D&D 5E Artificer, first class since PHB. Your expectations?

[Tonguez]

Okay how do you really pronounce artifice?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Okay how do you really pronounce artifice?

arty-fiss

 

[Azzy]

Okay how do you really pronounce artifice?

Here's some audio files.

 

[ccs]

Okay how do you really pronounce artifice?

If you don't know, you don't get to play one.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

If you don't know, you don't get to play one.

You can play an artarfiky though!

 

[Weiley31]

Artichoke is the best class in Eberron.

 

[Li Shenron]

As the title says, it's the first class since the PHB. With the release of the new Eberron book. Crawford talks about it here.

What are your thoughts? Expectations? Fears? things your excited about?

I expect it to be fairly similar to the latest version in UA, which was not something I am interested in. Too much spellcasting, too much pulpy/steampunk flavored, and even pets... not for me! I would have been interested if the class was a non-spellcasting (mostly, at least) MacGuyver-type character option, but another spellcaster doesn't add much to the game unless you are into it because of the steampunk flavor exactly. But since I am not interested in the genre, I have no use for it.

 

[Marandahir]

I expect it to be fairly similar to the latest version in UA, which was not something I am interested in. Too much spellcasting, too much pulpy/steampunk flavored, and even pets... not for me! I would have been interested if the class was a non-spellcasting (mostly, at least) MacGuyver-type character option, but another spellcaster doesn't add much to the game unless you are into it because of the steampunk flavor exactly. But since I am not interested in the genre, I have no use for it.

It’s actually quite different.

Brandes Stoddard over at Tribality did another History of the Classes - Artificer overview, and since he did the same for each of the UA iterations (not to mention the past edition versions), you can compare them pretty well right there.

Most notably versus your above concerns, pets are gone from all but the Battle Smith (who remains a Mega Man & Rush Archetype, especially if you go Warforged). Alchemists now instead don’t need a homunculus to heal goodly, and Artillerists are more similar to the Gunsmith from the earlier UA.

Can’t ameliorate your spellcasting concerns. I still wonder how challenging it would be to use something like the Martial Maneuver System (maybe with more skill tricks that might be more up the Rogue’s sleeves, but hey, see the recent UA!) as a replacement for any spellcasting feature...

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I share the disappointment that it isn't Psion.

Artificer for me is problematic because it is a poor fit for a lot of settings where literally any other class or subclass can be easily integrated, because of its 1700s-ish near-steampunk vibe. If one of the subclasses avoids that vibe, great, but I guess we'll see.

Mechanically they look to be unexciting. The turret guy was fun but it seems like maybe they deleted his turret?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I share the disappointment that it isn't Psion.

Artificer for me is problematic because it is a poor fit for a lot of settings where literally any other class or subclass can be easily integrated, because of its 1700s-ish near-steampunk vibe. If one of the subclasses avoids that vibe, great, but I guess we'll see.

Alchemist can fit fine into a medieval setting.

Mechanically they look to be unexciting. The turret guy was fun but it seems like maybe they deleted his turret?

Artillerist still has the turret, but it has been renamed "cannon" and you have an option to make a hand-held version instead if you prefer. It's also had it's damage buffed.