Unearthed Arcana New Unearthed Arcana: Revised Artificer

castlewise · May 14, 2019

I like the archivist, although its going to be a little to sci-fi for some campaigns. Its got a lot of flavor and has a unique take on the pet. I can't shake the feeling that the class is overfull. It has spellcasting, two different types of item infusion, and the pet with associated abilities. I suppose it speaks to the design that I can't think of what to cut. Spellcasting seems like the least thematic element, but its got a lot of raw utility. I think it hangs together overall. Its complicated and stands out from a usual adventuring party, but that's more pro than con for its intended audience.

Kobold Avenger · May 14, 2019

The Archivist seems like it's using something like the new proposed Psionic rules, where Psions get super cantrips/talents that they can boost with spell slots.

Gradine · May 14, 2019

I enjoy the Archivist, though I do miss some of the flavor and mechanics of the 3.5 class, which was basically a Watcher with a Pokedex.

Parmandur · May 14, 2019

Kobold Avenger said:
The Archivist seems like it's using something like the new proposed Psionic rules, where Psions get super cantrips/talents that they can boost with spell slots.

Each subclass is, that's what the pet is doing for each one.

Wrathamon · May 15, 2019

Kurotowa said:
Yeah, people are fixating on the pet, but I think that's a distraction. It's not very impressive and doesn't scale well. No, the real meat here is that Battle Smith is the Artificer's Hexblade. Getting your Int bonus to weapon attacks will open up whole new vistas for the CharOp folks and gish lovers. Bring out your High Elves and Rock Gnomes to play.

I agree but less (at 1st glance) synergy as the CHA for hexblade.

I do see potential dips for bladesinger elf battle smiths ...

Potentially some rogue (inquisitor/battle smith) and Fighter(eldritch knight/battlesmith) builds?

Wrathamon · May 15, 2019

seems all the other pets scale but the turret still doesnt? or did I miss something

iltharanos · May 15, 2019

Wrathamon said:
seems all the other pets scale but the turret still doesnt? or did I miss something

Yeah. It has hp = to your Artificer level x5.

vecna00 · May 15, 2019

With these new additions, it seems like the artillerist needs more work. In particular, the Wand Prototype ability. The Int boost to damage on only the cantrip in the wand (or both at 14th level) is underwhelming when compared to the Int boost to poison and healing that the alchemist gets, or the psychic damage boost for the archivist. Mind you, the alchemist gets to add the Int bonus twice on healing spells, which is pretty great, but the artillerist needs a bit more. Even if wand prototype's Int boost was expanded to also include the added artilerist spells, that would make it much better.

I don't think the turret as whole needs much adjustment, outside of the flamethrower. At first glance, I would have loved the turret's damage to scale as a cantrip, but I think that might be too much damage as a bonus action every turn.

Ancalagon · May 15, 2019

Has anything changed besides the addition of spells and 2 sub-classes?

I, for one, am happy that Tiny Servant has been added to their spell list. Tiny Servant is the best spell in the game. It is known.

Sword of Spirit · May 15, 2019

castlewise said:
I can't shake the feeling that the class is overfull. It has spellcasting, two different types of item infusion, and the pet with associated abilities. I suppose it speaks to the design that I can't think of what to cut. Spellcasting seems like the least thematic element, but its got a lot of raw utility. I think it hangs together overall. Its complicated and stands out from a usual adventuring party, but that's more pro than con for its intended audience.

Cut the pet, is my suggestion. (And no, that new subclass is not a pet-less class. Its pet is just slightly more different from the others than they are from each other.) I just don't think it's essential to the artificer concept, but having it baked in as part of the class's meaningful features means that it now is whether your artificer wants it to be or not. As baked-in as it is, you can't* just choose to play an artificer without a pet, and that's sad.

*Well of course you can, just like you can choose to play a fighter without armor or weapons, but it would be massively gimping your character.