I found a golden ticket!

[Invader]

So my DM just informed me that he waves the xp cost associated with crafting in his campaign in which I'm playing an Artificer.

How should I most suitably have fun with this boon?

[weckar]

Don't abuse it, I'd say. Your DM is being quite generous here.

[Magesmiley]

As it kind of nerfs the big benefit that the artificer has over other crafters, you might inquire if your pool of XPs for crafting could be converted into a GP value for crafting.

[Chronos]

Focus mostly on making gear for your party mates. That'll help keep you from overshadowing them, which makes it more fun for everyone.

[Invader]

I wouldn't go crazy by any means I was just wondering if there's any really fun stuff that doesn't get made due to excessive xp costs.

[Bakeru]

As it kind of nerfs the big benefit that the artificer has over other crafters, you might inquire if your pool of XPs for crafting could be converted into a GP value for crafting.If he's the only crafter in the group (or at least the only one for which it's waived), it doesn't nerf him.

[Invader]

And I will be the only crafter in the group.

[Slipperychicken]

Personally, I'd suggest converting crafting XP costs into material costs at a rate of 5 gold per 1 XP.


Don't abuse it, I'd say. Your DM is being quite generous here.

I agree. He's using a houserule which I support, so there's no reason to punish him for that.

I'd recommend spamming utilitarian things like scrolls, potions, and wands. And you get to do the normal schtick of multiplying the group's WBL.

[Chronos]

I would assume that he's still using the XP costs associated with spells (like the Wishes needed for tomes). If he's not, then you should strongly recommend to him that he do so.

Aside from spells with XP components, the XP costs are directly proportional to the gold costs, so what's worthwhile won't change.

[Invader]

I would assume that he's still using the XP costs associated with spells (like the Wishes needed for tomes). If he's not, then you should strong y recommend to him that he do so.

Aside from spells with XP components, the XP costs are directly proportional to the gold costs, so what's worthwhile won't change.

As far as I know he's not. We're in the camp of just leveling up at a certain point instead of getting xp. That being said I'm not the kind of player to abuse that in any way.

I was thinking about having a potion/scroll factory of multiple homoculi pumping out stuff for the group as it looks like we have currently a druid, rogue, bard, and a fighter/ranger all at 4th level.

I'm focusing on wands for myself both blasting and utilitarian.

[Phelix-Mu]

Getting rid of experience points entirely, while it certainly has its merits, is full of problematic things. Limiters on things like true creation, awaken, construct crafting, and energy transformation field are all rather important to game balance for these abilities.

But, as long as you are willing to keep it under control, I'd advise some modest fun involving effigies or other constructs. Avoid the hyperbolic stuff and mostly make utilitarian servants that can staff your HQ, help craft mundane stuff, gather information, stand guard, etc. A construct-user is a pretty interesting character motif, and can be tied into some personal philosophies or goals (or psychological problems :smallwink: ).

Another thing to do involves networking portable holes and planar ring gates, and requires some DM rulings on how one can move between portable holes, lol. I had way too much fun in an epic campaign where the DM similarly had gotten rid of experience point costs (though he'd gone for 1xp=5gp conversion, but at epic levels this was a non-issue).

[Invader]

I was wondering what kind of fun you could have with constructs.

[Metahuman1]

Getting rid of experience points entirely, while it certainly has its merits, is full of problematic things. Limiters on things like true creation, awaken, construct crafting, and energy transformation field are all rather important to game balance for these abilities.

But, as long as you are willing to keep it under control, I'd advise some modest fun involving effigies or other constructs. Avoid the hyperbolic stuff and mostly make utilitarian servants that can staff your HQ, help craft mundane stuff, gather information, stand guard, etc. A construct-user is a pretty interesting character motif, and can be tied into some personal philosophies or goals (or psychological problems :smallwink: ).



Do this, have wands and scrolls and potions and a couple of other things to help take care of healing and take that burden off the party and make sure there gear is up to speed, and then just find something to due with actions in combat that no one else is doing? Got a blaster, buff people, got a buffer, do debuffing, got a debuffer, blast away.

Your contributing that way, but not overwhelming the party and the DM cause everyone's having more fun.

[Invader]

Is using an item familiar still worth it for the UMD bonus or should I skip it?

[Phelix-Mu]

Effigies are a really interesting place to go with constructs. Basically, you make a robot version of creature x. The conversion isn't identical, and there are some limitations, but it's close enough that you can have some relatively cheap, small HD critters about for utilitarian purposes. Robot eagles for scouting, robot dogs for hunting/tracking (not sure they actually retain Scent, though) or flushing out targets, robot horses for riding, robot rabbits for cute factor, etc. Assuming there isn't a summoner in the party, you can cover a lot of the more mundane side of summoner utility.

Plus, maybe you could arrange an "Off Switch" option with the DM for a small surcharge. When you turn the effigy off, it's just an object, which may open up some additional options, like shrink item. Otherwise, just carry a bunch around in a portable hole/enveloping pit.

Or, we could go weird. Have your character be some kind of anti-social person who is nevertheless very codependent (not anti-social by choice, just very bad at it). Make small robot humanoids, name them after the fellow party members and important npcs, and play games with them at night in which your character fantasizes about having better socialization skills. (Like that episode of Star Trek:TNG *wink*.)

Rudimentary Intelligence is a Dragon Magazine option when crafting a construct that allows the creator to imbue the construct with an Int score = 1/2 CL. Not sure how that would work with an artificer, but it's one of the easier methods of creating intelligent constructs that are still 100% loyal.

Finally, awaken. If you combo awaken with some of the artificer Diplomancy tools, you can come up with all manner of fun allies (picture walking around with a cadre of 40' tall oak trees, each sporting 32HD). They aren't as dependable as constructs, and strictly speaking are npcs under the control of the DM, but this would allow more of a menagerie motif. Also, their mental scores can be maximized via metamagic and they can be psyref'd, which is a big plus from a personalization angle.

[Seer_of_Heart]

Rudimentary Intelligence is a Dragon Magazine option when crafting a construct that allows the creator to imbue the construct with an Int score = 1/2 CL. Not sure how that would work with an artificer, but it's one of the easier methods of creating intelligent constructs that are still 100% loyal.
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Don't artificers have a cl? I don't have the book on hand to check but I believe it says they have a cl, and if they can qualify for it artificers can even get progression prestige classes that advance neutrally arcane/divine.