Artificer Specialist: Artillerist
An Artillerist specializes in using magic to create explosions and defensive positions, as well as magic-infused sidearms --- particularly wands -- that can be used on the battlefield. Artillerists are valued by almost every single nation and organization in Azgaarnoth, though not everyone can afford to hang on to them once they find them.
Tools of the Trade
By the time you adopt this specialty at 3rd level, you're deeply familiar with employing its tools.
Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with smith's tools and woodcarver's tools, assuming you don't already have them. You also gain those tools for free--the result of tinkering you've done as you've prepared for this specialization.
In addition, you gain the ability to use rods, staffs, and wands as spellcasting focuses for your artificer spells. You also gain a nonmagical, wooden wand for free, which you've carved in your spare time.
Crafting. If you craft a magic item in the wand category, it takes you a quarter of the normal time, and it costs you half as much of the usual gold.
Artillerist Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Artillerist Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don't count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
Artillerist Spells
| Artificer Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | shield, thunderwave |
| 5th | scorching ray, shatter |
| 9th | fireball, wind wall |
| 13th | ice storm, wall of fire |
| 17th | cone of cold, wall of force |
Arcane Turret
At 3rd level, you learn how to create a magical turret. With your smith's tools in hand, you can take an action to magically summon a Medium turret in an unoccupied space on a horizontal surface within 5 feet of you.
The turret is a magical object that occupies its space and that has crablike legs. It has an AC of 18 and a number of hit points equal to five times your artificer level. It is immune to poison damage, psychic damage, and all conditions. If it is forced to make an ability check or a saving throw, treat all its ability scores as 10 (+0). If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d6 hit points. It disappears if it is reduced to 0 hit points or after 10 minutes. You can dismiss it early as an action.
When you summon the turret, you decide which type it is, choosing from the options on the Arcane Turrets table. On each of your turns, you can take a bonus action to cause the turret to activate if you are within 60 feet of it. As part of the same action, you can direct the turret to walk or climb up to 15 feet to an unoccupied space.
You can summon a turret once for free and must finish a long rest before doing so again. You can also summon the turret by expending a spell slot of 1st level or higher. If you summon a second turret, the first turret disappears.
As an action, you can command your turret to detonate if you are within 60 feet of it. Doing so destroys the turret and forces each creature within 10 feet of it to make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 3d6 force damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.
Arcane Turrets
| Turret | Activation |
|---|---|
| Flamethrower | The turret exhales fire in an adjacent 15-foot cone that you designate. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 1d8 fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire ignites any flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried. |
| Force Ballista | Make a ranged spell attack, originating from the turret, at one creature or object within 120 feet of it. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 force damage, and if the target is a creature, it is pushed up to 5 feet away from the turret. |
| Defender | The turret emits a burst of positive energy that grants itself and each creature of your choice within 10 feet of it a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1). |
Wand Prototype
By 6th level, you now regularly experiment with channeling different types of magic through wands. Whenever you finish a long rest and your woodcarver's tools are with you, you can touch a nonmagical, wooden wand and turn it into a magic item. When you do so, you invest it with one artificer cantrip of your choice--even one you don't know--that has a casting time of 1 action. As an action, you can cause the magic wand to produce the cantrip, using your spellcasting ability modifier (other creatures are unable to use the wand's magic). The wand loses this magic when you finish your next long rest.
Any damage roll you make for a cantrip in the wand gains a bonus equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
When you reach 14th level in this class, you can invest the wand with two cantrips at the end of a long rest.
Fortified Position
Starting at 14th level, you're a master at conjuring a well-defended emplacement. You and your allies have half cover while within 10 feet of a turret you create with Arcane Turret, as a result of a shimmering field of magical protection that the turret emits.
You can also now summon a second turret for free and must finish a long rest before doing so again. If you summon the second turret while the first is still present, the first one doesn't disappear, and each turret can be of a different type (if you summon a third turret, the first turret vanishes). Moreover, you can use one bonus action to activate both turrets.