Is Artificer lacking in a high fantasy high item campaign?

[Drache64]

Is Artificer lacking in a high fantasy high item campaign?

If the DM is making up items, handing out items of rarity that the Artificer can't create yet, and giving away enough items that the party and himself can Max out their attunements with better items the Artificer can imbue....

Does the Artificer class have enough in it to still justify playing it or is it just a bad class for the setting?

[Cybren]

I'm somewhat confused as to this hypothetical DM who is homebrewing boatloads of cool powerful magic gear, allowing people to play artificers, but not giving new things for the artificer to make

[Drache64]

I'm somewhat confused as to this hypothetical DM who is homebrewing boatloads of cool powerful magic gear, allowing people to play artificers, but not giving new things for the artificer to make

This is my current DM, and we are planning a character death for my current character (just for story reasons) and I'm considering Artificer for my next character but it seems to me it might not be a good fit for this real non-hypothetical DM.

I was thinking about asking him to let my Artificer prepare his infusions per day like a Divine caster (picking new infusions per day instead of knowing only a few). To at least give my character flexibility. (Not sure if that'd be too broken to ask for).

[Grod_The_Giant]

In some ways the Artificer likes a high-magic-item, monty-haul type campaign-- it lets them take full advantage of their Magic Item Adept/Savant/Master features. You might have a little redundancy if every character picks up a full set of magic weapon, armor, and shield before you unlock more interesting Infusions at 6th level, but I don't think you'll have too much of a problem. You've still got all the spellcasting and subclass features.

[king_steve]

If your DM is giving out a lot of items, you can still lean into versatility and try to pick up a lot of different types of items.

For example, the lantern of revealing or hat of disguise (that could be given to another player) would likely always have utility, even if there a lots of other magic items in the game. I would focus on items that don’t require attunement, since attunement spots will be taken up by other items.

Also some things like the homunculus can add some utility as well.

The Unearthed Arcana with the Armorer subclass had a few other infusions that can be pretty useful.

[HPisBS]

Even if everyone's filled their attunement slots with better items than you can infuse / craft, and has their own magic armor / weapon, you can always use some more Sending Stones, an Alchemy Jug, etc.

Your barbarian, rogue, or monk may appreciate having a Returning Weapon as a backup.

[stoutstien]

If you are playing at a higher level and magic items are common I would seek out some scrolls to have fun with the ablity to cast any spell through them even earlier then the full casters.
Also a game where I could not worry about sharing infusions could be amazing for a Battle smith because then you could load out the SD without getting dirty looks from the party.

[Misterwhisper]

My issue with artificer is a different direction.

I find the subclasses boring.

Alchemist is too random.

Artillerist has an ability called arcane firearm that actually just gives you a fancy casting foci. The summoned turret is way outside the norm and is much better at defense than offense.
Battle mage or whatever is not bad but it should have been all weapon combat and a pet subclass should have been its own thing.

Our group has over 1000g each at level 4, with nothing to buy, and we have found not a single magic item other than a few potions. We would love an artificer.

[moonfly7]

As a DM who does this and currently has an artificer I can say it hasn't been an Issue for us yet. However if my player had a fear it might happen I'd have them come talk to me about it and work something out. But realistically, if all those items are being made it likely means that crafting items is easier in this setting. In mine for instance consumables cost a quarter of the price and time for their item rarity for artificers, allowing the artificer to(if he wanted too) churn out scrolls, single or only a few use items, potions, and wands pretty fast.
Also personally I try not to hand the party generically useful stuff like +1 weapons and the like, I generally find them boring to an extent and am more likely to give them only on top of other enchantments on a higher tier rarity weapon. Dont know if this is how your DM works but if it is a guaranteed +1 or +2 at layer levels would be very nice.

[MrStabby]

Yeah, a bit.

I think...

As a DM I try to help characters not step on another's toes in the items I give out. I have noticed that with an artificer in the group this gets a lot harder. Likewise with a ForgeCleric as well (although they are a lot less restrictive). Essentially the items the character brings stop standing out.

[moonfly7]

Yeah, a bit.

I think...

As a DM I try to help characters not step on another's toes in the items I give out. I have noticed that with an artificer in the group this gets a lot harder. Likewise with a ForgeCleric as well (although they are a lot less restrictive). Essentially the items the character brings stop standing out.

Eh. That's generally if the artificer is grumpy or deadset on specific item combos, which would be moot if you gave them said items anyways. Artificer has over 30 items you can make. Some are unique to artificer but plenty of others aren't, but most of them are useful. Unless you give out that many items a smart artificer will just swap infusions on a level up. If I give them said permanent item I let them swap then so as not to ruin the experience.

[MrStabby]

Eh. That's generally if the artificer is grumpy or deadset on specific item combos, which would be moot if you gave them said items anyways. Artificer has over 30 items you can make. Some are unique to artificer but plenty of others aren't, but most of them are useful. Unless you give out that many items a smart artificer will just swap infusions on a level up. If I give them said permanent item I let them swap then so as not to ruin the experience.

I would say the artificer is diminished... not werecked.

The first infustions you want to make are the most useful/powerful. Then the second most useful... and so on. If the value of the most powerful is diminished by a duplicate enough that the artificer makes the second most powerful, then their class power has dropped by the power gap between the first and the second item. As more items accrue to the party and the item actually infused gets pushed down the list, so the gap in power grows. It doesn't make the artificer useless, just less valuable.

[MaxWilson]

Is Artificer lacking in a high fantasy high item campaign?

If the DM is making up items, handing out items of rarity that the Artificer can't create yet, and giving away enough items that the party and himself can Max out their attunements with better items the Artificer can imbue....

Does the Artificer class have enough in it to still justify playing it or is it just a bad class for the setting?

I think it depends. If the DM gives out no magic items, Artificer is very useful. If the DM gives out tons of cheap items that don't require attunement (like Wands of Magic Missile) and no strong magic items, Artificer infusions are less useful and Artificer attunement bonuses don't matter. If the DM gives out a few strong items like Staff of the Magic, Artificer ability to use those items is useful, although Artificer is not the only one who can do so. If the DM gives out tons of powerful items that require attunement, Artificer ability to attune six of them is powerful at high levels, but not necessarily more powerful than 9th level spells unless said items are themselves more powerful than 9th level spells.

In general I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's fairly unlikely that the DM will give out so many magic items that you won't appreciate also having an Amulet of Whatever It's Called (Con 19), a Ring of Protection, a Ring of Free Action, a Cloak of Protection, an Enhanced Spell Focus, and Plate Armor +2 (for example), plus subclass features. If you're attracted to the idea of Artificers in the first place, you'll probably be fine.

[Christew]

Random magic items are going to influence play style regardless of class. In the same way a Swashbuckler might use melee less if he obtains a particularly powerful ranged weapon, an Artificer might infuse different items based on what slots are already filled by found magic items. I don't really see an issue.