Implementing Artificers in DDO - the Bufficer/Constructificer/Repairficer

[Aspenor]

DDO is missing an important core Eberron campaign setting class, the artificer. While the primary power of an artificer, crafting, is currently missing from DDO, I believe that if the devs find a true crafting mechanic too hard to implement (or, IMHO, too broken) that they can still implement the class, albeit only the combat facet.

The problem that we run into is that the major artificer benefit, free crafting feats, become useless. Over the course of progressing to level 20 artificers gain, for free, scribe scroll, brew potion, craft wonderous item, craft homunculus, craft magic arms and armor, craft wand, craft rod, craft staff, and forge ring. Not only this, but their bonus feats at 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 can only be spent on feats from a short list, similar to wizards only being able to take metamagics or spell foci with their bonus feats. Artificers may either choose a metamagic, or: Attune Magic Weapon, Craft Construct, Exceptional Artisan, Extra Rings, Extraordinary Artisan, Legendary Artisan or Wand Mastery. The bonuses for all of the above feats except extra rings and wand mastery are void in DDO. Wand Mastery in DDO would be nigh useless, and a bad waste of a feat.

It is my opinion that artificers should be focused on another aspect: creating mechanical pets, buffing themselves, their pets, or others, and healing constructs. This would require that Turbine eliminate the problems we have with pets today, however. These problems include only being able to summon one pet at at time, and pet AI issues. Instead of bringing in crafting (unless that's an achieveable goal, then I'm all for crafting!), give artificers "craft construct" at level 1. A level 1 artificer should be able to control 2 iron defenders. As the artificer progresses in level, these constructs should become more powerful and more numerous.

Here's just a conceptual progression that obviously is no more than a skeleton:
Level 1- 2 iron defenders
Level 2- 3 iron defenders
Level 3- 4 iron defenders
Level 4- 2 mithral defenders
Level 5- 3 mithral defenders
Level 6- 4 mithral defenders
Level 7- 2 adamantine defenders
Level 8- 3 adamantine defenders
Level 9- 4 adamantine defenders
Level 10- 2 Flesh Golems
Level 11- 3 Flesh Golems
Level 12- 4 Flesh Golems
Level 13- 2 Stone Golems
Level 14- 3 Stone Golems
Level 15- 4 Stone Golems
Level 16- 2 Iron Golems
Level 17- 3 Iron Golems
Level 18- 4 Iron Golems
Level 19- 2 Shield Defenders
Level 20- 3 Shield Defenders

The artificer's infusions would be used for buffing the party, buffing his pets, and healing his pets.

Artificers would also fulfill a trapsmith role, and would be another class with the UMD class skill.

Maybe I'll think of more later, but I gotta get back to work. Comments welcome.

[MrCow]

The artificer's infusions would be used for buffing the party, buffing his pets, and healing his pets.

And once reaching level 16 I'm sure blade barrier would be in heavy use on an Artificer.

[Aspenor]

And once reaching level 16 I'm sure blade barrier would be in heavy use on an Artificer.

probably, i suppose I could have used the word "primarily."

[Aspenor]

***!!! nobody wants to have +5 weapons and armor at level 5? nobody wants reptilian bane weapons at level 1??

[Sojourner]

I like that.



Another possibility would be to add an ability to "buff" weapons/items while in a dungeon.

Wasn't there a spell where you could take one arrow and make fire arrows, but only while in a dungeon?

Something similar to that -- you show your rusty shortsword to the artificer while in a mission, he buffs it with "+1 Kobold Bane", and it keeps that while in the mission.

[Aspenor]

I like that.



Another possibility would be to add an ability to "buff" weapons/items while in a dungeon.

Wasn't there a spell where you could take one arrow and make fire arrows, but only while in a dungeon?

Something similar to that -- you show your rusty shortsword to the artificer while in a mission, he buffs it with "+1 Kobold Bane", and it keeps that while in the mission.

yes, that is exactly what i meant by party buffing. the artificer can give enhancement bonuses to items, such as the level 1 infusion which gives a +1 effect to a weapon, meaning things like flaming, shock, or bane. Fighting trolls? The artificer can give you a flaming giant bane weapon at level 1. You only have +2 armor? With a 3rd level infusion it can be +5.

Not to mention all the construct-only buffs to use on your pets and warforged. Stone construct is like stoneskin but available earlier.

[Angelus_dead]

It is my opinion that artificers should be focused on another aspect: creating mechanical pets, buffing themselves, their pets, or others, and healing constructs.

Yes, I had written-up a proposal for Artificers in DDO, and making them a pet class (instead of a magic-item crafter) was central. I never posted it on here because... well, why bother? There's no druids yet, so suggestions for new classes are beyond vaporware, especially because it would take some serious reprogramming the game engine.

I'll give you the key concepts from my design, though.

* The artificer's pets are called "Homonculi".

* You gain 1 homonculus at level 4, and another at every 4 additional levels.

* You can only deploy 1 homonculus at a time. The others wait in a portable hole (and self-repair in there). The cooldown to swap homonculi is substantial (60 sec), and it also takes 5 sec to power them on.

* You have feat icons for Homonculus Follow, Homoculus Defend, Homoculus Attack, Homoculus Special Action, etc. They're mostly similar to the icons on the hireling bar, except you put them in your normal character bars.

* The homoculus doesn't appear in the party list, so you can summon it regardless of if the group is full. You could even control a hireling at the same time. You have a special feat to target your homoculus, instead of pressing F6.

* Types of homoculi are mechanical dog, scorpion, adamantine-warofrged, iron golem, and smaller warforged titan. They require a certain number of class levels to qualify (Titan is obviously a high-level choice). Different choices have different stats and focuses, plus special attacks.

* Each homonculus has Build Points on it that are used to get improvements like Action Points for a player. They gain more BP as you level. Those can be spent for better stats, featlike improvements, AC, HP, DR< whatever. You can respec the BP at an artificer trainer.

* Your homonculus can wear Handwraps and Docents. They stay in your inventory, but you equip them onto the creature to improve it.

* Starting at level 9, you can spend 30 spellpoints to directly control the homonculus. During that time, the artificer character is steered with the Homonculus control feats, so your body can automatically follow along (which is crucial, because the control has limited range). Although your WASD keys and attack/interact mouse buttons are steering the Homonculus, icons for spells and wands and such are still active, and cause the artificer to cast it on your selected target.

* When artificers shop for consumable magic items, the price is determined by the better of their Repair or Haggle modifiers.

[JakLee7]

I would like to see 2 basic paths for Artificers & both are mentioned:
1. Homunculous summoner - (1 creation, follows you around everywhere til it dies, expensive to summon in actual items & money; you could take a hint from DII and use a magic item as part of the cost of summoning & the Homunculous would be "upgradeable" with feats (think like paladin auras) and temp item effects (want him to have wounding attack - "feed" him a wounder & for X amount of time he has the wounding ability like he is weilding a wounding weapon).

2.The other "path" would be swarm style - with clockwork creations like defenders. less direct control, also less costly as they could be "created" and work on a timer (like summons).

No matter which "path" you go I think the recharge Clicky idea is great too. I think similar to the overlap but differences in Bard spells vs sorc/wiz spells would apply here as well with the Artificer - that is some spells it shares with other arcanes (repair spells, mm, knock, ect) and some it does not get (FOD for example) while also having some "unique" spells that only artificers have access to.

IMHO this class really should be next focus after Druids are completed!

[Chaos000]

I think it would be kind of nice if they introduced a new class by making them a hireling first.

artificer's (until they figure out what they want to do with crafting) would work out as a hireling that would mesh well with warforged characters out there

[Angelus_dead]

want him to have wounding attack - "feed" him a wounder & for X amount of time he has the wounding ability like he is weilding a wounding weapon

That's why my proposal allowed homonculi to equip handwraps and docents. Need a specific magical effect for your pet's attacks? Find the matching handwrap and attach it to your construct.

In that viewpoint, handwraps don't necessarily go on the hands, and instead are magic items that can be carried to give bonuses to whatever natural or built-in weapons a character has. Handwraps would be used by monks, druids in wildshape, and homonculi.

[JakLee7]

That's why my proposal allowed homonculi to equip handwraps and docents. Need a specific magical effect for your pet's attacks? Find the matching handwrap and attach it to your construct.

In that viewpoint, handwraps don't necessarily go on the hands, and instead are magic items that can be carried to give bonuses to whatever natural or built-in weapons a character has. Handwraps would be used by monks, druids in wildshape, and homonculi.

except I would like to see it eaten.

I think that if we had a class that actually is expensive to run WELL that it might really make some old skoolers give it a try simply because have money to burn to try things out
but that is just MHO

[Angelus_dead]

I think that if we had a class that actually is expensive to run WELL that it might really make some old skoolers give it a try simply because have money to burn to try things out
but that is just MHO

That would be terribly hard to balance. The DDO devs have enough trouble balancing things already... adding in an item-sink character powered by eating weapons wouldn't make it any easier. (For a comparison, look at WOW's problem with the Warlock class, which is that game's only class powered by consuming items)

As you mention, that new class would be more attractive for players who already have a bunch of loot accumulated- well, that would hardly be fair to new subscribers who might also want try the class!

[EpiKagEMO]

1Cleric, 1 Bard, 3 Artificers, 1 Necro, Spam pets, Create undead, Mass Bears+Bulls, Rage, Haste, Mass Heals, Go crazy. 200 misadventure kills. i'd like to see that

theres really no pet master class eh?...
Necros and Clerics arnt the best cuz of no songs
Bards arnt the best since he cant summon two and is restricted.
Artificers can create them, but cant heal them.

[Aashrym]

1Cleric, 1 Bard, 3 Artificers, 1 Necro, Spam pets, Create undead, Mass Bears+Bulls, Rage, Haste, Mass Heals, Go crazy. 200 misadventure kills. i'd like to see that

theres really no pet master class eh?...
Necros and Clerics arnt the best cuz of no songs
Bards arnt the best since he cant summon two and is restricted.
Artificers can create them, but cant heal them.

Since when can't artificers heal their construct pets? They get the repair line in PnP. I can't see skipping that on a pet class.