Artificer, 7th Variant (5e Class)
Artificer
Crouching on a stone outcropping, a halfling braces a sleek metal pole against her shoulder, looking down the barrel toward the center of the orc encampment. As soon as the chief's headdress peaked out from the tents, a loud boom echoes from her hiding spot as the back of the orc chieftain's head explodes.
Running into the alleyway, an elf throws a sack of sticky goo over his shoulder, letting it explode and cover the entrance to his escape route. The pair of guards chasing him stop just short of the black goop, as the elf climbs to the rooftops with the help of his metallic bear.
Ironing out a set of robes with her runearm, a gnome sits at the corner of a corridor, slowly imbuing her companion's clothes with a protective enchantment. Despite the inconvenience of sitting in the damp darkness barely clothed, he'll thank her later when her magic saves his head.
An aasimar darts down an alleyway hoping to lose her pursuers. Her stomach turns as she sees a high wall and hears shouts echo behind her. With a last-ditch sprinting adrenaline surge, she downs a vial of red liquid and leaps for the top of the wall. Three times higher than she's ever leapt before. She hangs in the air for an eternity. It feels like flying. She hits the peak like a bag of bricks. Her lungs flatten, crushed under the weight of a thousand boulders. Desperately scrambling to the other side, her limbs are useless lumps of stone. She drops to the ground like a lead weight, breathing hard, catching up with herself, sucking labored air into her chest. She stands up and drinks from a green vial, taking the appearance of an older elf. She may have lost them for now, but she's not done yet. There's still work to do.
Tinkers, makers, and experimenters all, artificers are defined by their inventive nature. Like wizards and scholars of the arcane, they see magic as an intricate system waiting to be decoded and adapted with a combination of thorough study, investigation, and perhaps a bit of luck. Yet instead of investing solely in theory and academia, they seek to employ their knowledge in practical, day-to-day applications, often involving wonderous magical objects and concoctions. Spells, in their eyes, commonly being too ephemeral and temporary for the task at hand.
Known Creators
An Artificer is known for their ingenuity and skill in using and manipulating magic through tools, alchemy, and inventions. They’re essentially magical inventors and engineers, blending the power of arcane spells with scientific knowledge to create unique magical devices, potions, and enchanted weaponry. Unlike wizards, who draw magic from intense study of spells, artificers use creativity and craftsmanship to infuse objects with magical properties, acting as a bridge between magic and technology.
Brain Over Brawn
An Artificer is a unique character who views the world through a blend of science and magic, often seeing magical problems as mechanical ones to be solved. They’re often inquisitive, resourceful, and meticulous, combining practical knowledge with arcane power. Artificers might be tinkerers, inventors, or even eccentric geniuses who live in cluttered workshops filled with experimental gadgets and curious magical devices. In roleplay, they bring a flair for invention and a logical approach to magical situations, which can lead to creative solutions and sometimes even comedic moments when their “experiments” don’t go as planned.
Creating an Artificer
When creating an artificer character, think about your character’s background and drive for adventure. Does the character have a rival? What is the character’s relationship with the artisan or artificer who taught the basics of the craft? Talk to your DM about the role played by artificers in the campaign, and what sort of organizations and NPCs you might have ties to.
- Quick Build
You can make an Artificer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom or Dexterity. Second, choose the guild artisan background. Third, choose the prestidigitagion and shocking grasp cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells alarm, burning hands, and cure wounds.
Class Features
As a Artificer you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Artificer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Artificer level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light and medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, Hand crossbow, Heavy crossbow
Tools: thieves’ tools
Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Choose three from Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Performance, Religion, and Sleight of Hand
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a handaxe and a light hammer or (b) any two simple weapons
- a light crossbow and 20 bolts
- (a) scale mail or (b) leather armor
- thieves’ tools, a dungeoneer’s pack, and one set of tools you are proficent with.
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10 gp in funds.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Total Wounderous Inventions | Cantrips Known | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||
| 1st | +2 | Artificer Specialization, Magic Item Analysis, Invention magic | - | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Tool Expertise, Wonderous Inventions | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Arcanic Construction | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Superior Attunement | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Artificer Specialization feature | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | - | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | - | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Artificer Specialization feature | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Superior Attunement | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | Artificer Specialization feature | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | — | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | - | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Soul of Artifice | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Artificer Specialization
At 1st level, you chose an Artificer Specialization. Choose between the Alchemist, the Gunsmith, the Life Mechanic, and the Eldritch Crafter, which are all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Magic Item Analysis
Starting at 1st level, your understanding of magic items allows you to analyze and understand their secrets. You can cast the artificer spells detect magic and identify as rituals without a spell tool. You don’t need to provide a material component when casting identify with this class feature. Additionally, artificers ignore all restrictions on magic item attunement for any non-artifact magic item. At 11th level, you can create magic items quicker than most. If you are working on creating a magic item, spell scroll, spell tool or potion, you can half the time it takes to create the item.
Invention Magic
Spellcasting Ability
Your spellcasting ability is Intelligence.
Spell Save DC
Your Spell Save DC is = 10 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
Spell Attack Modifier
Your Spell Attack Modifier is = your Proficiency Bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
Cantrips
At 1st level you know 2 cantrips from the Wizard spell list. You learn more cantrips as you level up.
Spells known
The Artificer table shows how many Spell Slots you have to cast your Spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these Spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended Spell Slots when you finish a Long Rest.
You prepare the list of Spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Wizard spell list. In addition, you may prepare and cast any spells from the artificer spell list. When you do so, choose a number of Spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Artificer level (minimum of one spell). The Spells must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots.
For example, if you are a 3rd-level Artificer, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level Spell Slots. With an intelligence of 16, your list of prepared Spells can include six Spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell Identify, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared Spells.
You can change your list of prepared Spells when you finish a Long Rest. Preparing a new list of Spells requires time spent in meditation: at least 1 minute per Spell Level for each spell on your list.
Tool Expertise
Starting at 2nd level, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses any of the tool proficiencies you gain from this class. You now also learn new tool proficiencies at half the time and cost.
Wondrous Inventions
At 2nd level, you gain the use of magic items that you have crafted. Choose two items from the list of 2nd-level items below. Crafting an item is a difficult task. When you gain a magic item from this feature, it reflects long hours of study, tinkering, and experimentation that allowed you to finally complete the item. You are assumed to work on this item in your leisure time and to finish it when you level up. You complete another item of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class: 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level. The item you choose must be on the list for your current artificer level or a lower level. These magic items are detailed in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. If an item you craft from this feature is destroyed in some way, you can craft another of the same type without special materials, as you know the formula for any item you craft with this feature. See the Restoring Wonderous Inventions table for construction time and cost. You cannot gain more than 8 items from this feature. You can craft any item you gain from this feature again using the rules for crafting magic items in the Dungeon Master’s Guide or Xanathar's Guide to Everything.
2nd level: bracers of archery, cap of water breathing, driftglobe, goggles of night, helm of comprehending languages, immovable rod, ring of swimming, ring of jumping, sending stones
5th level: alchemy jug, lantern of revealing, rope of climbing, wand of magic detection, wand of secrets
7th level: bag of beans, bag of holding, chime of opening, dimensional shackles, gem of brightness
9th level: boots of striding and springing, decanter of endless water, folding boat, Heward’s handy haversack, robe of useful items
12th level: brooch of shielding, broom of flying, eyes of minute seeing, hat of disguise, slippers of spider climbing
15th level: eyes of the eagle, gloves of missile snaring, gloves of swimming and climbing, portable hole, ring of mind shielding, wings of flying
18th level: apparatus of kawalish, iron flask, ring of spell turning, well of many worlds
| Rarity | Time | Cost | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Uncommon | 1 workweek | 100gp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rare | 5 workweeks | 1,000gp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Very Rare | 13 workweeks | 5,000gp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Legendary | 25 workweeks | 10,000gp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arcanic ConstructionAt 3rd level, the research and mastery of your craft allow you to produce a mechanical invention to assist you in your occupation. Choose either Mechanical Servant or Runearm.
You build a robotic servant to help you. The servant is a construct that obeys your commands without hesitation and functions in combat to protect you. Though magic fuels its creation, the servant is not magical itself. You are assumed to have been working on the servant for quite some time, finally finishing it during a short or long rest after you reach 3rd level. Select a Large or Smaller Humanoid, Beast, or Monstrosity with a challenge rating of 2. The servant uses that creature's game statistics, but it can look however you like, as long as its form is appropriate for its statistics. It has the following modifications: • It is a construct instead of its original creature type. • It can’t be charmed. • It can’t be feared. • It is immune to psychic damage. • It is immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition. • It gains darkvision with a range of 60 feet if it doesn’t have it already. • It understands the languages you can speak when you create it, but it can’t speak. • It replaces the creature's proficiency bonus with yours. • It has a number of hit dice equal to the number of hit dice you have. It gains a hit dice whenever you gain one, which does increase it's hit points. The die for it's hit dice is a d10. You also add it's form's Constitution modifier times the number of hit dice it has to it's hit points. • If you are the target of a melee attack and the servant is within 5 feet of the attacker, you can use your reaction to command the servant to respond, using its reaction to make a melee attack against the attacker. The servant obeys your orders to the best of its ability. In combat, it acts on your initiative, and you determine its actions and decisions. If you are incapacitated or absent, your servant acts on its own. If the servant is killed, it can't be returned to life via normal means, such as with the revivify spell. If you have access to the body, over the course of a long rest you can repair a slain servant for 750GP. It returns to life with 1 hit point at the end of the rest. Spells that restore hit points, such as cure wounds, that would not normally affect a construct can affect the servant. During a short rest, it can spend hit dice if you are conscious and willing to fix it up. If the servant is beyond recovery, you can build a new one with one week of work (eight hours each day) and 1,000gp of raw materials.
You build a gauntlet inscribed with runes that fits over your entire forearm. You are assumed to have been working on the runearm for quite some time, finally finishing it during a short or long rest after you reach 3rd level. It can look however you want, but its base function is the same. You have proficiency with any unarmed strike you make with the gauntlet, you can use your Intelligence for the attack instead of your Strength, and it deals 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier force damage instead of the normal unarmed strike damage. This damage increases when you reach certain levels. At 7th level, the dice increases to 1d6, at 13th level, it increases to 1d8, and at 18th, it increases to 1d10. A runearm can also function as your artificer spellcasting focus for any spell of 5th level or lower, as long as you have crafted the spell tool for the spell you want to cast, and have that spell tool attuned to you. This allows you to cast artificer spells without the appropriate spell tool on your person. A runearm also supplements an artificer's magical capabilities. When you gain your runearm, choose two cantrips from the Wizard spell list. You can cast those cantrips from your runearm if you have it equipped. You use your Artificer spellcasting ability to cast these spells. Additionally, the runearm allows you to cast one additional spell of 1st to 5th level that you have made a spell tool for from it without using a spell slot. When cast in this way, the spell is of it's lowest level version instead of using your spell slot level. After using this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest. If you lose your runearm or it is destroyed, you can build a new one with one week of work (eight hours each day) and 1,000gp of raw materials. Any creature other than you that attempts to use your Runearm automatically fails, as it's magic is attuned to you and you alone. Ability Score IncreaseWhen you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Superior AttunementAt 5th level, your superior understanding of magic items allows you to master their use. You can now attune to up to four, rather than three, magic items at a time. At 11th level, this limit increases to five magic items. Mystic DeviceAt 11th level, you craft an especially powerful spell tool called a mystic device. Choose one 6th-level spell from the artificer spell list as this device. You can use your device to cast it's spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again. These devices follow the same rules for components as your spell tools. At higher levels, you gain more mystic devices of your choice that can be used in this way: one 7th-level spell at 13th level, one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. You gain an associated device for each one. You regain all uses of your Mystic Device feature when you finish a long rest. A mystic device weighs at least 2 pounds.
You can create more mystic devices through a long and tedious process of trial and error involving magic items. By spending one workweek, 1000gp per spell level, and a magic item based on the spell level, found on the Mystic Device Magic Item Cost chart, you can choose another spell of 6th level or higher from the artificer spell list to have as a mystic device. You must have another mystic device of the same level as the one you wish to create. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the mystic device to master its use, the more refined materials you need to craft the final design, as well as the permanent magical energy from a magic item needed to power the device. Artifacts cannot be used in this process. Your mystic devices can look however you want, but you must be able to give a reasonable explanation as to how it allows you to cast the spell.
When you are attuning to spell tools, you can also attune to a number of mystic devices equal to the number of mystic devices you have gained from level increases. You cannot attune two mystic devices with associated spells that are of the same spell level. These do not count toward the number of spell tools you can attune to, nor toward your magic item attunements. Once you have attuned to a mystic device, it is bonded to you, and every part of it will reappear on your person after 1 minute if you drop it or give it to another creature. This only functions for any mystic device you have attuned to. Mystic devices are immune to damage. These objects magically stay in the condition you require for their use.
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