Ballista Joe

[ProdigalGuru]

I would like some feedback on this build.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.11.02
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Ballista Joe
Level 20 True Neutral Warforged Male
(6 Rogue \ 8 Ranger \ 6 Artificer) 
Hit Points: 328
Spell Points: 500 
BAB: 16\16\21\26\26
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 21
Will: 8

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(34 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength              8                    10
Dexterity            17                    20
Constitution         15                    20
Intelligence         18                    26
Wisdom                6                     8
Charisma              6                     8

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 3
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 3
+1 Tome of Intelligence 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

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               7                    28
Bluff                -2                    -1
Concentration         4                    28
Diplomacy             2                    22
Disable Device        8                    35
Haggle                2                    19
Heal                 -2                    -1
Hide                  7                    13
Intimidate           -2                    -1
Jump                  1                     5
Listen               -2                    -1
Move Silently         7                    13
Open Lock             7                    32
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                4                    12
Search                8                    33
Spot                  2                    27
Swim                 -1                     2
Tumble                5                     7
Use Magic Device      2                    23

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Ranger
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Automatic) Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Composite Plating
Feat: (Automatic) Heroic Durability
Feat: (Automatic) Light Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Light Fortification
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Rapier
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortsword
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortbow
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Trapfinding
Feat: (Automatic) Warforged Immunities


Level 2 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Feat: (Automatic) Bow Strength
Feat: (Automatic) Defensive Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency (ALL)
Feat: (Automatic) Shield Proficiency (General)
Feat: (Automatic) Sunder
Feat: (Automatic) Trip
Feat: (Automatic) Wild Empathy


Level 3 (Artificer)
Feat: (Selected) Insightful Reflexes
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Construct Mastery
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Knowledge: Scrolls
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) Inscribe Artificer Scroll
Feat: (Automatic) Magical Training
Feat: (Automatic) Medium Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Rapid Reload
Feat: (Automatic) Revive Iron Defender
Feat: (Automatic) Unleash Iron Defender
Spell (1): Conjure Bolts
Spell (1): Repair Light Damage
Spell (1): Shield of Faith
Spell (1): Resist Energy
Spell (1): Enchant Armor
Spell (1): Enchant Weapons


Level 4 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: INT
Feat: (Automatic) Evasion


Level 5 (Artificer)
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Knowledge: Potions
Feat: (Automatic) Rune Arm Use
Spell (1): Curative Admixture: Cure Light Wounds


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot
Feat: (Automatic) Rapid Shot
Feat: (Automatic) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 7 (Rogue)
Feat: (Automatic) Trap Sense


Level 8 (Artificer)
Ability Raise: INT
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Knowledge: Wands
Spell (2): Elemental Weapons


Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Precise Shot
Feat: (Automatic) Diehard


Level 10 (Rogue)
Feat: (Automatic) Trapmaking
Feat: (Automatic) Uncanny Dodge


Level 11 (Artificer)
Feat: (Artificer Bonus) Augment Summoning
Spell (2): Protection From Energy


Level 12 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: INT
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons
Spell (1): Camouflage
Spell (1): Jump
Spell (1): Longstrider
Spell (1): Merfolk's Blessing
Spell (1): Ram's Might
Spell (1): Summon Nature's Ally I
Spell (1): Tumble


Level 13 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead


Level 14 (Artificer)
Feat: (Automatic) Artificer Knowledge: Arms and Armor
Feat: (Automatic) Retain Essence
Spell (2): Insightful Strikes


Level 15 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Precise Shot


Level 16 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: INT


Level 17 (Ranger)
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Manyshot


Level 18 (Artificer)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
Spell (3): Repair Serious Damage


Level 19 (Ranger)
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Wild Empathy


Level 20 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: CON
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Uncanny Dodge
Spell (2): Barkskin
Spell (2): Bear's Endurance
Spell (2): Cat's Grace
Spell (2): Cure Light Wounds
Spell (2): Hold Animal
Spell (2): Mass Camouflage
Spell (2): Owl's Wisdom
Spell (2): Snare
Spell (2): Spike Growth
Spell (2): Summon Nature's Ally II
Enhancement: Artificer Damage Boost I
Enhancement: Artificer Damage Boost II
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost II
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Artificer Crossbow Attack I
Enhancement: Artificer Crossbow Damage I
Enhancement: Artificer Battle Engineer I
Enhancement: Uncaring Master
Enhancement: Rogue Acid Trap Lore I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Racial Toughness IV
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Attack I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance I
Enhancement: Ranger Deepwood Sniper I
Enhancement: Rogue Mechanic I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy II
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training II
Enhancement: Improved Disable Device I
Enhancement: Improved Disable Device II
Enhancement: Improved Hide I
Enhancement: Improved Hide II
Enhancement: Improved Move Silently I
Enhancement: Improved Move Silently II
Enhancement: Improved Open Lock I
Enhancement: Improved Open Lock II
Enhancement: Improved Spot I
Enhancement: Improved Spot II
Enhancement: Improved Use Magic Device I
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation I
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation II
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation III
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild I
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild II
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I
Enhancement: Artificer Intelligence I
Enhancement: Artificer Intelligence II
Enhancement: Rogue Improved Trap Sense I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution II
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend I

The premise is mostly Crossbow focus, but with some heavy versatility.

Features include:
Trapsmithing/Locks
Evasion
2 Favored Enemies (Evil Outsiders and Undead)
Rune Arm Use (many possible bonuses)
Battle Engineer I (+2 to-hit, 10HP, no ASF, Fusillade)
Mechanic I (INT/INT for to-hit/damage)
Deepwood Sniper I (extended PBS/SA range, Sniper shot)
WF Immunities (Water Breathing, No Level Drain, No Poison, No Disease)
Iron Defender (Augmented Summon)
Wild Empathy
Uncanny Dodge
Sneak Attack (3d6+?)
Stealth
Improved Precise Shot
Self-Healing
Self-Buffing
Sprint Boost
Skill Boost
Damage Boost

Cons off the top of my head:
No top-tier Arti buffs
Slightly squishy
Takes a long time to come together
Unable to max Favored Enemy and Sneak Attack damage

Am I overlooking a major flaw? Has anyone tried this?

[Cardtrick]

You may not be missing it, but you may be underestimating its importance:

Rune arm damage depends on artificer levels.

At cap, an artificer's DPS comes about half from runearm, half from repeater, and even then it's not very good. There's no way this build does twice the repeater damage of a pure artificer, even taking into account the sneak attack damage (which isn't much higher than a pure arti could get from half-elf dilettante, anyway).

This means you're looking at significantly lower DPS than a pure artificer, in addition to lacking their better spells. Now, you may be able to make up some of it by using manyshot and a good bow whenever you're off timer, but without slaying arrows and with low strength I'm not sure how useful that will be. And you will have somewhat crossbow higher DPS than a pure arti against the highest-AC enemies, like eMalicia, where an artificer will typically have to swap from insightful damage to insightful strikes before getting fully geared.

Honestly, though, I don't see much utility to this build unless you primarily like playing artificers and hate playing rangers, but want to grind out 3 ranger past lives for the stacking +6 to damage (in which case, this is a great build).