Level Up (A5E) Various Artificer questions and thoughts

[Selganor]

As I continue playing a GPG Artificer there are a few things that I think could be relevant in the future, so why not ask them now:

1. Transfer Enchantment
Granted, that's not a question specific to Artificers but if the Artificer doesn't have access to that, who has?

The equipment section (AG p. 249) lists that you can pay an npc enchanter 1/3 of the price of a magic item to transfer the enchantment to another item.
Since this price probably included some service fees in addition to the required material, how much would the material be for an Artificer (or other magic user?) to transfer? Are there any limitations?

My first idea would be: 1/4 the price (maybe even with an additional price reduction if you got a schematic of the item). Limits on magic item creation (minimum level per rarity) would apply.

2. "Generic" Infusions

While not every +1 armor has the same price, requiring a seperate schematic for each armor (like +1 padded leather, +2 padded cloth, +1 scale mail, ...) seems a bit excessive. Granted, there isn't a real limit of the number of schematics an Artificer can have, but it still adds up. And if you also require a schematic per magic weapon (like +1 dagger, +1 sword, ...) a weill prepared Battle Smith probably needs a small library of schematics.

My suggestion for that would be to just pool all weapons together for 3 schematics of +1 weapon, +2 weapon and +3 weapon and group all armors according to rarity (uncommon armor, common armor, rare armor, very rare armor and legendary armor) and go from there.

For even more generic schematics like "cantrip wand" or "spell scroll" I'd require a scroll as some sort of material component (that you don't consume) if you want to infuse an item with this specific effect.
For example, if you want to infuse a "flame bolt" cantrip wand you need to have a "flame bolt" spell scroll at hand to infuse a flame bolt wand but you still keep the scroll and can use it any way you want.
This way you don't have to have loads of different schematics but still can't just create a "generic" item out of thin air if you never knew the base effect.

3. Material cost for spell inventions

The way I'm reading it, the 1 gold of material per spell invention doesn't seem to be used up. But including the pricy material components of the spell into the spell invention could be interpreted as a "put it in once and then never pay for it again".

Since some of the material components are specific to the desired effect I'm guessing they are added while casting (just like other casters do it) otherwise a Stitcher would never require any money for revivify, raise dead or greater restoration since they are automatically prepared.

 

[VenerableBede]

As a growing fan of the GPG artificer, I approve of the various thoughts going on here.

My first idea would be: 1/4 the price (maybe even with an additional price reduction if you got a schematic of the item). Limits on magic item creation (minimum level per rarity) would apply.

I like this, I think it's a fair compromise, and I would hope something like this gets noted in future errata.

While not every +1 armor has the same price, requiring a seperate schematic for each armor (like +1 padded leather, +2 padded cloth, +1 scale mail, ...) seems a bit excessive. Granted, there isn't a real limit of the number of schematics an Artificer can have, but it still adds up. And if you also require a schematic per magic weapon (like +1 dagger, +1 sword, ...) a weill prepared Battle Smith probably needs a small library of schematics.

I think it's a bit of a missed opportunity that this wasn't just included in the base class.

The way I'm reading it, the 1 gold of material per spell invention doesn't seem to be used up. But including the pricy material components of the spell into the spell invention could be interpreted as a "put it in once and then never pay for it again".

I read it that the gold you spend on tinkering with spell inventions is used up, but other pricy spell components are spent when you cast the spell through the invention. What part of the wording is tripping you up?

 

[VenerableBede]

Here's a tangent—anyone else go through Artificer and wish it was a full caster? Could do something kinda like what Pact Magic warlock does—have spell level progression match full casting, cap out at 5th level spells, then have an alternative system provide 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th-level spells.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

Here's a tangent—anyone else go through Artificer and wish it was a full caster? Could do something kinda like what Pact Magic warlock does—have spell level progression match full casting, cap out at 5th level spells, then have an alternative system provide 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th-level spells.

i've never liked the idea of the artificer as any kind of caster, honestly. i kind of wish they were full martials that could just do uniquely insane things with magic items.

 

[Selganor]

I read it that the gold you spend on tinkering with spell inventions is used up, but other pricy spell components are spent when you cast the spell through the invention. What part of the wording is tripping you up?

"You can change your list of prepared spells and replace or create new spell inventions whenever you finish a long rest by spending at least 10 minutes tinkering and experimenting with 1 gold worth of materials per new spell invention (in addition to any material components the spell requires). Any spell inventions you’ve prepared previously are taken apart and integrated into the new ones, or fall apart due to a lack of maintenance. "

Especially the "are taken apart and integrated into the new ones" part and a missing "consuming the material" that is present in all material component uses that consume the materials.

The monetary value is probably there that the Artificer needs "something" of value and can't just use pocket lint and string to build a spell invention. (Although there is a Knack that allows them to Gather the stuff)

 

[Selganor]

I asked this in another thread but it's also appropriate here...

4. O5E Alchemist archetype for A5E Artificer

How to handle to option to exchange a 1st level spell slot (which A5E Artificers don't have) for another (nonrandom) elixir?

I don't know if I would use a spell invention (probable even with a fizzle die since a spell invention is worth more than a spell slot) or just an infusion (maybe even then with a fizzle die against the number of additional uses since an infusion can be more powerful than an elixir)