D&D General Full Caster Artificer +

[Zardnaar]

Wow, I did not know that! I just looked it up! Player options: Spells & Magic. I'm pretty sure I have that book, but never made the connection.

I have skill focus: obscure D&D lore.

 

[WanderingMystic]

I have skill focus: obscure D&D lore.

See i would consider the Alchemist in Dragon magazine 2 for original d&d to be the first artificer in spirit if not in name.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

When I was looking at homebrewing Artificer, I basically made them full wizard spell progression with a very limited spell list, but the ability to invest spell slots to create items that remained as long as the spell slot remained invested.

This actually led to a more "traditional Vancian" playstyle where spell slots were not available to power any spell at the point of casting, but were chosen and invested into an effect before the adventuring day even started.

Some artificer flavour is just pure flavour that any caster can use: There is no mechanical difference in casting a fireball directly, creating a temporary scroll, or imbuing it into a crossbow bolt or wand at the point of casting. This appears the intended flavour of the current artificer spellcasting, but most casters could use that flavour.

What matters is the mechanics when the creation of items isn't so simple: creating effects due to magic items rather than spells, that might be passed to other members of the party for example.

 

[mellored]

I will clarify...

The idea is to give the artificer a limited form of full casting, much like the warlock but rather than having very few spell slots the artificer has multiple features that can be fueled by spell slots, and does not get the ability to burn class features to gain spell slots.

So.. full regular slots, but instead of prepared spells they get prepared items?

Prepared Items
At the end of a long rest you can select X of the following items. Use your Int for attacks and saves with the items.

Auto-Canon: Fire homing darts.
At-Will: Deal 1d4 damage to a target in range, increasing by 1d4 every 2 artificer levels.
Rapid Fire: expend a spell slot to attack each creature it into a cone or a line. The size depends on the slot spent.

Grenade
At-will: toss the grenade to cause an explosion for 2d6 force damage in a 10' burst with a Dex save for half. The grenade remains inactive until you (and only you) spend a bonus action to rearm it. The damage increases by 1d6 per 2 artificer levels.
Inferno Grenade: expend a spell slot when you toss the grenade, and it creates a zone of fire for 1 minute. Any creature that ends it's turn in the zone takes 1d6 fire damage times the spell level spent.


You'd need to write a lot of those, but no more than warlock invocations.