GiantkillerJack
2013-11-19, 10:38 PM
Dear Playground,
For years I have loved the concept of the artificer, but it was only when I read it a few days ago that I noticed I had completely misunderstood it. At some point in time I must have read up on the Pathfinder artificer, not noticed, and confused it with the 3.5 description. Since I play in 3.5, I was wondering if there is some way to remake the artificer as a 3.5 prestige class that captures some of the abilities it had in Pathfinder or Eberron.
I really love the concept of a character that can, given enough time, produce a working approximation of any spell. Using this to create magic items was an amazing concept to me, and I was greatly disappointed when I went to read the class features and saw it was not there. I was even more disappointed to know that they really didn’t invent much magic at all.
To be blunt, I do not like the idea of weird science at all. I much prefer the idea of handling spellcasting advancing like the other magical prestige classes (+1 caster lv. and such, without the class’ other features).
This however, raises the question of how to handle infusions, which think should be counted as spells. This would simplify the class a bit, consolidating the lists of things I can do, and would allow us to exactly define the limits of how it works.
One particular question this raises is how should they be learned/prepared? For a sorcerer/wizard to automatically learn a new spell titled “infuse” is all well and good, but how many times can a wizard prepare a generic infusion spell per day? How many times would he want to? This seems imbalanced because at any point in time a sorcerer might decide “I could really use a casting of knock right now.”
All of the options I have come to make infusions too impractical for a character to abuse also made them too impractical to use at all. I have kind of given up on them because that really would be too much power for one character.
As such I have come to the greatest counsel I know of gamers, metagamers, nerds, and all around hilarious people, to ask for help with this project. I am willing to hear that I am wishing for the iron triangle, but if this is doable in a game of D&D 3.5, without breaking rules or ruining friendships then I would like to do it.
There are several key components of this class that make or break the deal for me:
• Taking levels in this artificer variant (is that the proper word for what I am asking for?) counts as advancing my spellcasting in a spellcaster base class of my choice.
• Bonus feats are granted by leveling up the class. I am not fond of the artificer class that granted many perks to crafting, but few actual means of doing so. If possible I would like the feats from the Eberron list applied, level for level, to this variant.
• The Disenchant ability and the bonus for crafting must stay.
• These artificers are capable of crafting items they know the item creation feat for, but not the spells for.
Understanding that I am asking for a lot I wanted to highlight several areas where I think penalties can be applied to help even out the class.
• If I am asking for too much with the “craft anything regardless of the spell’s needed” (especially since I probably will not have infusions), I am willing to make the character a Midgardian Dwarf (that grants the same feature, correct?).
• The requirements for taking the class could be bumped up, like a higher caster level, other skills needed, etc.
• Possibly having to finish a special quest for the purpose of proving oneself to such an artificer to gain an apprenticeship.
• It seems that lessening the xp granted at each level for the craft reserve may be an easy fix.
• Since I am planning on running a supportive/magically offensive spellcaster I do not really feel the need for any sort of martial weapons (in keeping with the standard rules on the subject). Also, shields can be ruled out.
I was also wondering about the concept of invention. Artificers are supposed to be on the leading edge in magical item creation, and that was something the pathfinder’s weird science did better than any other class I have seen.
I do not really want bonuses for inventing new spells, but I would like to have an in game justification for why my character can take plans for a dancing knife (which orbits the user and attacks outward) and use them to make a reverse enchant dancing knife (which orbits the victim and attacks inward).
Also, just as a side note how many enchantments can be put into a single item? It seems like this sort of individual might be able to get a bit more magic into the same space (at equivalent costs of course). Possibly making that dancing knife a returning dancing knife.
Any and all help is much appreciated,
Jack
For years I have loved the concept of the artificer, but it was only when I read it a few days ago that I noticed I had completely misunderstood it. At some point in time I must have read up on the Pathfinder artificer, not noticed, and confused it with the 3.5 description. Since I play in 3.5, I was wondering if there is some way to remake the artificer as a 3.5 prestige class that captures some of the abilities it had in Pathfinder or Eberron.
I really love the concept of a character that can, given enough time, produce a working approximation of any spell. Using this to create magic items was an amazing concept to me, and I was greatly disappointed when I went to read the class features and saw it was not there. I was even more disappointed to know that they really didn’t invent much magic at all.
To be blunt, I do not like the idea of weird science at all. I much prefer the idea of handling spellcasting advancing like the other magical prestige classes (+1 caster lv. and such, without the class’ other features).
This however, raises the question of how to handle infusions, which think should be counted as spells. This would simplify the class a bit, consolidating the lists of things I can do, and would allow us to exactly define the limits of how it works.
One particular question this raises is how should they be learned/prepared? For a sorcerer/wizard to automatically learn a new spell titled “infuse” is all well and good, but how many times can a wizard prepare a generic infusion spell per day? How many times would he want to? This seems imbalanced because at any point in time a sorcerer might decide “I could really use a casting of knock right now.”
All of the options I have come to make infusions too impractical for a character to abuse also made them too impractical to use at all. I have kind of given up on them because that really would be too much power for one character.
As such I have come to the greatest counsel I know of gamers, metagamers, nerds, and all around hilarious people, to ask for help with this project. I am willing to hear that I am wishing for the iron triangle, but if this is doable in a game of D&D 3.5, without breaking rules or ruining friendships then I would like to do it.
There are several key components of this class that make or break the deal for me:
• Taking levels in this artificer variant (is that the proper word for what I am asking for?) counts as advancing my spellcasting in a spellcaster base class of my choice.
• Bonus feats are granted by leveling up the class. I am not fond of the artificer class that granted many perks to crafting, but few actual means of doing so. If possible I would like the feats from the Eberron list applied, level for level, to this variant.
• The Disenchant ability and the bonus for crafting must stay.
• These artificers are capable of crafting items they know the item creation feat for, but not the spells for.
Understanding that I am asking for a lot I wanted to highlight several areas where I think penalties can be applied to help even out the class.
• If I am asking for too much with the “craft anything regardless of the spell’s needed” (especially since I probably will not have infusions), I am willing to make the character a Midgardian Dwarf (that grants the same feature, correct?).
• The requirements for taking the class could be bumped up, like a higher caster level, other skills needed, etc.
• Possibly having to finish a special quest for the purpose of proving oneself to such an artificer to gain an apprenticeship.
• It seems that lessening the xp granted at each level for the craft reserve may be an easy fix.
• Since I am planning on running a supportive/magically offensive spellcaster I do not really feel the need for any sort of martial weapons (in keeping with the standard rules on the subject). Also, shields can be ruled out.
I was also wondering about the concept of invention. Artificers are supposed to be on the leading edge in magical item creation, and that was something the pathfinder’s weird science did better than any other class I have seen.
I do not really want bonuses for inventing new spells, but I would like to have an in game justification for why my character can take plans for a dancing knife (which orbits the user and attacks outward) and use them to make a reverse enchant dancing knife (which orbits the victim and attacks inward).
Also, just as a side note how many enchantments can be put into a single item? It seems like this sort of individual might be able to get a bit more magic into the same space (at equivalent costs of course). Possibly making that dancing knife a returning dancing knife.
Any and all help is much appreciated,
Jack