Can someone tell me about Artificers and why they are so great? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can someone tell me about Artificers and why they are so great? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kidthulu
09-20-05, 11:27 AM I'm working on an artificer and I have 5 levels of it....but besides creating objects weapons etc etc(I'm set on the whole creating golems which sounds like fun) What are they good for? Can you tell me?
PhoenixInferno
09-20-05, 11:30 AM Metamagic Infusion. End of story.
Kidthulu
09-20-05, 11:40 AM ok heres something i don't get...what does metamagic mean? is it stuff like quicken spell? cause i can't understand the passage...i'm kinda disletsic... and if it's stuff liek quicken spell? and metamagic infusion...whats so great about it? Pretend i'm stupid cause i'm just not getting it.
PhoenixInferno
09-20-05, 11:46 AM Metamagic Infusion is an artificer infusion that lets you apply metamagic feats into your gear like staves and wands. You also get abilities like Metamagic Spell Trigger which lets you burn off charges to apply metamagic effects. Look around for a link "Optimized Artificer". I don't have it handy, but you'll crap your pants once you see what an Artificer is capable of.

What worries me is that you don't know what metamagic is. Please go back and refresh your memory about 'em. They're in the Player's Handbook. To answer your questions directly, yes they refer to feats like Quicken, Empower, Maximize, Heighten, Still, Silent, etc.
Kidthulu
09-20-05, 12:31 PM I thought they were the feat applied to them but i was never sure....
SigmaJargon
09-20-05, 12:56 PM Metamagic is great for many reasons - it can boost damage of simple wands and staffs into the stratosphere (think split twinned admixtured quickened scorching rays for starters) and it also makes the artificer one of the best buffers in the game via extend spell and persistant spell.

For a mountain of information and artificer-centric builds, see the Optimized Artificer thread.
Kidthulu
09-20-05, 12:58 PM Homunculus and golems...what can you tell me about them?
PhoenixInferno
09-20-05, 01:02 PM Homunculus and golems...what can you tell me about them?
You're going to need to start reading on your own - we can't explain everything for you.
Kidthulu
09-20-05, 01:10 PM I really just wanted to know what artificer can do for them. I have the books i just don't know where to start looking besides the ECS.
Caelic
09-20-05, 04:35 PM Hokay. A crash course in what makes the Artificer the only base class more powerful than Druid.

1. METAMAGIC ITEM: This infusion is your bread and butter, THE key to your power. By adding metamagic to your wands and staves, you become a powerhouse. Effectively, you're flinging 10th, 11th, or higher level spells by the time you're seventh level. Key metamagic feats for an Artificer are: Persistent Spell, Twin Spell, and Quicken Spell. Other very nice feats to have include Split Ray, Repeat Spell, and Energy Admixture.

What does this let you do? Virtually anything. Make a wand of Divine Power, and use Metamagic Item to make it Persistent. Not only do YOU now have a +6 to Strength and the BAB of a fighter--all day--so do all the clerics in your party, and all the rogues and bards with Use Magic Device. The feat stays on the wand for several rounds, don't'y'see.

2. METAMAGIC SPELL TRIGGER: The fallback. When you don't have time to use Metamagic Item, and you need that massive blast spell NOW, Metamagic Spell Trigger lets you get it--at the cost of a large number of charges.

3. RETAIN ESSENCE: With intelligent use of this ability, your magic items become virtually free.

4. VERSATILITY: Never forget: you can access any spell when making a magic item. ANY spell, from any class. You can shop around and find the lowest-level version of that spell. Otto's Irresistible Dance isn't eighth level for you--it's sixth, because Bards get it at sixth. Hindsight is sixth rather than ninth, for the same reason. Holy Sword is fourth, Lesser Restoration is first...and you can mix and match, picking and choosing the very best spells from EVERY class in the game for your arsenal.
Kidthulu
09-20-05, 06:22 PM I saw metamagic spell trigger....but what do you mean by metamagic item?
Caelic
09-20-05, 06:40 PM Metamagic Item is a third level infusion. It is, simply put, THE most important tool an Artificer has.
Kidthulu
09-20-05, 06:50 PM I'm looking at the artificer list in ECS and not seeing anything but craft wonderous item for 3rd lv....
PhoenixInferno
09-20-05, 06:51 PM I'm looking at the artificer list in ECS and not seeing anything but craft wonderous item for 3rd lv....
Its an INFUSION, not a class feature. 3rd level INFUSION.
Kidthulu
09-20-05, 06:54 PM well you start off with infusions so why at lv3 does it become important?
bluelighter0
09-20-05, 07:04 PM Okay, take a look at the Metamagic Spell Trigger ability. Once you understand it, consider this: For a third level infusion slot, you can do the same thing.....without using up a single extra charge. Metamagic Item, a 3rd Level Artificer infusion, allows you to 'power up' a wand or staff or whatever with a metamagic feat you know, with nothing but the infusion time and the 3rd level slot used.
Kidthulu
09-20-05, 07:08 PM Oh! I see now...its a spell!. Okies. thanks!
00_Whupass
09-20-05, 07:24 PM Its not exactly a spell, its an infusion. But mechanically speaking yes, infusions function more or less like spells. If someone with more ebberon experiance (I've only thumbed through the ECS at the local bookstore) wants to elaborate, please do.
allenchan
09-20-05, 08:33 PM :banghead:

Just reading this makes my brain hurt.
Brastan
09-20-05, 08:43 PM Have you tried reading the Unofficial Artificer FAQ (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=373293)?

Don't post there. It's not for chat. Just read it.
evilgenius
09-20-05, 08:52 PM Hmmm.

Not having Eberron, I find this thread quite helpful, if slowly progressing...
incubus
09-21-05, 02:45 AM All day etherealness as a third level spell. That sort of stuff.
slade_caizer
09-21-05, 03:02 AM Ok...NOW Artificers make me quiver with fear... :surrender
X-Codes
09-21-05, 03:14 AM Ok...NOW Artificers make me quiver with fear... :surrender

Greater Invisibility: 2nd level
AMF: 5th
Heal: 5th
CMW (yes, moderate): 1st
Divine Power: 3rd
Righteous Might: 4th

Unapproachable East covered.
Ditta
09-21-05, 03:27 AM You mean they never made you quiver before? I mean just looking at what they can make and convert I would be very very scared of artificers, and alot more scared of Warforged Artificers. I mean something that is able to make its own spare parts and fixing them to itself is pretty.....
Corinthians
09-21-05, 06:59 AM What class gets cure moderate wounds at first level?
X-Codes
09-21-05, 07:12 AM Runescarred Berserker
duu40
09-21-05, 07:28 AM Can artificer warforged create extra limbs and used the multiweapon fighting feat =D
X-Codes
09-21-05, 07:41 AM Can artificer warforged create extra limbs and used the multiweapon fighting feat =D

$10 says it's in the next eberron-specific spat-book.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kidthulu 09-20-05, 11:27 AM	I'm working on an artificer and I have 5 levels of it....but besides creating objects weapons etc etc(I'm set on the whole creating golems which sounds like fun) What are they good for? Can you tell me?
PhoenixInferno 09-20-05, 11:30 AM	Metamagic Infusion. End of story.
Kidthulu 09-20-05, 11:40 AM	ok heres something i don't get...what does metamagic mean? is it stuff like quicken spell? cause i can't understand the passage...i'm kinda disletsic... and if it's stuff liek quicken spell? and metamagic infusion...whats so great about it? Pretend i'm stupid cause i'm just not getting it.
PhoenixInferno 09-20-05, 11:46 AM	Metamagic Infusion is an artificer infusion that lets you apply metamagic feats into your gear like staves and wands. You also get abilities like Metamagic Spell Trigger which lets you burn off charges to apply metamagic effects. Look around for a link "Optimized Artificer". I don't have it handy, but you'll crap your pants once you see what an Artificer is capable of. What worries me is that you don't know what metamagic is. Please go back and refresh your memory about 'em. They're in the Player's Handbook. To answer your questions directly, yes they refer to feats like Quicken, Empower, Maximize, Heighten, Still, Silent, etc.
Kidthulu 09-20-05, 12:31 PM	I thought they were the feat applied to them but i was never sure....
SigmaJargon 09-20-05, 12:56 PM	Metamagic is great for many reasons - it can boost damage of simple wands and staffs into the stratosphere (think split twinned admixtured quickened scorching rays for starters) and it also makes the artificer one of the best buffers in the game via extend spell and persistant spell. For a mountain of information and artificer-centric builds, see the Optimized Artificer thread.
Kidthulu 09-20-05, 12:58 PM	Homunculus and golems...what can you tell me about them?
PhoenixInferno 09-20-05, 01:02 PM	Homunculus and golems...what can you tell me about them? You're going to need to start reading on your own - we can't explain everything for you.
Kidthulu 09-20-05, 01:10 PM	I really just wanted to know what artificer can do for them. I have the books i just don't know where to start looking besides the ECS.
Caelic 09-20-05, 04:35 PM	Hokay. A crash course in what makes the Artificer the only base class more powerful than Druid. 1. METAMAGIC ITEM: This infusion is your bread and butter, THE key to your power. By adding metamagic to your wands and staves, you become a powerhouse. Effectively, you're flinging 10th, 11th, or higher level spells by the time you're seventh level. Key metamagic feats for an Artificer are: Persistent Spell, Twin Spell, and Quicken Spell. Other very nice feats to have include Split Ray, Repeat Spell, and Energy Admixture. What does this let you do? Virtually anything. Make a wand of Divine Power, and use Metamagic Item to make it Persistent. Not only do YOU now have a +6 to Strength and the BAB of a fighter--all day--so do all the clerics in your party, and all the rogues and bards with Use Magic Device. The feat stays on the wand for several rounds, don't'y'see. 2. METAMAGIC SPELL TRIGGER: The fallback. When you don't have time to use Metamagic Item, and you need that massive blast spell NOW, Metamagic Spell Trigger lets you get it--at the cost of a large number of charges. 3. RETAIN ESSENCE: With intelligent use of this ability, your magic items become virtually free. 4. VERSATILITY: Never forget: you can access any spell when making a magic item. ANY spell, from any class. You can shop around and find the lowest-level version of that spell. Otto's Irresistible Dance isn't eighth level for you--it's sixth, because Bards get it at sixth. Hindsight is sixth rather than ninth, for the same reason. Holy Sword is fourth, Lesser Restoration is first...and you can mix and match, picking and choosing the very best spells from EVERY class in the game for your arsenal.
Kidthulu 09-20-05, 06:22 PM	I saw metamagic spell trigger....but what do you mean by metamagic item?
Caelic 09-20-05, 06:40 PM	Metamagic Item is a third level infusion. It is, simply put, THE most important tool an Artificer has.
Kidthulu 09-20-05, 06:50 PM	I'm looking at the artificer list in ECS and not seeing anything but craft wonderous item for 3rd lv....
PhoenixInferno 09-20-05, 06:51 PM	I'm looking at the artificer list in ECS and not seeing anything but craft wonderous item for 3rd lv.... Its an INFUSION, not a class feature. 3rd level INFUSION.
Kidthulu 09-20-05, 06:54 PM	well you start off with infusions so why at lv3 does it become important?
bluelighter0 09-20-05, 07:04 PM	Okay, take a look at the Metamagic Spell Trigger ability. Once you understand it, consider this: For a third level infusion slot, you can do the same thing.....without using up a single extra charge. Metamagic Item, a 3rd Level Artificer infusion, allows you to 'power up' a wand or staff or whatever with a metamagic feat you know, with nothing but the infusion time and the 3rd level slot used.
Kidthulu 09-20-05, 07:08 PM	Oh! I see now...its a spell!. Okies. thanks!
00_Whupass 09-20-05, 07:24 PM	Its not exactly a spell, its an infusion. But mechanically speaking yes, infusions function more or less like spells. If someone with more ebberon experiance (I've only thumbed through the ECS at the local bookstore) wants to elaborate, please do.
allenchan 09-20-05, 08:33 PM	:banghead: Just reading this makes my brain hurt.
Brastan 09-20-05, 08:43 PM	Have you tried reading the Unofficial Artificer FAQ (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=373293)? Don't post there. It's not for chat. Just read it.
evilgenius 09-20-05, 08:52 PM	Hmmm. Not having Eberron, I find this thread quite helpful, if slowly progressing...
incubus 09-21-05, 02:45 AM	All day etherealness as a third level spell. That sort of stuff.
slade_caizer 09-21-05, 03:02 AM	Ok...NOW Artificers make me quiver with fear... :surrender
X-Codes 09-21-05, 03:14 AM	Ok...NOW Artificers make me quiver with fear... :surrender Greater Invisibility: 2nd level AMF: 5th Heal: 5th CMW (yes, moderate): 1st Divine Power: 3rd Righteous Might: 4th Unapproachable East covered.
Ditta 09-21-05, 03:27 AM	You mean they never made you quiver before? I mean just looking at what they can make and convert I would be very very scared of artificers, and alot more scared of Warforged Artificers. I mean something that is able to make its own spare parts and fixing them to itself is pretty.....
Corinthians 09-21-05, 06:59 AM	What class gets cure moderate wounds at first level?
X-Codes 09-21-05, 07:12 AM	Runescarred Berserker
duu40 09-21-05, 07:28 AM	Can artificer warforged create extra limbs and used the multiweapon fighting feat =D
X-Codes 09-21-05, 07:41 AM	Can artificer warforged create extra limbs and used the multiweapon fighting feat =D $10 says it's in the next eberron-specific spat-book.