A relatively new class for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, Artificers are magic users who craft and use tools to help them on their journeys. These tools can range from weapons like ballista cannons to homemade companions like the Steel Defenders.
As Artificers were formerly a subclass of Wizard, they've gotten a bad reputation for being uninspired. Luckily, plenty of characters across television, comics, and movies have become standard iconography for what an Artificer is or does. The 4 subclasses of Artificer including Alchemist, Armorer, Artillerist, and Battle Smith each have multiple characters that can serve as inspiration for a new character, from the most iconic to those not many would think of.
10 Iron Man Is The Most Iconic Armorer
Perhaps the most iconic character to base Artificers on is Tony Stark, aka Iron Man – the genius inventor of the Iron Man suit. This metal suit allows him to fly and participate in close combat and ranged attacks. While his gear is more tech than magic, several of Stark's suits are closer to a Dungeons and Dragons suit.
His subclass most closely resembles the Armorer Artificer. This subclass wears a suit that's essentially a second skin, which allows them to take hits and dole out powerful spells. Iron Man would use a Guardian suit over Infiltrator.
9 MacGyver Saves The Day As A Battle Smith
If utility was a person, it'd be MacGyver. Originating from the series of the same name, MacGyver is an incredibly intelligent person who uses his skills and training to solve problems in a non-combative way, though that doesn’t mean he can’t throw a solid punch.
As a Battle Smith Artificer, a MacGyver-esque character would focus on utility and defense as their main strategies. The Steel Defender has a deflect action that can be used to aid this, along with the various craftable infusions like Goggles of Night and Rope of Climbing.
8 Inspector Gadget Is A Jokey Armorer
Joke characters have been a staple of Dungeons and Dragons since the early days of the game. One idea for a fun, joke character would be a Warforged Armorer Artificer based on Inspector Gadget.
Inspector Gadget is a lovable dope of a cyborg character, and he always has the right tool for the job at all times in his body. As a result, a lot of Inspector Gadget's character concepts can be flavored to fit, like the Infiltrator Armor’s “Powered Steps,” which could function as the Go-Go Gadget Spring Shoes.
7 Fairy Godmother Fits The Alchemist Archetype
With the recent Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse bringing the Fairy Race back and updated, it's the perfect time to test the race on a new character. Introduced as the main antagonist of Shrek 2, Fairy Godmother is a Fairy by birth and an Alchemist by trade.
Fairy Godmother easily fits the archetype of Alchemist Artificer as she's shown making potions, creating medieval technology, and casting spells. If a player really wants to embody the character, taking a level in Bard or the entertainer background will really sell the performance of “Holding Out For A Hero” during a battle against the BBEG.
6 Rick Sanchez Blasts Away As An Artillerist
Known for creating gadgets on the fly, Rick Sanchez from Rick and Morty would make excellent inspiration for an Artificer. His whole character is devoted to making technology that entertains him and stops him from thinking about the crushing loneliness of life.
Artificers as characters have similar goals. They want to create an amazing weapon, tool, or piece of armor that will get them through countless battles. Artillerists in particular focus on weaponry, which Rick has shown proficiency with over the course of the series.
5 Edna Mode Creates Armor For Everyone, Including Herself
Hailing from the hit movie The Incredibles, Edna Mode isn't someone's first choice when they think of inventors and innovators, but she fits the role more than one would imagine. For example, she's known for creating the super suits of all the world's supers, which isn't a skill many have.
In addition to being able to make suits, she also constructs top-of-the-line tools to test them, including missile launchers, flamethrowers, and so much more. A designer character that isn’t any type of Bard would be a welcome change of pace, and Edna Mode is a solid basis for an Armorer Artificer.
4 Forge Is A Mutant Artillerist
The X-Men’s very own resident tech genius, Forge, is a mutant with genius-level intellect and the ability to invent powerful weapons for himself and his team as needed. In addition to a cybernetic right leg, he also has sorcery abilities in Marvel properties, allowing him to cast spells.
In short, Forge is a spell-casting, invention-building person, also known as an Artificer in Dungeons and Dragons. Due to his extensive history of building weapons, an Artillerist role would fit him well.
3 Honey Lemon’s Chem-Balls Are Alchemy
While other characters like Forge and Fairy Godmother have been able to use magic in addition to their Artificing abilities, Big Hero 6’s Honey Lemon doesn’t have such skills. Rather, she relies exclusively on the chemical tools she creates herself to fight crime.
With chem-balls made on the fly that can make concoctions like hardening or cushioning foams, ice, smokescreens, and metal-destroying acids, she's already an Alchemist at heart. The chem-ball gimmick can easily be transferred into D&D with a bit of flavor, as each of the spells cast could be one.
2 Tails Is a Widely Respected Inventor And Weapons Maker
The technology fox and best friend to Sonic, Miles “Tails” Prower is an artificer through and through. Every one of his iterations, from the TV shows, to comics, to Live-Action Movies, feature him with a bundle of technological goodies ranging from Mechs to bombs and blasters.
While the internet’s resident character to D&D adapter Tulok the Barbrarian chose Battle Smith for the character, Artillerist would also fit Tails' several incarnations, but especially his Live-Action version. Having a Tails-based character walk into a fight with a canon would be a sight to behold.
1 Billy Cranston Created Zords, Weapons, Communicators And More
Rising to popularity as the Blue Ranger of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, Billy Cranston proved himself capable of creating impressive technology from his first day in the suit. With spectacular creations like the Wrist Communicators and the Radbug, plus many of the Zeo gear and the entire Turbo arsenal and Zords, Billy has shown a knack for weaponry and utility.
Thanks to both his experience with the Radbug and his Zords, Billy can fit the Battle Smith archetype as he commands a mech-like being to fight alongside him. Unlike most Intelligence-based characters, Billy is able to hold his own in a fight, which would make for a fun way to bring in a multiclass.