Aéquitas
2022-10-21, 02:25 AM
Hi there,
I'm looking for some advice on how to best progress this combination. I'm set on playing the bladesinger + artificer combo. I know this is not optimized but it fits the concept and flavor of the character. We plan to play this campaign to at least 15, aiming at 20.
We are playing in a roleplay-heavy campaign that started at lvl 1 with an intentionally split party that came together after about 10 sessions. We are now at session 30 and closing in on lvl 4. I'm playing a Beasthide Shifter Bladesinger, the eldest son of a leatherworker. Crafting is a big part of my character and I have made a lot of items for the party. Things like hide, leather, studded armor, random items like a saddle for an NPC to convince him to help us, etc.
My DM has always been a big World of Warcraft fan so you can compare the crafting a bit to early-game crafting there.
My party consists of a rogue/echoknight who is addicted to multiclassing and wants to add 2 more classes for roleplay flavor (sorcerer and paladin), a druid of the land who is healing and casting and a warrior who plays kind of like a scared anti violence kind dude and is a meat shield and control character.
I will be playing mostly in melee since that is, what I like most, and aim for controlling the battlefield. Pushing and pulling with the telekinetic feat and thorn whip, the occasional healing if the healer goes down, casting sanctuary on players in a bad spot etc.
The DM was opposed to artificers at the start of the campaign but recently decided that with some minor reflavoring, artificers could have a place in his world (no guns or robots).
Long story short, we both like the idea to combine the tinkering and infusing of items that come with the artificer class with the leatherworking I'm already doing. To get around the no guns and robots thing, we decided to use my baby Owl Bear familiar as a vessel for the lvl 3 stuff. So instead of creating a Steel Defender, the familiar would become the Steel Defender by using its stat block and mechanics. Instead of a cannon, my familiar would get a breath attack (flamethrower), ranged attack (force ballista), or emit a burst of positive energy (protector). The familiar has been a very much liked extra party member, who does the occasional scouting or roleplay stuff. It seems like a fun idea to give him a fun role in combat as well.
Onwards to my question. I'm taking my next level as artificer and want to get bladesinger to 6 afterwards for the juicy extra attack. Which artificer specialisation would be best to do afterwards? I'm leaning towards artillerist because of the versatility of the cannon and the fact that I could keep putting levels in artificer without the problem of getting 2nd attack from two classes. Battle Smith sounds nice as well especially using Intelligence instead of Dex, but I'm afraid my Steel Defender will die in one hit at the level I get him (lvl 9). I'm also allowed to take Maverick or Forge Adept from exploring Eberon. Forge adept has much of the same problems as Battle Smith but a cool expanded spell list. Maverick is extremely versatile with it's spells and it's 5th level ability that boosts cantrips, synergises nicely with the Bladesingers extra attack feature.
For Artillerist I would stop at 3, 5, 7 or 9 and then go back to Bladesinger
For Battle Smith I would most likely stop leveling artificer at lvl 3 and then go back to Bladesinger
Forge Adept tempts me to go to lvl 5 to get spiritual weapon and then go back to Bladesinger
Maverick I would go 5, 7 or all the way
For people who have explored the Bladesinger Artificer combo. What would you suggest as the most interesting combination and at what level do you think it is best to stop? Are my assumptions on the Steel Defender correct? Will the Arcane Focus ability of the artillerist to use with Booming Blade or Thorn Whip combined with access to 2nd level spells like aid be worth aiming for, or are the 2 levels better invested in my Wizard for 4th level spells?
Will Maverick be an interesting choice that can complement a Bladesinger by boosting his lower level spells instead of getting high level spells. Things like upcasting spiritshroud with a 5th level slot that counts as a 7th level spell (3d8 dmg on each hit) or spirit guardians with a 6th level slot that counts as an 8th level spell (8d8 radiant dmg) come to mind. It has some roleplay potential as well, picking different non combat spells every now and then.
Also if I mostly want to focus on being in melee, will I miss out much on the high level wizard spells?
Thanks a bunch in advance for joining me in my little brainstorm.
I'm looking for some advice on how to best progress this combination. I'm set on playing the bladesinger + artificer combo. I know this is not optimized but it fits the concept and flavor of the character. We plan to play this campaign to at least 15, aiming at 20.
We are playing in a roleplay-heavy campaign that started at lvl 1 with an intentionally split party that came together after about 10 sessions. We are now at session 30 and closing in on lvl 4. I'm playing a Beasthide Shifter Bladesinger, the eldest son of a leatherworker. Crafting is a big part of my character and I have made a lot of items for the party. Things like hide, leather, studded armor, random items like a saddle for an NPC to convince him to help us, etc.
My DM has always been a big World of Warcraft fan so you can compare the crafting a bit to early-game crafting there.
My party consists of a rogue/echoknight who is addicted to multiclassing and wants to add 2 more classes for roleplay flavor (sorcerer and paladin), a druid of the land who is healing and casting and a warrior who plays kind of like a scared anti violence kind dude and is a meat shield and control character.
I will be playing mostly in melee since that is, what I like most, and aim for controlling the battlefield. Pushing and pulling with the telekinetic feat and thorn whip, the occasional healing if the healer goes down, casting sanctuary on players in a bad spot etc.
The DM was opposed to artificers at the start of the campaign but recently decided that with some minor reflavoring, artificers could have a place in his world (no guns or robots).
Long story short, we both like the idea to combine the tinkering and infusing of items that come with the artificer class with the leatherworking I'm already doing. To get around the no guns and robots thing, we decided to use my baby Owl Bear familiar as a vessel for the lvl 3 stuff. So instead of creating a Steel Defender, the familiar would become the Steel Defender by using its stat block and mechanics. Instead of a cannon, my familiar would get a breath attack (flamethrower), ranged attack (force ballista), or emit a burst of positive energy (protector). The familiar has been a very much liked extra party member, who does the occasional scouting or roleplay stuff. It seems like a fun idea to give him a fun role in combat as well.
Onwards to my question. I'm taking my next level as artificer and want to get bladesinger to 6 afterwards for the juicy extra attack. Which artificer specialisation would be best to do afterwards? I'm leaning towards artillerist because of the versatility of the cannon and the fact that I could keep putting levels in artificer without the problem of getting 2nd attack from two classes. Battle Smith sounds nice as well especially using Intelligence instead of Dex, but I'm afraid my Steel Defender will die in one hit at the level I get him (lvl 9). I'm also allowed to take Maverick or Forge Adept from exploring Eberon. Forge adept has much of the same problems as Battle Smith but a cool expanded spell list. Maverick is extremely versatile with it's spells and it's 5th level ability that boosts cantrips, synergises nicely with the Bladesingers extra attack feature.
For Artillerist I would stop at 3, 5, 7 or 9 and then go back to Bladesinger
For Battle Smith I would most likely stop leveling artificer at lvl 3 and then go back to Bladesinger
Forge Adept tempts me to go to lvl 5 to get spiritual weapon and then go back to Bladesinger
Maverick I would go 5, 7 or all the way
For people who have explored the Bladesinger Artificer combo. What would you suggest as the most interesting combination and at what level do you think it is best to stop? Are my assumptions on the Steel Defender correct? Will the Arcane Focus ability of the artillerist to use with Booming Blade or Thorn Whip combined with access to 2nd level spells like aid be worth aiming for, or are the 2 levels better invested in my Wizard for 4th level spells?
Will Maverick be an interesting choice that can complement a Bladesinger by boosting his lower level spells instead of getting high level spells. Things like upcasting spiritshroud with a 5th level slot that counts as a 7th level spell (3d8 dmg on each hit) or spirit guardians with a 6th level slot that counts as an 8th level spell (8d8 radiant dmg) come to mind. It has some roleplay potential as well, picking different non combat spells every now and then.
Also if I mostly want to focus on being in melee, will I miss out much on the high level wizard spells?
Thanks a bunch in advance for joining me in my little brainstorm.