Thoughts On The Archivist Subclass For Artificer - Unearthed Arcana

• Adventurer
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I suppose this is the less combat specialized class so it's of course going to do much less damage than Artillerist. Most of the time I avoid using the Information overload feature since it does so little damage (the advantage is ok but so many things give a source of advantage)and eats my whole action unlike commanding your turret as a bonus action on top of being able to multi attack (at lvl 5). I don't find the bonus proficiency that useful, nor is the little Artificial Mind scout since it glows and is kinda obvious. How do you guys feel it holds up?

• Kingdom Keeper
• Join Date: 3/28/2018
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The damage isn't that low. On its own its the same damage as a cantrip and with a 1st level spell slot it's 3d8 which is respectable for the spell level. Also a stun upon a failed intelligence saving throw? Yikes for the victim.

(Multi attack turrets? What? You got that feature wrong there...)

The scout may be obvious, but it can be up to 300 feet away from you and you can cast spells from its perspective. Send it onwards to weaken foes or even finish them off without danger to yourself.

The telepathy over any distance within the same plane is also amazing, as is the teleportation. Need something from your base? You left an item there, teleport then teleport back. Trick others into chasing after you then teleport back to the party. It's pretty OP.

• Adventurer
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The Artillerist at level 5 can Command a turret to move and/or fire as a bonus action. On top of that they have their own action to do one normal attack and a second attack using their magic weapon. If the Archivist uses information overload it does 2d8 at level 5 (4d8 or 5d8 if you use a spell slot). You get no attacks after that and the only thing I can see you doing is maybe re-positioning your scout using your bonus action. If we're mentioning lategame abilities then yes, Archivist gets some pretty nice stuff but the enemy has to fail 2 int saves to get stunned (1 to get hit in the first place and the other to stun). If you infuse a heavy crossbow with repeating shot I don't think you'll ever need to send your scout out to finish enemies off.

Edit: Thanks for the ideas on how to use some of the features, although it might take a long time to hit those upper levels.

• Kingdom Keeper
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That feature will soon become Battle Smith exclusive, so...

• (Perfect)
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Think @Snecchi was just referring to the Arcane Armament "Extra Attack" feature the artificer gets baseline when they referred to "being able to multi attack".

The only other interpretation I can think of for that would be the artillerist's ability to have two turrets of any kind including the same for both active at level 14 and commanding both of them to activate with one bonus action. Of course, they also specified it was the level 5 feature they were referring to, so this assumption should be wrong.

Also worth reminding that the stun ability for information overload is a lvl-14 feature for the archivist, which seems balanced IMO. You're absolutely right about the information overload damage not being that low for its level, nor is it particularly that OP at higher levels either. Reason being is because the damage progression of information overload scales with archivist levels specifically rather than overall character level like typical cantrips do.

@Snecchi is still accurate in their assessment that the archivist is maybe the least combat-oriented subclass of the artificer subclasses, which is probably why the information overload ability has so much adding to it as one progresses in the archivist subclass. In terms of item infusion usage, the archivist has little need personally for any of the offensive-based item infusions like enhanced weapon or repeating shot if they have their manifested mind to reliably aid them most of the time. Also, both the magical telephony and infoportation features rely on some creature other than the archivist possessing any item infused with one of the archivist's infusions in order to work. In other words, the archivist is actually encouraged to infuse items for other characters instead of just for themselves, which ideally would be altruistically true of all artificers TBH.

Edited because Snecchi had already addressed what they meant by their multi attack comment while I was writing this comment, so that section of my comment is no longer necessary.

• Adventurer
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Yes I was referencing the Arcane armament extra attack which you would have to forgo by using your action to use Information Overload. I don't mind Archivist being weaker in terms of combat but early on you bring nothing really... new to the party. Having extra proficiency in two things is nice I suppose and having a familiar to scout is good but the kicker was the spell list. It seems they want you to be some sort of skill monkey but it's sort of spread too thin. The Overload + manifest mind can be annoying since it has a range of 5 ft. So you'll almost always have to blow both your action and bonus action to re position and attack, while doing sub par damage at best for the resources you spend. I might just be mad since the Artillerist spell list is just so good (when it comes to combat and protecting yourself at least).

• (Perfect)
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Quote from Snecchi >>

I suppose this is the less combat specialized class so it's of course going to do much less damage than Artillerist. Most of the time I avoid using the Information overload feature since it does so little damage (the advantage is ok but so many things give a source of advantage)and eats my whole action unlike commanding your turret as a bonus action on top of being able to multi attack (at lvl 5). I don't find the bonus proficiency that useful, nor is the little Artificial Mind scout since it glows and is kinda obvious. How do you guys feel it holds up?

Now that I'm re-reading your OP, it sounds to me that it's more likely the play-style of the archivist just isn't for you. Like, you've already admitted to using most of the archivist's features as little as possible because in your opinion:

• the information overload feature "does so little damage",
• you "don't find the proficiency bonus that useful", and
• you think the manifested mind is useless because "it glows and is kinda obvious".

Trying not to sound judgmental here, but I gotta ask: Why are you bothering to play an archivist then?

Also, while I agree that the archivist is maybe the least combat-focused of the available artificer subclasses, it's still unfair to compare its damage output with that of the artillerist. The artillerist by design is intended to be the big blasty subclass of the artificers, otherwise they wouldn't have such heavy hitters like fireball or cone of cold as their specialization spells.

• Adventurer
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I guess it all comes down to the kind of flavor I like. I dislike the big bulky turrets etc. of the Artillerist but I love the artificial intelligence theme of the Archivist. I also happened to love Spore Druids thematic but it didn't wind up working out since we fought many undead and whatnot.I guess I want the Archivist to be more than a scout/skill monkey early on in the game. I definitely think the late-game abilities are very cool and flavorful but it's just so rare for a campaign to get to that point. You have some of the most advanced tech in the Artificer profession but all it really does is make a familiar that tells you how to stealth better.

Edit: I hadn't heard of the Arcane Armament rumor, did it come from a pretty reliable source?

• Kingdom Keeper
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Haha that last sentence resumes the sentiments of so many.

I dig wanting to go with flavor even if you end up suffering a bit because of it. Got one written in which he's a Haunted One who suffers the death of his beloved wife so he made the AI in her image and personality with knowledge of plants since she was a priestess of some nature goddess. He has no use for the knowledge himself, but she might stop him from consuming a poisonous mushroom on occasion. The object she inhabits is her wedding ring which had a tiny flower.

In this case his AI is his flaw rather than a feature, haha... i shouldn't laugh at him...

• (Perfect)
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Check out the links in this post. It's "very likely" that Arcane Armament will become Battle Smith exclusive based on survey feedback. Coming from Jeremy Crawford himself, this is about as "confirmed" as he can be about it without actually "confirming" it.

• Murderer
• Join Date: 11/23/2018
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Quote from NeoPhantom >>

Haha that last sentence resumes the sentiments of so many.

I dig wanting to go with flavor even if you end up suffering a bit because of it. Got one written in which he's a Haunted One who suffers the death of his beloved wife so he made the AI in her image and personality with knowledge of plants since she was a priestess of some nature goddess. He has no use for the knowledge himself, but she might stop him from consuming a poisonous mushroom on occasion. The object she inhabits is her wedding ring which had a tiny flower.

In this case his AI is his flaw rather than a feature, haha... i shouldn't laugh at him...

I love that idea. That's absolutely gorgeous.

• Kingdom Keeper
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Haha. Thanks! Having a class that allows the creation of a spectral entity is just great for roleplaying.

• Adventurer
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Reminds me of Feldon if the Third Part.

You should look up this magic the gathering card and its backstory. It shares a lot of similarities :)

• Adventurer
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Quote from NeoPhantom >>

Haha that last sentence resumes the sentiments of so many.

I dig wanting to go with flavor even if you end up suffering a bit because of it. Got one written in which he's a Haunted One who suffers the death of his beloved wife so he made the AI in her image and personality with knowledge of plants since she was a priestess of some nature goddess. He has no use for the knowledge himself, but she might stop him from consuming a poisonous mushroom on occasion. The object she inhabits is her wedding ring which had a tiny flower.

In this case his AI is his flaw rather than a feature, haha... i shouldn't laugh at him...

Reminds me of Feldon of the Third Part.

You should look up this magic the gathering card and its backstory. It shares a lot of similarities :)

• Adventurer
• Join Date: 5/8/2019
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I'll be honest, I don't think that Archivist is meant to be played like a normal class. They get few spell slots because artificer, but have none of the redeeming features of other artificer subclasses for combat. I think they shine outside of combat. Lets say you have a nice dm who will let you sell spell scrolls you make at a high price. You make 1st level spell scrolls at 12.5gp, sell at ~75gp. You can take a week to crank out 14 1st level cure wounds spell scrolls (assuming you have a party of 4) keep 8 for the party (2 per person) and sell the other 6 and still net a profit of ~200gp. And that's not considering making damaging spell spell scrolls to be used in combat. It also leaves spell slots open for what you absolutely should be using on Artificial Mind, because expending a first level slot on Overload makes it do 3d8 damage and the next attack has advantage. Which is better than almost any other 1st level spell.