Help updating a ua artificer to the modern version of the class? (+improving build?)

[Rfkannen]

My group is restarting a couple old campaigns, and I could use y'alls ideas for rebuilding one of my characters to take advantage of the published version of the artificers class and spells/ infusions that have come out since. (and any tips for rebuilding her into a better build)

My character was a level 7 envoy warforged artillerist artificer. She had 9 str, 18 dex, 14 con, 20 int, 9 wis, 15 charisma. At level 4 she had taken a homebrew feat that gave her +1 int and let all creatures that spoke a language understand anything she wrote. She had expertise in arcana because of story reasons. Her spells were fire bolt, shocking grasp, absorb elements, detect magic, fairie fire, shield, thunderwave, scorching ray, and shatter. Her whole deal was that she was an archeologist who studied an ancient society of techno-mages.

We were each allowed to pick one uncommon magic item, and I had picked a mizium apparatus (homebrewed to work with artificers) that represented her implanting herself with strange and unpredictable tech from a bygone era. If y'all have any suggestions for a non-homebrew magic item that would fit that modified-herself-with-weird-tech niche I am open to changing it!

My big problem: I did not write down her infusions and don't remember what they were! So tips for picking those would be awesome!

The other members of the party were:

a high elf redemption paladin (sword and shield)
a (ua) wild elf druid with a homebrew subclass that also got wizard spells.

The main problem we had in the party is that The druid and I both wanted to be backline but also if we did the redemption paladin didn't get to use all his features. So If you have a suggestion for building an artillerist who can stand up in the front with a paladin that would be cool!

Any tips you have for making this character better using the material published since it ran would be super apreciated!

edit: suggestions for what feat to take at level 8 are also apreciated!

[Khrysaes]

I mean, if you want to keep mizzium apparatus, i may suggest a 2 level dip, or even a 1 level dip in warlock.

1: two short rest recharging spell slots which you could use to summon your turret more.
2: detect magic at will and / or the ability to read all languages would really tie in to the archaeologist character.

As an alternative, the All Purpose Tools +1 from Tasha's allows the artificer to choose ANY cantrip in the game, and cast it as an INT based artificer spell for 8 hours, per set of tools you have attuned. Meaning you can attune to a set, pick a spell, cast the spell for 8 hours, take a short rest and attune to a different set, pick a spell, cast the spell for 8 hours, take a long rest, repeat. Overlap time as needed. This can get you INT based Shallelagh and/or Eldritch Blast.

I would highly suggest Replicate Magic Item: Spellwrought Tattoo: First Level.
The way it is worded, you can create a new tattoo of any first level spell each morning when you make your infusions., as the tattoo itself is chosen, not the spell with which it is infused. But this is subject to DM Fiat. You can give the tattoo to other people and they can use it to cast a first level spell, which is great for martial characters with open concentrations for low level buff spells like bless, gift of alacrity, etc. Also, you can give anyone a familiar with no gold cost as the familiar doesn't vanish when the tattoo is used, if it dies, make a new tattoo and resummon.

Enhanced Defense is a great choice.


Artificer says
"Infusions Known

When you gain this feature, pick four artificer infusions to learn,"

"Unless an infusion’s description says otherwise, you can’t learn an infusion more than once."

BUT
"Replicate Magic Item: ... You can learn this infusion multiple times; each time you do so, choose a magic item that you can make with it, picking from the Replicable Items tables."

AND

"You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time."

So at 2nd level, you have four infusion slots, two of which can be the bag of holding because it says you can select Replicate Magic Item twice, but doesn't say that you can't select Replicate Magic Item: Bag of Holding twice.

Since they would take different infusion know slots, they should therefore be different infusions for the purposes of "each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time"

This allows you to make bombs with that familiar you summoned that move anything in 10ft of the two bags of holding to the astral plane.

Enhanced Arcane Focus works well on a Artillerist. Particularly with Arcane Fire Arm, but it doesn't stack with All Purpose Tools. Good for other casters though.

The Cloak of Elvenkind at 6th level is probably the best choice to replicate magic items. Spell Refueling Ring, Radiant weapon is just better than Enhanced Weapon until at least level 11.


Now, the Mizzium Apparatus is the most broken item in the game when it comes to spell versatility, particularly on multiclassed characters.

When I last made a Mizzium apparatus user, I think I made:

2 paladin(1 caster level)/1 cleric/2 Star druid/1 warlock/1 bard/1 wizard/1 artificer/11 levels of full caster classes.

I chose this combination for the uses of Smites and unique spell coverages.

Last time I checked, the only unique sorcerer spell was Chaos Bolt, which is capable of being attained through a background(Izzet Engineer), which is also the guild which gives the mizzium apparatus.

1 Warlock is not considered a caster level for the purpose of spell slots.
2 Paladin is 1 caster level. You can change this to 3 warlock if you don't care about unique spells on the paladin list or smites so you can do coffee lock.
Notably, 1 Artificer, and SPECIFICALLY 1 artificer is a full caster level, as they are level divided by 2 rounded up.

Since you probably want High INT with Arcana Expertise and Dragon starry form Star Druid, the minimum arcana check from level 17, given a roll 1, +5 int, +6 prof and +6 expertise to 26, which is a 100% chance to cast 8th level spells.

So that is four levels and 2 caster levels, meaning 15 other levels HAVE to be full caster levels in order to get 9th level slots. Leaving 1 level available to be a non-caster level. (or all 16 have to be full caster levels if 3 warlock)

If you don't care about the high level spell slots, more power to you.

I don't have ranger levels because I don't think the spells unique to ranger are worth the levels.

[Rfkannen]

I mean, if you want to keep mizzium apparatus, i may suggest a 2 level dip, or even a 1 level dip in warlock.

1: two short rest recharging spell slots which you could use to summon your turret more.
2: detect magic at will and / or the ability to read all languages would really tie in to the archaeologist character.

As an alternative, the All Purpose Tools +1 from Tasha's allows the artificer to choose ANY cantrip in the game, and cast it as an INT based artificer spell for 8 hours, per set of tools you have attuned. Meaning you can attune to a set, pick a spell, cast the spell for 8 hours, take a short rest and attune to a different set, pick a spell, cast the spell for 8 hours, take a long rest, repeat. Overlap time as needed. This can get you INT based Shallelagh and/or Eldritch Blast.

I would highly suggest Replicate Magic Item: Spellwrought Tattoo: First Level.
The way it is worded, you can create a new tattoo of any first level spell each morning when you make your infusions., as the tattoo itself is chosen, not the spell with which it is infused. But this is subject to DM Fiat. You can give the tattoo to other people and they can use it to cast a first level spell, which is great for martial characters with open concentrations for low level buff spells like bless, gift of alacrity, etc. Also, you can give anyone a familiar with no gold cost as the familiar doesn't vanish when the tattoo is used, if it dies, make a new tattoo and resummon.

Enhanced Defense is a great choice.


Artificer says
"Infusions Known

When you gain this feature, pick four artificer infusions to learn,"

"Unless an infusion’s description says otherwise, you can’t learn an infusion more than once."

BUT
"Replicate Magic Item: ... You can learn this infusion multiple times; each time you do so, choose a magic item that you can make with it, picking from the Replicable Items tables."

AND

"You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time."

So at 2nd level, you have four infusion slots, two of which can be the bag of holding because it says you can select Replicate Magic Item twice, but doesn't say that you can't select Replicate Magic Item: Bag of Holding twice.

Since they would take different infusion know slots, they should therefore be different infusions for the purposes of "each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time"

This allows you to make bombs with that familiar you summoned that move anything in 10ft of the two bags of holding to the astral plane.

Enhanced Arcane Focus works well on a Artillerist. Particularly with Arcane Fire Arm, but it doesn't stack with All Purpose Tools. Good for other casters though.

The Cloak of Elvenkind at 6th level is probably the best choice to replicate magic items. Spell Refueling Ring, Radiant weapon is just better than Enhanced Weapon until at least level 11.


Now, the Mizzium Apparatus is the most broken item in the game when it comes to spell versatility, particularly on multiclassed characters.

When I last made a Mizzium apparatus user, I think I made:

2 paladin(1 caster level)/1 cleric/2 Star druid/1 warlock/1 bard/1 wizard/1 artificer/11 levels of full caster classes.

I chose this combination for the uses of Smites and unique spell coverages.

Last time I checked, the only unique sorcerer spell was Chaos Bolt, which is capable of being attained through a background(Izzet Engineer), which is also the guild which gives the mizzium apparatus.

1 Warlock is not considered a caster level for the purpose of spell slots.
2 Paladin is 1 caster level. You can change this to 3 warlock if you don't care about unique spells on the paladin list or smites so you can do coffee lock.
Notably, 1 Artificer, and SPECIFICALLY 1 artificer is a full caster level, as they are level divided by 2 rounded up.

Since you probably want High INT with Arcana Expertise and Dragon starry form Star Druid, the minimum arcana check from level 17, given a roll 1, +5 int, +6 prof and +6 expertise to 26, which is a 100% chance to cast 8th level spells.

So that is four levels and 2 caster levels, meaning 15 other levels HAVE to be full caster levels in order to get 9th level slots. Leaving 1 level available to be a non-caster level. (or all 16 have to be full caster levels if 3 warlock)

If you don't care about the high level spell slots, more power to you.

I don't have ranger levels because I don't think the spells unique to ranger are worth the levels.

That warlock dip sounds amazing! My character kinda does have a reason to go warlock with a multiclass. She met the god of magic and got her to "explain all of magic". This was how she got her expertise in arcana, I could see that continuing into a warlock multiclass! Are there any warlock patrons that would work especially well as drawing power from the god of all magic? Cleric actually makes less sense than warlock, this character was an anti-theist lol. wizard might make slightly more sense though, how would that compare to warlock?

How would that all purpose tool thing work with the artillerist features? Because eldritch blast or something like that would be amazing!


I love the tattoo option!! that would be amazing!

I didn't realize how much creative stuff you could get up to with the artificer, that bag trick would be hillarius lol. This dm is also the exact type to let that work.

[Khrysaes]

That warlock dip sounds amazing! My character kinda does have a reason to go warlock with a multiclass. She met the god of magic and got her to "explain all of magic". This was how she got her expertise in arcana, I could see that continuing into a warlock multiclass! Are there any warlock patrons that would work especially well as drawing power from the god of all magic? Cleric actually makes less sense than warlock, this character was an anti-theist lol. wizard might make slightly more sense though, how would that compare to warlock?

How would that all purpose tool thing work with the artillerist features? Because eldritch blast or something like that would be amazing!


I love the tattoo option!! that would be amazing!

I didn't realize how much creative stuff you could get up to with the artificer, that bag trick would be hillarius lol. This dm is also the exact type to let that work.

For a low level warlock dip?

Probably Genie or Great Old one.

Wizard has better synergy with Artificer than Warlock. Chronurgy, Bladesinger, and War Wizard in particular.

To attune to a mizzium apparatus, RAW, you need at least 1 level of Wizard, Warlock, or Sorcerer.

The benefit of Warlock OVER Wizard for an Artificer, particularly with an Alchemist/Artillerist, is that once you use your free use of Turret/Potion, (turret last 1 hour), you must use a spell slot to summon it. Wizard does get Arcane Recovery, which can help but is limited to once per long rest; 1 warlock, and 2 warlock give 1 and 2 first level spell slots that DON'T stack with your artificer slots, and recover on a short rest, (for up to 6 first level spell slots total, 4 from artificer, 2 from Warlock) meaning that you can use those slots to summon your Turret/potion, turning a long rest resource into a short rest resource.

As mentioned, Detect magic and read all languages invocations theme well for the Archaeologist. Eldritch Mind is also good if you don't want to take warcaster, and if you have a decent charisma score you can get agonizing blast, or repelling blast if you want it.

Genie warlock's Genie's Wrath also stacks well with artificer, especially if you want to do either Alchemist + Efreeti combo, or Dao + Crusher combo.

Conversely,

Wizard works well with the Artificer Initiate Feat, as it allows all intelligence based spells to be cast using a tool granted by the feat as an arcane focus, that you are proficient in.

Counterspell and Dispel Magic make ability checks using your spellcasting ability.

Per tools in PHB: Proficiency with a tool allows you to add your proficiency bonus to any ability check you make using that tool.

This means that Artificers and Wizards with Artificer initiate can make intelligence-based Counterspell and Dispel Magic ability checks, using their tools as their spellcasting focus, with the proficiency bonus, or expertise bonus if Artificer 6.

I wouldn't make a build around it, but it is a nice to know bonus.

[stoutstien]

I'd personally would view the artillerist as a midfield type subclass that can comfortably flow between the front and back 'lines'. You are hearty enough to handle some serious punishment and sticky enough to keep foes funneling away from the druid. With those stats you could definitely get away with some BB tactics to add some soft lockdown in the mix.

[mucat]

I don't know if you wanted to change the character this much, but when you said she was an archaeologist, my first thought was "Artillerist is a weird choice. Archaeologists don't like to damage the site they're exploring. (Except for Dr. Jones, of course, but we don't talk about his methods.)"

So when you also say you'd like to be more of a front-line scrapper, let me throw out the idea: is she a more natural fit for Armorer than Artillerist?