Artificer Questions/Help

[JamesW]

Hello again everyone!

This time around I'm making an artificer. I chose to be a Strongheart Halfling for the bonus feat and extra AC from size and dex.

I have found an artificer Handbook and it was helpful. But I was curious what the active minds of The Giant's Playground thought.

The following are some questions I had...

1) Is the Artificer the best class for making magic items? If not, what is?
2) I started with Extraordinary Artisan and Legendary Artisan so I could build items from level one with some discounts. What other feats would you recommend in place of these? Or what should I take next if I want to specialize in crafting magical items?
3) I am a little concerned about the character being able to help much during the gaming sessions. Activating inscriptions to help with combat is impossible because my group does not play with action points. Can anyone put these fears to rest?

Thanks a bunch!

Edit: Fixed Question two! Sorry about that.

[Goonthegoof]

1) Yes
2) Isn't a question
3) Ask your DM to figure out a replacement, as taking away action points directly nerfs the artificer. Get something as recompense. Aside from that, artificers get several boosts to activating spell trigger items such as wands and can make them very cheaply. Stock up on wands of things like glitterdust and entangle early game and you'll make a very useful difference in a direct fight.

[Aharon]

1) Yes
2) They are standard. Other ways to lower costs are the Magical Artisan feat from FRCS, and Elemental Binding, from MoE. Further ideas can be found in this cost reduction handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=7274.0), what you can put into your build depends on what else you want to focus on.
3)
a) Depending what level you start at, you may be able to use spell completion and spell trigger items reliably.
b) If you start at a very low level (1-3), you should take a thorough look at the available infusions. A few of them have a 1 round or even shorter casting time, you should focus on these, and use the others if possible. As you don't have to prepare, you can adapt your strategy to the situation (Example: Armor Enhancement, Personal has a 1 minute casting time, but a duration of 10 minutes/level. If you play with the Unearthed Arcana traits, you could take spellgifted for Transmutation so that this amounts to 20 minutes at first level. If you know you face an encounter, you can prepare beforehand, and use it for the Blinding (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicArmor.htm#blinding) enhancement on your shield, so you can blind your opponents twice in this encounter.
c) You could multiclass to the seer and take the Alternative class feature (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070411a) that grants fate points, which are functionally equivalent to action points. As you have to sacrifice a level to get this advantage, this should be balanced.

[Yuki Akuma]

You could always ask the DM to alter the feat so it lets you shorten the casting time of infusions twice per day or something.

[AerykVyrion]

3) You can take the metamagic feat Rapid Spell (Complete Divine) to reduce most artificer infusions to a 1 round casting time with only a 1 level increase in spell level. There's also the feat Rapid Infusion (Magic of Eberron) that does the same thing, but no increase in spell level; however, it only lets you do so once a day. It was written to assume you were also using action points, so having it work more often would not be a very unreasonable thing to ask from your DM. :smallsmile: