Dragon 365 - Artificer

[webrunner]

Woah.

Although, I'll have to review the article. Area burst powers that make multi attacks might be difficult to use a single thrown weapon for.

The ones that make multi attacks are presented more like "explosions" arcing from the single throw (carrying the effect) and not throwing more than one item



Regarding the Three Hands thing: There's also Dancing Weapon which is "implement, weapon" which needs a melee weapon.

Thinking on it, it would be helpful if Artificers got the effect of quick draw (Without the init bonus) for free. Or, conversely, a "quick stow", an an opposite of quick draw (and with quick draw lets you switch for free all day) All the pictures of the Artificers have half a dozen or more weapons and implements sticking out of their pack, and the one on the last page is even being shown removing an item from their pack. It seems obvious that item-swapping is one of the main features of the class, otherwise they wouldn't show it so prominently. But the class, as written, has this as a drawback instead of a benefit..

 

[Vendark]

If you really find Artificer's item swapping to be a difficulty, just give them a rote for swapping items, similar to the mage hand cantrip.

 

[Bagpuss]

I could imagine them with a magical mechanical arm holding their implement for them.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

This is because they gain Make Whole (a 1st level ritual). Enchant Magic Item is a4th level ritual and Disenchant Magic Item is a 6th level ritual. You don't give out free higher level abilities/powers for free at 1st level.

No, but you can give our free higher level abilities at higher levels. Wizards get free rituals at levels 5, 11, 15, 21, and 25. I don't see why Artificers shouldn't get three extremely important rituals at levels 4, 5, and 6 (I'm including Brew Potion as well as Enchant Magic Item and Disenchant Magic Item.)

Making magic items is what Artificers do. It's what defines them as a class, so it should be a class ability. I especially like Kaodi's idea that Artificers don't even need to have these rituals in a ritual book to cast them.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

I definitely think some under-slung implement holder could be in order. It wouldn't really give much of an advantage to other implement using classes, but would stop the Artificer doing the hand-jive.

That's a really cool idea. A crossbow with an underslung rod or wand is a great image.

Alternately, they could create a magic crossbow that also functions as an implement, similar to a pact blade.

I could imagine them with a magical mechanical arm holding their implement for them.

There's an artificer magic item in 3.5 that does exactly that. In 4e it could be a Belt-slot item that holds one magic item, and allows you to switch an item you hold for the extra magic item as a free action once per round.

 

[Scribble]

I could imagine them with a magical mechanical arm holding their implement for them.

Why am I suddenly envisioning a cybernetic michael jackson...

 

[Vendark]

Something else to consider...we've been discussing this as if this pretest build is a complete, stand-alone build, but we don't really know if that's the ultimate intent...it could instead be a hybrid of what will eventually be two separate builds. In other words, the final version might separate the Implement Artificer and the Ranged Weapon Artificer into distinct builds.

 

[RandomCitizenX]

No, but you can give our free higher level abilities at higher levels. Wizards get free rituals at levels 5, 11, 15, 21, and 25. I don't see why Artificers shouldn't get three extremely important rituals at levels 4, 5, and 6 (I'm including Brew Potion as well as Enchant Magic Item and Disenchant Magic Item.)

Making magic items is what Artificers do. It's what defines them as a class, so it should be a class ability. I especially like Kaodi's idea that Artificers don't even need to have these rituals in a ritual book to cast them.

The more I think about it, the more I agree that they should get those rituals for free, maybe at the cost of the free 1st level bonus ritual.

 

[DylanCB]

Handbows

Er, handbows are load free, ya know. And plus, at most levels, you can choose purely weapon based powers. So, easy handbow slinger. If you miss and match, you can still hold an implement in one hand. The crossbow doesn't deal that much more damage than the handbow. Not seeing the problem.

Although, no playtesting humans, oh well.

 

[IanArgent]

I was suprised to not see an "Artificer's Bow" item property a la "Pact Blade":

Artificer's Weapon- Level 3+
(see pact blade for costs per bonus - I'm lazy)
Weapon: Ranged or Thrown (usually crossbows or daggers)
Enhancement: Attack Rolls and Damage Rolls
Critical:+1d6 damage per plus
Property: This weapon functions as an artificer implement, adding its enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls for artificer powers that use implements
Special: You do not gain your weapon proficiency bonus to the attack roll when using an Artificer's Weapon as an implement

Less powerful (loses the pact blade's second property) but more flexible than an pact blade. This is important since most thrown weapons double as melee weapons. Artificers will still want to have "proper" implements (particularly wands, from which they can loot wizard and warlock spells) for the dailies; but no longer need to have both a weapon and an implement.