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View Full Version : Cheap crafting Artificer - I need some input



MortalSword
2019-05-23, 04:18 PM
Good day GitP. I’m a returning player after taking a several year hiatus from the group I’ve been playing with for 20+ years due to family and work obligations. My time was stretched too thin. But now that I’m back I’m stunned at how much I’ve forgotten and my system mastery level has dropped down to nooblet.

I’ll be playing with a mid level Ranger and beastly Paladin of Heironeous. The Paladin also runs a small kingdom and has solo sessions of just Kingdom management (Pathfinder Ultimate Campaign) when the other guy can’t make it. I’ll be joining in when I can.

Currently my crafter is low level but can easily abuse NPC selling shennaigans with Apprentice, Mercantile background, and Exceptional/Legendary Artisan. I’ve agreed with the DM I won’t destroy the WBL “too” much. But I will divert excess funds to a military venture unit. Kinda sorta mercenaries or if the cause is right a supporting unit. Mostly as a support unit for the Paladins campaigns against Hextor

The plan is to use adventurers for this unit and I’m currently debating on what sorts of Magic items, Armor and weapon enhancements each class should have. I’m thinking a limit of about 20k GP market value per character should suffice but I can up that number if need be. Custom magic items are allowed following the formulas and subject to DM approval. Cheese is frowned upon for the most part so I’m trying to keep these within reasonable limits. The only 3rd Party content he’s allowed so far is the Laminated and Serrated features for weapons (Alderon)
The plan is to make “kits” for each class with the items, cost to craft and time to craft. Then when I get enough levels to craft new stuff or can afford upgrades I’ll adjust each kit and calculate the cost to upgrading current kits.

Time won’t really be an issue. I’ve explained the plan to the DM and he has agreed to allow me to roll a Knowledge Planes check (Flat check, so no boosting it with spells or anything) to see if I find a plane with 10x time I can utilize for my crafting.

All classes will have a Human Bane weapon (I do believe that’s the best choice in a human vs human army battle) unless I can find a better option.

Currently for Rogues, blurred + speed enchantments on weapons, healing belts, healing armor enhancements. We know that rogues can put the hurt on with sneak attack so I’m currently debating on methods a rogue can deliver their SA’s. Ring/Cloak/Potion of invis? My old man memory fails me here on how to utilize my crafting capabilities to turn a standard un-optimized Rogues into an effective fighting force.

I do have notes from the last time I played (same concept before I went on Hiatus) and found a note about Cavalry (and this note is what got me wanting to play again) Valourous + Collision Enhancements and the spell Rhino Rush, Boots of Riding. I’ll take a look into what I had in mind later when I get a minute. Any ways to improve a charger unit magically? Also, mounts do not have to be horses.

For Paladins all I can come up with is AC stacking with Insight Sacred Luck Deflection and Natural bonuses. Also with the standard healing belts, healing armor enhancements, and a spell to shield others or absorb part of their damage - Will research this when I can.

Archers are a hard brain fart beyond bracers 🤷🏽*♂️ What can I do to beef these guys up?

Melee classes are kinda the same boat. I’ve always utilized feats to boost the damage and magical items to supplement this so the old man memory is kicking in and drawing blanks.

If you had access to every spell, magical item and custom magic items (Continuous or use activated spell effects I’m looking at you), how would you utilize this? For the most part I can research suggestions so no need to go into great detail, just point me in the right direction and I’ll do the rest. I kinda have a rough idea of the tactics and roles each class will play. Paladins will shield others and lay on hands themselves, lower level paladins will lay on hands the front liners, Melees will do their thing, possibly enlarged with a bulls strength. Archers will pew pew, Id like the clerics to have a ton of cure scrolls so they can focus their efforts on buffs. Same for arcane spellcasters, I’d like them to focus on buffs/debuffs as well as battlefield control a la Treantmonk god style. Pearls of power for spellcasters to add more spells to the arsenal.

Now the third aspect of my character is going to be when I run solo sessions when the other guys can’t make it. Excess funds created via cheap crafting will also be diverted here. This is in the distant future but I think a merchant transporting goods via a portal hub of sorts to the various cities/worlds/planes and taking advantage of supply/demand. Like bringing water shipments to a desert world, metals to a world with low metals, etc etc etc.

How would you defend this with constructs and traps? I do plan on utilizing mundane disguises and anti-scrying to throw the wolves off the trail because I full expect to create enemies when I conquer markets and put a dent in other peoples profits. Or annoy people that have a monopoly on transporting goods like a House in Eberron whose name escapes me atm.

How would you build this to allow your followers to run this efficiently without dying horrible deaths? This is sorta like my own version of a kingdom for solo sessions. I think I’ll enjoy it

MortalSword
2019-06-07, 07:18 AM
Shenanigans I’ve researched and schemed up so far.

Several Fireball necklaces tossed into the enemy ranks so they overlap areas. Fireball one and watch the worlds biggest explosion.
Same can be applied to Necklaces of Lightning (Magic of Faerun) to a lesser extent.

Enlarge Person potions (8x mass increase) + Landing armor enchantment (ignore first 60 feet of falling damage) + Boots of the big stepper (mini dimension door) to pop up 30 feet above the enemy ranks.

Falling object rules - 1d6 per 200 lbs per 10 feet. 30 feet with say a base of 200 lbs x8 enlarged would put me above the 20d6 cap for falling object damage. All that would be required is ....nothing really. Hilarity would ensue as enlarged random people just jump stomp an army 😂😂.


Rogues
Blurred Bane weapons
Bracers of the Hunter
Vanisher cloak
Lightning gauntlets

A level 3 rogue would dish out 6d6 plus weapon damage.

Then if there’s anything left standing just send in the uberchargers to mop up what’s left.

I think all said and done it was at like x6 or x7 damage with the lance. Magic of Faerun has a bunch of items that grant the charging feats so no real build is necessary. I’ll have to look up the items again but yeah.... sounds like an average joe can be an ubercharger without the need for levels and feats just utilizing magic items and spell effects

I’m undecided on how I’m going to handle spellcasters but I did read an intriguing idea utilizing a Shield with the Variable and sizing properties with spikes with the flying property. Turn said shield into a colossal tower shield (their math said 15x30 assuming certain things) Place above enemies horizontally. Summon heavy creatures (this example used celestial bisons and fiendish rhinos) on top the shield. Size shield down to tiny.

Alternatively - Cast wall of ice using the shields as anchors.

Proceed to laugh like a maniacal madman.
Any other shenanigans I can get into that are relatively straightforward?