There are many ways to build a Dungeons & Dragons character, but the Artificer class can be considered a niche option. While not as unpopular as certain classes, it can definitely be difficult to play effectively for inexperienced players. The general idea surrounding this class is that it focuses on support and crafting.

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This makes it tailored to become an engineer or mechanic-type character that allows them to make the most of whatever materials and objects that they find. Much like the workspace that they tinker over, Artificers are a blank slate themselves with a lot of potential to branch out into different fields. To get a sense of what they can do and what build you want, there are certain cantrips you should give it.

10 Resistance

Lightning Runner - Aether Revolt by Raymond Swanland

On top of having an arsenal to craft, the Artificer excels as a support class that can be placed on the front lines or in the very back. This is because they can aid their teammates by boosting them in various ways. When faced with a powerful enemy, any little bit to help with defense can determine the difference between life and death.

That's why it's important to add this cantrip to the Artificer's arsenal with applies a bonus to any saving throw that a player might make to give them a better chance at survival.

9 Mending

Veteran Armorer by Ralph Horsely

Crafting and repairs are the Artificer's bread and butter. They're naturally gifted with building equipment as well as keeping it in pristine condition. However, this can be difficult in the midst of a battle or time-consuming outside of it.

As such, it makes sense to have alternatives, so your Artificer is not under pressure to fix something that another player or the whole party could use at the given moment. By having this cantrip, they get the handy ability to quickly repair breaks in medium-sized objects.

8 Lightning Lure

League Guildmage by Svetlin Velinov

A meme about Artificers is that they're always aiming to make the most destructive force with the least amount of effort. Unfortunately, skill can only do so much since you'll need good luck as well. If you're not feeling particularly lucky, you need ways to make whatever you do more effective and give you greater options for crowd control.

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That's why cantrips like this one are perfect for such situations. You're able to create a damaging lash of lightning with a decent range that allows you to move enemies around reliably.

7 Mage Hand

Art via Wizards of the Coast

There are many different races in the Forgotten Realms, so players have a lot of choices for characters. The problem is that most of the player races are humanoid in nature, so they are limited to only a set number of limbs, including two hands.

Because an Artificer needs to craft and repair, they could benefit significantly from some additional limbs… or an extra hand. With this cantrip, they can summon a spectral hand to perform a wide range of duties so that they can do the most work with their two physical hands.

6 Prestidigitation

Izzet Chemister by Svetlin Velinov

There are tons of spells in this game that make you ask, "When and why would I ever use this?" Even so, there have been many stories of players using a seemingly innocuous spell to pull off an impressive feat. The effectiveness comes down to luck, player creativity, and their character's build.

For the Artificer, certain spells take on a whole new meaning and usefulness. This one when used in conjunction with the class's other abilities and skills, can be made very handy in the right circumstances.

5 Magic Stone

via Yltic Orcs on World Anvil

Another joke made about Artificers is their desire to introduce modern technology to a traditional fantasy realm. To be fair, it can be fairly easy to construct a firearm using the resources available, but may not always turn out the way you want it.

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That doesn't mean that the Artificer won't be able to use it or that they won't be traveling with other ranged attackers. To contribute to this, using this cantrip will empower several stones with magical energy to do additional damage when launched from afar.

4 Guidance

via Wizards of the Coast

Whether it's through their skills, actions, or magic, Artificers get access to various ways to help out the party. This class is necessary to add buffing and additional support in the form of enhancing player actions however they can.

Normally buffing cantrips are ignored because they can waste a turn, but that's not the case when given to someone who wants to play support. By giving this cantrip to your Artificer, they help out in a pinch by buffing an ally's upcoming roll to help guarantee success.

3 Create Bonfire

via Wizards of the Coast

Though the Wizard and other magic-based classes are often seen as the crowd control options, the Artificer can fill that role quite easily. In addition to whatever they're able to make in terms of traps and explosives, the class also gets access to spells that can be just as effective.

When starting out, doing crowd control may not be the easiest task, but this cantrip can help with that. By creating a bonfire that occupies a set space and deals damage to enemies that get near, Artificers can help control the flow of the battle.

2 Spare The Dying

via Tasha's Cauldron of Everything by Wizards RPG Team

Looking at certain classes, it's easy to see which ones were made to be healers. The Artificer is unusual in that they're not commonly seen that way, but have the capacity to learn the skills to heal through conventional methods.

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Even so, it's more enjoyable to build your Artificer as a technological engineer rather than a medical doctor. Despite that, they do have healing capabilities that can literally save a character's life. Using this cantrip will help stabilize their fallen companion and prevent them from slipping into death.

1 Green-Flame Blade

via Wizards of the Coast

When Artificers make equipment, there's a desire to make them as awesome as possible. This is fairly easy when you find mystical materials and objects with magical properties, but there's always more you can do.

In addition to enhancing weapons and armor with tools and handiwork, spells can also add to them with flash and impact. Using this cantrip has properties similar to chain lightning, imbuing a weapon of your choosing with a potent energy that can leap to other enemies upon landing a successful attack.

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