Artificer Speciality: Munitions Expert
Munitions experts are among the most numerous of artificers on the front lines of combat, utilising their arcane talents to craft magical ammunition and generally blow stuff up. While many would prefer to employ them as quartermasters to enhance other troops and stockpiles, most munitions experts enjoy a more hands-on approach, taking to the field themselves with a variety of custom-designed payloads.
| Artificer Level | Munitions Expert Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Tool Proficiency, Munitions Expert Spells, Munitions Proficiency, Magical Armoury |
| 5th | Extra Attack, Spellwrought Ammunition |
| 9th | Experimental Payloads |
| 15th | Bag of Spares |
Tool Proficiency
3rd-level Munitions Expert feature
You gain proficiency with your choice of either alchemist’s supplies or woodcarver’s tools, or one other artisan’s tool of your choice if you already have both proficiencies.
Munitions Expert Spells
3rd-level Munitions Expert feature
You always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Munitions Expert Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
| Artificer Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Ensnaring Strike, Hunter’s Mark |
| 5th | Cordon of Arrows, Pyrotechnics |
| 9th | Fireball, Lightning Arrow |
| 13th | Elemental Bane, Wall of Fire |
| 17th | Conjure Volley, Swift Quiver |
Munitions Proficiency
3rd-level Munitions Expert feature
You gain proficiency with martial weapons.
Magical Armoury
3rd-level Munitions Expert feature
You construct an arcane quiver, holster, bolt case, or some other munition’s pack. Your armoury has a number of charges equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended charges when you finish a long rest. When you make a ranged weapon attack, you can expend a single charge to apply one of the following options to the attack:
- Broadhead Payload. When you roll damage for the attack, you may roll twice the number of damage dice and choose the highest results. For instance, if the weapon normally deals 2d6 damage, you roll 4d6 and choose the highest two.
- Elemental Payload. Choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. The weapon’s damage changes to this type for the attack.
- Priming Payload. If the attack hits, in addition to the weapon damage, the target becomes primed with negative magic. While the target is primed, spell attack rolls against it have advantage, and it has disadvantage on saving throws against spells. The target remains primed until the end of your next turn, or until it is hit with a spell attack or fails a saving throw against a spell.
When you reach 5th level in this class, you may select multiple options per attack, expending charges for each of them.
Extra Attack
5th-level Munitions Expert feature
You may attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Spellwrought Ammunition
5th-level Munitions Expert feature
While you are holding a ranged weapon with which you are proficient, you may use the weapon’s attack bonus instead of your spell attack bonus when making spell attack rolls.
Experimental Payloads
9th-level Munitions Expert feature
You gain additional options for your Magical Armoury. You may apply the following options in the same way as your other options for that feature, however each Experimental Payload consumes two charges, rather than one:
- Concussive Payload. If the attack hits, in addition to the weapon damage, the target is pushed away from you in a straight line, up to a number of feet equal to five times your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 5 feet).
- Piercing Payload. Instead of attacking with the weapon normally, you fire the ammunition in a straight line that is as long as your weapon’s first range increment. All creatures along the line must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking the damage of the weapon attack on a failed save or half as much on a successful one; if this is combined with other payloads that specify “if the attack hits”, these become “if the creature fails its saving throw”. The line is blocked by full cover, but creatures gain no benefit to half or three-quarters cover against this payload.
- Sundering Payload. If the attack hits, in addition to the weapon damage, the target’s armour class is reduced by your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) until the start of your next turn.
Bag of Spares
15th-level Munitions Expert feature
You regain all expended charges of your Magical Armoury when you finish a short or long rest.