The Artificer class has been around in one form or another for quite some time. However, it was only formally introduced in DnD 5e with the supplement Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything in November 2020.
Artificer Specialist Subclasses 5e
The Artificer Class are magical tinkerers that either infuse their mechanical creations with magic energies or turn mundane objects into magical items. They’re a fantastic class that offers new and exciting ways to approach DnD.
Instead of totally relying on side professions and merchants to purchase or create magical items or enhanced items, the Artificer simply crafts their own.
Each Artificer Specialist has a different area of expertise that they’ve studied and have become experts in.
Here is our ranked list of the Artificer Specialist Subclasses in 5e DnD:
- #4 – Alchemist Specialist
- #3 – Armorer Specialist
- #2 – Artillerist Specialist
- #1 – Battle Smith Specialist
#4. Alchemist Specialist
The Alchemist Specialist can be found in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.
Alchemist Specialist Features
The Alchemist specialist is an excellent mixture of utility, healing, and Artificer abilities. They have the ability to make potions easily, and every night can create a random elixir with various effects.
They’re great to have in the party and can take on the role of the healer with their ability to create potions easily.
Pros of Alchemist Specialist
The Alchemist isn’t necessarily a healing class, but they have a lot of support and healing abilities. If a party member doesn’t want to be a Cleric, then having an Alchemist on the team can replace a healer.
Cons of Alchemist Specialist
At early levels, their elixir ability is completely random and has limited use until they actually get their more powerful abilities.
#3. Armorer Specialist
The Armorer can be found in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.
Armorer Specialist Features
The Armorer Specialist has dedicated their knowledge to perfecting and enchanting an impenetrable set of armor. As the Artificer levels up they’ll be able to build and customize a set of arcane armor.
The main draw of the Armorer Specialist is to turn your character into a fantasy-style Iron Man. They’ll be able to shoot lightning from their gauntlets and gain some nice defensive boosts.
Pros of Armorer Specialist
The Armorer is a cool class that works well for new players to the Artificer Class. The Artificer Class is one of the newer and more finicky classes, and the Armorer is a good introduction to them, overall.
Their abilities and Arcane Armor are all useful and thematically it’s fun to play from an RP standpoint.
Cons of Armorer Specialist
The Armorer is extremely vulnerable at early levels. Until they hit level 3, their abilities are pretty much useless.
#2. Artillerist Specialist
The Artillerist Specialist can be found in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.
Artillerist Specialist Features
The Artillerist’s main feature is their ability to create a magical cannon. They could carve one out of wood or create it out of any other material.
It allows them several different options of damage, and as they level up the damage gets more potent and can be used as a bomb or defensive structure.
Pros of Artillerist Specialist
Artillerist Artificers have incredible damage-dealing potential, and it works in both fantasy settings with and without the optional gun rule. They have decent spells and can be one of your better ranged damage dealers in a party.
Cons of Artillerist Specialist
They are highly specialized in damage dealing and don’t have many other abilities outside of this.
#1. Battle Smith Specialist
The Battle Smith can be found in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.
Battle Smith Specialist Features
The Battle Smith adds 2 party members for the price of one. Battle Smiths create a metal mechanical construct that wades into battle alongside them.
They can charge their attacks with magical energies and they become deadly weapons on the battlefield.
Pros of Battle Smith Specialist
Battle Smiths can use their intelligence to power their attacks which is incredibly useful to the Artificer Class.
In addition, their Steel Defender companion can soak up hits and do quite a bit of damage when enhanced with their abilities. It’s a nice mixture of combat damage and defense.
Cons of Battle Smith Specialist
The Battle Smith is intended to be a melee specialist and therefore lacks a lot of ranged options, but you do get a Steel Defender to hide behind if you need to.
Check out our Artificer 5e Class Guide and Artificer Spells.
Before starting GameCows with his wife Kendra, he used to teach English Language Arts in the US. He combined his love of gaming with education to create fun game-based learning lessons until he eventually decided to run GameCows with Kendra full-time. He’s known for pouring over rulebooks in his spare time, being the rule master during game night, and as the perma DM in his DnD group. Bryan loves board games, writing, traveling, and above all his wife and partner in crime, Kendra.