'You can go anywhere, but you can't do anything when you get there'

Dungeons and Dragons' 2024 The new core rules have reshaped the game in a big way. Some classes and subclasses have drastically different abilities or playstyles, some key gameplay aspects have been changed, and even some of the most iconic monsters. Dungeons and Dragons Nothing like before. It's not always for the better, as losing identity to innovation isn't a good thing, but the overall reception has been good so far. Now, a new book is coming out in the form of Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, which aptly introduces the Artificer class, its four existing subclasses, and an entirely new subclass – the Cartographer.

As new subcategories this is very exciting in and of itself Dungeons and Dragons It's often a huge breath of fresh air for long-time players, and they can either unlock entirely new playstyles and strategies or build on unused existing concepts. The Artificer subclasses are all unlocked at level 3, and they are: Alchemist, Armorer, Artillerist, and Battle Smith, with Cartographer rounding them out. However, as interesting and flavorful as Cartographer is for Artificer, it fails to stick to the landing of its teleportation spells, becoming a support class at best, and a decadent cauldron of half-baked features at worst.

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Dungeons and Dragons' new Cartographer is officially the worst Artificer subclass

Apart from some core Artificer changes DnD From Eberron 2024: Forge of the Artificer book, such as Learning Mending as a Cantrip or Flash of Genius triggering when a creature fails a check or saving throw, every subclass has been updated, and Cartographer has been added. In theory, the Cartographer is a support class that focuses on mobility and utility magic for allies, while creating magical maps that connect all faction members and give them bonuses. This is only partially true, however, as class fantasy is quickly overshadowed by midrange powers, spell selection and abilities.

Eberron: Forge of the Artificer's Cartographer Subclass Breakdown in DnD 2024

Dungeons and Dragons – Eberron: Forge of the Artificer's Level Cartographer is a mixed bag

At level 3, the cartographer gains access to Tools of the Trade, which are very useful for crafting scrolls for spells, and cost a good deal of gold. However, it gets exponentially worse after level 3 spells due to the large gold cost and time required to finish the scroll, and aids cannot be used to reduce the time required to craft spell scrolls. Scrolls have some value when there is a wizard in the party who can learn spells from the scrolls, which is easily achieved due to the overlap between artificer spells and wizard spells. Dungeons and Dragons. However, this is not guaranteed to be the case.

Then, the cartographer gets his own spell list. It is as follows:

Cartographer Spells in Eberron: The Artificer's Forge isn't inherently bad, but not great either. This is especially evident when the selection does not have many uses to bind to the class's level 11 attribute, called a spell-storage item. After a long rest, you can imbue an object that you can use as a focus to store spells from level 1, 2, or 3 Artificer spells, but this must be an action, and it requires no ingredients. This means that Healing Word, probably the best spell to store, cannot be chosen because it is a bonus action, rather than an action. Not only is Faerie Fire itself a subpar spell, but the class also makes it a core part of its identity, so it's not even worth stocking.

Adventurer's Atlas is a nice class feature that allows you to create a set of maps after a long rest, with one map dedicated to each creature you touch (1 + Int modifier, min 2). The map allows all holders to know the location of each other's map holder, which gives two bonuses:

• Consciousness: +1d4 on initiative rolls
• Position determination: When casting spells or creating effects that require the target map holder to see, this creature can be targeted regardless of whether it is in line of sight or range of cover.

Positioning itself isn't amazing for cartographers, as they don't have many spells or uses for it, but it can be very good for other party members. Healing Word is again a good healing spell DnD To experiment with this effect, but there is not much. Still, an invisible helper or maybe a healer in the person behind the covers has its merits, and the ability itself is powerful, just not so much for the cartographer.

Then, Cartographer gains Illuminated Cartography, which allows you to cast Faerie Fire without spending a spell slot, which seems useful. However, create a profit DnD 2024 is not as difficult as past versions, and requires concentration to cast. Although it's a free spell, it's not that effective, and it's probably worth casting at level 3, maybe level 5 at best.

Finally, the cartographer gets a portal jump at level 3, which is too good a tool to miss. At the same time, it requires your speed to not be 0. This means that most situations you'd want to teleport through don't apply to portal jumps, such as grappled.

Dungeons and Dragons – Eberron: Forge of the Artificer's Cartographer will not find its way between levels 5 and 15

At level 5, a cartographer gains guided precision. This allows you, once per turn and whenever you cast a spell from the Cartographer spell list or hit a creature affected by Faerie Fire with an attack roll, to add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll of the spell or attack. Furthermore, taking damage does not break concentration on fire again. The problem here is threefold:

• Directed Precision only works with three Cartographer spells, and none are great for:

  • Guiding bolt

  • Brain spike

  • Call Lightning

• The advantage is going to be a +3 or +4 damage roll DnDWhich is fine in a vacuum, but not surprising considering it still requires casting Fire the Turn again, concentrating, the target creature failing a saving throw against it, and then again for the next attack spell you cast.

• Other Artificer subclasses like the Artillerist have very effective and powerful abilities for extra damage, while this one is completely avoidable, and requires a heavy setup.

At level 9, the cartographer gains Ingenious Movement, which is combined with Flash of Genius. This is a nice feature, and it has some decent uses, since the target for this ability doesn't have to be the same one that benefited from Flash of Genius to trigger it, meaning that one can better position other party members for their needs.

Finally, the cartographer gains two additional abilities with Superior Atlas at level 15. These are:

• safe haven: When the map holder (anyone, not just you) is reduced to 0 HP but not killed, that creature can destroy its map. If they do, their HP changes by a number equal to twice your Artificer Level, and that creature is teleported to an empty space within 5 feet of you or another map holder.
• Honoring Path: If you are a map holder, you can use Find the Way, and do so without consuming a spell slot, preparing a spell, and without any components. This can only be done once per long rest.

Safe Haven is incredibly good for support, and it can easily save someone who would otherwise be killed in combat. Cheat death effects are always very good, even if situational, and this is also tied to the teleportation effect. Unerring Path, on the other hand, is pretty weak, and doesn't really fit the power expected from a level 15 ability slot — assuming you're willing to stick with Cartographer for 15 levels to get there. While there is a bad spell in Find the Way DnDIt's not something you need everyday, if ever.

You must avoid DnD's new Artificer Cartographer like the plague

There are some merits and niche uses for Cartographer, so it's not necessarily a bad category. However, unless your dungeon master decides to make terrain-focused encounters and movement-related challenges a part of your campaign to give you particular utility, it's hard to justify having Cartographer in every Artisan subclass — even Alchemist, which is far less powerful than the other three after recent updates. And if you just want to play Cartographer for its flair, it might not live up to it in terms of gameplay.

As Reddit user Gizogin said, “You can go anywhere, but you can't do anything when you get there.” This isn't entirely true either, however, as reducing your speed to 0 prevents you from using Portal Jump, one of the class' main abilities. Yes, you have maps and can give them to your allies for bonuses, and it's thematically unique and interesting, but unless a very niche, specific combo comes along, the position isn't that strong, Safe Haven is situational, spell scrolls are too expensive, and Faerie Fire at higher levels isn't worth it. At that point, what does a cartographer do other than take 1d4 initiative and cast some middling spells that another Artificer subclass can't?

Franchise

Dungeons and Dragons

Original release date

Year 1974

designer

E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson