Early Look: Artificer Changes & Renegade Mastermaker

[Steelstar]

Hello! SteelStar here.

As Severlin mentioned in the Producer's Letter, one of the things we're working on is the third Artificer enhancement tree. Artificers are a particularly complex class, with a large variety of mechanics and features at their disposal; while working on the tree, we are cleaning a few of them up, as seen below. This is an early draft, so things are very much still subject to change, though the tree's implementation is in progress. Let us know what you think!

General Changes:

• Construct Essence remains the same.
• Improved Construct Essence now functions like Construct Exemplar does presently on Live, granting full Construct species typing. It's available with 12 Artificer levels, and as an Artificer class feat.
• Construct Exemplar is no longer part of the line with the other two. It now adds +20 Repair Amp and +10 MRR. It is available to any character level 20+.
• Combat Expertise is added to the Artificer Class Feat list.
• Empower Healing is now available to players with Artificer levels.
• You no longer lose HP or SP when your Iron Defender dies. (Yes, this is coming to Druid as well).

Admixture Changes:

• Curative Admixture: Cure Critical Wounds is now a 5th level Artificer spell in the general Artificer spell table.
• Scrolls of Curative Admixture: Cure Critical Wounds now occasionally drop in treasure wherever 5th level scrolls drop.
• Curative Admixture spells have had their Spell Point costs adjusted.
• Curative Admixture spells have had their Maximum Caster Levels raised to match their Cure (non-Mass) analogues, and added to their tooltips.
• Curative Admixture spells have had their tooltips corrected with accurate damage values.
• Curative Admixture spells are now properly considered Conjuration spells for the purpose of DCs and Caster Levels.

Arcanotechnician Changes:

• Palliative Admixture scales with Artificer level (exact numbers TBD, work in progress)
• Thaumaturgical Battery is replaced with new Admixture: Haste SLA (uses similar cooldown/SP costs to Haste, exact numbers TBD)
• Critical Admixture goes away (it's moving to the new tree), gets replaced with Passive: +2 to Caster Level and Max Caster Level of Electric Spells, +2 Rune Arm DCs
• Uncaring Master will be replaced. (TBD, this is also a work in progress).

Artificer: Renegade Mastermaker Tree
Renegade Mastermaker is the third tree for Artificers. It focuses on improving your Repair spells, your Curative Admixture spells, personal Defense, and building things to buff you and your allies.


Cores:

• Core 1: Each core ability in this tree grants you +10 Maximum Hit Points, +5 Positive Spell Power and +5 Repair Spell Power.
• Core 2: While in Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, or Adamantine Body, your equipped armor grants you a +4 Shield bonus to AC and immunity to Magic Missiles.
• Core 3: Curative Admixture: CSW SLA. 4 Spell Points. 8 second cooldown.
• Core 4: +30 Repair Amplification. +50 Maximum Hit Points.
• Core 5: Radiant Forcefield SLA. 30 Spell Points. 3 minute cooldown.
• Core 6: +2 CON, +2 INT. +10 PRR, +10 MRR, +3 Caster Levels with Admixture and Repair Wounds Spells. Active: Unbreakable Forcefield SLA: For 6 seconds, you take -95% damage from all sources (except Untyped damage). 3 minute cooldown.

Tier 1:

• Curative Admixture: CLW SLA. 4/3/2 Spell Points. 12/8/6 second cooldown.
• Repair Light Damage SLA 6/4/2 Spell Points. 4/3/2 second cooldown.
• Supporting Construction: While in Medium or Heavy Armor (or Adamantine Body), +2/4/6 PRR.
• Skills: Repair/Heal/Balance
• Toughness: +5/10/15 max hp

Tier 2:

• Power of Creation: +5/10/15 Repair and Positive Spell Power
• Converter: You create a small device that floats near an ally. Target player, hireling, or Druid Wolf pet at touch range takes 100% base healing from Repair spells for the next 3 minutes (or until target dies). This overrides their innate base healing from Repair spells for the duration. 3 minute cooldown.
• Armor Mastery: +1/2/3 Armor Class and Armor Max Dex Bonus
• Stronger Admixtures: Your Admixture spells gain +3/6/10 to their maximum caster level.
• Action Boost: Defense

Tier 3:

• Conjure Component: 10 Spell Points:You conjure a large number of components that stand in for the Potion requirements in all of your Admixture spells. These expire on logout.
• Repair Moderate Damage SLA 8/6/4 Spell Points. 6/5/4 second cooldown.
• Reinforced Armor: The Armor Class bonus you gain from armor or docents is increased by [15/30/50]%.
• Warding Construct: 5 Spell Points: You create a drone set to counter magical spells. Every 10 seconds for 1 minute, you and nearby allies gain a +3 Alchemical bonus to Saving Throws vs. Magic and +3 Alchemical bonus to Saving Throws vs. Traps that lasts for 10 seconds. 3 minute cooldown.
• CON/INT

Tier 4:

• Power of Creation: +5/10/15 Repair and Positive Spell Power
• Reconstruct SLA 35/30/25 Spell Points. 30/15/6 second cooldown. Shares a cooldown with other Reconstruct SLAs.
• Embed Component: Construct Essence or Warforged Required. +5/10/15 MRR and +2/4/6 Constitution. You can no longer use Evasion, Druid Wild Shape feats, or Primal Avatar's Tree form. (Rank 3: In addition, you do not incur the Attack Bonus or Spell Point cost penalty from Combat Expertise.)
• Renewal Construct: 25 Spell Points: You create a drone set to disperse protective potions. Every 2 seconds for 20 seconds, you and nearby allies gain a Determination bonus to Temporary Hit Points equal to 25 hit points per Artificer level. Level 20+ characters receive twice as many hitpoints. 2 minute cooldown.
• CON/INT

Tier 5:

• Curative Admixture: Cure Critical Wounds SLA. 5 Spell Points. 12 second cooldown.
• Instant Fix: You perform nearly-instantaneous repairs, dispelling most forms of Crowd Control and taking the effects of a Greater Restoration spell. May be used while helpless. 3 minute cooldown.
• Paragon Body: You no longer suffer Arcane Spell Failure from armor. You gain +4 to Fortitude Saves, +20% Racial bonus to maximum hit points, and are immune to most forms of knockdown.
• Regeneration Construct: You are surrounded by arcane energy capable of repairing damage and breaking down constructed materials. Allies (equal to your Artificer level) are Repaired for 1 hit point per 3 Artificer levels as long as they are near you. Enemies vulnerable to Rust damage take the same amount in Rust damage. This lasts for 3 minutes + 3 seconds per Caster Level. 50 Spell Points. (This is a Repair analogue to Positive Energy Aura, expect it to work almost identically.)
• Mastermaker: Your Repair Wounds spells have no maximum caster level.

FAQ:
Steel, what about fixes for Arti pets?
While we hope to make large-scale adjustments to Arti and Druid dogs in the future, that would be a large-scale project, and will not be a part of this pass.

Why doesn't this tree focus on (Weapon Imbues/Trapping/Pets/Armor Imbues/Turrets/Crafting/Wand Casting/Scroll Casting/Rune Arms/[Insert Other Feature Here])?
Artificers do a lot of different things. Some are covered in their other two trees fairly well. For this tree, we looked at what Artificers were sorely lacking, as well as what could be used in Artificer splashes and the overall economy of Class Enhancement Trees. In the case of Rune Arms specifically, we wanted some class options available that aren't tied to their use, so you could build a good defensive option without losing out on Shields or whatever else you wanted to use.

What about changes to Battle Engineer?
Battle Engineer just got updates, and we're of the mind that they'd be in pretty good shape if they could survive long enough to make use of their skills and weapons; this tree ought to help with that.

There's a distinct lack of Battlefists here...
True. We looked into a number of options, but in a system where we already have Rune Arms (...and 40 distinct kinds of weapons...), along with Ranged combat being a big element of Artificer, Battlefists didn't quite fit in a way we were happy with. We ultimately focused on the Self-Forged and other Making elements of the classic Renegade Mastermaker instead. Battlefists could still show up elsewhere in the future.

Does Converter work on yourself? How does it work on allies?
We're still working on this one, but tentatively:

• It cannot be cast on yourself.
• It can be cast on other players, hirelings, and Wolf pets. As long as those things aren't constructs, anyway - It wouldn't do anything to anyone who already has a base 100% Repair healing factor.
• For things in that category without Construct Essence, it boosts their base Repair Healing to 100% for the duration.
• For things in that category with Construct Essence, it adds 50% to their existing base Repair Healing, bringing it to 100%.
• Repair Amp should influence the Repair Healing taken by people with the Converter effect.
• It does not affect Positive healing at all.
• There should be a little floating object on allies who have the buff, a visual indicator that they can be repaired. It'll look similar to the other Constructs in the tree.

[ForgettableNPC]

I like this.

Though I kinda wished for a Golem (Iron, Stone, Clay or Flesh) pet that would replace the Artificer's Iron Defender like a Pale Master's Skeleton Knight.

That and the Battlefist, but yeah I guess Rune Arms are kind of like that.
Maybe an additional benefit for having Rune Arms equipped instead? Like a Melee attack using your Rune Arm?

Also not sure if having almost no options for offense aside from increased Rust damage is desirable.
Maybe make it possible for Renegade Mastermakers to be able to deal Rust damage to non-construct units but at a penalty? Would get good use out of the repair spellpower.

[Hurunewyz]

There's a distinct lack of Battlefists here...
True. We looked into a number of options, but in a system where we already have Rune Arms (...and ?40 distinct kinds of weapons...), along with Ranged combat being a big element of Artificer, Battlefists didn't quite fit in a way we were happy with. We ultimately focused on the Self-Forged & other Making elements of the classic Renegade Mastermaker instead.


**Battlefists could still show up elsewhere in the future. **

&Like THAT

[fmalfeas]

I have to ask, since it's related...

Are there any changes coming to 'the forbidden feat'? Improved Fortification, in tabletop, outright removes vulnerability to sneak attacks and crits in exchange for the positive energy healing. But from what I've seen in DDO, it just gives a base 100% fortification, and still renders you completely immune to positive energy heals, even if you loaded up on HAmp. That makes it pretty much a 'do not ever take this', particularly since we now have champs who auto-bypass fortification in its entirety. I figure with the theme of this tree, and the changes to the construct essence line, it's a fitting thing to ponder now.

[Teeaaa]

Omg... Finally...

Artificer Tanks and Artificer Healers are now a thing

[Arkat]

Hmmm...a WF/BF version of the Radiant Servant.

[Jasparion]

[FONT=verdana]Hello! SteelStar here.

My only question is why you are doing more work on Artificers when they are already in a reasonable place, when there are a number of classes which are way behind?

Actually I do have other questions:
Why take away the loss of HP and SP when your pet dies? That was an interesting part of the class - deciding when and where to use it.
Do you think the total benefits of the Curatives is the only reason people never bothered with them?
Are you expecting a return of melee Artificers like we saw briefly a few years ago? Otherwise why do they need more defensive buffs?
A Core 2 for Nightshield? When that can easily be scrolled?
Question on this:
Renewal Construct: 25 Spell Points: You create a drone set to disperse protective potions. Every 2 seconds for 20 seconds, you and nearby allies gain a Determination bonus to Temporary Hit Points equal to 25 hit points per Artificer level. Level 20+ characters receive twice as many hitpoints. 2 minute cooldown.
So level 30 toons will get 1,000 hp every 2 seconds for 20 seconds?

So Artificers are going to end up better healers than healing classes? Because Im assuming this temp hitpoints wont suffer the Reaper healing reduction?

[Wizza]

How you know that Arties are a Dev's favorite class:

Conjure Component: 10 Spell Points:You conjure a large number of components that stand in for the Potion requirements in all of your Admixture spells. These expire on logout.

When does that come to all the other casters?

[hit_fido]

On first glance nothing seems crazy overpowered but it also doesn't crazy suck compared to other defensive trees. Seems about in line, which is probably good.

I guess it seems a little schizo as far as having both positive energy and repair sla's/enhancements and so on...

The best overall change may be that Improved Construct Essence is now only a two feat tax if you don't want to look like a big robot but still get the warforged benefits. I still wish there was something more to them, I'm not sure why not - the reason you'd take those two feats is just a flavor/appearance thing. Why not give them something a little extra for the cost. If this tree has both an admixture and repair thing going for it can't you add a little to (Improved) Construct Essence in that same vein...

What about Empower Healing works like "Empower Repair" for any character that takes Construct Essence - and incoming repair/positive healing uses the greater of your positive/repair amplification for any character that takes Improved Construct Essence. This would be for that character having greater insight into healing by virtue of their previous fleshy life and efforts to construct-ify themselves?

[Jasparion]

How you know that Arties are a Dev's favorite class:

Conjure Component: 10 Spell Points:You conjure a large number of components that stand in for the Potion requirements in all of your Admixture spells. These expire on logout.

When does that come to all the other casters?

What do you mean? You can buy universal components from the store. You dont need 9 slots devoted just to spell components. Pay for 1 !

[CeltEireson]

How you know that Arties are a Dev's favorite class:

Conjure Component: 10 Spell Points:You conjure a large number of components that stand in for the Potion requirements in all of your Admixture spells. These expire on logout.

When does that come to all the other casters?

They already have it if they desperately want it - its in tier 4 of the harper tree, besides there's a lot of difference in the cost of buying stacks of cure serious potions to use in the admixture CSW and standard reagents used in most other cure/repair type spells and it only affects admixtures so they'll still have to carry normal reagents.

[lyrecono]

op, ripe for abuse.....
i really would have liked it if you spend that type of effort in a melee class that needs it (esp LE/reaper) instead of buffing a ranged class with melee stuff......

Let's take a closer look:

Cores:

Core 1: Each core ability in this tree grants you +10 Maximum Hit Points, +5 Positive Spell Power and +5 Repair Spell Power.
Core 2: While in Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, or Adamantine Body, your equipped armor grants you a +4 Shield bonus to AC and immunity to Magic Missiles. Shield is essential these days in Reaper mode.
Core 3: Curative Admixture: CSW SLA. 4 Spell Points. 8 second cooldown.
Core 4: +30 Repair Amplification. +50 Maximum Hit Points.
Core 5: Radiant Forcefield SLA. 30 Spell Points. 3 minute cooldown.
Core 6: +2 CON, +2 INT. +10 PRR, +10 MRR, +3 Caster Levels with Admixture and Repair Wounds Spells. Active: Unbreakable Forcefield SLA: For 6 seconds, you take -95% damage from all sources (except Untyped damage). 3 minute cooldown.mrr and prr in a core? thats new.
at lv 12 that is 80 hp (more when using the 20%hp stance), 30 repair amp, that's better then the fighter defensive core. and the same as the frenzied berzerker (you know, one of those real melee classes?)


Tier 1:


Curative Admixture: CLW SLA. 4/3/2 Spell Points. 12/8/6 second cooldown.
Repair Light Damage SLA 6/4/2 Spell Points. 4/3/2 second cooldown.
Supporting Construction: While in Medium or Heavy Armor (or Adamantine Body), +2/4/6 PRR. thats double of a barbarian, again, an actual melee class.
Skills: Repair/Heal/Balance
Toughness: +5/10/15 max hp


Tier 2:

Power of Creation: +5/10/15 Repair and Positive Spell Power
Converter: You create a small device that floats near an ally. Target player, hireling, or Druid Wolf pet at touch range takes 100% base healing from Repair spells for the next 3 minutes (or until target dies). This overrides their innate base healing from Repair spells for the duration. 3 minute cooldown.
Armor Mastery: +1/2/3 Armor Class and Armor Max Dex Bonus
Stronger Admixtures: Your Admixture spells gain +3/6/10 to their maximum caster level.
Action Boost: Defense


Tier 3:

Conjure Component: 10 Spell Points:You conjure a large number of components that stand in for the Potion requirements in all of your Admixture spells. These expire on logout.
Repair Moderate Damage SLA 8/6/4 Spell Points. 6/5/4 second cooldown.
Reinforced Armor: The Armor Class bonus you gain from armor or docents is increased by [15/30/50]%.
Warding Construct: 5 Spell Points: You create a drone set to counter magical spells. Every 10 seconds for 1 minute, you and nearby allies gain a +3 Alchemical bonus to Saving Throws vs. Magic and +3 Alchemical bonus to Saving Throws vs. Traps that lasts for 10 seconds. 3 minute cooldown.
CON/INT


Tier 4:

Power of Creation: +5/10/15 Repair and Positive Spell Power
Reconstruct SLA 35/30/25 Spell Points. 30/15/6 second cooldown. Shares a cooldown with other Reconstruct SLAs.
Embed Component: Construct Essence or Warforged Required. +5/10/15 MRR and +2/4/6 Constitution. You can no longer use Evasion, Druid Wild Shape feats, or Primal Avatar's Tree form. (Rank 3: In addition, you do not incur the Attack Bonus or Spell Point cost penalty from Combat Expertise.)
Renewal Construct: 25 Spell Points: You create a drone set to disperse protective potions. Every 2 seconds for 20 seconds, you and nearby allies gain a Determination bonus to Temporary Hit Points equal to 25 hit points per Artificer level. Level 20+ characters receive twice as many hitpoints. 2 minute cooldown. what are you smoking? a 1000 temp hp at cap? refreshed 10 times in 20 seconds?
thats faster then a legendary triple positive greensteel effect.
CON/INT


Tier 5:

Curative Admixture: Cure Critical Wounds SLA. 5 Spell Points. 12 second cooldown.
Instant Fix: You perform nearly-instantaneous repairs, dispelling most forms of Crowd Control and taking the effects of a Greater Restoration spell. May be used while helpless. 3 minute cooldown.
Paragon Body: You no longer suffer Arcane Spell Failure from armor. You gain +4 to Fortitude Saves, +20% Racial bonus to maximum hit points, and are immune to most forms of knockdown.
Regeneration Construct: You are surrounded by arcane energy capable of repairing damage and breaking down constructed materials. Allies (equal to your Artificer level) are Repaired for 1 hit point per 3 Artificer levels as long as they are near you. Enemies vulnerable to Rust damage take the same amount in Rust damage. This lasts for 3 minutes + 3 seconds per Caster Level. 50 Spell Points. (This is a Repair analogue to Positive Energy Aura, expect it to work almost identically.)
Mastermaker: Your Repair Wounds spells have no maximum caster level.

Seems legit, i might make a fighter/artie, kensai is rather light on the enh requirements, plenty of points left to pour into this.

Though honestly?
I wished you devs played more melees and developed content and enhancements for them, the same way you do for your pet projects.

[JOTMON]

Interesting looking tree.

This however ..

[*]Core 6: +2 CON, +2 INT. +10 PRR, +10 MRR, +3 Caster Levels with Admixture and Repair Wounds Spells. Active: Unbreakable Forcefield SLA: For 6 seconds, you take -95% damage from all sources (except Untyped damage). 3 minute cooldown.

6 second duration for a capstone effect...

Should be 20 second duration.

[Jasparion]

Core 6: +2 CON, +2 INT. +10 PRR, +10 MRR, +3 Caster Levels with Admixture and Repair Wounds Spells. Active: Unbreakable Forcefield SLA: For 6 seconds, you take -95% damage from all sources (except Untyped damage). 3 minute cooldown. mrr and prr in a core? thats new. at lv 12 that is 80 hp (more when using the 20%hp stance), 30 repair amp, that's better then the fighter defensive core. and the same as the frenzied berzerker (you know, one of those real melee classes?)
Supporting Construction: While in Medium or Heavy Armor (or Adamantine Body), +2/4/6 PRR. thats double of a barbarian, again, an actual melee class.
Renewal Construct: 25 Spell Points: You create a drone set to disperse protective potions. Every 2 seconds for 20 seconds, you and nearby allies gain a Determination bonus to Temporary Hit Points equal to 25 hit points per Artificer level. Level 20+ characters receive twice as many hitpoints. 2 minute cooldown. what are you smoking? a 1000 temp hp at cap? refreshed 10 times in 20 seconds?
thats faster then a legendary triple positive greensteel effect.

Though honestly?
I wished you devs played more melees and developed content and enhancements for them, the same way you do for your pet projects.[/COLOR]

Snipped for effect.

Making a ranged class ever better at taking less damage while continuing to ignore the fact that Melee DPS is great except survivability is simply terrible unless being protected by healers and CCers.

Taking bets on the ridiculous 1,000 temp HP making it to Live.

[Jasparion]

Interesting looking tree.

This however ..




6 second duration for a capstone effect...

Should be 20 second duration.

Does any other class have 20 seconds of invulnerability? Or even 10?

[EllisDee37]

Converter: You create a small device that floats near an ally. Target player, hireling, or Druid Wolf pet at touch range takes 100% base healing from Repair spells for the next 3 minutes (or until target dies). This overrides their innate base healing from Repair spells for the duration. 3 minute cooldown.
[...]
Does Converter work on yourself? How does it work on allies?
We're still working on this one, but tentatively:

• It cannot be cast on yourself.
• It can be cast on other players, hirelings, and Wolf pets. As long as those things aren't constructs, anyway - It wouldn't do anything to anyone who already has a base 100% Repair healing factor.
• For things in that category without Construct Essence, it boosts their base Repair Healing to 100% for the duration.
• For things in that category with Construct Essence, it adds 50% to their existing base Repair Healing, bringing it to 100%.
• Repair Amp should influence the Repair Healing taken by people with the Converter effect.
• It does not affect Positive healing at all.
• There should be a little floating object on allies who have the buff, a visual indicator that they can be repaired. It'll look similar to the other Constructs in the tree.

Does converter let pale masters in undead form get healed by repair spells?

[PsychoBlonde]

MAKE IT SO THAT WE CAN QUICKEN CURATIVE ADMIXTURES PLEASE!!!!!!!!111!!eleven

This is not what I was expecting AT ALL, but I kinda like it. Some suitably tanky benefits without anything seriously massive. I really like the party-buffingness of this, which is something Arti's have lost a little bit.

Make the Radiant Forcefield SLA cooldown 2 minutes instead of 3, plz. Alternatively, make this an Admixture that you throw and it gives Radiant Forcefield to your entire party.

I really think there should be an ability in there where you can use whichever is higher of Repair or Positive spellpower.

Maybe have a Converter option that works the other way--it gives you Positive healing amp? Could be useful for a party with 1 warforged but mostly fleshies so that the character(s) can all be "on the same page" healing-wise.

Suggest changing Reconstruct so that it does all the other stuff Heal does, removing various debilities and debuffs provided Repair works on you.

Suggest adding Extend as a possible metamagic to Radiant Forcefield.

Suggest tweaking the Elemental Weapons imbue so that it adds 1d6/2 arti levels elemental damage.

[Steelstar]

Does converter let pale masters in undead form get healed by repair spells?

Yes.

[yhelm123]

I like the idea of this adding new options to what I can do in a party. Staying in the back and throwing out some heals and party buffs could be an interesting way to play. Not sure I would ever go "all in" on this path, but enough of a splash to increase my Repairs/Pot Throwing would be nice. I'll just have to figure out where pull the points from...

Will anyone be taking a look at Flame Turret in this pass? I miss that spell, since it's pretty unusable after level 15 with no real way to scale it's damage.

[Yamani]

Snipped for effect.

Making a ranged class ever better at taking less damage while continuing to ignore the fact that Melee DPS is great except survivability is simply terrible unless being protected by healers and CCers.

Taking bets on the ridiculous 1,000 temp HP making it to Live.

I see that as dependent on duration and range. if the buff lasts only 5-10 seconds or even 2. It's primarily useful for melee's only. If its another 10 minute buff then that just overall boosts everyone in the party.