D&D 4E Eberron: The Artificer in 4e...

[arscott]

The artificer will probably simply be a controller. You give him wacky implement like a blunderbuss and enough area effect such as napalm-like bombs and deadly gases to fill the role and then you can add whatever iconic powers he had so that his fans are happy.

But that sounds like more like a Warcraft-style engineer. Artificers aren't technologists, they're magicians and the game should reflect that.

I think Artificers as arcane leaders is the most likely scenario. But I can also see arcane controllers working really well--the sort of stuff that Edward Elric pulls of in Full-Metal Alchemist--as long as it doesn't step on the wizard's toes too much.

 

[Sammael]

I imagine Artificers will be similar to Incarnum-based classes, but without the wacky flavor.

 

[LordArchaon]

I imagine Artificers will be similar to Incarnum-based classes, but without the wacky flavor.

Really not a bad idea: distributing your resources between all your items.
It would make for the right item-centering needed for the Artificer without loosing the character-centric mechanics that constitute the basis of 4e.

Besides, it seems to me that the magic item mechanics scream for some kind of "energy replenishment" to re-use their special abilities, which are mostly per-encounter.
Then an artificer could have powers that may let him use more than one special item ability at once or things like that.

So I think the Artificer is viable.

 

[Stalker0]

Infusion (Per encounter, standard)
Target: One magic item with an expended per encounter ability within 5 squares.
Benefit: The magic item regains its per encounter ability
Special: You can let a magic item regain a per day ability. Doing so expends this power for the day.

Cold Investment (At will, standard)
Target: One weapon within 10 squares.
Benefit: The weapon receives the frost property until the end of your next turn.
Sustain Minor: You can sustain the effect for up to 5 minutes or the end of the encounter as long as the weapon remains in range.

Harden (At will, minor)
Target: One item or object with 10 squares.
Benefit: The target's hardness increases by 5 until the end of your next turn.
Sustain Minor: Can be sustained indefinitely as long as the object is within range.

Nullifier (Per encounter, immediate interrupt)
Target: One magic item within 10 squares that is using a per encounter or per day ability.
Benefit: The magic item's ability is expended with no effect.

Fusion (Per day, move)
Target: Two magic items you wield.
Benefit: The two items merge into one. If the two items were different, choose which of the two forms the new item will take. The new item gains the combined magical properties of both items unless a property would not work with the new form. Any expended properties are still expended. The fused item lasts for the encounter.

 

[WhatGravitas]

The artificer will probably simply be a controller. You give him wacky implement like a blunderbuss and enough area effect such as napalm-like bombs and deadly gases to fill the role and then you can add whatever iconic powers he had so that his fans are happy.

If you want to fit the Eberron flavour... he should be less about alchemy and more about magic items, a bit more arcane, if you will.

I could see the artificer as pretty cool Arcane Defender/Artifice Defender with a leader-like bent.

Constructs crawling around him, protecting his friends, and infusions helping them to survive - after all, the Divine Defender (i.e. Paladin) has buffing smites. The artificer could do that as well. And his marking would be the fantasy equivalent of a laser scope - making opportunity attacks from range!

Cheers, LT.

 

[tecnowraith]

Hmmm could the Artificer be a Primal Leader? Since we know little about what Primal actually means in 4e cause Sorcerers are now Primal, from what I heard. I can them having the ability to rearrange the way implements work to fit them concept too, like that switch wand from control to blasting or something like that.

 

[nick012000]

2.) I'm not sure what "role" it fills, its not a defender (d6 hd, med bab) nor is it a striker (it has no direct combat abilities). It also really doesn't "control" anything either (no area spells cept blade barrier) so I guess its a leader. However, its not really a healer class either (unless your a warforged) but it does act as a buffer.

You obviously haven't spent much time at WotC's CharOp boards.

Artificers are Strikers; there's no bones about it. They can do literally thousands of damage in a single round, and have been known to one-shot gods.

They are, by orders of magnitude, the best direct damage dealers in the game.

 

[hong]

You obviously haven't spent much time at WotC's CharOp boards.

WotC's CharOp board is a funny place. Let's not go there.

 

[WhatGravitas]

You obviously haven't spent much time at WotC's CharOp boards.

Artificers are Strikers; there's no bones about it. They can do literally thousands of damage in a single round, and have been known to one-shot gods.

They are, by orders of magnitude, the best direct damage dealers in the game.

True - they basically convert stuff (gold) into incredible amounts of damage, they're a sort of matter-to-energy-converter.

But are they intended to do that? Flavour-wise, I'd say 'no', because I really think their concept is the all-purpose tinkerer, who can help his party. And as such, I'd say his role is either a leader (who helps the party in general) or a defender (who helps the party to survive).

Cheers, LT.

 

[nick012000]

True - they basically convert stuff (gold) into incredible amounts of damage, they're a sort of matter-to-energy-converter.

Heh. Actually, you don't need to spend all that much money; you only need a Staff of Disintegrate, and that's decently cheap at high levels. What the real cost is is in feats; you need lots of metamagic feats to get the best run for your money for a blastificer.

But are they intended to do that? Flavour-wise, I'd say 'no', because I really think their concept is the all-purpose tinkerer, who can help his party. And as such, I'd say his role is either a leader (who helps the party in general) or a defender (who helps the party to survive).

Or a Blaster, who enhances somewhat deadly magic item (Staff of Disintegrate) into a rediculously deadly magic item with item infusions (Staff of Quickened Twinned Split Ray Maximized Empowered Disintegrate).