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Hamlin
10-30-2015, 10:26 AM
So this game is almost 10 years old and I'm achieving completionist for the first time. Yes, my alt-itis really is that bad. Anyway, I've dipped into the harper tree on several characters, and I'm curious to see what happens when you dive all the way in. I love the synergy between harper and an int class like Artificer, so that will be my main class. I plan on splashing some bard in so I can SWF with a rune arm and get the extra dps from swashbuckling too. I haven't 100% determined the split yet. 3 Bard lets you swashbuckle. 4 Bard would grant me an extra 1d6 sonic damage per hit while using a rune arm. I'm leaning towards 3 right now...the decision to me comes down to an extra 1d6 per melee hit vs 1d8-10 or whatever per rune arm blast. I'm picturing this character using melee for dps with rune arm blasts sprinkled in when they're available. 3 levels would also prevent me from dipping too far into the swashbuckler tree (already heavily invested in harper). Need to save some AP's for artificer trees! So anyway, lets get to my first concept build. This one has 4 Bard levels. Next one I post will be 3 levels.

Features:

INT to hit and damage: My DCs on spells will be no worse than a full artificer, so going max INT will allow me to effectively cast spells, use my rune arms, AND keep my melee up.
Versitility: Full UMD, trap skills, great defensive spells and tactical detonation for crowd control.
Different: This matters to me. Sure, I'd probably kick a lot of butt with a horc barbarian. But then I'd get bored and stop paying Turbine $15 a month. I like to get off the beaten path a little bit. I can take a less optimal build and make up for it with player skill.

Quibble's Harper Agent
16/4 Artificer/Bard
True Neutral Halfling


Level Order

1. Artificer. . . .6. Artificer . . .11. Artificer. . . 16. Artificer
2. Bard . . . . . .7. Artificer . . .12. Artificer. . . 17. Artificer
3. Bard . . . . . .8. Artificer . . .13. Artificer. . . 18. Artificer
4. Bard . . . . . .9. Artificer . . .14. Artificer. . . 19. Bard
5. Artificer. . . 10. Artificer . . .15. Artificer. . . 20. Artificer


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . 32pt. . .34pt . . 36pt . . Tome. . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . ---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . .7. . . .10 . . . 10. . . .10. . . .+6 . . . 4: INT
Dexterity . . . 16. . . .16 . . . 16. . . .16. . . .+6 . . . 8: INT
Constitution. . 13. . . .14 . . . 14. . . .14. . . .+6 . . .12: INT
Intelligence. . 18. . . .18 . . . 18. . . .18. . . .+6 . . .16: INT
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8. . . .+6 . . .20: INT
Charisma. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . 10. . . .12. . . .+6 . . .24: INT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28: INT

Skills
. . . . . A .B. B .B. A .A. A .A. A .A. A .A. A .A. A .A. A .A. B .A
. . . . . 1 .2. 3 .4. 5 .6. 7 .8. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Perform . . .3. 3 .1. . . . . .2. 2 .2. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. . . . 3 .1. 23
Spellcr . 4 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 23
Disable . 4 . . . . . 2 .3. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. . .2. 23
Search. . 4 . . . . . 3 .2. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. . .2. 23
Spot. . . 4 . . . . . 1 .1. 4 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. . .2. 23
UMD . . . 4 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 23
Open Lo . 4 . . . . . 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. . .1. 19
Move Si . . . . 2 .2. . . . . . . . . . 1 .1½ 1½ 1½ 1½ 2. . . . 2 .1. 16
Hide. . . . . . 2 .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 .3. 1 . . 11
Jump. . . 2 .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . 10
Balance . 2 .3. 1 .1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Tumble. . . . . . .3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .32 10 10 11. 9 .9. 9 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 14 13


Feats

.1. . . . : Single Weapon Fighting
.3. . . . : Completionist
.6. . . . : Precision
.7 Arti . : Extend Spell
.9. . . . : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
11 Arti . : Maximize Spell
12. . . . : Improved Critical: Piercing
15. . . . : Greater Single Weapon Fighting
15 Arti . : Empower Spell
18. . . . : Past Life: Wizard
20 Arti . : Improved Critical: Ranged
21 Epic . : Overwhelming Critical
24 Epic . : Point Blank Shot
26 Destiny: Perfect Single Weapon Fighting
27 Epic . : Combat Archery
28 Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting


Spells

Artificer
Enchant Weapons, Shield of Faith, Conjure Bolts, Admixture: Cure Light Wounds
Admixture: Cure Moderate Wounds, Elemental Weapons, Reinforce Construct, Lightning Sphere
Adamantine Weapons, Admixture: Cure Serious Wounds, Stoneskin, Flame Turret
Armor of Speed, Cold Iron Weapons, Protection from Elements
Tenser's Transformation, Prismatic Strike
Deadly Weapons, Tactical Detonation
Bard
<Any>, <Any>, <Any>
<Any>, <Any>

Enhancements (99 of 80 AP) - Errors

Harper Agent (39 AP)
Agent of Good I, Intelligence, Agent of Good II, Intelligence, Agent of Good III
Harper Enchantment, Traveler's Toughness III, Strategic Combat
Versatile Adept III, Know the Angles III
Versatile Adept III, Strategic Combat, Intelligence
Versatile Adept III, Intelligence
Harper Enchantment: Righteousness, Versatile Adept III, Moment of Clarity

Swashbuckler (22 AP)
Confidence, Swashbuckling
On Your Toes III, Tavern Shanties I, Limber Up III
En Pointe III, Sword Dance I
Cannoneer, Resonant Arms III
Music Box

Battle Engineer (19 AP)
Battle Engineer
Field Engineer II, Thermal Venting III
Damage Boost III, Thaumaturgical Conduits III
Arcane Capacitors, Intelligence


I think this will be a versatile and fun build to play. Proof is in the pudding though and I won't know how it actually plays until I roll it. Any suggestions to make it stronger or do more stuff are definitely appreciated.

Hamlin
11-03-2015, 01:42 PM
Quibble's Harper Agent
17/3 Artificer/Bard
True Neutral Halfling


Level Order

1. Artificer. . . .6. Artificer . . .11. Artificer. . . 16. Artificer
2. Bard . . . . . .7. Artificer . . .12. Artificer. . . 17. Artificer
3. Bard . . . . . .8. Artificer . . .13. Artificer. . . 18. Artificer
4. Bard . . . . . .9. Artificer . . .14. Artificer. . . 19. Artificer
5. Artificer. . . 10. Artificer . . .15. Artificer. . . 20. Artificer


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . 32pt. . .34pt . . 36pt . . Tome. . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . ---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . .6. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8. . . .+6 . . . 4: INT
Dexterity . . . 14. . . .16 . . . 16. . . .16. . . .+6 . . . 8: INT
Constitution. . 14. . . .14 . . . 14. . . .14. . . .+6 . . .12: INT
Intelligence. . 18. . . .18 . . . 18. . . .18. . . .+6 . . .16: INT
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8. . . .+6 . . .20: INT
Charisma. . . . 10. . . .10 . . . 12. . . .14. . . .+6 . . .24: INT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28: INT

Skills
. . . . . A .B. B .B. A .A. A .A. A .A. A .A. A .A. A .A. A .A. A .A
. . . . . 1 .2. 3 .4. 5 .6. 7 .8. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Spellcr . 4 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 23
Disable . 4 . . . . . 2 .2. 2 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 23
Search. . 4 . . . . . 2 .2. 2 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 23
Spot. . . 4 . . . . . 2 .2. 2 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 23
UMD . . . 4 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 23
Perform . . .3. 3 .1. . . . . .½. ½ .½. ½ .1. 1 .1. 1 .1½ 1½ 1½ 1½ 2. 21
Open Lo . 4 . . . . . 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 20
Diplo . . . .1. 3 .3. . . . . .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 20
Concent . 4 . . 1 .1. . . . . .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1 .1. 19
Balance . . .4. 1 .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Repair. . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Jump. . . . . . . .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Tumble. . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .32 10 10 11. 9 .9. 9 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13


Feats

.1. . . . : Spell Focus: Evocation
.3. . . . : Completionist
.6. . . . : Single Weapon Fighting
.7 Arti . : Maximize Spell
.9. . . . : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
11 Arti . : Heighten Spell
12. . . . : Improved Critical: Piercing
15. . . . : Greater Single Weapon Fighting
15 Arti . : Empower Spell
18. . . . : Past Life: Wizard
19 Arti . : Augment Summoning
21 Epic . : Overwhelming Critical
24 Epic . : Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
26 Destiny: Perfect Single Weapon Fighting
27 Epic . : Epic Spell Focus: Evocation
28 Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting


Spells

Artificer
Ablative Armor, Conjure Bolts, Enchant Weapons, Static Shock, Shield of Faith
Elemental Weapons, Lightning Sphere, Reinforce Construct, Toughen Construct
Admixture: Cure Serious Wounds, Stoneskin, Flame Turret, Blast Rod
Armor of Speed, Lightning Motes, Thundering Armor, Protection from Elements
Tenser's Transformation, Prismatic Strike, Radiant Forcefield
Deadly Weapons, Tactical Detonation
Bard
Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Focusing Chant

Enhancements (118 of 80 AP) - Errors

Swashbuckler (20 AP)
Confidence, Swashbuckling
On Your Toes III, Limber Up I
En Pointe III, Sword Dance III
Cannoneer, Resonant Arms II

Harper Agent (38 AP)
Agent of Good I, Intelligence, Agent of Good II, Intelligence, Agent of Good III
Harper Enchantment, Traveler's Toughness III, Strategic Combat
Versatile Adept III, Know the Angles III
Versatile Adept II, Strategic Combat, Intelligence
Versatile Adept III, Intelligence
Harper Enchantment: Righteousness, Versatile Adept III, Moment of Clarity

Battle Engineer (22 AP)
Battle Engineer, Infused Weapons
Field Engineer II, Thermal Venting III
Damage Boost III, Thaumaturgical Conduits III
Arcane Capacitors, Intelligence
Rune Arm Overcharge



Thoughts? Ideas for improvement? Questions?

Kadrios
11-21-2015, 03:07 PM
I am a big fan of arti/swashbuckler combos (both my current life, and the previous life on my main have had some levels of both classes).

Based on your feat selection, I assume you plan to chuck a few spells as you close, and then mainly just use melee damage, with some occasional spells thrown in melee if really needed. Would I be correct?
Personally I think that Harper Enchantment: Deception is better than Righteousness, particularly if you have some sneak attack gear (e.g. Seal of House Avithoul), as it both provides a little additional DPS, and some defence (in the form turning the enemy around for a few seconds).

I also generally tend to priority the Doublestrike boost over anything else at Tier 2 of Swashbuckler.
The third core of Battle Engineer is worth getting (for the PRR if nothing else), if you can find the AP for it