[3.5] Is it worth giving an artificer Weapon Finesse? Or stick with craft feats?

[Pika...]

So I decided on making my privateer an artificer to be able to make his own ship, and arm it better than a dwarf iron clad.


Anyway, I was just looking at what his rolled scores ended up as:
Str 6 (-2), Dex 14 (+2), Con 9 (-1), Int 16 (+3), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 16 (+3)


Their Cha and Int turned out very nice. I plan on getting/making them items to boost those stats, but now I am thinking perhaps gloves of dex would be a better priority? Perhaps a bult of strangth, or simply burn my infusions on Dex and Str (I never use them anyways) would be a better idea?


I have only played an artificer once before, so your advice would be much appreciated!

[deuxhero]

I wouldn't really be going into melee with a con penalty. What about a bow?

[Pika...]

I wouldn't really be going into melee with a con penalty. What about a bow?

Hmm.

Not sure if that is feasible on a cramped ship.


ps. He can always make an item to boost his Con?

[Eldrys]

Hmm.

Not sure if that is feasible on a cramped ship.


ps. He can always make an item to boost his Con?

Crows nest perhaps?

[deuxhero]

Hmm.

Not sure if that is feasible on a cramped ship.


ps. He can always make an item to boost his Con?

Not sure melee is that effective with a stretch of ocean between you...

I think a pair of lesser bracers of archery+bow is a good idea. If you are a capitan and you are trapped in melee on your own ship, your minions are doing something wrong.

edit:worth noting that there is a handbook for Artifcers