A whimsical steampunk artificer with goggles and a mustache works on a contraption in a cluttered lab, surrounded by glowing potions, colorful smoke, and two robot dogs.

1. Artificer Core Concept: A magical inventor who builds gadgets, potions, mechanical pets, or guns. The most on-the-nose "engineer" class. Why It Fits: Intelligence-based (perfect for “smart”). Has a tool-heavy, techy feel. Can be played as scatterbrained, erratic, or drunk-with-genius. Can flavor spells as tech—Cure Wounds is a syringe, Firebolt is a flamethrower, etc. Suggested Subclass: Artillerist: You carry a cannon or make little explosive turrets. Smart + drunk + boom = perfect. Alchemist: “Drunk” plays really well here—mixing potions, maybe sipping them. You can totally roleplay your healing potions as shots of mysterious liquor. Battle Smith: You get a mechanical defender (robot dog/guardian)—your loyal project, probably named something dumb while you were tipsy. See more