D&D 5E Does the Artificer Suck?

[Zardnaar]

With no feats I've got the Battlesmith directly dealing 17.65 DPR (@ lvl6 vs 18AC) and causing about 4.125 DPR (via causing a handcrossbow to be magical in the fighters hands ).

That's a total DPR of 21.775.

The Hand Crossbow Fighter does about 25.275 (if no feat granted via race). That's only 16% higher than the Battlesmith that requires no feats.

Defensively the Battlesmith is better due to having the shield and absorb elements spells. Has much better utility and out of combat capabilities as well. Tactically can body block wider doorways (due to having the steel defender).

I ran the numbers as well and it looks alright. Steel defender isn't bad imho and it's the best or second best.

But in game your pet dies occasionally so that kicks your dpr in the love spuds.

 

[Fenris-77]

With no feats I've got the Battlesmith directly dealing 17.65 DPR (@ lvl6 vs 18AC) and causing about 4.125 DPR (via causing a handcrossbow to be magical in the fighters hands ).

That's a total DPR of 21.775.

The Hand Crossbow Fighter does about 25.275 (if no feat granted via race). That's only 16% higher than the Battlesmith that requires no feats.

Defensively the Battlesmith is better due to having the shield and absorb elements spells. Has much better utility and out of combat capabilities as well. Tactically can body block wider doorways (due to having the steel defender).

Dude, can I say in a non-confrontational kind of way that, sometimes, I love you?

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Yeah, but try kicking someone flying 10ft above you...

Well and raining down an arcane firearm and possibly cannons…

 

[FrogReaver]

I ran the numbers as well and it looks alright. Steel defender isn't bad imho and it's the best or second best.

But in game your pet dies occasionally so that kicks your dpr in the love spuds.

The pet only contributes 3.93 DPR at level 6.

Speaking of DPR, I forgot I have 3 infusions instead of 2. I can grant the paladin one as well for +2.47 DPR over what I said earlier.

 

[Zardnaar]

The pet only contributes 3.93 DPR at level 6.

Speaking of DPR, I forgot I have 3 infusions instead of 2. I can grant the paladin one as well for +2.47 DPR over what I said earlier.

Pet dying brings that DPR down to around 18. That's reasonably low relative to the other one.

Battlesmith can't really nova that well (no smite, action surge etc) and white room doesn't cover things like the -5/+20 feats that well.

We all know that's how you abuse damage in 5E (or cleric with right spells).

Level 6 is ASI for fighter, aura for Paladin and I forget for the ranger.

Hunter Rangers dpr is likely uiger as well due to its level 3 abilities and it's funny with sharpshooter and volley later on.

Although by then Battlesmith goes from around B tier to A tier imho.

 

[FrogReaver]

Dude, can I say in a non-confrontational kind of way that, sometimes, I love you?

LOL. Well until I just now sit down and analyzed the Battlesmith in full I kind of that it was meh. It's actually pretty dang good through heroic. Though it may fall behind by level 11.

It's amazing how much better characters look when you don't leave abilities out of the equation.

 

[FrogReaver]

Pet dying brings that DPR down to around 18. That's reasonably low relative to the other one.

By the time I factor in the 3rd infusion I'm still at 20.3 DPR at level 6 when the pet dies. When the pet is alive I'm at 24.2 DPR.

Battlesmith can't really nova that well (no smite, action surge etc) and white room doesn't cover things like the -5/+20 feats that well.

Sure. I'd give the offensive edge to Fighters and Paladins at this level just because of the ability to Nova. The point is the artificer isn't offensively far behind and is better at other game aspects. That said the white room also doesn't account for overkill which the -5/+10 feats are notoriously bad for. Overkill can easily drop actual damage dealt by 10%-20%.

 

[Zardnaar]

By the time I factor in the 3rd infusion I'm still at 20.3 DPR at level 6 when the pet dies. When the pet is alive I'm at 24.2 DPR.


Sure. I'd give the offensive edge to Fighters and Paladins at this level just because of the ability to Nova. The point is the artificer isn't offensively far behind and is better at other game aspects. That said the white room also doesn't account for overkill which the -5/+10 feats are notoriously bad for. Overkill can easily drop actual damage dealt by 10%-20%.

I have seen those level 9/10/11 sharpshooter types in action though.

The "best" warrior artificer even with those infusions is still worse than middling fighters, paladins and Rangers.

And paladins have a fair bit of utility themselves.

 

[FrogReaver]

I don't see the other artificer subclasses being very good.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

On a basic level if they did as much damage as an optimized fighter or Paladin wouldn’t it be bizarre?

Absolutely.

they can do several things pretty well.

as to giving infusions away it certainly is an option but I would like to take a magic shield and weapon for myself and do some booming blades complimented by artillery—-with a bonus action!

A wand of secrets and double proficiency with thieves tools on this platform? Very useful. If someone is worried about spells, the ring of spell refueling and one of many feats puts that in check.

I toyed with going heavy armor and a mace with str (let the haters cry foul).

Reasonable combat, good utility. Lots of stuff to do. You can get a lot of play styles on a utility chassis. Heck, on a blasting/utility chassis.

it does not take the place of a Paladin. Why should it? I plan to go aggressive to make a melee artillerist. At this stage, does not look like a stooge to me.

the real problem is choosing the feats but if you want you can have fighter AC, cleric HP and some blasting potential.

if you could do all of that as well as a fighter wizard rogue of the same level I would seriously question the design decision. As it is, you can do a lot to a reasonable level.

Sounds like fun. My mark of making human artificer is cool as hell. I wish she had more Spellcasting, but it’s fine.