Originally Posted by
MaxWilson
No, I said this:
<<At level 1 I have to rely on ranged Artificer cantrips and my Mobile feat to keep me alive despite my crummy AC 15ish (scale armor + shield), then if that feels insufficient I can immediately go Forge 1 to boost my AC to 19ish (enchanted chain mail + shield), otherwise I try to hit Artillerist 3 ASAP>>
Because I don't play in your campaign and I recognize the value of flexibility. If your DM uses lots of mobs, you want AC faster. Otherwise you might have more fun getting Artillerist ASAP. It doesn't really matter which one you do first--choose based on what's happening in-game. Either way you wind up in a good solid place with all of your core synergies in place by level 5-8ish.
This is factually incorrect. You can have three chances for knockback as early as level 5, and by level 11 (Artillerist 8/Hex 2/Forge 1) you can have four, although one of them is only the Artillerist ballista 5' knockback instead of a warlock 10' knockback.
Because THP turrets are fun, and Fabricate/Tiny Servant are fun, and flamethrowers are fun, and so is all the rest of the Artillerist kit--but none of it really cries out for maximizing Int.
You also appear to be someone who thinks Paladins must max Str (based on your comments about Aura of Protection and Charisma being a secondary stat), whereas I would leave Str at its initial 16ish value on a Paladin and just take Celestialock levels and/or Divine Soul levels to make Charisma my primary stat instead. Str 16ish is plenty for Paladin melee combat. So, chalk that up as yet another difference of opinion.