Artificer

Masters of invention, Artificers use ingenuity and magic to unlock extraordinary capabilities in objects. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be understood and harnessed through spells, tools, and inventions.

Artificers use a variety of tools to channel their arcane power. To cast a spell, an Artificer might use Alchemist’s Supplies to create a potent elixir, Calligrapher’s Supplies to inscribe a sigil of power, or Tinker’s Tools to assemble a temporary magical device. An Artificer’s magic is closely tied to their tools and technical knowledge, and few other characters are as capable of producing the right tool or solution for an unexpected problem.

This version of the Artificer builds on the earlier class while retaining the mechanics that most strongly define it. Infuse Item remains at the center of the class, allowing the Artificer to create a collection of temporary magic items and, at higher levels, apply limited enhancements to magic items found during an adventure.

Spell preparation uses a fixed progression appropriate to a half-caster while retaining the ability to change the full list of prepared Artificer spells after each Long Rest. Magical Tinkering and practical item creation have been combined into Tinker’s Magic so that the class’s identity as an inventor is established from 1st level.

Infuse Item is gained at 2nd level, while subclass selection occurs at 3rd level after the Artificer has established the fundamentals of spellcasting and magical invention. At 6th level, Power Infusion grants both Infusion Overcharge and Infusion Siphon. Overcharge temporarily pushes an Infusion beyond its normal limits, while Siphon suppresses an Infusion to recover magical energy.

High-level features continue to emphasize unusual mastery of magical equipment. The Artificer gains additional Attunement capacity, improved interaction with found magic items, Spell-Storing Item, and Soul of Artifice. The class remains focused on inventions, magical equipment, utility, and supporting the party rather than functioning as a conventional full spellcaster.

Becoming an Artificer

As a Level 1 Character

Gain all the traits in the Core Artificer Traits table.

Gain the Artificer’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Artificer Features table.

As a Multiclass Character

Gain the following traits from the Core Artificer Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency with Tinker’s Tools, proficiency in one skill of your choice from the Artificer skill list, and training with Light and Medium armor and Shields.

Gain the Artificer’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Artificer Features table.

When determining your available spell slots using the multiclassing rules, add half your Artificer levels, rounded up.

Artificer Features

Level 1: Tinker’s Magic

Your study of magical invention allows you to invest mundane objects with minor magical effects and rapidly produce useful equipment.

Mending

You know the Mending cantrip. It counts as an Artificer spell for you and doesn’t count against the number of Artificer cantrips you know.

Magical Tinkering

While holding Tinker’s Tools, you can take a Magic action to touch a Tiny nonmagical object and give it one of the following magical properties:

• The object sheds Bright Light in a 5-foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 5 feet.

• Whenever a creature taps the object, it emits a recorded message that can be heard up to 10 feet away. You record the message when you create this property, and the message can be no longer than 6 seconds.

• The object continuously emits an odor or a nonverbal sound of your choice. The effect can be perceived up to 10 feet away.

• A static visual effect appears on one of the object’s surfaces. The effect can consist of an image, up to 25 words of text, lines and shapes, or a combination of them.

A property lasts until you end it as a Magic action while touching the object or until you exceed the maximum number of objects you can affect with this feature.

You can have a number of objects affected by Magical Tinkering at one time equal to your Intelligence modifier, with a minimum of one object. If you exceed that number, the oldest property immediately ends.

An object can bear only one property from this feature at a time.

Practical Fabrication

While holding Tinker’s Tools, you can take a Magic action to create one item from the Practical Fabrication table in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of yourself.

If you create Artisan’s Tools, you choose the type when you create them.

An item created by this feature is nonmagical despite being created through magic. It disappears when you finish your next Long Rest.

You can use Practical Fabrication a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, with a minimum of once. You regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Level 1: Spellcasting

You have learned to channel magical energy through tools, devices, and crafted objects. See the Player’s Handbook for the rules on spellcasting. The information below describes how you use those rules with Artificer spells.

Tools Required

You produce your Artificer spells through tools.

You can use Thieves’ Tools, Tinker’s Tools, or another type of Artisan’s Tools with which you have proficiency as a Spellcasting Focus for your Artificer spells. You must have one of those tools in hand when you cast an Artificer spell, meaning your Artificer spells have a Material component when you cast them through this feature.

After you gain the Infuse Item feature at 2nd level, you can also use an item bearing one of your Artificer Infusions as a Spellcasting Focus for your Artificer spells.

Cantrips

You know two Artificer cantrips of your choice, in addition to Mending from Tinker’s Magic.

When you reach Artificer levels 10 and 14, you learn one additional Artificer cantrip of your choice, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Artificer Features table.

Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace one Artificer cantrip you know with another Artificer cantrip of your choice.

Spell Slots

The Artificer Features table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your level 1+ spells. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a Long Rest.

Prepared Spells

You prepare the list of level 1+ Artificer spells that are available for you to cast with this feature.

The number of spells you can have prepared is shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Artificer Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional Artificer spells until the number of spells you have prepared matches the number shown in the table.

The spells you prepare must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

If another Artificer feature grants you spells that are always prepared, those spells don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare with this feature unless that feature states otherwise. Those spells otherwise count as Artificer spells for you.

Changing Your Prepared Spells

Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace any or all of the Artificer spells you have prepared with other Artificer spells for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Artificer spells.

Level 2: Infuse Item

You have learned how to imbue mundane objects with temporary magical properties called Artificer Infusions.

Infusions Known

When you gain this feature, you learn four Artificer Infusions of your choice.

The Infusions Known column of the Artificer Features table shows when you learn additional Infusions.

Whenever you gain an Artificer level, you can replace one Infusion you know with another Artificer Infusion for which you qualify.

The Artificer Infusions section describes the Infusions available to you.

Infusing an Item

Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can touch one or more nonmagical objects and apply Artificer Infusions you know to them.

Each Infusion specifies the type of object to which it can be applied and any other requirements it has.

An object bearing one of your Infusions is a magic item for as long as the Infusion remains on it.

The Infused Items column of the Artificer Features table shows the maximum number of objects that can bear your Infusions at one time.

Each Infusion you know can be applied to only one object at a time, and an object can bear only one of your Infusions at a time.

If you attempt to exceed your maximum number of infused items, the oldest Infusion immediately ends before the new Infusion takes effect.

An Infusion remains in an object indefinitely. It ends if you replace your knowledge of that Infusion or if another rule causes it to end. If you die, your Infusions end after a number of days equal to your Intelligence modifier, with a minimum of 1 day.

If an Infusion ends on an object that contains other objects, such as a Bag of Holding, its contents harmlessly appear in and around its space.

Attunement

If an item created by one of your Infusions requires Attunement, you can attune to it immediately when you infuse the object.

If you choose to attune to it later, you must use the normal rules for Attunement.

Level 3: Artificer Subclass

You gain an Artificer subclass of your choice.

A subclass represents the field in which you apply your magical and technical training. Your subclass grants features at Artificer levels 3, 5, 9, and 15.

Level 4: Ability Score Improvement

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

You gain this feature again at Artificer levels 8, 12, and 16.

Level 6: Power Infusion

You have learned how to push your Infusions beyond their normal limits or suppress them to recover magical energy.

You gain both of the following options.

Infusion Overcharge

As a Bonus Action, you can touch an item bearing one of your active Artificer Infusions and temporarily overcharge that Infusion.

The Replicate Magic Item Infusion can’t be overcharged.

The Infusion remains overcharged for 1 minute and gains the benefit described in its Overcharge Effect.

You can use Infusion Overcharge a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, with a minimum of once. You regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Infusion Siphon

As a Bonus Action, you can touch an item bearing one of your active Artificer Infusions and suppress that Infusion to recover magical energy.

The Replicate Magic Item Infusion can’t be siphoned.

The Infusion becomes inactive until you finish your next Long Rest. While inactive, the object gains none of the Infusion’s properties. The suppressed Infusion still counts against the maximum number of items you can have infused.

When you suppress the Infusion, you regain one expended Artificer spell slot. The maximum level of spell slot you can regain is determined by the minimum Artificer level required to learn the Infusion.

Once you use Infusion Siphon, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

Level 7: Flash of Genius

You have gained the ability to produce solutions under pressure.

When you or another creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself fails an ability check or a saving throw, you can take a Reaction to add your Intelligence modifier to the roll, potentially causing it to succeed.

You can use this Reaction a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, with a minimum of once. You regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Level 10: Magic Item Adept

Your understanding of magical equipment allows you to use and modify magic items in ways few others can.

You gain the following benefits.

Additional Attunement

You can be attuned to up to four magic items at one time rather than three.

Augment Magic Item

When you finish a Long Rest, you can apply one of your Artificer Infusions to an existing magic item instead of a nonmagical object.

The magic item must be Rare or lower, must otherwise be a valid object for the Infusion, and can’t be an Artifact, a sentient magic item, or a cursed magic item. The Replicate Magic Item Infusion can’t be applied in this way.

Only one magic item can bear an Infusion through this feature at a time. If you use this feature to augment another magic item, the previous augmentation ends.

The augmented item requires Attunement if either the original magic item or the Infusion requires it. If both require Attunement, the augmented item still occupies only one Attunement slot.

If the magic item and the Infusion both grant a numerical bonus to Armor Class, attack and damage rolls, or spell attack rolls, their combined bonus can’t exceed +3.

Augmenting a magic item doesn’t permanently alter it and doesn’t count as crafting or upgrading the item. When the Infusion ends, the item returns to its normal properties.

Level 11: Spell-Storing Item

Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can touch one Simple or Martial weapon or one object that you can use as a Spellcasting Focus and store an Artificer spell within it.

Choose a level 1, 2, or 3 Artificer spell that has a casting time of an Action. You needn’t have the spell prepared.

The chosen spell can’t have a Material component that is consumed by the spell.

While holding the object, a creature can take a Magic action to produce the spell’s effect from it, using your spellcasting ability modifier.

If the spell requires Concentration, the creature producing the spell’s effect must maintain Concentration on it.

The spell remains stored until it has been produced a number of times equal to twice your Intelligence modifier, with a minimum of twice, or until you use this feature again.

Level 14: Magic Item Savant

Your mastery of magical equipment deepens.

You gain the following benefits.

Additional Attunement

You can be attuned to up to five magic items at one time rather than three.

Improved Augmentation

Your Augment Magic Item feature can now be used on magic items of Very Rare rarity or lower.

Magic Item Savant

You ignore class, species, spell, and level requirements for attuning to or using magic items.

Level 18: Magic Item Master

Your mastery of magical equipment reaches its peak.

You can be attuned to up to six magic items at one time rather than three.

In addition, your Augment Magic Item feature can now be used on magic items of Legendary rarity or lower.

Artifacts, sentient magic items, and cursed magic items remain ineligible for Augment Magic Item.

Level 19: Epic Boon

You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

Level 20: Soul of Artifice

You have developed a powerful magical connection to the items you create and use.

You gain the following benefits.

Magical Guidance

You gain a +1 bonus to all saving throws for each magic item to which you are currently attuned.

Cheat Death

If you are reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright, you can take a Reaction to end one of your active Artificer Infusions.

If you do, your Hit Points become 20 instead of 0.