Some Artificers choose to focus on the arcane aspect of magical technology, rather than the technology itself. These Artificers are known as Arcanists. Arcanists are not only adept at infusing items with magic, but also absorbing the magic inside of items. Arcanists train to be able to store magic inside themselves by taking the magic from objects and entities which contain magic. To an Arcanist, magic is not a force, but a resource, one which, with proper training and practice, can be recycled and repurposed.

Tool Proficiency

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the Forgery Kit. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.

Arcanist Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Arcanist Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

Arcane Battery

At 3rd level, you craft an Arcane Battery, a device capable of storing the pure, arcane energy of magic. Depending on your character, this item might be a small stone or a large pack. Its weight is 0. It cannot be used as a weapon, but it can be used as a spellcasting focus. The device has a number of charge slots equal to your maximum number of infused items (minimum of 2, see). It begins with no charges. Whenever you finish a long rest, you may use any number of your infused items slots to imbue your Arcane Battery with that many charges. If the number of charges in the battery + the number of infused items exceeds your number of infused items slots, the oldest infusion(s) will be removed. This action may be taken simultaneously with infusing items, though it cannot be infused with any other properties. The Arcane Battery must be on your person in order to use this feature. You may create a new Arcane Battery any time, although the amount of time and gold it requires are dependent on what form you intend for it to take and the DM's discretion. If you do, the old one immediately loses any charges it has and all magical properties. No items may be turned into your Arcane Battery.

Discharge. As an action, you may spend an amount of time equal to 6 seconds per charge to remove any number of charges from your Arcane Battery to restore spell slots to you or a willing creature you can touch. Only spell slots of a level you or the creature touch have can be restored. Each level 5 spell slot requires five charges to restore, each level 5 spell slot requires four charges to restore, each level 3 spell slot requires three charges to restore, each level 2 spell slot requires two charges to restore, and each level 1 spell slot requires one charge to restore. Any combination of spell slots may be restored provided a sufficient number of charges are removed from the Arcane Battery.

     After completing a long rest, you may remove a number of charges from your Arcane Battery less than or equal to your number of infused item slots - your number of infused items. Doing so will allow you to infuse that many items at the end of that long rest. Other creatures cannot use your Arcane Battery, even other Arcanists. If your Arcane Battery is lost or destroyed, any residual charges will vanish upon completion of a long rest or the creation of a replacement.

Magical Absorbance

At 5th level, your understanding of magical storage increases, allowing you to take the energy imbued in magic items and store it in your Arcane Battery.

Recharge. As an action, you may touch a magic item and drain it of its magical properties to add charges to your Arcane Battery. This action can be used on your or another Artificer's infused items. Doing so will immediately remove all magic from the item and restore one charge to your battery. The number of charges restored to your Arcane Battery from draining a magic item that was not an infused item of an Artificer is dependent on its rarity. Common magic items restore one charge, Uncommon magic items restore two charges, Rare magic items restore three charges, Very Rare magic items restore four charges, and Legendary magic items restore five charges. The charges restored from Wondrous items are dependent on the item and are subject to the DM's discretion. For each charge you will absorb from a magic item, it will require 6 seconds or your action for the turn. Magic cannot be partially siphoned from an item, the magic is either removed entirely or not at all. You cannot absorb the magic from an item if you do not have a sufficient number of open charge slots in your battery to hold them. Charges in your Arcane Battery added this way don't count against your maximum number of infused items/battery charges. If this action is attempted on an item with a consciousness, you must make a Wisdom saving throw with DC equal to the item's Intelligence or, at the DM's discretion, it will fight to remain alive and you will be unable to absorb the item's energy for one tenday, after which you may repeat the saving throw; if you fail, this process repeats.

Mystical Aid

At 9th level, you become adept at transferring magic from your Arcane Battery to your allies. Your recharge Discharge action may now be used on any willing creature you can see within 30 feet of you. All the normal rules of the Discharge action still apply, but instead of touching a willing creature, you may be up to 30 feet away.

Magical Theft

At 15th level you gain the ability to steal magic from other creatures to refill your spell slots.

Kleptomancy. As an action, you may attempt to forcefully take magical energy from another creature. The creature must have filled spell slots in order for you to succeed. If the creature is unwilling, make an unarmed melee attack against the target. On a hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw with DC equal to your Intelligence and the DM must inform you of all remaining spell slots the target possesses. For each point below your Intelligence they score, you can take one level 1 spell slot, for each two points you can take one level 2 spell slot, for each three points you can take one level 3 spell slot, for each four points you can take one level 4 spell slot, and for each five points you may take one level 5 spell slot. You may take any combination of spell slots using this point system, provided the target has that many unused spell slots of those levels and you have that many used spell slots of those levels. The target's chosen spell slots are immediately used up and that many of your spell slots are immediately restored. You may not use this ability again until you've finished a long rest.