Artificer Class
Masters of invention, artificers use ingenuity and magic to unlock extraordinary capabilities in objects. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and then harnessed in their spells and inventions. You can find everything you need to play one of these inventors in the next few sections.
Artificers use a variety of tools to channel their arcane power. To cast a spell, an artificer might use alchemist's supplies to create a potent elixir, calligrapher's supplies to inscribe a sigil of power, or tinker's tools to craft a temporary charm. The magic of artificers is tied to their tools and their talents, and few other characters can produce the right tool for a job as well as an artificer.
You must have an Intelligence score of 13 or higher in order to multiclass in or out of this class.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Item Plans | Magic Items | Cantrips Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Magical Tinkering, Spellcasting | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | |
| 2nd | +2 | Replicate Magic Item, Tinkers Insight | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | |
| 3rd | +2 | Artificer Specialist, The Right Tool for the Job | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | |
| 5th | +3 | Artificer Specialist feature | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | |
| 6th | +3 | Magic Item Tinker | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | |
| 7th | +3 | Flash of Genius | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | |
| 9th | +4 | Artificer Specialist feature | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | |
| 10th | +4 | Magic Item Adept | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | |
| 11th | +4 | - | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | |
| 13th | +5 | - | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | |
| 14th | +5 | Magic Item Savant | 10 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | |
| 15th | +5 | Artificer Specialist feature | 10 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 10 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | |
| 17th | +6 | - | 10 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| 18th | +6 | Magic Item Master | 12 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 12 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 20th | +6 | Soul of Artifice | 12 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Class Features
As an artificer, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per artificer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per artificer level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Thieves’ tools, tinker’s tools, one type of artisan’s tools of your choice
Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Sleight of Hand
Magical Tinkering
Beginning at 1st level, you gain the following benefits:
- You know the Mending cantrip.
As an action while holding Tinker’s Tools, you can create one item in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of yourself, choosing the item from the following list:
| Ball Bearings | Flask | Pouch |
|---|---|---|
| Basket | Grappling Hook | Rope |
| Bedroll | Hunting Trap | Sack |
| Bell | Jug | Shovel |
| Blanket | Lamp | Spikes, Iron |
| Block and Tackle | Manacles | String |
| Bottle, Glass | Net | Tinderbox |
| Bucket | Oil | Torch |
| Caltrops | Paper | Vial |
| Candle | Parchment | |
| Crowbar | Pole |
See the rules for the item in the Player’s Handbook. The item lasts until you finish a Long Rest, at which point it vanishes.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Spellcasting
Also at 1st level, You've studied the workings of magic and how to cast spells, channeling the magic through objects. To observers, you don't appear to be casting spells in a conventional way; you appear to produce wonders from mundane items and outlandish inventions.
Tools Required
You produce your artificer spell effects through your tools. You must have a spellcasting focus - specifically thieves' tools or some kind of artisan's tool - in hand when you cast any spell with this Spellcasting feature (meaning the spell has an "M" component when you cast it). You must be proficient with the tool to use it in this way. See the equipment chapter in the Player's Handbook for descriptions of these tools.
After you gain the Infuse Item feature at 2nd level, you can also use any item bearing one of your infusions as a spellcasting focus.
Cantrips (0-Level Spells)
At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the artificer spell list. At higher levels, you learn additional artificer cantrips of your choice, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Artificer table.
When you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the artificer cantrips you know with another cantrip from the artificer spell list.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Artificer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your artificer spells. To cast one of your artificer spells of 1st level or higher, 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 artificer spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the artificer spell list. When you do so, choose a number of artificer spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your artificer level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level artificer, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell Cure Wounds, you can cast it using a lst-level or a 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 artificer spells requires time spent tinkering with your spellcasting focuses: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your artificer spells; your understanding of the theory behind magic allows you to wield these spells with superior skill. You use your Intelligence whenever an artificer spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an artificer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Ritual Casting
You can cast an artificer spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
Replicate Magic Item
At 2nd level, You have learned arcane plans that you use to make magic items.
Plans Known. When you gain this feature, choose four plans to learn from the Magic Item Plans (Artificer Level 2+) table. Whenever you gain an Artificer level, you can replace one of the plans you know with a new plan for which you qualify.
You learn another plan of your choice when you reach certain Artificer levels, as shown in the Plans Known column of the Artificer Features table. When you choose a plan to learn, you choose it from any Magic Item Plans table for which you qualify; your qualification is based on your Artificer level.
Creating an Item. When you finish a Long Rest, you can create one or two different magic items if you have Tinker’s Tools in hand. Each item is based on one of the plans you know for this feature.
If a created item requires Attunement, you can attune yourself to it the instant you create it. If you decide to attune to the item later, you must do so using the normal process for Attunement.
When you reach certain Artificer levels specified in the Magic Items column of the Artificer Features table, the number of magic items you can create at the end of a Long Rest increases. Each item you create must be based on a different plan you know.
You can’t have more magic items from this feature than the number shown in the Magic Items column of the Artificer Features table for your level. If you try to exceed your maximum number of magic items for this feature, the oldest item vanishes, and then the new item appears.
Duration. A magic item created by this feature functions as the normal magic item, except its magic isn’t permanent; when you die, the magic item vanishes after 1d4 days. If you replace a plan you know with a new plan, any magic item created with the replaced plan immediately vanishes.
If an item that you created with this feature is a container, such as a Bag of Holding, and it vanishes, its contents harmlessly appear in and around its space.
Spellcasting Focus. You can use any Wand or Weapon created by this feature as a Spellcasting Focus in lieu of using a set of Artisan’s Tools.
Tinkers Insight
Also at 2nd level, your expert understanding of the magic of artifice allows you to empower your magical items. you can choose to use your Artificer Spell save DC in place of the magic item's DC.
Artificer Specialist
At 3rd level, you choose the type of specialist you are. Your choice grants you features at 5th level and again at 9th and 15th level.
- Alchemist
- Armorer
- Artillerist
- Battle Smith
- Biomancer
- QuarterMaster
- Weaponwright
The Right Tool for the Job
At 3rd level, you've learned how to produce exactly the tool you need: with thieves' tools or artisan's tools in hand, you can magically create one set of artisan's tools in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. This creation requires 1 hour of uninterrupted work, which can coincide with a short or long rest. Though the product of magic, the tools are nonmagical, and they vanish when you use this feature again.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, 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.
Magic Item Tinker
Your Replicate Magic Item feature gains the following options.
Charge Magic Item. As a Bonus Action, you can touch a magic item within 5 feet of yourself that you created with Replicate Magic Item and that uses charges. You expend a level 1+ spell slot and recharge the item. The number of charges the item regains is equal to the level of spell slot expended.
Drain Magic Item. As a Bonus Action, you can touch a magic item within 5 feet of yourself that you created with Replicate Magic Item and cause the item to vanish, converting its magical energy into a spell slot. The slot is level 1 if the item is Common or level 2 if the item is Uncommon or Rare. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest. Any spell slot you create with this feature vanishes when you finish a Long Rest.
Transmute Magic Item. As a Magic action, you can touch one magic item within 5 feet of yourself that you created with Replicate Magic Item and transform it into a different magic item. The resulting item must be based on a magic item plan you know. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.
Flash of Genius
At 7th level, you've gained the ability to come up with solutions under pressure. When you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you fails an ability check or a saving throw, you can take a Reaction to add a bonus to the roll, potentially causing it to succeed. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once). You regain one use upon completing a short rest, and all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Magic Item Adept
When you reach 10th level, you achieve a profound understanding of how to use magic items:
- You gain 2 additional Attunement points
Magic Item Savant
At 14th level, your skill with magic items deepens more:
- You gain 2 additional Attunement Points (total of 4 bonus points)
- You ignore all class, race, spell and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item.
Magic Item Master
Starting at 18th level, you gain an additional 2 attunement points (total of 6 bonus points)
Soul of Artifice
At 20th level, you develop a mystical connection to your magic items, which you can draw on for protection:
- Cheat Death. If you’re reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright, you can disintegrate any number of Uncommon or Rare magic items created by your Replicate Magic Item feature. If you do so, your Hit Points instead change to a number equal to 20 times the number of magic items disintegrated.
- Magical Guidance. When you finish a Short Rest, you regain all expended uses of your Flash of Genius if you have Attunement to at least one magic item.
Design Notes:
Unlike the other two half casters, artificers get cantrips. this is balanced out by them not inherently getting martial weapons, heavy armor, or the Fighting style option.
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