The Artificer is a pretty new class in D&D, revolving more around tools than most classes and being a mix between a spellcaster and a martial character.
Artificers already have a lot of knowledge regarding items, as they often imbue items with magic or even create temporary magic ones.
With the appropriate magic items, Artificers can become expert crafters or imbue items with incredible magical power.
Contents
- Best Magic Items for the Artificer in 5e
- 15. All-Purpose Tool
- 14. Ring of Spell Storing
- 13. Manual of Bodily Health
- 12. Amulet of the Planes
- 11. Sentinel Shield
- 10. Pearl of Power
- 9. Periapt of Proof Against Poison
- 8. Shield, +3
- 7. Tome of Clear Thought
- 6. Stone of Good Luck (Luckstone)
- 5. Ring of Three Wishes
- 4. Cloak of Invisibility
- 3. Ioun Stone (mastery)
- 2. Broom of Flying
- 1. Cloak of Displacement
- Final Thoughts
Best Magic Items for the Artificer in 5e
15. All-Purpose Tool
Rarity – Uncommon (+1), Rare (+2), Very Rare (+3) (requiring attunement by an Artificer)
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
A simple screwdriver that can turn into a variety of tools.
Using an action lets you touch the item, transforming it into any type of Artisan’s tool you choose. Whatever form the tool takes, you will have proficiency with it.
Holding the tool lets you gain a bonus to saving throw DCs and spell attack rolls with your Artificer spells. The bonus is determined by the rarity of the tool.
Using an action lets you focus on the tool, letting you channel your creative forces. You may choose a Cantrip you don’t know from any class list.
For 8 hours, you may cast this Cantrip, counting as an Artificer Cantrip for you. Once this property has been used, it cannot be used again until the next break of dawn.
Explanation
The All-Purpose Tool can transform into any tool you need and even gives you access to any Cantrip of your choice.
Not only does this give you an additional spell, but it means you never have to worry about getting your hands another tool ever again.
14. Ring of Spell Storing
Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)
Item Type – Ring
Description
Spells cast into the ring are stored (up to 5 levels worth of spells are able to be stored in the ring at one time), holding them until the attuned wearer decides to use them.
When the ring is found, it can contain 1d6 -1 levels of stored spells (chosen by the DM).
Any creature is able to cast a spell of 1st to 5th level into the ring by simply touching it as the spell is cast. Doing this makes the spell have no effect other than being stored in the ring.
However, if the ring cannot hold the spell, it will be expended without effect. The level of the spell slot used to cast the spell will determine how much space it takes up.
Wearing the ring lets you cast any spell stored within it. The spell will use the slot level, spell attack bonus, spell save DC, and spellcasting ability of the original caster but is otherwise treated as a normal cast spell.
A spell cast from the ring is no longer stored within it, freeing up space in the ring.
Explanation
The Ring of Spell Storing has a lot of uses, but the best way to use it would be to pump it with defensive spells to increase your durability.
Spells like Absorb Elements or Shield work extremely well when put into a Ring of Spell Storing.
13. Manual of Bodily Health
Rarity – Very Rare
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
Spend 48 hours over a period of 6 days or less studying this book, increasing your Constitution score by 2, as well as your maximum for it.
After this, the manual will lose its magic, only regaining it in a century.
Explanation
Raising your Constitution score, as well as its maximum, makes it easier for you to focus on other Ability Scores, gain HP, or just raise your Constitution score and Constitution maximum.
So, if you don’t have an item that raises your Constitution and you don’t want to use it anyway, then Manual of Bodily Health is perfect for you.
12. Amulet of the Planes
Rarity – Very Rare (requiring attunement)
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
Wearing this amulet lets you use an action to name a location you’re familiar with on another plane of existence.
Make a DC 15 Intelligence check. Succeeding in the check lets you cast the Plane Shift spell.
Failing means you, as well as each creature and object within 15 feet, travel to a random destination.
Roll a d100. On a 1-60, you will travel to a random location on the plane you’ve named. On a 61-100, you will travel to a random plane of existence.
Explanation
The Amulet of the Planes basically lets you plane shift for free.
The check made to travel with it is made using Intelligence, which is your spellcasting modifier.
Even if you teleport with it, you can use it next round anyway. Just as long as you don’t end up somewhere really strange.
11. Sentinel Shield
Rarity – Uncommon
Item Type – Armor (shield)
Description
If you are holding a shield, you gain advantage on initiative rolls as well as Wisdom (Perception) checks.
The shield is also emblazoned with the symbol of an eye.
Explanation
Sentinel Shield is great for a spellcaster like the Artificer who wants to get their spells and abilities activated before any of the enemies can react.
It also gives the Artificer a nice boost to Perception rolls, which is the most commonly rolled skill in D&D.
10. Pearl of Power
Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement by a spellcaster)
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
Whilst on your person, you may use an action and speak the pearl’s command word, regaining one expended spell slot.
If the expended spell slot was 4th level or higher, the new slot will be of the 3rd level. Once the pearl has been used, it cannot be used again until the break of the next dawn.
Explanation
The Pearl of Power is useful for any spellcaster, especially the Artificer.
Artificers already get a limited amount of spell slots, so using the Pearl of Power makes it easier to regain spell slots that you’ve already used.
This greatly improves the Artificer’s spellcasting capabilities.
9. Periapt of Proof Against Poison
Rarity – Rare
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
You have immunity to the poisoned condition and immunity to poison damage while wearing this pendant.
Explanation
Poison damage is one of the most common damage types in all of D&D, so having the Periapt of Proof Against Poison can go a long way to increase your durability.
Immunity to Poison isn’t just useful at lower levels but throughout all levels in D&D due to its strong presence in many spells and abilities.
8. Shield, +3
Rarity – Uncommon (+1), Rare (+2), Very Rare (+3)
Item Type – Armor (shield)
Description
Holding the shield gives you a bonus AC determined by the rarity of the shield. The bonus is in addition to the shield’s normal bonus to AC.
Explanation
Shield +3 doesn’t require any attunement and gives you a ton of AC.
Another bonus is that the item’s AC is added to the shield’s AC, which means you can have a maximum AC bonus of +5, which is absurd.
7. Tome of Clear Thought
Rarity – Very Rare
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
The book contains logic and memory exercises, and the words are changed with magic.
Spending 48 hours over a period of 6 days or fewer studying the book’s contents increases your Intelligence score and maximum by 2.
The manual will then lose its magic but regain it in a century.
Explanation
The Tome of Clear Thought is a basic item that provides a ton of value to an Artificer.
Raising your Intelligence, which is your spellcasting modifier, lets you either raise other Ability Scores, increase your Intelligence even more, or give you the freedom to experiment with Feats.
6. Stone of Good Luck (Luckstone)
Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement)
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
While on your person, you have a +1 bonus to ability checks and saving throws.
Explanation
Almost any character can use the Stone of Good Luck to their benefit.
Characters who are mostly reliant on ability checks and skills will find Stone of Good Luck as a perfect default item.
5. Ring of Three Wishes
Rarity – Legendary
Item Type – Ring
Description
Whilst wearing the ring, you may use an action to expend 1 of its 3 actions to cast the Wish spell from the ring.
The ring will become nonmagical when the last charge has been used.
Explanation
The Ring of Three Wishes is best used to cast Wish to do one of the things that risks permanently removing the ability to cast Wish.
The best course of action would be to then get rid of the ring by giving it to another player (ideally, one that won’t ever be able to cast Wish).
The Ring of Three Wishes can be pretty difficult to rank, as it depends entirely on what you do with the ring and if you’ll lose the ability to cast it again.
4. Cloak of Invisibility
Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
Wearing the cloak lets you pull down its hood over your head and become invisible. While invisible, anything you’re wearing or carrying is also invisible.
When you stop wearing the hood, you become visible, and pulling the hood up or down requires an action.
The cloak’s maximum duration is 2 hours, so deduct the time you’re invisible using increments of 1 minute.
After being used for 2 hours, the cloak stops functioning. If a period of 12 uninterrupted hours passes without the cloak being used, 1 hour of duration is regained.
Explanation
Cloak of Invisibility is a very powerful item that fits well with more stealthy Artificers. It’s undoubtedly one of the best items an Artificer can get their hands on.
It’s definitely better than the Cloak of Displacement, but the fact that it’s a Legendary item makes it incredibly difficult to find.
You should also take into account the fact that Artificers don’t sneak around too much, so they might not get as much value from the item as a Ranger, Rogue, or Monk would.
3. Ioun Stone (mastery)
Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
Your Proficiency bonus increases by 1 while this pale green prism is orbiting your head.
Explanation
Your Proficiency bonus applies to a lot of rolls made in D&D, so having it increase by 1 increases all rolls made with Proficiency by 1.
The Ioun Stone (Mastery) might be difficult to find, but if you can find it, you should definitely look at attuning to it.
2. Broom of Flying
Rarity – Uncommon
Item Type – Wondrous item
A wooden broom weighing 3 pounds, functioning like a normal broom until the command word is spoken.
If spoken, it begins to hover, having a flying speed of 50 feet, and can carry up to 400 pounds, but, unfortunately, its flying speed becomes 30 feet if it’s carrying over 200 pounds. When you land, the broom will stop hovering.
You may also send the broom to travel alone to its destination within 1 mile of you if you speak its command word, name a location, and are familiar with the location.
When you speak another command word, the broom will come back to you, but only if the broom is still within 1 mile of you.
Explanation
The Broom of Flying is one of the best ways to obtain flight for your character (except for those who wear heavy armor or weigh more than 200 lbs).
Just note that buffs giving you improvement speed won’t increase the flying speed since you’re using the broom’s flying speed and not giving yourself your own flying speed.
Artificers gain access to the Fly spell, but having the Broom of Flying lets you fly longer without focusing on Concentration and with no spell slot being used.
1. Cloak of Displacement
Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)
Item Type – Wondrous item
Description
Wearing this cloak projects an illusion that makes it look like you’re standing in a place close to your actual location, giving creatures disadvantage on attack rolls against you.
Taking damage will stop this function until the start of your next turn. This property is also suppressed while you are restrained, incapacitated, or unable to move.
Explanation
The Cloak of Displacement is considered to be one of the best defensive items for any character in D&D.
Giving creatures who want to attack you disadvantage is amazing, but try to take care of enemies who can damage you without having to expend an attack roll.
Warlocks try to avoid taking damage (as most spellcasters do), and the Cloak of Displacement helps with that.
It also allows you to have a lower HP, as it works so well that it becomes pretty difficult to take damage if you know how the cloak works.
Final Thoughts
Artificers are the magical tinkerers of D&D, and that is self-evident in their best magic items.
As an Artificer, you have to focus on casting spells, empowering items, and staying alive, but with these magic items, all that is made much simpler.
Even though Artificers are the newest addition to D&D classes, they can be extremely useful and pose a threat if they want to!