D&D 5E (2024) Building a High Damage Artificer?

[Zardnaar]

So I have a reasonably good idea on how to build a support/control artificer.

How would you build a high damage one? Espicially early on before lvl 11. Doesn't have to be 100% focused on damage eg Artillerist can grant temp hp.

Do you splash a level of something for weapon masteries?

Damage only has to be high by artificer standards. Any ideas?

Repeating heavy crossbow seems like the start.

 

[WanderingMystic]

So everything depends on what levels you are looking at and if you are doing single target or multi target.

Battle Smith will be your best single target damage. You have 2 attacks at level 5, you have a bonus attack from your steel defender and your homunculus has an attack. After that you can take a level or two of Fighter for action surge, weapon mastery and a fighting style, or just take a level 1 dip in ranger for the weapon masteries.

 

[Horwath]

for damage, I would go battlesmith with one level of fighter.
rockgnome so you can ride your steel defender, greater mark of handling feat.

dual wield, 3 attacks with extra attack + 2 attacks for steel defender(1 default +1 for gr mark of handling feat)
that is online at 6th level.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The game is not all about damage. But batllesmith and artillerist are quite competitive in the damage department.

The armorer is tanking a lot, so others can do more damage.

My 2014 armorer used to have heavy armor mastery and an AC of 23 and a lot of THP. P/B/S damage couldn't get him down.

 

[TwoSix]

Battle Smith + Elven Accuracy + Great Weapon Master + Haste did an awful lot of consistent damage.

Remember kids, if your GM is silly enough to let flanking grant advantage, and your party is big enough to have 2+ melee characters, you really want to take advantage of it.

 

[Zardnaar]

Battle Smith + Elven Accuracy + Great Weapon Master + Haste did an awful lot of consistent damage.

Remember kids, if your GM is silly enough to let flanking grant advantage, and your party is big enough to have 2+ melee characters, you really want to take advantage of it.

Difference is gwm type feats do not boost intelligence.

That change things?

 

[TwoSix]

Difference is gwm type feats do not boost intelligence.

That change things?

Why would it?

 

[Zardnaar]

Why would it?

Metas changed with the feats now boosting ability scores.