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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mephista" data-source="post: 9807919" data-attributes="member: 6786252">Some thoughts -Okay, so I'm actually a big fan of the changes to Artificer 2024 base class. There's a few minor pain points (mainly the weird way casting foci work, and lack of artificer-specific spells) but nothing I would consider a deal breaker, and the rest of the changes actively feel like they're going to be fun to play out.  They seem to want to push the base Artificer towards being a dedicated caster class, rather than weapon user, with Battlemaster as the "gish" option. In many ways, they're the opposite of the warlock - instead of high level spells once or so a combat, we have a bunch of low level spells being spammed. Interesting take, but I think it works.Artificer subclasses I'm actually a bit annoyed about - specifically Armorer and Cartographer.  Armorer's lack of magic weapons is felt, and the level 9 feature that only gives +1 feels... bad. Overall, while level 3 is good, the scaling with the rest of the subclass is extremely lacking, and once you hit level 10 and get Spell Storing Item and Lightning Bolt, you're better off NOT using the subclass features at all. The damage you deal from the class features is on par with the damage from ALCHEMIST casting Firebolt. Sure, the Armorer comes with pseudo-Weapon Masteries, but the Alchemist gets to use Wand of the War Mage for better accuracy for most of play.  The one redeeming feature is the ability to use Magic Weapon and Elemental Weapon, but if that's expected, shouldn't there be a feature or even inclusion on the spell list?! And Cartographer?  Sorry, a bit of a rant. So, they moved the free teleport down to 3, which is decent. They then turned the level 5 feature into something that boosts damage either when you cast an Artificer spell, or your artificer hits a critter under your Faerie Fire effect; you also don't drop Concentration on Faerie Fire due to damage. Here's the thing, though. Cartographer will never not be hitting with spells - either True Strike or a cantrip at minimum, so that hitting-under-FF-effect will never proc. Its always going to be a spell. And the sub-class as a whole is meant to be a support-buffer class of some kind, but you want it to rely on Faerie Fire, while almost all buffs are Concentration?  Gods, if you're going to try and have a focus on FF, actually make it worthwhile for everyone to benefit from it!  The subclass is playable, but... that's it. Its just minor teleport hijinks and Faerie Fire. Its entirely possible to feel like you don't really have subclass benefits compared to others.  Oh!  And they slightly fixed the spell list, and gave them... Call Lightning and Banishment. Both Concentration spells.I don't know, it just feels like they don't understand how to scale things properly with these subclasses, to the point that you feel like its not worth using your features. That feels super wrong to me, tbh. I don't know. I'm thinking that they didn't quite figure out how to really mesh the old subclasses with the new direction of the base class.</blockquote>

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