Heph's Advanced Guide to Artificers - Attention all Intermediate Tinkers & Up!

[Hephaestas]

Good day everyone!

A glorious day to create an Artificer, is it not? Why, what's that you say, you're not sure where to start!? You've heard Artificers are no good? Poppycock! The Artificer is the jewel of the Eberron Campaign setting!
Now let's help you make that Artificer now, shall we?


INTRODUCING HEPH'S ADVANCED GUIDE TO ARTIFICERS

With the introduction of U38 and the 3rd enhancement tree, Renegade Mastermaker, I felt it was high time for a guide to the class! Most everyone has some idea to play a Fighter, those interested in monks have plenty of material to get started with a monk, etc - but support classes seldom get such love. The Artificer class is a wonderfully fun and powerful support class that can make its way even into the toughest of Reaper content if built right! For these reasons and more I'd like to publish this guide I've made on the Artificer subforum, to give any and everyone supplemental material to look through and mull over! At the very least, perhaps you'll find my humor entertaining :P

The Guide is in a PDF form! It's rather comprehensive and I find it easier to keep updated that way than to deal with forum-type, but please, leave your comments, responses, and insight here! Feel free to download if you'd like, the guide is full of links, as well as a responsive table of contents on the downloaded version. Let me know what you found helpful, what parts I could add more too, if I got anything wrong, etc! This isn't me claiming to be THE EXPERT on Artificer - but I've played this class on and off and on and on again since it's debut yearrrrs ago! I hope at the very least you (re)discover the Artificer class of DDO in that classic D&D handbook feel!

ENJOY! And don't forget to charge that Rune Arm!~

And now for the links~!

>>>LINK TO HEPH'S PDF GUIDE HERE<<< (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Beo3D3uRAhJ9n-dQXbe-R2Zi3ryqw2kS/view)

A full guide too much info for ya? Need a simple "for starters" build? I gottca!

>>>LINK TO HEPH'S NEWBIE FRIENDLY ARBLASTER BUILD<<< (https://docs.google.com/document/d/12MNsSK2LwKABzKRrAOr0SS3v137X1zIkhBsLpaligSE/edit?usp=sharing)

Still reading? What's that, you'd like to see what build I run? Here ya go!

>>>LINK TO HEPH'S PERSONAL MELEE BUILD<<< (https://docs.google.com/document/d/12GvGJIrOriJpxuJiqbTdwy-evar9KQWhjIGkMXgdwMU/edit?usp=sharing)

Want an Artificer-Inspired Inquis Build?

>>>LINK TO HEPH'S INQUISIFICER BUILD<<< (https://docs.google.com/document/d/16aJrQFkQotM9A-ok2g6CdIrKtxgAtruEzVZ9fqMI8VI/edit?usp=sharing)

The long anticipated Arcanotechnician builds!

>>>LINK TO HEPH'S CASTERFICER BUILDS<<< (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q34yTQckqq5tinzdyraeC3pbV-0lUPQpk6MqQcyMynM/edit?usp=sharing)

[Arkat]

Very nice guide.

+1

[Hephaestas]

Very nice guide.

+1

Thanks Arkat! I'm glad you got a chance to look at it! :)

[droid327]

I did notice that you said the WF Memories of the Last War were Action Boosts, but they're passives

Otherwise nice thorough treatment :)

[Hephaestas]

I did notice that you said the WF Memories of the Last War were Action Boosts, but they're passives

Otherwise nice thorough treatment :)

You're absolutely right, this is incredible! Thank you very much for bringing this to my attention - I'll update the file asap :D

[Drecas]

If this was in the guide, I must've missed it:
Did you know that Artificers get a feat called "Artificer Rune Arm Use" that you can drag into your hotbar and toggle on, and then your rune arm will automatically charge up?:cool:

[Hephaestas]

If this was in the guide, I must've missed it:
Did you know that Artificers get a feat called "Artificer Rune Arm Use" that you can drag into your hotbar and toggle on, and then your rune arm will automatically charge up?:cool:

Personally I did, but it may very well be worth noting! Such a thing might have seemed obvious to me, I'll consider a place to add that! :D

[Xyfiel]

I read about half of the guide and it is excellent for new and intermediate Artificer players.

I spoke with Heph in discord about one omission I thought should be included and that is a Vistani option for melee. Tier V Mastermaker, Harper for Know the Angles, and Vistani for crit range/multiplier, 10% doublestrike, haste boost, some prr/mrr, 20 melee power, and 20% doublestrike active ability. I find glancing blows with Dwarven Axe or B. Sword when using SWF and points in BE to be less powerful over all. Mainly because the best bonuses in BE are in tier V and capstone locking out getting them in Mastermaker. Just an option to consider.

[Hephaestas]

I read about half of the guide and it is excellent for new and intermediate Artificer players.
Tier V Mastermaker, Harper for Know the Angles, and Vistani for crit range/multiplier, 10% doublestrike, haste boost, some prr/mrr, 20 melee power, and 20% doublestrike active ability. I find glancing blows with Dwarven Axe or B. Sword when using SWF and points in BE to be less powerful over all. Mainly because the best bonuses in BE are in tier V and capstone locking out getting them in Mastermaker. Just an option to consider.

You do raise a good point with Mastermaker locking out the arguably best Tier5's for DPS on the tinkerer class. What you're speaking of though is more of a "specific build" while this guide is supposed to give players the tools they need to hammer and chisel their own build, just to reiterate why I may have left that out. That's indeed a very viable build one could make, and I would suggest, Xyfiel, that perhaps you flesh this out and post such a build in its own thread? I'd be interested to see how it might affect feat selection on a pure Artificer, and the nitty gritty of such a build. I have not had the pleasure of toying with VKF much yet despite owning it from the expansion.

My only real issue with Arty & VKF is that knives don't really synergize with Arty. However, most of the weapon synergies are in Battle Engineer, and if you're not going that route... Yes I'd be curious to hear more about this build. Write up a post and let me know so I can take a better look ^^

[Zachski]

Something worth noting about the starter guide.

It says to take the Rapid Shot feat at level 1, but that feat requires Point Blank Shot, which you've got at level 3.

This isn't a big deal at all, just need to switch Rapid Shot and Point Blank Shot on the list, but it might be worth correcting for other new players.

Thanks for these wonderful guides :) I've always loved the concept of Artificer but have always had trouble getting into them for some reason. Definitely giving it another try now.

[Hobgoblin]

couple of things

first when you talk about humans you talk about the lack of stat bonus. humans can get a bonus from the tree. not a huge deal, just as you talk about how gnomes/drow get up to +4 int

second, no elf/halfling love? they give a bonus to sneak attack range or damage.

third and yes im aware that i only said 2!, consider the other races. aasamir adds healing amp, helf adds the dilante/amp, horc adds helpless damage, dragonborn adds a breath weapon for a caster arti. just saying

[Hephaestas]

couple of things

first when you talk about humans you talk about the lack of stat bonus. humans can get a bonus from the tree. not a huge deal, just as you talk about how gnomes/drow get up to +4 int

second, no elf/halfling love? they give a bonus to sneak attack range or damage.

third and yes im aware that i only said 2!, consider the other races. aasamir adds healing amp, helf adds the dilante/amp, horc adds helpless damage, dragonborn adds a breath weapon for a caster arti. just saying

So I totally agree; I'd love to add in the other races - but I figured the more I added, and the less that were left out - I'd have to add all of em at that point lol. As you've mentioned, there are pros to other races I haven't mentioned as well. I'm not saying *don't go those races* it was more of a "which races blend best with the class" bit.

That said, again I'd love to write up a brief on every race and what it gives to the class - it just came down to time haha. Wanted this out with U38. I'll take your comments into future consideration though! Having all the races in there is certainly something I'd like to do at some point. :)

[Hephaestas]

Something worth noting about the starter guide.

It says to take the Rapid Shot feat at level 1, but that feat requires Point Blank Shot, which you've got at level 3.

This isn't a big deal at all, just need to switch Rapid Shot and Point Blank Shot on the list, but it might be worth correcting for other new players.

Thanks for these wonderful guides :) I've always loved the concept of Artificer but have always had trouble getting into them for some reason. Definitely giving it another try now.

It's so funny because I just did a ranged life last life and I took those two feats in the order you mentioned. Not sure how my memory slipped there! Thanks for the catch. Edited and fixed. I'd also like to review the enhancements with the 3rd tree now as well, it just came out and it wasn't in this newbie guide! I'm playing around with mastermaker heavily at the moment, and I will post changes for it soon(tm)!

[Zachski]

It's so funny because I just did a ranged life last life and I took those two feats in the order you mentioned. Not sure how my memory slipped there! Thanks for the catch. Edited and fixed. I'd also like to review the enhancements with the 3rd tree now as well, it just came out and it wasn't in this newbie guide! I'm playing around with mastermaker heavily at the moment, and I will post changes for it soon(tm)!

Awesome!

I'm actually really enjoying this - I keep trying to play a Caster Artificer, but really, playing a ranged one is probably easier to start with.

If I can, miracle of miracles, manage to get to level 20, I think I'll probably make my next life a melee artificer one - and then go for a caster artificer on my third life.

[Hephaestas]

I'm actually really enjoying this

<snip>

If I can, miracle of miracles, manage to get to level 20, I think I'll probably make my next life a melee artificer one - and then go for a caster artificer on my third life.

A good arcaneotechnication is extremely strong, except of course unless you... meet a lich or something, heh. I haven't played an AT for quite some time, so I'm out of touch with how they would play in current content or reaper, but I'd imagine it's around the level of how sorcerers are performing right now. Which is... very hit or miss.

I've been playing a 15/4/1 Pali/art/wiz for the racial I started last week and it's definitely less damage, but its more damage than your average tank build, and just about as survivable. I'm pretty curious to try pure Arti melee after this one.

[Hephaestas]

Corrected/Added:

- Talk on Warforged Tree and Memories of the Last War Enhancement
- Better insight on Battlefist and it's importance for a Melee Artificer and CC usage
- Better page layout for 'Ranged, Melee, and Caster' Subcategories

Known Desired Features Not-Yet-Added:

- Discussion on Half Orc/Elf
- Discussion on Aasimar
- Discussion on Halfling
- Discussion on Dragonborn


-----------------------------------
Thanks to everyone's feedback! You all are truly helping me make this to be one heckofa guide! :)

[gwonbush]

Your Rune Arm section really needs to talk up the best rune arm shot: Lightning Storm. They are by far the most powerful rune arm shot, being the only multi-hit shot that can also hit in an AoE. It can be a bit fiddly to get the AoE to work (jumping up and firing straight down in the middle of a crowd tends to work best), but the damage dealt by a full blast is effectively a free energy burst with no cast time. And since it's electric, you can also pump up the damage even higher by casting Lightning Motes.

The Lightning Storm rune arms are: Toven's Hammer, Heroic/Legendary Arc Welder (long range) and St. Murray's Fire. If you've got one of these and you aren't fighting something immune to electricity, you should be using it.

[yoderc]

Good guide Heph!

I've been playing Arties since my second year (in year 7 or 8 now) and I still learned some things. Thanks!

[Hephaestas]

Your Rune Arm section really needs to talk up the best rune arm shot: Lightning Storm. They are by far the most powerful rune arm shot, being the only multi-hit shot that can also hit in an AoE. It can be a bit fiddly to get the AoE to work (jumping up and firing straight down in the middle of a crowd tends to work best), but the damage dealt by a full blast is effectively a free energy burst with no cast time. And since it's electric, you can also pump up the damage even higher by casting Lightning Motes.

The Lightning Storm rune arms are: Toven's Hammer, Heroic/Legendary Arc Welder (long range) and St. Murray's Fire. If you've got one of these and you aren't fighting something immune to electricity, you should be using it.

Point taken. I'll make an effort to clarify that in the Rune Arm section. Thanks for the insight.


Good guide Heph!

I've been playing Arties since my second year (in year 7 or 8 now) and I still learned some things. Thanks!

I'm glad you found it useful!

[Hephaestas]

Hey guys, hope everyone's having fun with DDO and their awesome tinkerer friends, I've had a lot of requests for what build I run for melee/what build is my main, and soooo... the OP now has my personal melee build added! Check it out! :D

[ValariusK]

For gnome, you should mention color spray. It has a great synergy with both casting and ranged artificer approaches, and its sets up helplessness and sneak attacks pretty reliably if you're an int build.

[Niminae]

Your Rune Arm section really needs to talk up the best rune arm shot: Lightning Storm. They are by far the most powerful rune arm shot, being the only multi-hit shot that can also hit in an AoE. It can be a bit fiddly to get the AoE to work (jumping up and firing straight down in the middle of a crowd tends to work best), but the damage dealt by a full blast is effectively a free energy burst with no cast time. And since it's electric, you can also pump up the damage even higher by casting Lightning Motes.

The Lightning Storm rune arms are: Toven's Hammer, Heroic/Legendary Arc Welder (long range) and St. Murray's Fire. If you've got one of these and you aren't fighting something immune to electricity, you should be using it.

Another powerful rune arm option that I didn't see called out specifically in the guide are the ones which hit twice with two different damage types. These rune arms also imbue ranged and melee attacks with both damage types.

Strinati's Hand Cannon - Bludgeoning and Fire
Glass Cannon (not mentioned at all in your guide) - Bludgeoning and Fire

There are possibly more, but the wiki page on rune arms is a mess and doesn't list the dual types consistently.


Nice guide! +1

[Hephaestas]

For gnome, you should mention color spray. It has a great synergy with both casting and ranged artificer approaches, and its sets up helplessness and sneak attacks pretty reliably if you're an int build.

Great suggestion, I'll add it to the gnome section!


Another powerful rune arm option that I didn't see called out specifically in the guide are the ones which hit twice with two different damage types. These rune arms also imbue ranged and melee attacks with both damage types.

Strinati's Hand Cannon - Bludgeoning and Fire
Glass Cannon (not mentioned at all in your guide) - Bludgeoning and Fire

There are possibly more, but the wiki page on rune arms is a mess and doesn't list the dual types consistently.


Nice guide! +1

Thank you! Strinati's is one of my favorite heroic rune arms of all time, Glass Cannon on the other hand, I believe I didn't mention initially because up until last Crystal Cove, it was pretty "meh" - not up to par spellpower wise, and the fortification penalty kinda stunk for an already ok damage output. BUT! That's been fixed, and I will definitely add it to the list! ^^

[Hipparan]

I like your Arblaster build. I was wondering though why you chose Mechanus instead of something like Plane of Elemental Air (lots of extra electric damage). I feel like I remember the Reconstruct SLA not scaling properly.

[Hephaestas]

I like your Arblaster build. I was wondering though why you chose Mechanus instead of something like Plane of Elemental Air (lots of extra electric damage). I feel like I remember the Reconstruct SLA not scaling properly.

AH! So, I wrote the Guide as U38 was coming out; closely keeping up with the updates they were planning, and giving my feedback on Lammania, etc.

The Arblaster build was written more or less around the time of the Battle Engineer change, and so as a newplayer build, i built the Mechanus Scion in there as more of a safeguard (before you could get one in Mastermaker, despite RM also just having very little for ranged variant Artificers)

At the moment I'm a bit unsure as to what to put for the Scion feat - as I personally run in Ethereal most days now; but for a first (or 3rd) life player has little reason to take Ethereal with low hide and the rogue past life active more than likely not available to them...

I'm tempted to say either Astral Plane or the safe bet of Arborea. Do you have a suggestion? :)

[Hobgoblin]

so im looking at your melee guide.

am i being stupid or do your stats not add up?

how do u start with a 20 int on a wf?

[Hephaestas]

so im looking at your melee guide.

am i being stupid or do your stats not add up?

how do u start with a 20 int on a wf?

No you're right to have questioned that! At the time I intially wrote this I factored in completionist without realizing! Not long after you must have written this however I've since clarified it :D

[gott_ist_tot]

Hail and well met!

Any chance you could share your thoughts on throwing the new hot thing (inquisitive) into the mix?
Is this viable? What tough choices do we face while pursuing the ridiculous inqui DPS?

[SilentRunning]

The only thing I don't like about Inq with an Arti is if you have the Rune Arm charged the second bow is pointed at your head lol.

[Hephaestas]

Hail and well met!

Any chance you could share your thoughts on throwing the new hot thing (inquisitive) into the mix?
Is this viable? What tough choices do we face while pursuing the ridiculous inqui DPS?

Thanks for asking, absolutely. I've been working on mocking up an inquisitive "Artificer" and weighing the pros and cons of levels and splits. So as Inquisitive is a Universal tree, there really isn't a necessary reason to go pure. I'm going through heroics now on my normally-Arty main with the plan for a 15Art/4Rog/1Ftr, Human for plenty of feats, Improved Construct Essence, the Artificer Spells and high BAB to take IPS by 15 (as rogue kind of ruins the BAB by 15 bit). If the build works out and/or I can figure out what needs tweaking when I take it to cap, and I like it - I'll write it up and add it to the OP!


The only thing I don't like about Inq with an Arti is if you have the Rune Arm charged the second bow is pointed at your head lol.

Lol, yeah, visually it bothers me too. Wish the team would fix it, but I guess it's not high priority. I think I also might have heard its class/race specific?

[Hephaestas]

Thanks for asking, absolutely. I've been working on mocking up an inquisitive "Artificer" and weighing the pros and cons of levels and splits. So as Inquisitive is a Universal tree, there really isn't a necessary reason to go pure. I'm going through heroics now on my normally-Arty main with the plan for a 15Art/4Rog/1Ftr, Human for plenty of feats, Improved Construct Essence, the Artificer Spells and high BAB to take IPS by 15 (as rogue kind of ruins the BAB by 15 bit). If the build works out and/or I can figure out what needs tweaking when I take it to cap, and I like it - I'll write it up and add it to the OP!


Link to the Artificer Inquis Build I played at cap, solid build, great dps. Doesn't touch the tweaked out metabuilds with rogue as the primary class, but certainly powerful. Step aside repeaters! Again, link in the OP folks. Happy tinkering!

[ChemE]

Question about know the angles, did it get nerfed? the description says 120 secs but its only lasting 30 secs. I could have sworn last life it was longer.

[Discpsycho]

Question about know the angles, did it get nerfed? the description says 120 secs but its only lasting 30 secs. I could have sworn last life it was longer.

There are three tiers, just like Divine Might / Grace / Will: first tier lasts 30s, second tier 60s, third tier 2 min. That's why it costs 3 AP. You could use the 1-point version, since it lasts 30s and the cooldown is 20s, but the cost also decreases from 45 -> 30 -> 15 SP per use. Also, hitting a buff every 30s is a pain

[ChemE]

There are three tiers, just like Divine Might / Grace / Will: first tier lasts 30s, second tier 60s, third tier 2 min. That's why it costs 3 AP. You could use the 1-point version, since it lasts 30s and the cooldown is 20s, but the cost also decreases from 45 -> 30 -> 15 SP per use. Also, hitting a buff every 30s is a pain

I have all three tiers and its still lasting only 30 secs.

[Sonoma]

I have all three tiers and its still lasting only 30 secs.

Did you update your hotbar?

[Hobgoblin]

I have all three tiers and its still lasting only 30 secs.

to clarify the first level may be on your hotbar it doesnt auto update u have to drag the new one to the bar

[ChemE]

to clarify the first level may be on your hotbar it doesnt auto update u have to drag the new one to the bar

I'm a dummy. lol

[Mindos]

I'm a dummy. lol

We've all done it, and continue to do so. It's a silly quirk of the game.

[grudgebear]

So much dedication to one class! Good guides :)

[ozziezombie]

Hey! Thank you SO MUCH for help with Arti. You've made it much easier to not make a **** character for me.

I do have a few questions though.

Since the new update's coming, I'm considering trying to multiclass based on your Inquisificier build. I wanted to plan it out in Maetrimis' DDO Planner and I'm having troubles with feats.

Up until lvl 15 everything goes smoothly, but when going your level guide I don't get the Arti feat at level 16 (only at 17) and thus no feat at 20. Now, I can't tell if it's because of a bug in the character builder or not, but could you please help me verify where the problem might come from?

Is the fighter level in there really necessary for the additional action boosts from Kensei tree?

If I'll be casting only self-buffs, (quickened) repairs, and occasional (quickened) Blade Barrier/Tactical Nuke, is it worth maxing concentration? I was even considering getting the epic Quiver from Necropolis which has -50 concentration. I just don't know if there's a reason for me to go for it if that's the case. I'm a relative newbie still, so please help me out.

Thanks in advance! :)

@Edit - also, why shouldn't I go full construct? I'm mostly playing solo or with my Warforged friend right now. Wouldn't full repair efficiency be better than some positive energy power?

[Hephaestas]

Hey! Thank you SO MUCH for help with Arti. You've made it much easier to not make a **** character for me.


So glad to hear my guide(s) have proved useful to you! That's what they're for!~



I do have a few questions though.

Since the new update's coming, I'm considering trying to multiclass based on your Inquisificier build. I wanted to plan it out in Maetrimis' DDO Planner and I'm having troubles with feats.

Up until lvl 15 everything goes smoothly, but when going your level guide I don't get the Arti feat at level 16 (only at 17) and thus no feat at 20. Now, I can't tell if it's because of a bug in the character builder or not, but could you please help me verify where the problem might come from?


So now it is actually my turn to thank you, as when I wrote this google doc, I did a bit of copypasta and you are absolutely right; you can't get your third class bonus feat till level 17, because that's when you hit your 12th level of Artificer! So you're doing nothing wrong there; I just copied my notes wrong and THANK YOU for catching that! That's a bit embarrassing it was sitting like that for that long. This is now Fixed!



Is the fighter level in there really necessary for the additional action boosts from Kensei tree?

If I'll be casting only self-buffs, (quickened) repairs, and occasional (quickened) Blade Barrier/Tactical Nuke, is it worth maxing concentration? I was even considering getting the epic Quiver from Necropolis which has -50 concentration. I just don't know if there's a reason for me to go for it if that's the case. I'm a relative newbie still, so please help me out.

@Edit - also, why shouldn't I go full construct? I'm mostly playing solo or with my Warforged friend right now. Wouldn't full repair efficiency be better than some positive energy power?


So the fighter level is primarily to level out your Base Attack Bonus, so you can still hit Improved Precise Shot by 15. Since this build takes 4 Rogue, and rogue gets some of the smallest BAB increments, the fighter just... offsets that. However the secondary reason is to gain an extra feat slot. The extra action boosts... well, who doesn't like more charges of No Holds barred? This build is starting to get a little dated by now however, but it's all still valid and the only real changes are the destiny/twist stuff in light of U51 just coming out; regarding that - so long as you retain the general goals the build is going for in the new destinies however, you will absolutely achieve them. I'm a big fan of the newly redesigned destiny system.



If I'll be casting only self-buffs, (quickened) repairs, and occasional (quickened) Blade Barrier/Tactical Nuke, is it worth maxing concentration? I was even considering getting the epic Quiver from Necropolis which has -50 concentration. I just don't know if there's a reason for me to go for it if that's the case. I'm a relative newbie still, so please help me out.


So I used human for this build because of the extra feat; kinda helps offset taking construct essence - and again, this is just a copypasta error as I actually brought up my old Maetrim's file to double check everything and originally in the build, I have Improved Construct Essence by 17 as a bonus feat, then Extend Spell specifically for tenser's uptime at 18. Again, this is now fixed and reflected in the google doc! I wouldn't worry about maxing Concentration since anything you want to cast you can just quicken; this build will have plenty of spellpoints, so unless you're casting these left and right I wouldn't worry about an extra 10sp per cast. As for worrying about your Concentration score? I wouldn't sweat it. You'll have plenty of skill points as an INT-based Artificer so just make sure you have a handful in Concentration and you'll be good to go. Incase you were unaware, the fairly recent change to Concentration makes the skill much more accessible and useful these days, as it's formula is now When you take damage you roll a D20 + your Concentration score against a difficulty class of 10 + one tenth of the damage received + the level of the spell you are trying to cast.

Thanks for bringing all this to my attention and I hope this helped!

[Zoveride]

Great guide, I ran a few arcanotechnician lives with feywild gear (Autumn (7) and winter (4) sets) and had a great time with the build inspired by your guide. I'm now getting ready to craft some LGS. Could you link/show the green steel items. I initially considered making 1 piece all electric crit damage (tier 1-3) and the other unconsciousness range (tier 1-3) but this doesn't really leave room for Opposition set and actually locks me out of bonus unless I dropped 1 piece for escalation (spell points?).
First time crafting LGS, any suggestions/advice appreciated.