Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana Subclasses Part III: Artificer, Druid, and Ranger

The third in the recent spate of D&D subclasses from WotC! "Continuing our series of new D&D subclasses in 2020, Unearthed Arcana presents three more for you to playtest: the Armorer for the artificer, the Circle of the Stars for the druid, and the Fey Wanderer for the ranger. Today’s article also includes some new infusions for the artificer."

https://media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/UA2020-Subclasses03_0224.pdf

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Anyone can just pick up a sword and start swinging.

Right, and they won’t be as good at it as the fighter.

The artificer invents the things they use. They aren’t out in the world because the guy who invented them is still using them.

Maybe wands of fireball were once the invention of an artillerist.

 

[Kurotowa]

The artificer invents the things they use. They aren’t out in the world because the guy who invented them is still using them.

More to the point, they don't work for other people yet. It's true the Artificer is better than most at making standard enchanted items, but they also know how to use their own magic to create temporary or personal enchantments. You can't hand an Eldritch Cannon or Power Armor to someone else because it's tied to the Artificer and won't work for them. You call sell an Infused item (unless maybe you're a Charlatan) because it'll stop working as soon as the Artificer stops actively powering the effect.

The works of an Artificer exist on a spectrum. If it's permanent and works for anyone, it's a magic item. If it's non-permanent and works for anyone, it's an Infusion. If it's non-permanent and only works for the Artificer who made it, it's a class feature. Do you want to create a magic item that replicates the effect of a class feature? Then talk to your DM about downtime research, magic item formula discovery, rare ingredient procurement, and what a fair and mechanically balanced "class feature in a can" stat block would be. Or leave that to the NPCs and get on with adventuring.

 

[Li Shenron]

I ignore the Artificer, and also try not to focus on the mechanics of the other two, but at least I appreciate the fact that this time there are some sensible character concepts, after a series of IMHO horrible UA articles.

The Druid class always had one possible theme based on astronomy as an example of the cycles of nature, even though it's not a theme as strong as plants, beasts or weather, it's definitely a good niche and very "druidic".

Similarly, I keep saying that the key concept of a Ranger is that of being on the borderline (or "range", hence the name) of the "normal world". It's the Ranger's saving grace to avoid getting dragged into the underwhelming idea of being just a "fighter who does camping in the woods" (or worst of the worst, the even more underwhelming archery/2WF specialist). So a good source of ideas for Ranger subclasses is borderline with what: for the Hunter subclass the what is generically monstrous races (which supposedly might live in territories beyond civilization), then for instance with the Deep Stalker it is the underdark and with the Horizon Walker is other planes of the multiverse. It makes a lot of sense to have a feywild-oriented subclass too!

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You can have as many infused items as infusions known, the max items that can be infused is per long rest, so a 5th lvl Artificer can infuse 2 items at the end of a long rest, then a further 2 items after the next long rest for a total of 4 items. They then can then change the item that up to two infusions are in per long rest after that. If it was only a max of 2 items at a time, i.e. they reset every day, it wouldn't say infusions remain in an item indefintely, and DnDBeyond wouldn't let me have all 4 items active at once. The Armorer feature means you can change 5 per long rest.

That's completely wrong. The "Infused Items" column gives you the maximum number of items you can have at any time. I.e. 2 at level 2. If you try to infuse more than that the oldest one immediately dissipates. There is no need to "refresh" infusions - items remain infused until you choose to change them, which you can do after a long rest. "Infusions known" is the number of different types of infusion your character has to choose from - it has no connection to how many infused items you can have.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Some points

The artificer can turn any heavy armor into power armor.

It does. I'm not sure that is indented though, and I think that initial power needs adjusting a little, since you can put on any armour and turn it into power armour in 6 seconds. Even Tony Stark needed weeks in a cave!

It should probably be comparable to creating a steel defender - it takes a long rest to build one, but you start with no "base item", you create the whole thing from scratch.

Rather than an add on, Guardian and Infiltrator Armour should be there own armour types:

Guardian: AC 18, no strength requirement, stealth disadvantage, 30lb, special
Infiltrator: AC 13+dex mod, no strength requirement, stealth advantage*, 10 lb, special

*it needs a name-appropriate buff!

I'm a little shocked there isn't more discussion about the force field temp hp.

It's basically an unlimited uses Second Wind. I agree, very powerful, possibly overpowered. Definitely overpowered compared to the other armour option.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

More to the point, they don't work for other people yet.

Sure they do - kitting the fighter out with a magic weapon is often one of the most useful things a low level artificer can do.

(Power armour is an exception)

 

[Iry]

Defensive Field is definitely nice, but high level encounters can easily throw around 80-100 damage on a character in a single round. If anything, Defensive Field gives some freedom from the 14+ Constitution meta. It will probably have a bigger impact in the exploration tier where the Armorer can soak up hazard and trap damage.

Lightning Launcher definitely needs some more love. Something like 1d8 Lightning Damage and prevents the target from taking reactions until the start of your next turn, at least.

 

[cbwjm]

Right, and they won’t be as good at it as the fighter.

The artificer invents the things they use. They aren’t out in the world because the guy who invented them is still using them.

Maybe wands of fireball were once the invention of an artillerist.

But they can still use that weapon. An artillerist creates their little hand cannon and no one else can use it. The armourer creates a suit of powered armour and no one else can use it. Both of these things should be items to be found in my opinion, you and others clearly think differently, enjoy the artificer, for me though, I'd prefer to open these things up to everyone with other classes via skills, tools, and maybe feats.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Defensive Field is definitely nice, but high level encounters can easily throw around 80-100 damage on a character in a single round. If anything, Defensive Field gives some freedom from the 14+ Constitution meta. It will probably have a bigger impact in the exploration tier where the Armorer can soak up hazard and trap damage.

Lightning Launcher definitely needs some more love. Something like 1d8 Lightning Damage and prevents the target from taking reactions until the start of your next turn, at least.

I don't know about that 80 damage a round thing, but I can only report what I've experienced. And that is between a Paladin with Inspiring Leader, a Warlock with Inspiring Leader, and an Artificer with the Protector turret, over three seperate games, having a reliable free source of temp hp is a big help. And the Artificer showed me that having it every turn is incredibly powerful.

It is actually a little comparable to the Archdruid ability, on a lesser scale, getting an hp refresh every turn is big, even if it only works out to a 25% reduction in all damage over the course of a fight.

I'm not sure it needs weakened, because at low levels it isn't too bad, but the infiltrator definetly needs buffed to get up to it's level.

I would not have Lightning Launcher prevent reactions though, doing that at a distance is a little too tactically powerful I think. I can get behind the die size increase though.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The trouble with lightning launcher is lightning damage is one of the most common complete immunity damage types. Wheras thunder damage is one of the best damage types for enemies not to be resistant/immune.