Author Topic: Help me optimize an Artificer?  (Read 2922 times)

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Rayth Molba

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Help me optimize an Artificer?
« on: June 07, 2009, 04:14:29 AM »
So I, like some other people who seem to frequent this board, am in the Fall of Sharn PbP being DM'd by Sinfire Titan. Blatantly ripped from VennDygrem's thread on the same subject, here's the house rules:


  • Limited Gestalt: Gestalt is allowed, but by tier. (For reference, JaronK's 'Tier System for Classes' Thread)
    Tier 1's are on their own. Tier 2 can gestalt with NPC classes only. Tier 3 can gestalt with Tier 4 and lower, Tier 4 with 3 and lower, etc. Beguiler, however, is considered Tier 2; Totemist is tier 3, Incarnate between 2 and 4 depending on optimization, soulborn is obviously tier 5.
    One side is primary, and one side is secondary. This means that one class must be used all the way through; For instance, Warblade 20//Barbarian 2/Totemist 8/Totem Rager 10
  • 43 PB, starting level is 7 (XP is halfway between 7 and 8 ); Action points are allowed
  • 2 Flaws (however, achievable between 1st and 4th level); No traits
  • Standard WBL (19000 for ECL 7)
  • All characters get Heroic Spirit as a bonus feat, and another open bonus feat at level 10.
  • Non-Eberron campaign settings are banned material, with the exception of Oriental Adventures (effectively Sarlona, with some modifications). Specifically out is FR and DL content.
  • And more on a case-by-case basis (For instance, Supernatural Transformation can be applied to Eldritch Blast).

Also, one last rule(that I think a lot of people will like), is that Sinfire is allowing me to use all of my craft reserve from my previous 6 levels, as long as I don't go above 20% of my wealth for any one item(according to my level 7 wealth), and that I make a UMD check to craft the item as normal, but with the modifier that I would have at that given level.

Now, here is my character so far:

Level 7 Goblin Artificer

Skills:
  • Craft (alchemy)
  • Disable Device
  • Knowledge (arcana)
  • Knowledge (architecture and engineering)
  • Knowledge (the planes)
  • Search
  • Spellcraft
  • And the obligatory Use Magic Device
  • And at level 4, when I get my ability point, I put it in Intelligence, which gives me one more skill point per level. I put these into Concentration

My attributes are: Str 10, Dex 12(originally 10, increased from race), Con 12, Int 20(originally 19, increased at level 4), Wis 8, Cha 15(originally 17, -2 from race)

My flaws are Feeble (-2 on Str, Dex, and Con ability and skill checks) and Noncombatant (-2 to melee attacks), and my bonus feats are Skill Focus (UMD(to make up for a lower Charisma)), and Point Blank Shot.

Lastly, my feats are:
  • Level 1: Extraordinary Artisan(reduces crafting cost by 25%)
  • Level 3: Legendary Artisan(reduces crafting xp cost by 25%)
  • Level 4 Artificer Bonus Feat: Empower Spell(multiplies random elements of spells by 50%)
  • Level 6: Energy Substitution (Cold)

I've got most of the basics nailed down, but what most of my issues are with is with making my items. I don't know what items to make, how many to make of them, where I should be spending my wealth by level, etc. This is my first time actually making an Artificer, beyond a one-shot a long time ago, so I don't know all of the tips and tricks that I will probably need to know to make this a successful character. So, any help that you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Also, because I know that someone's going to ask about being a Goblin
[spoiler]
In Eberron, Goblins built the original great city where Sharn once stood, and when the humans recolonized it, they used the goblinoid races as slave labor to build what is now the City of Towers. I thought that if I'm gonna have an Artificer, it might be cool to play as a race that has such a history with the city, as well as a tradition of magical craftsmanship.
[/spoiler]

woodenbandman

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2009, 12:10:20 PM »
Well what are your goals for the character? It looks like you're going for a blastificer.


Rayth Molba

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2009, 12:34:20 PM »
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. I made this at 2 in the morning, so I probably forgot a lot of other stuff too. Bah.

Yeah, I'm going for a blastificer, with a side of trapmonkey. I'm also hoping to have a fairly strong utility role, with the rather large amount of scrolls/potions/other magical gadgets I'm gonna be lugging around.

The one thing that I'm having the most trouble with, though, is planning my Craft Reserve expenditure. I don't really know what spells are worth getting as scrolls, which ones are worth passing on, or even where I should begin looking. So, any help on spending seven levels worth of craft reserve in a meaningful way would be greatly appreciated.

Also, if you guys see any glaring errors in my build, be sure to tell me.  :D

VennDygrem

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2009, 01:45:39 PM »
Hmm, well in general we could probably use a buffificer more than blasting, since we've got the Warmage and my Warlock/spellthief, but there's no saying you can't also buff if you go the blastificer route.

By the way, I don't think you get retroactive bonus skill points for increasing your Int, but levels starting at the increase should get the extra points. I'm not sure where the rule is, though.

woodenbandman

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2009, 03:04:51 PM »
Well a few potions and scrolls are universally useful, always. Knock is a good scroll, any divination spell is good (true strike), enlarge person potions are sweet, fly...

As soon as you can get a wand of invisibility for your party rogue (unless it's you, you don't really need invisibility).

Rayth Molba

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2009, 05:08:34 PM »
Hmm, well in general we could probably use a buffificer more than blasting, since we've got the Warmage and my Warlock/spellthief, but there's no saying you can't also buff if you go the blastificer route.

By the way, I don't think you get retroactive bonus skill points for increasing your Int, but levels starting at the increase should get the extra points. I'm not sure where the rule is, though.

Hmm, I might have to look into a buffificer-type role. I don't want to be redundant, but I might be able to fufill multiple roles.

I wasn't including retroactive skill points, I was going from level 4 on. Since most of my abilities don't provoke AoOs, I don't have to worry about Concentration a whole lot. Scrolls rely on it, but I'll probably use Wands more than Scrolls. So, I was gonna start picking up Concentration at level 4, which puts it a little behind my skills.

Well a few potions and scrolls are universally useful, always. Knock is a good scroll, any divination spell is good (true strike), enlarge person potions are sweet, fly...

As soon as you can get a wand of invisibility for your party rogue (unless it's you, you don't really need invisibility).

Well, any further info on spells that would be good would be awesome. I don't know all of the spells from all of the books, so I'm sure that there are a few must haves that I don't know about. I'll most definately get some Knock, and a few buff spells.

Sinfire Titan

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2009, 05:15:23 PM »
Well, any further info on spells that would be good would be awesome. I don't know all of the spells from all of the books, so I'm sure that there are a few must haves that I don't know about. I'll most definately get some Knock, and a few buff spells.

Check these handbooks. The spells listed under those handbooks are usually very good, and should give you the info needed to decide on what items to craft.


[spoiler][/spoiler]

Rayth Molba

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2009, 04:26:18 PM »
Thanks for those links, they should help a lot. :)

If anyone else has anything to chip in, I'd appreciate it. Any help I can get is great.

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2009, 06:06:40 PM »
You might want to consider the arctic or jungle goblin racial variant.  Either exchange that bonus to dex to a con bonus, or pick up a climb speed. 
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woodenbandman

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2009, 06:09:00 PM »
wand of wraithstrike could be nice.

PhaedrusXY

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2009, 07:10:43 PM »
You might want to consider the arctic or jungle goblin racial variant.  Either exchange that bonus to dex to a con bonus, or pick up a climb speed. 
And jungle goblin has the best racial description. Ever.
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Help me optimize an Artificer?
« Reply #11 on: June 11, 2009, 06:18:29 AM »
You might want to consider the arctic or jungle goblin racial variant.  Either exchange that bonus to dex to a con bonus, or pick up a climb speed. 
And jungle goblin has the best racial description. Ever.
"If monkeys were evil and could speak, they'd be a lot like jungle goblins."

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