D&D 5E Artificers, Paladins, and Rangers, oh, MY! (Concerning Cantrips)

[CreamCloud0]

It really confused me when i was first looking at building a halfcaster character and realising they don’t have cantrips when the thirdcasters do, i realise now that it’s because balance but at the time my infuriated logic was ‘but they’re more magical, so why do they have less access to at-will magic?’ Even if they only had a very small number of cantrips I’d rather they have some than none at all.

 

[ECMO3]

Eh?

Unless you are talking about shillelagh wisdom rangers, they are pretty much always better using a weapon.

Artificers get a cantrip at first level because throwing a flask of oil fits the concept better than using a weapon.

There is magic stone for Rangers as well.

Also Guidance is a hugely powerful cantrip to both Rangers and Paladins that get the fighting style.

 

[Charlaquin]

I didn’t realize artificers had different spell casting progression than other half-casters, apart from the cantrips. How do artificer levels factor into multiclassing with multiple casting classes?

EDIT: Ah, I see, they add half their level rounded up instead of down.

 

[Weiley31]

You could always have the Feat Magic Initiate and the ability to earn another Fighting Style as Renown/Faction rewards.
Especially if you don't have any Champion subclassed Fighters in the party. That way you're not stepping on toes and your Paladin/Druid can still nab a bonus Fighting Style that gives em a Cantrip.

Heck, nothing is stopping ya for doing the same thing for your Druids/Clerics as well.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I didn’t realize artificers had different spell casting progression than other half-casters, apart from the cantrips. How do artificer levels factor into multiclassing with multiple casting classes?

EDIT: Ah, I see, they add half their level rounded up instead of down.

Alternatively, you could view it as Ranger+1.

 

[Charlaquin]

Alternatively, you could view it as Ranger+1.

Sure, but Rising from the Last War actually says you add half your Artificer level rounded up, doesn’t it?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sure, but what Rising from the Last War actually says you add half your Artificer level rounded up, doesn’t it?

It does (repeated in Tasha's). But "round up" is the same as add a half when the normal rule is "round down". And a half, before you divide by two, is one.

Thus, an artificer has the casting ability of a ranger one level higher than it's actual level.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Also Guidance is a hugely powerful cantrip to both Rangers and Paladins that get the fighting style.

Guidance is only useful if no one else has it.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

It does (repeated in Tasha's). But "round up" is the same as add a half when the normal rule is "round down". And a half, before you divide by two, is one.

Thus, an artificer has the casting ability of a ranger one level higher than it's actual level.

No. Not one level higher. Only when mutliclassing and only every other level.

 

[Blue]

And, frankly, I would hate for those classes to sacrifice one of their key lower level features for something Artificers get for free...

Look at how much the wizard gets in addition to casting. Now look how much the bard can get in addition to casting. Just because they are a full caster does not mean that they have the same focus on their casting. Wizards have a great spell list, extra ritual usage, and preparation allowing changing of spells. Bards have spells known, a narrower spell list both in what it does in and out of combat as well as what saves it targets, but lots of non-casting goodies like one of the only non-concentration buffs around (prior to the twilight cleric).

Half casters are the same. Just because artificers get cantrips, there is no evidence they get it "for free" - they are more magic-focused half casters and their features around that - invocations, cantrips and the like. While rangers and paladins spend their features on abilities that make sense for their classes.

So if you want those classes to be like Artificers, the question is: what thematic class abilities are they giving up to gain cantrips?