Artificers in low Wealth per level games...

[Starbuck_II]

I am a Artificer in a low money campaing. I joined level 2 with others level 3 and 4.
We all have starting wealth only.

Do you think I chose a good class for such low wealth?

When we were in this dungeon (it was created over us, God of Death, Cyric decided to have some fun).
1/2 the party (the Fighter, the Cleric, the Druid, and the rogue) were taken over by a strange compulsion making them take the left door. We tried to stop them, but couldn't.

The other 1/2: the Bard (who only has a lute, no other gear...yes we are poor), the Monk (quarterstaff, but he does goodwith what he has), and me (1 scrolls of enlarge person, and standard level 1 gear) took the right door.

After 5 riddles (door locked us in) that punished us when answered wrong (1 riddle damages us no matter, we fell into this null magic field where we fought our constructs doubles.
Great news the bard and me took too much damage with riddled so we were unconscious.
So it was just monk. and the other 1/2.

Back to point:
Are level 3-4 characters able to function without appropriate gear?
Was an artificer without money a worthwhile class?

[Telonius]

For extremely low levels, anything greater than starting gold is the difference between masterwork equipment and regular. For the Artificer, it's not that big of a deal to have no equipment, since his gold-dependent uberness doesn't start showing for another couple of levels. I'd say that you chose pretty well, given the circumstances.

Personally I would have picked a Cleric if I knew the adventure was going to just be around level 3-5, with Wizard in a very close second. Still, Artificer wasn't a bad pick. A strength-focused Monk is probably the best melee class at super-low levels and no equipment.

[daggaz]

I'm playing a game with 10-15 players who are on randomly, low wealth, low xp, and I am dominating as a melee cleric. I will be the first to hit lvl 5 if I dont die tomorrow, most others are struggling in lvl3 or 4, all the LA races are still down at lvl 1 and two.

So far, its loads of fun, but damn risky, Ive almost died quite a few times now. Damn, I hope I dont die.

[Aquillion]

As I explained in another thread: As long as it's not a no-wealth game, low-wealth actually makes the Artificer stronger. This is unintuitive, but look at it like this: In a low-wealth game, everything is ideally balanced for players without access to nearly so many magical items. See where I'm going with this?

A low-wealth party still needs just as much magical swag as before, but now cut-rate stuff produced by the artificer is the only way to do it. Everyone is weaker in a low-cash game, sure, but the artificer is hit less than, say, a fighter, since the fighter still needs just as many magic toys and has to buy them at full price.