D&D 5E Artificer Questions & Thoughts (D&D 5E)

[ShadowDenizen]

Hey, all!

Is it just me? Or does it seem like the Artificer class seems to be far outpacing other classes in terms of power, playability and popularity? In literally the last 5 games I've played in (2 ongoing, and a few one-shot/short story arcs) there's been at least one artificer....

I think the biggest problem seems to be the Steel Defender option for me; for virtually no drawbacks, Steel Defenders seem to be as good as a PC, and gives the Artificer PC effectively 2 turns in 1 round? (Yes, you have to use a Bonus Action to let them act fully, but that doesn't seem to be a problem for most artificers, in my experience.) They get decent HP, a good reaction effect, and damage to rival a non-optimized PC. (This was crystallized for me in our last Saltmarsh session where the Steel Defender outdid one of the existing PC's in almost all respects. (THough this PC has admittedly SHOCKING bad luck on any randomized online die-roller.)

And since "Mending" (a cantrip) heals 2d6 points per casting, you can heal them up to maximum HP in no time. (Not in combat, since, IIRC, it takes a minute for each casting, but other than that, time is the only limiting factor, while you have to expend precious Spell Slots or Consumables to heal the equivalent PCs.)

This is NOT a flame thread; I'm genuinely curious on peoples thoughts, and if I'm the only one seeing/feeling this, or if I'm just misjudging, perhaps due to my own biases...

 

[Lycurgon]

From what I have seen, they are not bad but by no means on the upper end of the power curve. I would say they are in the lower half of the power scale of classes. The game I am currently in, the Artificer started once we were already around level 10. They have been the weekest character in the party. They have definitely had their moments and have some great abilities. But as we have leveled up and reach towards level 20 they have not been as effective in most battles as the other 3 characters. This is compared to a Celestial Warlock, a Wild Mage Sorcerer with a 1 level dip of hexblade, and an Ancients Paladin.
The steel defender is useful but sometimes gets left behind if we need to more fast with flying or dimension door, or is either ignored or killed easily by the enemies.
The Artificers most useful powers were the Flash of Genius and extra attunement slots. Infusions are good at low levels and in low magic item campaigns, but can be easily overshadowed by items handedboutbby the DM, it really depends on the game.
They are certainly better them most Monks and non optimised Rangers. But not fantastic and don't stack up again a Paladin, Warlock or Sorcerer unless they have very specific optimised builds (they are great at high AC).
That is my option and experience anyway.

 

[FrogReaver]

Hey, all!

Is it just me? Or does it seem like the Artificer class seems to be far outpacing other classes in terms of power, playability and popularity? In literally the last 5 games I've played in (2 ongoing, and a few one-shot/short story arcs) there's been at least one artificer....

I think the biggest problem seems to be the Steel Defender option for me; for virtually no drawbacks, Steel Defenders seem to be as good as a PC, and gives the Artificer PC effectively 2 turns in 1 round? (Yes, you have to use a Bonus Action to let them act fully, but that doesn't seem to be a problem for most artificers, in my experience.) They get decent HP, a good reaction effect, and damage to rival a non-optimized PC. (This was crystallized for me in our last Saltmarsh session where the Steel Defender outdid one of the existing PC's in almost all respects. (THough this PC has admittedly SHOCKING bad luck on any randomized online die-roller.)

And since "Mending" (a cantrip) heals 2d6 points per casting, you can heal them up to maximum HP in no time. (Not in combat, since, IIRC, it takes a minute for each casting, but other than that, time is the only limiting factor, while you have to expend precious Spell Slots or Consumables to heal the equivalent PCs.)

This is NOT a flame thread; I'm genuinely curious on peoples thoughts, and if I'm the only one seeing/feeling this, or if I'm just misjudging, perhaps due to my own biases...

IMO, a battlesmith stays right behind highly optimized martials in tier 1 and tier 2. But far ahead of ones that lack high optimization.

 

[MooreVol]

I play a Battlesmith 10/Rune Knight 3 in a OotA campaign (went Arty 3, Fighter 3, Arty the rest of the way, fwiw) AND another character plays a straight Battlesmith artificer.... both characters fight on the frontline with hammers. We basically made the same character (he's a warforged, mine is a fire genasi)...

Anyways, the rest of the party are two fighterlocks (one ranged samurai, one two-weapon fighting battlemaster), a rogue/ranger (ranged), and a straight phantom rogue. So while our DPR is a little lower than the fighterlocks, the artificers, imho, have been huge for the party. Damage isn't everything, after all.

Our party has no full spellcasters, not to mention a cleric, so we're the spellcasters.

We do support (one of the fighterlocks wears infused +2 armor, the other has had either an infused weapon or a Repulsion Shield, plus the spell-storing ring), healing (we've gotten very good at it at later levels), thievery skills (my thieves' tools skill is currently +20 with the Gloves of Thievery I crafted and my other tool proficiencies are +15), battlefield control (Web, Faerie Fire, Grease, etc.), utility (Rope Trick, Purify Food & Drink, Identify, Knock, etc.), and tanking (AC is currently a 24 + the Shield spell and it could be higher if we weren't giving +2 infused armor to others). Not to mention the Steel Defenders (who, btw, are pretty fun... especially once you just accept that they're gonna die and that that's ok, plus they make good guards as they can't be Surprised).

Artificers might not be the best at anything... but they can be very good at almost everything.

Plus they've been a helluva lotta fun.

 

[Blue]

Artificers are decent characters, but haven't been fantastic. Alchemist seems to lag behind. The others are really scattered in what they do - kinda martials, half casters, somewhat support, some items. If for your party that all comes together, they can be on the higher end of the power curve. If not, they are fair to middling.

I don't see them OP or weak (excepting possibly the alchemist).