Walking Artifillery, need Help (3.5)

[D4rkh0rus]

Artillery.
Artificer.

What would I need to do to have an artificer that walks around with multiple constructs attached to his armor. (like strapped or like linked through mechanical hooks and stuff) (Preferably on both shoulders and both sides of his waist)

these constructs would shoot either bolts or magical rays. or some other obscure explosive weapon. your choice really, as long as it deals damage. extra points if its explosive and can be fluffed as missiles or if its electricity and can be fluffed as a rail gun.

what do I need and how would I go about it?


Can it be done with a build like factotum 3/Artificer 17? or is artificer 20 that much better?

extra points if he can have both his hands free while doing this. for even more rays/bolts.

As a last question, at what level would this come online? (pun intended)


This question was inspired wanting to play something like this:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cGEEtCSyhmo/UY7x-m4Y7qI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/J4nrGExS_CI/s320/7new.jpg

[Starcofski]

As someone who wants to do something similar, I'll share my thoughts thus far:

To fire the bolts or rays, you can use Wands (replaceable, craftable).

As for adding them, the Construct Grafter feat should suffice (allowing you to add the "Artillery" arms/items.

And while I don't know how to make it hands-free, you can attempt to aim the devices via a built-in Mage Hand ring/item (with modifications to the limit/duration/etc of the spell).

Hope some of this helps!

[SoraWolf7]

Artificer 20 seems to be the best method for this in my book. Because there is a lot of cheese you can do as a full artificer.

Are you opposed to being a robot with your weapons built in? Because that can be done.

[Phelix-Mu]

There's a build for psion that involves manifesting astral constructs that have been sculpted around your body. Thus, it's a suit of power armour.

A similar thing could be done with an artificer/psionic artificer, using the rules from MIC regarding psionic versions of magic items. Getting the astral constructs long-lasting and powerful enough to use their psi-like abilities will take a goodly number of levels, though.

Alternatively, you could use Elemental Grafting to attach crysmals to your armour. That would be pretty cool, although their main schtick is at will mindthrust, effective, but only on certain targets.

[Gavinfoxx]

Welll... there are Arbalesters. I homebrewed an animated ballista instead...

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271165

[Nihilarian]

Pick up some Clockwork Armor (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070212a) and...as many arbalesters as you can get. I forget if there are limits.

Then take a look at the Force enchantment from MIC. Now your arbalester(s?) shoot lasers.

Give it/them Sneak Attack with Improved Homunculus.

This method costs a lot, but you're a artificer. Don't multiclass, you need the craft reserve.

[D4rkh0rus]

Thanks for all the posts guys, so basically artificer 20. ok. and lots of arbalesters.

I liked the force enchantmen idea :P

I do wanna ask something though, does anyone dare put up an actual build?

Also... Other than perching 2 arbalesters on your shoulder, is there any way strictly RaW to put more arbalesters on me, on different parts of the body (Instead of waist, on both arms. perhaps?)

[D4rkh0rus]

As for adding them, the Construct Grafter feat should suffice (allowing you to add the "Artillery" arms/items.

And while I don't know how to make it hands-free, you can attempt to aim the devices via a built-in Mage Hand ring/item (with modifications to the limit/duration/etc of the spell).

Hope some of this helps!

The idea is for the equipment to be removable, sort of a suit.

I like the mage hand thing though :P



A similar thing could be done with an artificer/psionic artificer, using the rules from MIC regarding psionic versions of magic items. Getting the astral constructs long-lasting and powerful enough to use their psi-like abilities will take a goodly number of levels, though.

Where is the psionic Artificer?

[Phelix-Mu]

I believe psionic artificer is a variant of the basic artificer, and can, perhaps, be found in Magic of Eberron. Maybe. Haven't looked in ages, and sadly AFB atm.

[Swaoeaeieu]

replace your arms with mighty arm grafts. then get the armbow component. Then find a way to not need a hand to reload it. then dual wield armbows. plus the arbalesters on you shoulders.

Make the arbalesters double crossbows and arm them with splintering bolts. You will block out the sun :P

[D4rkh0rus]

replace your arms with mighty arm grafts. then get the armbow component. Then find a way to not need a hand to reload it. then dual wield armbows. plus the arbalesters on you shoulders.

Make the arbalesters double crossbows and arm them with splintering bolts. You will block out the sun :P

The whole point of the build is that the Artificer ISNT a robot nor does he have any robotic components... rather everything is attached to his armour.

[Petrocorus]

If you want to blast with wands, then a dip into Cleric with the Magic Domain will prevent you to have to roll UMD for activating the wands. And gives you proficiency with full armour and maybe a martial weapon.

Even if you don't, Artificer don't give much after lvl 16. Only one feat and the refreshment of the craft reserve. Which can be made with retain essence anyway. So, multiclassing into factotum or PrCing into Uncanny Trickster or Heir of Siberys fit many artificer builds.

Look in Dungeonscape for the Wand Bracers and Wand Chamber. Homonculi are a bit like familiar, they can use your skills, so i think they can use UMD.
Arbalester using wand could be cool, if that's possible. With a collection of eternal wands, you could even do this without burning WBL and Craft Reserve on a regular basis.

Look for the Blastificer builds on the several Artificer Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=skifnivd54dv5g3ll4j1n3rqb4&topic=399.0)

[Dusk Eclipse]

As far as I am aware there isn't any restriction on how many creatures can share your space, so technically you shouldn't have issues; but you can always craft a backpack or something to cast Floating Disk (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/floatingDisk.htm) for your Arbalasters to stand on.

Heck you could combine a Handy Haversack (or a Bag of Holding) with the Floating Disk Item and have them be a hammerspace dock. Normally it looks like a standard satchel (or armor), but with a command your Arbalasters activate the Floating Disk and come out of the BoH.

[D4rkh0rus]

As far as I am aware there isn't any restriction on how many creatures can share your space, so technically you shouldn't have issues; but you can always craft a backpack or something to cast Floating Disk (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/floatingDisk.htm) for your Arbalasters to stand on.

Heck you could combine a Handy Haversack (or a Bag of Holding) with the Floating Disk Item and have them be a hammerspace dock. Normally it looks like a standard satchel (or armor), but with a command your Arbalasters activate the Floating Disk and come out of the BoH.

Arbalester + floating Disc = http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m490232_99120113017_TauGunDronesMain_445x319.jpg

Yes... YES.

Bag of holding with arbalesters... question... what are the rules for making an item with the ability to cast Foating Disc at will? Do arbalesters have slots for such an item? or does the item have to be slotless? how would I go about creating such a thing? Is it good by RaW or does it require DM intervention?

Its looking real good from the image perspective, but I still almos thave no clue how to crunch it and stat it all ><...

Humanoid, two arbalesters perched on his shoulders, great crossbow in both his hands, loaded with a wand of some powerful electric spell wand (a-la blastificer)...

On his back, a bag of holding. On command, arbalasters and other constructs activate, all fly out using at will floating discs... some of them are arbalesters, others have shields and wind walls, and magic blocking shields... yes. yes YEEES. *drools*

[Swaoeaeieu]

Look in Dungeonscape for the Wand Bracers and Wand Chamber. Homonculi are a bit like familiar, they can use your skills, so i think they can use UMD.
Arbalester using wand could be cool, if that's possible. With a collection of eternal wands, you could even do this without burning WBL and Craft Reserve on a regular basis.


there is also the bracers of wand. in dragon mag 310 i believe. the let you have six wands at the ready and usable without the need for free hands.


The whole point of the build is that the Artificer ISNT a robot nor does he have any robotic components... rather everything is attached to his armour.

just bringing up ideas. Clockwork armour? or some other high techie armour?

[D4rkh0rus]

there is also the bracers of wand. in dragon mag 310 i believe. the let you have six wands at the ready and usable without the need for free hands.



just bringing up ideas. Clockwork armour? or some other high techie armour?

CLockwork armor sounds awesome, but I dont like the fact its a heavy armor... I mean... I wanna have the agility of a Space Marine terminator, you know, backflips and all.

are there other alternatives?

[Dusk Eclipse]

According to the DMG's guidelin a use activated CL 1 (more than enough for battles) item of Floating disk cost 1000 GP or so, but there is a printed magic item (Talisman of the disk) that works 3 hours a day for 500 GP. (note to self, get one ASAP for my rougeblade).

Since Arbalest are construct and this creatures they can activate items normally with their own actions, so it doesn't really costs you anything; I think there are some rules to craft the item directly into the constructs and if not you can ask your DM to alter the embedded components from warforged so they can also work on "normal" constructs.

[D4rkh0rus]

According to the DMG's guidelin a use activated CL 1 (more than enough for battles) item of Floating disk cost 1000 GP or so, but there is a printed magic item (Talisman of the disk) that works 3 hours a day for 500 GP. (note to self, get one ASAP for my rougeblade).

Since Arbalest are construct and this creatures they can activate items normally with their own actions, so it doesn't really costs you anything; I think there are some rules to craft the item directly into the constructs and if not you can ask your DM to alter the embedded components from warforged so they can also work on "normal" constructs.

Allright, thanks that works.

[Dusk Eclipse]

No problem, it is an awesome idea after all and I might use it in a game with the appropriate power level.

[Swaoeaeieu]

CLockwork armor sounds awesome, but I dont like the fact its a heavy armor... I mean... I wanna have the agility of a Space Marine terminator, you know, backflips and all.

are there other alternatives?

Ok i don't know much about space marines so one question comes to mind: BACKFLIPS?! REALLY?! Those dudes are huge with even bigger armour. And they do backflips? [/suprise]

but clockwork armour gives a str bonus and jump is a str check... but it also has a -8 penalty on jump so that thought went nowhere.
alternatives... no light clockwork. but i did see a homebrew somewhere that let you 'wear' a dead warforged as armor. giving you acces to components and other high tech like stuff. but it's homebrew so probably not an option.

[D4rkh0rus]

Ok i don't know much about space marines so one question comes to mind: BACKFLIPS?! REALLY?! Those dudes are huge with even bigger armour. And they do backflips? [/suprise]

but clockwork armour gives a str bonus and jump is a str check... but it also has a -8 penalty on jump so that thought went nowhere.
alternatives... no light clockwork. but i did see a homebrew somewhere that let you 'wear' a dead warforged as armor. giving you acces to components and other high tech like stuff. but it's homebrew so probably not an option.

Re-reading clockwork armor I stumbled upon this:


"Success allows a Medium-size creature of any Strength to use the armor effectively, as long as they have Armor Proficiency (heavy). Creatures without that proficiency may still wear the armor but suffer a -8 Armor Check penalty to all the usual skills and suffer a 90% chance of spell failure."

This leads me to believe that having armor proff (heavy) lets me wear this armor without any arcane spell failure or armor check pen...

or does it stack with the already existing check penalties??



About the backflips... theyre from a horrible writer called C.S. Goto. he butchers warhammer 40k lore on a page by page basis.

[nedz]

Well you'll need Floating Disk, Greater (level 4) if you want to be able to have an altitude greater than 3 feet.

I'm sure I can do the blasters with spells/reserve feats/invocations but autonomous devices are harder.

Explosive spell is a +2 metamagic feat which might be useful.

[Swaoeaeieu]

This leads me to believe that having armor proff (heavy) lets me wear this armor without any arcane spell failure or armor check pen...

or does it stack with the already existing check penalties??

About the backflips... theyre from a horrible writer called C.S. Goto. he butchers warhammer 40k lore on a page by page basis.

It does not say everyone has the penalties. only people without the armor prof (heavy) get the -8. so you could just wear it and do backflips better then you could without the armour

[D4rkh0rus]

Allright...

I would need an artificer/blastificer build....

with two arbalesters with wand storage weapons, then two more arbalesters with some method of flying.

Then iron defenders, for sake of not making thousands.. 2. then another two constructs with some anti magic shield and with the capability of flying as well (not zone, shield)

Is this possible?

[Petrocorus]

Allright...

I would need an artificer/blastificer build....

with two arbalesters with wand storage weapons, then two more arbalesters with some method of flying.

Then iron defenders, for sake of not making thousands.. 2. then another two constructs with some anti magic shield and with the capability of flying as well (not zone, shield)

Is this possible?

Improved Homonculi might allow this. Not even sure the arbalesters need a wand storage weapon, wand are the same size that arrows, and arbalesters have an integrated quiver.

[D4rkh0rus]

Improved Homonculi might allow this. Not even sure the arbalesters need a wand storage weapon, wand are the same size that arrows, and arbalesters have an integrated quiver.

I would probably need to grab and put a wand slot on the crossbow used...

[Drachasor]

This becomes a lot easier if you go with a more Mobile Suit Human (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MobileSuitHuman) route.

Basically, your "armor" is a mount for game mechanic purposes. You want to be as small as possible, ideally fitting inside of it somehow. Other constructs can also ride in it or on it.

Worst case this will be like a War Elephant, 1/4 the size. In principle you should be above to get cover bonuses from the howdah-equivalent. This also helps ensure weaker constructs won't be as easily destroyed since if they can get Improved Cover they get improved evasion for free.

[maniacalmojo]

possibly just make some clockwork armor and then use grafting to graft it to the armor. Would have some neat applications i would think

[Threadnaught]

The minimum price of an item with continuous Repair Minor Damage is 3000gp, creation costs a minimum of 1500gp, 120xp and 3 days. You may want to think about giving your Constructs these in order to prevent damage from accumulating too much. They probably won't be attacked by most enemies outside of AoEs though.

I'd seriously consider paying double for the Armour as it should be classes as Unusual after you're done fitting it for any Constructs that you want the Ride you. Yeah, basically pay double for the Armour so hips, waist, back, shoulders and head are ride able.

Any Homunculus made for the sole purpose of acting as part of your Artifillery charade, should have ranks in Ride by Improved Homunculus and possibly a bonus to Ride. Give them extra Feats based on HD too, don't forget to buy Exotic Military Saddles.

Can I offer the suggestion of Evasion as a Special Ability for the ones riding you? If your enemies attack you with any AoE, they'll risk killing off your attacks and causing even more damage to you, so this would limit that risk.
I've seen people suggesting you use Wands, I've thought of Eternal Wands vs Wands and the Eternal Wands pay for themselves after 25 days minimum. Sure, they're more limited in how usable they are each day, but both have their pros and cons.
In addition to Wands, you can craft Scepters with a Feat from Lost Empires of Faerun, which can store two Spells up to 7th level and cast those like a Wand. You could make Staves for your Constructs, that allow them to use a more varied selection of Spells. Last of all, there's Custom Magic Item creation, you could create something similar to all of these with up to 9th level Spells. Maybe have that one Construct riding you with a 1/day Disjunction, Reaving Dispel or anything as useful as either of those.
If you decide to go the route of Custom Items and it's cleared by the DM, try to make sure they're items that your Homunculi can wear as well as activate while riding you, it's prohibitively expensive and likely to get you killed every time enemies use an AoE damage Spell or attack, but hey it doesn't matter if you win or lose. Either way you'll look cool doing it and that's all that really matters.

I'm definitely doing this. It's effectively Aladdin/Ironman/Nick Fury/Snow White/Alien. :smallcool: