Help Building a Gadgeteer

[Jack Zander]

The next character I want to play is going to be sort of a batman character. He's going to have several different options and abilities at his disposal, in hopes of never coming across a situation that he doesn't have an answer for. As such, the idea is to never take a stat boosting item, and instead spend all his wealth on items that grant him per day or at-will abilities. For example, rather than grabbing those Gloves of Dex +6, he'd wear a Gauntlet of Rusting on his off hand and a Glove of Storing on his main hand.

So far I've come up with three ideas, but I need help improving them and/or choosing the best one. My group plays with 30 point buy.

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Elven Rogue
Str 10
Dex 16
Con 12
Int 14
Wis 12
Cha 14

Feats
Level 1: Skill Focus: UMD
Level 3: Weapon Finesse
Level 6+: ???

Max ranks in Bluff, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Listen, Search, Spot, Tumble, and Use Magic Device with 2 skills points a level to put in various other skills (such as 5 ranks into balance for the utility and synergy) Open lock is ignored because Knock is just so much better.

I choose elf for the Dex bonus, the skill bonuses, the weapon proficiencies, but most importantly the automatic secret door detection. Rogue gives me many useful skills and abilities to open up some options to overcoming challenges.

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Gray Elf Wizard
Str 10
Dex 16
Con 12
Int 18
Wis 12
Cha 8

Feats
Level 1: Quicken Spell
Level 3: Craft Wondrous Item
Level 5: Craft Wand
Level 6: Craft Magic Arms and Armor
Level 9: Forge Ring
Level 10: Craft Rod
Level 12: Craft Staff
Level 15+: ???

The second option is to play a crafter wizard. The gray elf helps with stat boosts since I know I will be forgoing those. The idea is to ensure that I have the items I want, so long as I can craft them, and by crafting them myself I will get them at half price, which means I can get more of these items and get them sooner. Wizard spells obviously open up many new possibilities that my rogue version would not have, but I tend to like the flavor of a Link type character with no magic on his own but who has more options than most spellcasters. The only real problem is my limited spell list may make it difficult to craft certain items unless I can get a scroll of the item, or have someone else in the party with the proper spell on their spell list.

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Dwarven Cleric
Str 14
Dex 12
Con 18
Int 8
Wis 16
Cha 6

Feats
Level 1: Quicken Spell
Level 3: Craft Wondrous Item
Level 6: Craft Wand
Level 9: Forge Ring
Level 12+: ???

Without stat boosts, survivability may be an issue. Dwarven cleric fixes this problem nicely. With a Con and Hit Die much higher than the other two options, my HP will allow me to worry much less about being attacked, and open up the option of melee tanking, along with heavy armor. Saving throws are much better than the other two options, which is very helpful since I will not be wearing a cloak of resistance. His Ref save will be much less, but Ref typically involves HP damage, and he should be able to soak up hits, with healing to boot. Taking the travel and luck domains would increase survivability even further. Unlike the wizard, he knows all spells on his spell list, so crafting isn't as much of an issue. However, he has less crafting feats and I believe there are more items that require arcane spells rather than divine.

[dsmiles]

Was Artificer not a valid option? It seems like it would be ideal for what you're trying to do.

Out of what you have listed, I'd go for the Elven Rogue.

[Jack Zander]

Was Artificer not a valid option? It seems like it would be ideal for what you're trying to do.

Out of what you have listed, I'd go for the Elven Rogue.

I'd have to learn a whole new system if I did artificer, but I suppose I could. My friend owns the book, so all my work would have to be done at the table, and if its not an Ebberron setting the DM might say no.

But you're right, that's probably the best option out there.

Any reason you picked the rogue over the other two?

[gbprime]

I've always preferred Gnome Artificer (Magic of Faerun) over the Eberron version. Seems more gadget oriented to me, whereas the Eberron Artificer is more buff spells than anything else.

[Ravens_cry]

While not Batman, the Gnomish Artificer PrC screams gadgetry, though you need a lot of coin to pull it off. I've always wanted to play one as soon as I found them.

[dsmiles]

Any reason you picked the rogue over the other two?

IMO, Rogues fit the gadgeteer bill better than clerics or wizards. Disable device and UMD are huge bonuses for gadgeteers. I probably would have picked a Dwarf or Tinker Gnome though. Elves are more magicy, and those two are more mechanically oriented.

[Jack Zander]

I found the gnome artificer online, looked through it, and I have to say I'm not impressed. There are just too many limitations from normal crafting and their crafting is too costly. Also, being a PrC makes it unattractive, since I'll have to wait longer to fulfill my concept.