Would allowing Artificers to swap a cantrip on a long rest be unbalanced?

Question

Context: I am implementing the Class Feature Variants Unearthed Arcana, which does not include Artificer, for a party with several spellcasters and one Artificer.

This UA allows every "known" caster to replace a spell with another of its level on long rest, aka Spell Versatility, and every "prepared" caster (with cantrips) to replace one of their cantrips with another on level up, aka Cantrip Versatility.

However, the effect of Cantrip Versatility is already inherent to the Artificer class. I've considered allowing the Artificer to have Spell Versatility for cantrips. But I'm not certain if this is balanced or not since it goes beyond what other "prepared" casters received.

Would allowing Artificers to swap a cantrip on a long rest be unbalanced?

I'm open to suggestions for alternative replacements/enhancements that make implementing this UA more fair for the excluded class.

Answer 1

No, I don't think it would be unbalanced.

Here's my experience with it:

A hat of wizardry (XGtE, p. 137) is a common magic item for wizards that lets you try to cast any cantrip on your spell list once per day after an Arcana check:

[...] While you are wearing it, you gain the following benefits:

• [...]
• You can try to cast a cantrip that you don’t know. The cantrip must be on the wizard spell list, and you must make a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If the check succeeds, you cast the spell. If the check fails, so does the spell, and the action used to cast the spell is wasted. In either case, you can’t use this property again until you finish a long rest.

I've allowed players to use them, and frankly it has always just added to the convenience and storytelling of the game. I don't think it's overpowered to give a similar ability to the Artificer, especially considering what you gave to the other casters.

Having said that, I personally play with only official rules, because UA constantly causes issues like this adding abilities to classes that in turn reduce the usefulness or uniqueness of other classes.