Exploring Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
This book is described as a supplement to Eberron: Rising from the Last War and offers new character options, new campaign models, and new vehicle rules for Eberron.The titular artificers, one of the iconic aspects of Eberron along with the Warforged, are a tricky class. It needs to be cool, not horribly complicated to manage, and shouldn’t be so powerful it’s a campaign breaker. While Eberron fans were thrilled when the setting got its first official 5E book (as opposed to the digital only release, The Wayfinders Guide to Eberron, which I’m not counting in regard to the artificer because the original digital document didn’t include it. The artificer only showed up in later updates in the appendix), the ERftLW version didn’t quite hit the mark with some fans.
The artificer’s appearance in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything was mostly to set up the class for use in any D&D campaign setting and give it an expanded spell list that incorporated the new spells in TCoE. It also added a new artificer subclass, the armorer, to join the alchemist, artillerist, and battlesmith. I liked the builds for the 5E versions of the artificer even though magical tinkering isn’t my jam, but the newest version has some zest, and one thing that’s odd.
A Revised Artificer
How much importance does the new artificer get in EFotA? It gets its own chapter, with other character options detailed in another chapter.Despite that amount of space, the entry is surprisingly skimpy on flavor text to provide a sense of how the artificer fits into the setting if the reader is new to Eberron. What we do get is accurate—"Masters of invention, Artificers use ingenuity and magic to unlock extraordinary capabilities in objects. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and then harnessed in their spells and inventions" —but rather flat. I expected a little more flavor text, but I’m also a sucker for world-building material.
As with the prior version, artificers cast spells through their tools. A lot of the basics are the same, like hit dice, but carrying over the use of simple weapons is odd. While that’s not too unusual for the prior iterations when firearms were only an option in the 2014 DMG, it feels weird here. The 2024 PHB moved muskets and pistols to the ranged martial weapons table, so why are artificers limited to simple weapons? An artificer with a cool, magical firearm seems like a natural. The class could have at least made an exception for firearms while excluding other ranged martial weapons.
Other than that, the changes are rather cool or give some power boosts without entirely breaking everything. For example, artificers replace spells after a long rest, which is handy.
The first level feature Tinker’s Magic offers some fun options, especially for those who embrace creative options. First, you automatically get the mending cantrip separate from the other two cantrips gained at first level. Even better, a magic action can be used to create one item in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of yourself. The options are limited to the items on a list but they range from baskets, bedrolls, and bells to shovels, torches, and vials, with 31 options total.
Level 2 Replicate Magic replaces Infuse Magic and potentially gives your low-level group a really nice boost. The feature allows the artificer to learn four types of magic item plans. With those plans, after finishing a long rest, the artificer can create one or two different magic items based on the plans they know. If the item requires attunement, the artificer can attune to it as soon as it’s created. The book recommends creating the items bag of holding, cap of water breather, sending stones, and wand of the war mage, but other options include a +1 weapon and a +1 shield, which is pretty awesome for a low level group.
Another fun option comes with the Level 6 Magic Item Tinker, which lets you, among other options, drain the magic from an item you created with Replicate Magic Item, which causes it to disappear and give you a fresh spell slot. That can be very useful if handled strategically.
The new artificer has more features, of course, but if I delve into everything in EFotA deeply, this will be a 10,000 word review. Suffice to say that the cartographer subclass is a worthy addition, and the new artificer spell, Homunculus Servant, makes sense and fills a previous gap.
Personally, I don’t love artificers in general because they can be complicated to play and magical tinkering isn’t my thing, but I do like the revised build here. A clever player could come up with some ingenious options if they use this build to think strategically and outside of the box. Isn’t that one of the elements of a good artificer?
Character Options
The artificer isn’t the only one character option to get an upgrade/expansion. A new species, the Khoravar, are a bridge between elves and humans while having distinct communities from those of humans or elves. Just don’t call them “half-elves”.Some existing Eberron species were tweaked. For example, Shifters (a.k.a. “were-touched”) get Bestial Instincts, which allows them to channel the beast within to gain proficiency in Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation or Survival. Shifting is a bonus action that allows them to take on a bestial appearance.
For Warforged, Integrated Protection is simplified to a +1 Armor Class bonus and any armor worn cannot be removed against their will as long as they are alive. More importantly, players can use either the EFotA or the ERftLW version of the species so if you prefer the older version, it’s still an option.
For those who like Dragonmarks, there’s a lot to explore. EFotA has 28 Dragonmark feats, and 14 of the 16 backgrounds are related to dragonmarks. These backgrounds are the only way to get a dragonmark feat at level one. The two non-dragonmark backgrounds are Archaeologist and Inquisitive.
Airships & Bastions
One of the definite bonuses is its chapter on elemental airships. What would a magic steampunk setting be without some form of airship? EFotA has everything you need to know operating, boarding, maneuvering, staffing, repairing airships, combat (of course), and dealing with crashes.It also deals with monster tactics because, after all, dragons, rocs, and other flying creatures might find elemental airships a threat or interesting—or the delivery method for tasty treats (its crew). So there’s also a section on what characters can do during airship combat.
Three elemental airships are detailed and statted out. That’s followed by info on how to upgrade elemental airships. Charts for airship travel conditions, environmental hazards, and random airship encounters round out the chapter.
I really liked the bastion options in the 2024 Dungeon Masters Guide, and was happy to find new bastion options in Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun. We get more here in EFotA , which makes perfect sense. I’m guessing future books will also include them where the setting inspires fresh options.
One thing the Eberron version notes is that while the DMG assumes a fixed location, it doesn’t have to be that way, pending DM approval and two requirements—a mobile bastion must be a vehicle of some sort and one of the special features must involve propulsion. In Eberron, that means a bastion could be a regular ship, an airship, or a lightning rail cart.
The Artificer’s Forge is a roomy bastion that includes two magewright hirelings skilled in creating magic items. Construct Forge bastions are vast in size, and the constructs made in it count as Bastion Defenders. Even a museum can be a bastion, which is perfect for research and storing relics.
A Dragonmark Outpost is, obviously, for those in a dragonmarked house and comes with a house agent hireling who will be a go-between for the players and their superiors in the dragonmarked house. An Inquisitive Agency is an office that’s a branch office for a larger agency or is an office for an agency you control. Examples of the former include Information Acquisition and Karr’Aashta’s Investigations, which are detailed in the chapter on Inquisitives in Sharn. The hireling for an Inquisitive Agency bastion is a secretary with extensive helpful contacts.
The Kundarak Vault is “cramped” because it’s an extra-dimensional space within your bastion that can be accessed from other spaces, using them for trade good storage and such. A Manifest Zone is a bastion infused with the planar energy of one of Eberron’s planes of existence. You pick the plane when it’s created.
The Lyrandar Helm allows a mobile bastion within an elemental ship or airship to move. Its hireling is dragonmarked from the House of Lyrandar. A Navigator’s Helm is similar but for sailing ships. An Orien Helm is for lightning rail carts.
Setting Material
Sharn has a particular type of adventurer that is a blend of police detective, private investigator, and spy. The EFotA chapter on inquisitives builds upon the information in Eberron: Rising from the Last War. This chapter has inspiration for players, conflict suggestions for players and DMs, and criminal clans that can be adversaries for players.The chapter on Morgrave Expeditions provides options and inspiration for those who want to embrace more of a pulp adventure style. That can include treasure hunting from Lord ir’Morgrave’s unseemly side or an expedition for the respectable university he founded.
Dragonmarked Intrigue is a chapter for DMs, and players to a lesser degree, if you want a campaign focused on political intrigue, such as Renaissance-era scheming between merchant dynasties. It gives ideas on rival houses, internal tension, and more.
EFotA also includes a bestiary focused on 27 stats for NPCs. They range from Boromar Smuggler and Cannith Artificer to Umbragen Shadow Walker, Vadalis Heir, and Vulkoon Stingblade.
Should You Buy It?
If you’re an Eberron fan, you’ll want this book. Since it adds to instead of replaces ERftLW and you can pick the version of the species and artificer you prefer from either book, there’s no downside to adding this book to your library. The chapters on bastions and elemental airships are definitely cool, and the setting information is useful for players and DMs.I tend to like this phase in an edition anyway—when you start to get additional material for the setting, building upon the one that initially updates the setting for the edition. Eberron: Forge of the Artificer is a better-than-average follow-up so I’m giving it an A-.
