Artificer class concept 2023

[Teriz]

Artificer Class



I. Introduction

In the various discussions around a possible Tinker class, the argument invariably pops up about Draenei becoming Tinkers as well, since they also pilot mech suits. Over time, this concept has grown and spread to other races such as Nightborne and Ethereals. However there are some fundamental differences between a Draenei artificer and a Goblin Tinker which makes me believe that we're actually looking at two very distinct class concepts. With this, I've decided to create this class concept to highlight the differences between the two concepts, and show why WoW should release an Artificer class in order to better display the otherworldly technology of Draenei, Nightborne, and Ethereals. The abilities used for this thread are largely based on the various artificers we encounter in WoW, and are logical expansions of the base artificer concept. Obviously, specs and abilities are in no way official, and this is merely my speculation on how Blizzard would structure an Artificer class. That said, it is important to note that without a Ethereal, Draenei, or Nightborne hero character to base this concept on, we are stuck with this remaining in the speculative space, unlikely to be implemented.

What is an Artificer? An Artificer in WoW is a spell caster that utilizes their magic to construct items and devices that aid them in battle or support their allies. They can thusly infuse these items and devices with magic to make them more powerful. Unlike mages, Artificers have used various schools of magic to build everything from weapons to starships. Artificers are also unlike Tinkers who utilize mechanical technology to build devices and weaponry. While a Tinker would take material and construct a turret with gears, an artificer would summon a crystal, infuse it with magical power and that crystal could be utilized as a battery or a turret. This may appear to give the artificer an advantage, however unlike the Tinker's machine which can be permanent, an artificer's device is temporary as the magic powering it eventually fades.

II. Why would we get a Artificer Class?



At some point in the future, it is very possible that we get playable Ethereals. Ethereals are beings that utilize technomancy, the magic they use to power their transmorg devices in major WoW cities, and is a form of Artificing. If this race becomes playable, they will be a neutral race by their nature. Like Pandaren and Dracthyr before them, Neutral races tend to arrive with a class that mirrors their race's concept. Again, Artificer fits the race perfectly. Along with Ethereals, Draenei, LF Draenei, Nightborne, Blood Elves, and possibly other races could be artificers as well. For the purpose of this concept, we're going to stick mainly to the races mentioned.

III. Class Overview



Class Specifics:
Roles: Healing, DPS, DPS
Resource: Mana, Crystal shards
Armor: Cloth
Weapons: Staves, 1h swords, 1h maces, Fist weapons, daggers
Primary Stats: INT
Races: Ethereal, Draenei, Lightforged, Nightborne, Blood Elves, Void Elves
Specializations: Astromancer(RDPS), Constructor (RDPS), Crystalsmith (Healing/Support)

Basic Abilities



Alignment: Aligns the artificer with a school of magic. This alignment grants the caster a passive benefit and also influences certain spells.
+Arcane: Passive: Increases spell damage
+Nature: Passive: Increases healing taken and done by X%
+Fire: Passive: Increases critical strike chance by X%
+Frost: Passive: Attacks slow movement speed of target
+Holy: Passive: Increases stamina by X%
+Shadow: Passive: Increases your leech by X%

Infusion: Infuses targets with magical properties, granting it a unique effect.
+Wrath of the Astromancer: (Arcane) Infuses an enemy with Arcane power, causing them to harm nearby allies for 2791 Arcane damage after 6 sec.
+Might of the Sun: (Fire) target burns with the fury of the Sun, inflicting 1 Fire damage every 4 sec. While they have Might of the Sun, your abilities have a chance to trigger a Solar Burst that will inflict 5 Fire damage to all enemies within 10 yards.
+Lightning Infusion: (Nature) Infuses the target with Lightning, causing an Overload which inflicts 12 Nature damage in an area around the target after 5 sec.

Technomancy: Alters the appearance and magical alignment of an object, granting it a unique effects for its duration. This ability works in two ways: You can target a construct with Technomancy, activating it and transforming its appearance and attributes. Conversely, each Artificer spec receives a Technomancy cooldown that briefly alters the appearance and attributes of their equipped weapon. The Construct version of technomancy is below. Weapon technomancy is shown within the specialization section.
+Ancient (Nature): Transform your inanimate construct into an ancient. The construct will heal you every 5 seconds. The Ancient can eat a nearby tree to heal itself.
+Arcane Reaver (Arcane): Transform your inanimate construct into an Arcane Reaver. While active, your arcane spells deal my damage.
+Obsidian Destroyer (Shadow): Transform your inanimate construct into an Obsidian Destroyer. These constructs have the following abilities: Absorb Mana, Devour Magic, Orb of Annihilation.

Shatter Violently breaks alignment, causing a catastrophic effect based on your current alignment. After casting Shattering, you cannot re-activate alignment for 30 seconds.
Variable Bolt (1.5 cast, 35 yd range) Fire a bolt of magic at a target, dealing damage. Bolt's effects are determined by your current state of Alignment.
Arcane Pylon: Builds a crystal pylon at the target location, creating an 8yd energy field around the pylon. This energy field increases the regeneration rate of the Artifcer's health and mana, gives them vision of hidden enemies, and generates crystals from ability use and looted from corpses in the field. Crystals generated reduce the cooldown of Arcane Pylon. Only 2 pylons can be active at a time.
Gravity Well: Moves any summoned objects (Pylons, Inanimate constructs) to your current position.
Crystal Armor: Surrounds the caster in crystal armor, healing the caster over 12 seconds, and increasing their armor by 10% for 1 minute. After each second, the armor has a chance to leave behind a crystal shard that reduces the cooldown of Arcane Pylon.
Activate Construct: Activates a nearby construct with your infusion.
Summon Construct: Summons an inanimate construct at a targeted area. You can have up to 3 inanimate constructs at a time.

IV: Specializations



Artificer specializations revolve around 3 major concepts; Crystalsmith: An artificer that can harness the power of crystal technology to enhance allies, Constructor: An artificer that can magically summon and reactivate ancient colossuses, and Astromancer; An artificer that can manipulate the power of the stars and the void with various devices. There are more possible specializations possible, such as Spellblade, but I decided to focus on these three because they seem more universal to the 5 races utilizing this concept. Feel free to offer other possible specializations, I will consider them for inclusion.

That said, without further delay, here are the specializations;

Crystalsmith (Healing/Support)



Crystalsmiths utilize the power of crystals to support themselves and their allies. Their crystalline devices provide a wide variety of options for the artificer to use at a moment's notice.

Crystal Beam Fires a beam of energy at a target, healing them. If they are within a pylon's energy field, the passive effects of the energy field are increased for 3 seconds.
Mastersmith (passive) Increases the total number of Arcane Pylons you can summon by 1, increases the range of your energy field by 2 yards, increases the health and duration of your pylons by 10%, and Crystal Armor can now be casted on friendly targets.
Overcharge: Increase the size of your pylon's power field increasing its passive effects (including alignments) by 20%. Pylons will also attack nearby targets for the duration of Overcharge.
Warp Shield: Surrounds the caster in a shield of energy that absorbs damage. Amount of damage absorption is increased by 5% per active pylons. In addition, allies standing in your pylon's energy field gain a lesser version of your shield for 8 seconds. 2 minute cooldown
Crystal Alignment: (passive) Adds the Crystal Alignment ability to your list of alignments. Infusion: heals a friendly target within 8 yards of an infused object for 3% of their maximum health every 5 seconds. Overhealing a target within your energy field produces a crystal. In addition, Variable Bolt becomes the healing spell Crystal Bolt.
+Crystal Bolt: Heals a friendly target. Will also heal other friendly targets currently in your energy fields. Overhealing has a chance to produce crystal shards.

Technomancy: Crystaline Golem (Crystal) Transforms your inanimate construct into an activated Crystaline Golem that will fight for you. While active, the Crystaline Golem will emit your pylon energy field.
Eco-Dome: Your pylons create an energy barrier around themselves, preventing enemies from entering for 6 seconds. During that time, allies are healed for a large amount and cleansed of any negative effects. 5 minute CD.
Technomancy: Arkonite Chisel : Transform your equipped weapon into an Arkonite Chisel, which acts as a pylon. Arkonite Chisel increases your spell power and the power of your auras by X%. (2 min CD)

Constructor (DPS)



Constructors are Artificers who specialize in summoning artificial constructs that aid them in combat. While their constructs are mighty and powerful, if all is lost Constructors can summon the construct upon themselves to increase their personal power. In addition, Constructors must be wary of fusing their constructs too much, because fusion can summon the dreaded anima golem!

Arcane Torment: 30 yd range 2 sec cast Channels a torrent of arcane energy at the enemy, inflicting Arcane damage and reducing movement speed.
Anima Boost Increases the power of your infusions casted on your constructs by 25%, sacrificing a portion of your life in the process.
Fusion Merges two constructs together turning your constructs into a Golem, increasing their power and reducing their duration by 25%. Fusion has a chance of summoning an Anima Golem. Fused golems take on the appearance of random golems and constructs found throughout the history of WoW.
Anima Golem (passive) Fusion has a chance to summon an immensely powerful golem that is a fusion of two of your constructs. While active, the damage of your spells are increased, but you take X% of your maximum health as damage every 2 seconds while the Golem is active. In addition, the golem drains life from all targets within 4 yards. Your Variable Bolt becomes Anima Bolt. Anima Golems are immune to Detonate Construct and do not benefit from your infusions.
Anima Bolt Your variable bolt becomes Anima Bolt, a powerful magic bolt that deals a % of your life it steals as damage to an enemy. The Enemy's damage is stored in the anima golem, increasing its attack speed. When the anima golem finally expires, the stored damage heals the caster for 200% of the damage done.
Empowered Activation: The caster infuses 2 nearby constructs with Arcane energy, bringing them to life and increasing their Haste by 25%. (2 minute CD)
Detonate Construct: Overloads a construct, causing it to explode.
Command Construct Activates an ability from your active construct based on their infusion. Arcane infusion for example causes your construct to fire a beam of arcane energy at a nearby target within 30 yards.
Technomancy: Hand of Creation Converts your equipped weapon into the Hand of Creation, increasing the duration of your constructs by X% and reduces the cooldown of Command Construct. (2 min CD)
: Prometheus Drive: The Artificer surrounds their body with a Warframe, merging it with them for 24 seconds. This form enhances your abilities with unique abilities for its duration.

+Prometheus Ray: Focuses a ray of Holy energies in front of the caster. Enemies caught in the ray burn for Holyfire damage.
+Burst: (2 charges) (15 sec CD) releases a burst of energy that inflicts Fire damage to all enemies within 8 yards. Every time this ability is used, the damage of the next ability is increased by 9%.
+Divine Fist: Infuses the caster's fist with Holy energy and expels it in a mighty punch, inflicting Holy damage to all enemies in front of the caster and knocking them back.
+Purifying Flame: Channeled (3 sec cast) 5 sec cooldown
Deals Fire damage to all enemies in a cone in front of the caster for 3 sec.
+Judgement Blast: Instantly blasts the target for Holy damage to all enemies within 4 yards
+Crusader Leap: Leaps to a targeted area within 15 yards, dealing AoE fire damage on impact.



Astromancer (DPS)



Astromancers are artificers that utilize the powers and the secrets of the cosmos and beyond to empower themselves and their allies. One of the vast powers within the cosmos is the Void, which is nearly as dark and vast as the universe itself, yet beckons with almost limitless power. These artificers must balance themselves on the edge of that power, lest they fall into a torturous abyss of their own creation.

Astral Vulcan Launches three consecutive bolts at a target, dealing spellshadow damage to a target.
Void Alignment: Transforms your Shadow Alignment into Void Alignment. Infusion: Duplicates the targeted object and grants both objects a random infusion from another alignment. The objects cannot be duplicated again. Variable Bolt becomes the damage spell Gravity Bolt.
Technomancy: Aberration: (Void) Transforms your inanimate construct into a random aberration and activates it.
Dark Star (Replaces Arcane Pylon) Summons a miniaturized star at your location for 30 minutes. This star attacks nearby enemies and emits an energy field that increases the regeneration rate of the Artifcer's health and mana. Dark Star is always infused with Void alignment, and can take on another infusion. Activating Dark Star again will summon Bright Star.
Bright Star Summons a miniaturized star at your location for 30 minutes that emits an energy field that increases you and your allies movement speed by 10% and increases healing done to you and your allies within 8 yards. When your Dark Star deals damage, your Bright Star will heal you and nearby allies for a % of the damage done and increases in size. The larger Bright Star gets, the weaker its heals become. When Bright Star reaches its peak size, it causes a Stellar Collapse.
When Stellar Collapse occurs, your Summon Construct ability is enhanced and you gain the ability Heavenly Crash.
Gamma Beam Your Dark Star fires a concentrated beam of shadow and infused energy at all targets in a line, dealing damage and Increasing the size of Bright Star.
Warp Rift Your Dark Star creates an anomaly that increases your movement speed by 20% and decreases the movement speed of all enemies within 8 yards. Warp Rift increases the size of Bright Star.
Celestial Brand Targets damaged by your Dark Star are marked with a Celestial Brand, increasing damage done to them for x seconds.
Summon Construct: Astral Defenders During Stellar Collapse, you summon two activated defenders who are armed with your current infusions. The defenders die when your cooldown for Bright Star expires. Expends your Stellar Collapse.
Heavenly Crash 40yd range (2 sec cast)(2 charges) A meteor crashes down from the heavens, inflicting Arcane damage split between all enemies within 8 yards. Expends your Stellar Collapse.
Technomancy: Starblade Technomancy converts your equipped weapon into a Starblade, increasing the damage and healing of your bright and dark stars, and expands the size of their respective auras. (2 min CD)
Galactic Core Slam your Dark and Brightstars together, causing a massive explosion, dealing damage to all enemies in a 40 yard radius and inflicting them with Celestial Brand. Afterwards, a singularity appears where the stars collided, strongly pulling enemies within 10 yards to its center. The Singularity lasts until Dark Star comes off of cooldown.

V. Alternative Specializations



While the specializations listed here are a possibility, they are by no means the only route Blizzard could take. There is for example Artificer Xy'mox, a raid boss from Shadowlands that offers an alternative style of Artificing that Blizzard could base a specialization on. Additionally, Xy'mox has a few abilities that mirror the abilities listed in this class concept, like the ability to utilize crystals and infusing targets with magic. I had considered Xy'mox's style of Artificer for this write up, but chose to go with a more flashy angle. However, if Blizzard chose to go this route, it could be a very interesting and unique gameplay experience for the player. Xy'mox's core gameplay is utilizing the abilities of the relics that he uses to deal damage or support himself. If I were to merge his concept with the Artificer concept I created, I would go this route;

Specialization name: Relicologist
Sample Abilities:

Summon Relic (Replaces Summon Construct) Summon an inanimate relic to your location. The relic summoned is based on your current alignment. Only one relic can be active at a time.

Technomancy: Relic: Transforms your current relic into a different one that is not from your alignment. (1.5 minute CD).

Activate Relic You activate your summoned relic, replacing your relic icon with a unique ability from your relic. In addition, your activated relic grants a unique beneficial aura.

Shadow Pylon (Replaces Arcane Pylon) Summons a pylon at the targeted area that deals necromantic damage to nearby targets. Targets who are killed by the pylon have their soul absorbed and increases the duration of the Pylon.

Another alternative would be a specialization based around the Soulbound Construct;



Essentially a specialization based around fueling constructs with souls/spirits. I have no ability ideas for this one, and unlike the spec based on Artificer Xy'mox, I feel that this one might be better served as part of the constructor spec.

Finally we have Spellblade Aluriel, who came very close to becoming the 3rd spec in this concept, and may end up becoming the 4th spec idea for the class;



I'd like an artificer melee spec just for diversity's sake, but obviously there's some clear issues with creating a spec like this. The biggest one being how close this concept is to Enhancement Shaman, who also imbues weapons, and used to have the ability to unleash those imbues on targets. In Aluriel's case, that are called Brands, and while going over her basic concept, it just felt like a rehash of Enhancement Shaman. With that said, with a few tweaks here and there, I think this could be an interesting and fun spec for the Artificer class.

VI. Conclusion



Thank you for taking the time to read this thread. I appreciate it. Please leave your comments, and suggestions. I will update this thread over time to complete the Astromancer section and better explain the Technomancy ability.

Special thanks to Blizzard, Wowhead, and other sources from which I pulled various art and ideas.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Isn’t this just a tinker with a crystal theme?

[Ielenia]

Isn’t this just a tinker with a crystal theme?

Considering Teriz's rant on another thread, this answer is just the delicious cherry on the cake. Thank you.

[Maljinwo]

Oh boy, magic tinkers

[Teriz]

Oh boy, magic tinkers

No different than Paladin or DKs being magic Warriors.

[Ielenia]

No different than Paladin or DKs being magic Warriors.

Paladins can heal and death knights can summon minions, things the warrior cannot. What can the artificer do that a tinker cannot? What makes them so fundamentally different that warrants them being separate classes?

[Teriz]

Paladins can heal and death knights can summon minions, things the warrior cannot. What can the artificer do that a tinker cannot?

Use of magic, Technomancy, Astromancy, Crystalsmithing, use of anima, etc.

What makes them so fundamentally different that warrants them being separate classes?

See above. In terms of the class lineup, we don't have a "cosmic" class. However we have cosmic races like Draenei and (somewhat) the Nightborne. People also want an Ethereal playable race, so a class like this can suit their lore.

[Cheezits]

Paladins can heal and death knights can summon minions, things the warrior cannot. What can the artificer do that a tinker cannot? What makes them so fundamentally different that warrants them being separate classes?

Robots. /10char

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Considering Teriz's rant on another thread, this answer is just the delicious cherry on the cake. Thank you.

Oh this is just like his ETC thread then and he just made it because people were saying this could be part of tinkers?

[Ielenia]

Use of magic, Technomancy, Astromancy, Crystalsmithing, use of anima, etc.

I think the context of my question is very clearly stated in the line that precedes it.

However we have cosmic races like Draenei and (somewhat) the Nightborne. People also want an Ethereal playable race, so a class like this can suit their lore.

We don't need classes that "suits a race's lore". That is not why or how classes are made. Astromancy is also not a technology thing so I don't see why it should be attached to a tech-based class.

However, my point is the same as the previous thread: I see no reason to separate technology into two separate classes. Each different type of tech could easily be separated into specs.

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Robots. /10char

You forgot artificers also make robots?

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Oh this is just like his ETC thread then and he just made it because people were saying this could be part of tinkers?

Pretty much.

[qwerty123456]

Considering Teriz's rant on another thread, this answer is just the delicious cherry on the cake. Thank you.

I remember him trying to give tinkers titan technology, ghost busters tech, and alchemy but apparently Actual tinkers using crystal technology is too far lol.

Making a potion to heal someone, using technology from basically gods, ghost catching technology all nearly identical to mechs and lasers but actual mechs and lasers using a crystal as a power source = not even remotely the same thing. LOL.

[Teriz]

I think the context of my question is very clearly stated in the line that precedes it.


We don't need classes that "suits a race's lore". That is not why or how classes are made. Astromancy is also not a technology thing so I don't see why it should be attached to a tech-based class.

Yet Blizzard has created multiple classes that fit the lore of a race over the years. Demon Hunters are very much an Elven class. Monks were very much suited for the Pandaren race, even showcasing Pandaren iconography and having specs linked to the Pandaren celestials. We just got an Evoker class that was created soley for the Dracthyr race.

If Blizzard is going to introduce the Ethereal race, then it stands to reason that they're going to give them a class that reflects their concept. Especially if they're a neutral race, since the last two neutral races we got also were accompanied by classes that matched their racial lore.

[Cheezits]

You forgot artificers also make robots?

I read your post wrong, I thought you said "what does an Artificer have that a Paladin does not".

This is just a smarter way of doing Tinker: robot/tech class for multiple races that fits multiple racial themes, with a cooler name.

[FossilFree]

Looks really fun! I'd play one. I'm interested how the astromancer will turn out when it's finished too.

[Lodreh]

... Thank you for taking the time to read this thread. I appreciate it. Please leave your comments, and suggestions. I will update this thread over time to complete the Astromancer section and better explain the Technomancy ability...

Nice work as always. Maybe lean heavily into Augmentation for the Astromancer... probabilities and buffs seem to go hand in hand. Just a thought.

[Ielenia]

This is just a smarter way of doing Tinker: robot/tech class for multiple races that fits multiple racial themes, with a cooler name.

If you know the OP's history, you'd know the truth: this thread is to separate the tech draenei, blood elves and nightborne have into its own class idea so it doesn't "pollute" his beloved tinker class idea.

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Yet Blizzard has created multiple classes that fit the lore of a race over the years. Demon Hunters are very much an Elven class. Monks were very much suited for the Pandaren race, even showcasing Pandaren iconography and having specs linked to the Pandaren celestials. We just got an Evoker class that was created soley for the Dracthyr race.

That in no way proves that classes must match a race's theme. Which race's theme does the death knight into? None. The point I'm trying to get across here is that there's nothing the artificer concept does that a gnome-/goblin-based tech class wouldn't do, and vice-versa. Again, they're just different versions of each other, which would fit in perfectly as separate specs of the same class, much like a monk whose training is about manipulating chi and magical mists is in the same class as a monk that practices martial arts while drunk.

So an artificer using goblin technology (tinker) would be in the same class as an artificer utilizing draenei technology.

[arkanon]

In the various discussions around a possible Tinker

I LOVE that it only took 7 words before you mentioned Tinker in a thread about a different class.

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At some point in the future, it is very possible that we get playable Ethereals.

Makes no sense - something is either possible, or impossible.

[Valhalladin]

Guess that makes me Team Artificer!

[bloodmoth13]

There is a massive lack of archer options in this game, I'd be happy for more options and an arcane archer being an artificer would be pretty rad.
I don't think this is a replacement for tinker though

[Teriz]

Nice work as always. Maybe lean heavily into Augmentation for the Astromancer... probabilities and buffs seem to go hand in hand. Just a thought.

I already put something like that with Crystalsmith, but of course Astromancer could go that route as well. Thanks for the kind words.

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That in no way proves that classes must match a race's theme. Which race's theme does the death knight into? None. The point I'm trying to get across here is that there's nothing the artificer concept does that a gnome-/goblin-based tech class wouldn't do, and vice-versa. Again, they're just different versions of each other, which would fit in perfectly as separate specs of the same class, much like a monk whose training is about manipulating chi and magical mists is in the same class as a monk that practices martial arts while drunk.

So an artificer using goblin technology (tinker) would be in the same class as an artificer utilizing draenei technology.

I didn't say must, I said should, since that's what players would want alongside a new Ethereal race; A class that fits the race they've wanted for a long time, and now get to play. Some will obviously go for other classes, but there will be plenty of players (probably the majority as we saw with Pandaren and Monks) that choose an Artificer. The fact that this fits Draenei and Nightborne (three races that have lagging numbers) is only icing on the cake.

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I LOVE that it only took 7 words before you mentioned Tinker in a thread about a different class.

The partial goal of this thread is to show that Tinkers and Artificers are two different classes.