Artificer

A dwarf touches a shining ruby wand to his belt and whispers a few words; his muscles swell with strength. He smashes through a barred door to rescue the imprisoned noble heir.

A human in a finely crafted breastplate slices through a giant worm with a longsword painted with arcane patterns and runes. Her allies’ weapons flash with the same aura having been empowered by her care.

A gnome touches her the cold iron skin of her hound to repair the chunks of metal torn off by a rampaging owlbear. She sprinkles dust over her hat and disappears from sight, waiting with infused crossbow bolts for the monster to wander down the hallway.

Artificer’s take their skill at magically modifying everyday items with them to the battlefield, the marketplace, and the dungeon as they seek new challenges, exotic materials, and fantastic wonders.

The Structure of Magic

In the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons, magic doesn’t only reside in humanoids, nature, and the gods, but also in objects. Magical wands, powerful scrolls, potent potions, and commanding staffs are the most common examples of magic wrapped up in otherwise mundane items.

The artificer sees this magic only as the most obvious form of their specialty. They study the crafting of everyday items as something magical, and infuse parts of themselves into those crafted objects to create magical objects. Where a wizard or cleric will cause an effect in the open, an artificer temporarily brings out an items capability. For an artificer a tunic is a suit of armor, a cloak is a sturdy shield, and gloves provide the strength of an ogre.

Artificers learn to recognize the patterns of magic in crafted goods and even raw materials, and to use their own magic to pull it out of them in fantastic ways. The greatest artificers are known to create magical items with amazing effects and to master various rituals. To an artificer there is no difference between the magic of a druid, wizard, cleric, or any other caster. They see magic as something purer than its petty divisions.

Experimentation and Understanding

A true artificer is as uncommon in the world as a true genius is in ours. In magically advanced lands there are those magewrights who have an understanding of magic rituals and can occasionally bring forth the magic of objects, but they are limited to their specialties. A true artificer masters all specialties and forms of artifice. An artificer is constantly inventing and questioning; his latest infusion or creation is not his best, there is always a grander discovery to be made.

Experimentation is key to the success of an artificer. Without their constant attempts to master the arcane secrets of the universe and discover the underpinnings of how magic works, an artificer would be nothing. To an artificer, even more than to the other arcane classes, magic is life. They understand that without magic there would be no existence. Most artificers dedicate their lives to understanding the way magic weaves itself into the universe.

Creating an Artificer

An artificer is a magical engineer. They are deeply interested in how magic works. What drives your artificer to study and experiment? Is it to better the world? For the sake of knowledge alone? Is it for financial gain, or is it to solve a specific problem, like stopping death, or making tools to help the disabled? Think about whether your artificer is more focused on magical trinkets, or instruments of war. Maybe they are most interested in ancient monoliths radiating mystical energies.

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

Proficiencies

  • Armor: Light armor
  • Weapons: Simple weapons
  • Tools: One of either alchemist's supplies, calligrapher’s supplies, cobbler’s tools, glassblower’s tools, jeweler’s tools, leatherworker’s tools, mason’s tools, painter’s supplies, smith’s tools, tinker’s tools, weaver’s tools, or woodcarver’s tools.
  • Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution
  • Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, and Religion.

Equipment

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

  • (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
  • (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
  • (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
  • Leather armor, any simple weapon, and one set of artisan's tools.

The Artificer
Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1st +2 Artificer's Knowledge, Spellcasting 3 4 2 — — — — — — — —
2nd +2 Infuse Equipment (d6), Brew Potions 3 5 3 — — — — — — — —
3rd +2 Artificer Tradition, Craft Homonculus 3 6 4 2 — — — — — — —
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 4 7 4 3 — — — — — — —
5th +3 Infuse Equipment (d8) 4 8 3 3 2 — — — — — —
6th +3 Artificer Tradition Feature, Infuse Weapons and Armor 4 9 4 3 3 — — — — — —
7th +3 Ritual Master 4 10 4 3 3 3 1 — — — —
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 10 4 3 3 3 2 — — — —
9th +4 Infuse Equipment 5 11 4 2 — — — — — — —
10th +4 Spell Storing Item 5 13 4 3 — — — — — — —
11th +4 — 5 14 4 3 1 — — — — — —
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 15 4 3 2 — — — — — —
13th +5 — 5 16 4 3 3 — — — — — —
14th +5 Artificer Tradition Feature, Spell Storing Item, Superior Artifice 5 17 4 3 3 — — — — — —
15th +5 Infuse Equipment (d12) 5 18 4 3 3 1 — — — — —
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 19 4 3 3 2 — — — — —
17th +6 — 5 20 4 3 3 2 — — — — —
18th +6 Spell Storing Item 5 22 4 3 3 2 — — — — —
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 5 22 4 3 3 3 — — — — —
20th +6 Perfect Infusion 5 22 4 3 3 3 — — — — —

Spellcasting

Artificers have a unique style of spellcasting. They imbue items and materials with infusions of their own magical energy in a very precise memorized pattern. They follow exact magical formulas and combine it with a bit of genius to make a mundane material temporarily magical.

Cantrips

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

Spell Slots

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

For example, if you cast the first level spell repair damage and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast repair damage using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the artificer spell list.

The Spells Known column of the artificer table shows when you learn more artificer spells of you choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown in the table. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the artificer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the artificer spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your artificer spells. You use your Intelligence modifier whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a 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 any artificer spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus or a set of artisan’s tools as a spellcasting focus for your artificer spells.

Artificer's Knowledge

You are adept at improvising with tools to complete your task. You can use any set of tools or utensils and have them count as any other set of tools or utensils. You also gain half your proficiency bonus on any set of tools you are not already proficient in.

Artificers also have a deep understanding of items and the power that lies hidden within them. When you touch an object, you can focus as an action to discover if it is magical. In addition, you know the identify spell; it does not count against the number of spells you know, and it requires no components. It still requires the same amount of time to cast and will spend a spell slot if not cast as a ritual.

Finally, you have a natural knack for making magic items work. You ignore all class requirements on the use of magic items.

Infuse Equipment

You can imbue mundane objects with helpful magic. During a short rest you can infuse a number of allies’ gear, including your own, with magic by handling it. The characters gain an Infused Equipment die they can discharge by rolling it with any d20 roll and adding it it to their result. They can wait to roll it until after the d20 roll is revealed, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Infused Equipment die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Infused Equipment die at a time. If a creature doesn’t use the die by the next time it takes a short or long rest, it is lost.

You can imbue a number of allies equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of one). You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Your Infused Equipment die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 9th level, and a d12 at 15th level.

Infuse Potions

Starting at 2nd level, you can produce magic potions. You spend 10 minutes focusing your magic on a vial of mundane water and expend a spell slot to transform it into a potion.

Once you have expended a spell slot to create a potion, you cannot regain that slot until the potion is consumed or after 1 week, at which time the potion loses its effectiveness.

You can create up to three potions at a time; creating a fourth potion causes the oldest currently active one to immediately lose its potency. If that potion has been consumed, its effects immediately end.

The level of the spell slot you expend determines the type of potion you can create. See chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide for complete rules on potions.

Spell Slot Potion Created
1st Climbing, Growth, or Healing, Alchemist's Fire
2nd Mind reading or greater healing
3rd Invisibility, superior healing, or water breathing
4th Resistance

Craft Homunculus

At 3rd level you learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spell known.

When you cast the spell, you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar or one of the following special forms: crafter homunculus, furtive filcher, expeditious messenger, or iron defender. The familiar you summon is always a construct instead of a celestial, beast, fey, or fiend.

Additionally when you take the attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to make on attack of its own.

Artificer Tradition

At 3rd level you begin to follow a tradition of magical crafting that you emulate in your creations and infusions: Tinkerer or Battlesmith. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, 6th level, and 14th level.

Ability Score Improvement

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

Infuse Weapons and Armor

Beginning at 6th level, you can produce magic weapons and suits of armor. You spend 10 minutes focusing your magic on a mundane weapon, suit of armor, shield or bundle of twenty pieces of ammunition, and expend a spell slot to infuse it with magical energy. The magic item retains its enhancement for 8 hours or until used (in the case of magic ammunition) You can infuse only one item at a time; if you infuse a second one, the first immediately loses its potency.

Once you have expended a spell slot to create such an item, you cannot regain that slot until the item becomes nonmagical.

The spell slot you expend determines the type of weapon, armor, or shield you can create.

Spell Slot Item Created
2nd +1 ammunition (20 pieces)
3rd +1 weapon or +1 shield
4th +1 armor
5th +2 weapon or +2 ammunition (20 pieces)
6th +2 armor

Ritual Master

At 7th level you develop a deeper understanding of magical patterns. Choose two 1st-level spells that have the ritual tag from any class’ spell list. You write these spells down in a book that becomes your Spellwright Book. The spells do not count against the number of spells you know. With your Spellwright Book in hand, you can cast the chosen spells as rituals. You can’t cast the spells except as rituals, unless you’ve learned them by some other means.

On your adventures, you can add other ritual spells to your Spellwright Book. When you find such a spell, you can add it to the book if the spell’s level is equal to or less than half your artificer level (rounded up) and if you can spare the time to transcribe the spell. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.

Twinned Infusion

At 10th level, you can create a second magic weapon, suit of armor, shield, or bundle of ammunition using your Infuse Weapons and Armor feature. Attempting to infuse a third item causes the oldest one to immediately lose its potency.

You can also create one additional potion using your Infuse Potions feature.

Spell Storing Item

Also at 10th level, once a day you can create a handheld magic item that duplicates a spell of your choice from any class. The spell you choose must be of a level you can cast of 5th level or lower or a cantrip. The spell can only be used once, unless it is a cantrip which can be used at will. At the end of the day, the magical energy dissipates and the item loses the spell stored into it. The chosen spell counts as an artificer spell for you but doesn’t count against the number of artificer spells you know. The spell is cast as the highest spell level you can cast, up to 5th level. You can create a different spell storing item everyday after a long rest, but can only have one spell storing item active at a time. You can pass the item off to someone else to use, if you instruct them on it’s use first.

You can have an additional active spell storing item at 14th level and another at 18th level.

Superior Artifice

At 14th level, your mastery of magic allows you to produce a wide variety of items. You can create a single magic item chosen from Magic Item Tables A and B in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.

It takes you one week to produce such an item, and you must rest for 1 month before using this ability again.

Perfect Infusion

At 20th level, the bonus from your infused equipment die is maximized.

Artificer Traditions

The traditions of artifice have been passed down for generations, each teaching the art of infusion in a unique manner. From inventors of magical trinkets to engineers of war, the way of the artificer is a varied one.

However, no two artificers are exactly alike in their magic. Each creates his or her own unique way of writing down rituals and the formulas for infusions, and many artificers have a one of a kind flourish that they add to their creations.

Tinkerer

Tinkerers are inventors and artisans who build magical trinkets. They are more magically inclined than their battlesmith brethren, and learn how to wield any magic item and infuse any spell into a mundane object.

Tinkerers are common in large cities, where they often sell mundane magical items, such as a pot which cleans itself or a crystal ball which emits light.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you take up the tinkerer tradition at level 3, you gain proficiency with Intelligence (Arcana) and tinker’s tools. You double your proficiency bonus with these when you use either to make an ability check. If you already proficiency with these, choose another skill and another set of artisan’s tools with which to gain proficiency.

Infuse Spellcasting

Also at 3rd level, you can infuse the implements of spellcasters with your Infused Equipment feature to allow them to roll the Infused Equipment die when casting a spell. If they do so, either the target of a spell takes a penalty to the spell's saving throw equal to the die roll, or you can add the result on the die to the damage from the spell.

Additional Spell Storing Item

At 6th level, once a day you can create a handheld magic item that duplicates a spell of your choice from any class. The spell you choose must be of a level you can cast of 5th level or lower, or a cantrip. The spell can only be used once, unless it is a cantrip which can be used at will. At the end of the day, the magical energy dissipates and the item loses the spell stored into it. The chosen spell counts as an artificer spell for you but doesn’t count against the number of artificer spells you know. You can create a different spell storing item everyday after a long rest, but can only have one spell storing item active at a time. You can pass the item off to someone else to use, if you instruct them on it’s use first.

Tinker's Prowess

Starting at 14th level, whenever you use a magic item that has charges and could be destroyed when you use the last charge, the item is not destroyed. Also, you can use magic items regardless of required race or level.

Battlesmith

Some artificers choose to apply their talents to destruction. These battlesmiths work on the front lines of battle, infusing weapons and armor to give their allies the upper hand. Battlesmiths are highly sought after by militaries across the globe, as any army can stand to gain from magical augmentation.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you take up the tradition of the battlesmith at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.

Combat Infusion

Also at 3rd level you gain further variety in the combat applications of your Infused Equipment feature. Characters with your Infused Equipment die can add the bonus from the roll to their weapon damage when they hit with an attack.

Alternatively, when an attack roll is made against the creature, it can use its reaction to roll the Infused Equipment die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it hits or misses.

Extra Attack

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the attack action on your turn.

Battle Magic

At 14th level, you have mastered the art of weaving spellcasting and weapon use into a single harmonious act. When you use your action to cast an artificer spell or use a magic item, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

Artificer Spells

Cantrips (0 level)
booming blade
guidance
greenflame blade
light
lightning lure
makeshift wand*
mending
prestidigitation
resistance
sword burst
1st level
comprehend languages
detect magic
detect poison and disease
disguise self
expeditious retreat
false life
feather fall
heroism
illusory script
inflict damage*
jump
longstrider
mage armor
repair damage*
sanctuary
shield of faith
speak with animals
2nd level
alter self
arcane lock
barkskin
blur
continual flame
darkness
darkvision
detect thoughts
enhance ability
find traps
heat metal
invisibility
knock
magic mouth
magic weapon
mirror image
nystul’s magic aura
protection from poison
see invisibility
spider climb
3rd level
bestow curse
dispel magic
elemental weapon
feign death
fly
gaseous form
glyph of warding
haste
magic circle
nondetection
protection from energy
remove curse
slow
speak with dead
speak with plants
tongues
water breathing
water walk
4th level
control water
death ward
fabricate
fire shield
freedom of movement
greater invisibility
otiluke’s resilient sphere
stone skin
5th level
animate objects
awaken
creation
geas
mislead
planar binding
rary’s telepathic bond
swift quiver
teleportation circle
tree stride
wall of force
wall of stone
6th level
blade barrier
contingency
globe of invulnerability
guards and wards
magic jar
move earth
true seeing
wind walk
7th level
etherealness
force cage
sequester
simulacrum
symbol
8th level
antipathy/sympathy
clone
glibness
mind blank
telepathy
9th level
foresight
imprisonment
prismatic wall
shapechange

Inflict Damage

1st-level transmutation

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

Your magic rips an object apart. Make a melee spell attack against a creature you can reach. On a hit, the target takes 2d10 damage, or twice as much if it is an object or construct.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot above 1st level.

Makeshift Wand

Evocation cantrip

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: S, M (a handheld object you have spent an action scribing runes on)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You employ any small object as a temporary wand, channeling a blast of energy. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 damage. The spell can inflict acid, fire, cold, lightning or thunder damage; choose two damage types when you learn this spell, and you can choose which one to use when you cast the spell.

You can prepare any handheld object to serve as a channel for this spell; this requires one action (inscribing a few runes on it) at some previous point, not including the action used to cast the cantrip.

The spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8). At each of these levels, you may also select an additional damage type to add to your repertoire.

Repair Damage

1st-level transmutation

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous

Your magic melds an object together and repairs damage. A construct or object you touch regains a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on living creatures or undead.

At higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d8 for each slot above 1st.