Advice on a Meleeficer - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Advice on a Meleeficer

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
the_sentin3l
May 14, 2008 10:01:20 Just started a campaign recently, and I decided I'd play an Artificer, though I'm rather lacking in experience and optimization techniques. I was wondering if any people on the forum had any decent advice on playing an Artificer that specializes in combat. (Btw, I have read the Artificer Handbook, and am just looking for some extra advice.)

Some background information:
Party includes a Warforged fighter/Warforged Juggernaut, a Human combat-killy-Temptest-thingy (More classes that you can poke a stick at) and a Halfling Wizard/Rogue, all CL6 . 2nd campaign for the players, all from a fairly crap campaign under a different (inexperienced) DM. Current DM is decently experienced, bit of a powergamer, so won't mind any insane builds (though I'm not going to take this to the char op boards; they hurt my brain). I've got access to pretty much every book, due to a DM and a couple of players with large amounts of disposable income and friends with the same, so lack of resources are no issue.

Character stats:
Human Artificer 5/Fighter (Exoticist)1
Str 16
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 16
Wis 10
Cha 13

That's without my 4th level stat boost.

Feats considered:
Power Attack
Improved Sunder
Combat Reflexes
Hold the Line
Attune Magic Weapon
Able Learner

Equipment Considered:
Longaxe (main weapon)
Medium - Heavy armour
Strongarm Bracers for Large longaxe.

Hoping to try and cover battlefield control and support within the party, but my knowledge of those two aspects is quite lacking, so any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
#2
Edymnion
May 14, 2008 12:18:03 Okay, first thing, I think you're getting a little confused.
A meleeficer is all about buffing his own attack and defense. He is not a party support character, he's not really battlefield control, he's a tank. He gets super armor and super weapons, runs in there, and starts tearing up.

If you are in melee combat, you cannot be a support character to the rest of the team (as an artificer), because pretty much anything you could do to help them would draw AoO against you. Plus, as an Artificer you don't have the hitpoints for a long drawn out fight, so you can't be wasting turns in melee to buff someone else. Every round you stay in melee is another round you're likely to get killed in.

Meleeficer is all about getting in there, and knocking the opponent out of the fight as quickly as possible.

If you want to do support and control, I recommend going for a back row wand user. Take Reach Spell metamagic for healing and buffing wands via metamagic trigger so you can stay out of melee range, and when not healing/buffing, using wands with things like Entangle and Hold Person/Monster, Charm/Dominate, Color Spray, etc.

For any given fight, you really need to decide which side of the line you're going to be on, and then stay there. Either you're up front dishing out damage, or you're in the back doing support. If you try to mix the two, you're going to be pretty inneffective at both.
#3
the_sentin3l
May 18, 2008 5:38:06 Alright, change of plans. I'm currently deciding between a Blastificer and a Meleeficer. Apart from the information presented above and in the Artificer's Handbook 3.0, does anybody have any further arguments to sway me one way or another, given the party presented in my first post? Feat, multiclassing, dragonmark and equipment advice would also be helpful, as would first hand knowledge of playing either or seeing someone play them.
#4
mystrich
May 19, 2008 21:33:18 You may want to also boost Charisma. While it won't be as big for a meleeficer, you're screwed when it comes to item use (I'd say, if possible, move part of your Int bonus into Cha instead), which is a huge part of every artificer (after battle you can help heal/or have a few buffs extra to save infusions). But as Edy said, Meleeficer means you are on the front lines attacking, not a battlefield controller or support artificer.
#5
Edymnion
May 20, 2008 8:07:14
You may want to also boost Charisma. While it won't be as big for a meleeficer, you're screwed when it comes to item use (I'd say, if possible, move part of your Int bonus into Cha instead), which is a huge part of every artificer (after battle you can help heal/or have a few buffs extra to save infusions). But as Edy said, Meleeficer means you are on the front lines attacking, not a battlefield controller or support artificer.

Dude, have you read the guide? Intelligence is the most important stat for an artificer. Sky's the limit. Charisma is a 14, tops.

And you especially don't need a high charisma outside of combat for activating wands, since you can just roll until you get that natural 20 (assuming you at least have a Cha of 10). Charisma is only required for activating items in battle when every turn counts, and for making cheap magical items that you don't get many checks to make.
#6
demonfey02
May 21, 2008 12:25:26 Though maxing out UMD works well too.
In the long run, though, you should consider being the blastificer/ healerficer/ construction skill monkey, because your party already has two front line fighters which should be tough enough to take out many things, while only having partial spellcasting support from the rogue. And while a party without a wizard or cleric/primary healer is doable (I speak as someone in a party with a psychic warrior, crusader, tiefling/rogue/assassin, and minotaur(I use him to throw people at people:D)), it would not work for your group because no one can put the wounds of others onto their own body and heal that, or heal damage on any member of the party by attacking someone else. So if you want your group to survive well, go with blastificer and healificer, with maybe the occasional upgrading of armor, weapons, and other gear for the party.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 the_sentin3l May 14, 2008 10:01:20	Just started a campaign recently, and I decided I'd play an Artificer, though I'm rather lacking in experience and optimization techniques. I was wondering if any people on the forum had any decent advice on playing an Artificer that specializes in combat. (Btw, I have read the Artificer Handbook, and am just looking for some extra advice.) Some background information: Party includes a Warforged fighter/Warforged Juggernaut, a Human combat-killy-Temptest-thingy (More classes that you can poke a stick at) and a Halfling Wizard/Rogue, all CL6 . 2nd campaign for the players, all from a fairly crap campaign under a different (inexperienced) DM. Current DM is decently experienced, bit of a powergamer, so won't mind any insane builds (though I'm not going to take this to the char op boards; they hurt my brain). I've got access to pretty much every book, due to a DM and a couple of players with large amounts of disposable income and friends with the same, so lack of resources are no issue. Character stats: Human Artificer 5/Fighter (Exoticist)1 Str 16 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 16 Wis 10 Cha 13 That's without my 4th level stat boost. Feats considered: Power Attack Improved Sunder Combat Reflexes Hold the Line Attune Magic Weapon Able Learner Equipment Considered: Longaxe (main weapon) Medium - Heavy armour Strongarm Bracers for Large longaxe. Hoping to try and cover battlefield control and support within the party, but my knowledge of those two aspects is quite lacking, so any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
#2 Edymnion May 14, 2008 12:18:03	Okay, first thing, I think you're getting a little confused. A meleeficer is all about buffing his own attack and defense. He is not a party support character, he's not really battlefield control, he's a tank. He gets super armor and super weapons, runs in there, and starts tearing up. If you are in melee combat, you cannot be a support character to the rest of the team (as an artificer), because pretty much anything you could do to help them would draw AoO against you. Plus, as an Artificer you don't have the hitpoints for a long drawn out fight, so you can't be wasting turns in melee to buff someone else. Every round you stay in melee is another round you're likely to get killed in. Meleeficer is all about getting in there, and knocking the opponent out of the fight as quickly as possible. If you want to do support and control, I recommend going for a back row wand user. Take Reach Spell metamagic for healing and buffing wands via metamagic trigger so you can stay out of melee range, and when not healing/buffing, using wands with things like Entangle and Hold Person/Monster, Charm/Dominate, Color Spray, etc. For any given fight, you really need to decide which side of the line you're going to be on, and then stay there. Either you're up front dishing out damage, or you're in the back doing support. If you try to mix the two, you're going to be pretty inneffective at both.
#3 the_sentin3l May 18, 2008 5:38:06	Alright, change of plans. I'm currently deciding between a Blastificer and a Meleeficer. Apart from the information presented above and in the Artificer's Handbook 3.0, does anybody have any further arguments to sway me one way or another, given the party presented in my first post? Feat, multiclassing, dragonmark and equipment advice would also be helpful, as would first hand knowledge of playing either or seeing someone play them.
#4 mystrich May 19, 2008 21:33:18	You may want to also boost Charisma. While it won't be as big for a meleeficer, you're screwed when it comes to item use (I'd say, if possible, move part of your Int bonus into Cha instead), which is a huge part of every artificer (after battle you can help heal/or have a few buffs extra to save infusions). But as Edy said, Meleeficer means you are on the front lines attacking, not a battlefield controller or support artificer.
#5 Edymnion May 20, 2008 8:07:14	You may want to also boost Charisma. While it won't be as big for a meleeficer, you're screwed when it comes to item use (I'd say, if possible, move part of your Int bonus into Cha instead), which is a huge part of every artificer (after battle you can help heal/or have a few buffs extra to save infusions). But as Edy said, Meleeficer means you are on the front lines attacking, not a battlefield controller or support artificer. Dude, have you read the guide? Intelligence is the most important stat for an artificer. Sky's the limit. Charisma is a 14, tops. And you especially don't need a high charisma outside of combat for activating wands, since you can just roll until you get that natural 20 (assuming you at least have a Cha of 10). Charisma is only required for activating items in battle when every turn counts, and for making cheap magical items that you don't get many checks to make.
#6 demonfey02 May 21, 2008 12:25:26	Though maxing out UMD works well too. In the long run, though, you should consider being the blastificer/ healerficer/ construction skill monkey, because your party already has two front line fighters which should be tough enough to take out many things, while only having partial spellcasting support from the rogue. And while a party without a wizard or cleric/primary healer is doable (I speak as someone in a party with a psychic warrior, crusader, tiefling/rogue/assassin, and minotaur(I use him to throw people at people:D)), it would not work for your group because no one can put the wounds of others onto their own body and heal that, or heal damage on any member of the party by attacking someone else. So if you want your group to survive well, go with blastificer and healificer, with maybe the occasional upgrading of armor, weapons, and other gear for the party.