Summary
- New Dungeons and Dragons playtest material featuring the Artificer is available for free on D&D Beyond.
- Artificer class abilities have been revamped, with changes to Magical Tinkering and Infusions.
- Wizards of the Coast is seeking feedback on the new Artificer class via a survey starting on December 24.
Dungeons and Dragons has officially put out new playtest material featuring the Artificer, the fan-favorite class that was absent in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. Fans can view the first and likely last Unearthed Arcana for Dungeons and Dragons in 2024 on D&D Beyond at no cost.
Unearthed Arcana are Dungeons and Dragons playtest materials put out for free by Wizards of the Coast. These documents let players get a sneak peek at upcoming character options while letting Wizards of the Coast get feedback about them, like what Dungeons and Dragons did in a series of massive Unearthed Arcana leading up to the release of the new 2024 core rulebooks.
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Now, Wizards of the Coast has released its first Unearthed Arcana in over a year. The new playtest document details the Artificer, changing up the tinkering half-casters from their original appearance in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, bringing them up to pace with the other reworked classes from the 2024 Player’s Handbook. Dungeons and Dragons senior content consultant Todd Kenreck and lead rules designer Jeremy Crawford took a deep dive into the class’ changes in a YouTube video posted along with the Unearthed Arcana.
The New Artificer in Dungeons and Dragons 5e 2024
Several of the Artificer’s abilities in Dungeons and Dragons have been changed or replaced. Magical Tinkering now lets players create mundane adventuring items, rather than the trinkets it did before. Tool Expertise is gone, replaced by Magic Item Tinker to allow Artificers to burn created magic items for spell slots. Spell-Storing Items can now stash third-level spells, and Soul of Artifice now gives a bonus to ability checks, rather than saving throws, though its death-cheating ability has been improved to compensate. Additionally, 20th level Artificers get four fewer Plans – the new name for Infusions, the mechanics for which have also been streamlined via Replicate Magic Item.
The three original Artificer subclasses have also received facelifts as well. The Alchemist received a major rework, with more, better elixirs and a new and improved Chemical Mastery; the Armorer’s signature armors are improved, and come with a third option in the form of the Dreadnought; and the Artillerist’s Eldritch Cannons now count as all three turret options at once, and can be detonated when they are destroyed. The Battle Smith is largely unchanged beyond the Steel Defender having its hit points and damage adjusted slightly.
There is currently no word on when this class will appear in an official book, but this Unearthed Arcana confirms Wizards of the Coast is working on a new Dungeons and Dragons Artificer. The feedback survey for the Unearthed Arcana opens on December 24, so fans should be sure to try out this revamped Artificer and let Dungeons and Dragons know what they think.
Dungeons and Dragons
Created by Gary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop game in which players craft their own worlds and band together to take on adventures through mysterious realms outlined in companion materials. One of the best role-playing games ever made, it has been adapted into a variety of video games and other media.
- Franchise
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
- 1974-00-00
- Designer
- E. Gary Gygax , Dave Arneson