D&D 5E What are the optimal construct choices for the UA Artificer

[Awesome Adam]

If you've read through the Artificer UA article you know that you've got to pick and build a construct. It needs to be of the beast subtype, large, and CR 2 or less.

Assuming you want to stick with CR2, your choices are:
Allosaurus : Passive Perception 15, Speed 60ft
Giant Boar : Speed 40ft
Hunter Shark: Maybe in an Aquatic Campaign, otherwise it's probably a terrible choice.
Plesiosaurus: Speed 20ft
Cave Bear / Polar Bear : Multi Attack , Speed 40ft, Swim 30ft
Rhinoceros : Single hardest hitting attack (4d8+5) on a charge, speed 40ft
Saber-toothed Tiger: Speed 4ft Pounce

Coming in below CR1, I think there is only 1 ourstanding choice and that is
Giant Eagle

Allosaurus

Allosaurus
Large beast , unaligned
Armor Class: 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 51 (6d10 + 18)
Speed: 60 ft.
STR 19 (+4) DEX 13 (+1) CON 17 (+3) INT 2 (-4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 5 (-3)
Skills: Perception +5
Senses: passive perception 15
Languages: —
Challenge: 2 (450 XP)

Pounce. If the allosaurus moves at least 30 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the allosaurus can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.

Allosaurus is the fastest, has the highest perception, and gets top scores for it's to hit, damage, and hit points.

Polar Bear

Polar Bear
Large beast , unaligned
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 42 (5d10 + 15)
Speed 40 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR 20 (+5) DEX 10 (+0) CON 16 (+3) INT 2 (-4) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 7 (-2)
Skills Perception +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Keen Smell. The bear has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The bear makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.

Polar Bear has multiple attacks, +6 to hit, but less move, 1 less AC, less hit points than Allosaurus


Giant Eagle

Giant Eagle
Large beast, neutral good
Armor Class: 13
Hit Points: 26(4d10+ 4)
Speed: 10 ft., fly 80 ft. ft.
STR 16 (+3) DEX 17 (+3) CON 13 (+1) INT 8 (-1) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 10 (0)

Proficiency Bonus: +2
Skills: Perception +4
Senses: Passive Perception 14
Languages: Giant Eagle, understands Common and Auran but can't speak them
Challenge: 1(200 XP)

Keen Sight.The eagle has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Multiattack.The eagle makes two attacks: one with its beak and one with its talons.
Beak.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.

The Giant Eagle sacrifices 20 hit points, has an Abyssmal land speed, but has a tremendous 80ft flying speed and advantage on it's perception checks, with a passive perception of 14.

Rhinoceros
Large Beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 11
Hit Points: 45(6d10+ 12)
Speed: 40 ft. ft.
STR 21 (+5) DEX 8 (-1) CON 15 (+2) INT 2 (-4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 6 (-2)
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Passive Perception: 11
Challenge: 2(450 XP)

Charge: If the rhinoceros moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Actions
Gore.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

 

[Zardnaar]

Allosaurus maybe the boar.

 

[Awesome Adam]

Really ?
The Boar just appears to be a worse version of the bear, only getting the extra damage on the charge, a single attack, and a low perception.
What is that you are seeing about the boar that I am missing ?

Allosaurus gets top scores for attack, Damage, AC, Hit Points, and movement.

The Bear gets dual attacks, dual movement types, the highest to hit.

The Giant Eagle can double as a flying mount.

 

[Zardnaar]

Really ?
The Boar just appears to be a worse version of the bear, only getting the extra damage on the charge, a single attack, and a low perception.
What is that you are seeing about the boar that I am missing ?

Allosaurus gets top scores for attack, Damage, AC, Hit Points, and movement.

The Bear gets dual attacks, dual movement types, the highest to hit.

The Giant Eagle can double as a flying mount.

Most hit points?

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Between Giant Eagle and Giant Owl, I'd be strongly tempted to take the Giant Owl for Flyby capability and Stealth proficiency. It's not an easy choice though because 80' movement on a mount is fantastic.

Giant Toad is also pretty interesting for the restraining capability, which doubles as a sort of pseudo-Sentinel feature. Giant Toads have a goodly amount of HP (39 IIRC) and if you have your toad Dodge and give it some Mage Armor (AC 14) it could actually be pretty durable while still threatening good opportunity attacks.

 

[plisnithus8]

BTW Sage Advice says construct can fly - Mike and Jeremy disagree if it can be smaller than large.

 

[Awesome Adam]

I don't really get the "need" for it to be large. As a GM, I would allow something smaller if the player wanted it.

A certain mechanical owl comes to mind

 

[JackOfAllTirades]

I'd be strongly tempted to consider the Giant Vulture for the sake of Pack Tactics. It's also got a high enough INT score to use Infusions.

 

[Awesome Adam]

Pack tactics and Multiattack is pretty sweet, but AC10 and 22 HP kind of kill it for me.

Reguardless of INT, woudln't it being a beast preclude it from using the infusions ?

A dog could be smart enough to teach it to use a TV remote, but to consciously initiate a magical reaction seems a step too far, to me at least.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Pack tactics and Multiattack is pretty sweet, but AC10 and 22 HP kind of kill it for me.

Reguardless of INT, woudln't it being a beast preclude it from using the infusions ?

A dog could be smart enough to teach it to use a TV remote, but to consciously initiate a magical reaction seems a step too far, to me at least.

Giant Eagles, Owls and Vultures are all actually intelligent, and able to understand some languages. They are human-level independent thought processes, not trained animal level: in 5e beast-type creatures don't have an intelligence restriction.