The newest sourcebook for Dungeons and Dragons, entitled Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, released last month. The book has brought some big changes to 5th edition, including the much-buzzed about racial updates. Beside these mechanical updates, Tasha's Cauldron brought a ton of new subclasses into the accepted canon, with some reprints from other sourcebooks and some new material. The introduction to the book makes it clear that using any of the new mechanics or subclasses is optional and up to the DM's discretion and house rules, however.
The official Dungeons and Dragons sourcebooks are owned and published by Wizards of the Coast, which partners with the site D&D Beyond for players who want virtual character sheets supported by official sources and adventure material. Many players go the old school route and choose to buy or borrow copies of new sourcebooks and use their own virtual or physical copies of character sheets, though. Whatever method players use to keep track of their characters, it's worth looking at the new material from Tasha's Cauldron to see if any of the new subclasses match up with people's playstyles.
The artificer class was introduced in the Eberron campaign setting, but by adding them to Tasha's Cauldron, anyone can add this class to their game if they want to, regardless of setting. Of course, DnD homebrew DMs could already add whatever they wanted to their games, but Tasha's Cauldron makes it official and usable in Adventurer's League games (under certain circumstances). Artificers can choose what type of specialist they are: Alchemist, Armorer, Artillerist, or Battle Smith. Whatever players choose, they get special choices to make at levels 5, 9, and 15. Here's some of what makes an Alchemist special.
Alchemist's Supplies
Alchemists can take proficiency with alchemist's supplies, unless they already have that proficiency, in which case they can choose another type of artisan's tools and make a more rounded-out DnD character. The Sage background grants this proficiency, so a character with that background has a ton of different choices to choose from, like giving the painter's tools to a studious gnome who dabbles in alchemy and grew up with a famous painter for a father. The possibilities are extensive, and many of them provide flavor more than anything else.
Benefits of the supplies include components such as glass beakers and powdered iron, help with Arcana and Investigation checks when identifying potions and chemicals, and the option to spend money on materials to craft. Characters can create things like soap and alchemist's fire once per long rest, and can also use the supplies to make checks (with a proficiency bonus) on neutralizing acid and starting fires.
Experimental Elixir
This unique character option allows the player to choose to create an experimental elixir" on an empty flask their artificer touches once per long rest. They must then roll a d6 to determine the elixir's effects: healing, swiftness (increases walking speed for 1 hour), resilience (temporary AC bonus), boldness (attack roll bonus for 1 minute), flight, and transformation (use of the alter self spell). Beside the healing, all the effects are temporary, and the elixir will expire at the player's next long rest if not used before then. Although random, all of the effects have the potential to be very good, unlike other character roll tables like the one for the Wild Magic sorcerer.
Alchemical Savant and Restorative Reagents
At 5th level, an ability called Alchemical Savant allows the player can use their alchemist's supplies as their spellcasting focus, like how a paladin or cleric can utilize a holy symbol to use magic. One roll of the spell gets a bonus equal to the artificer's Intelligence modifier, unless it's lower than +1. However, a character must have at least +1 (or 13) to Intelligence to take the artificer class, although extenuating circumstances may lower that modifier at least temporarily. There is another caveat: the roll has to be either healing a character or be inflicting acid, fire, necrotic, or poison damage on someone.
When the character reaches level 9, Restorative Reagents means they can imbue temporary hit points to characters that drink their experimental elixir. And, starting at level 6, Alchemists can make two experimental elixirs per long rest. The player can also cast the spell lesser restoration a number of times equal to their Intelligence modifier per long rest, without spending a spell slot. However, they must be using their alchemist's supplies as the focus, so if they don't have access to it, no dice (or rolling of DnD dice in this instance).
Chemical Mastery
A bit of flavor text tells players that by level 15, the Alchemist has been exposed to a lot of chemicals, and they just don't have the same adverse effect they might on someone less experienced. The character gets resistance to acid and poison damage and can't be inflicted with the poisoned condition, so using the spell Purify Food and Drink to get rid of poison isn't necessary for level 15 Alchemists. Also, the character can cast greater restoration and heal once per long rest without preparing the spell or using a spell slot. Again, the character needs to have their alchemist's supplies on hand, so making sure those don't get stolen or destroyed should be a top priority for Alchemists.
In addition to using these features granted when levelling up, the Alchemist gets thematically appropriate spells always prepared at certain levels. Choosing to specialize an artificer as an Alchemist means leaning fully into a support role, so players who prefer smashing things on the front lines or inflicting high-damage spells might not enjoy this class as much. Artificers may also want to multiclass as other classes that specialize in support, like bards or some varieties of cleric, although that isn't necessary for using the Alchemist to their full potential.
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything has a ton of other class and subclass descriptions available, so if the Alchemist artificer isn't everyone's cup of tea, there are over 20 other options just in that sourcebook. And of course, players can always use other resources like Xanathar's Guide to Everything and the good ole Player's Handbook to choose what type of character they want to play, and how to maximize their class abilities.
Dungeons and Dragons is available now.