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

 

[Stoutstien]

This isn't what is intended. The armour does not prevent you from wearing magical boots.

This is what the level 9 ability is for:

1) You can infuse the weapons. You cannot put an infusion on the integrated weapons prior to level 9, because the target of a weapon infusion must be a weapon, not armour.

2) You can have the intergrated weapons and armour infused at the same time. Normally one item can have no more than one infusion.

3) You get two extra free infusions. So you could have your weapons and armour infused and still have 3 (at level 9) infusions left over which you could use, for example, to infuse your friend's weapons and armour.

I mean the weapons are part of the armor but they also 'count' as weapons. Seems very unlikely they count as weapons besides for infusions. The fact they didn't word it like a demon armor Or anything else is telling that they probably intentionally wanted them to be weapons so it works with Infusions.

 

[Kurotowa]

1) You can infuse the weapons. You cannot put an infusion on the integrated weapons prior to level 9, because the target of a weapon infusion must be a weapon, not armour.

2) You can have the intergrated weapons and armour infused at the same time. Normally one item can have no more than one infusion.

I'm not sure I agree, although I can totally see your reasoning. You're going by the established principle that if a class ability says it lets you do X, by implication you cannot do X until you get that class ability. Which is often the right principle to follow! I'm just not sure that's what this class ability is trying to say.

What I think the Level 9 class ability is trying to say is more like, "You gain two bonus infusions to your maximum limit. Those two have to be items on this specific list of four options." There's nothing saying you can't infuse them before you get the class feature, just that the bonus infusions from the class feature have to be used on them specifically.

Either way, it's definitely worded in a confusing way and needs to be cleaned up.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'm not sure I agree, although I can totally see your reasoning. You're going by the established principle that if a class ability says it lets you do X, by implication you cannot do X until you get that class ability.

No, that is not my reasoning. My reasoning is that (for example) the Enhanced Weapon infusion must be used on "a simple or martial weapon" (ERFTLW p62), not "a suit of armour" and the general rule that you cannot infuse magic items or put more than one infusion in the same item.

What I think the Level 9 class ability is trying to say is more like, "You gain two bonus infusions to your maximum limit. Those two have to be items on this specific list of four options." There's nothing saying you can't infuse them before you get the class feature, just that the bonus infusions from the class feature have to be used on them specifically.

This is kind of true, however, your power armour is armour, and therefore can only be infused with infusions that target armour (and then only if the base armour is non-magical). You can still infuse your boots if you like, but they can't be the boots that come with the armour - but it doesn't make any difference mechanically.

 

[Kurotowa]

This is kind of true, however, your power armour is armour, and therefore can only be infused with infusions that target armour (and then only if the base armour is non-magical). You can still infuse your boots if you like, but they can't be the boots that come with the armour - but it doesn't make any difference mechanically.

Right, the big question is the weapon. Can you infuse the weapon created by Armor Model before you get Armor Modifications at Level 9? It does say they "count as a simple melee/ranged weapon". You absolutely can after, or else Armor Mods wouldn't make any sense. But is the point of Armor Mods to let you do it at all, or to give you the two bonus infusion slots for doing it? If you can't infuse the Armor Model weapon can you at least buff it with the Magic Weapon spell?

Like I said, this is obviously a non-final draft that needs the wording clarified. I can see arguments both ways.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Right, the big question is the weapon. Can you infuse the weapon created by Armor Model before you get Armor Modifications at Level 9? It does say they "count as a simple melee/ranged weapon".

My ruling is no.

1) "count as" is not the same as "is". Gauntlets are not on the simple or martial weapons list in the PHB.

2) The power armour is undoubtedly armour, and therefore eligible for "armour" infusions. It shouldn't be eligible for two different sets of infusions. Also consider: the base armour can be magical, and therefore ineligible for any infusions.

3) There isn't really much need to turn the integrated weapons into +1 weapons, since they do energy damage and therefore aren't subject to resistance/immunity to non-magical weapons.

4) The subclass is called "Armorer" and therefore should be encouraged to learn "armour" infusions ahead of "weapon" infusions.

 

[Parmandur]

So, now that it seems that most of last year's UA output was, as predicted, related to Magic: the Gathering...what could this material be for?

 

[Kurotowa]

My ruling is no.

Rather than try to counter you point for point, let's just say I disagree at the moment while feeling this absolutely shouldn't be a point left up to DM rulings. The language needs to be cleaned up to make it clear one way or the other.