Artificer, to MC or not.

[ChaosStar]

So, I have an Armorer Artificer and I was wondering if I should MC with Forge Cleric. Race is Hobgoblin, Stats are 11/13/16/18/13/12. Also what split should I go for if I MC?

[Man_Over_Game]

So, I have an Armorer Artificer and I was wondering if I should MC with Forge Cleric. Race is Hobgoblin, Stats are 11/13/16/18/13/12. Also what split should I go for if I MC?

Why are you trying to multiclass? A lot of the benefits you'd get out of taking levels into Cleric would be very redundant with the features and abilities you already have.

Unless there's a plot reason for the change, I wouldn't recommend it. If it's just for bonus AC, you'll get that anyway just by taking levels into Artificer.

[RogueJK]

I wouldn't bother. Anything more than a 1 level dip into Cleric would hamper your Artificer ability/spellcasting progression too much. And you're not getting much of anything from a 1 level dip into Forge Cleric that you don't already have access to.

Armor and Shield proficiency = Already got it

+1 weapon or armor/shield = Can already do this through Artificer infusions.

Cleric spellcasting = Your 13 WIS means that you won't be able to rely on any offensive spells, and you won't have much of a bonus to healing spells. Gaining a few additional utility spells/cantrips and 1st level defensive buffs isn't worth the delay to your Artificer stuff. Plus, there's already some overlap between the Artificer and Cleric spell lists.

So just stick to Artificer.

[stoutstien]

The real question with multiclassing out of artificer is when. They have proper progression so there is always a real nice feature just around the corner until you start hitting T3. Then you have weigh the odds of hitting 20 and decide if any short term gains are worth losing that capstone.

Most of what you get from forge cleric is redundant with your lv 9 extra infusions as well.

[Burley]

Yeah, I'm looking at the Cleric and... You'd have less effective spells, all around. You'd do less healing and buffing, and the Channel Divinity feature for Cleric of the Forge is spending an hour to make a non-magical metallic item. That's interesting, but for any realistic usage I can think of (making a duplicate key or something) is handled faster and more effectively my your existing Artificer abilities.

Just stick with Artificer. Your infusions are so much more potent than starting over with level 1 cleric abilities.

[kore]

Can't argue against an RP reason but if this is purely mechanical (the RP being incidental) then I offer the following argument:

The primary reason is that any MC prior to L11 is off the table IMO. The SSI is such a powerful tool I wouldn't delay its acquisition. Others have pointed out that Artificer progression is great and for varying reasons.

This is how it goes for me:
- Must get to L11, no question.
- Character level 12, MC? Do I skip the ASI/feat? No, take L12.
- Character level 13, MC? Do I skip 4th-level spells? Maybe, but there has to be a good reason to slow progression to L14 and I don't find any compelling.
- Character level 14, MC? Do I skip a new tier of several attractive Infusions and an increase of known and active Infusions? No, take L14.
- Character level 15, MC? Do I skip my Armorer L15 feature? Maybe. Do I skip a second 4th-level slot? Maybe. This is where I might consider an MC for an Armorer (if this were Battle Smith I wouldn't) but it's got to be good and I don't think Forge Cleric is on my short-list. For me, Wizard tops the list, though Fighter does get a look, with an eye towards War Magic at Wizard L2.