Finding my Niche

[Angry Bob]

Me and my artificer feel useless.

Let me elaborate. The party is currently level 4-5, with four characters.

The party and roles filled at this point:

Wildshape Ranger 4 or 5(I forget)(Should be tanking, isn't. Excusable, player is new, she really just wants a unicorn. Going into modified Beloved of Valarian)

Draconic Human(?) Rogue 5(Skillmonkey, optimized for hiding and precision damage, going into Lord of Silence, a 3rd-party PrC)

Half-Minotaur Incarnate Construct Warforged Greenbound Druid 2(Tanking, DPS, Battlefield Control, Healing, wtf ever. DM is having a talk with him before we play again.)

Me - Artificer 4(I've been dropping buffs on their gear(that end up not mattering), providing magical utility(via spell storing item), and dropping flanking buddies with a wand of Summon Monster I, but we haven't had enough time or money for me to build anything worthwhile.)

As I mentioned, I feel pretty useless. Who's played an artificer before? Was there ever a problem? If you solved it, how did you? Should I just play a wizard for all the good I'm doing?

If there's a way to make Artificer entertaining and useful at this level, let's hear it, because I want to not retire the character out of boredom before I can Metamagic Spell Trigger and just pwn like that..

[grimbold]

well artificers get really fun after 7th level or so, if you wait it out you have one of the most fun classes to play

[Angry Bob]

Yeah. What do you do until then?

[Vizzerdrix]

You buff yourself to high heaven. First thing in a fight put either bane or merciful on your weapon, then go to town. They should give you the extra oomph to knock things out faster than most.

The lack of time for crafting is killer. See if your DM is willing to let you use an idea like this: The next time you level up, you can spend some of your crafting reserve and gold on 1 item that you say you've been retroactively working on in your spare time (such as when your waiting for casters to prep spells, or setting up camp, or even for a few minutes before going to bed.)

Complete Mage has a magic Quill that will scribe scrolls for you while you sleep, and a dedicated wright should be your first homunculus when you can. The best thing however, is to talk with your DM outside the game and ask if the group can get a little down time. If you explain that you need some time to use your class then he should be willing to help you out. It'll also give the other players time to retrain or add spells to books or what have you.

[Angry Bob]

But... but I'm a noncombatant. With STR 12.

But yeah, I guess that would work too. With all the abominationwolves(and for that matter, the druid himself) running around, no one's going to focus on me.

[Khatoblepas]

Half-Minotaur Incarnate Construct Warforged Greenbound Druid 2(Tanking, DPS, Battlefield Control, Healing, wtf ever. DM is having a talk with him before we play again.)

One of the probable reasons why you feel useless is because this guy is cheating.

Half Minotaur (LA+1) + Greenbound (LA+8) + Incarnate Construct (LA -2) makes him a ECL9 character in your ECL4-5 group. His warped stats make your buffs look like nothing. A druid 2 shouldn't even be able to do all that much of what you said he's doing. Ask your DM to check out the balance there.


But yes, I think it's a good idea if you ask the DM to give you guys a break so as an Artificer, you can use your class features. Once the quill/wright get going, he can apply the pressure again. There's some handy hints over at BG here (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5929.0) . With Spell Storing Item with any spell in any book (need a situational spell? It's just one UMD check away... even if it's on the Ranger or Paladin list), and Bane on your weapon keyed to the creature you're fighting (I used a crossbow when I was an artificer), you should be good to go, once you've offed the munchkin.

[Angry Bob]

No no no, he's using the Greenbound Summoning feat. But the race/template is still illegal. Half-minotaur is inherited on a humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or giant, and Incarnate Construct is acquired, so there's no legal way to have that. He's a mineral warrior as well but there's "nothing" wrong with that. Like I said, the DM's having a talk with him before we play again.

[PlzBreakMyCmpAn]

Somebody hasn't figured out to abuse WBL yet...

Comon dude. You're an artificer. Most every book printed makes your class stronger. Like a wizard but with magic items instead of spells.

[jguy]

With enough feats and by putting alignment/skill requirements on items, you can reduce a 10,000g item down to about 1,800 gold and 53 xp. This is HUGE and only takes 1-2 days to make. You can get this by level 4 as well, at least for wondrous items. For weapons it takes a few more levels but that is what Infusions are for.

Also, here is an easy way to end encounters all by your lonesome. In the DMGII there are elemental summoning weapon enhancements that allow you to summons an elemental whose size depends on the enhancement cost. If you already have a +1 weapon, and I pray you do, here are the element sizes for enhancement cost.

+1 - Large
+2 - Huge
+3 - Greater
+4 - Elder

Your weapon just became an uber wand for a couple fights.

[Endarire]

Find a way to make a Dedicated Wright (Eberron Campaign Setting 285) to craft stuff for you. Make the stuff you need.

My Artificer experience: Start with a bow or crossbow and shoot, shoot, shoot. Work your way up to magic items. If you have the materials, you can make an item to cast any spell. (That includes anyspell from Spell Compendium 14!)

Dungeon Master's Guide II 254-255 has rules for the Air Elemental Power on a weapon, but like all Elemental Power enchantments, it requires you first have an associated ability (Shocking [+1] or Shocking Burst [+2]).

[Vizzerdrix]

But... but I'm a noncombatant. With STR 12.

But yeah, I guess that would work too. With all the abominationwolves(and for that matter, the druid himself) running around, no one's going to focus on me.

Crossbows don't care what your Str is. They love you just the same so long as you put Bane Bolts into things early and often :smallamused:

[FelixG]

With enough feats and by putting alignment/skill requirements on items, you can reduce a 10,000g item down to about 1,800 gold and 53 xp. This is HUGE and only takes 1-2 days to make. You can get this by level 4 as well, at least for wondrous items. For weapons it takes a few more levels but that is what Infusions are for.

Is that just using just ECS or lots of sources? if the latter could you list the various feats? Could be useful here :D

But ya use your infusions and a crossbow and lul at the monsters until you start crafting your own things

Remember: magic items are worked on in 1000GP per day measurements, you can get done with alot of things in a quick time (considering this is an 8 hour work day) and just say you are working on it in your spare time, during meals, your watch at night ect

This is particularly good if you are a warforged, you take the whole nights watch as you dont sleep and spend those 8 hours of rest everyone else uses to make your magic zappy items

Also warforged is one of the best races for artificers as you can start making yourself into one massive magic item (each individual area anyway)

what im getting at: with various areas turned into magic items, you can be Iron man if you want :smallbiggrin:

[jguy]

Since you asked I'll post them. You start out with 10,000g item you are going to make.

Crafting it yourself. Reduces by 50%. 5000g

Extraordinary Artisan. Reduces by 25%. 3750g

Magic Artisan. Reduces by 25%. 2812.5g (This is a feat from Magic of Faerun I believe. Allows you to pick an item crafting feat and further reduce materials by 25%)

Requires an Alignment to wield. Reduces by 30%. 1968.75g (source, DMG)

Requires ranks in a certain skill. Reduces by 10%. 1771.875g (source, DMG)

XP cost.

Crafting - Xp = 1/25th of final cost. 70.875xp

Legendary Artisan - Reduces final XP cost by 25%. 53.15625xp

There you go. 10,000g item cut down to almost 17% base cost

[Angry Bob]

Huh. I didn't notice people were still posting. Thanks for the advice. I've found a few artificer handbooks here and there, I'll start working on stuff.

[jguy]

Good luck showing up your fellow adventurers with your absurdly powerful gear!

[Tvtyrant]

Aparatus of the Crab made of adamant. You can now pwn in melee combat.

Also, remember to buff the crab :D

[Angry Bob]

Follow-up: We finished the mod we were on, and got as much downtime as we needed in a big city.

Me and the rogue split most of the treasure while the druid wasn't looking and made a bunch of stuff(Packmate homunculus for me, scrolls of fireball for me, UMD competence item for me, +3 rapier for him, altered celestial armor for him, using freedom of movement instead of fly and chaotic instead of good, random competence items for him). Keep in mind we're at levels 5-6 now. Life is good.

Thanks for all the help.

[Person_Man]

Have you met my dear friends Alter Self (www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Alter_Self) and battlefield control?

Alter Self is easy to abuse (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19871862/3.5Forms_for_Alter_Self). It grants you the "natural size, mundane movement capabilities (such as burrowing, climbing, walking, swimming, and flight with wings, to a maximum speed of 120 feet for flying or 60 feet for nonflying movement), natural armor bonus, natural weapons (such as claws, bite, and so on), racial skill bonuses, racial bonus feats, and any gross physical qualities (presence or absence of wings, number of extremities, and so forth)." It also lasts 10 minutes per level.

I'm assuming you're a humanoid (the weakest option), and not a +0 LA Outsider (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20040613a&page=2) or +0 LA Fey (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050907a&page=2) or +0 LA abberations (www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Elans_(Race). For you, good options would include:

Locathah (dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/SRD:Locathah): Swim Speed.
Asabi: Burrow Speed.
Avarial: Fly Speed.
Mountain Spirit Folk: Climb Speed.
Troglodyte (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Troglodytes_(Race)): +6 natural armor bonus, 2 claws, bite, Multiattack.
Phaerlock: +7 natural armor, 2 claws, bite, Multiattack, Swim Speed.
Skulk: +8 to Move Silently, +15 to Hide.


And that's a very partial list. If you're playing in Eberron, I'm sure there are several dozen other fine options in the back of it's many splat books.


Battlefield control is more of a concept then a specific spell. Basically you find things that control your enemy and/or his movement and/or actions. Good examples include Grease, Web, Stinking Cloud, and any Summon spell. (Hint: Don't Summon 1 creature and use it to flank. Summon 1d4+1 and use them to swarm your enemies and block their movement. If your enemies are attacking them instead of you most of the time, then you win).


Side Comment: The Elf Paladin racial substitution levels from Races of the Wild allows a Paladin 5 to get a Unicorn Special Mount. It's a lot quicker and stronger then Beloved of Valarian.