Alchemist Synergy with Artificer?

[JohnnyArkham]

I'm all about exploring the multiclassing lately...
Anyway, in my head an Artificer/Alchemist makes perfect sense.
Heck, I even have an NPC in my head to use as a model from a Palladium Fantasy game like 20 years ago...

But, can it work? Should it work? What would be required to make it work (in Heroics)?

If I wanted to play a guy who works wonders with all things magitech, how would it come together?

I'm thinking any Race with an INT bonus is handy. Though half-elf dilettante might take some of the pressure off of the UMD if CHA isn't too high (Cleric maybe for the healing items?)
Obviously stats would need to be INT focused. Maybe DEX for AC and throwing all those vials and admixtures from both classes?

From there, I'm really not sure. What sort of level max is best for each to make sure you get the best each offers?

Sounds like fun, and pretty versatile.

Anyone able to help?

Thanks!

[rabidfox]

2 arti for traps, rapid reload, and rune arm with 18 alch doing a thrower or inquisitive ranged build works well. If you're only going through heroics and not epic, then splashing in a level of fighter so you can have IPS at 15 vs 18 really pays off as you'll never take advantage of the extra levels of alch without doing epics (it also works fine to do 2/17/1 or 2/16/2 for epic levels too depending on your goals and all the extra feats you might want).

[JohnnyArkham]

2 arti for traps, rapid reload, and rune arm with 18 alch doing a thrower or inquisitive ranged build works well. If you're only going through heroics and not epic, then splashing in a level of fighter so you can have IPS at 15 vs 18 really pays off as you'll never take advantage of the extra levels of alch without doing epics (it also works fine to do 2/17/1 or 2/16/2 for epic levels too depending on your goals and all the extra feats you might want).

When would you recommend the 2 levels of Artificer during the whole level-up process to make optimum use of the skills?

I will say that only tossing in those 2 levels seems less satisfying from a purely thematic perspective, though.

Probably makes perfect sense in terms of hard statistical success, though.

[rabidfox]

When would you recommend the 2 levels of Artificer during the whole level-up process to make optimum use of the skills?

Level 1 to optimize skill points for initial trapping & rapid fire. And I usually take the 2nd Arti (when doing splash builds) at either 5 for using Strinati's Hand Cannon or 10 for use of Suppressive Fire for box breaking + bonuses off the rune arms.

[rabidfox]

As for AP/etc on a mix, I really like doing full 41 inquisitive with Core 5 Apothecary for support (heal SLA yay!) & Core 2 Vile Chemist for a little extra damage. It's not a nuker but it's a solid all around jack-of-all-trades build that works well in parties (and solo). Hold towards the back of a group, toss various heal pots on people (w/temp hp) and weave crossbow attacks in-between. Doing a 41 vile chemist w/throwing would do more damage, but being able to just park Verdanite reaction to always apply false life and have the extra run speed is way easier to play for me.

[unbongwah]

I just posted an Alchemist thrower build. Artificer 2 / Alchemist 18 using Inquisitive tree would be very similar. Take Artificer 1 first, Arty 2 whenever you acquire a good Runearm. You can focus purely on ranged DPS with e.g. 41 Inquisitive / 31 Vile Chemist / 8 Harper; or you can do something more balanced like rapidfox suggests.

[C-Dog]

Of course it's possible (assuming one has the Inquis tree).

Replies in your other thread answer that better than this necro.
o https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6342408

... but here's another link - they are all of a type:
o https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6469659

When would you recommend the 2 levels of Artificer during the whole level-up process to make optimum use of the skills?

If you're going to trap, if at all possible* you always want to take the "Trapper" class (Arti or Rog) at Level 1. The Level 1's x4 Skill Points is just too powerful to skip, and very painful to try to make up later.

(* There are some few builds where it is not possible: Most Iconics, certainly, but also some caster/Rogue builds that want a "metamagic" feat at Level 1 and need a "caster" class to qualify to do that. Note that "Arti" counts as a "caster" class for this purpose.)

This is a good approach for any build where "Skills" in general are of any value to you, to take the higher Skill-Point class first, depending whether it gets you more skills that you value. (Some multi-class builds don't value skills from every class, so it's actually a loss to go cross-class to start.)


As for the 2nd level of trapper (and when initially choosing Rogue vs. Arti), you have to balance what you gain (Rog = Evasion, Arti = Rune Arm, + trap-class Skill Points) against abilities gained by your other class(es). For example, a Wizard/Trapper may wait until 7, after Wizard 5 (for Fireball), or until 9 after Wiz 7 (for Wall of Fire), and so on.

Bottom line depends on your long-term goals: For going to 20, "What helps you level faster?" For going to 30 (including Iconic builds), "What gives the strongest L20 build going into Epics?" (Or, for HC, "What helps you stay alive better?")