"Artilevelling" build - 7 Artificer/6 Rogue/7 Past Life

[dougnugget]

The servers are down, so let’s post builds!

This is a build designed specifically to get multiple past lives, without needing to re-gear for each different life.

It is a Warforged ranged damage/trapping build using 7 Artificer levels, followed by 6 Rogue levels – leaving the last 7 levels to be filled by the past life that you need. This will work for any past life currently available (it will not work for Druid when it comes out, as Artificer came out first it will take priority.)

This idea isn’t entirely original – I’d heard about the “Aggrim” build (9 Arti/1 Barb/ 10 past life) – but it is a very different take on the idea, and tweaked to my own pay preferences.

The benefits of this approach are:

· The key one is that this build is more or less geared by Level 11, and it doesn’t need to change that layout for each life (see below for more details). Less time farming gear and swapping gear, means more time spent levelling! This is really important to the build concept.
· The only raid gear used is greensteel. This means not having to run raids just to gear up instead of levelling.
· No need to blow a lesser or greater heart to change levels before you TR
· No alignment issues as Arti and Rogue can both be any alignment
· Lots and lots of skill points, which allows you to max out trap skills and UMD – with the Artificer bonuses you can be using heal and teleport scrolls by level 11.
· Great self-sufficiency, self healing using repair spells/wands ad heal or reconstruct from level 11.
· Excellent DPS at lower and mid levels – decent at higher levels.
· Fantastic build for getting the past life of a class that you don’t enjoy playing. (Unless that class is Artificer or Rogue…)


There are some drawbacks:

· The last 7 levels are pretty much a throwaway – sometimes there is good synergy, sometimes there isn’t
· I rely heavily on Cannith Crafting in my gear plan – you don’t have to do this but it will take longer to reach full potential if you don’t
· DEX 19 needed for improved precise shot (but you don’t need it.)
· Doesn't really use the pet - as it maxes out at Level 7.
· I hope that you like the sound of repeaters, cos you’ll be hearing it a lot

How does it play? It’s an absolute beast at lower levels – I regularly find myself in elite groups and taking a side of the dungeon all to myself with no hassle. Repeater + flame turret just rocks. By the time I hit Gianthold I’m looking for bravery groups and can still hold my weight – plus I’m a trapper which is usually a nice route into a group.

At higher levels – build is still decent but starts to lose some ground against builds which are designed for endgame. However, I'm still dealing OK ranged DPS, I can pass elemental buffs, scroll heal, trap. I certainly didn’t have any problems in high-level groups.

I'm on my second life now (first got me Ranger, I'm going Pally this time around) and am stil loving it.


Stats

For a 32 point build: 18 INT, 16 DEX, 14 CON (+2 for WF), dump the rest. Bring lesser restoration potions in case you get hit by a Ray of Enfeeblement. Level-ups in INT, except for 1 point in DEX around level 12 to qualify for IPS (unless you have a +3 DEX tome).

For later lives I plan to put the extra points in STR, because I like being able to carry more stuff. May also tweak slightly depending on what tomes I have.

For a 28 point build: If I were running this on a 28 point build, I would give up on trying to get IPS on my first life. 18 INT, 14 DEX, 14CON. See Feats (below) for an alternate plan which gets your to-hit up earlier. the good news is, you'll soon be a 34-point build.

Tomes: +2 INT and +2 DEX tome are strongly recommended. INT is the primary stat for this build, and you need DEX 19 if you want Improved Precise Shot. DEX is also used to hit stuff between levels 6-12 (during this time you have Insightful Damage, after L13 Mechanic I gives you +INT to damage and you can go back to using Insightful Strikes. Other tomes are nice (only WIS isn’t that useful). Fortunately, tomes are a lot cheaper than they used to be.

Feats

Assuming no bonus feats from the past life class:

Level 1 – Point Blank Shot
Level 3 – Toughness
Level 4 – Rapid Shot (Artificer bonus feat)
Level 6 – Insightful Reflexes
Level 9 – Precise Shot
Level 12 – Improved Crit: Ranged
Level 15 – Improved Precise Shot (if BAB high enough. If it isn’t, take this at 18)
Level 18 – Pretty much anything – WF: Ranged, Toughness, or even SF: UMD if you don’t have the right gear yet.

For a 28-point build:

Level 1 – Point Blank Shot
Level 3 – WF: Ranged
Level 4 – Rapid Shot (Artificer bonus feat)
Level 6 – Toughness
Level 9 – Insightful Reflexes
Level 12 – Improved Crit: Ranged
Level 15 – Skill focus UMD or Precise Shot or Toughness
Level 18 – Pick another from L15 choices

Enhancements:

Intelligence II (6 AP)
Skill Boost II (3 AP)*
Improved UMD II (3 AP)
Crossbow Attack I (1 AP)
Crossbow Damage II (3 AP)
Damage Boost II (3 AP)
Repair Manipulation IV (4 AP)
Flame Manipulation I (1 AP)
Wand & Scroll Mastery II (3 AP)
Battle Engineer I (4 AP)
Sneak Attack Accuracy II (3 AP)
Sneak Attack training III (6 AP)
Fire Trap Lore I (1 AP)
Faster Sneaking 1 (1 AP)
Improved Disable Device II (3 AP)
Improved Open Lock II (3 AP)
Improved Trap Sense I (1 AP)
Mechanic I (4 AP)
Healer’s Friend II (6 AP)
Constitution II (6 AP)
Toughness IV (10 AP)

* Skill boost needs to be swapped from Artificer to Rogue by level 13 in order to take Mechanic I.

That’s 75 points spent – although actual spend will depends on what is available from your past life class.

Note: I really do not get much use out of my pet - at lower levels I don't need him, at higher levels he's still L7 and therefore a bit squishy. So he mainly comes out if I need a distraction or a switch standing on. I give him the maximum DR I can, and combat tactics (Intimidate, Trip, Sunder). But this isn't really a pet build.


Skills

From 1 to 13 you can max out pretty much anything you want, incuding all trap skills, UMD, and Bluff.
For the last 7 levels (assuming +2 INT tome used), you will still get at least 8 skill points a level which is enough to keep Search, Disable, UMD and one other skill maxed out as cross-class skills. Often you can do even better than this. I like to have a high Balance, and a bit of Jump.

Weapons:

Initially, whatever you can find or make. Try and get a holy repeater early, and in particular before you run Delera’s. Screaming + Bleeding is always nice if you can craft it.

It’s well worth making a greensteel repeater for your 2nd life onwards. I made a Lit 2, but am now wondering whether I should have made a Rad 2 instead to take better advantage of my Rogue levels. So I’ll make one next time around and try it out.

For higher levels – Smiting, Banishing, Paralyzing are all very valuable.

Gear

I make heavy use of mastercrafted Cannith crafted gear, if you don’t have this then some of this may not be available until later levels.

At level 7:

Head: INT + 4 or 5
Neck Resist + 5 / Swap to Golden Cartouche for UMD
Goggles: Accuracy + 4 (w/Large Guild Slot) / Swap to trapping gear
Trinket: Voice / 10% ranged alacrity trinket
Docent: Deathblock/Invulnerability or Blademark’s Docent
Cloak: CHA + 4 or 5
Bracers: STR + 4 or 5
Belt: CON + 4 or 5
Boots: Striding 20%
Gloves: DEX + 4 or 5 / Swap to trapping gear
Ring 1: Greater False Life
Ring 2: Moderate Fort

UMD at level 7: 10 rank + 2 class knowledge + 2 AP enhancement + 2 CHA bonus (15 with ship buffs and +2 tome) + 1 Profane (spider mask) + 1 Luck (Voice) + 2 Morale (Heroism) = 20 without using boosts or the Cartouche, that’s enough for Holy+PG weapons. So there is wiggle room if you don’t have all this gear.

At level 11:

Head: Minos
Neck Resist +5 / Golden Cartouche
Goggles: Accuracy + 4 (w/Large Guild Slot) / Swap to trapping gear
Trinket: Voice / 10% ranged alacrity trinket
Docent: Deathblock/Invulnerability or Blademark’s
Cloak: CHA + 6 or Greensteel*
Bracers: Greensteel*
Belt: CON + 6
Boots: Striding or DEX + 6**
Gloves: STR + 6 / Swap to trapping gear
Ring 1: Greater False Life
Ring 2: INT + 6

UMD at level 11: 14 rank + 2 class knowledge + 2 AP enhancement + 3 CHA bonus (16 with ship buffs and +2 tome) + 1 Profane (spider mask) + 1 Luck (Voice) + 4 Morale (Greater Heroism using Planar Gird) + 6 (Greensteel) + 3 Competence (Cartouche) = 36 without using boosts, with a skill boost you can no-fail Heal scrolls from level 11.

*I’m still thinking about final greensteel options, but current plan is to make triple-positive bracers (Wizardry VI, +150 SP, +6 CHA skills, Raise Dead Clicky), and eventually a cloak with con-opp, +45 HP, +5 CON skills. The bracers should allow me to use heal scrolls from level 11 onwards.

** the DEX boots is only really used before L13 if I’m having problems to hit. Most of the time I’m using the striders.

Other very useful gear includes:

Planar Gird (and Heroism potions and clickies until I can use it)
Crafted goggles of secret door detection
Superior Mending clickies
Scrolls, wands etc.
Bracers of Marksmanship (ML 13) are great for extra damage on vorpal – swap in if you don’t need to use your bracers for UMD.
Rune Arms – mainly chosen for their passive effects. My favourite high level arm is Tira’s Splendor – Deathblock, +20% heal amp and the ability to bypass silver DR (as I do not have enough Arti levels to cast silver weapons, this is especially valuable). Hand of the tombs is excellent for Delera’s, shadow crypt and desert.
Chimera’s breath is great for giving 2-8 lightning damage from a very low level (level 3 if you stick masterful craftsmanship on it.)

I've not posted a L20 build, as I won't be spending much time at all at level 20. if I do, it will be as a pure Artificer and that's when I will farm out a cleansing essence and maybe some other nice things.

Anyway, hope you enjoy it.

- Doug

[Mubjon]

To my knowledge if 2 classes are the same level the one that comes first in the alphabet is what you get for a pastlife. So while this would work you would need a lesser +1 to get your past life to level 8 before the TR.

I have thought about doing this with some of the melee builds though as melee is so boring for me to play.

[MartinusWyllt]

To my knowledge if 2 classes are the same level the one that comes first in the alphabet is what you get for a pastlife. So while this would work you would need a lesser +1 to get your past life to level 8 before the TR.

I have thought about doing this with some of the melee builds though as melee is so boring for me to play.

That only applies to "core" classes. Monk and beyond come after the rest where tied.

[dougnugget]

To my knowledge if 2 classes are the same level the one that comes first in the alphabet is what you get for a pastlife. So while this would work you would need a lesser +1 to get your past life to level 8 before the TR.

I have thought about doing this with some of the melee builds though as melee is so boring for me to play.

Hi Mubjon!

It's alphabetical for the original classes - any later classes got added to the end of the list. Right now, Artificer is right at the end of the list.

http://ddowiki.com/page/Past_Life_Feats has info, and I can personally confirm this worked fine for my first life which was 7 Arti/6 Rogue/7 Ranger - I got the Ranger past life.

Note: when Druid comes out, that'll go to the end of the list, so this plan won't work for Druid. 6 Arti/6 Rogue/8 Druid will work - but it might be more fun just to play pure Druid for that life - I suspect that being a new class it will be a powerhouse.

[Mubjon]

Hi Mubjon!

It's alphabetical for the original classes - any later classes got added to the end of the list. Right now, Artificer is right at the end of the list.

http://ddowiki.com/page/Past_Life_Feats has info, and I can personally confirm this worked fine for my first life which was 7 Arti/6 Rogue/7 Ranger - I got the Ranger past life.

Note: when Druid comes out, that'll go to the end of the list, so this plan won't work for Druid. 6 Arti/6 Rogue/8 Druid will work - but it might be more fun just to play pure Druid for that life - I suspect that being a new class it will be a powerhouse.

Cool, then I might have to look into doing this for the melee builds as they are by far the most boring to me.

[PurpleTimb]

I've tried using this as a change of pace on my latest TR and really enjoyed it. Anyone have advice/suggestions on changes to make now with the enhancement changes?

[MartinusWyllt]

I've tried using this as a change of pace on my latest TR and really enjoyed it. Anyone have advice/suggestions on changes to make now with the enhancement changes?

All I can say so far that seems to be working:

battle engineer up to endless fusillade
mechanic up to int damage

I go human just by preference. Since no-fail heal scrolls are possible around 12-14 (GH, shroud gear and 3 arti past lives) I prefer the extra feat and skill points.

[Istaria1]

Any opinions about an alternative Arti-leveler template, which would work on any class?

Arti 7/Monk 2/<life> 11.

Evasion from the monk (and very slightly nicer saves), Arti-uber-goodness, and then with the enhancement pass synergising as much as possible for repeater/rune arm damage.

Aes.

[Urist]

Any opinions about an alternative Arti-leveler template, which would work on any class?

Arti 7/Monk 2/<life> 11.

That would actually work for fewer classes, since Monk has to be lawfully aligned, whereas Barb and Bard have to be non-lawful.

But AFAICT, there is little reason to take the 7th Arty level with the new enhancements. In the old system, level 7 opened up Crossbow Damage II, as well as a heap of other boosts. Now? One extra third-level spell (not to be sneezed at, admittedly), and some Artificer Knowledge.
So a 6 Arty/6 Rogue/8 Past Life could work just about as well as the original scheme. Or you could even drop Arty down to 5, or even 4 if you don't want any tier 5 abilities from the Artificer trees. That could let you up Rogue to 7 (extra sneak attack die) or 8 (improved uncanny dodge) depending on the priority of the past life class.

[Istaria1]

That would actually work for fewer classes, since Monk has to be lawfully aligned

I didn't think of the alignment problem - thanks!

Aes.