Edit · 2025 12 15 234421 Dndbeyondcom Character Creation Class Artificer

Saving needs a token. Log in or register to get one. Edits are public and licensed CC-BY-SA-4.0.

# Character Creation - Class: Artificer - Eberron: Rising from the Last War - Dungeons & Dragons - Sources - D&D Beyond

**URL:** https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/erftlw/character-creation-class-artificer

**Saved:** 2025-12-15T07:44:21.293Z

---

CH.1: DRAGONMARKS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CH 1: GROUP PATRONS
Chapter 1: Artificer

Masters of unlocking magic in everyday objects, artificers are supreme inventors. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and controlled. Artificers use tools to channel arcane power, crafting magical objects. To cast a spell, an artificer could use alchemist’s supplies to create a potent elixir, calligrapher’s supplies to inscribe a sigil of power on an ally’s armor, or tinker’s tools to craft a temporary charm. The magic of artificers is tied to their tools and their talents.

Arcane Science

In the world of Eberron, arcane magic has been harnessed as a form of science and deployed throughout society. Artificers reflect this development. Their knowledge of magical devices, and their ability to infuse mundane items with magic, allows Eberron’s most miraculous projects to continue.

During the Last War, artificers were marshaled on a massive scale. Many lives were saved because of the inventions of brave artificers, but countless lives were also lost because of the mass destruction unleashed by their creations.

Seekers of New Lore

Nothing excites an artificer quite like uncovering a new metal or discovering a source of elemental energy. In artificer circles, new inventions and strange discoveries create the most excitement. Artificers who wish to make their mark must innovate, creating something fresh, rather than iterating on familiar designs.

This drive for novelty pushes artificers to become adventurers. Eberron’s main travel routes and populated regions have long since been explored. Thus, artificers seek the frontiers of civilization in hopes of making the next great discovery in arcane research.

Creating an Artificer

When creating an artificer, think about your character’s relationship with the artisan who taught them their craft. Does the character have a rival? Talk to your DM about the role played by artificers in the campaign and the sort of organizations you might have ties to.

ARTIFICERS IN OTHER WORLDS

Eberron is the world most associated with artificers, yet the class can be found throughout the D&D multiverse. In the Forgotten Realms, for example, the island of Lantan is home to many artificers, and in the world of Dragonlance, tinker gnomes are often members of this class. The strange technologies in the Barrier Peaks of the World of Greyhawk have inspired some folk to walk the path of the artificer, and in Mystara, various nations employ artificers to keep airships and other wondrous devices operational. In the City of Sigil, artificers share discoveries from throughout the cosmos, and one in particular — the gnome inventor Vi — has run a multiverse-spanning business from there since leaving the world of her birth, Eberron. In the world-city Ravnica, the Izzet League trains numerous artificers, the destructiveness of whom is unparalleled in other worlds — except, perhaps, by the tinker gnomes of Krynn.

Quick Build

You can make an artificer quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Intelligence, followed by Constitution or Dexterity. Second, choose the guild artisan background.

Optional Rule: Multiclassing

If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player’s Handbook, here’s what you need to know if you choose artificer as one of your classes.

Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must have at least an Intelligence score of 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already an artificer.

Proficiencies Gained. If artificer isn’t your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as an artificer: light armor, medium armor, shields, thieves’ tools, tinker’s tools.

Spell Slots. Add half your levels (rounded up) in the artificer class to the appropriate levels from other classes to determine your available spell slots.

Class Features

As an artificer, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per artificer level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per artificer level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields

Weapons: Simple weapons

Tools: Thieves’ tools, tinker’s tools, one type of artisan’s tools of your choice

Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Sleight of Hand

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

any two simple weapons of your choice
a light crossbow and 20 bolts
your choice of studded leather armor or scale mail
thieves’ tools and a dungeoneer’s pack

If you forgo this starting equipment, as well as the items offered by your background, you start with 5d4 × 10 gp to buy your equipment.

Optional Rule: Firearm Proficiency

The secrets of creating and operating gunpowder weapons have been discovered in various corners of the D&D multiverse. If your Dungeon Master uses the rules on firearms in chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide and your artificer has been exposed to the operation of such weapons, your artificer is proficient with them.

The Artificer

—Spell Slots per Spell Level—

Level

Proficiency Bonus

Class Features

Infusions Known

Infused Items

Cantrips Known

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

1st

Magical Tinkering, Spellcasting

—

2nd

Infuse Item

—

3rd

Artificer Specialist, The Right Tool for the Job

—

4th

Ability Score Improvement

—

5th

Artificer Specialist feature

—

6th

Tool Expertise

—

7th

Flash of Genius

—

8th

Ability Score Improvement

—

9th

Artificer Specialist feature

—

10th

Magic Item Adept

—

11th

Spell-Storing Item

—

12th

Ability Score Improvement

—

13th

—

14th

Magic Item Savant

—

15th

Artificer Specialist feature

—

16th

Ability Score Improvement

—

17th

—

18th

Magic Item Master

19th

Ability Score Improvement

20th

Soul of Artifice

Magical Tinkering

At 1st level, you learn how to invest a spark of magic into mundane objects. To use this ability, you must have thieves’ tools or artisan’s tools in hand. You then touch a Tiny nonmagical object as an action and give it one of the following magical properties of your choice:

The object sheds bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.
Whenever tapped by a creature, the object emits a recorded message that can be heard up to 10 feet away. You utter the message when you bestow this property on the object, and the recording can be no more than 6 seconds long.
The object continuously emits your choice of an odor or a nonverbal sound (wind, waves, chirping, or the like). The chosen phenomenon is perceivable up to 10 feet away.
A static visual effect appears on one of the object’s surfaces. This effect can be a picture, up to 25 words of text, lines and shapes, or a mixture of these elements, as you like.

The chosen property lasts indefinitely. As an action, you can touch the object and end the property early.

You can bestow magic on multiple objects, touching one object each time you use this feature, though a single object can only bear one property at a time. The maximum number of objects you can affect with this feature at one time is equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one object). If you try to exceed your maximum, the oldest property immediately ends, and then the new property applies.

Spellcasting

You've studied the workings of magic and how to cast spells, channeling the magic through objects. To observers, you don't appear to be casting spells in a conventional way; you appear to produce wonders from mundane items and outlandish inventions.

Tools Required

You produce your artificer spell effects through your tools. You must have a spellcasting focus — specifically thieves’ tools or some kind of artisan’s tool — in hand when you cast any spell with this Spellcasting feature (meaning the spell has an ‘M’ component when you cast it). You must be proficient with the tool to use it in this way. See chapter 5, “Equipment,” in the Player’s Handbook for descriptions of these tools.

After you gain the Infuse Item feature at 2nd level, you can also use any item bearing one of your infusions as a spellcasting focus.

THE MAGIC OF ARTIFICE

As an artificer, you use tools when you cast your spells. When describing your spellcasting, think about how you’re using a tool to perform the spell effect. If you cast cure wounds using alchemist’s supplies, you could be quickly producing a salve. If you cast it using tinker’s tools, you might have a miniature mechanical spider that binds wounds. When you cast poison spray, you could fling foul chemicals or use a wand that spits venom. The effect of the spell is the same as for a spellcaster of any other class, but your method of spellcasting is special.

The same principle applies when you prepare your spells. As an artificer, you don’t study a spellbook or pray to prepare your spells. Instead, you work with your tools and create the specialized items you’ll use to produce your effects. If you replace cure wounds with heat metal, you might be altering the device you use to heal — perhaps modifying a tool so that it channels heat instead of healing energy.

Such details don’t limit you in any way or provide you with any benefit beyond the spell’s effects. You don’t have to justify how you’re using tools to cast a spell. But describing your spellcasting creatively is a fun way to distinguish yourself from other spellcasters.

Cantrips (0-Level Spells)

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the artificer spell list. At higher levels, you learn additional artificer cantrips of your choice, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Artificer table.

When you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the artificer cantrips you know with another cantrip from the artificer spell list.

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Artificer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your artificer spells. To cast one of your artificer spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

You prepare the list of artificer spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the artificer spell list. When you do so, choose a number of artificer spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your artificer level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you are a 5th-level artificer, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of artificer spells requires time spent tinkering with your spellcasting focuses: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your artificer spells; your understanding of the theory behind magic allows you to wield these spells with superior skill. You use your Intelligence whenever an artificer spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an artificer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Ritual Casting

You can cast an artificer spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.

Artificer Spell List

Here’s the list of spells you consult when you learn an artificer spell. The list is organized by spell level, not character level. If a spell can be cast as a ritual, the ritual tag appears after the spell’s name.

These spells are from the Player’s Handbook. If a spell’s name is followed by an asterisk, the spell is instead from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything.

Cantrips (0 Level)

acid splash

create bonfire *

dancing lights

fire bolt

frostbite *

guidance

light

mage hand

magic stone *

mending

message

poison spray

prestidigitation

ray of frost

resistance

shocking grasp

spare the dying

thorn whip

thunderclap *

1st Level

absorb elements *

alarm (ritual)

catapult *

cure wounds

detect magic (ritual)

disguise self

expeditious retreat

faerie fire

false life

feather fall

grease

identify (ritual)

jump

longstrider

purify food and drink

sanctuary

snare *

2nd Level

aid

alter self

arcane lock

blur

continual flame

darkvision

enhance ability

enlarge/reduce

heat metal

invisibility

lesser restoration

levitate

magic mouth (ritual)

magic weapon

protection from poison

pyrotechnics *

rope trick

see invisibility

skywrite * (ritual)

spider climb

web

3rd Level

blink

catnap *

create food and water

dispel magic

elemental weapon

flame arrows *

fly

glyph of warding

haste

protection from energy

revivify

tiny servant *

water breathing (ritual)

water walk (ritual)

4th Level

arcane eye

elemental bane *

fabricate

freedom of movement

Leomund’s secret chest

Mordenkainen’s faithful hound

Mordenkainen’s private sanctum

Otiluke’s resilient sphere

stone shape

stoneskin

5th Level

animate objects

Bigby’s hand

creation

greater restoration

skill empowerment *

transmute rock *

wall of stone

Infuse Item

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to imbue mundane items with certain magical infusions. The magic items you create with this feature are effectively prototypes of permanent items.

Infusions Known

When you gain this feature, pick four artificer infusions to learn, choosing from the “Artificer Infusions” section at the end of the class’s description. You learn additional infusions of your choice when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Infusions Known column of the Artificer table.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the artificer infusions you learned with a new one.

Infusing an Item

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a nonmagical object and imbue it with one of your artificer infusions, turning it into a magic item. An infusion works on only certain kinds of objects, as specified in the infusion’s description. If the item requires attunement, you can attune yourself to it the instant you infuse the item. If you decide to attune to the item later, you must do so using the normal process for attunement (see “Attunement” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).

Your infusion remains in an item indefinitely, but when you die, the infusion vanishes after a number of days have passed equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1 day). The infusion also vanishes if you replace your knowledge of the infusion.

You can infuse more than one nonmagical object at the end of a long rest; the maximum number of objects appears in the Infused Items column of the Artificer table. You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time. Moreover, no object can bear more than one of your infusions at a time. If you try to exceed your maximum number of infusions, the oldest infusion immediately ends, and then the new infusion applies.

If an infusion ends on an item that contains other things, like a bag of holding, its contents harmlessly appear in and around its space.

Artificer Specialist

At 3rd level, you choose the type of specialist you are: Alchemist, Artillerist, or Battle Smith, each of which is detailed at the end of the class’s description. Your choice grants you features at 5th level and again at 9th and 15th level.

The Right Tool for the Job

At 3rd level, you learn how to produce exactly the tool you need: with thieves’ tools or artisan’s tools in hand, you can magically create one set of artisan’s tools in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. This creation requires 1 hour of uninterrupted work, which can coincide with a short or long rest. Though the product of magic, the tools are nonmagical, and they vanish when you use this feature again.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Tool Expertise

Starting at 6th level, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses your proficiency with a tool.

Flash of Genius

Starting at 7th level, you gain the ability to come up with solutions under pressure. When you or another creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes an ability check or a saving throw, you can use your reaction to add your Intelligence modifier to the roll.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Magic Item Adept

When you reach 10th level, you achieve a profound understanding of how to use and make magic items:

You can attune to up to four magic items at once.
If you craft a magic item with a rarity of common or uncommon, it takes you a quarter of the normal time, and it costs you half as much of the usual gold.
Spell-Storing Item

At 11th level, you learn how to store a spell in an object. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one simple or martial weapon or one item that you can use as a spellcasting focus, and you store a spell in it, choosing a 1st- or 2nd-level spell from the artificer spell list that requires 1 action to cast (you needn’t have it prepared).

While holding the object, a creature can take an action to produce the spell’s effect from it, using your spellcasting ability modifier. If the spell requires concentration, the creature must concentrate. The spell stays in the object until it’s been used a number of times equal to twice your Intelligence modifier (minimum of twice) or until you use this feature again to store a spell in an object.

Magic Item Savant

At 14th level, your skill with magic items deepens more:

You can attune to up to five magic items at once.
You ignore all class, race, spell, and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item.
Magic Item Master

Starting at 18th level, you can attune to up to six magic items at once.

Soul of Artifice

At 20th level, you develop a mystical connection to your magic items, which you can draw on for protection:

You gain a +1 bonus to all saving throws per magic item you are currently attuned to.
If you’re reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can use your reaction to end one of your artificer infusions, causing you to drop to 1 hit point instead of 0.
Artificer Specialists

Artificers pursue many disciplines. Here are specialist options you can choose from at 3rd level.

Alchemist

An Alchemist is an expert at combining reagents to produce mystical effects. Alchemists use their creations to give life and to leech it away. Alchemy is the oldest of artificer traditions, and its versatility has long been valued during times of war and peace.

Tool Proficiency

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with alchemist’s supplies. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.

Alchemist Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Alchemist Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

ALCHEMIST WITH HOMUNCULUS SERVANT
Alchemist Spells
Artificer Level	Spell
3rd	healing word, ray of sickness
5th	flaming sphere, Melf’s acid arrow
9th	gaseous form, mass healing word
13th	blight, death ward
17th	cloudkill, raise dead
Experimental Elixir

Beginning at 3rd level, whenever you finish a long rest, you can magically produce an experimental elixir in an empty flask you touch. Roll on the Experimental Elixir table for the elixir’s effect, which is triggered when someone drinks the elixir. As an action, a creature can drink the elixir or administer it to an incapacitated creature.

Creating an experimental elixir requires you to have alchemist’s supplies on your person, and any elixir you create with this feature lasts until it is drunk or until the end of your next long rest.

When you reach certain levels in this class, you can make more elixirs at the end of a long rest: two at 6th level and three at 15th level. Roll for each elixir’s effect separately. Each elixir requires its own flask.

You can create additional experimental elixirs by expending a spell slot of 1st level or higher for each one. When you do so, you use your action to create the elixir in an empty flask you touch, and you choose the elixir’s effect from the Experimental Elixir table.

Experimental Elixir
d6	Effect
1	Healing. The drinker regains a number of hit points equal to 2d4 + your Intelligence modifier.
2	Swiftness. The drinker’s walking speed increases by 10 feet for 1 hour.
3	Resilience. The drinker gains a +1 bonus to AC for 10 minutes.
4	Boldness. The drinker can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to every attack roll and saving throw they make for the next minute.
5	Flight. The drinker gains a flying speed of 10 feet for 10 minutes.
6	Transformation. The drinker’s body is transformed as if by the alter self spell. The drinker determines the transformation caused by the spell, the effects of which last for 10 minutes.
Alchemical Savant

At 5th level, you develop masterful command of magical chemicals, enhancing the healing and damage you create through them. Whenever you cast a spell using your alchemist’s supplies as the spellcasting focus, you gain a bonus to one roll of the spell. That roll must restore hit points or be a damage roll that deals acid, fire, necrotic, or poison damage, and the bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).

Restorative Reagents

Starting at 9th level, you can incorporate restorative reagents into some of your works:

Whenever a creature drinks an experimental elixir you created, the creature gains temporary hit points equal to 2d6 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1 temporary hit point).
You can cast lesser restoration without expending a spell slot and without preparing the spell, provided you use alchemist’s supplies as the spellcasting focus. You can do so a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Chemical Mastery

By 15th level, you have been exposed to so many chemicals that they pose little risk to you, and you can use them to quickly end certain ailments:

You gain resistance to acid damage and poison damage, and you are immune to the poisoned condition.
You can cast greater restoration and heal without expending a spell slot, without preparing the spell, and without material components, provided you use alchemist’s supplies as the spellcasting focus. Once you cast either spell with this feature, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest.
Artillerist

An Artillerist specializes in using magic to hurl energy, projectiles, and explosions on a battlefield. This destructive power was valued by all the armies of the Last War. Now that the war is over, some members of this specialization have sought to build a more peaceful world by using their powers to fight the resurgence of strife in Khorvaire.

The gnome artificer Vi, an unlikely yet key member of House Cannith’s warforged project, has been especially vocal about making things right: “It’s about time we fixed things instead of blowing them all to hell.”

Tool Proficiency

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with woodcarver’s tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.

Artillerist Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Artillerist Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

ARTILLERIST
Artillerist Spells
Artificer Level	Spell
3rd	shield, thunderwave
5th	scorching ray, shatter
9th	fireball, wind wall
13th	ice storm, wall of fire
17th	cone of cold, wall of force
Eldritch Cannon

At 3rd level, you learn how to create a magical cannon. Using woodcarver’s tools or smith’s tools, you can take an action to magically create a Small or Tiny eldritch cannon in an unoccupied space on a horizontal surface within 5 feet of you. A Small eldritch cannon occupies its space, and a Tiny one can be held in one hand.

Once you create a cannon, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest or until you expend a spell slot to create one. You can have only one cannon at a time and can’t create one while your cannon is present.

The cannon is a magical object. Regardless of size, the cannon has an AC of 18 and a number of hit points equal to five times your artificer level. It is immune to poison damage and psychic damage. If it is forced to make an ability check or a saving throw, treat all its ability scores as 10 (+0). If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d6 hit points. It disappears if it is reduced to 0 hit points or after 1 hour. You can dismiss it early as an action.

When you create the cannon, you determine its appearance and whether it has legs. You also decide which type it is, choosing from the options on the Eldritch Cannons table. On each of your turns, you can take a bonus action to cause the cannon to activate if you are within 60 feet of it. As part of the same bonus action, you can direct the cannon to walk or climb up to 15 feet to an unoccupied space, provided it has legs.

Eldritch Cannons
Cannon	Activation
Flamethrower	The cannon exhales fire in an adjacent 15-foot cone that you designate. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 2d8 fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire ignites any flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.
Force Ballista	Make a ranged spell attack, originating from the cannon, at one creature or object within 120 feet of it. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 force damage, and if the target is a creature, it is pushed up to 5 feet away from the cannon.
Protector	The cannon emits a burst of positive energy that grants itself and each creature of your choice within 10 feet of it a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
Arcane Firearm

At 5th level, you know how to turn a wand, staff, or rod into an arcane firearm, a conduit for your destructive spells. When you finish a long rest, you can use woodcarver’s tools to carve special sigils into a wand, staff, or rod and thereby turn it into your arcane firearm. The sigils disappear from the object if you later carve them on a different item. The sigils otherwise last indefinitely.

You can use your arcane firearm as a spellcasting focus for your artificer spells. When you cast an artificer spell through the firearm, roll a d8, and you gain a bonus to one of the spell’s damage rolls equal to the number rolled.

Explosive Cannon

Starting at 9th level, every eldritch cannon you create is more destructive:

The cannon’s damage rolls all increase by 1d8.
As an action, you can command the cannon to detonate if you are within 60 feet of it. Doing so destroys the cannon and forces each creature within 20 feet of it to make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 3d8 force damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.
Fortified Position

Starting at 15th level, you’re a master at forming well-defended emplacements using Eldritch Cannon:

You and your allies have half cover while within 10 feet of a cannon you create with Eldritch Cannon, as a result of a shimmering field of magical protection that the cannon emits.
You can now have two cannons at the same time. You can create two with the same action (but not the same spell slot), and you can activate both of them with the same bonus action. You determine whether the cannons are identical to each other or different. You can’t create a third cannon while you have two.
Battle Smith
BATTLE SMITH WITH STEEL DEFENDER

Armies require protection, and someone has to put things back together if defenses fail. A combination of protector and medic, a Battle Smith is an expert at defending others and repairing both material and personnel. To aid in their work, Battle Smiths are usually accompanied by a steel defender, a protective companion of their own creation. Many soldiers tell stories of nearly dying before being saved by a Battle Smith and a steel defender.

Battle Smiths played a key role in House Cannith’s work on battle constructs and the original warforged, and after the Last War, these artificers led efforts to aid those who were injured in the war’s horrific battles.

Tool Proficiency

When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with smith’s tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.

Battle Smith Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Battle Smith Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

Battle Smith Spells
Artificer Level	Spell
3rd	heroism, shield
5th	branding smite, warding bond
9th	aura of vitality, conjure barrage
13th	aura of purity, fire shield
17th	banishing smite, mass cure wounds
Battle Ready

When you reach 3rd level, your combat training and your experiments with magic have paid off in two ways:

You gain proficiency with martial weapons.
When you attack with a magic weapon, you can use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity modifier, for the attack and damage rolls.
Steel Defender

By 3rd level, your tinkering has borne you a companion, a steel defender. It’s friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See its game statistics in the Steel Defender stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. You determine the creature’s appearance and whether it has two legs or four; your choice has no effect on its game statistics.

In combat, the defender shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the defender can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d6 hit points. If it has died within the last hour, you can use your smith’s tools as an action to revive it, provided you are within 5 feet of it and you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The steel defender returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored.

At the end of a long rest, you can create a new steel defender if you have smith’s tools with you. If you already have a defender from this feature, the first one immediately perishes. The defender also perishes if you die.

STEEL DEFENDER

Medium construct

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 2 + your Intelligence modifier + five times your artificer level (the defender has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your artificer level)

Speed 40 ft.

STR
14 (+2)
DEX
12 (+1)
CON
14 (+2)
INT
4 (–3)
WIS
10 (+0)
CHA
6 (–2)

Saving Throws Dex +1 plus PB, Con +2 plus PB

Skills Athletics +2 plus PB, Perception +0 plus PB × 2

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 + (PB × 2)

Languages understands the languages you speak

Challenge — Proficiency Bonus (PB) equals your bonus

Vigilant. The defender can’t be surprised.

Actions

Force-Empowered Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d8 + PB force damage.

Repair (3/Day). The magical mechanisms inside the defender restore 2d8 + PB hit points to itself or to one construct or object within 5 feet of it.

Reaction

Deflect Attack. The defender imposes disadvantage on the attack roll of one creature it can see that is within 5 feet of it, provided the attack roll is against a creature other than the defender.

Extra Attack

Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, rather than once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Arcane Jolt

At 9th level, you learn new ways to channel arcane energy to harm or heal. When either you hit a target with a magic weapon attack or your steel defender hits a target, you can channel magical energy through the strike to create one of the following effects:

The target takes an extra 2d6 force damage.
Choose one creature or object you can see within 30 feet of the target. Healing energy flows into the chosen recipient, restoring 2d6 hit points to it.

You can use this energy a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once), but you can do so no more than once on a turn. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Improved Defender

At 15th level, your Arcane Jolt and steel defender become more powerful:

The extra damage and the healing of your Arcane Jolt both increase to 4d6.
Your steel defender gains a +2 bonus to Armor Class.
Whenever your steel defender uses its Deflect Attack, the attacker takes force damage equal to 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier.
Artificer Infusions

Artificers have invented numerous magical infusions, extraordinary processes that rapidly create magic items. To many, artificers seem like wonderworkers, accomplishing in hours what others need weeks to complete.

The description of each of the following infusions details the type of item that can receive it, along with whether the resulting magic item requires attunement.

Some infusions specify a minimum artificer level. You can’t learn such an infusion until you are at least that level.

Unless an infusion’s description says otherwise, you can’t learn an infusion more than once.

Boots of the Winding Path

Prerequisite: 6th-level artificer
Item: A pair of boots (requires attunement)

While wearing these boots, a creature can teleport up to 15 feet as a bonus action to an unoccupied space the creature can see. The creature must have occupied that space at some point during the current turn.

Enhanced Arcane Focus

Item: A rod, staff, or wand (requires attunement)

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 bonus increases to +2 when you reach 10th level in this class.

Enhanced Defense

Item: A suit of armor or a shield

A creature gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class while wearing (armor) or wielding (shield) the infused item.

The bonus increases to +2 when you reach 10th level in this class.

Enhanced Weapon

Item: A simple or martial weapon

This magic weapon grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it.

The bonus increases to +2 when you reach 10th level in this class.

Homunculus Servant

Item: A gem or crystal worth at least 100 gp

You learn intricate methods for magically creating a special homunculus that serves you. The item you infuse serves as the creature’s heart, around which the creature’s body instantly forms.

You determine the homunculus’s appearance. Some artificers prefer mechanical-looking birds, whereas some like winged vials or miniature, animate cauldrons.

The homunculus is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See this creature’s game statistics in the Homunculus Servant stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places.

In combat, the homunculus shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the homunculus can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

The homunculus regains 2d6 hit points if the mending spell is cast on it. If you or the homunculus dies, it vanishes, leaving its heart in its space.

HOMUNCULUS SERVANT

Tiny construct

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 1 + your Intelligence modifier + your artificer level (the homunculus has a number of Hit Dice [d4s] equal to your artificer level)

Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft.

STR
4 (–3)
DEX
15 (+2)
CON
12 (+1)
INT
10 (+0)
WIS
10 (+0)
CHA
7 (–2)

Saving Throws Dex +2 plus PB

Skills Perception +0 plus PB × 2, Stealth +2 plus PB

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 + (PB × 2)

Languages understands the languages you speak

Challenge — Proficiency Bonus (PB) equals your bonus

Evasion. If the homunculus is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. It can’t use this trait if it’s incapacitated.

Actions

Force Strike. Ranged Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, range 30 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d4 + PB force damage.

Reactions

Channel Magic. The homunculus delivers a spell you cast that has a range of touch. The homunculus must be within 120 feet of you.

Radiant Weapon

Prerequisite: 6th-level artificer
Item: A simple or martial weapon (requires attunement)

This magic weapon grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. While holding it, the wielder can take a bonus action to cause it to shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. The wielder can extinguish the light as a bonus action.

The weapon has 4 charges. As a reaction immediately after being hit by an attack, the wielder can expend 1 charge and cause the attacker to be blinded until the end of the attacker’s next turn, unless the attacker succeeds on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. The weapon regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn.

Repeating Shot

Item: A simple or martial weapon with the ammunition property (requires attunement)

This magic weapon grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it when it’s used to make a ranged attack, and it ignores the loading property if it has it.

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. The ammunition created by the weapon vanishes the instant after it hits or misses a target.

Replicate Magic Item

Using this infusion, you replicate a particular magic item. You can learn this infusion multiple times; each time you do so, choose a magic item that you can make with it, picking from the Replicable Items tables below. A table’s title tells you the level you must be in the class to choose an item from the table. Alternatively, you can choose the magic item from among the common magic items in the game, not including potions or scrolls.

In the tables, an item’s entry tells you whether the item requires attunement. See the item’s description in the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more information about it, including the type of object required for its making.

Replicable Items (2nd-Level Artificer)
Magic Item	Attunement
Alchemy jug	No
Bag of holding	No
Cap of water breathing	No
Goggles of night	No
Rope of climbing	No
Sending stones	No
Wand of magic detection	No
Wand of secrets	No
Replicable Items (6th-Level Artificer)
Magic Item	Attunement
Boots of elvenkind	No
Cloak of elvenkind	Yes
Cloak of the manta ray	No
Eyes of charming	Yes
Gloves of thievery	No
Lantern of revealing	No
Pipes of haunting	No
Ring of water walking	No
Replicable Items (10th-Level Artificer)
Magic Item	Attunement
Boots of striding and springing	Yes
Boots of the winterlands	Yes
Bracers of archery	Yes
Brooch of shielding	Yes
Cloak of protection	Yes
Eyes of the eagle	Yes
Gauntlets of ogre power	Yes
Gloves of missile snaring	Yes
Gloves of swimming and climbing	Yes
Hat of disguise	Yes
Headband of intellect	Yes
Helm of telepathy	Yes
Medallion of thoughts	Yes
Necklace of adaptation	Yes
Periapt of wound closure	Yes
Pipes of the sewers	Yes
Quiver of Ehlonna	No
Ring of jumping	Yes
Ring of mind shielding	Yes
Slippers of spider climbing	Yes
Ventilating lungs (detailed in chapter 5)	Yes
Winged boots	Yes
Replicable Items (14th-Level Artificer)
Magic Item	Attunement
Amulet of health	Yes
Arcane propulsion arm (detailed in chapter 5)	Yes
Belt of hill giant strength	Yes
Boots of levitation	Yes
Boots of speed	Yes
Bracers of defense	Yes
Cloak of the bat	Yes
Dimensional shackles	No
Gem of seeing	Yes
Horn of blasting	No
Ring of free action	Yes
Ring of protection	Yes
Ring of the ram	Yes
Repulsion Shield

Prerequisite: 6th-level artificer
Item: A shield (requires attunement)

A creature gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class while wielding this shield.

The shield has 4 charges. While holding it, the wielder can use a reaction immediately after being hit by a melee attack to expend 1 of the shield’s charges and push the attacker up to 15 feet away. The shield regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn.

Resistant Armor

Prerequisite: 6th-level artificer
Item: A suit of armor (requires attunement)

While wearing this armor, a creature has resistance to one of the following damage types, which you choose when you infuse the item: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder.

Returning Weapon

Item: A simple or martial weapon with the thrown property

This magic weapon 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.

Cancel

Preview · live