Epic Level Artificer

[Maxxcore]

As I'm leveling my current life, I'm planning for my next, which is going to be an artificer. I can plan fairly well, but one area I lack in infinitely is gear. I don't know any good "artificer specific" gear for any level past... 12. Any help with gearing options for levels 14-28 is good. Thanks :).

[Wh070aa]

Epic
Toven's Hammer
Tunderforged weapon/Slavers hand until you get it
Dragonscale (blue, or black) armor.

Level 16
Doublecross Bow
Silver Slinger
for runearms whatever works, I use
Corruption of Nature
Glorious Obscenity

Now do you want to be a caster, archer hybrid, or what? Do you use destiny with evasion, or splash for it? What epic destiny are you using? What race? Fleshy, blade forged, or war forged? Healing amp gear vs repair gear is a huge difference.

If you go archer, you are better off doing ranger with artificer splash. Seriously. Pure artificer is not the best archer. Use furry, for adrenaline, and splash in whatever you want.
If you go caster, you probably go draconic(magic damage), or Shadowdancer(for them evasion things.) Get non weapon spell power and critical, and evocation thing.

As for other gear, you might want to look into
Sage's Spectacles (+8 int min level 15)
Ring of Master Artifice (must have for repair chars)
Bracers of Wind
Wind Howler Bracers
Bracers of Twisting Shade
Sage's Locket
Iron Beads
Treasure Hunter's Spyglass

Rest is the usual random deadly item , ghostly item (marbar cloak or the armor thing, Minos for heavy fort, Luck item, trapper gear, Spell power potions (kinetic, lightning, repair), because slotting them tends to be pain in some levels, deathblock, + con item, Ion stone (+6 to int at level 5), + to saves item, if you have free gear slot, Tons of clickies (divine might, GH(Planar Gird), death ward(Visor of the Flesh Render Guards), FoM(or somthing Kundak delivering, or Rock Boots) exc). Also possibly some specialized random drop weapons (X bane of extra 100 damage on 20, or instakill if below 1000).

Remember that wands, potions and clickies are really good on pure arti, as you have huge caster level on them. Duration, increase, and caster level increase (them jump and haste potions). Spell resistance scrolls, and true seeing scrolls are good too. Also blurr, invisibility,stone skin displacement and stuff.

[Livmo]

As I'm leveling my current life, I'm planning for my next, which is going to be an artificer. I can plan fairly well, but one area I lack in infinitely is gear. I don't know any good "artificer specific" gear for any level past... 12. Any help with gearing options for levels 14-28 is good. Thanks :).

Cannith Chanllnges will get you allot of useful gear at various levels. Also, if you have the Epic Treasure Hunters Spyglass from Crystal Cove that is nice to. Furthermore, I like to get the Necklace of Mystic Eidolons from Haunted Halls. The Manuel of Stealthy Pilfering drops there too.

Around level 18 you may wish to do the House C slayer and quests for these items:

Slayer


Fabricator's Gauntlets - Gloves: Strength +6, Resistance +5, Melee Alacrity 10%, Nearly Finished [ML18, BTA] (Wrack's chest)
Magewright's Spectacles - Goggles: Intelligence +6, Spell Penetration III,Concentration +10, Enhanced Concentration +5, Nearly Finished [ML18, BTA] (Stellite's chest)
Tinker's Goggles - Goggles: Intelligence +6, Treason, Disable Device +10, Enhanced Disable Device +5, Nearly Finished [ML18, BTA] (Bulat's chest)


Blown to Bits


Fabricator's Bracers - Bracers: Cannith Combat Infusion, Incite +20%, Balance +10, Enhanced Balance +5, Nearly Finished [ML18, BTA] (Iron Fire Bomber Chest)
Alchemist's Pendant - Necklace: Constitution +6, Alchemical Conservation, Greater Elemental Energy, Nearly Finished [ML18, BTA] (End Chests, including the optional one for destroying all the crates)


Schemes of the Enemy


Tinker's Goggles - Goggles: Intelligence +6, Treason, Disable Device +10, Enhanced Disable Device +5, Nearly Finished [ML18, BTA] (Dackle <Master of the Hounds>'s chest) (Drops on normal/hard only, related post: [1])
Tinker's Gloves - Gloves: Dexterity +6, Exceptional Seeker +2, Open Lock +10, Enhanced Open Lock +5, Nearly Finished [ML18, BTA] (Any Chest)
Cannith Boots of Propulsion - Boots: Striding +30%, Feather Falling, Jet Propulsion, Jump +10, Enhanced Jump +5 [ML18, BTA, Exclusive] (Dackle <Master of the Hounds>'s chest, or bonus chest for convincing the Cannith guards to join you)



Likewise, in House C the Lord of Blades and Master Articifer raids yield the parts for Alchemical weapons and Toven's Hammer. The Alchemical weapons are ML 12 and I sometimes use them to L20.

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From the LoD chain try to get the Double Crossbow and Silver Slinger. My main ER weapon is an Epic Silver SLinger that I slotted a Ghostbane augment into since it has everything but Ghost Touch. BTW the undead bane damage from the repeater and augment do not stack. I use just for the Ghost Touch. Nice for Haunted Halls. OK if you want to get a Double Crossbow and Silver Slinger fast, use your current epic toon and farm them from EE Spinner of Shadows. The have a good chance of dropping in the end chest. That way you will have them for your arty life.

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Armor ~ I use the L14 white dragon scale till level 25 then I switch to my Epic Blue Dragon Scale. Then at L28 I switch to my Shadowscale. These are my preferences based on my play style, but there are lots of other cool armors out there.

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On a side note, I put my open lock, disable device, and search items on a hot bar along with my main items to swap for trapping so I can easily go back and forth with the items as the need arises.

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It's also nice to have a Banishing xbow and a Smiting xbow for certain situations. I still find my maxed Needle out performs my Thudnerforgerd xbow later on. You can start using the Needle at L23 if you have one.

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The Bastard Swords I use along the way are Templar's Retributiuon (LoD) and Nightmare (CiTW) later on with the Chimera's Fang rune arm since it grants the bastard sword proferciencey.

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Keep in mind you can gear you dog which makes a huge differnce in EE. At level 20 I use Grave Wrappings from Unquite Graves (covert to collar in House C or on ship) and then at L25 I use a pair of Adamantine Knuckles that I converted to a collar and slotted with a Draconic Soul Gem and Globe. I use the Ancient Gemstone docent on the dog at L20 (take as end reard on current life from the C1 chain to have for later). At level 25 I put Epic Flawless White Dragon Scale with max. upgrades and Golem's Heart.

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There are a ton of other items that I like, but the list can go on forever. Don't forget to check out the gear from House C challenges.

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EDIT ~ forgot rune arms..I use all these in EE. I have all the rune arms. However, based on my style of play I primarily only use these 3. Don't forget you can craft upon Toven's Hammer as well as the Hand of Tombs.



Toven's Hammer
Corruption of Nature
Hand of Tombs (Love it in HH and Thundrholm)

[Maxxcore]

Thanks for the advice :D. Was originally planning a archer build with rogue splash, and some casting.

[Livmo]

Thanks for the advice :D. Was originally planning a archer build with rogue splash, and some casting.

A few points about splashing. When you splash and have less arty levels, you have a weaker arty dog. Lets say in your splash you took only 4 levels of arty. Then your dog will only be able to wear L4 collars and docents. However, if you just want to use the dog as a level puller and as a distractor, then you don't need allot of levels for that.

Also, a pure arty will feel stronger in the end. There is no need to splash for evasion. Although most trap boxes are on the other side of the trap, timing and a deft touch at the keyboard is more effective than evasion. If you want to practice without evasion Lords of Dust has 3 traps in a row that are good place to start.

[Wh070aa]

Thanks for the advice :D. Was originally planning a archer build with rogue splash, and some casting.

Consider doing 2rougue/2bard/16 artificer. 2 bard gives you 30% dobleshoot clicky(from swashbuckler), and levels 17 and 18 on arti are kinda empty, and most spells you use cap at 10 -ish anyway.
At least that's what I am planing to do after i finish with my 12 ranger 4 arti, 2barbarian(/bard, did barbarian, now, I kinda want bard, but not enough free enchantment points, so idk)

Pure arti is good too, up to epics. Hybrid artificer(and caster artificer) burst damage really sucks.

Edit: Also I forgot about Crimson Chain. Best armor till you get epic dragon tings, unless you need fort in armor slot, or wear heavy armor. Min level 12, but I tend to wear it till level 25.