This is the last of the UAs we missed earlier in the year; this Unearthed Arcana focuses on Eberron.

It includes an update and a new subclass for the Artificer, as well as a bunch of new feats – predictably, these ones being primarily Dragonmark feats. Admittedly it is a bit late to cover it now – it was published towards the end of February and its contents are already a part of the upcoming release “Eberron: Forge of the Artificer”, but it wouldn’t feel right to leave it out when we did a catchup article for all the other ones. Anyway, as always you can also watch the related YouTube video from the official Dungeons & Dragons channel.

Let’s get started.

Artificer

There are a few small changes to the core class. We won’t go over each feature again – check out our previous analysis of the Artificer, and here we’ll just note the changes.

Tinker’s Magic (Level 1)

This gives you the ability to create a mundane item like a crowbar, a bucket, some ball bearings, etc as a Magic Action. The new version is the same, except it also gives you the Mending cantrip – I’d say that’s pretty good, it might not be too powerful but what kind of Artificer doesn’t have Mending?

Replicate Magic Item (Level 2)

The tables for what magic items you can create have been revised, adjusting at what levels you can make certain weapons and rings. In addition, you can use weapons and wands created like this as your spellcasting focus. No new magic items here – they’re still the same as the first Artificer UA.

The number of items you can create are now more limited however – for example, you can’t make all kinds of wands and weapons anymore – just the ones listed on the tables. A bit disappointing, but I assume the reason is the next feature:

Magic Item Tinker (Level 6)

The original version had you destroying your magic items to recharge spell slots. This still remains, but now you can do the reverse too – spend spell slots to recharge magic items. The number of charges restored is equal to the level of spell slot used. At first i thought, this is honestly amazing – let’s say you have a Wand of Fireballs, you’re essentially exchanging a level 1 spell slot for a level 3 spell slot. BUT – you can only restore charges to items you created with Replicate Magic Item. And as I said above… no more Wand of Fireballs. So this is definitely not as exciting as I thought. Still, you do get access to Wand of Magic Missile at level 6, and that’s a decent sink of spell slots.

The other features are the same, so we fast forward to…

Soul of Artifice (Level 20)

The change is to the Cheat Death ability – when you reach 0 HP, you could sacrifice an uncommon or rare magic item you created with Replicate to gain 20 HP. I had complained about it, saying that it’s still not much of a difference at level 20, and that you should gain more if the item is rare – this isn’t what happened, but we did get a reasonable update here. You can now sacrifice any number of such items, and you gain 20 HP for each. Pretty good – I approve, but personally i would also increase the HP to, say, 25 for rare items.

Overall, the changes look alright. I’m not sure how to feel about the revised magic item tables for Replicate; on one hand, you get some items earlier than before, but on the other you don’t have access to as many options anymore, even if I fully understand the reasoning for the new Magic Item Tinker.

Now let’s take a look at the new subclass as well.

Cartographer

An interesting premise, a mix of divination and teleportation.

Tool Proficiencies (Level 3)

You get proficiency with the Navigator’s Tools. Yep, exactly as expected. In addition however, when you make a spell scroll, it takes half the time. It keeps with the theme of “half the crafting time” the other subclasses have as well, and though spell scrolls don’t really help with navigation there’s enough of a connection with scribing that I think it’s fine. This is also probably the most useful, since Spell Scrolls are expendable and you can make and use a lot of them more easily than, say, armor.

Cartographer Spells (Level 3)

Your extra spells. All the expected ones, Locate Object, Locate Creature, Clairvoyance, Teleportation Circle etc.

Healing Word is a bit… random? And so is Mind Spike in my opinion, but the rest fit right in.

Adventurer’s Atlas (Level 3)

Now we get to the first “real” feature. And I have to say…. it’s pretty good. At the end of a long rest, you create a number of maps equal to your INT modifier, each tied to a different creature. Creatures that hold their respective map gain a 1d4 bonus to Initiative (already a massive bonus), they instinctively know where each other creature with a map is, and finally they can target those creatures with spells or other effects regardless of line of sight, as long as they’re still in the spell’s range (and the spell requires you to be able to see them). This one’s a bit meh (well, that Healing Word is going to work a bit better at least), since I don’t think there are many occasions where someone is out of sight, but there might be some occasions where this can really change things. Maybe when setting up an ambush, or if someone is pretty much in the same area and just behind a wall, et cetera. It also works with stuff outside of spells – so Flash of Genius, for example, or… well, I don’t think the Artificer has any other feature this would work with.

Scouting Gadgets (Level 3)

You gain 2 abilities: for Boost, you can use half your movement to teleport up to 10 feet to a space you can see. Teleportation is always fun, and it can get you over some obstacles or things you need to climb/swim – but the most useful aspect is that you avoid opportunity attacks. It also has unlimited uses, so no worries about getting cornered. I do wonder though – can you use it twice in one turn? If so, it’s even better. And you can also use it if your speed is somehow reduced – as long as it’s not 0, you can teleport 10 feet (or 20, if done twice).

For Radar, it’s much simpler – you can cast Fairie Fire for free, a number of times equal to your INT modifier per long rest. It’s a very good spell – especially this early, and that’s a LOT of free casts as well, letting you use your spell slots for other stuff (like Guiding Bolt, for example)

Portal Jump (Level 5)

As a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to a location you can see, a number of times equal to your INT modifier per long rest. However, you can also do this without expending a use if you teleport next to a creature with an Adventuring Atlas – but it is destroyed. The base feature is alright, more teleportation is good, but I don’t think the second part will see much use. The Adventuring Atlas is pretty good on its own, unless your target really needs some urgent help. To be honest, I expected this to have the free use without destroying the Atlas, though infinite teleportations at this range can obviously be a problem. Still, I think it could be a bit stronger – maybe extend the range if targeting one of your maps?

Ingenious Movement (Level 9)

When you use your Flash of Genius, you or a willing creature of your choice you can see within 30 feet of
yourself can teleport up to 30 feet to a space you can see. Reminder that Flash of Genius is a reaction that adds your INT modifier to a failed ability check or saving throw – yours, or from a creature within 30 feet. More teleportation – I’m not complaining, it reminds me a bit of the Psion subclass that teleports a lot as well. It also lets you teleport someone other than yourself too, which is a lot stronger.

Superior Atlas (Level 15)

Your Atlas is improved with some extra abilities.

• Safe Haven: When a map holder is reduced to 0 HP (but doesn’t die), they can destroy their atlas and teleport next to you or another map holder, and are stable. Importantly, this has no range limitation – or even the limitation of being in the same plane of existence. Even if the entire party is together, you can pop next to the cleric and be up again right away – or, since you’re already stable, people don’t have to worry about you dying.
• Unerring Path: Once per long rest you can cast Find the Path for free, without needing material components and even if you don’t have the spell prepared.
• Unshakeable Mind: This is the big one – as long as at least one map exists, you can’t lose Concentration to your Artificer spells due to taking damage. So no more need for a Mind Sharpener – the wizard can get that one.

Overall I like this subclass – more of a support role, and while I don’t think it truly measures up to, say, Artillerist (my beloved) I think it has it’s space. Certainly some campaigns are ideal for it – even if (for some reason) you don’t actually make maps? As it, literal maps of places.

Feats

Now we move to the second part of the UA – Dragonmark feats. I won’t go over each and every one of them – there’s 28 new feats, so i’ll group them into 3 categories: Dragonmarks, Greater Dragonmarks, and the other one.

Let’s start with the basic Dragonmarks. They are a new type of Feat (called…. Dragonmark) and will be tied to certain backgrounds (which I assume will be in the Eberron:Forge of the Artificer book). Each one is of course also tied to a specific Dragonmarked House (Cannith, Kundarak, etc), and you can only have one Dragonmark Feat. They are pretty standard:

First, you have a 1d4 bonus to two skill checks, or one skill check and a tool. For example, Mark of Detection gives a bonus to Insight or Perception checks; Mark of Storm to Acrobatics and Navigator’s Tools.

Second, you know a cantrip and/or a spell, which you always have prepared and can cast once for free (and normally with spell slots, if you have them). You can choose which ability you use for spellcasting when you take the feat – INT, WIS, or CHA. For example, Mark of Hospitality gives you the Prestidigitation cantrip, and the Purify Food and Drink and Unseen Servants spells; Mark of Finding gives you the Hunter’s Mark spell, and Locate Object at level 3.

Third, if you are a spellcaster, you get additional spells to choose from. You don’t have them always prepared – you just have them available to prepare.

Finally, some (but not all) of these feats give an additional bonus. Mark of Passage gives you an extra 5 feet of Speed, Mark of Storm gives you resistance to lightning damage, etc.

The only exception to this format is Aberrant Dragonmark. Instead, it gives you a 1d4 bonus to CON saving throws (though limited, a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier), a Sorcerer cantrip, a level 1 Sorcerer spell you can cast for free once per long rest or short rest – using Constitution as your spellcasting ability for it, and an ability called Aberrant Surge: when you cast your level 1 spell, you can expend and roll a Hit Point Dice: if it’s even, you gain that much Temporary HP, and if it’s odd you deal that much force damage to a creature within 30 feet.

All of the dragonmarks are pretty nice in my opinion. The bonus to skill checks is excellent, and the spells are also good ones most of the time – they all have their uses. Not to mention the roleplay potential – that’s not something you can really quantify, but in an Eberron campaign, being part of one of the houses (and having a Dragonmark on top) is not unremarkable. Mechanically, the Aberrant Dragonmark is quite strong too, but I expect it can have some further impacts when it comes to roleplaying as well.

The Greater Dragonmarks are general feats, but each requires you to have the corresponding Dragonmark feat.

They also have some standard parts: You get +1 to an ability (usually of your choice, except Aberrant which has Constitution), you increase the d4 bonus to d6, and then you get an additional bonus/ability which is unique to each. Most of these bonuses affect a specific spell – for example, the Greater mark of Shadow allows you to affect an additional creature with Invisibility when you cast it, once per long rest, while Greater Mark of Healing lets you treat any 1s or 2s as a 3 when healing with Cure Wounds.

There is another exception to this group: Potent Dragonmark. You get a +1 to the ability you chose for spellcasting for your Dragonmark, and you always have your dragonmark spells prepared. Finally, you also get an extra spell slot – it’s level is half your level rounded up, up to level 5, and you can only use it to cast a Dragonmark spell. You regain this spell slot when you take a short or long rest. Honestly this is super good – You get something like 10 extra spells prepared, and a high-level spell slot to cast them with every short rest. And there’s some excellent spells available, depending on your mark, with some of them being excellent targets for upcasting too – Armor of Agathys comes to mind, but also Counterspell is always good, Glyph of Warding is a nightmare to GMs everywhere, and Mark of Healing has a bunch of healing and auras – Aura of Vitality, Aura of Purity, Mass Healing Word. Even for non-spellcasters (or perhaps especially for them?), this is amazing – honestly it might be a must-have for things like Eldritch Knight and the other part-martial part-caster subclasses.

Finally, we have “the other one” – an Epic Boon called Boon of Siberys. You increase an ability score by 1 to a maximum of 30, and you choose a spell. It can be from the Sorcerer list, from any Dragonmark list, or from an additional list of level 8 spells. You always have it prepared, and you can cast it without expending a spell slot once per short or long rest. You also choose if you use INT, WIS, or CHA for casting it. It’s pretty good, though I assume most people will pick a level 9 spell from Sorcerer like Time Stop or Meteor Swarm. Honestly I’d say it’s better than many other Epic Boons – the fact that you can use it with just short rests already puts it way ahead of many others.

Final Thoughts

And that’s that for this Unearthed Arcana. I like this new implementation of Dragonmarks, I really think they are attractive options for feats – including the Greater Marks. Cartographer is also interesting, though personally I’d make a few changes. I guess we’ll see how they turn out in the supplement this August. I’m curious what the next UA will be though, after the Psion – I do expect to see a revised version of it some time soon.