Suggestions on character advancement/development

[Kalerescent]

Hey all, first time poster, long time reader.

I'm starting back up playing D&D after a 3-year hiatus, playing in a coworker's existing campaign (Forgotten Realms, 3rd Ed). I have a history of playing the righteous cleric/paladin role, so this time around I decided to switch gears and rolled up a Lantan gnome, Illusionist with an eye on the Gnomish Artificer Prc (from the Magic of Faerun supplement).

The group right now consists of a straight-up cleric, a swashbuckler (our main "tank" to use WoW parlance), a gnomish rogue and a wild elf druidess. As you see, magic users were in short supply.

I'm at lvl 2 now (Illusionist 2), and took one of my prerequisites (Skill Focus) at creation. However, I do have a few questions:

1) The Gnomish Artificer appears to be fairly limited spell-wise, since he will mostly have either evocation/offensive spells or self-buffs. Not a lot of general use spells, illusions, summons, etc (although the very nature of those spells would make it difficult to create a technological counterpart). I also notice that even though you need to cast arcane magic to take that Prc, there is no spell-level progression involved. Thus, once I "finish up" these 10 levels, I'm in a bind. If I continue in an arcane-based progression, I'll basically go over again much of the spells that I can already reproduce through technological means. If I don't go that route, then what complementary class is open to me that would "fit" with the artificer class mentality?

2) My other option was to continue as an Illusionist for a bit longer until I get Minor Creation, which then opens the door for the Techsmith PrC from the Faiths and Pantheons book. I'm kind of confused however, as I thought it was a cleric-based PrC, but I check all reqs closely and I don't see it. Has anyone here got experience with the Techsmith class? It basically allows for a tech-based focus but looks like it allows a good amount of spell progression also. Do I need to be a cleric of Gond or can I be a follower (which I am) and meet the reqs to start progressing in the class?

Any tips would be appreciated!

 

[sniffles]

My first thought is see if your GM will let you use the artificer base class from Eberron. That sounds more like what you're interested in doing.

If not, then is there a specific class ability of the Gnomish Artificer that you are looking forward to reaching? There's no reason you have to take all 10 levels of that prestige class unless you are really interested in attaining the higher-level class abilities.

You can also alternate levels between Gnomish Artificer and illusionist to keep your caster levels increasing, unless for some reason your GM doesn't allow this. From a quick read of the Gnomish Artificer class, even though it requires arcane casting ability as a prerequisite it's really not an arcane class. The device powers aren't spells and don't equate to spells even though they approximate spell effects.

Techsmith sounds like a nice class to combine with Artificer. It doesn't say that you have to be a cleric of Gond to enter the class, just that you have to have visited the High Holy Crafthouse of Inspiration in Lantan. So unless your GM adds some extra requirements to this there's no reason your character couldn't get into that class if he meets all the other prerequisites.

Another prestige class that looks like it might suit you is the Effigy Master from Complete Arcane. This one allows you to craft constructs that serve you as minions. Effigy Master doesn't require Craft Construct as a prerequisite and the character doesn't have to have Knowledge (architecture and engineering) to repair an effigy. It's only a 5-level prestige class and four of those levels add to your caster level. The sample character is even a gnome illusionist!

Hope this helps.