Subclass Artificer Armorer
The Armorer is an Artificer subclass built around magically enhanced heavy armor. You gain Heavy Armor proficiency at Level 3, remove its Strength requirement through Arcane Armor, and choose a specialized Armor Model that defines your combat role. With Extra Attack at Level 5, the Armorer is the most front-line capable of all four Artificer subclasses.
| LEVEL | FEATURE |
|---|---|
| 3 | Armorer Spells, Arcane Armor, Armor Model |
| 5 | Extra Attack |
| 9 | Improved Armorer |
Armorer Spells When you reach certain Artificer levels, you always have specific spells prepared:
| ARTIFICER LEVEL | SPELLS |
|---|---|
| 3 | Magic Missile, Thunderwave |
| 5 | Mirror Image, Shatter |
| 9 | Hypnotic Pattern, Lightning Bolt |
Arcane Armor If the armor normally has a Strength requirement, the Arcane Armor lacks this requirement for you.
You also gain Heavy Armor proficiency at this level.
Armor Model Armor Model is an Action that applies one of three models — Dreadnaught, Guardian, or Infiltrator — to the weapon you already have equipped. Each model overrides that weapon's damage die and damage type and lets you use Intelligence instead of Strength or Dexterity for its attack and damage rolls. Using the Action again switches models.
| MODEL | WEAPON | DAMAGE | ALSO GRANTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dreadnaught | Force Demolisher — main-hand melee | 1d10 Force | Your melee attack becomes Force Demolisher: Pull, dragging a Large or smaller target 3 m toward you, and you gain a separate Force Demolisher: Push that shoves it 3 m away. Giant Stature — Bonus Action, once per Short Rest, enlarges you for 10 turns |
| Guardian | Thunder Pulse — main-hand melee | 1d8 Thunder | A creature you hit is Sapped: Disadvantage on its next attack roll. Defensive Field — Bonus Action while Bloodied, grants Temporary Hit Points equal to your Artificer level |
| Infiltrator | Lightning Launcher — main-hand ranged | 1d6 Lightning | Once per turn a hit deals an extra 1d6 Lightning damage. Movement +1.5 m, and Advantage on Stealth checks |
Extra Attack You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Improved Armorer Your Arcane Armor gains additional benefits based on its model:
| MODEL | UPGRADE |
|---|---|
| Dreadnaught | Force Demolisher deals 2d6 Force, and its reach increases |
| Guardian | Thunder Pulse deals 1d10 Thunder, and you can make an opportunity attack against a creature that moves into your reach |
| Infiltrator | Lightning Launcher deals 2d6 Lightning, and creatures it damages become Shocked |
The Armorer is the frontline martial Artificer. Heavy Armor removes the Artificer's normally soft durability, and the Armor Model system at Level 3 lets you specialize immediately — toward tanking (Guardian), damage (Dreadnaught), or mobility (Infiltrator). Extra Attack at Level 5 puts the Armorer's action economy on par with Fighter and Ranger, and the Armor Model weapon runs off Intelligence, so attack and damage scale with your casting stat.
What defines the Armorer:
- Heavy Armor + no Strength requirement — durable at any build
- Armor Model choice — picks your combat role at Level 3 with Improved Armorer upgrading it at Level 9
- Extra Attack at Level 5 — competes with full martials on attack action output
- Armorer Spells give control, damage, and evasion without spending prepared slots