D&D Releases Playtest for Updated Artificer

Wizards of the Coast has dropped a new Unearthed Arcana Playtest for the Artificer, bringing the often neglected 13th Dungeons & Dragons 5E class into alignment with the 2024 rules update. The playtest was released via D&D Beyond today, with feedback launching on December 24th.

The Artificer gains several new abilities, many of which are designed with an eye to making the class more versatile. For instance, players can now craft low-cost items quickly with a revamped Magical Tinkering ability, while Infuse Item ha been changed to Replicate Magic Item and allows players to replicate magic items of certain rarities and item type. Players can also use the Magic Item Tinker ability to convert a Replicated magic item into a spell slot. The capstone Soul of Artifice ability has also received a buff, with the Artificer no needing a Reaction in order to utilize its ability to skip death saving throws and restoring more health as well.

The subclasses were also updated. For example, the Alchemist's Experimental Elixir producing more elixirs and Chemical Mastery getting a big boost with extra damage, resistance, and the ability to cast Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron. The Armorer has a new Dreadnought option and Armor Modifications was replaced with a new ability called Armor Replication. The Artillerist's Eldritch Cannon can switch between various options instead of being set to one option and the Explosive Cannon ability does more damage and only requires a Reaction to use. Finally, the Battle Smith has received minor adjustments to its Steel Defender construct.

Compared to many other class updates in the 2024 Player's Handbook, the Artificer's changes are much less drastic. There are some obvious updates that bring the class in line with the design updates to other classes, but it didn't receive a major rework like several other classes.

 

[Minigiant]

One of the reasons I've always been dubious on the sentiment about 5E needing more robust crafting rules.

It doesn't need 1 set of crafting rules.

It needed 3. That way the group could choose how they interact with the core magic items.

 

[SkidAce]

What I don't like:

• having a different number of item formulas known vs. the number you can have made means you're still likely to have items you can replicate but never will, because some options are flat better than others

I'm planning on treating formulas like spell. The number known are the ones you automagically get.

Additional ones you can research, find, or trade for.

 

[I'm A Banana]

This is specifically an issue with Alchemist and Artillerist in the levels where most people play: They have neither extra attack, nor access to full spellcasting to supplement their normal damage with some nova.

The Alchemist version of extra attack is Alchemical Savant. The unstated design intent: Alchemists use cantrips as their main damage source, so we're going to power up the cantrips we want them to use - acid splash, fire bolt, or poison spray, This feature keeps these cantrips competitive as your main action (and adds a bit of sauce onto your big damage spells).

The Artillerist version of extra attack is Arcane Firearm, which does roughly the same buff (+1d8 vs. +ability mod) that's more broadly applicable. The unstated design intent here is the same: use your cantrip (probably fire bolt in this case) to deal damage as your action, and enjoy a little kicker to your damaging spells.

These are both weaker than Extra Attack or a 3rd-level spell, but they're not out of the ballpark - roughly in the area of a slot-free smite (that doesn't scale).

Scaling could be an interesting thing to add to each of these. They do their base effect (+1d8 / + ability mod), but you can burn spell slots of 1st level and higher to sweeten them by 1d8 or so each slot level?

(I'd also love if the Alchemist got a heal that could do that)

 

[DessieDoyle]

Changing a Cantrip per day is good.
Being able to put 3rd Level Spells in the Spell-Storing Item is great!
Getting 20hp from Soul of Artifice is great!

Everything else is either pretty much the same (Flash of Genius) or much, MUCH worse (Magic Item Adept and Magic Item Savant).

The new Magical Tinkering is a miss for me. I can already carry around all those mundane items for relatively cheap. Having Prestidigitation-lite was much more appealing.

Tool Expertise was much better than getting one additional spell slot per day, especially at the cost of a magic item! The fact that Rare items only give you a 2nd Level Slot is pure laughable!

 

[Chaltab]

Alchemist still has this ephemeral fever dream feeling to it. Experimental elixirs is potentially a great feature, but with only 5 options there's not a lot of variety. Then they include random stuff like the elixir (and the vial it appeared in for some reason) vanish if you don't use it.

Why does the vial disappear? Where does the glass go!? Those cost 1GP a piece. Why not just have the elixir spoil in the vial?

 

[TwoSix]

Still looks like it's going to be the least powerful/effective class in 5E, based on all this. I mean, least that's grading on a 5E curve, so that's like 6.5/10 not 1/10 as it would have been in 3.XE/PF1, but the fundamental half-caster design is just... not a good fit for 5E, and all they're doing here is just tidying around the edges, rather than bringing it actually up to code.

I feel like it's competing with Ranger for lowest tier from 1-10, but man, getting 10 free BA castings of a 3rd level spell with Spell Storing Item at 11th can be pretty nuts.

It was already strong with 2nd level spells, but 3rd level spells is a huge jump.

 

[pukunui]

Base class: While the Artificer is touted as the "best magic item crafter", it falls down compared to actual full spellcasters simply because they have access to higher level spells than the artificer. An Artificer cannot create a Staff or Power for example or any other item with a spell level of over 5th level. Ever.

Which makes sense in the "wide but low magic" context of the Eberron setting but perhaps not in a more generic D&D-wide context.

 

[Zaukrie]

The Alchemist version of extra attack is Alchemical Savant. The unstated design intent: Alchemists use cantrips as their main damage source, so we're going to power up the cantrips we want them to use - acid splash, fire bolt, or poison spray, This feature keeps these cantrips competitive as your main action (and adds a bit of sauce onto your big damage spells).

The Artillerist version of extra attack is Arcane Firearm, which does roughly the same buff (+1d8 vs. +ability mod) that's more broadly applicable. The unstated design intent here is the same: use your cantrip (probably fire bolt in this case) to deal damage as your action, and enjoy a little kicker to your damaging spells.

These are both weaker than Extra Attack or a 3rd-level spell, but they're not out of the ballpark - roughly in the area of a slot-free smite (that doesn't scale).

Scaling could be an interesting thing to add to each of these. They do their base effect (+1d8 / + ability mod), but you can burn spell slots of 1st level and higher to sweeten them by 1d8 or so each slot level?

(I'd also love if the Alchemist got a heal that could do that)

My wish for the alchemist is that those cantrips are put into bombs they throw, at least then the flavor makes them different. IME, an alchemist is just a spellcaster, with less power than other casters.

 

[bedir than]

What's the point of being able to create a bedroll from magical tinkering if it only lasts 1 hour?

Perfect for napping short rests

 

[DessieDoyle]

I feel like it's competing with Ranger for lowest tier from 1-10, but man, getting 10 free BA castings of a 3rd level spell with Spell Storing Item at 11th can be pretty nuts.

It was already strong with 2nd level spells, but 3rd level spells is a huge jump.

I can't believe they didn't nerf that in other ways to compensate. There's no way that makes it through UA as is!