[EB] Artificer Thoughts

[IanArgent]

With the imminent release of 4E, and my desire to run Eberron; I've been giving some thought as to what an Artificer might look like in 4E.

I'm figuring arcane leader. Underneath that; the Warlock seems to be primarily focused on moving the party, and the cleric focused on buffing the party's defensive capacity. I would look to the artificer to provide buffs to the party's offensive output.

Thoughts?

 

[drothgery]

That's probably the simplest way to build them, though someone's likely to note that the arcane power source will be getting a lot of love (with swordmage, bard, sorcerer, and artificer added to wizard and warlock). That'll have arcane doubled up on leader (bard, artificer) and controller (wizard, sorcerer) with a defender (swordmage) and a striker (warlock) as well.

 

[DerekSTheRed]

The artificer could be any of the roles. It really just depends on how he builds his/her magic items and for what purpose. I think the flavor for the artificer is better if he is a defender or striker depending on the build. He could get abilities to improve defenses or improve offense by way of boosting his equipment.

Obviously, the artificer should start with the ritual casting feat and training in arcana. After that it's a question of being able to add a variety of cool abilities to his equipment instead of just the same old bane (x) every time.

I'm also not a fan of gp cost to infusions. There should be a better way to balance the artificer for all games, even in monty haul ones. Currently, if you give the artificer too much money, his power grows even more then the other classes and the inverse is true. Infusions should be applied to the artificer's equipment every morning as utility powers that last 24 hours.

Derek

 

[jelmore]

I was going to look at the Swordmage class for FR and, if I liked it, houserule it in as a placeholder in Eberron until we get an official Artificer class.

The problem with simply porting Artificers from 3.5e is that some of what makes Artificers unique is either standard 4th Ed rules (scrapping items to make new items) or as yet unknown (magic item creation rules). So the question becomes, what is an Artificer's role in the party?

I like the idea of an Arcane Leader boosting other party members' attacks. We've seen that Rogues and Rangers offer two different takes on the Martial Striker, so it should be possible to have Bards and Artificers both as Arcane Leaders: The Bard boosts and inspires through speeches or song, the Artificer through infusions and augmented weapons or armor.

I can see something like:

Infuse Fiery Weapon
With a thought, a flaming aura whirls around the blade of your weapon. As you strike, your comrade's weapon begins to glow in response.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Str vs. AC
Hit: [W] damage + Cha damage, and one ally you can see gains
a +2 power bonus to his or her next attack roll against the
target.

 

[malcolm_n]

with the recent update on power sources; I would actually think artificer may be elemental power source. My reason? the 3.x incarnation could use powers from varying sources (read: Spells, prayers, primal powers, etc), the only thing each of those would definitely have in common is elements and energy. Arcane would probably work, but at least it's something to consider.

 

[tensen]

With the imminent release of 4E, and my desire to run Eberron; I've been giving some thought as to what an Artificer might look like in 4E.

I'm figuring arcane leader. Underneath that; the Warlock seems to be primarily focused on moving the party, and the cleric focused on buffing the party's defensive capacity. I would look to the artificer to provide buffs to the party's offensive output.

Thoughts?

There always seemed to be multiple aspects of the Artificer which is what made it interesting. Of course from the examples WOTC has given us, many of the classes have been streamlined into one particular aspect.

Since you aren't directly talking about the Warforged aspect here... You know the healing aspect directly related to Warforged...

The buffs were likely what got used a lot with Artificers at lower levels. The higher levels they likely touch upon rituals in 4th edition, so there isn't much we can work with there yet.

 

[IanArgent]

There always seemed to be multiple aspects of the Artificer which is what made it interesting. Of course from the examples WOTC has given us, many of the classes have been streamlined into one particular aspect.

Since you aren't directly talking about the Warforged aspect here... You know the healing aspect directly related to Warforged...

The buffs were likely what got used a lot with Artificers at lower levels. The higher levels they likely touch upon rituals in 4th edition, so there isn't much we can work with there yet.

I', not talking mechanics just yet; but design. The Artificer of 3.5 has the same issues as the Wizard, no focus. What power source and role does the Artificer fit into? Once you know that, you can then go onto power design.

These are questions that Wizards has asked, and Keith Baker has answered, I'm quite sure. I'm tossing them out so that those of us who want to play Eberron before 2009 can get a head start and have less pain in converting characters

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I was going to look at the Swordmage class for FR and, if I liked it, houserule it in as a placeholder in Eberron until we get an official Artificer class.

The problem with simply porting Artificers from 3.5e is that some of what makes Artificers unique is either standard 4th Ed rules (scrapping items to make new items) or as yet unknown (magic item creation rules). So the question becomes, what is an Artificer's role in the party?

I like the idea of an Arcane Leader boosting other party members' attacks. We've seen that Rogues and Rangers offer two different takes on the Martial Striker, so it should be possible to have Bards and Artificers both as Arcane Leaders: The Bard boosts and inspires through speeches or song, the Artificer through infusions and augmented weapons or armor.

Artifier as some kind of Leader makes sense to me, too.
Instead of directly affecting a character, he would probably typically infuse equipment with powers. (The net effect would still be the same).

He could have a power that would make the attacks with a weapon deal fire damage until his next turn, and stuff like that. A daily ability might enhance a weapon with magical properties for the duration of an encounter.

 

[IanArgent]

Artifier as some kind of Leader makes sense to me, too.
Instead of directly affecting a character, he would probably typically infuse equipment with powers. (The net effect would still be the same).

He could have a power that would make the attacks with a weapon deal fire damage until his next turn, and stuff like that. A daily ability might enhance a weapon with magical properties for the duration of an encounter.

I would be looking at the dailies to enhance multiple pieces of equipment at a time, until the end of the encounter, or the ability to use a rituals as an power for that encounter. The encounters either one piece of gear for the encounter, or multiple pieces until the artificer's end of next turn. At-will would be an attack and a buff to one piece of equipment until the end of artificer's next turn. That last one is the hardest to do conceptually; and the reason I'm not working on an artificer right now

One other at-will/daily power set would involve repairing inanimate objects (the old repair object series of spells)

Obviously, the ritual casting feat for free, an increase in the amount of residuum recovered when disenchanting (10% or so doesn't sound too unbalanced, but I'd want to do the math).