A medium intelligent Artificer? Got tips?

[MarkVIIIMarc]

For a multi character game I am thinking about an only mildly intelligent Artificer, probably Battlesmith. Will a 10 or 12 Int score building to 14 or 16 be viable? Any tips?

For background I am thinking of a half orc sent by his single mother to work in an artificer school or workshop. Mom thinks this will get junior around smart people and make him less violent than his dead father. He's mostly their gopher while there. I'm hoping to make him almost brutally efficient in his use of technology where as an adventurer he can apply all the theories to useful items.

[Dork_Forge]

I mean you could certainly do this and substitute Strength or Dex (preferably the latter) for the weapon stat. Is this just a roleplay choice? By having a low Int Artificer (which is what this would be, medium would be more 16 at least) you're gimping so many features and your effectiveness.

If you just want the flavour of it, you could be a Fighter with the Artificer Initiate feat?

[Silpharon]

At level 10, take the Headband of Intellect infusion (replicate magic item). That'll set your Int to 19.

If you're going to start low, don't waste ASIs to make it higher...

[Mastikator]

If you go armorer you can be a dex based sharpshooting lightning slinger.

However all of your class features get quadratically better with higher intelligence since intelligence mod is used both as the bonus/damage/healing but also the number of uses. So strictly speaking you are playing a worse artificer, this is like dumping charisma as a paladin, or con as a barbarian.
As @MarkVIIIMarc mentioned you can infused yourself a headband of intelligence and dump int, but then you need to consider how long you will spend before level 10 and how long you will spend after level 10. Most campaigns fizzle out at 12ish, many don't make it to level 10.

Honestly my tip is to start at 16 and use ASIs to increase to 20 by level 8. The way you describe your character sounds more like a low charisma/wisdom rather than low intelligence. The whole "brutally efficient at using technology" sounds like very highly functioning.

[RogueJK]

It may not be optimal, but it's definitely doable.

A STR- or DEX-based Armorer is going to be your best bet. (All the other Artificers rely on INT for various abilities.)

The only real drawback to a low INT Armorer is that it will limit the number of spells you can prepare, limit the number of uses of your Spell-Storing item, and limit the number of uses - and bonus from - Flash of Genius. But as pointed out, you can simply infuse a Headband of Intellect starting at Level 10.


There are a large number of Armorer Artificer spells that don't rely on your INT:

Booming Blade
Dancing Lights
Guidance
Light
Mage Hand
Mending
Message
Prestidigitation
Resistance
Spare The Dying

Absorb Elements
Alarm
Detect Magic
Disguise Self
Expeditious Retreat
False Life
Feather Fall
Identify
Jump
Longstrider
Magic Missile*
Purify Food/Drink

Aid
Alter Self
Arcane Lock
Blur
Continual Flame
Darkvision
Enhance Ability
Enlarge/Reduce
Heat Metal (no save if cast on metal armor)
Levitate
Lesser Restoration
Kinetic Jaunt
Invisibility
Magic Mouth
Magic Weapon
Mirror Image*
Protection from Poison
Pyrotechnics
Rope Trick
See Invisibility
Spider Climb
Skywrite

Ashardalon's Stride
Blink
Catnap
Create Food/Water
Dispel Magic (for spells 3rd level and under)
Elemental Weapon
Flame Arrows
Fly
Haste
Intellect Fortress
Protection from Energy
Revivify
Tiny Servant
Water Breathing
Water Walk

Arcane Eye
Fabricate
Freedom of Movement
Fire Shield*
Greater Invisibility*
Secret Chest
Private Sanctum
Stone Shape

Animate Objects
Creation
Greater Restoration
Passwall*
Skill Empowerment
Transmute Rock
Wall of Force*
Wall of Stone

[Joe the Rat]

12-14 would be a better startpoint. I've got a lizardfolk artificer sitting here - mediocre spellslinger, but a nasty fighter.

You will want battlesmith or armorer for extra attack, since you will be relying more on weapons than spells for fighting. I'd lean towards armorer, since the battlesmith's Steel Defender relies on your spell attack for being able to hit things. Since I am not a fan of the Magic Powered Armor approach (Sorry Sanderson), you might take a more Mandalorian look at the armorer - yes, it's a set, but it's really separate weapon systems - possibly piecemeal constructed, that you happen to have slapped together. Skip the spinners.

You will be down a couple of selections on your prepped list, and your attacks will be crap, so focus on buffs and utility.

From here, you need to pick an approach: Hammer Slammer, or Crossbow King.
Hammer Slammer is the melee mode - your role is to get up close and beat people to death. You will want guardian mode armor for this, since you need the thp to support your d8 hit dice. You can use the thunder gauntlets (probably best combined with an x-blade cantrip, since they don't add stat damage), or grab your weapon of choice, infuse it, and go nuts. For the best of both worlds, pick up Dual wielding so you can get a bonus action thunder gauntlet when you need it.

While the name suggests strength, you can do this with a Dex focus, using finesse weapons. On this route, consider the infiltrator mode armor. You'll be squishier, but you will also have a built-in ranged weapon that doesn't require hands.

Crossbow King is a dedicated ranged attacker - all about infusing a missile weapon and going to town. You are best set by going Dex here, unless you are really into javelins. As an armorer, you actually have the option to skip the repeating shot infusion for a crossbow: with the infiltrator, shoot once with your bow, and once with your chest-mounted lightning launcher, using the once-per-turn 2d6 damage. This is better as a backup option, though, since 1d8/1d10+Dex is better damage.

These will be best served with a dip for martial weapons - I highly recommend Fighter, since it gives you the most options in terms of fighting styles, and that second wind is handy in a pinch.

[Keravath]

12-14 would be a better startpoint. I've got a lizardfolk artificer sitting here - mediocre spellslinger, but a nasty fighter.

You will want battlesmith or armorer for extra attack, since you will be relying more on weapons than spells for fighting. I'd lean towards armorer, since the battlesmith's Steel Defender relies on your spell attack for being able to hit things. Since I am not a fan of the Magic Powered Armor approach (Sorry Sanderson), you might take a more Mandalorian look at the armorer - yes, it's a set, but it's really separate weapon systems - possibly piecemeal constructed, that you happen to have slapped together. Skip the spinners.

You will be down a couple of selections on your prepped list, and your attacks will be crap, so focus on buffs and utility.

From here, you need to pick an approach: Hammer Slammer, or Crossbow King.
Hammer Slammer is the melee mode - your role is to get up close and beat people to death. You will want guardian mode armor for this, since you need the thp to support your d8 hit dice. You can use the thunder gauntlets (probably best combined with an x-blade cantrip, since they don't add stat damage), or grab your weapon of choice, infuse it, and go nuts. For the best of both worlds, pick up Dual wielding so you can get a bonus action thunder gauntlet when you need it.

While the name suggests strength, you can do this with a Dex focus, using finesse weapons. On this route, consider the infiltrator mode armor. You'll be squishier, but you will also have a built-in ranged weapon that doesn't require hands.

Crossbow King is a dedicated ranged attacker - all about infusing a missile weapon and going to town. You are best set by going Dex here, unless you are really into javelins. As an armorer, you actually have the option to skip the repeating shot infusion for a crossbow: with the infiltrator, shoot once with your bow, and once with your chest-mounted lightning launcher, using the once-per-turn 2d6 damage. This is better as a backup option, though, since 1d8/1d10+Dex is better damage.

These will be best served with a dip for martial weapons - I highly recommend Fighter, since it gives you the most options in terms of fighting styles, and that second wind is handy in a pinch.

I'm not sure where the interpretation that the gauntlets and lightning launcher don't add stat damage comes from. The rules very explicitly state that the stat (str, dex or int) is added to attack and damage rolls.

"Each model includes a special weapon. When you attack with that weapon, you can add your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, to the attack and damage rolls."

[RogueJK]

I'd lean towards armorer, since the battlesmith's Steel Defender relies on your spell attack for being able to hit things.

Battle Smiths rely on INT for their Arcane Jolt and Improved Defender abilities as well.


I'm not sure where the interpretation that the gauntlets and lightning launcher don't add stat damage comes from. The rules very explicitly state that the stat (str, dex or int) is added to attack and damage rolls.

"Each model includes a special weapon. When you attack with that weapon, you can add your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, to the attack and damage rolls."

Yep.

Even the standard Weapons chart doesn't specify - for example - that a Longsword does "1d8 plus Strength bonus" in damage. It just says 1d8. But we all know the damage on a hit is calculated as 1d8+STRMOD.

Armorer gauntets/launcher add stat bonus to damage, just like any other weapon. They just have the added ability to use INT in place of STR/DEX.

[Joe the Rat]

I'm not sure where the interpretation that the gauntlets and lightning launcher don't add stat damage comes from. The rules very explicitly state that the stat (str, dex or int) is added to attack and damage rolls.

"Each model includes a special weapon. When you attack with that weapon, you can add your Intelligence modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, to the attack and damage rolls."

The consequences of piecemeal reading - thanks for the catch on that.

[RogueJK]

This means that on your "Crossbow" King build, the Heavy Crossbow + Lightning Launcher attack routine is the better route for pure damage output, doing 1d10+DEX + 2d6+DEX. And you don't need to take the Crossbow Master feat or Repeating Shot infusion.

However, you can't use a shield while wielding a crossbow since you need both hands free. So skipping the crossbow and sticking to just the Launcher for both attacks at 2d6+DEX + 1d6+DEX means getting +2 AC in exchange for -2 average damage, which is most likely a worthwhile tradeoff.

[Joe the Rat]

This means that on your "Crossbow" King build, the Heavy Crossbow + Lightning Launcher attack routine is the better route for pure damage output, doing 1d10+DEX + 2d6+DEX. And you don't need to take the Crossbow Master feat or Repeating Shot infusion.

However, you can't use a shield while wielding a crossbow since you need both hands free. So skipping the crossbow and sticking to just the Launcher for both attacks at 2d6+DEX + 1d6+DEX means getting +2 AC in exchange for -2 average damage, which is most likely a worthwhile tradeoff.You could squeeze an extra point of damage on a repeating shot hand crossbow, since it comes with a +1, but that's counting pennies.

[Keravath]

You could squeeze an extra point of damage on a repeating shot hand crossbow, since it comes with a +1, but that's counting pennies.

Except with a hand crossbow, repeating shot, and the Xbow expert feat you get three attacks AND get to wear a shield.

3x (d6+dex +1) with +2AC ... making it a decent choice especially for an artificer who doesn't want to focus on int. A lot of the artificer spells focus on support so this isn't a bad option in many cases though it does make the artificer MAD with dex and int for the situations where they want a higher int.

You could also fluff this as a pistol of some description that produces its own ammo.

[Mastikator]

Except with a hand crossbow, repeating shot, and the Xbow expert feat you get three attacks AND get to wear a shield.

3x (d6+dex +1) with +2AC ... making it a decent choice especially for an artificer who doesn't want to focus on int. A lot of the artificer spells focus on support so this isn't a bad option in many cases though it does make the artificer MAD with dex and int for the situations where they want a higher int.

You could also fluff this as a pistol of some description that produces its own ammo.

A returning javelin and a steel defender from battle smith also gets you three attacks and a shield (2d6 + dex/int + 1d8 + prof). From level 3 and costs no feats. The throwing range on javelins is the same as the shooting range of a hand crossbow.

You can switch over to hand crossbow at level 8 or 12 when you can afford both xbow expert and sharpshooter, but that's level 3 to 7 where a javelin is just plain better.