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“I see the secret patterns of magic, and through the items I carry, I can use that magic to protect you, heal you . . . or make you explode.”[EPG:44]

Artificer is an arcane leader class in Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition introduced in Eberron Player's Guide.[EPG:44]

Class Traits[]

Class Skills[]

An artificer is trained in Arcana (Int), plus any four skills from the artificer class skill list:

Class Features[]

An artificer's class features are Arcane Empowerment, Arcane Rejuvenation, Healing Infusion, and Ritual Casting.

Arcane Empowerment[]

The artificer's study of magic allows manipulating arcane energy found within items. An artificer begins each day with the ability to empower one magic item, and gains an additional empowerment at each milestone. You must spend a short rest with an item in order to empower it. An item may be empowered in two ways:

  • Impart Energy: You recharge the daily power of a magic item. An item can only be recharged only once per day in this way.
  • Augment Energy: You infuse a weapon or implement with a reservoir of energy that lasts until the end of your next extended rest or until it is expended. The wielder of the implement or the weapon can use a free action after making an attack roll to expend this to gain a +2 bonus to that attack roll. An implement or weapon can be augmented only once per day in this way.

Arcane Rejuvenation[]

Before combat, an artificer spends time infusing his or her allies' magic items with curative energy.

Whenever an ally of an artificer uses a magic item's daily power, in addition to the power's normal effects, the ally gains temporary hit points equal to one-half the artificer's level plus the artificer's Intelligence modifier.

Healing Infusion[]

At the end of an extended rest, the artificer creates two healing infusions that last until the end of the next extended rest. At 16th level, the artificer can create a third infusion.

The effect of a healing infusion is determined at the time of use, not at the time of creation. When the artificer uses a healing infusion power, he expends one of the infusions created during the last extended rest. During a short rest, you or an ally can expend a healing surge to replenish one of the infusions expended.

Ritual Casting[]

The artificer has Ritual Caster as a bonus feat, and owns a ritual book with the following rituals: Brew Potion, Disenchant Magic Item, Enchant Magic Item, and Make Whole. In addition, the artificer can use Disenchant magic item without expending components.

Artificer Powers[]

Artificer powers, having an arcane power source, are also called spells.

At-will attack powers

1st level

Encounter attack powers Daily attack powers Utility powers

1st level

1st level

2nd level

3rd level

5th level

6th Level

7th level

  • Arc Infusion[Dr403]
  • Gale-Force Infusion[EPG:50]
  • Icy Weapons[EPG:51]
  • Runic Resistance[EPG:51]
  • Vampiric Weapons[EPG:51]

9th level

10th level
13th level
  • Barbed Automaton[EPG:52]
  • Energy Shroud[EPG:52]
  • Forceful Weapon[EPG:52]
  • Positive Energy Infusion[EPG:52]
15th level
  • Animate Arbalester[EPG:53]
  • Clockroach Swarm[EPG:53]
  • Lightning Sigil[EPG:53]
  • Stalwart Defender[EPG:53]
16th level
  • Good Luck Charm[EPG:53]
  • Iron-Hide Infusion[EPG:53]
  • Protection from Elements[EPG:53]
  • Vorpal Edge[EPG:53]

17th level

  • Earth's Embrace[EPG:53]
  • Radiant Burst[EPG:54]
  • Siphon Fate[Dr403]
  • Skipping Shot[EPG:54]
  • Unstable Infusion[EPG:54]
19th level
  • Burrowing Projectile[EPG:54]
  • Clockwork Acid Wasp[EPG:54]
  • Grasping Rope[EPG:54]
  • Hellfire Sigil[EPG:54]
22nd level
  • Bag of the Four Winds[EPG:55]
  • Cure-All Admixture[EPG:55]
  • Diminutive Bodyguard[EPG:55]
  • Hero's Elixir[EPG:55]
23rd level
  • Armor of Acid[EPG:55]
  • Beetle of Force[EPG:55]
  • Chaos Weapon[EPG:55]
  • Prismatic Strike[EPG:56]

25th level

  • All-Consuming Missile[EPG:56]
  • Dimensional Shifter[EPG:56]
  • Life-Shock Sigil[EPG:56]
  • Synchronized Weaponry[Dr403]
  • Trio of Biting Blades[EPG:56]
27th level
  • Coiled Spring Traps[Dr403]
  • Grave-Dust Cloud[EPG:56]
  • Life-Stealing Shroud[EPG:56]
  • Living Caltrop Swarm[EPG:57]
  • Thunder-Shock Weapon[EPG:57]
29th level
  • Bitter-Frost Bolt[EPG:57]
  • Haste Sigil[EPG:57]
  • Runes of the Shadow Tendrils[EPG:57]
  • Simulacrum[EPG:57]
Unleveled powers
Key
W
Wisdom based effect
C
Constitution based effect

Artificer Feats[]

The following feats have the artificer class as a prerequisite. Other prerequisites are noted in paranthesis.

Associated items[]

Artificer Paragon Paths[]

Refer to the Artificer section in the Paragon Path page or the Artificer Paragon Paths category.

Hybrid Artificer[]

Hybrid Artificers appear as a standard hybrid option, with the following base benefits: [PH3:139]

  • Cloth or leather armor proficiencies (provided other hybrid class grants them)
  • Simple melee and simple ranged weapon proficiency
  • +1 bonus to Fortitude or Will
  • 6 hit points at 1st level, +2.5 hit points for each level thereafter
  • 3 healing surges per day

They have the following class features:

  • Healing Infusion (Hybrid): This functions as normal except that the hybrid can create only

one healing infusion at the end of each extended rest.

When choosing Hybrid Talent, they may pick among the following:

  • Arcane Empowerment: Functions as normal
  • Arcane Rejuvenation: Functions as normal

Development[]

The artificer class was previewed for playtesting in Dragon #365.[Dr365:5] The following changes were made from the original description of the artificer:

Artificer Dragon365

a dwarven artificer infusing a rod with magic

  • The artificer had the Components class feature which allowed transmuting mundane items into necessary components.
  • The artificer had Healing Infusion: Restorative Formula. It worked similarly to the cleric's Healing Word and similar abilities.
  • The artificer's Curative Admixture affects multiple targets, but only gives temporary hitpoints.
  • The artificer's ritual caster feature only gives two rituals: Make Whole, and one other 1st-level ritual.
  • Artificer's powers had the artifice keyword. This was an object that doesn't occupy a square. With that keyword, it could be moved as a minor action to a number of squares equal to the artificer's constitution modifier, or shift it 1 square. Its defenses equal your level + 4 and had hit points equal to the artificer's healing surge value. It is destroyed if consumed or reduced to 0 hit points. If the effect an artifice creates ends without the artifice being destroyed, it reverts to an inert form, which could be reused. The keyword was dropped, and powers that still depended on an artifice were instead given the conjuration keyword.
    • Powers that used the artifice keyword include: Shielding Cube, Arcane Springboard, Dancing Weapon,
  • The artificer had the Repair Object power, an encounter power that restores hit points to an object equal to your healing surge value. It didn't work in destroyed objects.
  • Some artificer's powers needed more than a standard action to activate.

Differences in powers since Dragon 365:

  • Thundering Armor does 1d8+Intelligence mod instead of 1d6+intelligence mod.
  • Spike Wire was changed to in implement (with 1d8 as weapon dir), from Area burst 1 within weapon range to Ranged 10, and the extra damage is changed to Wisdom modifier instead of a flat +2.
  • Shielding Cube has 2d6 as damage die instead of 1d8, and AC bonus applies to those adjacent to the target.
  • Lifetap renamed to Life-tapping Darts.
  • Altered Luck does damage (1d6+int), and only does penalties to saving throws. It now gives temporary hit points.
  • Fiery Infusion is dropped, and replaced by Force Infusion.
  • Dancing Weapon changed to Summoning keyword, stays in once place, and can attack as minor or opportunity actions. It remains until the end of the encounter.
  • Regeneration infusion is based on constitution modifier and can be ended to spend a healing surge. It lasts until the end of the encounter.
  • Gale-Force Infusion's AC bonus scales to Constitution modifier.
  • Lightning Motes: Damage die 2d6 intead of 2d10
  • Brittle-Skin Missile had the Miss effect removed (but was restored in errata.)
  • Healing Figurine can administer first aid.
  • Slick Concoction affect multiple targets, and gives bonuses to defense.
  • Barbed Automation changed from 2d8+int to 1d8+int+wisdom.
  • Forceful missile renamed to forceful weapon, and can push targets.
  • Lightning Matrix and Hornet Shot were dropped.
  • Strangling Rope changed to Grasping Rope, and was converted to a zone.
  • Burrowing Projectile's aftereffect can be redirected (it was previously the primary effect that was redirected.)
  • Hero's Elixir restores the target to full hitpoints, or recovers half the bloodied value if it can't spend healing surges.
  • Four-Winds Bag renamed to Baf of the Four Winds, and slides based on Wisdom modifier.
  • Armor of Acid does more damage when enemies make inbound attacks.
  • Prismatic Shot: Renamed to Prismatic Strike. One attack roll is made instead of three.
  • All-Consuming Missile: The miss effect has additional damage on failed saving throws.
  • Grave-Dust Cloud: Reduced damage (2d10 -> 1d10). Healing is moved to the Effect line, and is based on 2d6+ Wisdom rather than damage inflicted.
  • Living Caltrop Swarm: The final damage is changed from Constitution modifier to Wisdom modifier.

Character Optimization[]

See Also[]

External Links[]

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