abirdcall
(she/her)
Yeah, I think WotC over-valued the Infusion thingy because they went with the base assumptions that magic items aren't mandatory to the game while most games are more generous with magic items loot/crafting/shop.
With the comming of the new magic crafting rules and feats, full casters will definitely have an edge over the artificer.
A knowledge cleric who can swap in new tool proficiencies and has Expertise can be a great item crafter and a support full spellcaster.
Or a Bard who can poach from other spell lists to access the best spells enchant on an item, with Expertise in Arcana and prof with Tools from feat or background.
I think they're still going to be in a similar position.
Crafting magic items still aren't a mandatory part of the game. There will be more comprehensive rules for them but they are still in the DM's hands.
It keeps artificer in a weird place. I wouldn't be surprised if they were to overhaul them when they eventually get updated.