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.

 

[dave2008]

I've never played an artificer or been the DM for an artificer player, but this doesn't feel like what I think of when I think artificer (I think steam punk engineer type). I really think they need a new mechanic, not a 1/2 caster. They at least need new spells I think, not simply leave it to he PC to re-flavor existing spells. But I would prefer a new system/way of making these abilities. It can be magic, but more not "spells" as we know them.

 

[pukunui]

Not a fan of the video gamey turrets. Not sure about the rest yet.

I like the idea of reflavoring spells but agree with others that it would be better to have unique magical abilities. I think the devs painted themselves into a bit of a corner, though, by not including “spell-like abilities” in 5e.

 

[Iry]

I don't mind a single Archetype being about creating pets; choosing between a homunculus or a turret for example. But having both archetypes be pet classes, at the expense of previous archetypes which were fun to play with, seems unnecessary.

 

[cbwjm]

Now I get to play Torbjorn from Overwatch in 5e!

I think the class looks interesting, I like it better than the last version but that might just be because it is fresh and new. I definitely like the spellcasting starting at 1st level and I don't know why it never occurred to me to do that for my own arcane half-caster class. I assume it was because I was looking at the ranger and paladin and working of their advancement. As for pets, I know not everyone wants them, I wouldn't mind their being an elemental subclass for the Izzet guild that focuses on harnessing the power of lightning which has some other gadgets instead of a pet.

I'm adding that Arcane Weapon spell to the wizard and sorcerer spell list.

 

[jmucchiello]

Shouldn't Artificers be knowledgeble? Two skills?

 

[Kurotowa]

Shouldn't Artificers be knowledgeble? Two skills?

With three starting Tool proficiencies and another two from the subclass at 3rd level. Artificiers went to technical college for practical skills, not some big name university to pore over old tomes.

 

[Gradine]

I don't really see the Artillerist as a pet class; I don't really understand why that's the connection being made to it. I mean, it's not like flaming sphere or call lightning are considered pets, or the Circle of the Shepherd's Spirit Totems, which I see as closer analogues than the Beastmaster or even the Alchemist (whose homonculi strike me more as familiars than pets in any case).

For the most part I really like this class. I'll echo that the summon turret ability is a little too on-the-nose video-gamey for my liking, but playing that archetype wouldn't feel like playing a pet class to me.

 

[NaturalZero]

The turrets are cool, but the fire damage feels anemic. They need better scaling before waiting till level 14 to get an extra one. The subclass is also supposed to be a battle wand specialist but gets next to nothing to make that apparent mechanically beyond a small damage boost. On the other hand, the gunsmith with different damage types and an AOE out of the same weapon felt more versatile and different from every other guy with a wand.

The alchemist feels like it gets almost no alchemist flavor at all until later in the game. The whole "you cast the same spell as 6 other classes with a slight tweak" is disappointing and bland compared to unique features. I hate having yet another class that just uses the same spell list as multiple other classes as a primary ability.

I also feel like they should drop the requirement of using a magical weapon for Extra Attack. You shouldn't have to use a specific infusion or spell slot in order to use a basic function that plenty of other classes get without restriction.

 

[Ristamar]

I don't really see the Artillerist as a pet class; I don't really understand why that's the connection being made to it. I mean, it's not like flaming sphere or call lightning are considered pets, or the Circle of the Shepherd's Spirit Totems, which I see as closer analogues than the Beastmaster or even the Alchemist (whose homonculi strike me more as familiars than pets in any case).

For the most part I really like this class. I'll echo that the summon turret ability is a little too on-the-nose video-gamey for my liking, but playing that archetype wouldn't feel like playing a pet class to me.

Reminds me a bit of Roland from Borderlands.

 

[Mistwell]

Wait...can the Alchemical Homunculus give all PCs advantage on all out of combat skill checks, and 12+Int temporary hitpoints prior to any combat, as often as it wants at no cost?