Artificer NPCs and How to Use Them for EVERY Tier of Play
If this is your first time reading this series, we’re going through each of the official classes in D&D Fifth Edition and making NPC statblocks inspired by them. They are not intended to be carbon copies, but rather to simplify your NPCs while maintaining the same flavor and familiarity as a full character. I go into more detail about this philosophy in the first article of the series.
But simply, for each of the tiers of play we’ll make an NPC stat block based on the relevant class. These tiers are a loose way of comparing your NPC’s power level to that of your party. Of course this is far from perfect, but you’ll be able to give the general feel of whether an NPC is over, under, or near the power level of a comparable player character. For reference, those tiers of play are:
Local Heroes (Levels 1-4)
Heroes of the Realm (Levels 5-10)
Masters of the Realm (Level 11-16)
Masters of the World (Levels 17-20)
In addition to creating the statblocks, for each tier of play I will give a few examples of how that NPC can be used in your game. Hopefully that will help get some ideas churning! And of course, feel free to use and modify these suggestions as encounters or adventures for your own party.
With the table set, let’s move into our final round of NPCs: artificers.
How to Use NPC Artificers
Artificers only recently made their way into the 5th Edition Forgotten Realms setting. After making their debut in Eberron: Rising From the Last War back in 2019, the artificers were reprinted (with a new subclass) in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything in 2020. I’ve had a bit of a complex relationship with artificers since their release. While I can’t deny the ability to create magic items is very cool, not to mention incredibly useful in a low-magic campaign, I struggle to shake the feeling that artificers are tonally incompatible with many classically inspired fantasy settings. As a DM, artificers are the only class or subclass that I have restricted my players from choosing. I tend not to worry about “overpowered” builds or subclasses, but I do worry about setting cohesion.
In retrospect, however, I think I have overestimated the effect of an artificer in a classic fantasy setting. Magical items exist in the world after all, and somebody had to make those! Besides, there are many ways to incorporate an artificer or two into your campaign without going full steampunk (even if one of the subclasses literally gives you a pet robot). Maybe an artificer has dedicated their life to uncover the forgotten secrets of magical crafting from an age long gone. Perhaps a small group has begun making the first steps towards developing a new crafting technique. Whatever route you decide to go, artificers can fill a niche in your setting without losing the appeal of a low-magic setting.
Tier 1 Artificers
Tier 1 artificers are mostly likely to be encountered by player characters between levels 1 and 4, although they may be used as allies or henchpeople of more powerful beings at later levels. Tier 1 artificers are typically just starting to hone their craft. They may be apprentices or self-taught novice alchemists and tinkerers.
Customizing an NPC. For most situations, the following statblocks will be more than sufficient. However, for important NPCs you may want to customize them a bit to make them stand out. Just remember that with each ability you add, you sacrifice some of the simplicity and approachability of the statblock. Some abilities may also significantly increase the Challenge Rating of the NPC, so keep that in mind if you add more combat-centric abilities. To customize a artificer of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Swap out one or more of their spells with a different artificer spell of the same level.
Swap out one or more of the selected infusions for another infusion which the artificer meets the prerequisites for. A Tier 1 artificer has the following infusions selected:
Mind Sharpener (Armor)
Repeating Shot
Add the 3rd level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game. While it is not necessary to assign an NPC artificer to a specific specialization, it can help you think of how different kinds of artificers fit within your world. Artificers with different goals and backgrounds will be found in different locations, have different motivations, and may perceive your party differently. Of course you can give them the specific abilities of that subclass (as detailed in the “Customizing an NPC” sections) but that is far from necessary. The way you describe the character, how they are found in your game, and the motivations they have will do far more to establish the tone than a class ability or two. With that in mind, here are some examples of how to use Tier 1 artificers in your game:
An alchemist is seeking a group of adventurers to acquire a fair amount of phase spider silk for his experiments. He believes he can distill the silk to make oil of etherealness. He is willing to pay in gold, or perhaps share in the results of the experiment should it be successful. (Alchemist). y deflect the incoming blow, and then uses her bare hand to deliver two quick jabs to the throat (Alchemist).
Tier 2 Artificers
Tier 2 artificers are most likely to be encountered by PCs from levels 5 to 10, although you can find use for them at all levels. Tier 2 artificers are somewhat accomplished in their fields. They may run a magical repair shop, serve as a noble’s arcane/technical advisor, or delve into lost ruins searching for forgotten magical techniques.
Customizing an NPC. To customize a artificer of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Swap out one or more of their spells with a different artificer spell of the same level.
Swap out one or more of the selected infusions for another infusion which the artificer meets the prerequisites for. A Tier 1 artificer has the following infusions selected:
Enhanced Defense (Shield)
Mind Sharpener (Armor)
Repeating Shot
Add the 3rd level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Add the 5th level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game.
After proving themselves in a battle of great importance, an admirer invites them to an exclusive auction. Magical items of all sorts will be bought and sold, a rare opportunity to easily find buyers and sellers of these unique wares. Not to mention the chance to rub shoulders with some of the most powerful and wealthy individuals from across the planes (Battle Smith).
Tier 3 Artificers
Tier 3 artificers are most likely to be encountered by PCs from levels 11 to 16, although you may insert them earlier as a potential patron or mentor figure. Tier 3 artificers are renown tinkerers, inventors, and alchemists. They may be the purveyor of a magic item shop (if you allow such things in your game) or at the least a go-to contact for your party looking to offload their magical wares.
Customizing an NPC. To customize a artificer of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Swap out one or more of their spells with a different artificer spell of the same level.
Swap out one or more of the selected infusions for another infusion which the artificer meets the prerequisites for. A Tier 1 artificer has the following infusions selected:
Enhanced Defense (Shield)
Helm of Awareness
Mind Sharpener (Armor)
Repeating Shot
Replicate Magic Item (Winged Boots)
Add the 3rd level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Add the 5th level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Add the 9th level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game.
An artificer is experimenting with ways to enhance their Lightning Launcher. They are seeking a special gland from an adult (or older) blue dragon (Armorer).
Tier 4 Artificers
Tier 4 artificers are most likely to be encountered by PCs from levels 17 to 20, although you may use them earlier as a potential patron or mentor figure. A tier 4 artificer is comparable in many respects to a level 20 adventurer, there may only be one or two such figures in your entire setting. These artificers are the best inventors in the realm. They may work directly for a kingdom or similar power, or get fabulously rich selling items to governments and planar creatures alike.
Customizing an NPC. To customize a artificer of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Swap out one or more of their spells with a different artificer spell of the same level.
Swap out one or more of the selected infusions for another infusion which the artificer meets the prerequisites for. A Tier 1 artificer has the following infusions selected:
Enhanced Defense (Shield)
Helm of Awareness
Mind Sharpener (Armor)
Repeating Shot
Replicate Magic Item (Winged Boots)
Replicate Magic Item (Amulet of Health)
Add the 3rd level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Add the 5th level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Add the 9th level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Add the 14th level feature from the artificer specialization of your choice.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game.
While defending a city during a siege by aberrations from the Far Realms, the party is told to assist the Master of Defense. He is currently atop the city walls overseeing the construction of strange cannons covered in magical runes (Artillerist).
As we approach the end of this series on NPCs, what would you like to see stated up next? Let me know what statblocks you think are missing from Fifth Edition and they may appear in the next series!
