No respect for Alchemy Jug! Has it been mechanically useful after months of sessions? No! Will I keep trying to use mayonnaise to save the day? Always.
@@invertedghostgames9899 Remember that the alchemy jug weighs 12 lbs no matter what, so in order to throw the jug, you would need to be at least lvl 9 and use up a lvl 3 spell slot.
Ran a dragon hunting one-shot, one of my players rolled up with an armorer, cast enlarge on himself, and grappled the adult red dragon, using armor of magical strength and flash of genius to maintain that grapple for 6 rounds, during which he was hit with several breath weapons and kept concentration with mind sharpener. The dragon (STR 29) had no chance of escaping the grapple, and couldn't use legendary resistance to get out because they were contested checks not saves. Whole party plinked away at the dragon while the enbiggened artificer sat on him. some of these infusions look a little middling at first, but when it all comes together, it can multiply their strength
We fought against a sentient unicorn balloon with 99,999 health and a 30 in every state. Enlarge is broken. We barely lost because we were fight this thing in the sun and it pushed my mech that I enlarged until it was 4 miles tall into the sides, which sent me to the shadow realm and almost blinded my friend. My DM's older brother literally just sat down at the table, pulled the balloon from his sister birthday party and said "roll initiative." For the record, we were all level 20 and I had a shovel that did 1d20+5 and would always crit if you attacked in midair, which coupled with the enlarged mech and a repulser shield being used to gain ridiculous height, as well as having banishing smite help inside it, almost one shotted it. Thankfully, while we were in the shadow realm(which has some really trippy visuals), we learned some lore about the final boss that revealed that the creator god of the setting was actually an intergalactic conquering force that took over a wizards apprentice (she was also apprenticed alongside a party member) and was using her to remain technically outside of of deific law while racking up a kill count in the Quadrillions. Our last session was wild, but the main takeaway I got from it was that enlarge is op.
A thing that got overlooked in "Replicate Magic item" is this line: "Alternatively, you can choose the magic item from among the common magic items in the game, not including potions or scrolls." The Spellwrought Tattoo (1st Level) is a common magic item. Now you (or anyone in your party, even non-casters) have access to every 1st level spell in the game and it can be cast once before disappearing, requiring no material components. Give your Assassin Rogue Find Familiar. Give your Monk Shield. Hey Mr Wizard, you want Cure Wounds or Healing Word? Tank Fighter with Compelled Duel, nice! Bless, Bane, Disguise Self, Faerie Fire, Hex? No worries! And you can re-infuse every long rest to change the spell. Good times all around :-D
Even better, Find Familiar is technically only "cast" once in order to get the familiar by your side, then the spell is done until you need to reshape or resummon them. Depending on your DM's ruling, this could mean that the tattoo disappears and the infusion freed up the moment a familiar appears, allowing an artificer to supply their whole party with familiars. But again, DMs get the final say for their campaign. I personally would rule that Spellwrought Tattoo (1st Level) would function like the Replicate Magic Item limitations, in that each choice of spell is a separate infusion. It could also be argued that the Artificer creating the tattoo would need to know the spell they were inscribing prior to making a magic item based on that spell.
Ugh the argument about this exploit has been terrible on the forums. Some say it is an oversight, some say it’s intentional. Crawford hasn’t brought up an answer so the argument still rages on. For my money it fits well in line with the all-purpose tool which gives access to any cantrip in any spell list for eight hours a day. Also expect for the find familiar spell it isn’t really overpowered.
Also it says when to spell ends the tat goes away so i have looked at it as the find familiar tattoo doesn't go away till it dieds. But thats my thought on it. And i think that a dm limiting it to only artificer spell list would be a reasonable.
@@izunagi9064 As far as balance, that's a very reasonable ruling. As far as wording of the spell, Find Familiar is a 10-minute casting time and Instantaneous duration. My DM was okay with it, but every time the party gets their familiars killed it takes multiple days' worth of infusions to get them all back. Between that, a Steel Defender, and Homunculus servant, my artificer is basically a pokemon trainer at this point.
@@LowellRice42 yeah but more on the ruling i came up with is cause of the texting stating in spellwrought is that the tattoo glows for the duration of the spell then disappear and i thought spells with instantaneous means they have a duration of infinite or til its dispelled or killed in find familiar case. So by this idea the tattoo would be an active infusion so you couldnt make another till it was gone. But this just an idea.
I'm currently playing a Gunslinger, and Repeating Shot is a 10/5 in that context; not having to lose attacks to reloading *and* getting the +1 to attack and damage rolls is incredible. My gratitude to our artificer knows no bounds.
My favourite infusion is to use a slice of apple instead of onion when dry frying salmon. It gives the salmon a delightful hint of apple flavouring that tastes way better than you're thinking, go on try it... its amazing. I guess that doesn't really help artificers though, unless they're cooks.
Radiant weapon also gives the weapon +1 to attack and damage rolls, making it a strictly better "Enhaced weapon" from level 6-10, until "Enhanced weapon" upgrades to a +2
Yeah, it's a wild whipsaw to hear - Enhanced weapon is always useful and great (I don't actually agree, not nearly as good as enhanced armor) and then hearing that the Radiant weapon is niche.
I think it's perfectly acceptable for Artificers to use all of their infusions on themselves, especially at lower levels when you have two whole infusions that can be active at once. and if you are a Battle Smith, you NEED to have a magic weapon for some of your features to even work, so there goes one automatically. I think it's important to keep in mind just how restricted many classes are at low levels, because most people don't get past level 10, and even less people get past level 5.
Bag of holding is also pretty important if you're playing realistically. Most artificers have multiple sets of tools that are nice to have handy. Infusions are the core artificer class ability. To say it's selfish to keep them for yourself is pretty silly.
Yeah I typically used both on myself until I got three, and it's the third that usually gets swapped around, currently as a spell refueling ring on the cleric. If I really expect tough combat I may give the paladin an enhanced weapon (the barbarian already got a magic weapon) too since I'm an artillerist and my homonculous is less useful than my cannons, but for average days my homonculous has a lot of versatility that helps.
It depends on if your party has blatant holes that you could fill but clearly choose not to because buffing your party doesn’t make you feel as cool as buffing yourself, even when your impact would be much higher. Do you only use your flash of genius to help yourself, even when it results in you having spares at the end of every adventuring day? Would you use a lore bard’s inspiration exclusively for cutting words against attacks against you? The reality of support classes is that they always have the versatility to help themselves or someone else relative to non-support classes. Go figure how using those abilities tend to be best used. I’m all for roleplay that lends itself to a selfish character, but I would hope such a character at my table would grow over time if they were playing a support class, rather than seeing meta-reasoning that no class should be expected by the party to do anything.
One of the things you missed with Enhanced Arcane Focus, is that you also ignore half cover, making it almost a pseudo sharpshooter for spells. Also as an Artillerist, both your Homunculus and your Eldritch Cannons (force ballista) will benefit from your extra spell attack modifiers.
Enhanced Arcane Focus is a wand of the Warmage as an infusion. They did this because with the release of Tasha's they made a Rod of the Pactkeeper equivalent for all caster classes.
the wording on enhanced arcane focus is “While holding this item, a creature gains a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls. In addition, the creature ignores half cover when making a spell attack.” the homunculus servant is a different creature so it likely isn’t meant to gain the bonus from it, but the eldritch cannons might because it does say you’re making the spell attack roll. check with your DM. personally i’d allow it to affect the cannons, the servant, the steel defender AND any of the summoned creatures from tasha’s summon spells, but YMMV
@@Hazel-xl8in but the wording on the Homunculus and your Eldritch Cannon is that they scale based on YOUR spell attack, they don't have one of their own, they borrow yours. So if yours goes up, it seems automatic to me that theirs goes up too.
I think Repeating Shot is still a 5/5 even for crossbow experts: you can use a shield and a Hand Crossbow at the same time, because standardly, you have to have a hand free to reload your hand crossbow which means you can't wield a shield the sharpshooter/crossbow expert definitely could appreciate that +2 AC
Also any magical item a Artificer infuses can also be used as a spell focus. So being able to cast spells while having a Hand Crossbow and a shield is also nice.
Exactly repeating shot is fantastic with crossbow expert and the other thing you can do is be using a 1 handed melee weapon and a hand crossbow so you can target someone you are in combat with with both weapons or still be engaging them and shoot someone else
@@LupineShadowOmega just because you have a spell focus doesn't me you don't need a free hand still. now if you have warcaster then that's a moot point.
One thing I'll say about Resistant Armor: resistance to cold or fire damage in an arctic or desert campaign removes the need to make Con saves against those environments for exposure
My artificer was running both Enhanced Defense and Resistant Armor at the same time, while out and about Enhanced armor. "hey can you go hunt these salamanders and a chimera?" one arcana check later (to see if I know the resistances/vulnerabilities) I switch to Resistant Armor when we camp within sight of the Volcano they're nesting in/on. It was super effective.
I'm playing a battlesmith in descent into avernus, whilst we're not yet in avernus, I imagine I'm going to be basically forced to take this when we do.
I love the fact that Replicate Magic Item allows you to “hack into” the Hammer of Thunderbolts by making a Belt of Giant Strength and Gauntlets of Ogre Power in order to use all of its abilities without having to find the necessary magic items from your DM.
You can just use the hammer of thunder bolts though maybe I’m wrong. It says You ignore all class, race, spell and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item. Does not ignore item requirements I guess
@@blairbrook1336 Yeah it doesn't ignore item requirements but imo the item requirements for that is just dumb. Just give them their hammer of thunderbolts...the party doesn't need to go questing for the other two items (unless they want to, I guess)
@@snazzyfeathers The whole point of that is to allow stacking of bonuses from the items while making older items useful again. Early on you get the Gauntlets that is useful early on and then you go for the Belt of Giant strength for that 21-29 strength. Then you find the hammer. If you don't have these Items then it is just a +1 weapon but if you have the belt and gaunlets you are likely using the belt and now you attune to the hammer and the Gauntlets are now a +4 strenth bonus essentially upgrading the belt and it gives you a limited attack option. If you are a lvl 20 Barbarian then you can ignore belt Attunement and have a 28 strength. But yes they basically said if you want to be Thor you need all three items.
@@snazzyfeathers one thing about this. The set of items required are references to Thor, not comics Thor, but the Thor of Norse religion. To weild Mjolnir, he needs the Járngreipr and uses the belt Megingjörđ to double his strength.
Even better, combo it with Returning Weapon on your shield if your DM will let you (not RAW but likely not a difficult sell), and suddenly you're Captain America.
the wording of the spell is a bit iffy on whether it’s you or the cannon making the attack roll. personally i’d allow it to work on the cannon AND any creature you summon like the homunculus servant or the summon construct spell, but whether that’s RAW or not is unclear.
@@Hazel-xl8in @evilsquirrel0573 It seems pretty clear to me that the player is the one making the attack, as it just says "make a ranged spell attack" not "the cannon makes a ranged spell attack." It's no different than a familiar using a touch spell, it is just your action from a different position. And the flamethrower uses your DC, which could be boosted by a magic item, so it makes the most sense for the ballista to also use your modifier including magic boosts.
Repeating Shot is also a 5/5 for Battlesmiths because the infusion makes the weapon magical, so they'll be able to use their Intelligence instead of Dexterity for attack and damage without having to rely on the DM being generous enough to give them a magical heavy crossbow.
This! My L12 Enhanced half plate, Cloak of Protection, Repeating hand crossbow, Gauntlets of Ogre Power battle smith tanks so well. Throw in a mundane shield, CBE, and SS. Steel Defender uses SSI with Warding Bond on me (so I get the bonuses) and hangs back soaking damage while I go in, shove prone (Gauntlets make this easier), and unload 2 SS attacks (Extra Attack and CBE bonus) with advantage at point blank. Edit: I also have Hex via Fey Touched taken as racial L1 feat and target STR for my shoves and bonus damage. Or use Haste for more attacks and AC.
Don't forget the campaigns that allow firearm use. MAGIC GUNS YOU DON'T HAVE TO RELOAD! Battlemaster pistol and shield is a very effective tanking option, and an Infiltrator Armorer with a rifle is so much fun to play, especially if you can mix in some levels in Gunslinger (technically homebrew, I know, but still very fun).
@@Zanarthis Risky. Armorer does not get INT to magic weapon attacks, so you'd be using middle-range DEX for your musket/rifle; Armorer only gets INT for the weapons provided by the two armor options. Edit: I will add, I started my Battle Smith using a Repeating Musket (muskets are part of the campaign setting). I found myself on the front line and the Steel Defender was no good as a tank. So the switch to hand crossbow, with all the goodies previously listed, ensured that I was a threat.
The biggest benefit of Repeating shot is that it removes both the ammunition and loading properties. This means you don't need a free hand so you can hold a shield at the same time if you use a hand crossbow. So even if you give it to someone with X-bow expert it is basically a +2 AC infusion at level 2. Ammo management can also be a pain.
Or a Rapier and go Full Pirate with pistol and cutlass. Since you can use the bonus action shot after a attack with a weapon (the problem until now was that you had to have a free hand). That's not good per se, but just grabs a lot of the "why cant I do this?" things that the system had for ages and unlocks It.
@@albertonishiyama1980 I like this style too because with the Duel Wielder feat you can fight with two swords but also stow the sword and draw the hand crossbow in the same round if you want to make a ranged attack. There are no preloaded weapons in 5e so this wouldn't work otherwise.
This seems to be a common misconception. Ignoring the loading property doesn't mean the weapon doesn't need to be loaded, it just means that it doesn't restrict how many attacks you can make in a turn to do so. You still have to tension the crossbow strings in order for it to function, which does take a free hand.
@@auzieten The reason that you need the free hand when removing only the loading property is because the ammunition property still requires a free hand. If you get rid of both the need for ammo and the loading property, as you do with the repeating shot infusion, then no free hand is required. You still need a free hand to use special ammo.
@@maltava4534 That doesn't make any sense at all, and it's not how crossbows work. You need a free hand to prime the crossbow AND to put ammo in. That's why it has the loading property, because that takes longer. Removing the loading property doesn't mean you don't still do those two things, it just means that you've gotten so good at it that it doesn't take extra time. Repeating shot just means that after you prime the crossbow with your free hand, a piece of ammunition magically appears.
In general the artificer class doesn't get a lot of cool abilities from their own class list, so I think it makes sense to be "selfish" and keep all infusions to yourself, I think that is what they were balanced for
Artillerist Artificer gets to create all kinds of inators like Doctor Dufenshmirz. Homonculus infusion gets to be a tiny Norm. All you need is a nemesis.
Returning weapon is well underrated. I've used that on a couple of artificers to good effect. What's key is that it's a +1 magic weapon regardless of whether you throw it or not. I found this consistently useful through several levels. Also, as a second level character to throw a spear that then magically appears back in your hand is pretty awesome.
Yep take a shield and a spear you get a +1 weapon, you can throw it for range but use it in melee, extra AC, and can stack with Polearm Master. It's awesome
Also, for battle smiths specifically, you want to use an infused weapon as a spell focus due to extra attack, so returning weapon is basically a win/win if your weapon happens to be thrown; ranged one-handed extra attack while still being able to cast or use a shield or other item in your second hand.
I wonder if it's possible to throw two handed (combine versatile and thrown). Sounds RAW but not RAI. edit: I found and answer and it is no. Versatile specifies the bigger damage die only happens on two-handed melee attacks.
Technically the feat reads that it gets +1 to attack and damage rolls for ranged attacks, so I don't think it's +1 in melee. Still, I put it on someone's javelin at low level and it did serious work.
@@sethb3090 "grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it, and it returns to the wielder’s hand immediately after it is used to make a ranged attack." Definitely a straight +1; javelins a good choice though :)
A factor forgotten about the Homunculus Servant spell is that it can (as of the most recent Eratta and Tasha's release) preform 'one of the actions in it's stat block, or another action.' This pointedly loose definition means it can do something like 'use an item' such as the 'Spell Storing Item' from 11th level artificer. This would allow it to cast concentration spells from the list of compatible spells. The possibilities in this way are mind-boggling.
Artillerists also have less benefit from the homunculus, since they fire their eldritch cannon with their bonus action, like the steel defender for the battle smith.
Yeah, homunculus is kind of a tough pick for me since all of the artificers have bonus actions they want to use as much as possible. Beyond out of combat stuff like scouting, it may be best for an alchemist for some extra damage and ranged cure wounds, but is that really better than using firebolt and healing word? Not by much.
In all honesty, the homoculus is a massive gimic. You're better off taking magic initiate (wizard) and having find familiar. Has all the benefits without needing to use your bonus action. And who doesn't want 2 more cantrips? The homoculus is even less valuable for a level 15 artillerist who can have 2 EC's at once and which can both be used with the same bonus action.
You gotta see that you don't need to use the bonus action to move it and let it deliver spells like cure wounds. You could use the cannons and cast the spell trough the homunculus both in the same round. Also Artificer doesn't have access to healing word for ranged healing.
@@rickau well yeah, i would certainly expect an infusion you get at level 2 to not be nearly as useful at level 15. that’s kind of how this game works, and that’s why you can both train out infusions and know twice as many as you can use at a given time. it’s good for a while, but 1d4 + PB damage isn’t supposed to last or scale well.
11:07 One thing to note about the Armorer and Enhanced Weapon, the gauntlets don't become an item you can infuse separately from the armor until you get the level 9 Armorer feature, Armor Modifications.
Of note also: it's arguable that your arcane armor still counts as for the requirements of, say, Enhanced Weapon. You just can't *also* apply Enhanced Armor. Check with your DM.
@@finalfantasy50 The description of the Thunder Gauntlets say "Each of the armor's gauntlets counts as a simple melee weapon while you aren't holding anything in it". The gauntlets are the armor's gauntlets, and therefor a part of the armor.
@@WolframUA-cam That just means the gauntlets are a weapon that you wear. It's a target for the infusion. You are infusing the armor because the armor is a weapon. Armor Modifications is only saying there that the individual parts can now hold your infusions.
Great point. This infusion is pretty much the only way non-homebrew way to use a ranged weapon and a shield. Normally you need a hand free to load a hand crossbow even though it is a one-handed weapon because of the Ammunition property. Even the Crossbow Expert Feat, which lets you ignore the Loading property, does not get around this problem: media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/SA-Compendium.pdf (See page 8, bottom left) ...But this infusion does: "If you load no ammunition in the weapon, it produces its own, automatically creating one piece of magic ammunition when you make a ranged attack with it."
@@Hazel-xl8in Both. Put it on your Arc Launcher and put Enhanced Defense on your armor and take a shield *and* War Caster *and* a mace. Congrats, you can do everything!
Regarding Radiant Weapon vs Blur - i think you guys missed a huge part of what blinding the opponent can do - all attacks against them will be with advantage! (If there is a rogue in the party, they will love you for it!)
Mind Sharpener sounds super good for the late game when you might take 60 or more damage from an attack making it literally impossible to succeed on the saving throw even with war caster and what not.
yes but the problem is that it uses your reaction and at some time you gonna have to choose between flash of genious to make the save and take half dmg or take full dmg and make the concentration save with mind sharpener? I found out that i would almost always choose half damage...
Artificier! I have to really look into the infusions and features of the Artificier when I'm playing. There are so many cool infusions and features that are so useful during combat and outside of combat
Magic Weapon is also awesome, because you can use it as an artificer yourself. The weapon turns into a magic weapon and NOW you can use your INT modifier instead of DEX/STR - normally this will be your best modifier, sooo... I have a battle axe with like +8 to attack. At lvl 4. That's pretty cool I'd say :D
That only applies if you're a battlesmith though, the applying Int thing is a non factor for every other subclass. If you're battlesmith, it's incredible, but otherwise, not as much
@@ApeOcalyps hexblades with pact of the blade, can use their pact weapon as a two-handed weapon, you can then add the pretty awesome invocations you get as hexblade. I'd have to look into it more for the precise like "strategy" but basically a hexblade warlock usually can only get their stuff on one handed weapons but going pact of the blade allows for two-handed weapons so ur hexblade becomes a fucking dmg dealing beast, especially if you take greatweapon master or polearmaster feats and make ur pact weapon a halberd or greatsword or something like that Edit: pact of the blade is a class feature of warlocks, you can either go pact of the tome or pact of the chain but for the hexblade subclass build you always choose pact of the blade. Sorry if that was confusing to read, I'm writing while at work
@@Hesauce Yes, important sidenote. Forgot for a moment that not everyone plays battlesmith ^^ But even if you don't, +1 is something especially at low levels. And the choice is either way veeery limited in the early stages. I gave the infusion for two levels to our fighter bc he benefited more than me from it.
Since you get to learn way more infusions than you can use, Resistant Armor would be great as one of the "extras." You don't ever use it -- until that day when you know it's going to be absolutely clutch, so you're willing to temporarily trade one of your normal infusions for it.
I think they’re being a bit too hard on enhanced focus; it may not be that useful at higher levels, but at level 2 when you get Infusions, +1 to your Firebolt is pretty big, and once you level up and get access to better Infusions you can just swap it out.
It is a +1/+2 wand of the warmage and what they are saying is what warlock wants a wand of the warmage when a rod of the Pactkeeper exists and is just as difficult to find. With Tasha's they have created items for each caster class that are equivalent to the rod of the Pactkeeper. For my Artificer give me the ability to make a lesser version of the All-Purpose Tool. I can already make any tool at lvl 3 it just takes alot longer (1 hour vs. 1 action) the existing infusion gives a +1/+2 spell bonus the tool adds to spell DC which the infusion should have. And the tool gives you an Artificer cantrip from any class spell list for 8 hours. This I would leave off the infusion because this is the regain a pact slot feature of the rod and this feature seems like it should be a seperate infusion option.
Artillerist gets Arcane Firearm at 5th level. A spell focus that adds +1D8 damage and is not magical. You can enhance it with Enhanced Focus, and in fact there's no reason not to. Considering they also said Artillerist should take Homunculus Servant when they want their bonus actions for their Eldritch Cannon, I think they just completely forgot everything that makes Artillerist Artillerist.
As a Battlesmith Artificer, I somewhat disagree with your Homunculus is good for everyone, as the bonus action command component of the Homunculus and the Steel Defender conflict. but just my 2¢
It makes a good backup for if my Defender goes down or can’t reach an enemy, also it is strong enough to carry a lantern infused to be a lantern of revealing.
They don't deal as much damage, but as a remote cure wounds delivery device they are great, it can hover above the battlefield and then dive down to heal when needed. Out of combat as a scout they are very useful, especially if you need them to be someone they can hide in plain sight where a familiar can't. A mug that is sentient can pick up a lot of things if everyone just thinks it's a mug.
For Resistant Armor, also keep in mind how resistances effect a character's ability to deal with extreme heat or cold. If you know you're going to Chult, fire resistance may be a good idea no matter what. If you're traveling north to Icewind Dale, cold resistance may be called for. This can save you a ton of hassle even out of combat.
Fun story about Repeating Shot: I joined into a game as an artificer. Before I got there, the DM had given the party an antimatter rifle with two shots as a throwaway use-it-and-lose-it item during an adventure about mind flayers. The party hung on to it because they wanted to make it count. Then I arrived with a musket. The party said "hey, try this instead" and now I have an infinite ammo antimatter rifle in a medieval campaign.
This comment is too low. The economy of bonus action is constantly overlooked, I feel, when people are discussing spells and other features for artificer, especially Artillerists. The turrents are the main class feature of artillerists, and requires bonus action to control. Familiar uses its own turn. (Why am I, an artillerists, need to look at a familiar when I already have turrents as my super familiar, you ask? Well, spell-strong item and familiar held by a familiar owl. )
You mean like the alchemist that it was originally designed for as a subclass feature? That they took away due to feedback and didn’t replace with anything…
@@phanspiritus910 indeed. There seems to be a blind spot to "bonus action traffic jam". For example, I've heard of people building rune knights with two-weapon fighting...
@@phanspiritus910 alchemists get healing word, which they may use on a lot of their turns. Otherwise, the homunculus isn't bad to give them a little damage boost.
Worth adding one of the best things about Replicate Magic Item: Tasha's says you can add ANY common magic item to the list. Most common magic items are more flavour than function but it's not as if there aren't any good choices. You could give someone knock-down ammunition, obscuring smoke constantly around them, a hold-out weapon that nobody can tell is a weapon until it turns into one, or even a single use of a cantrip or 1st-level spell that they might otherwise not have access to.
@@caelandemaziere7939 Oh yeah they did, I missed that part, I just thought it was odd they rated it so low when it's so similar to enhanced defense. Might be because of the attunement slot required, but depending on the DM you'll most likely have more than enough attunement slots free anyway at lvl 6
And since you cannot take enhanced defense twice, this lets you buff your armor and shield. I do it for that reason alone, very rarely triggering the repel ability.
I think a major point that was skipped is any infused item can be used as an arcane focus for the artificer. Otherwise you're holding a tool in order to cast. The ability to hold a shield (with infusion) and a 1h weapon and still being able to cast and attack is wonderful. Or holding a 2h weapon and using the helmet, ring or boots as a focus. Lots of flexibility here that other casters dont get.
- One thing a lot of people miss is the fact that any Infused armor can be used as an Artificer's focus. This means that when you cast a spell through your focus, you can make it appear to come from any part of the armor. - As for the Enhanced Arcane Focus, I like it when multi-classing as it can be used as a focus for artificer and the other arcane class who can use the focus. - The Homunculus Servant is an Infusion. As such you it can also be used as your Artificer Focus.
The problem with the servant as an focus is that the servant itself is a creature, and you use infused objects as foci. >"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." Which means the infused item is the core, not the creature around it. Up to your DM if you can, like, grab its gem heart from a back panel or something to use it like a focus. My DM said no, but it's not exactly broken to allow it.
Here's an idea for an Artificer, You as a Dm can give him a feat that allows him to give 1 infusion to each party member when he can get them but only 1 for himself. (If its 4/5 party members its great) This way you will sacrifice 1 infusion & A feat for more infusions for the team. One constraint DM gave me when I suggested that was that I can't choose the same item more than once. Do note that in our campaigns we usually pick an extra feat at level 1 to add more flavor to our characters so you don't really lose a feat if you go this route.
I love the idea of an armorer with the thunder guantlets, winged boots, the mobile feat and haste(and probably the helm of awareness to act first in combat). Flying into combat hitting 3 enemies( giving them disadvantage on attack rolls not made against you)and flying away. It requieres a lot of things to make it work and you would have to wait until L10 but it seems really fun. Also it would not be that great against a single hard enemy
I'm of the opinion that artificers who keep all their infusions for themselves are not, in fact, "selfish" or "greedy." Infusions are _their_ class features, not the party's class features. Just because the artificer is able to give out their infusions to party members doesn't mean that they have to give them out or even that they should be expected to do so, and it most certainly doesn't mean that they are in any way greedy for not doing so.
I love artificer and I played my first game of dnd 2 weeks ago which was a one shot at level 2 The game was about trying to investigate a storm that just kept going on in the area and seemed bit magical so I took the cap of water breathing from the infusion and the final battle was with a water elemental who did try to drown other players It felt amazing that I was a human but prepared for the situation where others weren't
I had a fairly different take on how to select infusions - you want 1 or 2 which you pick to be always on, then you intentionally pick the rest as semi circumstantial. So the resistant armour is one I would pick for every artificer, not to have constantly active, but so you can have it available when you know you'll need it.
Exactly. You learn so many more infusions than you can actually use that you actually _want_ some to be situational -- as long as you can expect a day's notice for when they'll be useful.
Fantastic video. I'm definitely in the same camp as Kelly since I love to hoard my artificer infusions for my own use instead of handing them out to the party. Get your own magic items you freeloaders!
Even when handing infusions out to the party, you have to renew them every morning. I figure it's a good idea to keep reminding folks that they might lose them on any given day, so it's in their best interest to get a permanent magic item instead, whenever possible.
I liked the returning weapon infusion so much that I came up with a character that was entirely built around it: Dalvin Flintbek: Rock Gnome LVL 8 - Battle Smith Artificer (5) / Psionic Warrior Fighter (3) Thanks to Battle Ready from Battle Smith and thrown weapons style from Fighter, with a decent intelligence score you can easily get into the +10/+11 to hit range with thrown weapons. The additional attack on lvl 5 Artificer and action surge from Fighter can lead to some pretty insane turns. Psionic Warrior is a great addition as well since the additional damage also works off you INT score. It's a super niche build but I have had a lot of fun with it.
im playing two artificers at the time, an alchemist in lvl 10 and a battlesmith at lvl 9 as an alchemist, I have only Homunculus for me, and the other 3 items are to buff my party (winged boots for the cleric, enchanced defense for the bladesinger and enchanced weapon for the ranger). im going full suport and the party loves me. as the Battlesmith, I already have a +2 weapon, so I have enchanced defense, spell storing ring and googles of night (damn you darkvisionless human). Im a good tank and damage dealer. the thing I love the most about the artificer is how adaptable it is, you literally can play 4 diferent artificers for each subclass and choose diferent options for each (altough winged boots might always find its place)
@@nickm9102 maybe i will, but this is curse of strahd and 3 levels is a lot of time, at that moment who knows what will happen to my character. plus I spent my V. human feat in... chef, so optimisation hasn't been my biggest priority.
@@Nigthmar okay but chef is dope as hell. You get to make snacks for your party! You’re like the kid in 3rd grade that brought cupcakes on his birthday except now every day is your birthday!
Returning weapon is super niche but getting the build together is so much fun. Admittedly it only dips into artificer for 2 levels but returning weapon with the throwing weapon fighting style and sharpshooter is really funny, only works with a dart but the damage gets impressive
Everyone always goes to the robo artificer but I have this image of an artificer who uses painter's supplies or calligraphy tools to draw and write his magic into being, a little bit inspired by the priests in anime that throw scrolls with prayers to exorcise demons.
Somethin to consider with Repeating Shot is that it works with guns, which also means not having to worry about not only bullets but also gunpowder and since Crossbow Master doesn’t count with guns it serves basically 2 purposes
I think it's worth mentioning that some of the magic weapons and armour that you gave 3 out of 5 or similar also come with a +1 enchant so they're objectively better than the bare +1 until that enhanced weapon or armour hits +2, at which point you can just retrain the infusion. Edit- this got covered later on the vid.
I played an alchemist artificier in a dungeons of drakkenheim campaign that we started before the kickstarter. Our DM improvised everything just from what he knew from your youtube series. Great fun, I gave the repeating shot to our gloomstalker/rouge/fighter and he had a blast with it. I concentrated on healing and making my 2 friends do everything they can do even better.. it was great fun
I can imagine that if you know what the final boss is, you can prep an infusion against them specifically, like a Red Dragon or something I've never played an artificer myself but it looks like a real fun Class - Replicate Magic Item: Winged Boots and Spell-Refueling Ring would definitely be my top two picks
Repeating shot allows one to hold hand crossbow in one hand and shield in the other. That's what makes it also interesting to someone who applies elemental damage to their weapon damage, like those Hex spell users or Blood Hunters.
Radiant Weapon should really be a 4/5 for one big reason: it ALSO gives a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. From levels 6-9, it's a strictly better version of Enhanced Weapon.
I feel like you have underestimated armor of resistance. The artificer can always have a couple more infusions known than are active and having the ability to swap out one infusion for that resistance you know you can get a lot of mileage out in the next fight is great.
I think that the +1 to spell attack rolls would be really good on artillerist who focusses on the ballista, that is based off your spell attack modifier.
@@njsoapdish Alchemists want to use alchemist's supplies as their spellcasting focus tho (to benefit from Alchemical Savant), and since the Enhanced Arcane Focus needs to be a wand, rod or staff you wouldn't be able to use it as effectively as you expect
@@njsoapdish I agree, and if an alchemist at my table asked me if they could use it on their alchemist's supplies I'd probably allow it, but RAW it's not allowed
I like Enhance focus (4 for the artillerist) a lot more than you do because it also eliminates half cover. When someone is between you and your target they actually have half cover. As an Artillerist you will have that actually happen all the time.
I think Enhanced Arcane Focus is really good for an Artillerist Artificer, as it benefits your Force Ballista(s) as well as your Cantrips / Offensive spells. Edit: in the discussion about Radiant Weapon, you mention Blur as being a better option. Blur, however, can only be cast on yourself, not on a party member.
I really like arcane focus and repulsion shield for alchemists. Most of their turns are casting ranged cantrips and healing, so their spell attack is more important than saving throws. Since there are not melee cantrips they get to add their int bonus on damage to, pushing an enemy away will get them into position for a ranged spell attack while freeing you to move away or towards and ally to heal them. The alchemist I played was a variant human with the skill expert feat, giving expertise in stealth, then took cloak of elven kind at level 6, making him a super stealthy, trap/lock disabling, healer, tank, ranged spell caster. By the way, gloves of thievery aren't a bad infusion choice either. I also love how you can change infusions up each morning to fit different situations. For instance, if you know you have a stealth mission the next day, you can make multiple party members cloaks of elven kind. Lastly, you didn't mention how radiant weapon does add a +1 to hit, making it better than enhanced weapon until level 10. Most games don't have players filling up attunement slots at level 6, so there really is no drawback. Between enhanced weapon, reaping shot, and radiant weapon, it's easy for a battle smith to be great in melee and range with any types of weapon that they want, something no other class can really do as effectively. Artificers can also use firearms, given DM approval, which are more powerful than crossbows with shorter range.
Pipes of Haunting is the standout option at level 6 that you all missed imo. It's basically a non-concentration fear spell without friendly fire that you can double up with other control spells like Web. Oh, and it doesn't use your precious spell slots. Oh, and it doesn't require attunement. It's awesome on the Artillerist or Alchemist, which lack solid options for their Action in combat. Or an Armorer can stack this with Hypnotic Pattern for control overkill. Only downside is you have to be able to play a wind instrument to even use it.
Thank you for reassuring me that my Repeating Shot Heavy Crossbow wielding High Elf Battle Smith (Sage: Former Wizard Apprentice) was a strong choice. 😁👍
By its rules, you only have to hold the enhanced arcane focus to gain it's bonus. It does not say that it is a spellcasting focus, as something like the bloodwell vial does (specifically says in its rules). So, a sorcerer could use a bloodwell vial as their spellcasting focus and hold an enhanced arcane focus, and gain the benefits of both.
Just wanted to point out what I think was a missed point about arcane enhanced focus being useful for artillerist. First, it lets them use an arcane focus for their spells before they get an arcane firearm at 5th level. The bonus to hit bonus and ignoring cover effect works for the force ballista version of their eldritch cannon. Also, because they get scorching ray on their spell list, having a staff with enhanced arcane focus, turned into their arcane firearm and at 11th level, spell storing 10 scorching rays into the staff, allows them to combine a lot of their bonuses and power into a single item slot that just synergizes very well with everything they want to be doing.
I think the fact that they talked about Homunculus Servant on Artillerist when Eldritch Cannon needs their bonus action is basically proof that they forgot what makes Artillerist Artillerist. (Also, I'm 99% sure you can Enhanced Focus ON Arcane Firearm.)
Love the Returning Weapon + Spear combo. The spear is one of the best simple weapons available. Versatile if you want a higher damage die or one handed if you want a shield. The infusion's +1 applies to all attacks (not just thrown attacks). Range isn't great but the flexibility makes up for it.
I think you rate the Homunculus too highly. Partly it may be that I play with a larger group (6 players), so extra pets are a time burden. But the main issue is the bonus action. Artillerists and Battle Smiths already have pets that need that bonus action. Even Armorers with the guardian model have a bonus action thing. There's just too much bonus action competition.
alchemists will be using their bonus action for healing word a lot, too. Making it useless on those turns. It's probably best for an infiltrator armor or alchemist for the extra damage. Basically it's a spiritual weapon without needing a spell slot.
I disagree for the armorer/guardian part, i as a guardian have noticed that i repeatedly have nothing to do for a bonus action. Also i like how nobody noticed the out of combat stats of this thing. At lvl 5 this thing has like a 16 passive perception (and a similarly high perception skill), also it has 60 ft. of darkvision and very high stealth. Perfect scouting tool. And even if you don't have the bonus action for this, it's pretty tanky aswell with mine having 21hp and the standard 13 ac. So if you can't do much with it it can just soak up damage, definitely a 10/10 infusion.
@@ArchWillhelm I feel like at first a Homunculus is useful on an armorer, but eventually I'd rather get the Dual Wielder feat on them. Use that with the arcane propulsion armor and you can toss out thunder gauntlets to hit 3 separate targets imposing disadvantage on their attacks. Then you just book it the other direction so they can't hit you back. Being able to apply that force damage from arcane propulsion armor onto the off hand attack really sells that feat as just a strictly better attack than bonus action homunculus. I think they grossly under estimated arcane propulsion armor generally speaking tbh. Pay close attention to the text: nothing even remotely indicates that thunder gauntlets and arcane propulsion armor are mutually exclusive. You make arcane propulsion armor, then set it as your arcane armor. Now your armor "INCLUDES" thunder gauntlets which "INCLUDE" an extra 1d8 force damage and thrown property (but you can't infuse the gauntlets because arcane propulsion armor makes them magical).
@@ArchWillhelm Yeah, I've played several lower AC tanks before (i mean, 18 / 19 ac) and had no problem with it. It's easy to have more than that much AC. It depends on your team comp. If you have a few different frontliners, you can flex into that damage. Once you have arcane propulsion armor, you're probably doing more for your team by giving multiple enemies disadvantage AND being a frontliner on the other side of the fight, than you are giving no one disadvantage but having 2-4 more ac when you already have a ton. Again, though, if you are THE frontline, then that definitely makes sense.
As for artificer ideas, I'd love to hear your list of best options for Replicate Magic Item. Or older classes to bring up to 5e. I miss my 3.5 Binder!!
I'm considering giving the returning weapon to the fighter with a trident, so he has a ranged option, especially if we're dealing with flying opponents
I really like the idea of a character who takes the gunner feat and gets a pistol with the repeating shot infusion. Now they never run out of ammo in their guns.
@@trappyboi8678 ummm, just no… that’s the exact opposite of Treantmonk… I disagree with his take on artificers, but to say he would say no to wish (even as hyperbole) because it doesn’t add to dpr is to fundamentally misunderstand everything he is about. He literally states in every single wizard video that control spells are better than dpr spells…
1st time playing D&D and I just got my Artificer to level 3 and took Artillerist, I have a Homunculus Servant and my Eldritch Cannon :D. being a Warforged Race and having a little group of robot pets is my dream and i am loving every minute of it lmao
Always make your homonculus something comedic. Imagine the artificer being so proud of it's little flamingo homonculus casting spells as though they were itself. Gold.
I can see it now. party gets some magic item treasure. Artificer siting at one side and the other members on the other side bartering magic items from the Artificer.
With Replicate magic item you're missing the most important combo, the mayo-mancer. Take Replicate magic item twice to get an alchemy jug and a bag of holding, now fill bag of holding with mayo over the course of months, now all you gotta do is get into the mouth of your enemy and flip the bag inside out!
Fun fact: Replicate Magic Item also allows you replicate any common magic item outside of potions and scrolls. That's any common magic item from any 5e book.
What do you guys think of Repeating Shot on Fire arms? Artificer's get proficiency in fire arms, so crafting Bad News and having the ability to shoot it every turn without having to reload seems to make it worth while in that case.
The repeating shot infusion is nice on guns as well of they are allowed. Also, armorer is so good by being able to use more infusions than the other subclasses. I . AM. IRON. MAN !!
This video actually makes me feel really good about my artificer! i made mine before i saw this video and pretty much all the ones i chose were your 5/5 and the first build you mentioned at the end aside from the homonculous and the winged boots it was exactly what i chose for mine!
"Give the Enhanced Boots to a Monk." Somehow, I think DMs would have an issue with a Monk that gets more movement on top of 70ft walking and 15 ft on top of 60ft Shadow Step.
I'm a lvl 5 gnome battle smith artificer. I use repeating shot crossbow and love it. Recently i was offered a laser pistol as a reward, but it only had 3 ammunition left. I took it grinning knowing that i can use the repeating shot infusion to give it unlimited ammo. So now i have a laser pistol that does 3d6 plus int plus 1 damage.
No respect for Alchemy Jug! Has it been mechanically useful after months of sessions? No! Will I keep trying to use mayonnaise to save the day? Always.
Give the magical mayonnaise to the Bard. He can find a way to make it into an instrument. Maybe the Jug can help.
Oil from jug. Clay pot made with mold earth and pottery tools. Catapult spell and flamethrower cannon.
@@horatiobizzlebee4862 This. I like this. I'm borrowing this, thank you kindly.
@@invertedghostgames9899 Remember that the alchemy jug weighs 12 lbs no matter what, so in order to throw the jug, you would need to be at least lvl 9 and use up a lvl 3 spell slot.
Don’t toss your oil maker. Put the oil in a simple clay pot. Drop a vial of alchemist fire in too if you like.
Yes I vote for Replicate Magic Items getting it's own video. Thank You
Seconded.
Thirded!
Fourth’d
fith'th
Sixthed!
Ran a dragon hunting one-shot, one of my players rolled up with an armorer, cast enlarge on himself, and grappled the adult red dragon, using armor of magical strength and flash of genius to maintain that grapple for 6 rounds, during which he was hit with several breath weapons and kept concentration with mind sharpener. The dragon (STR 29) had no chance of escaping the grapple, and couldn't use legendary resistance to get out because they were contested checks not saves. Whole party plinked away at the dragon while the enbiggened artificer sat on him. some of these infusions look a little middling at first, but when it all comes together, it can multiply their strength
I guess they can be especially strong if you know what you are facing and have enough prep time.
Versatility + being able to prepare are a terrifying combo.
We fought against a sentient unicorn balloon with 99,999 health and a 30 in every state. Enlarge is broken. We barely lost because we were fight this thing in the sun and it pushed my mech that I enlarged until it was 4 miles tall into the sides, which sent me to the shadow realm and almost blinded my friend. My DM's older brother literally just sat down at the table, pulled the balloon from his sister birthday party and said "roll initiative." For the record, we were all level 20 and I had a shovel that did 1d20+5 and would always crit if you attacked in midair, which coupled with the enlarged mech and a repulser shield being used to gain ridiculous height, as well as having banishing smite help inside it, almost one shotted it. Thankfully, while we were in the shadow realm(which has some really trippy visuals), we learned some lore about the final boss that revealed that the creator god of the setting was actually an intergalactic conquering force that took over a wizards apprentice (she was also apprenticed alongside a party member) and was using her to remain technically outside of of deific law while racking up a kill count in the Quadrillions.
Our last session was wild, but the main takeaway I got from it was that enlarge is op.
@@derpfluidvariant0916 TF2 D&D? Sounds cool. Fighting the ultimate last boss, the balloonicorn.
"When it all comes together, it can multiply their strength."
I see what you did there.
A thing that got overlooked in "Replicate Magic item" is this line:
"Alternatively, you can choose the magic item from among the common magic items in the game, not including potions or scrolls."
The Spellwrought Tattoo (1st Level) is a common magic item. Now you (or anyone in your party, even non-casters) have access to every 1st level spell in the game and it can be cast once before disappearing, requiring no material components.
Give your Assassin Rogue Find Familiar. Give your Monk Shield. Hey Mr Wizard, you want Cure Wounds or Healing Word? Tank Fighter with Compelled Duel, nice! Bless, Bane, Disguise Self, Faerie Fire, Hex? No worries!
And you can re-infuse every long rest to change the spell. Good times all around :-D
Even better, Find Familiar is technically only "cast" once in order to get the familiar by your side, then the spell is done until you need to reshape or resummon them. Depending on your DM's ruling, this could mean that the tattoo disappears and the infusion freed up the moment a familiar appears, allowing an artificer to supply their whole party with familiars.
But again, DMs get the final say for their campaign. I personally would rule that Spellwrought Tattoo (1st Level) would function like the Replicate Magic Item limitations, in that each choice of spell is a separate infusion. It could also be argued that the Artificer creating the tattoo would need to know the spell they were inscribing prior to making a magic item based on that spell.
Ugh the argument about this exploit has been terrible on the forums. Some say it is an oversight, some say it’s intentional. Crawford hasn’t brought up an answer so the argument still rages on. For my money it fits well in line with the all-purpose tool which gives access to any cantrip in any spell list for eight hours a day. Also expect for the find familiar spell it isn’t really overpowered.
Also it says when to spell ends the tat goes away so i have looked at it as the find familiar tattoo doesn't go away till it dieds. But thats my thought on it. And i think that a dm limiting it to only artificer spell list would be a reasonable.
@@izunagi9064 As far as balance, that's a very reasonable ruling. As far as wording of the spell, Find Familiar is a 10-minute casting time and Instantaneous duration. My DM was okay with it, but every time the party gets their familiars killed it takes multiple days' worth of infusions to get them all back. Between that, a Steel Defender, and Homunculus servant, my artificer is basically a pokemon trainer at this point.
@@LowellRice42 yeah but more on the ruling i came up with is cause of the texting stating in spellwrought is that the tattoo glows for the duration of the spell then disappear and i thought spells with instantaneous means they have a duration of infinite or til its dispelled or killed in find familiar case. So by this idea the tattoo would be an active infusion so you couldnt make another till it was gone. But this just an idea.
I'm currently playing a Gunslinger, and Repeating Shot is a 10/5 in that context; not having to lose attacks to reloading *and* getting the +1 to attack and damage rolls is incredible. My gratitude to our artificer knows no bounds.
Not playing a gunslinger, but a ranger/artificer with a gun and it is essential for the whole build to work so I totally agree
Dm let me have a gunblade but only a 1 shot capacity for my rifle...so I used an infusion to make it semiautomatic :D
at least til you can take the gunner feat and then swap it for enhanced weapon at lvl 10 for that +2 instead of +1.
My favourite infusion is to use a slice of apple instead of onion when dry frying salmon. It gives the salmon a delightful hint of apple flavouring that tastes way better than you're thinking, go on try it... its amazing. I guess that doesn't really help artificers though, unless they're cooks.
Radiant weapon also gives the weapon +1 to attack and damage rolls, making it a strictly better "Enhaced weapon" from level 6-10, until "Enhanced weapon" upgrades to a +2
Yeah, it's a wild whipsaw to hear - Enhanced weapon is always useful and great (I don't actually agree, not nearly as good as enhanced armor) and then hearing that the Radiant weapon is niche.
I think it depends whether you have other items competing for your attunement slots.
You can also use it in tandem with enhanced weapon if you want to give another player a magical weapon
It's because of attunement
Same thing with returning weapon, it's the best option for low levels and they hated on it.
I think it's perfectly acceptable for Artificers to use all of their infusions on themselves, especially at lower levels when you have two whole infusions that can be active at once. and if you are a Battle Smith, you NEED to have a magic weapon for some of your features to even work, so there goes one automatically. I think it's important to keep in mind just how restricted many classes are at low levels, because most people don't get past level 10, and even less people get past level 5.
Bag of holding is also pretty important if you're playing realistically. Most artificers have multiple sets of tools that are nice to have handy. Infusions are the core artificer class ability. To say it's selfish to keep them for yourself is pretty silly.
Yeah I typically used both on myself until I got three, and it's the third that usually gets swapped around, currently as a spell refueling ring on the cleric. If I really expect tough combat I may give the paladin an enhanced weapon (the barbarian already got a magic weapon) too since I'm an artillerist and my homonculous is less useful than my cannons, but for average days my homonculous has a lot of versatility that helps.
I tend to assume a "selfish" build by default unless my character is specifically-about helping others. Same goes for my bards.
An Artificer using infusions on themselves makes the class very strong! Having a strong player helps the party.
It depends on if your party has blatant holes that you could fill but clearly choose not to because buffing your party doesn’t make you feel as cool as buffing yourself, even when your impact would be much higher. Do you only use your flash of genius to help yourself, even when it results in you having spares at the end of every adventuring day? Would you use a lore bard’s inspiration exclusively for cutting words against attacks against you? The reality of support classes is that they always have the versatility to help themselves or someone else relative to non-support classes. Go figure how using those abilities tend to be best used. I’m all for roleplay that lends itself to a selfish character, but I would hope such a character at my table would grow over time if they were playing a support class, rather than seeing meta-reasoning that no class should be expected by the party to do anything.
One of the things you missed with Enhanced Arcane Focus, is that you also ignore half cover, making it almost a pseudo sharpshooter for spells. Also as an Artillerist, both your Homunculus and your Eldritch Cannons (force ballista) will benefit from your extra spell attack modifiers.
Enhanced Arcane Focus is a wand of the Warmage as an infusion. They did this because with the release of Tasha's they made a Rod of the Pactkeeper equivalent for all caster classes.
the wording on enhanced arcane focus is “While holding this item, a creature gains a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls. In addition, the creature ignores half cover when making a spell attack.” the homunculus servant is a different creature so it likely isn’t meant to gain the bonus from it, but the eldritch cannons might because it does say you’re making the spell attack roll.
check with your DM. personally i’d allow it to affect the cannons, the servant, the steel defender AND any of the summoned creatures from tasha’s summon spells, but YMMV
@@Hazel-xl8in but the wording on the Homunculus and your Eldritch Cannon is that they scale based on YOUR spell attack, they don't have one of their own, they borrow yours. So if yours goes up, it seems automatic to me that theirs goes up too.
I think Repeating Shot is still a 5/5 even for crossbow experts: you can use a shield and a Hand Crossbow at the same time, because standardly, you have to have a hand free to reload your hand crossbow which means you can't wield a shield
the sharpshooter/crossbow expert definitely could appreciate that +2 AC
This! This infusion is all about making the tanky ranged character and is one of the few infusions which opens up a new type of build.
Also, using a two handed crossbow negates the reloading feature of crossbow expert.
Also any magical item a Artificer infuses can also be used as a spell focus. So being able to cast spells while having a Hand Crossbow and a shield is also nice.
Exactly repeating shot is fantastic with crossbow expert and the other thing you can do is be using a 1 handed melee weapon and a hand crossbow so you can target someone you are in combat with with both weapons or still be engaging them and shoot someone else
@@LupineShadowOmega just because you have a spell focus doesn't me you don't need a free hand still. now if you have warcaster then that's a moot point.
One thing I'll say about Resistant Armor: resistance to cold or fire damage in an arctic or desert campaign removes the need to make Con saves against those environments for exposure
It can also be changed up every day by reinfusing the armour and choosing a different resistance.
My artificer was running both Enhanced Defense and Resistant Armor at the same time, while out and about Enhanced armor. "hey can you go hunt these salamanders and a chimera?" one arcana check later (to see if I know the resistances/vulnerabilities) I switch to Resistant Armor when we camp within sight of the Volcano they're nesting in/on. It was super effective.
Resistance to psychic can be given to a bear totem barbarian
I'm playing a battlesmith in descent into avernus, whilst we're not yet in avernus, I imagine I'm going to be basically forced to take this when we do.
@@Lich-x2g I was gonna suggest that too! Really good one.
I love the fact that Replicate Magic Item allows you to “hack into” the Hammer of Thunderbolts by making a Belt of Giant Strength and Gauntlets of Ogre Power in order to use all of its abilities without having to find the necessary magic items from your DM.
You can just use the hammer of thunder bolts though maybe I’m wrong. It says
You ignore all class, race, spell and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item. Does not ignore item requirements I guess
@@blairbrook1336 Yeah it doesn't ignore item requirements but imo the item requirements for that is just dumb. Just give them their hammer of thunderbolts...the party doesn't need to go questing for the other two items (unless they want to, I guess)
@@snazzyfeathers The whole point of that is to allow stacking of bonuses from the items while making older items useful again. Early on you get the Gauntlets that is useful early on and then you go for the Belt of Giant strength for that 21-29 strength. Then you find the hammer. If you don't have these Items then it is just a +1 weapon but if you have the belt and gaunlets you are likely using the belt and now you attune to the hammer and the Gauntlets are now a +4 strenth bonus essentially upgrading the belt and it gives you a limited attack option. If you are a lvl 20 Barbarian then you can ignore belt Attunement and have a 28 strength. But yes they basically said if you want to be Thor you need all three items.
@@snazzyfeathers one thing about this. The set of items required are references to Thor, not comics Thor, but the Thor of Norse religion. To weild Mjolnir, he needs the Járngreipr and uses the belt Megingjörđ to double his strength.
I love the flavour of the repulsion shield. I imagine a looney-tunes style spring-loaded shield with a boxing glove or something.
Go Go Gadget shield
Even better, combo it with Returning Weapon on your shield if your DM will let you (not RAW but likely not a difficult sell), and suddenly you're Captain America.
@@foxoninetails_ I'd probably allow that as a seperate infusion at a higher level.
Now I want to build an artificer to be Data from the Goonies!
@@jwuphoff such a badass
That +1 to spell attack rolls could be good for an artillerist since their cannon uses their spell attack modifier
the wording of the spell is a bit iffy on whether it’s you or the cannon making the attack roll. personally i’d allow it to work on the cannon AND any creature you summon like the homunculus servant or the summon construct spell, but whether that’s RAW or not is unclear.
I think it is great for alchemists whose damage comes almost exclusively from ranged attack cantrips.
I don’t know if I’d let it be used on the cannon, but the ability that makes your wand a gun to shoot cantrips out of would still combo nicely with it
It's huge for artillerist, since it is so hardly dependant on those firebolts.
@@Hazel-xl8in @evilsquirrel0573 It seems pretty clear to me that the player is the one making the attack, as it just says "make a ranged spell attack" not "the cannon makes a ranged spell attack." It's no different than a familiar using a touch spell, it is just your action from a different position. And the flamethrower uses your DC, which could be boosted by a magic item, so it makes the most sense for the ballista to also use your modifier including magic boosts.
i made my homunculus servant a backpack and gave it to the dps so I can cast haste, guidance, etc at a range.
Maximum brain plays right there
Holy shit this is an amazing idea
Repeating Shot is also a 5/5 for Battlesmiths because the infusion makes the weapon magical, so they'll be able to use their Intelligence instead of Dexterity for attack and damage without having to rely on the DM being generous enough to give them a magical heavy crossbow.
This! My L12 Enhanced half plate, Cloak of Protection, Repeating hand crossbow, Gauntlets of Ogre Power battle smith tanks so well. Throw in a mundane shield, CBE, and SS. Steel Defender uses SSI with Warding Bond on me (so I get the bonuses) and hangs back soaking damage while I go in, shove prone (Gauntlets make this easier), and unload 2 SS attacks (Extra Attack and CBE bonus) with advantage at point blank.
Edit: I also have Hex via Fey Touched taken as racial L1 feat and target STR for my shoves and bonus damage. Or use Haste for more attacks and AC.
Don't forget the campaigns that allow firearm use. MAGIC GUNS YOU DON'T HAVE TO RELOAD! Battlemaster pistol and shield is a very effective tanking option, and an Infiltrator Armorer with a rifle is so much fun to play, especially if you can mix in some levels in Gunslinger (technically homebrew, I know, but still very fun).
@@Zanarthis Risky. Armorer does not get INT to magic weapon attacks, so you'd be using middle-range DEX for your musket/rifle; Armorer only gets INT for the weapons provided by the two armor options.
Edit: I will add, I started my Battle Smith using a Repeating Musket (muskets are part of the campaign setting). I found myself on the front line and the Steel Defender was no good as a tank. So the switch to hand crossbow, with all the goodies previously listed, ensured that I was a threat.
If you don’t need to reload your crossbow. You could use a hand crossbow and a shield.
this!!!
The biggest benefit of Repeating shot is that it removes both the ammunition and loading properties. This means you don't need a free hand so you can hold a shield at the same time if you use a hand crossbow. So even if you give it to someone with X-bow expert it is basically a +2 AC infusion at level 2. Ammo management can also be a pain.
Or a Rapier and go Full Pirate with pistol and cutlass. Since you can use the bonus action shot after a attack with a weapon (the problem until now was that you had to have a free hand).
That's not good per se, but just grabs a lot of the "why cant I do this?" things that the system had for ages and unlocks It.
@@albertonishiyama1980 I like this style too because with the Duel Wielder feat you can fight with two swords but also stow the sword and draw the hand crossbow in the same round if you want to make a ranged attack. There are no preloaded weapons in 5e so this wouldn't work otherwise.
This seems to be a common misconception. Ignoring the loading property doesn't mean the weapon doesn't need to be loaded, it just means that it doesn't restrict how many attacks you can make in a turn to do so. You still have to tension the crossbow strings in order for it to function, which does take a free hand.
@@auzieten The reason that you need the free hand when removing only the loading property is because the ammunition property still requires a free hand. If you get rid of both the need for ammo and the loading property, as you do with the repeating shot infusion, then no free hand is required. You still need a free hand to use special ammo.
@@maltava4534 That doesn't make any sense at all, and it's not how crossbows work. You need a free hand to prime the crossbow AND to put ammo in. That's why it has the loading property, because that takes longer. Removing the loading property doesn't mean you don't still do those two things, it just means that you've gotten so good at it that it doesn't take extra time. Repeating shot just means that after you prime the crossbow with your free hand, a piece of ammunition magically appears.
In general the artificer class doesn't get a lot of cool abilities from their own class list, so I think it makes sense to be "selfish" and keep all infusions to yourself, I think that is what they were balanced for
Yes, but sometimes another party member can make more effective use of an infusion than you can, so you have to watch out for those cases.
Artillerist Artificer gets to create all kinds of inators like Doctor Dufenshmirz. Homonculus infusion gets to be a tiny Norm. All you need is a nemesis.
Curse you, Gerry the Gelatinous!
Awakened platypus with 5 levels in monk.
The homunculus always reminds me of K9 from Doctor Who. But even more useful
Or R.I.C., the dog from Power Rangers SPD.
@@benjaminholcomb9478 Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a while! 😂
@@roweproductions9424 ain't gonna lie, actually had to Google it. Lol
@@benjaminholcomb9478 😂
Fun fact: make a Tabaxi Artificer, give him a Homunculus Servant robot, strap him to your back as needed.
Boom, Ratchet & Clank. XD
Returning weapon is well underrated. I've used that on a couple of artificers to good effect. What's key is that it's a +1 magic weapon regardless of whether you throw it or not. I found this consistently useful through several levels. Also, as a second level character to throw a spear that then magically appears back in your hand is pretty awesome.
Yep take a shield and a spear you get a +1 weapon, you can throw it for range but use it in melee, extra AC, and can stack with Polearm Master. It's awesome
Also, for battle smiths specifically, you want to use an infused weapon as a spell focus due to extra attack, so returning weapon is basically a win/win if your weapon happens to be thrown; ranged one-handed extra attack while still being able to cast or use a shield or other item in your second hand.
I wonder if it's possible to throw two handed (combine versatile and thrown). Sounds RAW but not RAI.
edit: I found and answer and it is no. Versatile specifies the bigger damage die only happens on two-handed melee attacks.
Technically the feat reads that it gets +1 to attack and damage rolls for ranged attacks, so I don't think it's +1 in melee. Still, I put it on someone's javelin at low level and it did serious work.
@@sethb3090 "grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it, and it returns to the wielder’s hand immediately after it is used to make a ranged attack." Definitely a straight +1; javelins a good choice though :)
A factor forgotten about the Homunculus Servant spell is that it can (as of the most recent Eratta and Tasha's release) preform 'one of the actions in it's stat block, or another action.' This pointedly loose definition means it can do something like 'use an item' such as the 'Spell Storing Item' from 11th level artificer. This would allow it to cast concentration spells from the list of compatible spells. The possibilities in this way are mind-boggling.
Something also missing is that Artificers do not have a telepathic link to their homunculus, including the ability to use its senses.
Watch, "*Batteries Not Included", for great Homunculus ideas for artificers, Williams remake of Flubber as well.
Rush from megaman 3,any pet,mini me and your favorite childhood toy would be better.
I was thinking of Wonderbot from Robots
I was thinking metabee from metabots or Haro from Gundam.
@@isaackarr6576 Battle Smith great for Rush. Artillerist or Armorer great for Rock man.
@@spoonyluv19 I love the idea of having Haro so much. Brilliant idea
Artillerists also have less benefit from the homunculus, since they fire their eldritch cannon with their bonus action, like the steel defender for the battle smith.
Yeah, homunculus is kind of a tough pick for me since all of the artificers have bonus actions they want to use as much as possible. Beyond out of combat stuff like scouting, it may be best for an alchemist for some extra damage and ranged cure wounds, but is that really better than using firebolt and healing word? Not by much.
In all honesty, the homoculus is a massive gimic. You're better off taking magic initiate (wizard) and having find familiar. Has all the benefits without needing to use your bonus action. And who doesn't want 2 more cantrips?
The homoculus is even less valuable for a level 15 artillerist who can have 2 EC's at once and which can both be used with the same bonus action.
You gotta see that you don't need to use the bonus action to move it and let it deliver spells like cure wounds. You could use the cannons and cast the spell trough the homunculus both in the same round. Also Artificer doesn't have access to healing word for ranged healing.
@@ToabyToastbrot alchemist gets healing word.
@@rickau well yeah, i would certainly expect an infusion you get at level 2 to not be nearly as useful at level 15. that’s kind of how this game works, and that’s why you can both train out infusions and know twice as many as you can use at a given time. it’s good for a while, but 1d4 + PB damage isn’t supposed to last or scale well.
11:07
One thing to note about the Armorer and Enhanced Weapon, the gauntlets don't become an item you can infuse separately from the armor until you get the level 9 Armorer feature, Armor Modifications.
Of note also: it's arguable that your arcane armor still counts as for the requirements of, say, Enhanced Weapon. You just can't *also* apply Enhanced Armor. Check with your DM.
the gauntlets are a special weapon not part of the armor so you can use enhanced weapon and enhanced defense (or any of the other armor infusions)
@@finalfantasy50 The description of the Thunder Gauntlets say "Each of the armor's gauntlets counts as a simple melee weapon while you aren't holding anything in it". The gauntlets are the armor's gauntlets, and therefor a part of the armor.
@@WolframUA-cam That just means the gauntlets are a weapon that you wear. It's a target for the infusion. You are infusing the armor because the armor is a weapon. Armor Modifications is only saying there that the individual parts can now hold your infusions.
Repeating shot can be awesome with a hand crossbow because it magicaly generates the ammunition so you can use a shield
so the question is +2 damage per attack and longer range or +2 AC…
Great point. This infusion is pretty much the only way non-homebrew way to use a ranged weapon and a shield. Normally you need a hand free to load a hand crossbow even though it is a one-handed weapon because of the Ammunition property. Even the Crossbow Expert Feat, which lets you ignore the Loading property, does not get around this problem:
media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/SA-Compendium.pdf
(See page 8, bottom left)
...But this infusion does:
"If you load no ammunition in the weapon, it produces its own, automatically creating one piece of magic ammunition when you make a ranged attack with it."
@@Hazel-xl8in Both. Put it on your Arc Launcher and put Enhanced Defense on your armor and take a shield *and* War Caster *and* a mace. Congrats, you can do everything!
Regarding Radiant Weapon vs Blur - i think you guys missed a huge part of what blinding the opponent can do - all attacks against them will be with advantage! (If there is a rogue in the party, they will love you for it!)
Exactly. Additionally, Radiant Weapon also makes the weapon a +1 weapon, so it has an edge over Enhanced Weapon from 6-9.
Low level BBEG destroyer...
Also blur has a range of self so you can't cast it on an ally
Mind Sharpener sounds super good for the late game when you might take 60 or more damage from an attack making it literally impossible to succeed on the saving throw even with war caster and what not.
yes but the problem is that it uses your reaction and at some time you gonna have to choose between flash of genious to make the save and take half dmg or take full dmg and make the concentration save with mind sharpener? I found out that i would almost always choose half damage...
Artificier! I have to really look into the infusions and features of the Artificier when I'm playing. There are so many cool infusions and features that are so useful during combat and outside of combat
Magic Weapon is also awesome, because you can use it as an artificer yourself. The weapon turns into a magic weapon and NOW you can use your INT modifier instead of DEX/STR - normally this will be your best modifier, sooo... I have a battle axe with like +8 to attack.
At lvl 4. That's pretty cool I'd say :D
*cough*
Hexblade with an invocation on a two-handed weapon
*cough*
@@jpjfrey5673
Just playing a bit over a year now, don't have any experience with hexblades... Can you explain a bit? Sounds interesting
That only applies if you're a battlesmith though, the applying Int thing is a non factor for every other subclass. If you're battlesmith, it's incredible, but otherwise, not as much
@@ApeOcalyps hexblades with pact of the blade, can use their pact weapon as a two-handed weapon, you can then add the pretty awesome invocations you get as hexblade. I'd have to look into it more for the precise like "strategy" but basically a hexblade warlock usually can only get their stuff on one handed weapons but going pact of the blade allows for two-handed weapons so ur hexblade becomes a fucking dmg dealing beast, especially if you take greatweapon master or polearmaster feats and make ur pact weapon a halberd or greatsword or something like that
Edit: pact of the blade is a class feature of warlocks, you can either go pact of the tome or pact of the chain but for the hexblade subclass build you always choose pact of the blade. Sorry if that was confusing to read, I'm writing while at work
@@Hesauce
Yes, important sidenote.
Forgot for a moment that not everyone plays battlesmith ^^
But even if you don't, +1 is something especially at low levels. And the choice is either way veeery limited in the early stages. I gave the infusion for two levels to our fighter bc he benefited more than me from it.
What they forgot about radiant weapon, allies get advantage on that enemy.
Video idea: I'd love to see you guys do a series of spells/items/feats from older editions of dnd that you'd like brought into 5e.
Since you get to learn way more infusions than you can use, Resistant Armor would be great as one of the "extras." You don't ever use it -- until that day when you know it's going to be absolutely clutch, so you're willing to temporarily trade one of your normal infusions for it.
Or literally give it to your bear totem Barbarian and make his medium armor resistant to psychic damage
Love the Artificer, so I'm always happy to see videos about them. Infusions seem to be what really make the class shine.
I think they’re being a bit too hard on enhanced focus; it may not be that useful at higher levels, but at level 2 when you get Infusions, +1 to your Firebolt is pretty big, and once you level up and get access to better Infusions you can just swap it out.
It's great for alchemists who add their int bonus to their attacks at level 5. That's +7 to hit for 2d10+4 at level 5. Pretty reliable.
It is a +1/+2 wand of the warmage and what they are saying is what warlock wants a wand of the warmage when a rod of the Pactkeeper exists and is just as difficult to find. With Tasha's they have created items for each caster class that are equivalent to the rod of the Pactkeeper. For my Artificer give me the ability to make a lesser version of the All-Purpose Tool. I can already make any tool at lvl 3 it just takes alot longer (1 hour vs. 1 action) the existing infusion gives a +1/+2 spell bonus the tool adds to spell DC which the infusion should have. And the tool gives you an Artificer cantrip from any class spell list for 8 hours. This I would leave off the infusion because this is the regain a pact slot feature of the rod and this feature seems like it should be a seperate infusion option.
@@njsoapdish You can't get the int bonus when using a wand/focus, you need to use your alchemist tools. Which is why I really dislike enchanced focus.
@@Malthan that restriction is pretty silly as written. I imagine most dms would allow them to combo, but fair enough.
Artillerist gets Arcane Firearm at 5th level. A spell focus that adds +1D8 damage and is not magical. You can enhance it with Enhanced Focus, and in fact there's no reason not to. Considering they also said Artillerist should take Homunculus Servant when they want their bonus actions for their Eldritch Cannon, I think they just completely forgot everything that makes Artillerist Artillerist.
As a Battlesmith Artificer, I somewhat disagree with your Homunculus is good for everyone, as the bonus action command component of the Homunculus and the Steel Defender conflict. but just my 2¢
I agree, for Battlesmith, it seems like a less beneficial choice. The steel defender will be better in almost every situation.
Same with Artillerist commanding their turrets
They mention this at the end
It makes a good backup for if my Defender goes down or can’t reach an enemy, also it is strong enough to carry a lantern infused to be a lantern of revealing.
They don't deal as much damage, but as a remote cure wounds delivery device they are great, it can hover above the battlefield and then dive down to heal when needed.
Out of combat as a scout they are very useful, especially if you need them to be someone they can hide in plain sight where a familiar can't. A mug that is sentient can pick up a lot of things if everyone just thinks it's a mug.
For Resistant Armor, also keep in mind how resistances effect a character's ability to deal with extreme heat or cold. If you know you're going to Chult, fire resistance may be a good idea no matter what. If you're traveling north to Icewind Dale, cold resistance may be called for. This can save you a ton of hassle even out of combat.
Fun story about Repeating Shot:
I joined into a game as an artificer. Before I got there, the DM had given the party an antimatter rifle with two shots as a throwaway use-it-and-lose-it item during an adventure about mind flayers. The party hung on to it because they wanted to make it count. Then I arrived with a musket. The party said "hey, try this instead" and now I have an infinite ammo antimatter rifle in a medieval campaign.
I recently played an armorer artificer. Boots of the winding path worked great. Run in and give disadvantage on anyone but you. Then jump back 15ft.
An armorer with booming blade; run, punch, stay or suck.
More artificer stuff!!!!!!!!
💯
The homunculus does need a bonus action to make full use of it, so some artificers can use it more than others.
This comment is too low. The economy of bonus action is constantly overlooked, I feel, when people are discussing spells and other features for artificer, especially Artillerists. The turrents are the main class feature of artillerists, and requires bonus action to control. Familiar uses its own turn. (Why am I, an artillerists, need to look at a familiar when I already have turrents as my super familiar, you ask? Well, spell-strong item and familiar held by a familiar owl. )
You mean like the alchemist that it was originally designed for as a subclass feature? That they took away due to feedback and didn’t replace with anything…
@@phanspiritus910 indeed. There seems to be a blind spot to "bonus action traffic jam". For example, I've heard of people building rune knights with two-weapon fighting...
@@binolombardi alchemist is indeed the only artificer subclass that does not have a bonus action feature by itself.
@@phanspiritus910 alchemists get healing word, which they may use on a lot of their turns. Otherwise, the homunculus isn't bad to give them a little damage boost.
Worth adding one of the best things about Replicate Magic Item: Tasha's says you can add ANY common magic item to the list. Most common magic items are more flavour than function but it's not as if there aren't any good choices. You could give someone knock-down ammunition, obscuring smoke constantly around them, a hold-out weapon that nobody can tell is a weapon until it turns into one, or even a single use of a cantrip or 1st-level spell that they might otherwise not have access to.
You’re ignoring an important part of the repulsion shield! It also gives +1 to AC!!!
they mentioned it in their discussion, just apaprently forgot in their description of it
@@caelandemaziere7939 Oh yeah they did, I missed that part, I just thought it was odd they rated it so low when it's so similar to enhanced defense. Might be because of the attunement slot required, but depending on the DM you'll most likely have more than enough attunement slots free anyway at lvl 6
And since you cannot take enhanced defense twice, this lets you buff your armor and shield. I do it for that reason alone, very rarely triggering the repel ability.
I think a major point that was skipped is any infused item can be used as an arcane focus for the artificer. Otherwise you're holding a tool in order to cast. The ability to hold a shield (with infusion) and a 1h weapon and still being able to cast and attack is wonderful. Or holding a 2h weapon and using the helmet, ring or boots as a focus. Lots of flexibility here that other casters dont get.
- One thing a lot of people miss is the fact that any Infused armor can be used as an Artificer's focus. This means that when you cast a spell through your focus, you can make it appear to come from any part of the armor.
- As for the Enhanced Arcane Focus, I like it when multi-classing as it can be used as a focus for artificer and the other arcane class who can use the focus.
- The Homunculus Servant is an Infusion. As such you it can also be used as your Artificer Focus.
The problem with the servant as an focus is that the servant itself is a creature, and you use infused objects as foci.
>"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."
Which means the infused item is the core, not the creature around it. Up to your DM if you can, like, grab its gem heart from a back panel or something to use it like a focus. My DM said no, but it's not exactly broken to allow it.
Here's an idea for an Artificer, You as a Dm can give him a feat that allows him to give 1 infusion to each party member when he can get them but only 1 for himself. (If its 4/5 party members its great)
This way you will sacrifice 1 infusion & A feat for more infusions for the team.
One constraint DM gave me when I suggested that was that I can't choose the same item more than once.
Do note that in our campaigns we usually pick an extra feat at level 1 to add more flavor to our characters so you don't really lose a feat if you go this route.
I love the idea of an armorer with the thunder guantlets, winged boots, the mobile feat and haste(and probably the helm of awareness to act first in combat).
Flying into combat hitting 3 enemies( giving them disadvantage on attack rolls not made against you)and flying away.
It requieres a lot of things to make it work and you would have to wait until L10 but it seems really fun.
Also it would not be that great against a single hard enemy
Just be an aarakocra and use mage armor/studded leather
I'm of the opinion that artificers who keep all their infusions for themselves are not, in fact, "selfish" or "greedy." Infusions are _their_ class features, not the party's class features. Just because the artificer is able to give out their infusions to party members doesn't mean that they have to give them out or even that they should be expected to do so, and it most certainly doesn't mean that they are in any way greedy for not doing so.
I love artificer and I played my first game of dnd 2 weeks ago which was a one shot at level 2
The game was about trying to investigate a storm that just kept going on in the area and seemed bit magical so I took the cap of water breathing from the infusion and the final battle was with a water elemental who did try to drown other players
It felt amazing that I was a human but prepared for the situation where others weren't
I had a fairly different take on how to select infusions - you want 1 or 2 which you pick to be always on, then you intentionally pick the rest as semi circumstantial. So the resistant armour is one I would pick for every artificer, not to have constantly active, but so you can have it available when you know you'll need it.
Exactly. You learn so many more infusions than you can actually use that you actually _want_ some to be situational -- as long as you can expect a day's notice for when they'll be useful.
Fantastic video. I'm definitely in the same camp as Kelly since I love to hoard my artificer infusions for my own use instead of handing them out to the party. Get your own magic items you freeloaders!
Even when handing infusions out to the party, you have to renew them every morning. I figure it's a good idea to keep reminding folks that they might lose them on any given day, so it's in their best interest to get a permanent magic item instead, whenever possible.
I liked the returning weapon infusion so much that I came up with a character that was entirely built around it:
Dalvin Flintbek: Rock Gnome
LVL 8 - Battle Smith Artificer (5) / Psionic Warrior Fighter (3)
Thanks to Battle Ready from Battle Smith and thrown weapons style from Fighter, with a decent intelligence score you can easily get into the +10/+11 to hit range with thrown weapons. The additional attack on lvl 5 Artificer and action surge from Fighter can lead to some pretty insane turns. Psionic Warrior is a great addition as well since the additional damage also works off you INT score. It's a super niche build but I have had a lot of fun with it.
im playing two artificers at the time, an alchemist in lvl 10 and a battlesmith at lvl 9
as an alchemist, I have only Homunculus for me, and the other 3 items are to buff my party (winged boots for the cleric, enchanced defense for the bladesinger and enchanced weapon for the ranger). im going full suport and the party loves me.
as the Battlesmith, I already have a +2 weapon, so I have enchanced defense, spell storing ring and googles of night (damn you darkvisionless human). Im a good tank and damage dealer.
the thing I love the most about the artificer is how adaptable it is, you literally can play 4 diferent artificers for each subclass and choose diferent options for each (altough winged boots might always find its place)
Take Eldritch Adept at lvl 12 for Devil's Sight. Then you can make your goggles infusion somthing like a cloak of protection.
@@nickm9102 maybe i will, but this is curse of strahd and 3 levels is a lot of time, at that moment who knows what will happen to my character. plus I spent my V. human feat in... chef, so optimisation hasn't been my biggest priority.
@@Nigthmar okay but chef is dope as hell. You get to make snacks for your party! You’re like the kid in 3rd grade that brought cupcakes on his birthday except now every day is your birthday!
Returning weapon is super niche but getting the build together is so much fun. Admittedly it only dips into artificer for 2 levels but returning weapon with the throwing weapon fighting style and sharpshooter is really funny, only works with a dart but the damage gets impressive
The thing about repeating shot is that it opens up the ability to use a shield with your ranged crossbow wielder.
I actually really love that The Thing shirt Kelly is wearing.
Everyone always goes to the robo artificer but I have this image of an artificer who uses painter's supplies or calligraphy tools to draw and write his magic into being, a little bit inspired by the priests in anime that throw scrolls with prayers to exorcise demons.
Somethin to consider with Repeating Shot is that it works with guns, which also means not having to worry about not only bullets but also gunpowder and since Crossbow Master doesn’t count with guns it serves basically 2 purposes
I think it's worth mentioning that some of the magic weapons and armour that you gave 3 out of 5 or similar also come with a +1 enchant so they're objectively better than the bare +1 until that enhanced weapon or armour hits +2, at which point you can just retrain the infusion. Edit- this got covered later on the vid.
I played an alchemist artificier in a dungeons of drakkenheim campaign that we started before the kickstarter. Our DM improvised everything just from what he knew from your youtube series. Great fun, I gave the repeating shot to our gloomstalker/rouge/fighter and he had a blast with it. I concentrated on healing and making my 2 friends do everything they can do even better.. it was great fun
Mind Sharpener worked really well for me to maintain Haste on my Armorer in melee.
Enhanced Arcane Focus is solid for an Artillerist. +1 (later+2) for your harder-hitting cantrips is nice, and it makes your cannons better.
I can imagine that if you know what the final boss is, you can prep an infusion against them specifically, like a Red Dragon or something
I've never played an artificer myself but it looks like a real fun Class - Replicate Magic Item: Winged Boots and Spell-Refueling Ring would definitely be my top two picks
Repeating shot allows one to hold hand crossbow in one hand and shield in the other. That's what makes it also interesting to someone who applies elemental damage to their weapon damage, like those Hex spell users or Blood Hunters.
I had armour of magical strength on an armorer, cast enlarge on myself and grappled an adult dragon to death. It's really good!!!
Radiant Weapon should really be a 4/5 for one big reason: it ALSO gives a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. From levels 6-9, it's a strictly better version of Enhanced Weapon.
Yeah, I don't know how they didn't mention that.
It requires attunement, though
I feel like you have underestimated armor of resistance. The artificer can always have a couple more infusions known than are active and having the ability to swap out one infusion for that resistance you know you can get a lot of mileage out in the next fight is great.
I think that the +1 to spell attack rolls would be really good on artillerist who focusses on the ballista, that is based off your spell attack modifier.
It's great for alchemists, too, who use firebolt as their main source of damage.
@@njsoapdish Alchemists want to use alchemist's supplies as their spellcasting focus tho (to benefit from Alchemical Savant), and since the Enhanced Arcane Focus needs to be a wand, rod or staff you wouldn't be able to use it as effectively as you expect
@@maid_of_heart3261 honestly, I think that's a silly restriction and "enhanced arcane focus" should be usable for anything they can use as a focus.
@@njsoapdish I agree, and if an alchemist at my table asked me if they could use it on their alchemist's supplies I'd probably allow it, but RAW it's not allowed
I like Enhance focus (4 for the artillerist) a lot more than you do because it also eliminates half cover. When someone is between you and your target they actually have half cover. As an Artillerist you will have that actually happen all the time.
As my son Marc likes to say, "Self preservation is the first step to helping others."
I think Enhanced Arcane Focus is really good for an Artillerist Artificer, as it benefits your Force Ballista(s) as well as your Cantrips / Offensive spells.
Edit: in the discussion about Radiant Weapon, you mention Blur as being a better option. Blur, however, can only be cast on yourself, not on a party member.
I really like arcane focus and repulsion shield for alchemists. Most of their turns are casting ranged cantrips and healing, so their spell attack is more important than saving throws. Since there are not melee cantrips they get to add their int bonus on damage to, pushing an enemy away will get them into position for a ranged spell attack while freeing you to move away or towards and ally to heal them.
The alchemist I played was a variant human with the skill expert feat, giving expertise in stealth, then took cloak of elven kind at level 6, making him a super stealthy, trap/lock disabling, healer, tank, ranged spell caster. By the way, gloves of thievery aren't a bad infusion choice either.
I also love how you can change infusions up each morning to fit different situations. For instance, if you know you have a stealth mission the next day, you can make multiple party members cloaks of elven kind.
Lastly, you didn't mention how radiant weapon does add a +1 to hit, making it better than enhanced weapon until level 10. Most games don't have players filling up attunement slots at level 6, so there really is no drawback. Between enhanced weapon, reaping shot, and radiant weapon, it's easy for a battle smith to be great in melee and range with any types of weapon that they want, something no other class can really do as effectively. Artificers can also use firearms, given DM approval, which are more powerful than crossbows with shorter range.
Um. You can activate each infusion in only one item, so only one cloak of elven kind allowed.
Pipes of Haunting is the standout option at level 6 that you all missed imo.
It's basically a non-concentration fear spell without friendly fire that you can double up with other control spells like Web. Oh, and it doesn't use your precious spell slots. Oh, and it doesn't require attunement.
It's awesome on the Artillerist or Alchemist, which lack solid options for their Action in combat. Or an Armorer can stack this with Hypnotic Pattern for control overkill. Only downside is you have to be able to play a wind instrument to even use it.
Thank you for reassuring me that my Repeating Shot Heavy Crossbow wielding High Elf Battle Smith (Sage: Former Wizard Apprentice) was a strong choice. 😁👍
Boots of w.path, fighter hopped up on charging feats.
By its rules, you only have to hold the enhanced arcane focus to gain it's bonus. It does not say that it is a spellcasting focus, as something like the bloodwell vial does (specifically says in its rules). So, a sorcerer could use a bloodwell vial as their spellcasting focus and hold an enhanced arcane focus, and gain the benefits of both.
Just wanted to point out what I think was a missed point about arcane enhanced focus being useful for artillerist. First, it lets them use an arcane focus for their spells before they get an arcane firearm at 5th level. The bonus to hit bonus and ignoring cover effect works for the force ballista version of their eldritch cannon. Also, because they get scorching ray on their spell list, having a staff with enhanced arcane focus, turned into their arcane firearm and at 11th level, spell storing 10 scorching rays into the staff, allows them to combine a lot of their bonuses and power into a single item slot that just synergizes very well with everything they want to be doing.
I think the fact that they talked about Homunculus Servant on Artillerist when Eldritch Cannon needs their bonus action is basically proof that they forgot what makes Artillerist Artillerist. (Also, I'm 99% sure you can Enhanced Focus ON Arcane Firearm.)
@@Ranylyn Yeah, all those enhancements stacks so you can put it all on one arcane focus!
Love the Returning Weapon + Spear combo.
The spear is one of the best simple weapons available. Versatile if you want a higher damage die or one handed if you want a shield. The infusion's +1 applies to all attacks (not just thrown attacks). Range isn't great but the flexibility makes up for it.
I think you rate the Homunculus too highly. Partly it may be that I play with a larger group (6 players), so extra pets are a time burden. But the main issue is the bonus action. Artillerists and Battle Smiths already have pets that need that bonus action. Even Armorers with the guardian model have a bonus action thing. There's just too much bonus action competition.
alchemists will be using their bonus action for healing word a lot, too. Making it useless on those turns. It's probably best for an infiltrator armor or alchemist for the extra damage. Basically it's a spiritual weapon without needing a spell slot.
I disagree for the armorer/guardian part, i as a guardian have noticed that i repeatedly have nothing to do for a bonus action. Also i like how nobody noticed the out of combat stats of this thing. At lvl 5 this thing has like a 16 passive perception (and a similarly high perception skill), also it has 60 ft. of darkvision and very high stealth. Perfect scouting tool. And even if you don't have the bonus action for this, it's pretty tanky aswell with mine having 21hp and the standard 13 ac. So if you can't do much with it it can just soak up damage, definitely a 10/10 infusion.
@@ArchWillhelm I feel like at first a Homunculus is useful on an armorer, but eventually I'd rather get the Dual Wielder feat on them. Use that with the arcane propulsion armor and you can toss out thunder gauntlets to hit 3 separate targets imposing disadvantage on their attacks. Then you just book it the other direction so they can't hit you back. Being able to apply that force damage from arcane propulsion armor onto the off hand attack really sells that feat as just a strictly better attack than bonus action homunculus.
I think they grossly under estimated arcane propulsion armor generally speaking tbh. Pay close attention to the text: nothing even remotely indicates that thunder gauntlets and arcane propulsion armor are mutually exclusive. You make arcane propulsion armor, then set it as your arcane armor. Now your armor "INCLUDES" thunder gauntlets which "INCLUDE" an extra 1d8 force damage and thrown property (but you can't infuse the gauntlets because arcane propulsion armor makes them magical).
@@TurtletheShell I as an armorer tend to be the frontline, thus i usually rock a shield.
@@ArchWillhelm Yeah, I've played several lower AC tanks before (i mean, 18 / 19 ac) and had no problem with it. It's easy to have more than that much AC. It depends on your team comp. If you have a few different frontliners, you can flex into that damage. Once you have arcane propulsion armor, you're probably doing more for your team by giving multiple enemies disadvantage AND being a frontliner on the other side of the fight, than you are giving no one disadvantage but having 2-4 more ac when you already have a ton. Again, though, if you are THE frontline, then that definitely makes sense.
As for artificer ideas, I'd love to hear your list of best options for Replicate Magic Item. Or older classes to bring up to 5e.
I miss my 3.5 Binder!!
WOW! I just started campaign as aritificer. Thank you for your content, love you!
I'm considering giving the returning weapon to the fighter with a trident, so he has a ranged option, especially if we're dealing with flying opponents
aquaman!
I really like the idea of a character who takes the gunner feat and gets a pistol with the repeating shot infusion. Now they never run out of ammo in their guns.
Artificers already get firearm proficency, so the feat isn't even needed!
Treantmonk just destroyed all the artificers rip to my favorite class.
Treantmonk only cares about DPR it seems, so I'm not surprised he doesn't like the fun utility class
Treatmonk has no idea what he talks about. He's the type of guy that would say wish sucks because it doesn't add to a wizard's dpr.
But still his god wizard and the do it all clock sorcerer does like no damage. Bilron and dragons is more like that.
What I want is like a really good build for the artificer.
@@trappyboi8678 ummm, just no… that’s the exact opposite of Treantmonk… I disagree with his take on artificers, but to say he would say no to wish (even as hyperbole) because it doesn’t add to dpr is to fundamentally misunderstand everything he is about. He literally states in every single wizard video that control spells are better than dpr spells…
1st time playing D&D and I just got my Artificer to level 3 and took Artillerist, I have a Homunculus Servant and my Eldritch Cannon :D.
being a Warforged Race and having a little group of robot pets is my dream and i am loving every minute of it lmao
Spellwrought tattoo is invaluable for early artificers. Free spell slot can't be beaten.
Yeah very cool mix
Always make your homonculus something comedic.
Imagine the artificer being so proud of it's little flamingo homonculus casting spells as though they were itself.
Gold.
I can see it now.
party gets some magic item treasure. Artificer siting at one side and the other members on the other side bartering magic items from the Artificer.
The party: Hey, I found a magic item!
Artificer: I could've had that already
With Replicate magic item you're missing the most important combo, the mayo-mancer. Take Replicate magic item twice to get an alchemy jug and a bag of holding, now fill bag of holding with mayo over the course of months, now all you gotta do is get into the mouth of your enemy and flip the bag inside out!
I was almost expecting you guys to go full Meltzer and give Replicate Magic Item a 6/5.
Fun fact: Replicate Magic Item also allows you replicate any common magic item outside of potions and scrolls. That's any common magic item from any 5e book.
What do you guys think of Repeating Shot on Fire arms? Artificer's get proficiency in fire arms, so crafting Bad News and having the ability to shoot it every turn without having to reload seems to make it worth while in that case.
The repeating shot infusion is nice on guns as well of they are allowed.
Also, armorer is so good by being able to use more infusions than the other subclasses.
I . AM. IRON. MAN !!
Yes Im loving this
Just started playing an Artificer. This is going to be a great help.
Tasha's subclass ranking when ? reeeeee
I think they posted something on the community page about when they are starting them. They are on the way.
@@KnicKnac they have already started them, as armorer is only in Tasha’s,
This video actually makes me feel really good about my artificer! i made mine before i saw this video and pretty much all the ones i chose were your 5/5 and the first build you mentioned at the end aside from the homonculous and the winged boots it was exactly what i chose for mine!
"Give the Enhanced Boots to a Monk."
Somehow, I think DMs would have an issue with a Monk that gets more movement on top of 70ft walking and 15 ft on top of 60ft Shadow Step.
I'm a lvl 5 gnome battle smith artificer. I use repeating shot crossbow and love it. Recently i was offered a laser pistol as a reward, but it only had 3 ammunition left. I took it grinning knowing that i can use the repeating shot infusion to give it unlimited ammo. So now i have a laser pistol that does 3d6 plus int plus 1 damage.
I didn't know XP to Level 3 assisted with Grim Hollow.... Much less excited for it now.
That guy is the Britta of D&D.