>>96472263
>Plus magitech doesn't really belong in the default setting.
Is the default setting not a high magic world where magic items are plentiful? Magic Armor, Magic Shields, Magic Weapons, Wands, Staffs, Rods, Gemstones, Potions- etc.
Artificers don't need to have magitech- you just make them people who via etching in symbols, glyphs, and magic onto items are able to make temporary magic items. You can have them be more geared towards that rustic fantasy instead of steampunk or future tech like.
Think more Wizard who's a crafter and uses their magic through those inventions and less Arcane. Hextech.
>>96472093
For me an Artificer only breaks my immersion when the flavor of what they are doing isn't in line with the setting. Having your Steel Defender look like an Animated Armor- is perfectly fitting for a large sum of d&d settings since Animated Armor is a thing as are things like Helmed Horrors. But if you have that armor look very modern or have them appear like nearly perfect human looking cyborgs/androids (See Nier or DBZ Andorids) thats where we get into immersion breaking.