Really need help finishing my build!! I have to choose oow!!

[wolfy42]

Hi everyone.

My artificer is level 12, with all arti levels so far. He is doing the ravenloft quests and is going to be forced to level (1 exp away from level 14).

I was.....considering going pally.....strongly......for the additional 20% max hp (to stack with RM's 20%).

Thing is, his base Cha is only 10 (didn't plan on going pally initially), and he has construct essense..so heals from repairs (I guess LoH's would still be decent backup heals though).

He will need to go with a spellcasting epic destiny to get additional arti levels...so won't be able to get regenerating LoH's (unless he twists them).

Still would get some nice save boosts from pally...but.........

Fighter can also get the defensive stance and the 20% additional max hp, +3 to saves (not nearly as much) etc, but....you get more feats etc.

If I go fighter, I can basically drastically boost my repeating xbow damage and still use both (what I have been doing so far) effectively. If I go pally.....that might not happen. I can of course go both (since I only need 12 artificer levels)....but I'm not sure if that is the best idea.

So could really use some advice on what I should do at this point. If I go with 18 artificer I get +2 to caster level and max caster level...making my SLA's do 20% more damage till level 24 (when I can get master of artifice). I really don't have ANYTHING I want from additional artificer levels though besides that. My spells...once maximized/empowered/quickened/heightened etc, just cost too much except in emergencies. Doesn't seem worth it to keep leveling artificer for that....or at least not to 18.

I'm considering 16 arti/4 pally or fighter though. I want to wear heavy armor from the MRR/PRR, and AC bonuses, so no point in rogue/monk.

I considered going with sorc/wizard etc, but I don't have any real AP left over at this point between ArCano/RM/STD or SaD....without investing a decent number of AP....wiz/sorc won't help at all.

More fighter levels are more feats, but I get some more anyway from Arti, and I get more caster levels, better Doggo, etc (easier to keep my skills up as well etc).

I'm leaning towards 16 arti/4 pally at this point. I guess I could level up to 13 in arti...it wouldn't be a huge slow down on getting the big boosta at pally 3 (especially since I still need a bunch of AP to use in the RM tree right now). I don't see many setups that make sense where 1 more arti level would be a game breaker (13 arti gives me +1 to all skills on top of the normal bonuses...which is very nice anyway).

I don't like soloing...and I try and party when I can, but yeah....I think I am soloing a good 80% of the time right now *sigh*. I figure it makes sense to pump up defenses more since I'm soloing so much..and pally (or fighter to a lesser degree) will help with that. I lose 20% now and 10% later damage.....but I gain significantly in defense (especially if I get the additional 20% max hp from pally along with the 6 more con (6 con from RM as well and another 20% max hp from RM).

I'd have Reconstruct SLA and a huge HP pool, all WF immunities (took tier two construct essense). I'd have all level of WF spells (including the normal reconstruct spell as backup when the SLA is on cooldown (although it would cost 45 sp with quicken), but I'd still have a few LoH's as well if needed.).

I also get the level 16 bonus feat, just missing out on the 20th level bonus feat, and the capstone bonus (which is 4 int....which is very nice mind you, but not worth all the bonuses from pally I don't htink).

So.....any arguments/advice for not going 14 arti/4 pally? Time is of the essense as I need to level or waste exp (on my second life, so...struggling a bit more then normal leveling up (never TR'd before).

[unbongwah]

So if I'm reading you correctly, you really want tier-5 RMM for +20% HPs but you also really want level 18 AT core for +2 CL/MCL bonus but you also want a fighter or paladin 3+ splash for extra +20% HPs but then you still want xbow DPS too.

I'm gonna say you should cut your wishlist in half then decide what to do.

[wolfy42]

Well xbow damage is secondary and just backup mainly for elec immune baddies....except so far, it actually kills individual enemies (or if there are just 2 or 3 from a distance) so fast I dn't need my SLA's.

The only investment right now I have at all in my xbow damage is 2 AP in harper for int to hit. I use the int to damage spell and have that up throughout the quests, and my repeating xbow from Ravenloft (the one you get at the start) destroys stuff just fine for now.

Before getting that repeating xbow I used a Vorpal repeating Xbow....which still did just fine versus low numbers of enemies from a distance.

As far as AP, I have them for everything listed above, just no extra (to invest in Enhancements that would boost my xbow).

I can get the tier 4 Arcano SLA for 23 AP. I don't need anything higher then that if I'm not going to 18 Artificer.
Tier 5 RM for paragon body requires 31 ap, although I wanna spent 32 for the regen as well.

Tenacious defense in SaD from pally costs 13.

Int to hit from Harper costs 2 ap.

Total AP spent for all of that is 70 AP...leaving 10 points left over.

Those 10 points could let me get tier 4 SaD swift defense if I really want it (10% movement speed is nice), although if it works on reconstruct I probably wanna get mastermaker to allow reconstructs base heal to go over 150 (total artificer levels eventually would be 16 base + 10 epic = 26.....so if mastermaker works, thats 260 base reconstruct heal, with at least 200% bonus, and probably at least 100% repair amp....that would heal for over 1k per reconstruct.

With 40% additional max health, really high saves, reconstruct SLA, reconstruct quickened spell as backup and LoH's (although I think it will only heal 14 * cha bonus base....and I don't think I'm gonna get my cha bonus up much past 10. Still with universal spell boost alone, and the healing amp I will have just from feats (Think it's 50%), that should be at least 500 double backup healing when needed....4 times a rest.

I can get mastermaker and swift defense, and have 1 ap left over (tier 1 arcane engine I guess). Not sure if swift defense is worth loosing tier 3 arcane engine and +1 int (with a few points left over....or not...but I can play with that later.

I do think this is the route I'm going though. 16 Artificer/4 pally. Even with just a 30 Cha (just 1 cha item somewhere should get me there), that is +16 to all my saves (10 base +3 sacred defense + 3 resistance aura). Basically pretty much making me auto save on things I would have auto-failed without the bonus.

I get a nice boost to MRR+PRR, both from sacred defense AND from heavy armor bonus as well (I think the combo means I get 2x the bonus...so instead of it being 35 MRR/PRR I believe it's basically like getting 70 MRR/PRR.

I could also go hardy defense (but only 2 points left unless I ditch a point from somewhere else, like the regeneration construct ability if it doesn't work on yourself).....that would mean ditching arcane engine all together...but....would give me ANOTHER +6 con (already get 6 from RM tree).

Could really make my max hp insane hehe

[wolfy42]

I think I'm safe taking the pally levels so I'm gonna go for it. At this point, I think my character will look like this:

Base stats were (34 point build):

Str 10 (0) 17 (after tome)
Dex 06 (0) 13 (after tome)
Int 18 (16) 32 (after level up stats and tome)
Con 18 (16) 25 (after tome)
Wis 10 (2) 17 (after tome)
Cha 10 (0) 17 (after tome)

If I can I'll switch the 6 points from con and drop it to a 16, and add it to Cha (for a 16 base).

With 2 from ship buff and 7 from item, cha goes to 26...but I think a 30 isn't that hard to get (and with the stat change 32-34).

16 Artificer/4 Pally with

23 points in Arcanothechnician. Only 1st core, Tier 3 blast rod.

31-33 Renegade Mastermaker. Paragon for sure, Mastermaker/Regenerate depending on how they work.

2 Harper (int to hit)

22-24 in Sacred defender (swift defense + Hardy defense probably). I would probably ditch the 2 con for swift defense if I don't have enough to max both).

Max hp....is kinda crazy, on top of everything else you get 10 bonus hp per core in RB along with 50 bonus hp from construct conduent. You also get 1 bonus hp for every point spent in sacred defender so 22-24 more. That is all multiplied by 1.4 as well.

Max caster level eventually is important, but....if I am willing to sacrifice 4 caster levels and run with 16 level SLA's, I could run in Unyielding Sentinal...giving another 150-200 base hp...but also another 20% total hp boost (60% total now). Endless Lay on hands (basically insane amount of non-ending healing), and a ton of defenses.

I think I can twist the tier 4 draconic knowledge for +3 to caster level/max caster level as well...making it a 19 caster level for my SLA's while in Unyielding Sentinal (still losing 4...but it's 19 instead of 23...not as big of a diff).

I would probably twist precise casting from draconic as well for +2 evocation DC, and energy burst as well if possible (so 4/4/2 for my twists).

That is going to be pricey. Right now I have tier 2 for my first slot and tier 1 for my second, have not unlocked my 3rd. I have not used a tome of fate yet though (and have the points to buy one).

I have not worked on Draconic at all yet, and I need 7 fate points to get my first slot to tier 4.

I don't have tier 5 unyielding either (just 4), so getting tier 5 in unyielding + 5 in draconic will net me 2 more fate points, and 3 from tome. I still will need 2 more (to get tier 4 sigh)...which means probably no way to do it till I epic reincarnate the first time.

Meanwhile for epic feats etc I am thinking of going with: Wellspring/Master of Artifice/Ruin/Greater Ruin.

Not sure on the 26 epic destiny feat. May take a skill focus if I'm low on any of em but probably Hellball and Dire charge for 28/29.

Scion of the plane of Air.

Then I can switch between Draconic/Unyielding sentinal depending if I want more defense or offense on a quest. I can eventually max out or at least get tier 5...magister...for when I really want to pump my damage (then I can get master of evocation as well.....giving me 26 casting level SLA's (still 2 less then themax..but I gain all those pally bonuses/defenses which are so worth it).

[wolfy42]

Wow!!

REgenerate construct does indeed work on yourself....and is affected by both your repair spell power bonuses....and your repair amp!!

It's pretty crazy strong actually.

I reset my Arcano tree...but I may have to reset it....yet again.....I just grabbed the first and 1 point in the second SLA's from arcano, along with the doggo ability that repairs me.....but...regenerate construct is so much more powerful that it makes it pretty obsolete. I didn't want to lose that, and I wanted to have some backup high damage AOE (so second tier SLA lets me get empower/maximized/heightened/quickened AoE for 8 sp).

I'll keep it setup like this for now, but once I have 3 pally levels, I may ditch the Arcano pretty much all together, and just use the spells directly, even though they are expensive, I do have over 1k sp.....so I could still cast quite a few in a pinch or in a boss battle.

MEanwhile I have quickened reconstructs at will (every 6 seconds) and self heal constantly. I have alot more hp with Paragon and the +6 con as well. If I ditch the Arcano and put those points into SaD from pally once I have 3 levels......I will be insanely hard to kill.

Wont' have as much AoE goodness, but....my spells were not one shotting anymore, so they are less effective. I have a lesser heart of wood, so I may use that once I get the exp for 12 arti/3 pally (level 15).

Thing I really need to decide though, and it's hard...is if I want to actually go for more ranged abilities. I don't really NEED heighten, and certainly don't need enlarge. I'll keep quicken for sure if only for reconstruct.....but I get to redo my stats when I reincarnate.

I may drop my con a bit (since I don't need it as much with so many bonuses), and maybe *cry* my int to 16 base, so I can get a 16 cha and 14 base dex (which would let me qualify for improved precise shot).

Then long term I would skip Arcano all together, and go with Battle engineer/RM/Sad (if I can even get to endless fuse). I'll have to look at the points required but I think it's 22 AP to snag it (minimum).

New stats (I think) would be:

10 str (0)
13 dex (8)
16 con (10)
16 int (10)
08 wis (0)
16 cha (06).

Should let me qualify for improved precise shot at level 15 that way (+7 tome...but hits 6 at 15).

I drop 2 con *cry* and mega cry 2 int *super mega cry!!*....but I think that is worth being able to get improved precise shot long term.

Need to double check the AP though to see if fusilage is possible.

Was going to take 23 in Arcano...so it should even out pretty well......just switching from tons of SLA spell damage, to more of a mixture of spells and ranged attacks.

[wolfy42]

Also, if I don't rely on spell damage as my primary means of killing........


That means I don't need to run in Draconic/magister after all....allowing me to run in Unyielding, get all the huge defensive bonuses/endless LoH's (as backup to my reconstruct) AND...........20% more max hp lolness. My hp max would be seriously insane.

Along with epic max hp. Gotta recheck my epic feats etc though and look more towards doing ranged damage then spell damage.....but this could work well

[FuzzyDuck81]

Mastermaker tree is great, I enjoyed my artificers before but now I absolutely love them the paladin splash vs. pure is a tricky choice... personally I prefer pure since the capstone's extra defensive capabilities are pretty decent & I've used that mass forcefield a few times to save the party from a lot of hassle in particularly vicious fights.

[Tlorrd]

if you solo and like xbow builds and are looking for eTRs ...

pure arty is pretty nasty. It's all the best parts of rogue with survivability of warlock.

I'm currently running pure 20 arty gnome and can do solo low reapers and survive.
- self healing
- burst DPS
- decent PRR/MRR
- layered defenses

I'm running in Shadowdancer for INT, Incorporeal, and Evasion (i think, but I'm wearing medium armor so I can't remember if its working, but when I save I take no damage). I could do much more DPS in dreadnought but amd having fun in SD.

I would highly recommend pure if you're planning to go to level 30. If you're only doing heroic TRs ... there are a few more optimized builds that will give you the bonus crit range/multiplier earlier than capstone of BE.