1st level Artificer

[aragos]

I'm just about to start a new group. I really want to play an Artificer, but...
we all agreed to minmaxing as much as we can. All sources available, don't have all the DDInsider but can use that source, too. Only... i really am not already in the minmaxing stuff in the 4th edition. So i could use a little help - heck, maybe not so little.

- Every official source is legal. Every book, DDI, campaign setting. We already have a Githyanki and a Kalashtar, to be clear.
- Ability Scores with method 2
- 100 gp to start with

I'm gonna be the primary healer. We'll be a party of 6-7, and i'm the only likely healer apart from a Paladin.
I'd like the Implement way, mostly. Not much for a melee Artificer, more for a buffer one. And, i repeat, a healer one.

Thank you to anyone will help. I really need your prowess, guys. I'm looking to astonish my group!

PS: the initial build is necessary, but it'll help any suggestion about how to keep the guy growing strong and cool through the next levels

 

[Mort_Q]

Quick, someone remind me... what's method 2?

 

[BlightCrawler]

Oddly enough, with a group that large, a leader becomes less necessary. I wouldn't sweat it!

But I'm not an optimization monkey, so I'll leave it at that.

Quick, someone remind me... what's method 2?

Same as method 1, except they show you the other point buy arrays to pick from.

 

[DracoSuave]

Take intellegence, make it 16. Then choose either Wisdom or Constitution. Make it 16. Probably Wisdom.

Then take a weapon you like. And a Race with an Intellegence bonus, and probably a Wisdom bonus. Hell. Deva sounds good. Yeah.

And take some powers you like that fits that attribute.

It's not hard.

 

[Mort_Q]

I'm not sure an Artificer is going to be able to keep up with a party of that size with regard to healing. You could craft potions, but there are very few healing powers compared to other Leaders.

 

[Flipguarder]

Unfortunately, this is one of those times where I disagree with Sir Draco here.

Take a race that has a bonus to int, then boost int to 16 with point buy stuff . that's the easy part.

I would say that the Artificer is the hardest leader to play. I don't think that they are at all underpowered, but from the two people i play with in campaigns, they both seem to have a pretty hard time feeling contributory in battle. I would look at my party and find out what kind of healer they want.

The two kinds of artificers are ones who focus on summoning mechanical minions, and those who focus on powers that improve the weapons and armors of his party temporarily. Both make excellent healers but heal in different ways. One way is by loading people up with temporary hitpoints, the other is just a straight up heal.

The big bonus about artificers healing ability is that it get's recharged instead of it being a daily or encounter allotment. You have as many heals as your party has healing surges (as far as multiple encounters are concerned) this overall means longer days, and less weird times resting in the middle of a dungeon.

You may know all this and thats fine. But I would take VERY special care in creating an artificer, specifically in what powers to choose. They have lots of FUN powers, but many of those aren't the ones you would find useful in combat. Find out what the party wants, and if you can't find many good powers for that, look into alchemical items. Artificers can be pretty bad-ass at those.

 

[aragos]

...You may know all this and thats fine.

But I would take VERY special care in creating an artificer, specifically in what powers to choose. They have lots of FUN powers, but many of those aren't the ones you would find useful in combat. Find out what the party wants...

I know all this and the special care in creating this artificer reflects in asking for advice here. I'm mostly interested in healing (by healing, not by temporary HP) and buffing the other's stats. Not much in summoning. I'm looking for a second-line leader, we already have enough DPR with a group that large.

 

[DracoSuave]

I know all this and the special care in creating this artificer reflects in asking for advice here. I'm mostly interested in healing (by healing, not by temporary HP) and buffing the other's stats. Not much in summoning. I'm looking for a second-line leader, we already have enough DPR with a group that large.

Okay, the feat 'White Lotus Enervation' gives any enemy you hit with an at-will a -1 penalty to the defense you hit until end of turn.

Magic Weapon is -that good-. Take it. Use it. Love it.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Graviton, level 1
Deva, Artificer

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 9, Con 13, Dex 10, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 9, Con 13, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 10.


AC: 14 Fort: 12 Reflex: 14 Will: 15
HP: 25 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +9, Heal +9, Dungeoneering +9, History +11, Perception +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Bluff, Diplomacy, Endurance +1, Insight +4, Intimidate, Nature +4, Religion +6, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery, Athletics -1

FEATS
Artificer: Master Mixer
Level 1: White Lotus Enervation

POWERS
Artificer at-will 1: Magic Weapon
Artificer at-will 1: Thundering Armor
Artificer encounter 1: Spike Wire
Artificer daily 1: Life-Tapping Darts

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Repeating crossbow, Dagger
RITUALS
Make Whole, Unseen Servant
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

 

[Obryn]

We have a changeling artificer in my party, and he completely rocks.

He went the Ranged Weapon route, and I'm consistently impressed with how accurate he is, how effective he is at buffing the party, and how useful his abilities are. He spent the proficiency for a Superior Crossbow, but keeps a melee weapon around just in case. Since the Weapon attacks use the same stat, melee or ranged, he's never at risk of Opportunity Attacks and ends up very, very versatile.

Magic Weapon is, IMO, one of the best at-wills in the game. Note that it's not restricted to Weapons; you give the bonus to everyone who happens to be standing nearby.

Their other abilities are pretty damn cool, too, though it might take a while for them to really rock. They give your party a reason to use item daily powers, and boost those when you do decide to use them. They can recharge items, or else give you a floating bonus to use whenever the time is right. They get all the enchant/disenchant rituals for free, get perks to using them, and can even pick up feats to enchant items of higher levels.

Overall, it's a powerful and versatile class. One of my new favorites, particularly in smaller groups where their infinite transfer of healing surges makes your business day go a lot longer.

-O

 

[DracoSuave]

One thing to note, the feat that gives a bonus to attack rolls with enhanced weapons doesn't work with Magic Weapon (or else it'd be in there). This is because it only affects abilities that target weapons or implements, and Magic Weapon doesn't actually do that.