1st life xbow drow arti advice

[letthal]

Hello there ! I've just bought artificer recently and I need a couple answers ! Im looking for the best dps solo arti. Is it best to go pure or maybe multiclass with something ? rogue ? ranger ? The main idea is to run 100% ranged with repeatable crossbow and to get max dmg with it ! I dont have WF and it's my 1st life so DROW seems like the best race to go. After some digging i've came up with build like this (Pure drow arti, im not sure if it wouldn't be better to multiclass for the better dmg tho, that's why I need ur help guys) :
Also it would be nice to get a Gear advice. Are there any good named xbows? Im aiming just for heroic content.
Feel free to correct it !

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 04.20.02
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xbow arti 
Level 20 Lawful Good Drow Male
(20 Artificer) 
Hit Points: 202
Spell Points: 1099 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 7
Reflex: 10
Will: 11

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength              8                     8
Dexterity            16                    19
Constitution         12                    12
Intelligence         20                    22
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma             10                    10

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 1

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               4                     5
Bluff                 0                     1
Concentration         1                     2
Diplomacy             0                     1
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                0                     1
Heal                 -1                     0
Hide                  4                     5
Intimidate            0                     1
Jump                 -1                     0
Listen               -1                     2
Move Silently         4                     5
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                5                     7
Search                5                     9
Spellcraft            5                     7
Spot                 -1                     2
Swim                 -1                     0
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Artificer)
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot


Level 2 (Artificer)


Level 3 (Artificer)
Feat: (Selected) Precision


Level 4 (Artificer)
Feat: (Artificer Bonus) Construct Essence


Level 5 (Artificer)


Level 6 (Artificer)
Feat: (Selected) Rapid Shot


Level 7 (Artificer)


Level 8 (Artificer)
Feat: (Artificer Bonus) Precise Shot


Level 9 (Artificer)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge


Level 10 (Artificer)


Level 11 (Artificer)


Level 12 (Artificer)
Feat: (Artificer Bonus) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
Feat: (Selected) Mobility


Level 13 (Artificer)


Level 14 (Artificer)


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


Level 16 (Artificer)
Feat: (Artificer Bonus) Shot on the Run


Level 17 (Artificer)


Level 18 (Artificer)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 19 (Artificer)


Level 20 (Artificer)
Feat: (Artificer Bonus) Extend Spell

[cru121]

I would avoid the Shot on the Run feat chain and Toughness in favor of some metamagic feats (at least maximize for BB).
I find quicken very nice on levels 6-12 for Flame Turret.

Investing into rogue would probably be more xbow DPS but I am not an expert.

[letthal]

Yea, well im not sure if the order of taking feats is good too. And im wondering if it is worth to make pure arti or rather to multiclass.

[Thalone]

I know you specified crossbow, but if you've never played arti, you should try the SLAs in the Arcanotechnician tree; they're are fantastic for heroic levelling. Once I get the Blast Rod SLA, I am almost a full-time caster. Metamagics are free on SLAs, so I will typically take Heighten/Max/Empower and stack them on the SLAs and cast them one after the other. By about Gianthold level, your Blast Rod will be hitting for 300 or critting for 600, and it is a mass spell, not single-target. This damage just blows repeaters out of the water unless you get perfectly aligned enemies for IPS. Some of the SLAs additionally have a built-in Daze effect for incidental crowd control.

Extend is not particularly useful on Artis. Check out the arti spell page on the wiki; you'll see the proof for yourself. I would try to fit Augment Summoning in there. Even though the dog bugs out all the time (reset by using dismiss and then resummon), I find giving it Trip enhancements and gear, it can do a lot of automatic CC by itself. You can also pick up Arcanotech enhancements to make the dog self-repair.

Starting with Strength 8 could end up giving you encumbrance penalties, especially if you get hit with Strength debuffs like Ray of Enfeeblement. Possibly, you could lower INT to 16 and give youself some more carrying capacity.

There aren't a lot of heroic named repeaters. The Doublecross Bow from Spinner is popular in later levels for its CC effect. When I need to break out the machine gun, I typically just use Cannith-crafted Acid Burst of Righteous or Holy Burst of Pure Good, depending on where my UMD is. Note, repeaters don't need a plus rating, since your conjured bolts will take care of that.

My personal preference for levelling a heroic arti is to stay pure (so as to not delay Blade Barrier), but common splashes are Rogue for evasion/sneak attack, or feats from Fighter or Monk (+ evasion).

[Lonnbeimnech]

Construct Essence is a trap.

gimp your heal amp so that you can land a half a repair. Why? Having one good way to heal yourself is better than having 2 lousy ways.

you get umd as a class skill, and wand and scroll mastery, just use heal scrolls when you can and wands before that.

[letthal]

I know you specified crossbow, but if you've never played arti, you should try the SLAs in the Arcanotechnician tree; they're are fantastic for heroic levelling. Once I get the Blast Rod SLA, I am almost a full-time caster. Metamagics are free on SLAs, so I will typically take Heighten/Max/Empower and stack them on the SLAs and cast them one after the other. By about Gianthold level, your Blast Rod will be hitting for 300 or critting for 600, and it is a mass spell, not single-target. This damage just blows repeaters out of the water unless you get perfectly aligned enemies for IPS. Some of the SLAs additionally have a built-in Daze effect for incidental crowd control.

I've been a caster for like 3 lifes on my previous character. That's why im looking for a pure repeater build with high dmg and solo capabilities. That's the only thing im interested in.

[Joseph]

I have a pure repeater artificer, and I changed up his spec a bit to dual class him.

Personally I chose human, but honestly it's whatever works for you. Next time around I will choose a WF because the ability to reconstruct myself rocks. Currently he is a rogue 6 / artificer 12 or thereabouts. I took the rogue mechanic enhancement tree to get Targeting Sights: http://ddowiki.com/page/Mechanic_enhancements

Then I stacked on all of the + repeating crossbow feats from both trees (Arti and Rogue).

Currently I have at least 36 Int (maybe more, I forget), which, with all of the 10 or so + crossbow feats I have, gives me at least +20 to hit and damage on every shot. Plus my rune arm (2-16 damage), plus elemental weapon infusion, plus flame arrow (love UMD and the wands), plus holy, plus pure good, plus Risa Ice festival, and I am doing huge damage (probably I forgot some as well).

Keep in mind, I just threw this together off the top of my head. It's very, very far from perfect, and does not account for a ton of things you could get in the game or could do.

Easily Attained:
+27 Hit
+79 Damage

Heavy Repeater - +5 Hit and +36 Damage
1-12 Base Damage
1-6 Risa Ice
1-6 Pure Good
2-12 Holy

Enhancements - +18 Damage
1-4 Elemental Infusion
1-6 Flaming (Flame Arrow Wand)
2-8 Rune Arm (might be more, I forget)

Class Enhancements - +22 to Hit and +25 to Damage
+4 to hit and damage (Rogue Mechanic Tree)
+6 to hit and +3 to damage (Battle Engineer Tree)
+6 Damage (Battle Engineer Tree)
+12 (INT 34) to Hit (Rogue Mechanic Tree)
+12 (INT 34) to Damage (Arti Insightful Damage)

For my arti/rogue, I dumped dex completely (outside of IPS), and took the insightful reflexes feat. I have evasion, super high reflex saves, and am able to get any trap I want. Loads of fun to play. Add - I also chose Human because I used to craft a lot, and the human DM feat that adds to crafting was nice to have at the time.

Good luck.

Oh yeah, get yourself a holy pure good repeater, ML6 (1-12 base damage, 1-12 holy damage, 1-6 good damage), and use a wand of flame arrow with that great UMD score you should have (another 1-6), plus your rune arm bonus (1-6 min), plus your elemental weapons bonus (another 1-4 min) and you will be doing amazing damage at low levels. Literally instantly killing most things.

At higher levels you'll not be as great, but then you can switch out enhancements to be more of a caster if you like.

[Sunnie]

I have a pure repeater artificer, and I changed up his spec a bit to dual class him.

[...] I took the rogue mechanic enhancement tree to get Targeting Sights: http://ddowiki.com/page/Mechanic_enhancements

This was what I was going to suggest and what I'm planning to do when I finally go Artificer. 6 Rogue levels to get Int-to-Damage, and use an Arti spell to get Int-to-Hit as well. The Mechanic tree will also give you access to skill boosts and other bonuses for DD, open lock and search.

[Elytia]

Currently on my 3rd drow arti life. First life was pure but splashed on other lives. 2nd life was 16 arti/ 2 rogue/ 2 pally for bonus to saves, 3rd life I switched pally for fighter for bonus feats (though admit it was really because I forgot what the plan was and picked wrong alignment. Doh!)

Have found the splashed lives better. If going for range based arti then NEVER dump dex or you miss out in epics on Combat Archery (requires 21 dex, fairly easy on a drow with tome boost). Also you should find you can ditch int-to-hit as dex will be high enough to hit 99% of the time. Int-to-damage is easy with Insightful Damage (level 3 spell).

So normally I go pure to 16, 17/18 rogue (for evasion), 19/20 pally/fighter (for Divine Grace CHA saves bonus or fighter for feats)

Anyway, that's my view. What's more important is that whatever you choose, you have fun and arties are more fun than a lot of the other classes!