Author Topic: Build help needed - Crazy inventor - no campaign specific options allowed.  (Read 2414 times)

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Cagemarrow

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I having a feeling that my 13th level Binder (EBL 15) is going to be killed off soon by my GM and am looking to make a backup character. I'd love to make an artificer to play the role of a crazy inventor but no campaign specific books are allowed (Eberrron, Forgotten Realms, etc. ) and he's hinted that he doesn't want any Tier 1 or 2 characters from now on, due to the rest of the party being 4 or 5. What would people suggest for this? I want to hear any other alternatives people can come up with, not just for my initial build idea below.

My first instinct is to go Factotum 5 (CL 5), Chameleon 8 (CL 16) with the Apprentice/Leadership feat and Craft Wonderous Item, then use the floating feat for any other craft feats I may need. High Int and Wis and be able to pull spells up to 5th level from all arcane and divine lists, eventually up to 6th level. Any other feat suggestions? I'm kinda at a loss after Craft Wonderous.

The Tinkerer - Human
Needs 8 ranks in Bluff, Disguise, 4 Sense Motive, 4 Spellcraft by at level 5 and Able Learner at 1st for Chameleon. I'd like ranks in a few craft skills (Alchemy, Metalworking, Woodworking, Trapmaking) and Knowledge Architecture and Engineering basically anything that could be used to make crazy stereotypically gnome-like inventions using a combination of mechanics and magical items. I have an idea for a diesel engine using a minor creation trap to make vegetable oil/biodiesel for fuel.

1 - Able Learner, Apprentice (Craftsman), (Flaw? for a bonus feat?)
2 -
3 - Craft Wondrous Item
4 -
5 -
6 -
7 -
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10 -
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skydragonknight

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A low tier option in line with the party would actually be a straight Warlock. Imbue Item class feature will take care of all your needs. Just take Wondrous, Magic Arms and Armor and -maybe- Rings as craft feats. All the supernatural abilities? Actually inventions.

Example: See the Unseen is a pair of enhanced-vision goggles you invented and calibrated for your eyes during your ghost-busting days. Eldritch Blast is actually your trusty armor-piercing rifle that can use special magic cartridges (essences/shapes).
It always seems like the barrels around here have something in them.

Cagemarrow

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I'd considered warlock originally but the party is in need of a skill monkey/healer which the factotum build can fill when not making crazy objects. Damage is pretty much the only thing the rest of the party does well.

Arz

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Try dipping a few levels of incarnate for skill emulation on a warlock build. Make sure to go hellfire warlock after doing so though...

Gavinfoxx

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Chameleon is fine, as is Warlock.  Just make sure to apply Leadership to folk with the spells you don't have access to, for crafting and such, as seen in the previous list elsewhere.  Also, Archivist can be a good 'crazy inventor', provided you manage to get the right spells known.
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Cagemarrow

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If tier 1 is allowed this might be better.

Hmm, if I want to keep the story intrigue going with Binder society, perhaps an Anima Mage crafter would be more useful. Using the early entry Precocious Apprentice trick (Dm has allowed this for a previous character, a mystic theurge) I should be able to make a Wizard 1/Binder 2/Anima Mage 10 character. Next level would be in Legacy Champion to continue the Anima Mage progression though I would need to choose a Legacy Item to have researched and performed the first ritual.

1 - Wizard 1 - Precocious Apprentice, Apprentice: Crafter, Flaw - Non Combatant, Extend Spell
2 - Binder 1
3 - Binder 2 - Improved Binding, needs knowledge: planes 4, intimidate 4 for anima mage prereqs
4 - Anima Mage 1-
5
6 - Persistent Spell
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13 - Anima Mage 10 - will need a legacy item and knowledge: history 4 for legacy champion

This will give me an Effective Binder Level of 12 and an Arcane CL of 11 with access to 6th level Vestiges and Wizard Spells. 3/day he'd be able to apply a meta magic feat to a spell without increasing its spell level.

I know he'll want persistent spell but have 2 feats free after 6th, any others he should get? He can mimic any crafter feat he meets the prereq for with the Astaroth the unjustly fallen bind when needed. Also keep in mind that no setting specific books are allowed, so no incarnate or artificer feats are available.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2011, 10:54:23 AM by Cagemarrow »

Cagemarrow

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Whatever the build I think he'd be part of a traveling caravan of traders headed into the area of the PC's due to rumors of the rich city that popped up out of nowhere after the recent war, the doing of my previous character hopefully.

Any suggestions for a tricked out wagon/mobile home that this character could have/build?

skydragonknight

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Your wagon is actually an animated object under your control.
It always seems like the barrels around here have something in them.

Cagemarrow

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Not a bad idea. Would limit me to the city bind though and it would be unanimated for 5 rounds every minute or so, since that vestige requires that there be a 5 round wait after the end or destruction of a previous animate object spell. Also limits the wagon size to huge, which isn't too big of a deal.

On a different note, why isn't Animate Objects a sorc/wiz spell? The rest are? If it was the anima mage could persist it.

sir_argenon

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effigy master from CA?

dark_samuari

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Why not something utilizing Fleshwarper from Lords of Madness? It is sort of the go to 'crazy scientist' prestige class and brings some nice perks along with it. What about something like Human Paragon 1/Dread Necromancer 7/Human Paragon 2/Fleshwarper 10?

Halinn

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Why not something utilizing Fleshwarper from Lords of Madness? It is sort of the go to 'crazy scientist' prestige class and brings some nice perks along with it. What about something like Human Paragon 1/Dread Necromancer 7/Human Paragon 2/Fleshwarper 10?

Don't lose out on getting the 8th level of DN

Cagemarrow

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I'd love to play a fleshwarper, but it'd be better as an artificer and the Dread necromancer wouldn't synergize well with this group. We've got two undead hunters. A swift Hunter with favored enemy undead and a halfling scout with a full sunblade and the greater truedeath crystal for it.