Another Plea for Artificer Returning Bolts

[DrunkDwarves]

I don't care if i have to spend 2 AP like Arcane Archers do to get theirs! As stated in the thread before the forum move, this would be a nice quality of life change for Artificers that isn't exactly game breaking. Getting the out of ammo message mid fusillade sucks a lot, as does taking up bag space by casting conjure bolts 6 times every time I log in to try to avoid said message. Artificers are a lot more invested in magic and mechanics than ranger are (who have returning arrows), so it shouldn't be a stretch to think that they could create 100% returning bolts that would work with their weapons.

Please consider adding this feature to the game!

Sincerely,

Drunkn Disorderly
17 Artificer/2 Rogue/1 Barbarian Dwarf on Orien

P.S. Yes, I'm a weirdo dwarf with weirdo builds. Cheers!

[Missing_Minds]

http://ddowiki.com/page/Conjure_Bolts

Artis can create +6 which beat epic dr. AAs can not.

[Carpone]

Artis can create +6 which beat epic dr. AAs can not.

Weapons already surpass whatever damage bonus Conjure Bolts provide. Bolt damage does not stack with weapons.

Turbine should add returning bolts in one of the Artificer enhancement trees. It's way overdue as a convenience feature.

[Missing_Minds]

Weapons already surpass whatever damage bonus Conjure Bolts provide. Bolt damage does not stack with weapons.

How many +7 and better crossbows exist? Not many at all. It is much easier to get a low bonus great crossbow and shove up the bonus via bolt values (same like AAs)

2k bolts last a long time and only take up one spot in your bag.

There is no non splat book bases for it.

[DrunkDwarves]

If you're an arcane archer, it's Pinion (+8 enhancement when upgraded) or bust especially when they get morphic and metallic arrow imbues. As filler, AAs will get a nonstacking enhancement bonus to bows for each core ability of AA they have plus a stacking +2 at the top of the tree. Any +5 bow with the +2 enhancement beats out +6 bolts. Artificers also get a +2 enhancement bonus from their PRE on live and battle engineer on Lamania, which also makes the +6 bolts a non-factor. Any +5 crossbow with the +2 bonus already beats out the bolts.

That aside, making bolts returning doesn't increase Artificer damage at all. It's a convenience change to make playing a ranged crossbow Arti more enjoyable. That's why I'm renewing this suggestion and hope the Devs include it in one of the Artificer trees in the enhancement pass.

EDIT: As a side note, more repeating crossbow would be nice in terms of options. I'm fairly sure ranged alacrity does nothing for repeaters, so all you really get from needle is the 3d8 bleed damage and the +4 to hit. However, that's an entirely different subject and I would love to see if there are any other Artificers out there who would like to see returning bolts in game!

[PsychoBlonde]

How many +7 and better crossbows exist? Not many at all. It is much easier to get a low bonus great crossbow and shove up the bonus via bolt values (same like AAs)

2k bolts last a long time and only take up one spot in your bag.

There is no non splat book bases for it.

The new AA summoned arrows don't increase in + value above +1. Instead AA's get an ability that increases the raw enhancement bonus of their BOW.

As for asking for Artificer to be like AA, make your repeater standard fire as slowly as a bow, then, and put Fusillade on the same cooldown timer as Manyshot. Oh, and require THREE FEATS to get it. Oh, not looking like such a bad deal now, is it?

You know how to get around this problem? When you're ready to fusillade, summon extra bolts right beforehand. Your inventory won't fill up with bolts and you'll never run out during a fusillade. PROBLEM SOLVED.

[DrunkDwarves]

6 levels of Artificer get you endless fusillade on live (with enhancements) and 6 levels of Ranger get you manyshot (for free). While it is true that not all ranged bow builds take 6 Ranger levels, the two pre req feats for Manyshot are taken by any ranged character that has any emphasis on damage. Even if point blank shot and rapid shot weren't pre reqs for manyshot many people would take them because they increase your DPS (for instance, Artificers who use crossbows generally take both feats).

In terms of firing rate, repeaters have a fairly long reload animation and ranged alacrity does nothing for them (possibly a bug since Needle has ranged alacrity on it). The rate of fire difference isn't as dramatic as you might think.

Again, I'm suggesting this change because it would not increase a crossbow spec'ed Artificer's damage at all. I don't mind if they're just +1 bolts like in the Arcane Archer tree that cost 2 AP. I'm also not advocating for the elimination of the conjure bolts spell for those out there that have no artificer levels yet use scrolls to conjure bolts. The inclusion of this ability would just be purely for convenience.