However, there is already a heavy crossover between your spell list and what is available through the feat, and the ability to use your infusions as a focus largely negates the focus benefit of this feat. The alchemist adds some nice healing benefits to the Artificer. There is a caveat here, that between levels 6 and 10 you should use either Radiant Weapon or Repeating Weapon, as this will give you a +1 weapon with a secondary benefit. Thieves Tools means that Tool Expertise has at least one important use case Fighter 5 You automatically qualify for this based on the Dex you have for your medium armor and theres so much packed into the beginning levels that it is a compelling dip. Unfortunately, the reality falls far short with the benefits on offer being very meager for the level and attunement requirements. Since you dont This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. As with all weapon feats, this is only appealing to Battle Smiths and, in this case, Armorers of both types. DEX shouldnt be ignored if you are using it for AC. When it is enemys turn they can either attack it or move away from it when it can use reaction to attack. can retrain a cantrip every level. Here's how to play one. DEX: Good DEX means a higher AC and helps with ranged attacks. Charger 1 This is not a good feat in general and youre not the exception to that. a damage die two sizes larger, but has diminished range. Satyr 4 This is on the low end of 4, with Magic Resistance the most meaningful ability here, but there are plenty of magical effects monsters can have that wont be a spell. Magical Tinkering: This is very similar to Thanks to the core rules for spell components, this means that you can Protective Ward gives you the flexibility of protecting yourself or others, but eats slots you dont really have to spare in exchange for an impressive formula. The individual shifting features will be reviewed below: Tabaxi 5 The originals speed boost was great, but now you can have relevant stats and the climbing speed has been increased to match your walking speed. Weapons 3 Simple weapons are enough for most Artificers, with each subclass being incentivized to damage enemies in their own ways. Depending on your subclass you may have other compelling options available to you, such as a Magic Missile (Armorer) or Shatter (Armorer and Artillerist). At minimum, you should wait until you have your subclass, but ideally after 5th level to ensure that you have your tier 2 damage boost. You want to play an Artificer, so grab your goggles, and lets start the experiment. Fairy 3 Choose your own stats, additional spellcasting that can use your Int, and at-will flight is a fantastic package. Ritual Caster 4 Youll automatically qualify for this feat and it will allow you to pick up a lot of utility that wont eat into your spell slots, who wouldnt want an Unseen Servant in the workshop? Spellcasting 5 The Artificer gains spellcasting at 1st level, but they are unique in that they are neither a full caster nor a half caster, they are more accurately described as a three-quarter caster. The floating proficiencies granted by Astral Trance also complement The Right Tool for the Job, allowing you to provide both the tools and proficiency to use them. Both Scorching Ray and Shatter will be excellent options for Spell Storing Item, allowing you to pump out a significant amount of damage over the course of the day. Strixhaven mascot 1 With every Artificer able to choose the Homunculus Servant Infusion, there just isnt enough here to justify the high prerequisite and cost, especially when gaining a normal familiar is so much cheaper. We will assume the point buy abilities suggested above, but well reverse the That The Right Tool for the Job: You technically The Artificer has an impressive three total dump stats, allowing you to hit points with False Life, plenty of Constitution, and as many AC boosts as with Spellcasting. guidane on Infusions, see my that of the Artificer. Intelligence. In this post, we will be examining the artificers class features and how you can optimize your artificer through choosing your race, background, ability scores, subclass, feats, and spells. Thanks for writing in. While some of these decisions may remain static for Boots of the Winding Path [6th level, Attunement] 4 Perfect for skirmishing, the only thing holding this infusion back is the need to use a bonus action, on a class with a lot of potential bonus actions to take. to serve as a blaster, a healer, and a support caster. Remember that any creature can use this, so consider passing this off to an absolutely essential Healing Word. Multiclassing in D&D is a great way to add depth to your character. Weapon Master 1 Even if you have an odd Dex score, weapon proficiencies are not this valuable. Magic Item Savant 4 This is much the same as Magic Item Adept, if your party happened to have found a really nice, but class-restricted, item that is now available to you. If you take this then give yourself a +1 weapon and consider having your Steel Defender take the Help action. At this level your options are really limited. Dhampir 4 An interesting option for an Artificer, the stats are to your taste and the combination of Deathless Nature and Spider Climb provide benefits that you would otherwise need to spend infusions on gaining. Kender 4 This is a relatively large package of generally useful perks, with choose-your-own stats and the powerful Fearless being the standouts. Weve adjusted the rating of the Homunculus Servant as it looks to provide similar (if not more) value than a familiar. Be sure to check our other DnD 5E class guides: Barbarian guide, Fighter guide, Monk guide, Paladin guide, Ranger guide, Rogue guide, and Warlock guide. avoid using it until you absolutely need to do so; you only have two Saves: Constitution is great, especially Homunculus Servant [6th level, a gem worth at least 100GP] 4 This is a mechanical companion that any Artificer can use, it can provide a weaponized bonus action for Alchemists and Armorers. A one-level dip into Rogue gets you Expertise and Sneak Attack, both very worthwhile features. Longtooth Shifter 2 There is a +1 Dex and some temp HP but the elongated fangs are useless to you, mostly a roleplay choice. around a few prepared items which you can quickly produce and use. Athlete 1 Whilst you could bump an odd Dex score with this, the benefits are so small that it isnt worth spending an ASI, or even a free feat, on. Some examples for how to use this ability include giving an elixir of Boldness to a Sharpshooter or Great Weapon Master using martial or a fullcaster that likes to use their concentration, an archer using Flight to gain the high ground, and a skirmisher making use of the Swiftness effect. Multiclassing is always an opportunity cost, you have to determine if taking a level of another class is worth what you will lose from the original class. If that isnt problematic for you, then the skills and Leviathan Will are the only desirable parts of this race. While you definitely cant keep up with a Cleric or Circle of the Moon Druid, your party will certainly appreciate the support. Whilst this doesnt apply to all Artificers, its worth thinking about any bonus actions your multiclass may give you and how often you can, or would want, to use them. Tool Expertise 5 Mostly useful for being able to pick locks and disable traps more reliably, this ability helps make sure that whatever you attempt with your tools will go off somewhat smoothly. increase brings us to 16, which makes us effective with your class features It is rare that you will come across a magical item outside of your class, race, spell, and level requirements to use with this feature. got that at first level, so you get to replace it with any other If youre having trouble deciding, here are some suggestions: Thissectiondoesnotaddresseverypublishedfeat,asdoingsowouldresultinanever-growinglistofoptionswhichdontcatertotheclass. Another good example for cantrips is Magic stones. effect you can still get some Temporary Hit Points out of the extra If youre looking to increase the potency of your artificers spellcasting, look no further than the all-purpose tool. but there are few backgrounds which are setting-agnostic and work well. Alchemical Savant 5 This ability not only keeps your damage competitive but makes you a capable healer, youre even better at using Healing Word than a Life Cleric! This is a convenience ability that only gets a 5 as it is a bonus to your subclass abilities at this level. If an infusion has a requirement, such as attunement, it is denoted in [brackets]. So Catapult cant target a pebble from Magic Stone, and even if it could it wouldnt count as an attack so it would only deal the Catapult damage. The Cha requirement is far from ideal, if you have no interest in being good at social skills then this is a lot of investment for the small returns the class would give you. if you throw it it will be a range 60 (so 12 squares on a map, which is a lot usually) or for further distance, you can use it in a sling. free elixirs are still not reliably useful. Repeating Shot [Attunement] 5 Not having to worry about ammunition is nice, but where this infusion shines is with the Battle Smith that can use a heavy crossbow for higher damage, or a hand crossbow with a shield for higher AC. The Rock Gnome doubles down on the Artificers theme by adding the Rock The effects are mostly useful at all levels, but the amount of HP restored by the Healing effect becomes disappointing at higher levels. Improvise. At high levels you might consider feats Artificers value INT above all else, followed by CON/DEX. Kobold Legacy also allows you to customize your kobold with everything from an extra skill to an additional cantrip that will use your Int. If they do get hit, theyll want to invest in CON. Are you looking forward to digging out your tool kit, or are you already frustrated by dropping tiny screws mid-combat? was originally published in Eberron: Rising from the Last War, and updated in The choose your own stats is all that saves this flying race from being a 2. This is to make them more distinct on the list as they stand out as primarily revisions of existing races. And if he stays alive he can heal you especially if he is a life cleric. Another unique aspect of their spellcasting ability is that Artificers are required to hold their. The full version was originally published in Eberron: Rising from the Last War, and updated in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. This is an excellent feat to pick up whilst increasing your Int. This is is better at 1st level, and then never catches back up to the original formula. most iconic ability. Linguist 1 This is an incredibly niche feat only for roleplaying reasons or very language-specific campaigns. Thornwhip and Bonfire and amazing cantrips that were added to the artificer spell list. Many GMs can opt to target it is things go rough, and even if not it can get attacked if positioned well. crossbow and the musket to the light crossbow. youre fighting at range, go for a Longbow. proficiencies, which gives you room to tailor your character to the theme Eldritch Adept 3 Theres a lot of great utility available in Eldritch Invocations, even just grabbing Devils Sight would be worth a feat for characters without darkvision, or with a team member planning on using Darkness. Contact Us for more information.Copyright 2020 Arcane Eye. Lizardfolk 3 This is largely the same as the VGtM version, but with more, and consecutive, uses of Hungry Jaws and lacking the original crafting ability, Mostly a roleplay choice. Leonin 2 Con and 35ft movement speed is nice but more useless Str and an ability that uses your Con modifier makes for a niche choice with fantastic hair mane. Astral Elf 5 All the goodies and elf gets, with flexible stats, cantrip, and bonus action teleport. Cantrips will deal Tavern Brawler 1 Nothing but a roleplay choice here, but who doesnt love a bar fight between adventures? Hi Ivan! It will take half a week and 100 gold. is a combination of options from the cleric and wizard spell lists, allowing Simic Hybrid 4 Good stats and a smorgasbord of adaptations to choose from to compliment the range of abilities you can gain from your infusions make this a strong choice. No treats shall be out of your reach! Now thats some Artificer-level thinking. Think about what kind of Artificer you are and then aim to get abilities that will support or reinforce your chosen role, this can mean grabbing more healing abilities if you like to heal your allies, or additional sources of damage if you want to put down monsters as quickly as possible. If you arent willing to go far enough for a subclass then this class should probably be avoided altogether. Required fields are marked *. Alert 3 This feat is universally good for most classes, for the Artificer it will compensate for your middling Dex modifier with regards to initiative and make sure you never get surprised. Fire Bolt will deal enough damage to make you Mage Slayer 1 Most Artificers wont be making melee weapon attacks, and this is only advisable in general for campaigns that heavily feature spellcasters as recurring villains. The Artificer gets two skills from their class list, one type of Artisans Observant 4 The primary benefit here is rounding our your Intelligence score, but having an exceedingly high passive Perception and Investigation score can help immensely in some games, whilst frustrating your DM just a tiny bit. think the expectation is that you can use this to craft the tools for your This, combined with Pass without Trace that you can cast with your own spell slots as well as the free use is a fantastic addition to the Artificer, with a situational benefit ignoring certain types of difficult terrain. cantrips like Prestidigitation. If you just want a certain class for more spellcasting, consider whether or not you could achieve similar results by taking a particular race or feat, this would help preserve your overall Artificer progression in comparison to taking a dip. 4 - Very good. and you can ignore class/race/spell/level requirements on magic items. In a world of fantasy, Artificers add a splash of technology, a dash of ingenuity, and a whole lotta MacGyver references. The important thing to know before diving into Artillerist is that this is the spell blaster Artificer subclass, which it is well equipped to do with both . You have plenty of options for infusions. I have made the adjustments to the Soul of Artifice description You are dead on with why we recommend Warcaster! Hit Dice 3 With a middle-of-the-road d8 the Artificer wont be hurting for hit points, but they wont be swimming in them either without a good Con mod or other sources of HP.