The artificer experiencer

[Pomdude]

I thought (maybe like others) that I'd sit back and wait a little before rolling an Art and see what experiences people have had with their artificers.
It is a kind of leeching, I know, but I am not proud. So before you slag me off for being lazy - I am

So is WF the only way to go?
Would helf offer much end game with the sneak attack bonus?
Is there another class that reigns supreme that some whacko builder has stumbled across.
For those of you who spashed early have you regretted it end game?
What stats were key / would you change now?

I know they are fun to play - I see that.
I know they are not max dps - I am fine with that.

I would just like to roll one as one of my TR's and don't want to have roll it again if I can avoid it.

[Emizand]

God your lazy!

[Jakarr]

I'm about to TR my Main into a Melee 16 Arti/2 Monk/2 Fighter, while I havn't play one myself(except for a few low levels) I have grped with a few Artis end game and so far my build has been the most impressive, I have seen 2 guys play a 16 Arti/2 Monk/2 Fighter and they hold there own not squisy deals a great amount of damage(and looks fun). Also these 2 guys are from some of the hmm More Quality Guilds in Thelanis.

Here is the build- http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=343273 Also to note the 2 Artis I saw with the build so far have been Fleshlings(but they did say WF would be better they just dont like WF) and worked great for em.

[MrLarone]

Here is the build

@OP -

i'm only lvl5 so far and trying for a melee build so i've limited comment... though after rolling through a human, dwarf, horc and now WF and leveling to 4 with each (dam you no vet ) i was left with the impression tha WF is best mainly for the self healing and better con. i feel a little underpowered to the range arty's though that could be down to the when i'm in a group with them they're kiting and lag sucks.

currently only taken a lvl fighter for weapon profs and b/sword but thinking i might go pure for the capstone as i've got a +1 heart i pulled. the build linked looks interesting too mind, but this is a 1st life toon...

main highlights would be:

self heals
competant melee (not stella)
traps - running everything elite at lvl with only a +3 search item without fail yet (touch wood)
reactions from people when they realise you've buffed them.

so yeah, lvl 5 but looking forward to the next 15 =)

[Chauncey1]

I thought (maybe like others) that I'd sit back and wait a little before rolling an Art and see what experiences people have had with their artificers.
It is a kind of leeching, I know, but I am not proud. So before you slag me off for being lazy - I am

So is WF the only way to go?
Would helf offer much end game with the sneak attack bonus?
Is there another class that reigns supreme that some whacko builder has stumbled across.
For those of you who spashed early have you regretted it end game?
What stats were key / would you change now?

I know they are fun to play - I see that.
I know they are not max dps - I am fine with that.

I would just like to roll one as one of my TR's and don't want to have roll it again if I can avoid it.

WF is definitely the way to go IMHO with an arti, as you can heal your pet and yourself easily.
As for the other questions, I have no idea, my arti fister is only lvl 7

[Jakarr]

i feel a little underpowered to the range arty's though that could be down to the when i'm in a group with them they're kiting and lag sucks.

The 2 Melee Artis I talked to one of em had a lvl 20 Ranged Arti and said at higher levels the damage levels out and you do just as much with melee as you do with ranged(if not more).

[RavenStormclaw]

Hmm my Arti is level 6 at the moment; however, human works well to. I went 16 starting intel and 14 starting dex and strength (I am not a min/maxer as I like a well rounded character). i haven't played in a year so don't have all the crafting stuff. I managed to get the levels to craft her a suit of invulnerability armor.

With the construct essense feat even a fleshy can heal themselves. With a high intel, an intimi-pet and flame turret I soloed Tangleroot on hard last night wihtout a problem. Of cousr the the first mission were easy but the least four would be base level 7 and on hard. Still not a problem.

Everyone seems to want to go meelee but a high intel has its uses since a number of arti spells double as crowd control and damage. Very usuefull combo. I've been using the second level electric blast spell (forget the exact name) and i drop that when my pet gets the aggro and even in Tanglerroot last night I was getting a significant number failing their saves and being dazed. Interesting note...damage is supposed to break the daze but I noticed last night that Flame turrent wasn't. They were dying still dazed.

Anyway some random thoughts to consider.

[MrLarone]

Everyone seems to want to go meelee but a high intel has its uses since a number of arti spells double as crowd control and damage. Very usuefull combo.

agreed.

well, not sure about everyone going melee (at least on orien) i'm the only one i've seen around stormreach so far...

my starting stat line was 17 str, 16 con, 17 int with +1 tomes for str and int used. guess i should mention it's a 32pt build too.

one surprising thing i've noticed is on the occasions i use a x-bow, mainly against slimes and rusty's, i'm still hitting ok even with dumped dex... just got the int to attack spell so that should remain true for a while...

[bonscott87]

Having a ton of fun with my Drow Arti. Almost level 5. Started out with 18 DEX and 16 INT. Right now going mostly a Dex build because the repeaters just kick butt and using spells for buffing and healing mostly anyway. We'll see how that plan goes once I can actually cast decent damage spells. LOL

As for the "WF are best because they can heal themselves". I don't buy that at all. It's not like healing pots are that expensive. Heck I can buy 100 Cure Moderates for the plat I made on selling one or two Vial's of Pure Water in the auction house. No matter what class or race I play I'm self healing anyway. So the fact WF Arti can heal themselves with repair spells? Yawn.

[MrLarone]

Having a ton of fun with my Drow Arti. Almost level 5. Started out with 18 DEX and 16 INT. Right now going mostly a Dex build because the repeaters just kick butt and using spells for buffing and healing mostly anyway. We'll see how that plan goes once I can actually cast decent damage spells. LOL

As for the "WF are best because they can heal themselves". I don't buy that at all. It's not like healing pots are that expensive. Heck I can buy 100 Cure Moderates for the plat I made on selling one or two Vial's of Pure Water in the auction house. No matter what class or race I play I'm self healing anyway. So the fact WF Arti can heal themselves with repair spells? Yawn.

not that i'm an expert but:

1. dex will only improve your to hit, where as int will improve you casting damage as well as to hit with insightful attack (though that will use up you enchant spot)
2. pot healing isn't really viable at higher stages, that and repair is free, doesn't consume a spell slot, affected by enhancements and gear...

[Crinos]

not that i'm an expert but:

1. dex will only improve your to hit, where as int will improve you casting damage as well as to hit with insightful attack (though that will use up you enchant spot)
2. pot healing isn't really viable at higher stages, that and repair is free, doesn't consume a spell slot, affected by enhancements and gear...

1. While you are correct that dex improves your to hit with xbows the rest is somewhat off. Insightful strikes allows you to use your int modifier instead of your dex modifier for your to hit. Insightful damage allows you to use your int to add damage to your xbow (note that bows don't get any stat based damage modifier by default). You can only have one of the two active at a time, but you can still add another weapon enhancement like elemental weapons or cold iron weapons. That being the case it's worthwhile boosting your dex to keep your to hit high so that you can use insightful damage to add int modifier to you damage.

2. Pot healing may not be that viable, but scroll healing is, and any decently built artificer should be able to no fail heal or reconstruct scrolls. Also, repair isn't free as it costs spell points.

[MrLarone]

1. While you are correct that dex improves your to hit with xbows the rest is somewhat off. Insightful strikes allows you to use your int modifier instead of your dex modifier for your to hit. Insightful damage allows you to use your int to add damage to your xbow (note that bows don't get any stat based damage modifier by default). You can only have one of the two active at a time, but you can still add another weapon enhancement like elemental weapons or cold iron weapons. That being the case it's worthwhile boosting your dex to keep your to hit high so that you can use insightful damage to add int modifier to you damage.

2. Pot healing may not be that viable, but scroll healing is, and any decently built artificer should be able to no fail heal or reconstruct scrolls. Also, repair isn't free as it costs spell points.

fair points.

1. agreed, if you're ranging you want a good dex. i got the impression he was using lvl ups into dex, imo it's better to increase int at lvl up is more what i meant.
2. i'm talking free as in plat

horses for course obviously.

i'm certain a fleshy can heal as well but i'd prefer not to have to switch scrolls mid fight.... though that may be more viable if you're already at ranged distance....

also i'd imagine if you're scroll healing your self you'd be better of casting for your DPS to save switching back and forth... at which point you'd appreciate having a higher int over dex.

[AndyD47]

After getting up to 10 on an artificer and watching some other the other artificers leveling up around me,I'd say that both WF and Helf are both very good choices for races.

Wf for obvious immunities and feat free healing with repair spells,and Helf for rogue dillie.

A Helf with the construct essence feat seems to heal just fine using repair spells,so I'd say feel free to explore other race options as long as you pick up that feat.

I mean,reconstruction scrolls will heal you for a lot regardless of race if you keep up with the wand/scroll enhancements.


As far as stats go,on the ranged guy im working up (and as someone else mentioned) I rely on dex for to-hit and have insightful damage going 99% of the time since I got the spell.

Not to say thats the way it has to be,but if you have enough dex to grab IPS you should be hitting stuff fine i'd think

[andreascott89]

Might as well go human.

You are going to make one anyway to do your crafting

construct essence and "free" reconstruction at level 9 is not too bad as a booby prize...

J

[MrLarone]

As far as stats go,on the ranged guy im working up (and as someone else mentioned) I rely on dex for to-hit and have insightful damage going 99% of the time since I got the spell.

curious to know, where have you been investing your lvl ups?

[AndyD47]

curious to know, where have you been investing your lvl ups?

Intelligence.

[bonscott87]

To answer questions...I actually did my first level up in Dex to get to 19 (I have no tomes, don't know if I'll get any) and the rest planned in INT. I may have screwed that up, but then again I play more for fun, not min/maxing. One point either way isn't going to cripple the toon.

As for healing, I've never had a problem with pots/scrolls/wands on any other character, why would I suddenly have problems doing the same with an Arti? But keep in mind I'm not running Elite and I've rarely leveled up a character past 13, I'm usually bored by then and ether start a new toon or go off to another game. I usually play a lot for 2-3 months followed by 6 month break or so. So maybe that shifts my perspective a bit.

But still, if self healing WF was the only way to go we'd all be a WF. I play a race more for flavor then anything else.

[Machination]

WF is definitely the way to go IMHO with an arti, as you can heal your pet and yourself easily.
As for the other questions, I have no idea, my arti fister is only lvl 7

Ah, I challenge that. I went Human, at lvl 16 I can use with no failure chance: heal scrolls, greater restoration scrolls, fireshield scrolls, just to name a few. With a UMD of 41 at lvl 16, you don't want to be wasting your precious mana "healing yourself and your pet". Use Heal and Reconstruction scrolls, if built and played right, you only need top up heals anyway.

Humans you get skill boost enhancements.....Now this comes in handy for saves, UMD (takes mine to 45 now) and attack damage (unlike artificer damage, you can use this one with fucillade....nice)

WF are great, but its not "the only option", a human, helf or any other race for that matter can be self healing if you build out UMD like Arificiers are capable of.

[erei]

Helf (for rogue dilly and human versatility)
human for extra feat and human versatility
are all good choices. You can unlock a feat which increase by 50% the healing you received from repair skill, as a fleshy. And with healing amp, you can also be healed by divine, pots and scrolls with just a 5% penalty (even less with certain class/feat).
In fact, if you want to go max damage, don't go WF, AFAIK, they don't have as good dmg boost than human/Helf.
People usually forget as a WF you may be quite self sufficient, but you are a pain for the healer watching your back. So when you can't cast your spell, he is the guy who save your ass. Think about it
If you want to go for a solo build, go for a WF. Else, you may consider some other races, which will be (a bit less) self sufficient but with usually more damage output.
And if you go melee, Horc is interesting to consider, since you'll probably end up using a bastard sword, and Horc have a lot of bonuses for it.

[patang01]

not that i'm an expert but:

1. dex will only improve your to hit, where as int will improve you casting damage as well as to hit with insightful attack (though that will use up you enchant spot)
2. pot healing isn't really viable at higher stages, that and repair is free, doesn't consume a spell slot, affected by enhancements and gear...

With good UMD scroll healing works just fine and with construct essence both regular heals and reconstruct can be used. I play a human level 16. max int, high dex and above average con. Started out with a level 1 acid repeater and have been improving all along. Adding more just makes the insightful damage that much more potent and I like tactical detonation and prismatic strike for the stun effect. And the fire turret is good for pulling agro while pet and repeater does the rest.

Right now the repeater crit around 70 and the pet crits around 50 plus. With a fully functional deadly weapons it'll be a lil' better.