[3.5] New to DnD, New to Artificer

[Nightly]

Hello there, I'm fairly new to Dnd my only character being a lvl 4 scout. With my DM's approval I'm going to make a Blastificer in the 3.5 campaign.
I have the base char made and was hoping I could get some input on it.

First question, how does my starting lineup look?
Start Level:
2
Race:
Human
Abilities:
Str: 10
Dex: 14
Con: 12
Int: 16
Wis: 12
Cha: 10

Craft Armorsmith 4
Craft Weaponsmith 4
Craft Blacksmith 4
Craft Pottery 3
Craft Sculpt 3
Know Arcana 3
Know Nature 3
Know The Planes 3
Know Arch/Engineering 3
Spellcraft 5
UMD 5

Starting 2 Feats
PBS
Precise Shot


Second question, how do these future feats look for a blastificer?
3 Feat: Extraordinary Artisan
4 Bonus: Quicken
6 Feat: Sculpt Spell
8 Bonus: Energy Substitution
9 Feat: Wand Mastery
12 Feat: Attune Magic Weapon
12 Bonus: Empower
15 Feat: Extra Rings
16 Bonus: Admixture
18 Feat: Wand Surege
20 Bonus: Maximize

Third question, I'm starting off at level 2 with 1500 gold. I was thinking of making a MC light crossbow, get the basic adventuring gear, and studded armor. Is there anything that I should craft off the bat or save as much as possible for perhaps a HHH at 3 or a dedicated wright/expedious messenger at 4?


Any input on advised feats, spells, or purchase/craftables is highly appreciated.

Thanks

[Afgncaap5]

Dedicated Wright isn't "necessary" so much as it's a huge, huge time saver both for you and the DM. I highly recommend it as soon as possible. And Handy Haversacks are similarly handy, letting you have just the right item in a moment's notice.

I've only played one Artificer before, so I'm likely not the best for this, but I found it handy to make one or two "Eternal Wands" early in my career. If your DM likes dropping mysterious magic items onto you, an Eternal Wand of Identify isn't a bad investment, especially if you won't have the hour to make and use a spell storing item.

[Nihilarian]

I believe there's a monocle somewhere that grants identify basically at will.

You might want a bit more charisma, since you're relying on wands.

Why do you have Wand Mastery twice?

[eggynack]

I believe there's a monocle somewhere that grants identify basically at will.
You are thinking of the rather appropriately named artificer's monocle, found in the magic item compendium, page 72.

[Nightly]

Dedicated Wright isn't "necessary" so much as it's a huge, huge time saver both for you and the DM. I highly recommend it as soon as possible. And Handy Haversacks are similarly handy, letting you have just the right item in a moment's notice.

I've only played one Artificer before, so I'm likely not the best for this, but I found it handy to make one or two "Eternal Wands" early in my career. If your DM likes dropping mysterious magic items onto you, an Eternal Wand of Identify isn't a bad investment, especially if you won't have the hour to make and use a spell storing item.

Thanks for the heads up about the wands. And although not necessary having a dedicated wright/HHH seems extremely useful so I'll try making those soon.




I believe there's a monocle somewhere that grants identify basically at will.

You might want a bit more charisma, since you're relying on wands.

Why do you have Wand Mastery twice?

Noted, I was going to focus on cha and int as I leveled.
And I corrected it, thanks for pointing it out. It was supposed to be attune magic weapon.


You are thinking of the rather appropriately named artificer's monocle, found in the magic item compendium, page 72.

I'll look into it, thanks

[HunterOfJello]

Hello there, I'm fairly new to Dnd my only character being a lvl 4 scout. With my DM's approval I'm going to make a Blastificer in the 3.5 campaign.
I have the base char made and was hoping I could get some input on it.


The Artificer is the most complicated class in the entire game. It is at least one order of magnitude more complicated than all of the other Tier 1 classes.

I strongly suggest you narrow down what sort of character concept you're interested in playing, give us an idea, and let us find a class that would be a better fit for you.

[Nightly]

The Artificer is the most complicated class in the entire game. It is at least one order of magnitude more complicated than all of the other Tier 1 classes.

I strongly suggest you narrow down what sort of character concept you're interested in playing, give us an idea, and let us find a class that would be a better fit for you.

I want to play a blastificer. I'm just looking for input about the feats I'll be picking and the order in which I get them.

[Petrocorus]

Madatory beginner's handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=9479.msg153181#msg153181) and handbook index (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=skifnivd54dv5g3ll4j1n3rqb4&topic=399.0) and of course, Artificer Hanbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=skifnivd54dv5g3ll4j1n3rqb4&topic=2829).

You'll find there some powerful artificer builds.

I don't think you'll need so much point in your craft skills. Unless you really want to be able to make a 20 on a Take 10 right at second lvl. Usually, you can max one or two craft skill and you take only 1 or 2 point in the other but you max out your intelligence. Note that Craft: Alchemy is really useful too. You should put some point in it.
A 1-lvl dip into cleric can be really useful, it will allows you to use spell trigger/completion item without UMD check for cleric spell. Add the Magic domain, and you don't need it neither for wiz spell, i.e most of the blast.
Which means you'll almost never have to make UMD check in combat to blast or use a spell. And render Charisma less necessary.
And you can take War as your second domain to gain a martial weapon proficiency (bow for instance, or TH Sword) or the Artifice domain for a +4 to all craft check, making you able to make 20 on a take 10 with only 1 point in each skill. It will also gives you heavy armor proficiency and a bit improves your saves.

[Nightly]

Madatory beginner's handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=9479.msg153181#msg153181) and handbook index (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=skifnivd54dv5g3ll4j1n3rqb4&topic=399.0) and of course, Artificer Hanbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=skifnivd54dv5g3ll4j1n3rqb4&topic=2829).

You'll find there some powerful artificer builds.

I don't think you'll need so much point in your craft skills. Unless you really want to be able to make a 20 on a Take 10 right at second lvl. Usually, you can max one or two craft skill and you take only 1 or 2 point in the other but you max out your intelligence. Note that Craft: Alchemy is really useful too. You should put some point in it.
A 1-lvl dip into cleric can be really useful, it will allows you to use spell trigger/completion item without UMD check for cleric spell. Add the Magic domain, and you don't need it neither for wiz spell, i.e most of the blast.
Which means you'll almost never have to make UMD check in combat to blast or use a spell. And render Charisma less necessary.
And you can take War as your second domain to gain a martial weapon proficiency (bow for instance, or TH Sword) or the Artifice domain for a +4 to all craft check, making you able to make 20 on a take 10 with only 1 point in each skill. It will also gives you heavy armor proficiency and a bit improves your saves.

Can you explain what magic and war domain is, I'm not familiar with that

[Sir Chuckles]

Can you explain what magic and war domain is, I'm not familiar with that

They're Cleric domains (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/clericDomains.htm).

They give Clerics a special automatic ability and a set of spells in addition to their normal spells.

[Petrocorus]

Can you explain what magic and war domain is, I'm not familiar with that

A cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/cleric.htm) chooses two domains at first level. Each domain gives him a Granted Power and one additional spell per level on his spell list. Some are really interesting because they add wizard spell to the cleric. Like the Travel domain that allows the cleric to cast teleportation. Some have useful Granted Power.
The Magic domain's granted power allows the cleric to use spell trigger and spell completion items (i.e. scrolls and wands, mostly) as if he was a wizard. Which means that he can activate a wand of Lightning Bolt as if he was a wizard, what he normally cannot. Use Magic Device is the skill that allows to do that too and Artificers use this skill to activate their wands.

As a blastificer, you'll need to make UMD check in combat to activate your wands, which means to make UMD check to blast. Which implies to optimise the UMD skill and to have some Charisma, and always have some risk of failure. Being a Cleric with the Magic domain means you will not need to make this UMD checks to activate your wand/scroll for any cleric or wizard spell (i.e 90% of the spells of the game) and so can have less charisma and less need to optimise UMD and have no chance of failure.

The War domain gives the feat Weapon Proficiency and Weapon Focus for the favoured weapon of your deity. Some deities have very interesting weapon.

The Artifice Domain (from Eberron Campaign Setting) gives a +4 bonus to all craft check, which means that at second level, with 16 in Intelligence and 1 rank in a craft skill and masterwork tool you can Take 10 to your craft check for a total result of 20: 10 (take 10) + 1 (skill) + 3 (Int bonus) + 2 (Tools) + 4 (Artifice domain) =20. So you can make masterwork items on a take 10 (no chance of failure) and save skill points for more useful skills and to invest in Craft: Alchemy which need more rank to craft some items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/craft.htm), like the useful tanglefoot bag (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#specialSubstancesAndItems). It can prove very useful later in the game to craft the homonculi.

In any case, if you're that new to the game, you should really read the handbook's i pointed out.

[Nihilarian]

~snip~ Good stuff ~snip~The Artifice Domain isn't just in Eberron Campaign Setting! It's also in the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/domains.htm).

If you're dipping cleric, it's always worth considering the Cloistered Cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVariantCloistere dCleric). It gives you an extra domain; specifically the Knowledge Domain. You can then trade the domain for Knowledge Devotion (http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-champion--57/knowledge-devotion--1727/). Somewhere between +1 to +5 Attack and Damage for next to nothing, if you have the knowledge skills.

[Petrocorus]

The Artifice Domain isn't just in Eberron Campaign Setting! It's also in the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/domains.htm).

I never saw it! Awesome.

Here is a quite complete list of Domains. (http://home.comcast.net/~ftm3/ASMoNM/domains.html)


If you're dipping cleric, it's always worth considering the Cloistered Cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVariantCloistere dCleric). It gives you an extra domain; specifically the Knowledge Domain. You can then trade the domain for Knowledge Devotion (http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-champion--57/knowledge-devotion--1727/). Somewhere between +1 to +5 Attack and Damage for next to nothing, if you have the knowledge skills.

Yes, good suggestion. Note that if i was suggesting cleric for avoiding the UMD check, there is however some other possibilities. Craft Wand comes at Artificer 7. So during the 6 first levels, or 7 if you dip, you'll have to be an archerficer. So, a dip in Fighter can be useful too for the proficiencies and the bonus feat.
It is perfectly possible not to dip in another class and to go straight artificer. You need a UMD check optimised in this case. And you need to find a way to optimise your crossbow too.
Feat like Nymph's kiss and skill focus can help for the UMD.

Another point is that the 4 last level of Artificer don't give much. The difference between a level 16 and a level 20 artificer are 1 bonus feat, one 5th level and one 6th level infusion and a refreshed reserve.
The infusions can be gained by multiclassing and you have the retain essence for the craft reserve. That's why many people advice to multiclass or PrC for the last levels. Heir of Syberis or Uncanny Trickster for instance fit well but their are many other options. Cannith Wand Adept is really a blasterficer PrC. It is in the Sharn book p. 162 and it's 3 levels long.

[Nightly]

I never saw it! Awesome.

Here is a quite complete list of Domains. (http://home.comcast.net/~ftm3/ASMoNM/domains.html)


Yes, good suggestion. Note that if i was suggesting cleric for avoiding the UMD check, there is however some other possibilities. Craft Wand comes at Artificer 7. So during the 6 first levels, or 7 if you dip, you'll have to be an archerficer. So, a dip in Fighter can be useful too for the proficiencies and the bonus feat.
It is perfectly possible not to dip in another class and to go straight artificer. You need a UMD check optimised in this case. And you need to find a way to optimise your crossbow too.
Feat like Nymph's kiss and skill focus can help for the UMD.

Another point is that the 4 last level of Artificer don't give much. The difference between a level 16 and a level 20 artificer are 1 bonus feat, one 5th level and one 6th level infusion and a refreshed reserve.
The infusions can be gained by multiclassing and you have the retain essence for the craft reserve. That's why many people advice to multiclass or PrC for the last levels. Heir of Syberis or Uncanny Trickster for instance fit well but their are many other options. Cannith Wand Adept is really a blasterficer PrC. It is in the Sharn book p. 162 and it's 3 levels long.

Thanks for the notes on Cleric domains. And I did read the artificer's handbook but was more focused on the base build so I didn't read past the first paragraph on clerics. I may have to think about dipping into cleric to avoid UMD as often, I'll talk to my DM about it too and make sure it's alright with him. And I've thought about taking Canith Wand Adept but I found a post where they mathematically showed what the CWA gave you vs 3 Art levels and it dissuaded me.

In this guide here (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11474) he recommended more metamagics like extend. Am I too focused on the blast metamagics? And should I swap out empower/maximize for twin?

[Petrocorus]

Empower is mechanically stronger than maximize. For twin spell, i have not enough experience with it to tell.

Concerning items, here are two list of useful items, mundane and magic: [3.5] Lists of Necessary Magic Items (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187851) and The Utility Belt (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?PHPSESSID=0pmks4c2va6qi0let7apmksr11&topic=4400.0).

HHH are really good, but you should also use an efficient quiver. Wands are the same size and shape that arrows, and rods the same that javelin.
I also have a thing for Flying Carpet.

Think about Etch Schema too. Schemas are to scroll what Eternal Wands are to wands, except you can use up to 6th level spell, and IIRC, you can improve the CL on schemas.

[Invader]

I prefer going the item familiar route to pump UMD over dipping other classes and you should def have the double Wand wielder feat somewhere in your build.