Artificer Help

[Tokuhara]

I'm joining a lv1 campaign Saturday and I plan on rolling up a human artificer. Having never played one, I am kinda diving feet-first into a new class for myself and my group. My DM told me that he's actually going to turn this into a book.

I plan on turning this artificer into a pseudo-steampunk character. help?

[gorfnab]

Well the Artificers Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5929.0) is a good place to start. Are you wanting to go Blastificer, Meleeficer, Buffificer, Archificer, or Hordeficer? For a steampunk style character you could go Artificer 5/ Renegade Mastermaker 10/ X 5 (either more artificer or something that advances artificer like Alchemist Savant).

[Tokuhara]

Well the Artificers Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5929.0) is a good place to start. Are you wanting to go Blastificer, Meleeficer, Buffificer, Archificer, or Hordeficer? For a steampunk style character you could go Artificer 5/ Renegade Mastermaker 10/ X 5 (either more artificer or something that advances artificer like Alchemist Savant).

Mastermaker was a definite idea, and I don't understand the sub-ficers. I've read the handbook a hundred times and am still lost.

[phlidwsn]

Blastificer: Focus on using metamagic'd wands for damage
Meleeficer: Focus on wading in with melee weapons
Buffificer: Focus on wands with buff spells and infusions to support the rest of the party, usually minors in another role as well.
Archificer: Focus on bow or crossbow for ranged weapon damage (instead of the spells of the Blastificer)
Hordeficer: Focus on Homunculi & craft construct to build a small army of minions to do your fighting for you, supported by your buff spells & infusions.

[Cadian 9th]

How long have you been playing 3.5? Have you played casters before? Wizard? Artificer is a very hard class to play (well), and quite easy to completely cripple yourself.

If you are confident in your ability to play it, I'd suggest Glyph seals from MiC, when you get there. In terms of steampunk moving-towards, remember that your hommonculii do not have to range ahead, you could have an arbalester be your crossbow gauntlet and what have you.

If you're moving into renegade mastermaker, make sure you get the retain essence class feature beforehand.

...Again, if you're not 100% understanding and confident in your artificer playing ability, I'd suggest you not play it just yet, especially if your DM is placing a lot of stock/faith in this game. A Wizard, for example, can craft almost as well, except for craft reserve and feats. There are even prestige classes that will enhance your crafting ability.

[Tokuhara]

How long have you been playing 3.5? Have you played casters before? Wizard? Artificer is a very hard class to play (well), and quite easy to completely cripple yourself.

If you are confident in your ability to play it, I'd suggest Glyph seals from MiC, when you get there. In terms of steampunk moving-towards, remember that your hommonculii do not have to range ahead, you could have an arbalester be your crossbow gauntlet and what have you.

If you're moving into renegade mastermaker, make sure you get the retain essence class feature beforehand.

...Again, if you're not 100% understanding and confident in your artificer playing ability, I'd suggest you not play it just yet, especially if your DM is placing a lot of stock/faith in this game. A Wizard, for example, can craft almost as well, except for craft reserve and feats. There are even prestige classes that will enhance your crafting ability.

I've played a Wizard into epic, as well as a druid and a soulknife//warblade, so I have a lot of experience.

I think I will start as a Blastificer, then shift gently into midrange, considering we will have an Elf Sorcerer "Mortar".

And a question on Infusions. If I took a PrC that advances casting, could it advance Infusions (something like Effigy Master, etc)

[gorfnab]

And a question on Infusions. If I took a PrC that advances casting, could it advance Infusions (something like Effigy Master, etc)

To quote the handbook I posted the link to earlier:


Other than these PrC that were specifically designed with the Artificer in mind, the Artificer can take a good number of older PrC, with some limitations. Any PrC requiring a generic spellcasting level is fair game for the Artificer to take, with their Artificer level counting as their spellcasting level, however if the PrC specifically states that it requires arcane spellcasting levels or divine spellcasting levels, the Artificer will not qualify. In a similar vein, if a PrC grants “+1 spellcasting level”, it will increase the Artificer’s caster level, and grants new infusions per day and infusion levels, but none of the other Artificer abilities (such as refilling the craft reserve). If the PrC specifically says that it grants “+1 arcane/divine spellcaster level”, it does not advance the Artificer abilities, as the Artificer abilities are neither arcane nor divine.