While most artificers spend their life using magic to craft items, Animators study and tinker with magic itself to bring items to life. In doing so an Animator can enter the battlefield as a magical swordsman cutting down foes, an immovable bulwark that protects their allies, or a spellslinger wreaking havoc on waves of enemies.

Tools of the Trade

3rd-level Animator feature

At 3rd level you 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.

Animator Spells

3rd-level Animator feature

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

Animator Spells

ARTIFICER LEVEL	SPELL
3rd	magic missile, shield
5th	misty step, spiritual weapon
9th	blink, slow
13th	dimension door, evard's black tentacles
17th	telekinesis, animate objects

Living Item

Also at 3rd level you learn to give life to various objects. As an action, you channel the magic of the weave into a mundane or magical melee weapon, shield, or arcane focus you can grant them benefits depending on the type of item. These living items last for 10 minutes. When you have a living item active, it can either be wielded or float around you in your space unless specified otherwise due to an ability.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, you can expend 1 spell slot to use this feature again.

Living Items

Item	Ability
Melee Weapon	When you attack with the living weapon, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity modifier, for the attack and damage rolls. The living weapon has a range of 20ft, if the weapon has the light property the range is instead 40ft, and if the weapon has the heavy property the range is instead 10ft. These attacks are still considered melee attacks for the purposes of abilities and spells.
Shield	While you have an animated shield, you can use your reaction to send it to defend an ally within 30 feet who is being attacked, granting them +2 AC for the turn.
Arcane Focus	While this focus is summoned you choose a cantrip from any class list, while you have this focus you can cast that cantrip, and it counts as an artificer cantrip for you. This focus can travel up to 15ft away from you and when you cast a spell it can can originate from the focus instead of you.

Skilled Animator

At 5th level you gain additional benefits depending on which item is currently imbued.

Living Weapon. When you create your living weapon, you can animate a second weapon. When you take the Attack action, you can use a bonus action to attack with the second living weapon. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks.

Living Shield. While you have your living shield active, you may use a bonus action to become resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage until the start of your next turn.

Living Focus. While you have your living focus, you gain a flying speed of 15ft and can hover. Also, when you cast a spell that deals damage you can use a bonus action to add 1d6 fire, cold, or lightning damage to one damage roll of the spell.

Swift Animation

At 9th level, when you roll initiative you can immediately expend one use of your Living Item feature.

Additionally, if you have a living item active you can change your living item at the start of each of your turns.

Master Animator

Beginning at 15th level the abilities granted by your living items improve one final time.

Living Weapon. When you create your living weapon, you can animate a third weapon. When you take the attack action you can attack twice, instead of once.

Living Shield. Fire, Cold, Lightning, Acid, and Poison are added to the list of resistances you may choose when you use your 3rd level ability. Also, allied creatures within 30ft of you gain the same resistance chosen by granted to you by your bonus action ability.

Living Focus. While you have your living focus you can cast a spell that requires concentration you can have your focus concentrate on the spell for you and you do not have to need to maintain concentration. This spell lasts a number of rounds equal to your constitution modifier and then it ends. You cannot use this ability again until you take a short or long rest.