is there a way you could fix that
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Posted Dec 16, 2022Pyromania is a bit busted, cast a fireball or burning hands, and you win the game. Even if you succeed the save for either spell, you still take fire damage to trigger the other feature.
One save to be set on fire permanently, from a passive effect that you don't even have to activate and isn't limited use, until you use your action to extinguish yourself, which works with AoE spells, and eventually, with all spells.
A cantrip's worth of damage for free passively each turn for playing the game as an arsonist, like you probably intended to play as anyway, it doesn't add anything new but just makes you better at what you already planned to do. This is not a bad thing but it should be noted because you don't have to go out of your way even to activate this feature, it just happens. This is especially egregious when you cast AoE spells because you're essentially getting a free d6 cantrip cast on each of the creatures affected, without a save for further effects which must be put out using an action, so it can begin to add up quickly.
Depending on your DM's interpretation of "normally deals fire damage" too, Dragon's Breath may even apply, giving you two AoE fire spells that you can use each turn to apply Pyromania. This gives you the damage of both spells each turn, on top of pyromania itself to keep enemies from patting the fire out, especially since they take the damage at the start of their turns and not at the end; meaning there is practically no benefit for them to put out the fire as they sacrifice an action just to be put on fire again. This is not even considering the fact that you also have hellish rebuke as well, allowing you to also cause pyromania outside your turn as a reaction.
This is not to say the subclass is bad, as I actually like the rest of the features quite a lot, but I heavily recommend re-tuning that feature.
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Posted Dec 10, 2022I'm very happy to hear that my friend! Thank you for playtesting it for so long! ^^
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Posted Dec 9, 2022ive been playing this class for a few months now in a weekly game and i find it amazing, the only thing ive noticed from how ive been playing is that the flamethrower doesn't seem to scale into the later game, i think extra attack might help with that, the spell list is by far my favorite part followed by the pyromania onfire damage. but seriously this class is amazing and i just wanted to give my opinion after enjoying it for months, solid subclass!
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Posted Oct 2, 2022Can't choose weapon type in character builder. It simply says Choose an option and then no options appear. The spells is not to be found in the spell list either. Have added both the one assigned as the main one here and the 1.2 version. Neither seem to work when it comes to weapon and spells. Hope you will fix this, or tell me what I'm doing wrong.
-BNMCPB
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Posted Jul 8, 2022Ayyyy \o/
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Posted Jul 6, 2022The best possible subclass for my gnome artificer.
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Posted Apr 19, 2022Yes, all special properties of the weapon you deconstructed (excluding the base ones like damage type, dice and traits) would be carried over to your flamethrower, and the original item destroyed in the process.
For example: you deconstruct a Flametongue Greatsword. That sword does 1d12 slashing damage, and has the Heavy and Two-Handed properties. All of those would not be carried over to your flamethrower, as it already has its own damage type, dice and traits.
However, as a magical weapon, that sword has special properties: "You can use a Bonus Action to speak this magic sword's Command word, causing flames to erupt from the blade. These flames shed bright light in a 40-foot radius and dim light for an additional 40 feet. While the sword is ablaze, it deals an extra 2d6 fire damage to any target it hits. The flames last until you use a Bonus Action to speak the Command word again or until you drop or sheathe the sword."
^ These special features would be carried over to your flamethrower. You would be able to make it erupt in flames, illuminate your surroundings, and deal an extra 2d6 fire damage on attacks made with it. The flametongue sword would be destroyed.
A +1/2/3 bonus on attacks also counts as a special feature possessed only by magical weapons, so it'd be carried over as well.
-------That's how it works. I hope I managed to explain it properly ^^
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Posted Apr 17, 2022okay! so the +1 magic item thing got changed very good to know!
if i use deconstruct magic item feature on a +1 sword would that bonus apply correct?
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Posted Apr 16, 2022Hey there man, it's cool to be hearing from ya again! I'm very glad to hear you're enjoying the brew! ^^
About your question, I'm afraid what you mentioned is a feature present only in the original version of the subclass hahah. The text in this page is from the most updated version though, the 2.0 one.
You can also find the full document for it here: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/LIsIluhCNWgq
If you have any further doubts, please do let me know 👍
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Posted Apr 15, 2022hey! im currently using this subclass and some questions have come up!
at level 5 and 9 the weapon becomes a +1 and +2 respectively
does this bonus apply to spell attacks like scorching ray?
or does it only apply to weapon based attacks like the spitter/heavy duty
also which is the most updated version? is it this version or the one on reddit ?
thank you for making this class its absolutely a blast to play
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Posted Jan 14, 2022Oh, I just realized some of the examples we used there would not be possible for the integration function. Remember, it has to be a magical item that is not made of wood or fabric. So any wooden staff, bag of holding or piece of clothing would be a no no. Any firearm, ranged or melee weapon though; any piece of metallic armor, or a shield; even a magic mirror or something similar; all of those would be okay for the feature.
EDIT: I realized now that what I'm saying here contradicts the original text a bit (it specifies weapons only). But it's okay, since I believe this still makes sense flavour-wise. And like I mentioned before, you're free to make any modifications to it that you feel necessary or fitting.
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Posted Jan 14, 2022Hey there, thanks for commenting again! ^^
To answer your questions:
-1st: I didn't give it a specific HP number because there is already a standard table for object AC and hit points in 5e, and so I used that as reference. Here: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Objects#content
Going by what the table says, since it is a resilient object made of metal, the flamethrower's AC would be 19, and it's hit point maximum would be 18 (4d8).
-2nd: As I envisioned it, you should be able to integrate any magical item that is not textile or wooden into your flamethrower. That means you could integrate a magical glaive, for example, and add its properties to your attack and damage rolls.
Note: integrating a magical item would not change your flamethrower's base stats; its range, weight and damage would continue the same. Only the magical item's special properties would be carried over. For example: using the flame tongue sword you mentioned. By integrating that into your flamethrower, you'd now be able to cause flames to erupt from it (and the sword would be destroyed). It'd shed light in a 40-foot radius and deal an extra 2d6 fire damage on a hit, just like the normal flame tongue. If you instead integrated a staff of magic missiles into your flamethrower, you'd then be able to freely cast magic missiles from it, just like you would with the staff.
That's the gist of the integration function: you destroy a magical item to give its properties to your flamethrower. However, if perhaps you or your DM believe that'd be too powerful, it should be totally fine to limit the function to only ranged/firearm weapons.
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Posted Jan 12, 2022so im going to be playing this real soon, i might be coming here and asking questions from time to time!
1st question is how much HP does the arcane flamethrower have? i see it breaks if reduced to 0 hp but i dont see how much it has
2nd question, can you intergrade any magic item into the arcane flamethrower or just ranged magic items?
example could i put the staff of healing inside of it and get a healing move? could i put a flam tongue in it ? ect
im super excited and hope to hear back
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Posted Oct 22, 2021Thank you! I am very happy to know you enjoy the concept. I plan on posting all of my completed homebrew content here and on DnD Wiki
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Posted Oct 22, 2021im so glad you put this on d&d beyond, i saw this on reddit and it looks fantastic!