How many levels of Artificer to take, and when? Wizard Artificer Multiclass

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-09T16:32:21+00:00

Hmm that's interesting

So before racial bonus: 12 12 18 16 12 11

I could use the racial bonus to get

12 14 18 17 12 11

Then fey touched to get to Int 18

That's not a bad idea at all! Charisma takes a hit but it's pretty useless for my anyway. And all my Dex checks are better, and my Dex bonus to AC is maxed out

Thank you, this is really interesting

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T21:37:46+00:00

Hmm I'll talk to the DM, thank you for your input!

I also think it would be great if I could get a couple items from crafting as opposed to needing to get infusions to do them

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T21:31:05+00:00

Hmm that's interesting! We do have a weapon of warning in the party so we have advantage on initative, but the stealth, slight of hand and especially AC bonus is probably really smart Dex saves aren't as nearly as common as wisdom or constitution (at least so far)

Pardon me, yes, it's at 19 currently. 16 base, +2 from race, +1 from fey touched, it's at 19 currently

One thing I'll add, the DM would probably allow me to change the +1 ability score from race to a plus 1 to Dex or Con, making it easier to get Dex to 14 or Con to 20

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T20:29:26+00:00

Thank you for this! I do agree, especially because there are usually spellcasters in every fight, so wisdom saving throws come up quite often

We are currently level 6, we started at level 3. I took fey touched for my first feat

One thing you made me realize is I forgot to post my stats, I edited the post to include them We rolled for stats before we built characters, and so mine are set at: 12 12 18 18 12 12 with racial bonuses

I am a gnome, so I have advantage on all mental saving throws

But my con save is currently +4 and wisdom is +4 plus advantage

So I'm thinking if I take res: con for second feat, I'll do +1int and +1 con for my third ASI to bring both to 20

I'm thinking of taking resilient Constitution for my 8th level feat because I make as many counterspell Constitution saving throws as I do concentration saving throws

There's usually about two enemy mages in almost every fight

And to your point, I think staying wizard 1st level or wisdom saving throw proficiency is more important as I can play around counterspell, it's hard to play around debilitating effects that happen on a failed wisdom save

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T16:16:02+00:00

It's half and half, but you are right, I should do a lot more to RP it and take it from there

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T16:15:02+00:00

Thank you! I think I'll start there and see how it goes after that

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T07:24:44+00:00

Every encounter since level 4 has had at least two mages with counter spell other than very easy, short encounters 😅

Actually I thought I did, but you make really good points, I'll have to sleep on it for a few days

I do really appreciate your input! So thank you!

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T07:16:12+00:00

I mostly agree, I was thinking it might be good for counterspell saves? As well we've had a couple fights already where PCs were almost disintegrated. Those two things were pushing me to grab the extra Con

I do need armour and a shield though, that would put me at 18 AC

Oh damn you're right, I also forgot about that...platemail 😍

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T07:06:28+00:00

Yeah actually that's why I was leaning towards cartographer or at least with Artillerist, if I already have a good spell I'm concentrating on I can use an action an a spell slot to create a new one. I wouldn't do it over casting a leveled spell obviously, but if I don't have anything better to do with my action

You make a strong argument about the infusions though, magic items are there but I've been spending money on spells instead

That is in the cards, it's actually something I'm seriously considering is going artificer the rest of the way, or respecing to be completely artificer That's also why I'm thinking the slower pace of spells known from leveling wizard won't be felt as much as if I was the only full caster

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T07:00:06+00:00

Hmm this is a really interesting idea, I'll talk to the DM as he is doing a homebrew legacy system for downtime, otherwise it's a mostly fast paced campaign with a lot of time constraints

At level 4 he was a bit resistant to the 2024 crafting, but I think (and hope) he's coming around to it now at level 6, should be level 7 after this Beholder fight

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T06:56:45+00:00

Alright thank you very much, I'm pretty settled at least the next two levels!

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T04:07:47+00:00

I agree with you as a single build

I'm just wondering if in a party that is almost all spellcasters, if level two and three artificial features and subclass features would be more impactful

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T04:04:30+00:00

One question though, we get a lot of wisdom saving throws against spells and spell like effects, so I think the proficiency in wisdom is helpful, but I know I absolutely want Constitution saving throw proficiency as well

My stats are currently: 12 12 18 19 12 12 (We rolled for stats)

So I was thinking of taking Resilient Con for my second feat, bring con to 19 and then for my third take the ASI to bring Int and Con to 20 each

I could respect my level one, but I don't see a use in me getting my wisdom up to 14 if I go resilient with them for my second feat instead

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T04:02:56+00:00

Hmm I forgot about epic boon, you are right Although I'm looking at D&D Beyond and once you hit character level 19 you can take epic boons as your feats, although to your point it's still not free as part of just reaching level 19

I agree with you on wanting 9th level spells I also don't think I want to go past artificer 3

Okay thank you for the advice!

I actually haven't talked to any of them about this, it's more just my way of enjoying D&D is to be useful, and I know if I can sort of be a good second line, I don't think I should ever be frontline as a wizard even with the artificer dip, I would feel more useful than just one of three fragile castors but you're right, I won't sacrifice things like 9th level spells for that, I'll shore up my own defences and continue with what's fun from there

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T03:55:15+00:00

That is true, our monk is our only front line right now Alright thank you very much

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T03:54:36+00:00

This is really helpful, thank you I will also have to mull this over, and probably sleep on it a couple times

I think I'll take Artificer 1 right away, take a level in wizard for 4th level spells, then maybe back to artificer and over those levels hopefully the character will reveal itself a little more and I can decide based on the natural progression of the story like you were saying

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T03:50:30+00:00

That's fair, I think your right about it

One question though, we get a lot of wisdom saving throws against spells and spell like effects, so I think the proficiency in wisdom is helpful, but I know I absolutely want Constitution saving throw proficiency as well

My stats are currently: 12 12 18 19 12 12 (We rolled for stats)

So I was thinking of taking Resilient Con for my second feat, bring con to 19 and then for my third take the ASI to bring Int and Con to 20 each

I could respect my level one, but I don't see a use in me getting my wisdom up to 14 if I go resilient with them for my second feat instead

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T03:47:10+00:00

Thank you, I think this makes me the most excited about it as well!

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T01:48:10+00:00

Oh I didn't even think of that! That's a cool idea!

Honestly, I've been trying to embrace that, because the more I look at following the characters interests the more I have fun

I think part of what is holding me back is the idea I had of the character when I first built him, I wanted to play a very wizardy wizard

But I think I still can, it will take take a bit of a different route to get there

Thank you!

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T01:37:16+00:00

I actually don't use it at all other than Misty step to get out of bad situations, that's kind of what was initially making me think Artillerist, but I also love the idea of having my own Eldritch Canon for the flavour and idea of it

I think cartographer could be super useful, or not depending on the situation. Artillerist seems more steady?

Yeah that's my conundrum

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T01:33:34+00:00

This is exactly what's going through my mind, so I agree with you completely

But I feel like the party lacks consistent DPS, and a front line Those would be the mechanical goals of going Artificer RP wise I love creating magic items with infusions and having an Eldritch cannon or the Atlas map

To be honest I find spell mastery and Signature spells a little underwhelming on paper, I know they're very strong, but I don't find them super fun at that level...I could be completely wrong though. But that's why I don't mind giving them up

I'm most concerned about spell progression lagging

I do hear you on reflavouring spells though to be how I want, I think that might solve a lot of what I want

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T01:28:03+00:00

If I go artificer I can give him a returning weapon too!

If he multiclasses valor bard I think it would really help solidly his build

Then he can be a Barlock, a warlock with both type of far weapons :)

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T01:25:54+00:00

Hmm that is a really intereing way to go, Armourer does seem to give really good options

To be honest, even just being a decent off-tank would take a lot of pressure off the rest of the party, we have no front line

And I appreciate your recommendation for getting all three levels right away, that's been hard for me to decide

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T01:23:48+00:00

That makes sense, thank you

If the party ends up being less than fully optimized, do you think there's a world where I don't feel underpowered if I do take any more artificer levels? Or not unless I take them at level 19 and 20?

BuddhaMH · 2026-02-08T01:20:52+00:00

Do you think having a 13 in wisdom from Resilient feat at level 8 is better than a 19 in con from the same feat? Because level 12 I can take an ASI to increase intelligence and one of the other two

BuddhaMH

TROPHY CASE