Author Topic: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?  (Read 3723 times)

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Aharon

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How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« on: March 15, 2010, 01:32:51 PM »
Hi all!

I need some advice on practical optimization - i.e., I want to optimize the fun everyone at the table has  ;)
The DM allowed me to play an Artificer, and as I both liked the concept and am a bit of a powergamer, I didn't do the sensible thing and take a less powerful class. The other player characters are a Beguiler, houseruled to be able to enter Widow Queen, a PrC in one of Frank and K's Tomes (because she wanted something similar to a vampire); a half-giant warblade, a dread necromancer, a cleric/radiant servant, and a ranger.
The players of the Beguiler and the Warblade were ok with what I did, and the ranger player didn't really care, because she mostly wanted to roleplay (DM gave her a so/so build, which I modified a bit during game time). The cleric/radiant servant is the character of the DM, but we alternate with DMing. Both the DM and the dread necromancer complained about my power level - the DM because before the fight against the BBEG, I persisted lots of spells on the whole group via Wand of Combined Talent, Item of Skill Enhancement (UMD), Metamagic Item (Persistent Spell), and my wands. The player of the Dread Necromancer wasn't content with the versatility I displayed (Used Spell Storing Item: Glibness in conjunction with Metamagic Item (Persistent Spell) to sell some items way overprice and to gather some information inconspiciously and Spell Storing Item: Summon Monster IV for a Lantern Archon when we needed a teleport - the group had two portable holes we gave to the lantern archon).

TL;DR: I'm unsure how I can hold back more - I already focused on a support role and tried not to step on anyones feet by not being an Archeficer or Blastificer. Any ideas what I could/should do? Please don't advise me to give up the character, as I have to admit that I really enjoyed the game, and am a bit selfish. Perhaps some advice how I could help out the Dread Necromancer? He did benefit the least from my buffs, perhaps that's also part of the reason why he was uncontent.
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The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2010, 01:57:19 PM »
Craft stuff for the other party members.  If that doesn't win them over, nothing will.

In particularly, the wayfarer's set from MIC (the one with the gloves of the starry sky) is much appreciated by healers, beguilers and dread necromancers alike.
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PhaedrusXY

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2010, 02:10:09 PM »
Buff his horde of undead for him. If he doesn't have a horde of undead, he's not a real dread necro, and he should stop pretending. :P (And WTF is he doing traveling with a Radiant Servant of Pelor?)

The lantern archon thing doesn't work, by the way. From SM1:

Quote
A summoned monster cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, nor can it use any teleportation or planar travel abilities. Creatures cannot be summoned into an environment that cannot support them.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2010, 02:12:10 PM by PhaedrusXY »
[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]

archangel.arcanis

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2010, 02:11:58 PM »
Buff his horde of undead for him. If he doesn't have a horde of undead, he's not a real dread necro, and he should stop pretending. :P (And WTF is he doing traveling with a Radiant Servant of Pelor?)

The lantern archon thing doesn't work, by the way.
That would explain why he doesn't have a hoard of undead now doesn't it.  :lmao
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The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2010, 02:24:45 PM »
Radiant Servants of Pelor - taking an r out of "Dread Necromancer" since 1735.
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Littha

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2010, 02:26:33 PM »
No excuse for not having a horde of undead, you just have to be sneakier about it... Incorporeal undead under the ground probably works well XD

PhaedrusXY

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2010, 02:34:06 PM »
Radiant Servants of Pelor - taking an r out of "Dread Necromancer" since 1735.
Yeah, but what exactly is a Dread Necomancer?
[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]

Havok4

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2010, 02:50:33 PM »
Radiant Servants of Pelor - taking an r out of "Dread Necromancer" since 1735.
Yeah, but what exactly is a Dread Necomancer?

Wrong r. But that still leaves the question of what a Dread Necromance is.

Agita

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2010, 03:02:58 PM »
What TML said, pretty much. Don't worry about going over your craft reserve - if you fall behind the other PCs in levels, you'll gain XP that much faster.
Also, why is the Cleric player/DM complaining about the Artificer's power level? Guy needs to learn about DMM. :P

Radiant Servants of Pelor - taking an r out of "Dread Necromancer" since 1735.
Yeah, but what exactly is a Dread Necomancer?


:P
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The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2010, 03:05:19 PM »
Radiant Servants of Pelor - taking an r out of "Dread Necromancer" since 1735.
Yeah, but what exactly is a Dread Necomancer?
I 'ardly know 'er.
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Littha

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2010, 03:06:56 PM »
Radiant Servants of Pelor - taking an r out of "Dread Necromancer" since 1735.
Yeah, but what exactly is a Dread Necomancer?

Wrong r. But that still leaves the question of what a Dread Necromance is.

or even a Dead Necomance
« Last Edit: March 15, 2010, 06:14:33 PM by Littha »

Hijax

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2010, 04:54:11 PM »
well, if the dread Necromancer gets beaten up by the RSoP, he's clearly not worth his salt.

also, this is a fairly hilarious way to play, actually. the dread Neco just needs to come up with some silly excuses for his habit of digging up graveyards, everyone should have a lot of fun.
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Tonymitsu

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2010, 04:55:13 PM »
I'm pretty sure the Bufficer archetype will have you covered for having fun and not stepping on anyone's toes in the game.

Extend, Persist, Reach, and Chain Spell are feats that interest you.  The crafting cost reduction feats too.


Once you're done buffing, debuffing or battlefield control is probably your next best bet.



...unless the cleric was planning on being the buff bot...


Yeah.  First time I played an artificer it was in a pretty similar situation... I was the only Tier 1 in a part of 2's and 3's (and one 4).  On top of that, I was the only spellcaster in the group.

It became pretty obvious the ridiculous power I had once we got upwards in levels (somewhere between 10 and 13), and how I could totally end an encounter at pretty much any point in case something went horribly wrong and how I was pretty much unstoppable unless an enemy was built specifically to stop me which made him all but invincible to the rest of the group.
I typically didn't trample the opposition regularly because he was chaotic neutral and pretty much just did... things... that seemed like they might be interesting or might have been fun at the time or just to see if they would work.  This actually caused the death of a party member on one occasion.  Wasn't like it was my fault or due to an action on my part and he did as a result of own mistake but I didn't save him when I probably could have.  And even when I pretended like I was screwed for the benefit of the table and to make a battle seem dramatic and difficult another player would occasionally comment about when I was going to move things along.

I think what helped the most was that for all his abilities I went out of my way to not assume any kind of leadership role in the party.  I always asked what other people wanted to do, generally sat back and listened during the planning stages, and while I built and piloted the airship it was pretty much the party's to use as they saw fit, and we never had any conflicts about it (although this may have been due to the fact that they figured I was crazy enough that I cared about my creations more than other people, and figured if they did something that damage the ship I'd destroy them all.  -_-')

Hijax

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2010, 04:58:34 PM »
(although this may have been due to the fact that they figured I was crazy enough that I cared about my creations more than other people, and figured if they did something that damage the ship I'd destroy them all.  -_-')

I have the same feeling whenever i play an artificer  :D

seriously, that airship cost me part of my god damn class feature. how would you feel if i just took half your soulmelds/day away you fucking totemist!?
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Aharon

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Re: How can I fit an Artificer in a mostly Tier 2-3 group?
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2010, 08:51:36 PM »
@PhaedrusXY
Never noted the line about no teleportation - always figured that's why most of the outsiders have a "can only teleport itself and 50 pounds of non-living objects" clause. Thanks! One less thing for the player of the Dread Necromancer to complain about, then...

@TML
thanks for the tip concerning the Raiment of the Four. I didn't read through all of the MIC, and this is the first time I see these items mentioned.

@Dread Necromancer & Radiant Servant of Pelor
Indeed, the Dread Necromancer tries to keep his creations secret from the RSOP. Plus, at the moment he is totally in love with Magic Jar and Spirit Wall, and ignores most of his other capabilities.

@Tonymitsu
Thinking back, I may have taken too much screen time in the non-battle scenes, and I slipped in a bit of a leadership position from time to time. Habit from having been DM for too long, I suppose  :D If I reign back on this and craft more for the rest of the group, I should be ok.

Thank you all for your feedback!

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