Home > 5e Classes > Artificer Subclasses Overview

Artificer Subclasses 5e

Published on December 7, 2024

Explore the best Artificer subclasses in D&D 5e. Discover how each archetype shapes your character’s style, abilities, invents potential!

An Artificer and his mechanical companion surveil a scrap heap.

Zoltan Boros - Wizards of the Coast - Digsite Engineer

Arcane Eye may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn more.

Your Guide to DnD 5e Artificer Subclasses

The Artificer’s subclass is a defining aspect of their playstyle, dictating how your character functions both in and out of combat. Your choice of specialty shapes your toolkit, your role in the party, and how your Artificer approaches their inventions, making it one of the most impactful decisions for customizing your Artificer.

Will you be an Alchemist who concocts magical elixirs to heal allies and create explosive solutions to problems, or a Battle Smith who tinkers away on a mechanical defender then wades into combat alongside it? This article breaks down each of the Artificer’s subclasses and provides insight on how to play each specialty!

What is this guide?

This guide is meant as a deep dive into the 5e artificers subclasses. For the full overview of the artificer class, check out our artificer class guide.

To allow you to scan through the options quickly, we use the following color rating scheme:

  • Red : Isn’t going to contribute to the effectiveness of your character build at all
  • Orange : Situationally good, but a below-average option otherwise
  • Green : A good option
  • Blue : A great option, you should strongly consider this option for your character
  • Sky Blue: An amazing option. If you do not take this option your character would not be optimized

Alchemist

The alchemist adds some nice healing benefits to the artificer. While you definitely can’t keep up with a cleric or Circle of the Dreams druid, your party will certainly appreciate the support.

Check out our Alchemist 5e guide for a more in-depth breakdown of the Alchemist subclass, including build recommendations, playstyle breakdowns, and an example build.

3rd level

  • Tool Proficiency: The most helpful thing you can do with Alchemist Supplies is your “Experimental Elixir” feature so this proficiency doesn’t mean much.
  • Experimental Elixir: These elixirs are all solid and this feature would have been sky blue if you could choose the effect.

Alchemist spells:

3rd level

  • Healing Word: Great option even if you have a dedicated healer as it can be useful for resetting death saving throws from a distance and only requires a bonus action.
  • Ray of Sickness: Damage isn’t great but Poisoned is a nasty condition. Unfortunately, the save targets CON, a common proficient saving throw, and immunity to the Poisoned condition is also fairly common. Don’t try to cast this at Constructs, Fiends, or Undead at the very least.

5th level

  • Flaming Sphere: Not the best damage, but AoE and the ability to move the sphere as a bonus action are useful if up against a horde of weak enemies.
  • Melf’s Acid Arrow: If you compare this with magic missile, this spell is just not worth it for a 2nd-level spell slot. A 2nd-level magic missile will do guaranteed 4d4 + 4 which is the same damage that melf’s acid arrow does after a successful attack roll and a full turn. Magic missile also has a better range, is better for targetting casters who are concentrating, and a less resisted damage type. Pass this spell all day long.

9th level

  • Gaseous Form: This spell can honestly vie for the top “infiltration” spell over invisibility. Being able to fly and move through tiny cracks as an inconspicuous cloud can make getting into any heavily defended fortress a cinch.
  • Mass Healing Word: Like regular healing word this is used as a bonus action. This, combined with its low healing potential, means its primary use is also to revive downed teammates, but having multiple downed allies at once is quite rare.

13th level

  • Blight: 4th-level single-target spell that targets a common save. It barely out damages 4th-level fireball and flat-out doesn’t work on some common creature types. SKIP.
  • Death Ward: Has an 8-hour duration and doesn’t require concentration so it could be a good spell to cast pre-emptively if you have the ability to regain spell slots during a short rest.

17th level

  • Cloudkill: Not great in an open field but if you can get the drop on an enemy or contain a group of enemies within the spell it can be very effective because it deals damage turn after turn, as long as the caster keeps concentration. It can also be effective to block off a vantage point used by ranged enemies.
  • Raise Dead: A more powerful resurrection spell than revivify because it has a 10 day time span and can cure Poisons and Diseases. Unfortunately, if you resurrectee is missing their head or other body parts, you’ll have to wait until you get resurrection.

5th level

  • Alchemical Savant: A very weirdly worded feature that essentially gives you bonus damage/healing equal to your INT modifier. This is an amazing pick up for your Firebolt which could easily be doing 2d10+4 each turn.

9th level

  • Restorative Reagents: Turning all of your elixirs into buffed healing potions is a great way to keep them relevant throughout the campaign. Lesser Restoration will certainly be of use in 9th level encounters.

15th level

  • Chemical Mastery: Resistance to 2 common damage types in acid and poison is undoubtedly nice. Being able to cast a free 6th level Heal or Greater Restoration spell once per long rest is very handy.

Armorer

The armorer focuses on buffing a set of magical armor to help you out in battle. This is certainly the tankiest option for the Artificer.

3rd level

  • Tool Proficiency: The most helpful thing you can do with smith’s tools is your “Arcane Armor” feature so this proficiency doesn’t mean much.
  • Arcane Armor: Turn yourself into the fantasy equivalent of Iron Man. This allows you to wear heavy armor, even if you dump STR.
  • Armor Model: Leaning even harder into the Iron Man vibe, you can choose one of the following options each long or short rest. The two options both only really require INT, so switching between the two of them is seamless.
    • Guardian: Adding your INT modifier to essentially longsword damage is great and thunder is an awesome damage type. The temp hit points will greatly increase your HP pool which you will need because the Guardian likes to be upfront and personal.
    • Infiltrator: 1d6 + 1d6 + INT modifier will outpace any cantrip or ranged weapon at this level. Once you get to higher levels, the damage may fall behind other ranged classes because you can only add the 1d6 one time per turn but the damage can be buffed by your infusions starting the 9th level and your perfect armor at 15th level will also help. The increase in walking speed and evening out on Stealth checks for heavy armor is nice, especially if you can get your hands on Mithril armor to fully take on the advantage.

Armorer spells:

3rd level

  • Thunderwave: A fantastic, low-level way to knock opponents back if you find yourself in a sticky situation. Damage isn’t bad either but it targets CON saves.
  • Magic Missile: Your standard first-level damage dealer. This spell always hits which is nice. This spell is great if your targeting a spellcaster with the intention of making them drop concentration because they’ll need to make a DC 10 CON check for each dart you send at them.

5th level

  • Mirror Image: Great way to avoid damage with a low level spell slot. Plus, it doesn’t require concentration. Overall a solid option.
  • Shatter: Decent AoE that can be super effective against specific creatures. Also good for destroying inanimate objects.

9th level

  • Hypnotic Pattern: Good range, good AoE, and its effect are potent. Incapacitating multiple enemies is a fantastic tactic to passively flee from the situation or do massive damage with automatic crits. The effect can be ended by a friendly creature taking an action to wake the affected creature from its stupor, but that will eat up a lot of action economy. Either way you slice it, hypnotic pattern is one of the best crowd control spells at this level.
  • Lightning Bolt: Does as much damage as fireball but has a less effective AoE because it’s a line rather than a circle.

13th level

  • Fire Shield: Fire shield is a decent buff for martial casters but casters that prefer to maintain a distance likely won’t find much use for it. The fact that it provides resistances to two different damage types can make it especially potent for builds looking to tank for their party.
  • Greater Invisibility: Being able to attack or cast spells while invisible is a huge upgrade from regular invisibility. Give it to a melee party member and watch them get advantage on every attack and disadvantage on attacks against them, bonus points if it’s a paladin or rogue for extra crit + Divine Smite / Sneak Attack potential.

17th level

  • Passwall: Never be stonewalled by a locked door again (unless your DM specifically makes all walls 21ft thick to mess with you).
  • Wall of Force: You’re just making a wall. So what? You can split up opposing forces, hide behind an impenetrable wall, or make a dome over your party. It is immune to dispel magic but can be disintegrated.

5th level

  • Extra Attack: As the Armorer will be relying on attacks with its Arcane Armor, rather than cantrips, this is necessary to keep your damage output at a reasonable level.

9th level

  • Armor Modifications: This ability meshes extremely well with the Artificer’s infusions. Being able to enhance the magical damage, AC, and weapon damage of your armor with your infusions will feel great and offers a ton of customizability.

15th level

  • Perfected Armor:
    • Guardian: Being able to pull a creature towards you and make an extra melee attack once per turn (up to your proficiency modifier times) offers amazing versatility. You can protect the more vulnerable members of your party by pulling creatures away and engaging them or straight up pulling friendlies out of range of attacks.
    • Infiltrator: Granting advantage and providing extra damage on the next hit EACH TIME you hit a creature is just straight-up amazing. Keep in mind that if you hit a creature twice with the lightning weapon you get this effect twice.

Artillerist

The Artillerist has the ability to summon a magical cannon that helps control the battlefield.

3rd level

  • Tool Proficiency: The most helpful thing you can do with smith’s tools or woodcarver’s tools is your “Eldritch Cannon” feature so this proficiency doesn’t mean much.
  • Eldritch Cannon: The cannon has a fair amount of utility on the battlefield. It can shoot AoE at short distances, hit with force damage at long distances, and heal your party members. The damage isn’t amazing but the healing is a stellar use of your bonus action. The biggest downside is only being able to summon it once per long rest without expending a spell slot. While this can eat into the Artificer’s already meager spell slots, your Arcane Cannon is the focus of your subclass and will likely be worth it.

Artillerist spells:

3rd level

  • Shield: This is a great spell to have in your pocket when you’re stuck in a sticky situation. Obviously, the most common use for this spell is to cast this spell when you get hit by an attack, and the +5 boost to your AC will cause the attack to miss. If you have a particularly low AC, you might find this spell sits on the sidelines more often than not at higher levels when enemies get higher attack bonuses.
  • Thunderwave: A fantastic, low-level way to knock opponents back if you find yourself in a sticky situation. Damage isn’t bad either but it targets CON saves.

5th level

  • Scorching Ray: A potential 6d6 focused damage at a 2nd-level spell slot, can target multiple opponents, and has crit potential.
  • Shatter: Decent AoE that can be super effective against specific creatures. Also good for destroying inanimate objects.

9th level

  • Fireball: The gold standard for damage spells in 5e. This spell was intentionally designed to be overpowered for a 3rd-level slot, making it the most optimal choice when looking to lay the hurt down.
  • Wind Wall: Useful against lots of archers, swarms of flying enemies, or against deadly fog. Other than that the damage is pretty bad.

13th level

  • Ice Storm: You already have fireball, and ice storm does less damage, and the terrain control doesn’t make the reduced damage worth it.
  • Wall of Fire: Amazing battlefield control option to divide enemies and deal massive damage.

17th level

  • Cone of Cold: Not quite as potent as fireball or lightning bolt for the resource of a 5th-level spell slot and it targets CON saves which are a common proficiency in monsters.
  • Wall of Force: You’re just making a wall. So what? You can split up opposing forces, hide behind an impenetrable wall, or make a dome over your party. It is immune to dispel magic but can be disintegrated.

5th level

  • Arcane Firearm: The inconsistency of adding a d8 to spell damage over a raw INT modifier will only be outweighed when you hit 20 INT. Until then, you are getting roughly 4.5 extra damage out of each spell.

9th level

  • Explosive Cannon: A nice damage increase for your cannon. The detonation option is only really useful if you are running from a battle and can’t be bothered to retrieve your cannon.

15th level

  • Fortified Position: Giving your party half cover will mean a +2 for pretty much all of the ranged party members. The ability to double down on your cannon will mean get you a ton of mileage either in straight damage or pushing through damage while healing your party at the same time

Battle Smith

Their spell list is mainly lackluster with some real core melee caster spells sprinkled in. The highlight of this subclass is definitely their ability to attack using their INT modifier, in addition to their trusty Steel Defender which can soak damage as well as it can deal it.

3rd level

  • Tool Proficiency: The most helpful thing you can do with smith’s tools is your Steel Defender feature so this proficiency doesn’t mean much.
  • Battle Ready: Being able to use INT modifier instead of STR or DEX is HUGE for melee caster builds to become less multi-ability dependent (MAD). Martial weapons are a necessary addition.
  • Steel Defender: The Steel Defender is made to wade into battle alongside you and impose disadvantage on attacks that target you once per turn. It can also be a great use of your Bonus Action to make a melee attack with roughly longsword damage and is force damage, which is one of the best types of damage in the game. You can also heal the Defender for free with the mending spell, or its Repair action, depending on how much time you have.

Battle Smith spells:

3rd level

  • Heroism: Great buff effect, scales nicely as well.
  • Shield: This is a great spell to have in your pocket when you’re stuck in a sticky situation. Obviously, the most common use for this spell is to cast this spell when you get hit by an attack, and the +5 boost to your AC will cause the attack to miss. If you have a particularly low AC, you might find this spell sits on the sidelines more often than not at higher levels when enemies get higher attack bonuses.

5th level

  • Branding Smite: You need to be able to hit an invisible creature for this spell to be worth it. Really only effective for Oath of the Watchers as they gain access to see invisibility.
  • Warding Bond: This buff is really good, but can be quite risky for yourself if used at the wrong time. Make sure you aren’t overwhelmed by enemies and have a sizeable amount of hit points and AC.

9th level

  • Aura of Vitality: The healing takes set up and isn’t that impressive considering this requires concentration.
  • Conjure Barrage: Does roughly half the damage of fireball for the same level spell slot. Can be good if you can catch twice as many enemies in the larger radius, but it won’t happen often. A slightly disappointing spell that can still make the cut if you don’t have other ways of doing big AoE damage.

13th level

  • Aura of Purity: You won’t use this all the time, but if you face a lot of enemies that can inflict negative status conditions this is great.
  • Fire Shield: Fire shield is a decent buff for martial casters but casters that prefer to maintain a distance likely won’t find much use for it. The fact that it provides resistances to two different damage types can make it especially potent for builds looking to tank for their party.

17th level

  • Banishing Smite: No save to the banishment (as long as their HP is low enough) and, on average, similar damage to a 5th-level smite. This is the best smite in the game.
  • Mass Cure Wounds: Range, multiple targets, and decent healing power. One of the best bang-for-your-buck spells if you have multiple party members down.

5th level

  • Extra Attack: Helps keep your melee damage on par with other melee classes.

9th level

  • Arcane Jolt: By this point, you can use this 5 times per long rest. If your party doesn’t have another healer, save these charges for healing. If you aren’t hurting for healing, make the judgment as to whether maintaining pace with other melee party members is more worth it in the moment.

15th level

  • Improved Defender: A lot of nice buffs here. Doubling your Arcane Jolt damage helps keep it relevant, the AC buff helps keep your defender from dying too soon, and the extra damage on Deflect Attack is a great addition.

Sources Used in This Guide

  • : 2014 Player's Handbook
  • 2024 PHB: 2024 Player's Handbook
  • BR: Basic Rules
  • GotG: Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • SotDQ: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • ERLW: Eberron: Rising from the Last War
  • EEPC: Elemental Evil Player’s Companion
  • EGtW: Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount
  • FToD: Fizban's Treasury of Dragon
  • GGtR: Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica
  • MotM: Monsters of the Multiverse
  • MToF: Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes
  • MOoT: Mythic Odyessys of Theros
  • PAitM: Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
  • PHB: Player's Handbook
  • SAiS: Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
  • SCoC: Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
  • SCAG: Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
  • TCoE: Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • TTP: The Tortle Package
  • WBtW: The Wild Beyond The Witchlight
  • : Unearthed Arcana
  • VRGtR: Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
  • VGtM: Volo's Guide to Monsters
  • XGtE: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything

Other Artificer Guides

Mike Bernier

Mike Bernier is the lead content writer and founder of Arcane Eye. He is a Adamantine best-selling author of Strixhaven: A Syllabus of Sorcery on DMs Guild and is a contributing author at D&D Beyond. Follow Mike on Twitter.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Use the buttons below to fine tune the content you see in our guides.

What do these mean?