Quick Build

You can make an artificer quickly by following these suggestions. Prioritize Intelligence followed by Constitution or Dexterity as your highest attributes. Second, choose a background that makes sense, like sage or guild artisan, or a guild in Ravnica, or any number of backgrounds in Kaladesh.

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons
• Tools: Any combination of tour tools and vehicles
• Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
• Skills: Choose three from Arcana, Deception, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Religion. Choose one of these to have expertise (double proficiency) in.

Seem Familiar?

The Signature Aparatus is similar to the Pact Boon of the Warlock. Innovations are like Invocations. Arcanum Discoveries resemble Mystic Arcanum. You get the idea.

Inventor

An Inventor is an Artificer whose curiosity and creative genius have run rampant in the application of magical-mechanical constructions. While other Artificers may spend their whole career perfecting a single-minded pursuit, an Inventor believes that quality through sheer iteration. Fast failures contribute to eventual successes.

Quick-footed and even quicker witted, an Inventor is never caught without another trick up their sleeve. Their minds are always jumping ahead on how to solve a problem with a clever gadget and they usually favor experimenting and tinkering from the onset, rather than planning or theorizing too much before implementation. They can come from any walk of life, but usually exemplifies a curiosity and distaste for the suppression of knowledge or technology, usually favoring freedom to experiment, leaning toward more chaotic behaviors.

Alchemist's Proficiency

When you choose this specialization at 1st level, you gain proficiency with a blowgun, hand crossbow, alchemist’s supplies and herbalism kit.

Collection of Alchemical Concoctions

At 1st level, you've acquired a collection of useful basic concoctions, similar to a component pouch or bag. You've tucked away things that will come in handy, and can retrieve them as part of using an ability that requires them. As long as you have this item on your person, you use the alchemist's features it is considered as alchemy supplies for crafting.

If you lose your concoction collection, you can spend gold pieces to reacquire the various stocks you need, or spend time gathering them for free from a natural environment.

Chemical Savant

At 1st level you have been exposed to enough chemicals and unlocked their secrets that they pose little risk to you. You gain resistance to acid damage and poison damage and gain advantage on saving throws against poison.

Instant Potions

At 1st level, you know how to get chemical reactions to occur without the long process of grinding, simmering and infusing required for refined brewing. You know enough ways to do these that with just a few standard supplies, you can get results out of a wide range of materials you can gather in almost any locale and a pinch from your reagent pouch. This ability enables you to make Alchemical Infusions that are the equivalent of spells. When you cast spells in this way, they do not take effect immediately, but are infused instead. If the spell grants an effect or restores health, the creature will gain the effect of the spell when it is consumed as an action.

Alchemical Infusions

At 1st level, you have found a way to skip most of the brewing process for alchemically creating potent magically effects by directly infusing a potion, salve or spray with your magic. The following spells are added to the artificer spell list for you:

Alchemists in Magic the Gathering

Alchemists are rare in Kaladesh, mostly found among Elven lifecrafters who integrate organic material into their work, or potentially renegade aether smugglers or sky farmers. Perhaps the agents of the Consulate employ alchemists in their aether refineries or even an Aetherborn may find their gift of energy-based vampirism to take alchemical forms. The primary guild to find Alchemists in Ravnica is the Simic Combine where Adaptionists and Utopian Biomancers and Teraformers introduce changes to creatures and ecologies. Golgari Poisoners, Rot Farmers and Mycologists may also dip into dark forms of alchemy, perhaps maybe even a Gruul Clans Shaman or Selesnya Conclave or Boros Legion Healer may find it to be their path.

Scientific Innovations

EMP ability

Electricity damage, double to constructs, stun

Airburst Mine

Prerequisite: Inventor Specialization

You create a mechanical device, potion or catalytic reaction capable of producing a devastating blast. You can use this device to cast shatter without expending a spell slot. Alternatively, you can set up the mine as an action to be triggered by your reaction within a 1 minute. Once used it cannot be used again until you complete a short or long rest.

Grappling Hook

Prerequisite: Inventor Specialization

As an attack or as an action, you may target a surface, object or creature within 20 feet. If the target is Medium or smaller, you can make a Grapple check to pull it to you and Grapple it. Alternatively, if the target is Large or bigger, you can choose to be pulled to it, however, this does not grapple it.

Shocking Hook

Prerequisite: Inventor Specialization, Shock Generator and Grappling Hook Innovations

You can integrate your Shock Generator and your Grappling Hook. If the target of your Grappling Hook is a creature, you can cast shocking grasp using your Shock Generator on that creature as a bonus action when pulling it to you or being pulled to it.

Battle Manuever

Prerequisite: Gadget, Construct Creature or Weapon Signature Apparatus, Inventor Specialization

Use your Signature Apparatus to create the effect of one Battle Maneuver from the Battlemaster Fighter class. You get one 1d6 superiority die, which increases to 1d8 at 5th level. Gain a second superiority die at 9th level.

Repair

Prerequisite: Inventor Specialization

You can take a short rest to work on a construct or inanimate object, causing it regain 10d6 hit points. This causes any parts or material that has broken away from the construct or object to reattach, repairing it to the condition it when before losing those hit points. If the construct or object damaged state is the result of age, you can instead repair to the condition it was in 10d6 years ago, if it was previously in a better condition during that time (the condition can only improve or not change).

Repeating Hand Crossbow

Prerequisite: Inventor Specialization

Prerequisite: Proficiency with hand crossbow

You build an improved hand crossbow. It has the Ammunition (range 30/120), Light, and Special properties and deals 1d8 piercing damage. At level 5, this weapon gains a +1 to attack and damage rolls; this increases to a +2 at level 14.

Special: This weapon does not require a free-hand to load, as it has a built in loader. Once per turn, when you take the Attack action with this weapon and have advantage on an attack, you can forgo advantage on an attack to make one additional weapon attack with this weapon against the same target.

Other Inventor Ideas

• Fire bolt
• Ray of frost
• Lightning lure
• Gust
• Water walk
• Erupting earth
• Blade ward
• Alarm
• Floating disk
• Zephyr Strike
• Control winds
• Hold person

Inoculations

Prerequisite: 7th level

You gain immunity to poison damage. Additionally, you and up to five allies of your choice are inoculated against the poisonous effects you can produce that require a constitution saving throw (such as the poisonous gas instant reaction or the cloudkill infusion), allowing them to automatically pass the saving throw.

Fortifying Fumes

You formulate a new reaction, a powerful fortifying stimulate. Targeting a point within 15 feet, as an action, you cause fumes to erupt. Creatures within 10 feet of the target point that inhale the fumes gain 1d4 temporary hit points, deal 1d4 additional damage on their next melee weapon attack, and have advantage on their next Constitution saving throw. Any remaining benefits fade at the end of your next turn.

The both the temporary hit points and damage bonus increase by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

Frostbloom Reaction

Prerequisite: 3rd level

You formulate a new endothermic reaction, a devastating localized cold snap that creates an instant bloom of ice. Targeting a point within 15 feet, as an action, you cause an the area to erupt in frost.

The area within 5 feet of the target point becomes difficult terrain until the end of your next turn, and any creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell Save DC, or be caught by the ice taking 1d6 cold damage; a creature entirely in the area of effect that fails also becomes restrained until the end of their next turn. They can use their action to make a Strength saving throw to break free of the ice early.

The damage damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

All Hot Air

You eat a spicy meatball that erupts in belches of crescendoing power. At first level a burp casts vicious mockery at will. Alternatively it can be used up to create the effect of cause fear or, at 3rd level become the dragon's breathe spell. You must take a short or long rest to be able to gain the effects from a spicy meatball again.

Revitalizing Elixir

Create a brew that applies the affect of spare the dying at will when fumes are wafted to an unconscious creature, and creates the effect of lesser restoration when fully applied or consumed. It can also be mixed with rations to create the effect of purify food and drink You must take a short or long rest to be able to gain any effects other than wafting from the elixir again.

Poisoner's Proficiency

Prerequisite: 5th level

You delve into the secrets of the darkest secrets of herblore, learning the potent secrets of poison. During a long rest, you can create one of the three following poisons.

• Contact poison. You can apply this to a weapon or up to ten pieces of ammunition, lasting until the end of your next long rest. That weapon deals an additional d4 equal to your Intelligence modifier poison damage to targets it strikes.
• Ingested poison. This a simple flavorless powder. If a creature consumes a full dose of this poison before the end of your next long rest, after one minute has passed they must make a Constitution saving throw with disadvantage against your spell save DC or take a number of d10 equal to your Intelligence modifier in poison damage, and become poisoned until they complete a long rest.
• Inhaled poison. Creates the effect of feign death in a willing subject or sleep in an unwilling one.

Aroma Therapies

You expand your alchemical knowledge to be able to produce incense and simmering reagents that grant effects to those that inhale their fumes. Choose one:

• A love potion that at 1st level it may be wafted to grant the effect of the friends cantrip at will, or consumed to become charm person. At 3rd level it may act as enthrall when consumed.
• An interrogation serum that may wafted as the mind splinter cantrip or be injected as command. It can function as suggestion or zone of truth at 2nd level.

You must take a short or long rest to clear your head and sinuses before using Aroma Therapies again.

Adrenaline Serum

Prerequisite: 9th level Artificer

As a bonus action on your turn, you can consume a dose of this serum. Consuming this Serum gives you advantage on all Strength and Dexterity checks as well as the effects of haste and heroism for its duration. These effects do not require concentration, but end when the serum ends. On the round that this wears off, your movement speed is zero and you cannot take any actions until the end of your turn. You can use this a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1) before you must take a short or long rest to be able to gain the effects from the serum again.

Other Alchemist Ideas

• enlarge/reduce, plant growth, giant insect
• polymorph
• barkskin, stoneskin
• poison spray + ray of sickness
• meld into stone
• alter self + primal savagery
• infestation + insect plague + contagion
• Dominate person

Signature Apparatus Innovations

Autonomous Crossbow

Prerequisite: 5th level Artificer, Bolt Thrower Innovation

You modify a crossbow to be able to aim and fire and its own. As an action, you can deploy your Signature Apparatus as a construct turret. Once deployed, the construct can be fired as a bonus action making an attack from where it is deployed.

You make a ranged spell attack, and if the attack hits it deals 1d10 + your intelligence modifier piercing damage. The construct becomes inactive after 1 minute has passed, or after it has fired 10 times. Once you have activated it, you cannot activate it again until you complete a short or long rest.

System Upgrade

Prerequisite: Construct Creature Signature Aparatus, 5th level Artificer

You have improved the capabilities of your construct in a signifcant way. This could be tuned servos, stronger alloys, a stabilized chassis, a rudimentary computing system and more. Increase any ability score by 2 and adjust other capabilities appropriately. For instance an improved dexterity adds +1 to AC, +1 to initiative and +1 to ranged attack rolls. You may select this innovation multiple times, altering each stat up to two times, to a maximum of 18. Check with your GM about limitations.

Redundant Systems

Prerequisite: Construct Creature Signature Aparatus, 7th level Artificer

You have reinforced your Construct with layers of protection and redundant systems. It gains additional hit points equal to three times your Artificer level. Additionally, it gains advantage on any saving throws related to taking damage.

Imbued Weapon

Prerequisite: Weapon Signature Apparatus, 7th level

You can take a bonus action to switch your weapon to do Force damage. In all forms it gains a +1 to attack and damage rolls.

Bond Item

Prerequisite: Weapon Signature Apparatus

You can recall your weapon to your hand as a bonus action. If another creature is holding or wearing the item when you try to recall it, they make an Intelligence saving throw, and if they succeed, the spell fails. They make this save with Advantage if they have had possession of the item for more than 1 minute.

Spell Storing

Prerequisite: 11th level

You may store any spell you are able to cast in your Signature Apparatus and use it as an action without expending a spell slot.

Contingiency Trigger

Prerequisite: 11th level

Use the spell contingiency on an item without expending a spell slot.

Sun Cannon

Prerequisite: 11th level

You install a sun cannon into your Signature Apparatus, allowing you to unleash devastating solar laser blasts. As an action, you can cast sunbeam without expending a spell slot.

Elemental Wall

Prerequisite: 11th level

You may cast any wall spell, including wall of fire, wall of wind, wall of force, wall of sand, wall of light, wall of water, wall of thorns, wall of ice and wall of stone as an action.

Truesight Lenses

Prerequisite: Sight Lenses Innovation, 11th level

You upgrade and fine-tune your sight lenses, granting you Truesight up to 15 feet.

Arcanomechanical Armor

Prerequisite: 13th level

As a shield against risk you have developed a suit of arcane armor. Construct or paint a suit of medium weight arcanomechnical armor that only you can attune to and lasts 8 hours until needing maintenance. While you are attuned to it and wearing it, it grants you resistance to two damage types of your choosing and provides an AC of 14 + your intelligence modifier. You are considered to be proficient in this armor and do not suffer penalties on stealth or exhaustion. It can be considered a Signature Apparatus or Arcane Focus for spellcasting purposes. If it is destroyed you can create a new suit at the end of a long rest and full day of work. The cost of the armor and components required to create and maintain it are determined by your GM.

Gravity Switch

Prerequisite: Secrets of Gravity Innovation, 13th level

You create an effect that turns off gravity, causing you to reorient which way is down for you until the end of your turn. You can pick any direction to fall as if under the effect of gravity, falling up to 50 feet before the spell ends. If you collide with something during this time, you take falling damage as normal, but you can control your fall as you could under normal conditions by holding onto objects or move along a surface according to your new orientation as normal until your turn ends and gravity returns to normal.

Potent Reactions

Prerequisite: 15th level

You refine your artifice to create infusions or inventions with astounding potency. For your next spell or innovation action choose one of the following:

• The die you roll to determine the damage or healing effect of your reactions is increased by one size - a d4 becomes a d6, a d6 becomes a d8, a d8 becomes a d10, and a d10 becomes a d12
• All of a target's saving throws are made at disadvantage
• The casting range is quadroupled (if the range is touch it increases to 30 feet) and the area of affect, if it has one, is tripled

Building Your Artificer (Fluff!)

While all the mechanically steps of building your Artificer are included in the primary document, Xanthaur's Guide to Everything introduced certain tables for further flavoring the creation of each class. While these have no mechanical impact, they are optional ways to inspire the roleplaying and backstory to your character.