Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 venshad Sep 12, 2008 10:43:39	Hi, I'm making an Artificer build to play with my group and I'd like some opinions about it. Race: Human Level: 5th Stats: STR 16, DEX 14, CON 16, INT 18, WIS 11, CHR 12 Feats 1- Scribe Scroll* 1- Armor Proficiency (Heavy) 1- Mercantile Background 2- Brew Potion* 3- Magical Artisan (Craft Woundrous Item) 3- Craft Woundrous Item* 4- Extraordinary Artisan** (Money 25%) 5- Craft Magic Arms and Armor* 6- Heavy Armor Optimization 7- Craft Wand* 8- Legendary Artisan** (XP 25%) 9- Combat Expertise 9- Craft Rod* 12- Greater Heavy Armor Optimization 12- Craft Construct** 12- Craft Staff* 14- Forge Ring* 15- Superior Combat Expertise 16- Extra Rings** 18- 20- Exceptional Artisan** (Time 25%) My equipment: Armor of the Iron Man 3.300 gp (1.650 gp + 42 XP) CL5 +2 Mechanus Gear Gauntlets of Ultimate Power 6.300 gp (3.150 gp + 189 XP) CL5 Lesser, Orb of Sound (Command Word) Amulet of Mechanical Life 6.300 gp (3.150 gp + 189 XP) CL5 False Life (Continuous) Boots of Flight 11.340 gp (2.835 gp + 340 XP) CL3 Fly (Command Word) Helm of Perception 7.630 gp (1.908 gp + 229 XP) CL1 See Invisibility (Coninuous), Darkvision (Continuous) and Detect Magic (Command Word) Belt of Power Surge 112.000 gp (28.000 gp + 3.360 XP) CL5 Divine Power (Continuous) Thanks for reading!
#2 dawnmor Sep 13, 2008 12:30:09	Dude, dont put the 18 into Cha, despite what the book says thats the worst thing ever. Go for.....Str 14, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 12, thats without the racial mods. Int is more required sense you need alot of infusions to do your job effectively. Go Warforged so you can turn yourself into a weapon with your infusions, playing a human is OK if you already have a warforged in your group, if you dont then dont go that way. If you want to look like Ironman, then go warforged and give youself fly. Thats the best way to go. http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=813665 Or check that out.
#3 venshad Sep 13, 2008 17:18:24	Stats at first page
#4 eldariel Sep 14, 2008 6:50:15	Don't bother with Armor Proficiency: Heavy. It only helps on first few levels, and you don't have the money to take advantage of that early on. Later on, Magic does it all so much better and you can make all the stuff you want - no point in burning feats to something you can just make. I'd also switch Cha and Dex - Dex 16 would mean your bow/Wand Rays would hit far better. I'd start with Extraordinary Artisan and whatever that supports your primary combat style. Then pick up Legendary Artisan later, Craft Construct at ~8-12 (at 12, you can build a Greater Stone Golem for mere 78750gp (get your allies to pay up!) - those things kick ass, especially buffed up (they only can't use SR-yes spells)! And that's without going into all the bombtastic Effigies you can make). I also very much enjoy Wand Mastery, but that depends on how exactly you plan on attacking. Anyways, you should focus on one combat style. Either Wandery, Melee or Archery. Wandery and Archery both want Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot. Melee would work better for a Warforged. Oh yeah, and I'd consider Item Familiar.
#5 venshad Sep 14, 2008 13:43:57	Don't bother with Armor Proficiency: Heavy. It only helps on first few levels, and you don't have the money to take advantage of that early on. Later on, Magic does it all so much better and you can make all the stuff you want - no point in burning feats to something you can just make. I'd also switch Cha and Dex - Dex 16 would mean your bow/Wand Rays would hit far better. I'd start with Extraordinary Artisan and whatever that supports your primary combat style. Then pick up Legendary Artisan later, Craft Construct at ~8-12 (at 12, you can build a Greater Stone Golem for mere 78750gp (get your allies to pay up!) - those things kick ass, especially buffed up (they only can't use SR-yes spells)! And that's without going into all the bombtastic Effigies you can make). I also very much enjoy Wand Mastery, but that depends on how exactly you plan on attacking. Anyways, you should focus on one combat style. Either Wandery, Melee or Archery. Wandery and Archery both want Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot. Melee would work better for a Warforged. Oh yeah, and I'd consider Item Familiar. Ok, thanks for your advice! I decided to go with Heavy Armor because I want to go a mix between a melee and a ranged artificer. As I'm basing this build upon Iron Man, I develloped an Armor Set in order to better survive the challenges posed by my DM. By going Hv Armor I'm focusing in the defensive side of a melee fighter, later adding Combat Expertise to it's repertoire. In the other side, I develloped a Gauntlet that begins with just one ranged ability, but becomes more powerfull by 11th level. As I have a Mithral Mechanus Gear (PHB), alongside with Armor Optimization Feats I can have a base AC of +14 without any magical enhancement. With another device I made, I'll be able to BAB as a Fighter and (yet another device) I'll be able to have 11-20 HP (temporary) continuously, so less HP to lose.
#6 eldariel Sep 14, 2008 14:13:22	Have you considered Warforged? You'd get the whole "metal man"-thing without actually wearing heavy armor. Doesn't hurt that Warforged make incredible Artificers.
#7 venshad Sep 14, 2008 14:41:32	Have you considered Warforged? You'd get the whole "metal man"-thing without actually wearing heavy armor. Doesn't hurt that Warforged make incredible Artificers. I'm not allowed for warforges. Besides, I like humans ;)
#8 eldariel Sep 16, 2008 14:52:05	Starting with a medium armor and crafting a Mithril Full Plate/Mechanus Gear would be the way I'd go then.
#9 venshad Sep 17, 2008 5:49:26	Starting with a medium armor and crafting a Mithril Full Plate/Mechanus Gear would be the way I'd go then. I was of this idea, but I decided to go Hv Armor Optimization, and I need Hv Armor Proficiency to do so.