D&D Releases Playtest for Updated Artificer

Wizards of the Coast has dropped a new Unearthed Arcana Playtest for the Artificer, bringing the often neglected 13th Dungeons & Dragons 5E class into alignment with the 2024 rules update. The playtest was released via D&D Beyond today, with feedback launching on December 24th.

The Artificer gains several new abilities, many of which are designed with an eye to making the class more versatile. For instance, players can now craft low-cost items quickly with a revamped Magical Tinkering ability, while Infuse Item ha been changed to Replicate Magic Item and allows players to replicate magic items of certain rarities and item type. Players can also use the Magic Item Tinker ability to convert a Replicated magic item into a spell slot. The capstone Soul of Artifice ability has also received a buff, with the Artificer no needing a Reaction in order to utilize its ability to skip death saving throws and restoring more health as well.

The subclasses were also updated. For example, the Alchemist's Experimental Elixir producing more elixirs and Chemical Mastery getting a big boost with extra damage, resistance, and the ability to cast Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron. The Armorer has a new Dreadnought option and Armor Modifications was replaced with a new ability called Armor Replication. The Artillerist's Eldritch Cannon can switch between various options instead of being set to one option and the Explosive Cannon ability does more damage and only requires a Reaction to use. Finally, the Battle Smith has received minor adjustments to its Steel Defender construct.

Compared to many other class updates in the 2024 Player's Handbook, the Artificer's changes are much less drastic. There are some obvious updates that bring the class in line with the design updates to other classes, but it didn't receive a major rework like several other classes.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

just remove the limits.

I think the issue is the possibility that it might be used to create infinite gold by making and selling things to merchants.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

The original Artificer class playtest from 2017 had the Wondrous Invention feature, where they created permanent magic items, getting more options and amounts of magic items at higher levels. They moved away from Artificers making permanent magic items towards the Infusion system for the Eberron Artificer UA. Now, nearly 8 years later, they are moving back to Artificers creating permanent magic items with the 2024 Replicate Magic Item feature. In fact, all of the magic items that 2017 Artificers could make at level 2 are on the list of items 2024 Artificers can make at level 2, except driftglobes. It seems a bit like reinventing the wheel that they abandoned nearly 8 years ago.

I just thought that was interesting.

Additional thoughts:

• When Wizards got the "Cantrip Formulas" optional feature in Tasha's, which allowed for you to switch out a cantrip on a long rest, I remember saying that it made way more sense as an Artificer feature than as a Wizard one. I might have even put that in the feedback for the Optional Class Features UA. It's interesting that they are now allowing Artificers to do that now.
• Magical Tinkering is weird now. I can't say it got much use in my campaign, our Artificer mostly used it to take pictures of things every now and then. This is just a different, less useful feature under the same name. The items only lasting for an hour is definitely a problem (especially for bedrolls and vials)
• Not being able to use infused magic items as spellcasting foci is a huge issue. Before Battle Smiths could use their magic weapons/shields. Now they can't. Is every Battle Smith expected to have an empty hand for their tools so they can cast their spells now?
• Why is the maximum amount of Plans Known 8, instead of 12 (the maximum for Eberron/Tasha's Artificers at level 18)? They decreased the versatility of Artificers and now high level artificers only known 2 extra plans, but have the same amount of "infusions."
• Why make a big deal of you "just making magic items" now in the video, if they basically just function like Infusions? They still lose their magic when you die, you still have a limited amount of them, you still have more plans than you have infusions, they're still created the same way. This is just infusions under a different name, but slightly worse.
• Right Tool for the Job is going to be really annoying if the Artificer is making something that takes more than an hour. Before if they were making Plate Armor their free Smith's Tools lasted as long as they wanted to. Now you can only summon them for 1 hour intervals up to 5 times a day.
• Flash of Genius is slightly better. Maybe they could make it so you don't expend a use if the new result doesn't succeed?
• So, I'm not seeing anything about being able to make magic items faster or for less money. Did they just nerf the Magic Item Adept/Savant/Master features and pretend that getting access to more powerful infusions makes up for it (something Artificers already had)?
• Getting access to level 3 spells through Spell Storing Item is huge. At a glance, amazing options will be Haste and Fly (all Artificers), Fireball (Artillerists), Hypnotic Pattern and Lighting Bolt (Armorer), and Conjure Barrage (Battle Smiths). Revivify 10 times a day cast through your Homunculus would be great to have during a final fight. If the DM allows this to work with the Expanded Spell Lists from Dragonmarks and Ravnica Backgrounds (which they shouldn't), there's some truly OP stuff you can do (Conjure Animals, Spirit Guardians).
• They got rid of the +6 bonus to all saving throws Artificers got at level 20. Why!?!? That was an amazing capstone.
• They need to abandon this random alchemy table nonsense. This is their opportunity to completely revolutionize how the subclass functions and everyone hates how it currently works. They should just start from scratch, maybe building off of the Replicate Magic Item system. Give Alchemists a set of potions they can replicate, and let them expand spell slots of higher levels to create higher level potions (level one for uncommon, level 3 for rare, level 5 for very rare?).
• Dreadnaughts are cool. It's not the way I would have implemented the Artificer Mech option, but it's still cool.
• They need to clarify if you can dual wield Thunder Gauntlets.
• The nerf of Sharpshooter has severely impacted how much Lightning Launcher can do now.
• Why did they nerf Armor Modifications!?!? That was their best ability!
• Being able to choose which option of Eldritch Cannon that you want to use every turn is great.
• You can't detonate your eldritch cannons unless they're reduced to 0 HP first? Weird change.
• I've always been confused by the "two legs or four" restriction on Steel Defenders. RAW, can your Steel Defenders not be a Snake or Ant? It's a weird specification. They could just specify "you can choose what it looks like." I don't see why it matters if it has 1 leg or 20.
• The Steel Defender does 2 more damage per attack. Cool. But by higher levels, in my experience, Steel Defenders mainly become a way to activate Spell Storing Item. Maybe they need Extra Attack at level 11 or something.

 

[Ferrousbones]

The nerf of Sharpshooter has severely impacted how much Lightning Launcher can do now.

Even worse, someone on Reddit pointed out that the UA Lightning Launcher has the Thrown property.

I've always been confused by the "two legs or four" restriction on Steel Defenders.

I think it is to avoid describing it with many limbs, to avoid letting it grapple many creatures at once, or wield/wear many things at once. It really would just be easier to say "You determine the defender’s appearance, but it can have only 2 grappling appendages".

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Can I create magic throwing weapons (axes or knives) with the returning trait (to be used as boomerangs)? And using spells from previous editions? For example a magic crossbow that reload itself. (spell Ghostly Reload from Races of Dragons, 1st level transmutation).

Could I create a psiartificer? it was canon in 3.5 Eberron.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Even worse, someone on Reddit pointed out that the UA Lightning Launcher has the Thrown property.

If you read the 2024 rules, it says a ranged weapon must have either the ammunition or ranged property, even though neither make sense here.

 

[Nord Ronnoc]

Overall, I would say the Artificer in UA is going in a pretty good direction. That doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement. On top of my head, I would love to see the following changes after UA:

• More Replicate Magical Item plans known (up to 12).
• Good idea with Magical Tinkering since many mundane items now have mechanical uses, but why are vials, bedrolls, and blankets included? The latter two usages would only work after finishing a long rest.
• Being able to choose staffs and rods for Replicate Magical Item.
• Options for +2 armor, shield, and wand of the war mage at level 10.
• Apply that d6 from Soul of Artifice to saving throws more than once per turn along with expending any Replicated Magic Item, not just Uncommon and Rare magic items.
• The time boost to crafting for Artillerists should apply to rods and staffs and poisons for Alchemists.
• Like Artillerists and Armorers, Battle Smiths should have a magic weapon as their spellcasting focus.
• Tweak the Homunculus Servant spell so it'll be less punishing should its HP goes to 0, such as not consuming the gem used for the spell.
• Artificers should be able to bypass class limitations on attuning certain magic items at level 14 like before.
• When it comes to wands, weapons, armor, shields, and maybe even staffs for the Replicate Magical Item feature, I think you still need a regular version of that item for balance's sake.
• For Right Tool for the Job, perhaps making the artisan's tools last longer, such as 8 hours, might make it more viable. On the other hand, there's the All-Purpose Tool.
• Add Locate Object, Counterspell, and Remove Curse to the Artificer's spell list. Not having Locate Object especially is a missed opportunity.

 

[Hatmatter]

You could just publish the 2019 sidekick classes to D&D Beyond as-is.

I really, really enjoyed those! They are terrific as a way to integrate young children who are also complete novices into a campaign with experienced players...kind of a throwback to Basic D&D simple class design existing within the much more sophisticated D&D rules environment.

 

[Shades of Eternity]

yay! now make it open source so we can go crazy and really develop it. Pointy hat particularly lamented on this point as he's itching to play with the class.

 

[bedir than]

yay! now make it open source so we can go crazy and really develop it. Pointy hat particularly lamented on this point as he's itching to play with the class.

Doubtful that they make the Artificer part of the CC. They didn't last time and they still don't have a 2024 SRD

 

[Weiley31]

I like the idea of a Steel Defender using Conjure Barrage. Or a fireball. Or Hasting it's master.