D&D 5E Does the Artificer Suck?

[Stoutstien]

Not at all but there's better combat classes and better support classes and I would argue both eg clerics.

Battlesmiths pet died the other night and not for first time and low opportunity cost (AoEs).

White room can't guarantee pets always active.

Why wasn't the SD dodging if AOEs are being tossed about? That with half cover is usually enough to keep the SD upright.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

@AcererakTriple6 artificer doesn't get a third cantrip till 10 & at quite a few of their archetypes are pretty one element cookies.

Mending should be on their known cantrips anyways. Artificers can change a cantrip when they level up, too.

Also, if they want to get more cantrips, there are a ton of ways to do so. (High Elf, Magic Initiate (Wizard), Artificer Initiate, etc.)

 

[tetrasodium]

Mending should be on their known cantrips anyways. Artificers can change a cantrip when they level up, too.

during a long rest actually...

Spoiler

same as wizards who have 3 at 1st, 4 at 4th, 5 at 13th, & 6th at 17th as opposed to 2 at 1st, 3 at 10th, & 4 at 14th.

 

[Blue]

However, for D&D, those changes do not generally make it into the next printing.

As stated earlier - our discussions must allow for folks who work with the rules as originally printed, as well as for those who prefer to incorporate the errata. Working without the errata is totally legitimate, and if you intend to rhetorically beat someone over the head with errata to make them accept your point, or suggest that there's some moral superiority to using them, there's going to be problems.

So, can we not go into all shouting of bold text, please AND THANK YOU?

In the end, in a game that starts with "rulings, not rules" and a 40+ year long tradition of homebrewing and houseruling, you cannot lean on RAW as, "this is correct and everyone else can shut up." Proving what is RAW is less important than demonstrating what works better at the table and why.

I respectfully disagree. Not on the request to be civil - that's always a good reminder, especially in an emotionally charged threat like "Does X suck".

First, as far as I can tell, errata does make it into the next printing. It's listed in the errata document what that next printing is. Sometimes we even have the printing before the errata - remember the kerfluffle a few months back as Healing Spirit errata was found in books before it was released digitally.

Second, different people at the table can and do have different printings. To suggest that books with contradictory rules in them are all correct is not a position that can hold up. Since Errata is made easily available to all, it provides a way to determine what is the actual official position. Can a DM change that? Of course. But they should at least do so from an informed position.

 

[Bacon Bits]

The biggest "trap" an Artificer can take (besides spell selection and not maxing out their main Ability Scores) is the Alchemist subclass, which isn't actually that mechanically awful. It's just frustrating that you don't get to choose the potions you want unless you give up your already limited spell slots.

Even then, it's like having 6 additional level 1 spells prepared at all times. That's not nothing.

Personally, I think the random potions are fine -- it probably appeals to a lot of players -- but you should probably start at level 3 with two random potions. I think that works out so much better. Being required to choose them at the end of your long rest doesn't force creativity the same way, although it's definitely less feelsbad and more skill-based.

Nothing else in the class is a true "trap", as in that it pretends to be viable and ends up being disappointing.

I agree.

 

[bedir than]

Lots of classes can do that like so:

Spoiler

"I have my familiar perched on the rogue/ranger/whatever's shoulder"

It's also rarely a significant hurdle for a group to overcome

You just split the party. Congratss.

 

[tetrasodium]

You just split the party. Congratss.

your sneaky types never try to scout a bit? That's pretty normal for so many tables that it tends to be mentioned in rogue guides & such.

 

[Umbran]

Second, different people at the table can and do have different printings. To suggest that books with contradictory rules in them are all correct is not a position that can hold up.

How many of the people IN THIS DISCUSSION are at your table?

You are talking with people you aren't playing with. Learn how to deal with that courteously, and without the assumption that the world must subscribe to your particular preferred documents.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

during a long rest actually...

Spoiler

View attachment 131638

View attachment 131639

same as wizards who have 3 at 1st, 4 at 4th, 5 at 13th, & 6th at 17th as opposed to 2 at 1st, 3 at 10th, & 4 at 14th.

That's a wizard feature. Artificers can't do that.
From TCoE:

When you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the artificer cantrips you know with another cantrip from the artificer spell list.

 

[Zardnaar]

Why wasn't the SD dodging if AOEs are being tossed about? That with half cover is usually enough to keep the SD upright.

Ask the player idk. You don't always see incoming AoEs either.

He has mending available, just had combat intense session.

SD is a monkey he's starting to call it Spiritual Monkey after the cleric spell Spiritual Weapon.

Basically because of the bonus action.