Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana Introduces The Artifcer

I don't think anyone saw this coming!

 

[Zaran]

On the whole, I dig the class, but that feature bugs me as well. I feel like there needs to be something there, but the concept of the class just getting, so to speak, a free magic item bothers me. I don’t know what the solution is, though. The increase to attuned items, that on the other hand, I rabidly dislike. I would prefer not to see that mechanic monkeyed with.

But the class is called an Artificer. Don't allow the class in your game if you don't want magic items to be so abundant.

I for one enjoy handing out magic items and this class would fit into my game quite well.

 

[Raunalyn]

On the whole, I dig the class, but that feature bugs me as well. I feel like there needs to be something there, but the concept of the class just getting, so to speak, a free magic item bothers me. I don’t know what the solution is, though. The increase to attuned items, that on the other hand, I rabidly dislike. I would prefer not to see that mechanic monkeyed with.

I think that is my biggest issue as well. I'd be ok to reduce the time to attune to an item, but I'm not very fond of granting extra attunement slots.

 

[Raunalyn]

I'm actually pretty much OK with the subclasses...both of them have nice flavor. I just think that the base class needs work.

 

[Edwin Suijkerbuijk]

Level 20 capstone ability...

You can attune up to 6 magic items, and you get a +1 bonus to all saving throws for each magic item attuned.

....say what???

It also sounds a bit powerfull to me especialy for saving trows where your already proficient.
maybe ot would be better if this bonus was only added to saves in witch your not proficient.

 

[The-Magic-Sword]

I love the class itself, and if this was more or less what we got, it wouldn't be horrible. I do hope they iron out some of the kinks (the magic item creation feature is a little funny, not broken, it just sort of dips into a part of the book a player wouldn't be "typically" looking at in this edition) but honestly, I recall Mike Mearls being excited about a "thesis" on item crafting, so i can imagine it being designed to accompany a rule variant that lets players have more control over magic items anyway.

 

[Wrathamon]

I'm actually pretty stingy on magic items in my games and I actually enjoy this class getting "free ones" that they made .. it would makes them feel special.

also, that class feature can be "taken" away and no other class feature that I know of can be permanently removed, so that actually bugs me a bit. I would like to see a "replacement" feature similar to how the the thunder cannon works for the wondrous items.

I also don't like deception as a class skill ... think persuasion would be better (salesman) or maybe insight.

Also, a 3rd option feels like it is missing which people have mentioned about the servant ... the golem maker.

 

[Valetudo]

I'm actually pretty stingy on magic items in my games and I actually enjoy this class getting "free ones" that they made .. it would makes them feel special.

also, that class feature can be "taken" away and no other class feature that I know of can be permanently removed, so that actually bugs me a bit. I would like to see a "replacement" feature similar to how the the thunder cannon works for the wondrous items.

I also don't like deception as a class skill ... think persuasion would be better (salesman) or maybe insight.

Also, a 3rd option feels like it is missing which people have mentioned about the servant ... the golem maker.

Maybe clockwork engineer?

 

[Jester David]

It's fun to look at Unearthed Arcana and see the "test" mechanics. WotC puts some fringe stuff in there on purpose, poking us fans to see what actually elicits a response. When you know this, you can see the purposely odd design that's meant to stand out. Purposely proud nails.
And there are a lot here with the artificer.

The spellcasting of the artificer feels purposely low, rather than the safer 1/2 caster option. This is likely to draw extra attention to the spellcasting, and get people commenting on how much or little spellcasting people want from the artificer. So they can count how many people say "it's okay as 1/3 caster" versus the people who say "it should be a 1/2 caster".

The class suffers from sorcerous subclasses syndrome: where you have one vanilla choice and one oddball choice, meaning most people really only have one build. This is to really draw attention to the fact there's a firearm subclass and see how people feel about that and get people commenting on the more vanilla potion brewing option.

Ditto the mandatory pet. How do people feel about the artificer as a pet class? And free magic items. There's a lot of attention getters here.

Thoughts
It makes sense that the artificer is the craftsman and has tool expertise. That's fun. Why this is called "tool expertise" and not just "expertise" is unknown.

It's odd that the artificer can make a magic item prior to being able to cast spells.

Getting free magical items is cool. But there should be some way of replacing them if lost/ stolen/ destroyed. Or swapping them at higher levels. It's funky to effectively have a class feature that is vulnerable to theft.

Infuse magic is pretty cool. It's not quite enchanting items, but it has a similar result: an item has magical powers. But this doesn't turn the DMG into a player resource, where you go through a giant list of magic items picking the most advantageous.

Superior Attunement could be repharased so you can attune to an additional magic item rather than specifying four and five. Since the number of items is a campaign customization dial.
This is a so-so feature, since the benefits of this are really dependant on having more than three magic items. AND at level five. I think two characters at my table have attunement items. For every other class 5th level is the power bump level (3rd level spells, Extra Attack), and the artificer gets a magic item ribbon power and a utility magical item.
"I can cast fireball!!" "Well, I can conjure a gallon of mayonnaise."

Mechanical servant. Awesome at level 6, as CR 2 is tough. But it gets progressively weaker.
And there's no "rebuild" option if you want to change robobutler's stats halfway through a campaign.
And Large only. Seriously? At Large this isn't really a "servant" so much as a "steed". Why not a wolf or a monkey? Or a tiny homunculus.
Dammit, I want a mechanical chicken or squirrel.

Capstone. It's a capstone. Almost no one uses them. Even if you hit level 20, getting one requires no multiclassing. A capstone could allow you to kill one creature once per day (no save) and it wouldn't break many games.

Alchemist
Aka the evil midnight bomber what bombs at midnight. (Or Honey Lemon from Big Hero Six.) Definitely owes a debt to the Pathfinder alchemist. Only its bombs are limitless. It has unlimited alchemical fires in its satchel. That's a little funky. And the vial doesn't just become inert when it leaves your hand. It vanishes. Whaa?
I like the concept but it hurts my verisimilitude. I'd prefer a set number that recharges after a Short or Long Rest. X number of potions, chosen when used.

Gunsmith
Yeah… not a fan of the existence or nonexistance of blackpowder and firearms existing being tied into a class.
But that's really only an issue if there are just two subclasses. You can just ban this as a DM if you don't like. And the idea of artificers having firearms as specialty weapons fits. Or reflavour it into a magical rod.
And dipping Gunsmith as a rogue will allow you to be an actual sniper.
Not a fan that the rules for this class' guns are so completely different and dissociated from the rules in the DMG. What if you want to have pistols? But I imagine that'd be harder to balance with the other options.


Right now my issue with the class is similar to my issue with the bard. Both are archetypal support classes, but lack a dedicated support subclass. The options provided are both ass kicking spotlight character options and less "I cast fighter on the monster" options.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I love it. The alchemist is straight up my alley. It might be interesting if the alchemist had more poison creating abilities but maybe that strays too far from the Artificer's identity.

...maybe with some allowances for a Dr. Frankenstein or Dr. Moreau concepts which might make the companion undead or a monstrosity.

Brilliant idea! I would love to see a Fleshwarper subclass. (Although much of this could be reskinned to emulate the Fleshwarper's theme, even if the mechanics differ.)

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

I am into this version of the artificer - reading it made me want to see one played at my table.

On reading, it seems fairly well balanced against other classes in a broad view, even while giving "free" (they aren't free - they have the opportunity cost of not getting a different class feature) magic items.