TR "Get me through Ranger as painlessly as possible" build, Artificer based

[Xeraphim]

Topic started 3/12/2012

Since I simply adore Artificer and started DDO in 2006 loving Repeaters, I built a means that those with overpowered repeaters from days long past can rip through content with ease as compared to the atrociously underpowered Arcane Archer.

Note: This build requires an Artificer 20 with a Dragonmark of Making (20 free crafting levels really help out) to support his Enchantment habits. That is, unless you have bountiful TP and buy essences, Xp elixirs and Success Boosters in hoardes from the Turbine Store and push your crafting levels up that way.

This only goes to 13 because the other levels are purely for Past Life. Be sure to take Improved Precise Shot at level 15, it becomes crucial.

After looking into it, Past lives (those /8 levels I call "junk) from low BAB classes like Cleric will prevent you from getting IPS at all and you will have to rely on some very well geared friends. That, or you could just go Monk2/Cleric and healbot/BB your way through it. There are plenty of excellent builds for classes that can't support the 6/6/IPS here.

Stay Elite, and streak on my friends.

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Rosenroad 
Level 13 True Neutral Warforged Male
(6 Rogue \ 7 Artificer) 
Hit Points: 240
Spell Points: 418 
BAB: 10\10\15\20
Fortitude: 12
Reflex: 15
Will: 6

                  Starting          
Abilities        Base Stats         
(36 Point)       (Level 1)          
Strength              8             
Dexterity            16             
Constitution         18             
Intelligence         18             
Wisdom                6             
Charisma              6             

+3 Supreme Tome Used during first life
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 3
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 3
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 3
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 3
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 3
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 3
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7
+3 Tome of Strength used at level 11
+3 Tome of Dexterity used at level 11
+3 Tome of Constitution used at level 11
+3 Tome of Intelligence used at level 11
+3 Tome of Wisdom used at level 11
+3 Tome of Charisma used at level 11

                  Starting          
                 Base Skills        
Skills           (Level 1)          
Balance               3             
Concentration         4             
Disable Device        8             
Haggle                2             
Jump                 -1             
Listen                0             
Open Lock             7             
Search                8             
Spot                  2             
Swim                  0             
Tumble                4             
Use Magic Device      2             
The rest of your Skills are unimportant. Focus on UMD, Disable, Search, Spot, take Swim for Crucible and stop after that

Level 1 (Artificer)
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Monk
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Monk
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Monk
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Ranger
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Ranger
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Ranger
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Construct Mastery
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Knowledge: Scrolls
Feat: (Automatic) Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Composite Plating
Feat: (Automatic) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Great Crossbow
Feat: (Automatic) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Repeating Heavy Crossbow
Feat: (Automatic) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Repeating Light Crossbow
Feat: (Automatic) Heroic Durability
Feat: (Automatic) Inscribe Artificer Scroll
Feat: (Automatic) Light Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Light Fortification
Feat: (Automatic) Magical Training
Feat: (Automatic) Medium Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Rapid Reload
Feat: (Automatic) Revive Iron Defender
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak
Feat: (Automatic) Trapfinding
Feat: (Automatic) Unleash Iron Defender
Feat: (Automatic) Warforged Immunities
Spell (1): Conjure Bolts
Spell (1): Repair Light Damage
Spell (1): Resist Energy
Enhancement: Artificer Crossbow Damage I
Enhancement: Improved Disable Device I
Enhancement: Improved Open Lock I
Gear: +5 BTA items for Search, Disable Device and Open Lock
Gear: +2 stat items equipped for INT, DEX, CON, STR, CHA
Gear: Anger's Wrath set and Goggles of Insight (+3 to Attack)
Critical Gear Equipped: Lionheart docent of Invulnerability (negates Scare and Fear when struck)


Level 2 (Artificer)
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Knowledge: Potions
Feat: (Automatic) Defensive Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Rune Arm Use
Feat: (Automatic) Sunder
Feat: (Automatic) Trip
Enhancement: Artificer Damage Boost I
Enhancement: Artificer Intelligence I
Enhancement: Artificer Wand and Scroll Mastery I


Level 3 (Artificer)
Feat: (Selected) Rapid Shot
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Knowledge: Wands
Spell (2): Elemental Weapons
Enhancement: Improved Use Magic Device I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I
Gear: Upgraded to +3 Stat items for all but WIS
Critical Gear Option: Docent of Moderate Fortification (equip at or after level 4)

Level 4 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: INT
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Rapier
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortsword
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortbow
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak Attack
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Rogue Improved Trap Sense I


Level 5 (Rogue)
Feat: (Automatic) Evasion
Enhancement: Rogue Acid Trap Lore I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy I
Critical Gear Equipped: Attack +4 Goggles
Slotted: Search, Disable and Open Lock Goggles all +10 to skill
Gear: Upgraded to +4 Stat items for all but WIS


Level 6 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Automatic) Trap Sense
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I


Level 7 (Rogue)
Feat: (Automatic) Trapmaking
Feat: (Automatic) Uncanny Dodge
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training II
Enhancement: Improved Disable Device II
Enhancement: Improved Open Lock II
Enhancement: Rogue Improved Trap Sense II
Gear: +5 to stats from crafted BTA items; CON moved to Neck and Greater False Life equipped on Belt (Important later)
Set lost: Anger's Wrath
Critical Gear Equipped: Deathblock Docent of Moderate Fortification

Level 8 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: INT
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution II


Level 9 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Skill Focus: Use Magic Device
Feat: (Alternative) Insightful Reflexes
Enhancement: Rogue Mechanic I
The Alternative Feat for this level relies on you not having items like Boots of the Innocent
Note that taking Insightful Reflexes this level makes UMDing critical scrolls MUCH harder later.
Gear: Upgrade to +6 Stat items; DEX on Glove slot, INT on Ring, Helm slot not used (preparation for Sora Kell set)

Level 10 (Artificer)
Feat: (Artificer Bonus) Precise Shot
Spell (2): Insightful Strikes [DEX Gloves now effectively negated]
Enhancement: Artificer Damage Boost II
Enhancement: Artificer Crossbow Attack I


Level 11 (Artificer)
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Knowledge: Arms and Armor
Feat: (Automatic) Retain Essence
Spell (2): Flame Arrow
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy II
Critical Gear Equipped: Sora Kell set (lesser); Greensteel Weave Cloak of Radiance (HP); Ethereal Bracers hotbar'd for quick swap
Set Gained: Sora Kell (Used until cap)
Gear: Now using +13 items for Search, Disable and Open Lock


Level 12 (Artificer)
Ability Raise: INT
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
Spell (3): Flame Turret
Enhancement: Artificer Battle Engineer I
Critical Gear hotslotted: Greensteel Repeating Heavy Crossbow of Radiance


Level 13 (Artificer)
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Knowledge (ALL)
Spell (3): Adamantine Weapons
Enhancement: Artificer Crossbow Damage II
Critical Gear Equipped: Wind Howler Bracers; Sora Kell Set (Upgraded)


Level 14
Enhancement: Improved Use Magic Device II
Enhancement: Artificer Intelligence II

Level 15
Feat: (Selected) Improved Precise Shot
Enhancement: Racial Toughness IV
Gear: Now using +15 items for Disable, Search and Open Lock


Level 18
Feat: (Selected) Insightful Reflexes
Feat: (Alternative) Skill Focus: Use Magic Device

Point Blank Shot doubles your base damage at close range. You will benefit more from this than more HP by a massive margin. Therefore, it's the first feat.

We want a Rune Arm, so let's take Arti 2. While we're at it, let's go for Elemental Weapons for the extra d6 and ability to deal permanent damage to Trolls and the like. Arti 3.

Time for Mechanic and that permanent Insightful Damage PrE. The 6 Rogue levels go pretty uneventfully as you take point on traps and use that Sneak damage as much as you can without being too heavily reliant on it. You should dominate the kill counts all the time. That is, of course, if you are using things like a ML 3 Holy of Bleed Heavy Repeater at level 3 and comparable DPS at higher levels, e.g. Acid of Greater Giant Bane at ML 7 and Holy of Greater Undead Bane at level 9 (All crafted via Cannith devices and a Masterful Craftsmanship shard applied). If you do the Delera's chain you will want a Holy of Undead Bane (ML 7).

Then, swing back to Artificer and start using Insightful Strikes on everything you deal damage with. This means it is always on. For Incorporeal critters, get some party members that handle those better. If you're doing it right you should still be leading the kill count by a landslide unless a Savant is using his spells properly.

Insightful Strikes means your DEX is only there for Evading things until level 18 and taking Feats. Getting attack and damage based on INT means that you are focusing the entirety of your potency into one stat, so be mindful when things use Feeblemind or Touch of Idiocy and mitigate that as best you can. You should be able to get INT 6 on an item as early as level 9 if you craft it.

The rest of the levels are completely up to you and I rely on your ability to think for yourself at that point. This is based on testing and revision and is the most effective way to reach the first levels of your selected Past Life Class. Have fun out there!

Edit Jun 1 2102: Going Art7/Rog6 works nicely with any classes with full BAB, as you can get IPS by lvl 15 no problem. The tiebreaker calculation as you TR allows your 6/7/7 to get the past life without complications (Druid is not released at this point and will not work with the 6/7/7. Druid must be 8 levels of this build to get its past life). If you are taking your Artificer or Rogue past life, consider going Kensai I or just taking Ftr for level 15 strictly for Improved Precise Shot (end: Art6/Ftr1/Rog13; Art8/Ftr6/Rog6; Art13/Rog6/Ftr1). Ultimately it comes down to this: Arcane or Repeater?

With partial BAB classes (e.g. Cleric, FvS, Sorc, Monk, Wiz), IPS doesn't arrive until level 18, significantly slowing your crowd kill rate.

[Calebro]

Last edited by Xeraphim; 12-29-2011 at 10:22 PM.. Reason: Go True Neutral if you have UMD gear from Titan or something

Out of curiosity, what does having gear from Titan have to do with going neutral instead?

[Xeraphim]

Out of curiosity, what does having gear from Titan have to do with going neutral instead?

Use Magic Device: Good weaponry/items (UMD 20). This way those horrid spells and damage bonuses based on Evil damage that target Good characters don't affect your TR. Additionally, if you realy don't like negative levels and refuse to carry Restoration scrolls, go Warforged and push the feat line back. In this case, you lose Weapon Focus. I notice that I neglected a level 18 feat because at that point it really is up to playstyle.

[Calebro]

Use Magic Device: Good weaponry/items (UMD 20).

Yes, but it's only two points more than the Cartouche offers. You have Arty and Rogue levels, so your UMD should be near ridiculous anyway. So what's so special about that extra +2 that makes you change alignment?
My point is that you should be able to reach the 20 UMD that you have listed as some sort of benchmark before you can even equip the gloves, so they aren't even a consideration for equipping RR gear.

[Xeraphim]

Yes, but it's only two points more than the Cartouche offers. You have Arty and Rogue levels, so your UMD should be near ridiculous anyway. So what's so special about that extra +2 that makes you change alignment?

The Edit didn't go through thanks to the rather vindictive measure taken against proxy forum accounts like this one that forces me to log back in to the main forum and find my way back to my thread manually.

In most cases, I have to log in then log in again to get to the forums. I am not a happy panda.

Also, I am sick and tired enough to forget about the Cartouche. Thanks for mentioning it, though I typically have the Necklace of Contemplation in that slot until I absolutely have to remove it for something. I also mentioned not using the Minos because I prefer to use the Sora Kell set after level 11, then the upgraded version after 13.

[Calebro]

I think you missed my edit:
My point is that you should be able to reach the 20 UMD that you have listed as some sort of benchmark before you can even equip the gloves, so they aren't even a consideration for equipping RR gear.

[gloopygloop]

Use Magic Device: Good weaponry/items (UMD 20). This way those horrid spells and damage bonuses based on Evil damage that target Good characters don't affect your TR. Additionally, if you realy don't like negative levels and refuse to carry Restoration scrolls, go Warforged and push the feat line back. In this case, you lose Weapon Focus. I notice that I neglected a level 18 feat because at that point it really is up to playstyle.

It's so easy to get Holy weapons from Cannith crafting, that I don't even think about Pure Good anymore.

Neutral all the way unless you're a Paladin.

[gloopygloop]

The Edit didn't go through thanks to the rather vindictive measure taken against proxy forum accounts like this one that forces me to log back in to the main forum and find my way back to my thread manually.

+

Go to MyDDO and sign in on that screen. That should keep you logged in instead of getting booted out every few minutes unless you have a really oddball setup.

[Xeraphim]

+

Go to MyDDO and sign in on that screen. That should keep you logged in instead of getting booted out every few minutes unless you have a really oddball setup.

Actually, I do. I use MyDDO for my main account and this account strictly for forum posts due to an ancient ban levied by an overzealous forum moderator back in the early days of DDO (before the server merge, or close to it. I forget). Drama was a big problem back then. The forum team had trouble remediating it, often only adding more with their efforts.

That aside, I'll give it a shot and hope I don't have Tor running by accident again. Thanks.

[Kilnedric]

Thinkin about TRing to get ranger past life for an Arty as well. And, like you say I want to use my Arty gear in my ranger life as well!

However, I was thinking of doing Ranger 11/Arty 9 to accomplish this. What would be the pros and cons of this?

[wax_on_wax_off]

I hear Deepwood Sniper II is slated for Update 13 which should be coming in a couple of months, just depends on your timeframe but if it is reasonably long I'd consider 12 ranger / 7 artificer / 1 fighter or something similar (half-elf with rogue dilettante).

Overall, I'm not too keen on the build, not much synergy between rogue and artificer, imo.

[Xeraphim]

I hear Deepwood Sniper II is slated for Update 13 which should be coming in a couple of months, just depends on your timeframe but if it is reasonably long I'd consider 12 ranger / 7 artificer / 1 fighter or something similar (half-elf with rogue dilettante).

Overall, I'm not too keen on the build, not much synergy between rogue and artificer, imo.

The reason for it is so I can get the Ranger past Life (or Monk or Fighter or Cleric or whatever I stick in there) over with as lightly as possible. I'd really rather go Art7/Rog6 for INT based damage and attack and some more SP to Repair with but I don't want the Art past life unpleasantly pushing itself in instead of the past life I want.

This build is NOT made for level 20, and should only ever be level 20 for about 2 minutes (long enough to run to House J and go through the TR process).

I think I'll go with Radiance all over it (guard HP item, heavy repeater) to take advantage of the sneak damage.

As for Deepwood II, I have to take a look at it. I may just discard this maddened haphazard quest for a cheap and easy way to get unpleasant character past lives done (remember: Elite only, and you get a group for a total of 5 quests. Each group disbands after 1 of those quests due to people going to bed or to have lunch or whatever other reason. Raids will break your streak, due to groups always demanding Normal difficulty, so instead of waiting for a half hour then dropping group when they set it to Normal despite the LFM saying Elite, just don't bother).

[Xeraphim]

Given how potent Artificer is and the nature of Multiclassing, this 6/6/x appears to be the easiest way to solo elite all the way to cap through lives like Rogue (may adjust to 9Art/11Rog), Ranger, Barbarian, Bard, Fighter and Monk (and later Druid). The other classes start slow but gather speed quickly (Sorc, Wiz, Cleric, FvS), so long as you use the right race and gear. Cleric and FvS are cripplingly reliant on groups until they get Blade Barrier but Wizard and Sorcerer do fine on their own.

If I had a lifespan to devote to DDO, this would be a completionist path worth testing.

[Calebro]

Given how potent Artificer is and the nature of Multiclassing, once the classes go to 25 it may become easier to take Art11/Other class12 and TR for the past life
<snip>

I really wish more people understood that lvl 25 isn't going to be 25 class levels....

[Teharahma]

I really wish more people understood that lvl 25 isn't going to be 25 class levels....

Same..

[Calebro]

Same..

I guess I could explain it a bit for them.
Epic levels are not the same as regular levels.
The class level split you end with at level 20 is probably all you're going to get, so your 11 Arty / 12 Ranger would be impossible.
An 18/2 Wizard, for example, will probably not be able to get 23/2 under the new system. Epic levels essentially create a new class for you. Epic Wizard levels are not the same as Wizard levels, and do not advance your Wizard casting the same way that a 19th level of Wizard would have. That 18/2 would instead become an 18 Wizard / 2 Rogue / 5 Epic Wizard (that probably isn't the way that it will be displayed, but it gives you an idea of how those levels are different and separate).

Raising the cap to 25 is much more likely to mean we're getting 5 Epic levels. Those Epic levels are completely different from normal levels.

[Xeraphim]

I really wish more people understood that lvl 25 isn't going to be 25 class levels....

This would cement the whole "path to 20" thing for TRing then.

I really don't know how the Devs are going to implement Epic levels and at the moment I am not concerned with the topic. I just want a quick easy way to get my past lives done without having to rely on paper healers.

[savingsoul]

I would also consider the following splits:

11Ranger/8Artificer/1F or 1M
12Ranger/6Artificer/2F or 2M
8Ranger/6Artificer/6Monk (see the Uzy VI build in my signature, which could be adapted to this)

[Xeraphim]

I would also consider the following splits:

11Ranger/8Artificer/1F or 1M
12Ranger/6Artificer/2F or 2M
8Ranger/6Artificer/6Monk (see the Uzy VI build in my signature, which could be adapted to this)

I completely forgot at what level you get Insightful Damage (Edit later: Arti 6), or I would definitely consider the 11/8/something. IPS is VERY nice on an arti. The GTWF from Ranger also opens up the possibility for some very nice melee damage (for an Arti based char).

As for the Uzy build, it's too button intensive for me these days. I stopped using ki strikes on my Monks and slowed down the stress level on the game entirely. It's also just a tad overcomplicated, as I prefer singular or dual purpose rather than triple or quadruple purpose. I'm sure that one day I'll regret this enough to change, but that day is a bit of a ways off. I really like the idea behind it though, and appreciate you taking the time to build something that looks so fun to play.

[savingsoul]

BTW, is your handle a play on "Seraphim"? Or did you intend to be named after money?

(p.s. it doesn't really matter, Uzy will still think you're an angel; she doesn't get many compliments )