Feats are one of the primary ways of customizing a character in Fifth Edition. They give a character additional abilities to set them apart from others of the same race and class. As they cost a rare Ability Score Increase, a player has to be sure that the feat they choose is worth that price.
Artificer is the first new class added to D&D 5e after its launch. They occupy a different design space than most other classes. This means they benefit from specific feats. They're a very diverse class with many talents, so some choices only work with some subclasses. Nonetheless, some feats are unquestionably good for the artificer.
Updated on June 18th, 2024 by Louis Kemner: This list of the best artificer feats has been expanded with five more entries for D&D players to refer to when building their artificer characters. Overall, the artificer class still feels obscure and underappreciated compared to the core 12. Fans are encouraged to give artificers another chance and strengthen this class with the best weapons, skills, stats, and most of all, feats to make them more viable.
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Integrating an Artificer into any D&D campaign setting or homebrew world means adding a powerful ally the party can rely on.
15 Chef is a Minor But Fun Way to Heal the Party With Food
Key Benefits: Boost CON of Wis by +1, Cook's Utensils proficiency
The Chef feat is the least impactful among all Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition feats an artificer character might consider, and for flavor reasons, it's more likely that a bard or ranger would take this feat. Still, if the player is in a casual campaign where excellent feats aren't necessary, feats like Chef can be fun to experiment with. With the Chef feat, an artificer will have some extra utility outside combat with their cooking.
First, this feat will boost CON or WIS by +1. Then, Chef grants the artificer proficiency with cook's utensils to prepare food that may boost the healing done with hit dice during rests. The chef can even prepare treats that may be eaten as a bonus action to gain temp HP equal to the artificer's proficiency bonus.
14 Cartomancer Allows Artificers to Play Tricks and Cast Spells With Playing Cards
Key Benefits: Prestidigitation cantrip, imbue a spell into a card
The Cartomancer feat has , but artificers are clever and crafty people, too, so this minor feat also makes sense for artificer characters. First, the Cartomancer feat gives the character the Prestidigitation feat if they don't already have it, and they can cast it while pretending to do ordinary card tricks, thus casting it in plain sight without anyone being the wiser.
This feat also allows the character to infuse a spell into a card if that spell is on their class's spell list and the character has the right leveled spell slots to cast it. Then, the spell may be cast anytime within the next eight hours as an action, playing into the artificer class's theme of always having the right tool for the job.
13 Skill Expert Makes an Artificer Even Handier Outside of Combat
Key Benefits: Increase an ability score by +1, choose proficiency in a skill
Rogues and bards are best known for using many advanced skills, but artificers don't have to miss out. Artificers are only half casters, so the other half is their class features and skills combined. Artificers are already highly adept at skills that call for tools, but they can also use feats like Skill Expert in D&D 5e to enhance their non-tool skills. This feat also boosts one ability score by 1, which will likely result in either INT or CON.
With this feat, an artificer gains one more skill proficiency, and they can choose one skill and gain expertise with it if they don't already have the expertise for that skill. The artificer might choose expertise with History or Religion if their D&D campaign calls for it, or even Perception or Investigation for mystery-themed adventures.
12 Healer is Nice if the Party Lacks a Cleric or Paladin
Key Benefits: Stabilize target with 1 hit point, restore 1d6+4 hit points to the target
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Artificers have access to a ton of great spells in Dungeons & Dragons, but their cantrips will always be their most reliable.
It's a good idea for a of paladin to handle the healing, but if that doesn't happen, the artificer may step up as the healer, since they tend to play a support role anyway. Artificers get access to healing spells, and their medical magic will be even stronger with the Healer feat in place.
The Healer feat allows the artificer to use a medical kit to give the patient 1 HP, but that's not the real draw of this feat. When using a medical kit, the artificer can restore 1d6+4 hit points to the patient, and then heal them even more with 1 HP for every hit die the patient has. This feat is a solid pick to use alongside or even in place of regular healing potions.
Key Benefits: Cure Wounds once per long rest without spell slots, Protective Wings
The Gift of the Metallic Dragon is a great way to keep any spellcaster alive if they don't have the right armor or spells on hand. Artificers can cast spells like Shield, but that costs spell slots, while Gift of the Metallic Dragon provides defense and healing without such slots. This feat's user can cast Cure Wounds once per long rest without spell slots. If pressed, this feat's user can spend spell slots to do this again.
Gift of the Metallic Dragon also uses the Protective Wings trait to shield themselves or a nearby ally from harm, boosting the target's AC according to this feat's user's proficiency bonus. This can be done several times equal to the user's proficiency bonus, which is great for an extended battle in D&D where the enemies attack repeatedly.
10 Tough Keeps an Artificer Alive With More HP
Key Benefits: Gain +2 hit points upon leveling
Artificers are often known as "half-casters" in alongside paladins and rangers. Unlike those two, they lean toward the spellcasting side of things. To reflect this, they have a d8 Hit Die compared to the d10 of the other two classes. They gain fewer hit points on a new level and regain fewer hit points during short rests.
The Tough feat's effect is straightforward, giving a character two additional hit points per level. Taking this on an artificer brings them more than level with a ranger or paladin and even puts them close to a barbarian. Tough is beneficial for all artificers and it's invaluable for Battle Smiths or Armorers who want to fight in melee.
9 Elemental Adept Beenfits the Alchemist and Artillerist Subclasses
Key Benefits: Spells cast ignore resistances of chosen damage types
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Adding interesting layers to the game, D&D 5e features several notable Infusions, allowing artificers to provide valuable aid to adventuring parties.
The artificer has an even split with their subclasses, with half of them using weapon attacks. Meanwhile, the other half of the subclasses prefer spells, especially cantrips. The Alchemist and Artillerist subclasses fall under the latter category, and both classes can make good use of the Elemental Adept feat in Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition.
Elemental Adept improves spells of a specific damage type. It lets them ignore enemy Resistances and provides a minor buff to their damage. It can be a moderate buff for an Artillerist. However, an Alchemist who uses fire or acid damage will find it priceless.
8 Lucky Can Benefit Anyone
Key Benefits: Gain three luck rolls per day
D20 rolls are the primary way characters interact with the world in D&D. Attacks, ability checks, and saving throws require a player to roll high. The Lucky feat's benefit is very straightforward -- it helps a character avoid bad d20 rolls.
The Lucky feat gives a player three luck points per day, and they can use these to reroll failed attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws. Alternatively, they can force enemies to reroll successful attacks for a chance to spare the player from taking damage. Any character in the game benefits from being more successful. Lucky isn't specialized towards artificers, but they certainly benefit from it.
7 Elven Accuracy Boosts Ability Scores and Improves Attack Roles
Key Benefits: Increase DEX, INT, WIS, or CHAR by +1
Artificers rely more on a single ability score than most D&D 5e classes. Almost any artificer build uses Intelligence for most things. Artillerists and Alchemists use Intelligence to power their combat spells, and Armorers and Battle Smiths use Intelligence for their weapon attacks. All artificers use it for spellcasting, skills, and much more.
As a result, artificers benefit from the Elven Accuracy feat. It boosts a player's choice of ability score, including Intelligence. Its best use, however, is on attack rolls. When a character attacks with advantage, Elven Accuracy lets them roll three dice and pick the best. It does require a character to be an elf or a half-elf. For those races, however, it's a sure pick.
6 Sharpshooter Makes Ranged Weapons More Potent
Key Benefits: No disadvantages on long-range attacks, ranged weapons ignore half and three-quarters cover
Artificers are versatile characters. They're skilled with tools, can help allies or hinder foes with magic, and have some of the best utility in the game. This comes with trade-offs, however. Most artificers can't compete with other characters in raw damage.
Artificers don't get any significant damage boosts past the fifth level. As half-casters, they don't get the most devastating spells to use against their foes. Instead, they often rely on allies or pets to deal damage for them. The Sharpshooter feat helps an artificer make the most of their ranged abilities. It comes with an accuracy penalty, but it can be mitigated with the right features.
5 Fighting Initiate Makes Artificers More Versatile in Combat
Key Benefit: Choose a Fighting Style from the Fighter class
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Like every Dungeons & Dragons class, many artificers benefit from taking a multiclass level or two in another class for added versatility.
Fighting Styles lets D&D 5e characters mark themselves as masters of a particular weapon. Most martial classes get access to them, and even some caster subclasses can learn them. The artificer doesn't, even though two of its subclasses focus on weapon attacks in combat.
The Fighting Initiate feat exists for situations like these. It grants a character access to any Fighting Style available to the fighter class. A Battle Smith artificer can take the Fighting Style that benefits their favored weapon. An Armorer can take Archery to improve their Lightning Launcher. Either can benefit from options like Defense or Blind Fighting.
4 Resilient (Wisdom) Improves an Artificer's Saving Throws
Key Benefits: Gain proficiency in chosen saving throw, boosts ability score +1
Saving throws are a character's primary way of defending themselves against enemy effects in Dungeons & Dragons. Despite this, they tend to be static unless a character has proficiency. High-level effects are likely to succeed against most characters. The Resilient feat allows a character to become proficient in any saving throw.
For most casters, the feat is reserved for Constitution saving throws to protect their powerful Concentration spells. An artificer is already proficient in Constitution saving throws, so Wisdom is the best choice for them. The Resilient feat helps an artificer resist abilities that paralyze them, charm them, or even turn them against their allies.
3 Fey Touched is a Shortcut For Learning Magic
Key Benefits: Increase an ability score +1, gain two spells
In Dungeons & Dragons, Artificers don't get access to as many spells as wizards, clerics, or bards, and they also learn their spells far more slowly. Artificers have few known spells or spell slots, and they don't get to prepare second-level spell slots until their fifth level. The Fey Touched feat allows them to take a shortcut.
Fey Touched increases an ability score and gives two spells. These are the second-level Misty Step and a first-level spell of the artificer's choice. This spell is restricted by school, but it can be from any class. As such, the artificer can get second-level magic before they should. Fey Touched also lets them learn something not available to their class.
2 Magic Initiate (Wizard) Lets Artificers Get More Flexible With Cantrips
Key Benefits: Learn two more cantrips
Half of the artificer's D&D subclasses are expected to focus on cantrips as their primary means of combat. However, they must make do with a limited number since the class begins with only two cantrips. Furthermore, many subclasses encourage having the Mending spell, which limits many artificers to just one combat cantrip for much of the game.
It can be difficult for an artificer to have versatile combat tools and utility cantrips. The Magic Initiate feat lets an artificer learn two more cantrips. They can use this to take utility cantrips like Mending, and it also gives one cast of a first-level spell per day. If the artificer chooses wizard spells, they benefit from their high Intelligence.
1 War Caster is Essential For Artificers in Combat
Key Benefits: Option to cast a spell instead of an opportunity attack, advantage on CON saving throw when attack during concentration
The artificer is expected to wade into combat more than other casters in D&D. They have superior hit points and armor proficiencies compared to most casters. Two of their subclasses can be geared toward melee combat. They may find themselves the targets of enemy aggression more than other casters.
The War Caster is invaluable for these situations. Advantage on Concentration checks lets artificers preserve their precious spell slots during combat. They can also devastate foes with the ability to cast spells instead of making opportunity attacks. War Caster is one of overall, which naturally makes it the most essential for an artificer looking to be as effective as possible in combat.
Dungeons and Dragons
A fantasy roleplaying tabletop game designed for adventure-seekers, the original incarnation of Dungeons & Dragons was created by Gary Gygax in 1974.
- Franchise
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
- January 26, 1974
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast , TSR Inc.
- Designer
- E. Gary Gygax , Dave Arneson
- Player Count
- 4-8 Players Recommended
- Age Recommendation
- 12+
- Length per Game
- 3 hours +
- Expansions
- Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition
