Ultimate Optimizer's Multiclassing Guide

[MaxWilson]

The main reason folks argue against dips is the delay in spell selection progression rather than spell slot progression. Neither cleric nor artificer delay the spell slots. They both offer better armor/shields and additional useful spells. The artificer offers con saves. I personally like the trade offs of either depending on the campaign.

However, both options delay spell progession. Fireball, haste, counterspell aren't available until character level 6, polymorph, greater invisibility character level 8 and level 5 spells are delayed until character level 10. In some campaigns this isn't a big deal. In others, however, a level 5 wizard without their 3rd level spells could spend months of play time working towards level 6 with only 3rd level spell slots and no 3rd level spells. For this type of campaign, the one level delay in spell selection options is a significant consideration and could well be an important factor in choosing not to multiclass at all. In this type of campaign, choosing a one level dip in either cleric or artificer might be sub-optimal and all the wonderful armor, save proficiencies and spells won't change that.

As a result, I would argue that a one level dip in Artificer is NOT always the best choice for a character intending to be primarily a wizard.

+1 to this. In order for the delay in progression not to be painful, you need something just as fun in its own way as the higher-level spells you're not getting yet. Two ways to do this are the sorlock option (leverage the fact that cantrips scale with character level, and spend level 5 rejoicing in your newly-empowered Agonizing Repelling Eldritch Blast instead of rejoicing in Fireball) and the Enchantank option (leverage your high AC to do fun things that a normal Enchanter couldn't do, like running around the battlefield hypnotizing big bad enemies with Hypnotic Gaze, possibly while Invisible for extra defense).

But if I knew a campaign was going to be frozen for long periods at level 5 exactly, I would still probably prefer to play an Iron Wizard 5 than a multiclassed Armored Class 1/Wizard 4.

HOWEVER, to be fair, by that logic sorlock should not be gold either, since warlock 2 also delays spell progression significantly.