Post/Author/DateTime	Post
scrollreader 10-20-04, 05:52 PM	I know the artificer is seriously awesome, and way powerful, and aweosme for a group short of spellcasters. But now, I'm joining a group that already has five people, and alot of the bases already covered. I'd like to play an artificer, still, but was wondering ... what's the optimial break point for artificer, and what classes does it mesh well with? I've been pondering Artificer 10/Spellfire Wielder 10, just to make the obligatory 'sleeping with Mystra" jokes, or maybe Artificer 9/Rogue 11 ... What do you all think?
Norad 10-20-04, 06:06 PM	Heresy. Blasphemy. Multiclassing an Artificer, my image of you is ruined Scroll... Anyhow, if this crack is still running strong through your veins, I would probably wait until you are around 15th before switching, just to make sure you had all the item creation feats. They might multiclass well with the Dungeon Delver PrC also, Spellfire Channeler wouldn't be bad either.
Caelic 10-20-04, 06:12 PM	Key breakpoints for Artificer: 1. Level 5: Do not, under any circumstances, leave the class before level 5. Ever. Retain Essence fuels your item-creating madness. 2. Level 8: Wand-monkeys might consider stopping here. You have Craft Wand, you have Metamagic Spell Trigger, you have the opportunity to take Wand Mastery as your level 8 bonus feat. 3. Level 12: You have Craft Staff, you have an effective CL of 14 for purposes of making items, you have Metamagic Spell Completion and a good mix of infusions and bonus feats. 4. Level 16: I, personally, wouldn't leave the class before level 16. The last four levels really don't gain you all that much besides Craft Reserve--one bonus feat, a handful of infusions. At level 16, you have level 6 infusions, and you have an effective CL of 18 for item crafting...meaning you can craft just about anything. If you're going to break, this is probably the best point for it.
scrollreader 10-20-04, 06:35 PM	Righto. Think I'm going to take your advice, Caelic, and go Artificer 8/Spellfire Chaneller 10. I love the wand. Be one with the wand. But the true joy I'm seeing here, is the ability to really use and abuse spellfire. If I make a CL 10 cantrip item (use activated needle of mending!) it'll cost me 10000, market, and less if I make it, through retention. For free spellfire levels, every morning, every day. And I'll still have Wand Monkey-ing to fall back on, should I need it. I know it's not a 'pure' artificer, but I'd really like to play around with spellfire, and see what the fuss is all about. The other option, of course, is a Psion/Spellfire Channeller, using Schism to absorb spellfire. :devil: All in all, I think I'm going to give my DM rather a hard time. :D
jedrious 10-20-04, 06:50 PM	ah just split class alternating between soulknife and artificer at each level and you'll be fine
Kabol 10-20-04, 08:35 PM	One lvl of Marshal is Great fro a Artificer - take Chr aura - you effectivly double your Chr for Chr based skills < like UMD > Plus you get Skill Focus Diplomacy for Free some decent skills/weapon Profs and D8 hps.
Caelic 10-20-04, 09:37 PM	In that case, I'd recommend Artificer9/Marshal 1 as your prefix. Artificer 9 allows you to craft a Wand of Scorching Ray that becomes CL11 with Wand Mastery--maximum effectiveness. Marshal 1, as pointed out, is extremely handy for an Artificer, and gives you the opportunity to take some other Cha-based skills...thus increasing the value of one of your two high stats.
Amara Trapspringer 10-29-04, 04:35 PM	I would suggest what I am going to build with my Artificer. We are about to start an Ebberon campaign on Saturday. I will be playing a Changeling Artificer, then if need be, I will multi-class her into Rogue. With the Changeling, there is no xp pen for multi classing into rogue. And it would make a great combo, because the Artificer class skills are so similar to a rogue, there are only a few additions of skills you would have to worry about putting points into. Also, an artificer starts with the Disable traps ability, not too mention the changeling starts with minor change that adds a +10 to your disguise.
Skojar 11-27-04, 08:24 PM	It seems silly, but I took a single level of Sorcerer (human, so it didn't hurt xp) and took magecraft and true strike as my 1st level spells. magecraft is helpful in crafting if your DM is strict about crafting times, and a true strike can make you a helpful ranged fighter when you're running low on magic items. Of course, I'm focusing on utility spells rather than direct damage, so this might not be that much of an 'optimization' option, but it works well for my character. In fact, I'm seriously considering taking a couple more levels now that I'm crafting wands, so the familiar can deliver my touch spells.