Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana: The Artificer Is Here! & UA Schedule Changes

Not liking the shape of this. It's certainly powerful in a batman-utility sort of way, but I didn't expect the Artificer to become a "Must Have Pet" class. My potion thrower is gone, and the party Beastmaster is giving me side-eye.

Unless you can put Returning Weapon on the potions you throw.

 

[Li Shenron]

I am not sure how II also think that gaining crucial proficiencies at level 3 is too late (see scout). I really do believe that at least you need to remove the addition (if you don't already have it) which forces you to not take the thematic proficiency because it would be wasted. Interestingly dndbeyond ignores the if clause in the character builder and just allows you to chose a different proficiency as by the standard rules.
I guess chosing the sublclass at level 1 would work better for the artificer would get rid of the problem.

This.

Not only moving the subclass to level 1 would fix the delayed proficiencies oddity, but it would also push spellcasting to 2nd level, fixing the other oddity of a non-standard half-caster spell slots progression. Cantrips can still start at 1st, as they are unprecedented to half-casters. Then maybe move Infuse Item to 3rd:

1st: Magical Tinkering, Artificer Specialist*, Tool Expertise
2nd: Spellcasting
3rd: Infuse Item, Artificer Specialist feature*

*The Homunculus/Turret can stay at 3rd level

 

[TrippyHippy]

Perfect for a Gnome - I prefer the Articifer Class to what it was. I guess it will see publishing exposure in the next Ebberon book?

 

[Bitbrain]

*reads UA, then creates a rock gnome 3rd level artillerist with goggles of night and cloak of the manta ray*

*puts on sunglasses and listens to Rob Zombie*

*designates arcane turret Dragula*

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Sorry for this almost off-topic, but artificer is closest to arcanepunk tech.

Could this class create the equivalent of new materials (from real life) such as graphene, metallic foam, or synthetic spider silk? And a arcanepunk motor, such as a homopolar generator or Faraday disk (let's see wikipedia)? It could be very expensive, but on the battlefield it could be used on a driller-machine to break enemy defenses, to reload giant crossbows, or to move an armored war wagon with which to change against the (now obsolete) cavalry.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I think this version is a good step forward. Some things I'd modify should I have one at my table:

- At level 5, remove the extra attack and give Spell storing item and an Extra attunement slot. Create an Infusion that give extra attack ala Warlock's thirsting blade instead. One more attunement slot at 18.

- The homonculus gain a acidic death burst ala mephit.

- The alchemist crafting bonus applies to alchemist fire, holy water and acid vials.

- Remove the turret and steal the Arcane Proxy from 4e Artificer: choose an item on a willing ally, for the rest of the encounter, you can cast spell with that item as origin point as long as it is within 30' of you.

and that's it.

 

[DEFCON 1]

The UA looks to me to match a lot of the older playtest documents, in that they have "combined" game mechanics they wish tested with flavoring that most likely is not going to actually be used when the final product is done.

When I saw the homunculus fall under the alchemist I thought "That doesn't make any sense..." but then I quickly realized that they probably didn't want to confuse the testing issues by presenting the 3, 4, 5 actual subclasses that are going to appear (and have everybody under the sun do nothing but talk about the flavor rather than actually test the mechanics.)

I would be not at all surprised if what ends up happening is the Artificer class itself appear in a regular hardcover book with the two "standard" non-setting-specific subclasses (probably alchemist and gunsmith)... and then additional artificer subclasses appear in the hardcover Eberron book when that comes, with those subs being more setting specific (like the warforged/golemsmith-- to which the 'craft homunculus' feature would probably be connected... and the wandslinger/artillerist-- as that was the main magic support during all the fighting of the Last War).

For everyone who enjoyed the "potion bombs" of the previous UA for the alchemist... I would not be surprised at all if WotC had received very positive feedback on that feature and determined they didn't need to test it again. So they just created a new subclass feature for testing and put it into the alchemist just so as to not make people think "Hey, are you getting rid of the Alchemist?!? Don't do that!!!" had they created a more correct "flavor" subclass for the feature and had it in place of the alchemist in this new UA.

 

[Laurefindel]

oooooh, an (updated) updated ranger playtest in disguise!

 

[Jester David]

So I’m an INT-based caster, but I shouldn’t ever actually increase my Intelligence, because I can craft a Headband of Intellect at level 12.

Given most campaigns end around level 10, this doesn't feel like a game breaking problem.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I'm incredibly disappointed with this latest iteration. Neither subclass needs pets. Create a new subclass specifically made for pets, and free up design space for abilities that are more thematically aligned for the other two.

I also don't like the way they are handling the cantrips and spellcasting. I agree that an artificer should have it's own spell list, but the original Artificer had a way to replicate the spells of other classes. I would like to see something akin to a bard's magical secrets ability.

Not a fan of magical tinkering. I mean, it's cool and flavorful. But let's be honest, it's mostly just a reskinned prestidigitation that lasts a bit longer. I don't think it's necessary even as a ribbon ability.

Finally, nothing about the mechanics of the alchemists or arterialist makes me feel like either of those things. Overall, I feel like this version is worse than the last.

 

[scottieboy86]

I see some people happy that the gunsmith is gone because "no guns in Eberron." Aren't turrets just fancy guns?