Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 JohnduBois Sep 07, 2009 9:57:40	Hey all, Trying to get a couple thoughts here on where I can take my artificer build-wise, since the path at this point seems somewhat linear. Build posted below: ====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ====== Urna Arum, level 13 Gnome, Artificer, Battle Engineer Build: Battlesmith Artificer Background: High Imaskar, Curious Archeologist, Gnome - Estranged Fey, Occupation - Scholar, Adventurer's Scion, Scholastic Stowaway (High Imaskar Benefit) FINAL ABILITY SCORES Str 9, Con 19, Dex 13, Int 21, Wis 11, Cha 15. STARTING ABILITY SCORES Str 8, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 12. AC: 24 Fort: 23 Reflex: 23 Will: 21 HP: 91 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 22 TRAINED SKILLS Arcana +20, Dungeoneering +11, Thievery +12, History +16, Heal +11 UNTRAINED SKILLS Acrobatics +7, Bluff +8, Diplomacy +8, Endurance +10, Insight +6, Intimidate +8, Nature +6, Perception +8, Religion +11, Stealth +9, Streetwise +8, Athletics +5 FEATS Artificer: Ritual Caster Level 1: Improved Initiative Level 2: Magic of the Mists (retrained to Enhanced Resistive Formula at Level 11) Level 4: Weapon Expertise (Crossbow) Level 6: Master Mixer Level 8: Weapon Focus (Crossbow) Level 10: Accurate Magic Weapon (retrained to Arcane Familiar at Level 12) Level 11: Steady Shooter Level 12: Danger Sense POWERS Artificer at-will 1: Aggravating Force Artificer at-will 1: Magic Weapon Artificer encounter 1: Burning Weapons Artificer daily 1: Icebound Sigil Artificer utility 2: Swift Mender Artificer encounter 3: Force Infusion Artificer daily 5: Corrosive Sigil Artificer utility 6: Regeneration Infusion Artificer encounter 7: Icy Weapons Artificer daily 9: Brittle-Skin Missile Artificer utility 10: Slick Concoction Artificer encounter 13: Forceful Weapon (replaces Force Infusion) ITEMS Adventurer's Kit, Crossbow Bolts (20), Thieves' Tools, Dagger (5), Amulet of Protection +2, Veteran's Leather Armor +1, Bag of Holding (heroic tier), Cannith Goggles (heroic tier), Antivenom (heroic tier), Alchemical Silver (heroic tier), Ritual Book, Bracers of Archery (paragon tier), Battlemaster's Hand Crossbow +3, Map of Orienteering (heroic tier) RITUALS Make Whole, Comprehend Language, Endure Elements, Amanuensis, Fastidiousness, Gentle Repose, Eye of Alarm, Water Walk, Dark Light, Knock, Bolster Object, Deathly Shroud, Duplicate, Speak with Dead, Tiny Lanterns, Excavation, Shadow Bridge, Enchant Magic Item, Status, Remove Affliction, Arcane Mark, Brew Potion, Disenchant Magic Item, Summon Winds, Transfer Enchantment, Object Reading, Shrink, Magic Map, Trailblaze FORMULAS Antivenom, Alchemical Silver A few notes on the build: 1. The familiar is a reflavored rakshasa claw. 2. In terms of epic destiny, I'm leaning toward Sage of Ages. 3. I have all the expansion RPGA Rewards cards, including the ones that open rituals from Open Grave and Manual of the Planes, if any of those are standouts. 4. I plan to be retraining my 2nd and 6th level utility powers to get Arcane Mutterings (because sometimes you end up in a social skill challenge with no social person) and Eyes of the Deep Delver (because who doesn't want to be able to shoot invisible things in the face?) 5. Likely purchases in the near future include +1 Shimmering Armor, Map of Unseen Lands from AV2, Map of Orienteering, and a whole host of low-level ammunition. Ammunition will likely include at least Lightning Arrows and Arrows of Revelation. 6. I'd love to see if I can get a good multiclassing option, but I haven't seen any combinations I'm terribly impressed with as of yet. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
#2 Dragon9 Sep 08, 2009 16:27:29	From you backgrounds, I would have though Academy Master would have been a better fit theme wise as a PP.  The whole scholar/archaeology angle.  Heck, you caould have called him Imaskar Jones.  :P Unfortunately, I am woefully unfamiliar with the Artificer class, so I can't comment too much on it build-wise.
#3 JohnduBois Sep 08, 2009 16:31:38	Academy Master looked good for a while, but Battle Engineer went well with the focus specifically on magic items.
#4 Cailte Sep 09, 2009 5:08:33	Trying to get a couple thoughts here on where I can take my artificer build-wise, since the path at this point seems somewhat linear. I'm actually not sure what you mean by linear. Do you mean the power and feat choices as a purely mechanical thing, or do you mean them with your RP in mind or something else?
#5 JohnduBois Sep 09, 2009 9:08:09	Trying to get a couple thoughts here on where I can take my artificer build-wise, since the path at this point seems somewhat linear. I'm actually not sure what you mean by linear. Do you mean the power and feat choices as a purely mechanical thing, or do you mean them with your RP in mind or something else? I mean that the number of useful options for the remainder of paragon tier seems limited.
#6 Dragon9 Sep 09, 2009 16:10:02	I guess it depends on what you want to do.  There aren't many Artificer only feats (I was only able to come up with 13 in the comepndium).  War Wizardry is helpful if you have area attacks.  If you are rocking the familiar you can take the familiar feats to boost its utility. Since Int is your primary if you want to multiclass, MCing with Wizard could be helpful to bring in some control powers if you want to swap.
#7 Cailte Sep 10, 2009 4:23:49	I guess an important part of 4E is that Paragon and Epic feats are not always better choices than Heroic feats. Paragon and Epic Feats seem to often be intended to be relacements for, or supplements to Heroic tier feats, but I wouldn't just be looking at Paragon feats by any means to make my feat choices in that tier. Without having a better understanding of what you want your character to look like from an RP sense it is hard for me to make mechanical suggestions. As has been mentioned Wizard MC is always an option and there are some nice options available to Wizards in the Paragon and above tiers (it is where they really start to shine). You also have sufficient Con to consider Warlock MC (and enough Cha to grab the Warlock's Curse MC option). Without going into MC options these feats stand out to me (in no particular order): Distant Advantage Magic of the Mists Surprising Disappearence Potent Restorables (an extra 4 HP/restoration atm) Accurate Magic Weapon (sure you just retrained it but it is still an option as it stacks with your Battle Engineer PP bonuses) Inescapable Force Shardbound Familiar (Eberron) or (Khyber) Coordinated Explosion (always funny for leaders who are party friendly) I also think that Danger Sense and Improved Initiative are not worth the slots - your initiative is average for your level even with the bonuses (average 13th level monster should be +11 initiative for eg). If you were a Rogue or similar character who wants to strike first then all that initiative boosting will do something for you, otherwise its not really going to matter, as you are rarely going to 1 hit kill monsters (no minions do not really count).
#8 JohnduBois Sep 10, 2009 8:30:49	With Accurate Magic Weapon, I'm not entirely sure how the rules work with regard to "targeting a weapon". If any of my powers that grant a bonus to a weapon count as targeting a weapon, I need to get that feat back. If it only applies to abilities that specifically target a weapon (like the sigil dailies), then I don't see the bonus occurring enough to be useful. Improved Init/Danger Sense: I have these because most of my buffs are proximity-based. I get much more mileage out of them if I can use them at the start of combat, when I'm likely to have many allies adjacent to me. I'm not trying to beat the monsters at initiative; I'm trying to beat the party.
#9 ferol_debtor_of_torm Sep 10, 2009 13:32:34	My feat recommendations in no particular order: Great Fort - pay your paragon feat taxes Lightning Reflexes - see above Master Crafter - being able to craft stuff above your level is surprisingly awesome. You could, for example, craft yourself a psychic bow and then take... Psychic Lock Potent Restorables - heal for more White Lotus Enervation - this is great if you use Magic Weapon as often as most Artificers do Rogue Multiclass - sneak attack once per encounter could be cool, also unlocks... Rogue Utility Swap