Artificer, while very cool is it OP?

[Bannan_mantis]

I am currently reviewing the artificer and overall I love the class, it gives a nice feeling of versatility while never breaking the theme of it being a inventor. It has magic but it's not entirely based around it, it has a few things for marital fighting but nothing to make it on the level of full martial characters, it's infusions give a large amount of utility and make you feel like a craftsman and overall it's feel and build are enjoyable and thematically correct in my eyes.

Now, all that put aside is the new artificer OP? I am wondering about the idea of bringing it into my own games but I would like to make sure what most people's thoughts on it before hand.

[Solid_Snek]

I am currently reviewing the artificer and overall I love the class, it gives a nice feeling of versatility while never breaking the theme of it being a inventor. It has magic but it's not entirely based around it, it has a few things for marital fighting but nothing to make it on the level of full martial characters, it's infusions give a large amount of utility and make you feel like a craftsman and overall it's feel and build are enjoyable and thematically correct in my eyes.

Now, all that put aside is the new artificer OP? I am wondering about the idea of bringing it into my own games but I would like to make sure what most people's thoughts on it before hand.

I think the artillery Alchemist may be a bit low on the damage side for their turrets but I would need to play the class to see if its fun and works versus the game well enough.

Some of the features seem like in the wrong hands they could be a bit strong but pretty much any class can be made to overwhelm the game in some way.

[Bannan_mantis]

I think the artillery Alchemist may be a bit low on the damage side for their turrets but I would need to play the class to see if its fun and works versus the game well enough.

Some of the features seem like in the wrong hands they could be a bit strong but pretty much any class can be made to overwhelm the game in some way.

True but one thing I'll say is that I feel the Artillerist is also about control as well as damage, the turrents can't move (from what I can see) and when you place them they give effects to control positioning of the characters. Flamethrowers can clear out hordes and also make whole areas dangerous for enemies, Balista's push allows you to change the placement of enemies (but that's only by 5 but at the same time that might be all you need) and the defender can make it so your allies have a advantage in a certain area.

Also yeah, that goes for everything really (fly speed + grappling is one example) but I feel like it can't be majorly exploited for now. Dunno if I'll think that after trying it out in some games.

[Foxhound438]

Now, all that put aside is the new artificer OP? I am wondering about the idea of bringing it into my own games but I would like to make sure what most people's thoughts on it before hand.

from what I'm seeing it's pretty okay. Its damage even with the turret up is less than what a standard martial character can do with any old bonus action attack (PAM, martial arts, even 2wf) and the utility is there but not to the level that a full caster has. The infusions can look overbearing but the very small number that you get to have active is part of the balancing- at levels where you would expect to get a feature, you're getting a new infusion that's of similar quality to a class feature for a character of similar level. Only thing I'd look at for changing is the defense turret's ability to spam THP onto the whole party every round, it'd probably be fine and more balanced just hitting one ally per turn from a longer distance.

[Daghoulish]

The turrets can move, just to let you know.
On each of your turns, you can take a bonus action to cause the turret to activate if you are within 60 feet of it. As part of the same action, you can direct the turret to walk or climb up to 15 feet to an unoccupied space.

[Rukelnikov]

True but one thing I'll say is that I feel the Artillerist is also about control as well as damage, the turrents can't move (from what I can see) and when you place them they give effects to control positioning of the characters. Flamethrowers can clear out hordes and also make whole areas dangerous for enemies, Balista's push allows you to change the placement of enemies (but that's only by 5 but at the same time that might be all you need) and the defender can make it so your allies have a advantage in a certain area.

Also yeah, that goes for everything really (fly speed + grappling is one example) but I feel like it can't be majorly exploited for now. Dunno if I'll think that after trying it out in some games.

Turrets can move! Its what makes their 10 min direction awesome. When you direct them to shoot you can also move them 15 ft. its not much, but you can do a slow march with them.

Personally, combat wise I think it has a few OP things, like the homunculus at lvl 3 is pretty OP, makes the poor Bards cry at that level, but it even out soon after. Single class speaking, I'm possitive its way below a Battlemaster Archer, or a Sorcadin. Can it be used for some sick combo? Maybe, not really seeing it for now.

Where I think it may be considered OP is in a low magic setting, the kind 5e is balanced around, the sheer resourcefulness of the class is staggering, enabling not only himself but his entire party, with magic weapons or utility items. Out of combat is where this guy truly shines.