Artificer Specialization: Arcanist
Arcanists are the masters of magic items. By inscribing runes into objects, they push the limits of arcane infusion, turning even the most mundane weapons and armor into stuff of legend. Their efficiency and versatility in producing magical items are important to any nation's military might.
3rd Level: Tool Proficiency
You gain proficiency with calligrapher's tools. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan's tools of your choice.
3rd Level: Arcanist Spells
When you reach certain levels in this class, you learn specific spells as indicated in the Arcanist Spells table. You always have those spells prepared and they don't count against the number of spells you can prepare.
Arcanist Spells
| Artificer Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Ensnaring Strike, Shield of Faith |
| 5th | Branding Smite, Spiritual Weapon |
| 9th | Counterspell, Crusader's Mantle |
| 13th | Death Ward, Fire Shield |
| 17th | Banishing Smite, Telekinesis |
3rd Level: Runic Infusion
You are able to inscribe runes into objects and imbue them with magic quickly. As a bonus action, you can use your Infuse Item feature on an object within 30 feet of you, as long as you are holding calligrapher's tools. When you infuse an object that another creature has equipped, that creature can attune itself to the item the instant you infuse the item. If you try to exceed your maximum number of infusions, you can choose which among your current active infusions to end, and then the new infusion applies.
Whenever you use this feature to infuse an item, you can choose an infusion that is not in your list of infusions known. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses at the end of a long rest.
3rd Level: Implements of War
Your research into magical items grants you an expanded repertoire of infusions. You know the Enhanced Defense and Enhanced Weapon infusions at all times, but they don't count against your number of Infusions known.
When you infuse an item with one of the three infusions, you can choose an additional effect to place on the item based on the infusion placed. Whenever an effect requires a saving throw, it uses your Spell Save DC.
Enhanced Defense
- Abjurer's Armor. Choose one of the following creature types from the following list: aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead. The armor's bonus to AC is doubled against attacks made by creatures of the chosen creature type.
- Anti-Missile Armor. The armor grants its wearer a +3 bonus to their AC against ranged weapon and spell attacks. It increases to +5 when you reach 10th level in this class.
- Multiscale Armor. When a creature hits its wearer with an attack, the armor grants a +4 bonus to AC against all subsequent attacks made by that creature for the rest of the turn.
- Resilient Armor (6th Level). While wearing this armor, a creature has resistance to one of the following damage types, which you choose when you infuse the item: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.
- Thorned Armor (6th Level). When the wearer takes damage from a melee weapon attack, it can use its reaction to deal magical piercing damage to the attacker equal to the damage taken.
- Warmage's Armor (6th Level). The armor grants its wearer advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration on a spell when it takes damage.
- Protective Armor (10th Level). The armor grants its wearer a +2 bonus to saving throws.
- Mind Shielding Armor (10th Level). The armor grants its wearer immunity to the Charmed and Frightened conditions.
- Winged Armor (10th Level). The armor grants its wearer a flying speed of 30 feet.
- Champion's Armor (14th Level). The item grants its wearer advantage on ability checks and saving throws made with Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution.
- Mentalist's Armor (14th Level). The item grants its wearer advantage on ability checks and saving throws made with Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
- Reflective Armor (14th Level). Whenever the wearer fails a saving throw against a line spell, or is hit by a spell that requires a ranged Attack roll, it can use its reaction to add your Intelligence modifier to its AC or saving throw against the spell, potentially turning the failure into a success or the hit into a miss. Once the spell attack misses or the wearer succeeds on its save, the wearer can use its reaction to be unaffected by the spell and reflect the effect back at the caster as though it originated from the wearer, turning the caster to a target.
- Warding Armor (14th Level). The armor grants its wearer advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.
Enhanced Weapon
- Abjurer's Weapon. Choose one of the following creature types from the following list: aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead. The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls is doubled if the attack is made against a creature of the chosen creature type. You can choose from any creature type when you reach 10th level in this class.
- Elemental Weapon. Choose one of the following damage types when you apply this infusion: acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder. This weapon deals an additional 1d4 damage of the chosen damage type. The bonus damage increases to 2d4 when you reach 10th level in this class.
- Homing Weapon. Attacks made with this weapon ignore half and three-fourths cover.
- Enfeebling Weapon (6th Level). On a hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the damage dealt by the target's weapon attacks is halved until the start of the user's next turn.
- Slowing Weapon (6th Level). On a hit, the target's movement speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of the user's next turn.
- Staggering Weapon (6th Level). On a hit, the target can't add its Dexterity modifier to its AC and can't make opportunity attacks until the start of the user's next turn.
- Blinding Weapon (10th Level). On a hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is blinded until the start of the user's next turn.
- Lifedrain Weapon (10th Level). On a hit, the creature can't regain hit points until the start of the user's next turn.
- Vampiric Weapon (10th Level). When a creature hits another creature with an attack from this weapon, it regains a number of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).
- Brutal Weapon (14th Level). Whenever this weapon makes a critical hit, the user can deal maximum damage instead of rolling.
- Ethereal Weapon (14th Level). Whenever the user makes a weapon attack with this weapon, the user can choose to make it ethereal, allowing it to bypass the target's armor and require no attack roll. Instead, the target makes a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes the attack's normal damage and suffers its additional effects. On a successful save, the target takes half damage from the attack but suffers no additional effects that would normally be imposed on a hit.
- Rapid Weapon (14th Level). Whenever the user takes the attack action and makes a weapon attack with this weapon, the user can make an additional attack as part of the Attack action.
7th Level: Enchanted Armory
You can improve weapons and armor beyond mortal capabilities. You gain the following abilities:
Improved Offense. Once per turn, whenever a creature hits a creature with a weapon or casts a spell with a spellcasting focus with one of your infusions, the creature gains a bonus to one damage roll equal to your proficiency bonus.
Improved Defense. A creature using a shield or wearing armor, jewelry, or clothing with one of your infusions receives a number of temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus at the start of each of its turns.
9th Level: Item Specialization
You can specialize in infusing magic into weapons or armor, making your infusions more efficient. When you take this feature, you can choose between Enhanced Defense or Enhanced Weapon. The chosen infusion can be applied to more than one item at a time.
Additionally, the maximum number of items you can infuse at once increases by a number equal to your proficiency bonus, but those extra items must bear the infusion you specialize in. Each item can have a different additional effect from your Implements of War feature.
15th Level: Infusion Mastery
Yyou have mastered the art of arcane infusion. You gain the following abilities:
Dual Infusion. You can place up to two infusions in a single object, but you can't place the same infusion on the same object twice.
Twinned Infusion. You can place an infusion in multiple items, provided that the infusion requires either a weapon, a suit of armor, clothing, or an arcane focus. Each copy of the infusion counts towards your number of Infused Items and two different items with the same infusion do not stack when used by the same creature.
Replicate Greater Magic Item. Whenever you learn the Replicate Magic Item infusion, you can choose the magic item from among the list of common and uncommon magic items, not including potions or scrolls.