Help with a lvl 6 Artificer

[RNAssassin]

Hey all,

I'm getting ready to play in my first 4e campaign. I want to play a Warforged Artificer. I want to focus on healing and supporting the party, with a side of crafting/alchemy.

I think I've got my powers and stats selected, but I'm having problems picking feats and Magic Items. My GM is giving me 3 magic items (one each of level 5, 6, and 7) and 1100 gold to use for my items.

I would appreciate any recommendations you guys have. Thanks!

[Urpriest]

What sort of implement/weapon are you planning to focus on? Ranged or melee?

[RNAssassin]

I was thinking of just using a staff, since it can be both a weapon and implement, but I'm open for anything.

[Urpriest]

Staff is cool. The Staff Expertise feat gives immunity to AOOs from ranged attacks, IIRC, which might be helpful if you take a mix of melee and ranged powers.

[DragonBaneDM]

Agreeing with UrPriest. I think it's a really cool feat!

My artificers have always dropped feats for proficiency with some sort of sword, but it really isn't too necessary.

I suggest using this!

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/drag/201103abilities

I dunno if you've seen it, but Warforged can get Int/Con instead of Str/Con. It'll help a good bit.

Static Shock is my favorite Artificer Power. Melee 5 is fun fun fun, and it lets you play Swordmage-lite. Also, Magic Weapon is just fantastic. Your Con score should hopefully be beefy, so it's a great damage boost for multi attackers.

Finally, dodge the summon powers. They work...but not until later on. The one that lets you summon a giant crossbow is the first real decent one.

EDIT: Poop. You took care of powers. Uhhhhh...oh yeah! WARFORGED TACTICS! Free +1 to hit pretty much!

[tcrudisi]

Also, Magic Weapon is just fantastic. Your Con score should hopefully be beefy, so it's a great damage boost for multi attackers.

I know you've said that you have powers chosen, but if you didn't take Magic Weapon then please reconsider. It's one of the best at-will powers in the game, bar none. In fact, an argument could be made that it is the #1 leader at-will power and quite possibly the best at-will power in the game. Yeah, it's that good.

Oof, I just realized that if you are wielding a staff, you are going to have serious problems using Magic Weapon at a distance. This makes Magic Weapon's usefulness decline significantly for you. That's a real shame.

Generic advice for your items: you want a +2 weapon. As a leader, you don't give out bonuses unless you hit, so ensuring you have a +2 weapon is a step in the right direction. Since you are going gish, you want good armor. Therefore I'd make the other +2 item your armor and make the level 5 item be your neck item. I would give advice on these, but I really don't know what you are wanting out of your character so I can't really go beyond those simple basics.

For feats, look at things which help you go first in combat (Improved Initiative) and those that will help you hit (Staff Expertise). Mark of Healing is an excellent feat to increase your ability to support your allies. Potent Restorables is pretty good. Staff Fighting is also a very good feat (bonus to AC, opens up Dual Implement Spellcaster). That's the short list I would look at, although there are plenty more that are good options.

[DragonBaneDM]

EDIT: Wrong. Oh God. I was wrong. I'm a ninkempoop don't read this post.

Oh...oh my God...

For once in my life I am in disagreement with tdcrudisi. This has seriously never happened before... I'm sorry old friend.

Okay, it's just something little, I'm a bit of a drama queen today. Mark of Healing. I wouldn't take it until you have other healing powers, because your Healing Infusions don't actually make people spend surges.

They heal a certain number of HP and then you recharge em afterwards. So no surge is actually spent, and that's what triggers the saving throw.

[tcrudisi]

Is there a difference in our sources? Mine (the character builder because I'm too poor to fly back to the US to look at my Eberron book) says:

Whenever you use a healing power on an ally or use Heal to allow an ally to spend his or her second wind, that ally can also make a saving throw.
(Other stuff here concerning rituals.)

Mark of Healing isn't triggered by spending a healing surge but rather just by using a power with the healing keyword. And I double-checked. Healing Infusion: Curative Admixture does count as a healing power.

[DragonBaneDM]

Gahhhhh! I are foiled! That's what I get for being uppity. Dangit.

Well I guess it's good then! Not like a top tier pick, though. I'd be using Resistive Formula a good bit with that nice of a Con score.