The thirteenth class of Dungeons and Dragons is finally getting an update to go along with the revised 2024 ruleset. While it currently exists in an unfinished state via Unearthed Arcana, it's clear that the artificer subclass will not be left behind in 5th edition. This magical tinkerer is here to stay and now has some new and improved abilities.
Most of the changes have to do with updates to TTRPG balance in general, with changes to spell usage and healing being especially pertinent to this class. But subtle adjustments and touches can be found throughout the artificer's features, from your first level skill to your fundamental power. These ten changes stand out as the most vital of those released in the Unearthed Arcana version of the class so far.
10
Magical manipulation is more versatile than ever
Crafting useful items whenever needed
The artificer's first-level feature has seen some of the biggest changes from the older version of the class. In the previous rules, magical adjustments were used to create essentially the same effects as the sleight of hand trick, tied only to an object that can express the given effect indefinitely. But sleight of hand is also just a spell that artificers have, and the new version of this feature aims to bring something unique to the table.
Magic adjustments now allow the artificer to use an action to create a mundane object, such as a rope, a shovel, or a torch. There is a set list of adventuring equipment that all artificers can make, which increases in size as they reach higher levels. This basically gives artificers a blanket of useful items by default, allowing them to create whatever tool they need for the job at any time.
9
Subclasses have extended crafting lists
Brewing Potions and Assembling Armor
When it comes to crafting supplies, each artificer subclass receives a buff for crafting the type of equipment associated with their specialization. For example, alchemists can brew potions and elixirs in half the time other characters canwhile armorers can do the same with armor, gunners with wands, and battlesmiths with weapons.
This seems similar to the old savant feature that wizards got at level two in 5th edition, and it makes artificers feel like expert artisans in their areas of expertise. And speaking of artisans, both this and the magic adjustments feature have been partially changed to make the craftsman still useful as a talent. The abilities provided by the artificer class and the artisan talent don't overlap much, and artificers can still benefit from starting with the artisan talent using their origin.
8
New type of artificer armor
The Armorer can become a Battleship
Each of the artificer subclasses received some changes to their combat mechanics, and the armorer change came in the form of a new armor subtype. There are still guardian and infiltrator armor models to choose from when these characters create their own protection, but they can also choose to become a dreadnaught. Dreadnaught armor was created to be more durable and attract attention, contrary to the infiltrator's stealth or the guardian's superior damage.
It's definitely nice to have another armor archetype on the table, providing gunsmiths with additional options during character creation. It helps that you can still change your armor model during a short or long rest, meaning armorers can adapt their equipment to suit the task at hand.
7
Healing and potions are better than before
Updates to D&D rules make the Alchemist better
This change has less to do with the craftsman and more to do with DND overall, but it's worth mentioning as it drastically changes the power of a subclass. The subclass in question is the alchemist, which focuses on brewing potions and alchemical effects. This subclass is often seen as the weakest of the artificer's options, but it is certainly stronger now, since consuming potions only costs a bonus action in the 2024 rules.
This means that anyone in the alchemist's party can choose to gulp down their experimental elixirs without wasting an entire action doing so, making them much more viable in the thick of combat. It's also helpful that the randomness of experimental elixir effects has been decreased, putting its powers more in the player's hands, and alchemists can create more elixirs at once. Put it all together with the effectiveness of healing spells and potions increased, and the alchemist improved by leaps and bounds.
6
Artillery weapons are more adaptable
No longer limited to one projectile type
The artilleryman is the most destruction-focused artificer subclass, but their ability to create otherworldly cannons often felt limited in the old rules. There was three cannon models, which the artificer chose when he performed an action to create one. They had to choose the power ballista, flamethrower, or shield, and stick to that decision until they used an action to create another cannon.
Because the gunner often wanted to create his cannon before combat began, it was difficult to make this choice on a scenario-by-scenario basis, and the power ballista often became the default choice. Now, an old cannon can perform the actions of any of these models, capable of being a ballista, flamethrower or protector from turn to turn. It gives the gunner enormous versatility and generally makes these other cannon models worth using.
5
A stronger steel defender
Polishing the Bread and Butter of the Battle Smith Subclass
The main feature of the Battle Smith subclass was its steel defender, a robotic companion to protect the artificer from danger and attack his enemies. It has many useful features, including acting as an effective sentry and being able to block certain attacks. But the defender's durability left a lot to be desired, lacking adequate hit points to remain in combat once targeted by enemy attacks. Most of the battlesmith's resources depend on having the steel defender intact, so seeing it get destroyed so often was quite disappointing.
The new version of the battlesmith has received a simple but effective change: increased health for the steel defender and better damage for his attacks. These small differences immensely increase the survivability of companions and thus improve the overall experience of playing as a battlesmith.
4
The Capstone skill has some subtle changes
Artificers are harder to kill
The artificer's fundamental skill at level 20 has been tweaked to make it a little better, although a certain change may not be to everyone's taste. The old culmination feature had two parts, just like the new one: the artificer could choose to destroy one of their infused items when they dropped to 0 hit points to end up with 1, and the artificer gained a bonus to all saving throws equal to the number of items he was attuned to.
This was quite powerful, although the attunement requirement and measly 1 hit point left a lot to be desired. The new feature allows artificers to drop up to 20 health points, a marked improvement that could be the difference between life and death. As for the second effect, it was changed so that as long as the artificers are attuned to at least one magical item in D&Dthey can choose to add 1d6 to any ability check they make per turn. This makes the benefit able to be applied more frequently, but the switch from saving throws to ability checks is a steep decline for the class.
3
These characters can turn magic items into spell slots
Dissolving Gear into Arcane Energy
An entirely new feature in the artificer's list is “magic item funnel”, which allows an artificer to exchange one of their crafted magic items to cast additional spells during combat. They can do this as a bonus action, destroying a common, uncommon, or rare item they created in exchange for a tier one or tier two slot. They can do this once per long rest.
This feature may not be very useful, but it can be useful if a certain item ends up not being very useful and the artificer needs more magic at their disposal. They can always recreate the item during their next long rest, and gaining an extra slot for heal wounds or shield can be a literal lifesaver in some cases.
2
Servant Homunculus is now a spell
No longer limited to one infusion
One infusion in the ancient artificer's list was the homunculus servant, who was a small construction that fought alongside and worked for the craftsman. It still exists in the new rules, but no longer as an infusion; now, it's a 2nd-level spell that any artificer can prepare at the start of a day of adventuring. It no longer takes up valuable space in the types of creations an artificer knows how to make and can be summoned as needed on the fly.
The homunculus' statistics remain largely unchanged, although it now has ability, health, and damage checks that can increase or decrease depending on the level of the spell slot used to create it. It also has the added advantage of no longer requiring a bonus action to command, instead being able to act purely on the spoken commands of the artificer who created it. It's a very good spell that any artificer would do well to use.
1
The infusion item is now a replica of the magic item
An important change in the use of this essential skill
Without a doubt, the biggest change to the artificer came in its second-level feature, the ability that forms the basis of the entire artificer class: infusion item, now called replication magic item. The old version of this ability allowed artificers to place magic into an existing mundane item, altering it until the next time they took a long rest. This meant that artificers needed a mundane item to start and limited the types of infusions they could use to the items they had on hand.
Now the artificer can create their own magical items completely from scratch. More, the items that craftsmen can make are no longer restricted to a predetermined table. They can make any magical item they wish, as long as it is not scrolls, potions, or cursed. Just considering 2024 Damagewhich gives artificers around 300 magical items to choose from for their equipment and allows them to make any future items introduced in the Dungeons and Dragons.
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