Masters of invention, Artificers use ingenuity and magic to unlock extraordinary capabilities in objects. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and then harnessed in their spells and inventions.
Introduction
Welcome innovators, pioneers, and visionaries to your guide on role-playing your Artificer like the brilliant inventor you envision! In this article we will cover the defining narrative characteristics of an Artificer and discuss the important decisions which define your character. We will also highlight the common tropes associated with Artificers in fiction, and offer some advice for how best to emulate, or subvert, these for your character. If you’re ready to lead the way in techno-magical innovation and stride boldly into the future, then read on.
What makes an Artificer?
In Dungeons & Dragons, an Artificer is an individual who can create items through a combination of technical skill and magical prowess. An Artificer uses their chosen Tools as a spellcasting focus as their power is intrinsically linked to their craft. This is a wonderful opportunity to add additional details to your character!
An Artificer is differentiated from other craftspeople of a more mundane variety by their extraordinary ability to imbue their creations with magical properties. For example, a herbalist may be adept at brewing potions, but they are unlikely to iterate on their creations and craft something new. By contrast, an Alchemist Artificer is able to brew entirely new concoctions with strange effects (and test their creations on willing party members).
Creating Your Artificer
Your Artificer is starting to take shape in your mind, becoming elevated beyond the values on your character sheet. Let’s develop them further, by deciding how they learned to hone their craft and utilise their powers, considering what their personal philosophy on life is, and looking at some tropes in fiction which we can use for inspiration.
How did your Artificer learn their craft?
It could be argued that this question is the most crucial one to consider when creating your Artificer due to their unique blend of practical and magical artifice. The craft is at the core of the character, and your choice greatly influences a great many aspects of your Artificer as they grow and develop throughout their adventures. However, every artisan was once a novice, so where did their journey begin? Are they the latest in a storied line of craftspeople, following their family’s traditions as their ancestors have for generations? Are they instead an outlier from tradition seeking to innovate with or without the support of those who came before them?
Pragmatically speaking, it is more likely that your Artificer was taught the skills of their craft by somebody more learned, even if that individual lacks the magical talent of an actual Artificer.
This is an excellent opportunity to create your character’s mentor, and provide a rich seam of narrative for your Game Master to explore at the table! The mentor’s identity can be basic, a few key details and mannerisms for example, but it is your Artificer’s relationship with them which will provide the best material for roleplay. Do they revere their mentor, perhaps to a fault? Do they see them as a parental figure? If so, how does that impact their relationship dynamic? Conversely, your Artificer may be in competition with their mentor, always striving to outshine their work or even sabotage it if the rivalry has become bitter!
However, if your character is a prodigy who learned their craft independently, then consider how others viewed their genius. It is rare indeed to find examples of innovators who were recognised for their brilliance from the start of their journey. It is more likely that those with small minds (or those who exploit them) view the Artificer with suspicion or even outright hostility! It is important to examine the effect such experiences have had on your character’s worldview and goals.
What is their personal philosophy?
Next, think about why your Artificer became an adventurer! Did they choose this nomadic, dangerous life out of necessity or curiosity? How do they feel about being around others? Do they trust their own skills, and the control they have over their creations? Consider how your Artificer views themselves, and the impact of this on their interactions with others. Some Artificers see themselves as an aloof genius, relishing their intelligence and practical acumen, whereas others are concerned with doing their duty and using their skills to serve their chosen cause without personal recognition.
How does your Artificer view themselves and the world around them? Do they strive to uplift the world with their creations or do they jealously guard them? Artificers are in the unique position of being technological pioneers in a fantasy setting, much like the great innovators of history. They offer the people of the world a chance to advance beyond the reality they currently know.
Tropes
Although the Artificer is less well represented in popular fiction than the classic fantasy staples, there are still characters from which you can draw inspiration when creating your Artificer. The trope of the “eccentric genius” is more well-known than that of an Artificer specifically and examples can be readily found in both modern and classic literature, such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein or the story of Daedalus & Icarus from ancient Greek mythology.
Examples from more recent media include Tony Stark, the billionaire playboy whose genius, and heroic status as Iron Man, instills him with an unshakeable (and insufferable) confidence; Dr Emmet Brown, the time-travelling scientist who is all too aware of the implications of misusing such power; and Wallace, the charming English inventor with a beloved canine companion and love of proper cheese. Any of these characters would be an excellent starting point to inspire your Artificer’s creation, whether you emulate these archetypes or choose to subvert them.
If you opt to draw your inspiration from more classical sources, consider the goals of the protagonist, and the role of hubris, in the narrative of stories like Frankenstein. In a world where magic, the afterlife, and the Gods are very real and well-known facets of existence, we must think beyond the classic trope of “playing God” to subvert the natural course of events. Artificers are drawn to push the boundaries of what is known or thought achievable to most folk, so it is fitting that your Artificer has a long-term goal which would alter the course of history if it came to fruition. One example might be that they feel the wrong people have power over life and death due to the expense of the materials involved in such magic, so they make it their mission to create a Resurrection spell or magic item that transcends the need for such things. However, there are many who would wish to stop them succeeding.
Artificer Subclasses
Your Artificer can specialize as they gain levels, further honing and refining their skillset to match their talents and goals. By now you will have a good idea of who your Artificer is and what skills they are likely to have. Use this information as a framework to build the rest of the character, particularly when deciding on the nature, and details, of their specialization.
Alchemist
An Alchemist is an expert at combining reagents to produce magical effects. Alchemists use their creations to give life and to leech it away.
Using their Alchemist’s Tools to focus their magic, an Alchemist can create entirely new elixirs to bolster themselves and their allies. They are also able to brew magical potions in half the time it would take anyone else, freeing up more of the adventuring day or utilising downtime more efficiently.
How does your Artificer employ these remarkable abilities? Do they constantly brew and test new concoctions on themselves and their companions to study the effects? Are they always on the look-out for strange new reagents and original combinations? Perhaps they store this information in a journal which they value above all else, even their own life! Also consider how your Artificer uses their tools as a spellcasting focus in different scenarios, such as when in combat. For example, it is pleasing to imagine an Alchemist firing Melf’s Acid Arrow from a flask pointed at their target!
Armorer
An Armorer modifies armor to function almost like a second skin. The armor is enhanced to hone the Armorer’s magic, unleash potent attacks, and generate a formidable defense.
If you’ve ever wanted to live out your Iron Man fantasy, then Armorer is the Specialization for you! Armorer Artificers imbue their armor with properties beyond the enchantments of other magical equipment, and can even alter these properties to suit different needs depending on the situation at hand. This allows Armorers to fight alongside martial classes in battle, striking with greatly enhanced power. Furthermore, the Armorer can create new pieces of armor at double the usual speed.
However, a key aspect of such a character to consider is how they feel both in, and out, of their armor. Does such power affect their behaviour over time? How often do they choose to remain in their armor, and why? Are they able to feel safe, or trust their own capabilities without it? These are questions unique to the Armorer, and they make for excellent roleplaying opportunities.
Artillerist
An Artillerist specializes in using magic to hurl energy, projectiles, and explosions on a battlefield.
For fans of long-range destruction, the Artillerist is a treat, allowing the Artificer to create an Eldritch Cannon to aid them in battle, and to enchant a weapon as their Arcane Firearm. The key things to consider from a roleplaying perspective with the Artillerist are; the appearance and design of their Eldritch Cannon, and the item which they choose to adopt as their Arcane Firearm.
Both of these choices are crucial components of the character’s personality and should represent them in aspect. For example, if your Artillerist was once a Sailor, then perhaps their Cannon takes the form of a naval gun and they choose a flintlock pistol as their Arcane Firearm. Another, more fantastical, example would be a tiny, metal dragon as the Cannon, and a wand as your Firearm. A wand is an ideal Arcane Firearm, as Artillerists can craft them in half the usual time.
Battlesmith
A Battle Smith is a combination of protector and medic, an expert at defending others and repairing both materiel and personnel. To aid in their work, Battle Smiths are accompanied by a Steel Defender, a protective companion of their own creation.
A combination of warrior and inventor, Battlesmith Artificers utilise their combat training and ingenuity to shield their allies and bring ruin to their enemies. Like the Artillerist’s firearms and cannons, it is very important to think about the form and appearance of your Battlesmith’s Steel Defender as it is a crucial aspect of the subclass, and an excellent way to customize your character.
A Steel Defender is your Battlesmith’s stalwart companion, one of their own creation and design, so it can be anything you like (within reason of course, you can’t have a Tarrasque!). What form does your Steel Defender take? Does it resemble a beast of some kind, a magical creature like a dragon, or perhaps even a mechanical, humanoid warrior? Is it sleek and resplendent or grimy and utilitarian? Do you repair cosmetic damage it suffers or do you leave the scars of battle evident on its chassis? Our advice is to use the Defender’s stat block as the limit of its form and function within the game, but to let your imagination run wild!
Cartographer
Cartographers are the premier navigators and reconnaissance agents. Using their creations, Cartographers can highlight threats, safeguard allies, and carve portals to distant locations.
Fans of mini-maps, fast travel, and calligraphy may like to specialize as a Cartographer Artificer to ensure their party never gets lost in the trackless wilds ever again! With the ability to track their allies, teleport short distances, and even cast spells through their Adventurer’s Atlas.
How does your Cartographer employ their skillset? Perhaps they are a member of an Explorer’s Guild tasked with venturing forth and charting the unknown lands outside the bounds of their home. If they’re of a less salubrious persuasion, they may also find lucrative work aiding the criminal element of a large city with their magical maps and portal creation. Their ability to create scrolls twice as fast as average may secure them a position within an arcane institution like a magical college or similar bastion of arcane education.
Conclusion
By now, you should have a clear picture of your Artificer in your mind: who they are, how they honed their abilities, and their Specialization. If not, don’t worry! Have a chat with your GM and ask them to help you create an Artificer who fits into the game you all want to play, fits into the world you’re playing in, and has connections with other player characters. Happy adventuring!
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