Gnome Artificer Optimization

[Stratovarius]

Basically, how the hell does one get the most out of the class? (It's here for those who don't know it. Magic of Faerun otherwise). It's a class that has very steep entry requirements, and basically requires (or at least really needs) hopping in a level or two early via max skill rank boosting, as well as snagging a class with a ton of class skills (Factotum, Rogue, etc.). There's also no way to boost its powers once you're done with the ten levels of the class, so you're looking at a build that tops out around ~14-15.

So you're looking at an entry of Gnome (or human) Rogue 1/Wiz (or something else arcane like Beguiler) 1/stuff 3/Gnome Arti 10.

Not that the class chassis lends itself to it, but the device powers aren't arcane and don't suffer spell failure, so it is theoretically possible to try and tack a martial core into the build somewhere, potentially more for archery focus than anything else. But given the nature of the class and the steep requirements, that's likely difficult.

So how would someone smarter than me approach this?

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Only real official way to craft partially chaged Wands,
was perhaps the only thing about the class of note.

There was an errata, but buried.  It's just one line too.
Popped up in the giantitp Iron Chef post #25.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?571065-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCV
... does make a (cough) small difference.

I couldn't ditch using cheese to make one of these.
Feat Rogue 2 + Cleric 3 heighten, to get in.
Then take 2 Rebuilds, so it's Rogue 1 / Cleric 1 / GArty 7 or 9 or 10 / then what?
idk

options
Nar Demonbinder with list expander prcs
Bard 2 instead of rogue, into Sub Chord
weird limited way into Shadowcraft Gnome goodies (which I'm clueless about)

r.a.i. + errata
Skill Class 1 / X 3 / Skill Class +1 / GA +X , with another caster supplying the CL = craft nearly anything.
It's Tier 5 but useful in an otherwise useless kind of way.
Devices aren't usable with Spellcraft style scroll casting, just UMD.

troacttid on giantitp has an index of prcs that advance casting non-class specific, which "ought" to work on GA.
Ought to.

[Nanashi]

Wow, that's an annoying entry requirement. Let's see...

The raw skill points aren't actually that high: You only need 4 skill points per level. The only ability score based ability is requiring 14 intelligence by ECL12, which doesn't really restrict build and can be met with a magic item, so you only need 12 intelligence and a headband late in the build. You can be Human and take Able Learner to greatly simplify the skills needed and allows anything with Craft as a class skill (which I think is everyone) and sufficient skill points/intelligence to qualify.

Hexblade 4 gives Dark Companion (effective -2 to the saves of a single enemy), a curse that's unlikely to work but has no action cost, and the needed illusion spell which makes it seem like a good entry and has the advantage of not being a class that's far and away better than the prestige class you're entering it with. Could take pretty much anything for 5th level.

[Stratovarius]

Would any of the item creation cost reduction feats work on the Gnome Arti abilities? It somewhat seems not.

Also, would stacking Apprentice onto the build get you in a level early? Ie, Human Hexblade 4 w/ Able Learner+Apprentice to get into Gnome Arti at 5th (using flaws for the other required feats)?

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Yeah the skills are a little hinky.

3.0e Alchemy
3.5e Craft(Alchemy)
= easy

3.0e Knowledge(Architecture) + Knowledge(Engineering)
3.5e Knowledge(Architecture+Engineering)
= saves the ranks, rules as intended.

Getting a craft as a class skill from this list :
Craft (armorsmithing, blacksmithing, gemcutting, locksmithing, metalworking, trapmaking, or weaponmaking)
can be done the way you're going about it.

... but ... getting to the 8 ranks part early (!) requires some stretching.
Major Bloodline is one way.
Primary Contact feat, and it's prereq Favored feat, is the ~famous "That Feat In Cityscape" way.
Luckily both feat can be retrained away in one level or two.

Otherwise you gotta go PLZ's bard cheese, or worse.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Would any of the item creation cost reduction feats work on the Gnome Arti abilities? It somewhat seems not.


Any of the general cost reducer feats would work, provided they aren't Arcane specific or Divine specific.
Any of the 3.5e Artificer feats should work too (with no more than a wink and a nod ; hey it's a artificer so yeah).

Anything non-arty class specific won't work.
raw Magic Mantle is quite near to T.O. to make excuses that it would work, and it would, but there's almost nothing to do that with ; i.e. a waste.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

found the giantitp skill ranks thread
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20794467&postcount=26
... this one works, and it's official.

So that's X 2 with 3 feats locked up for a bit.

[Stratovarius]

That certainly makes entering into the class a good deal easier. And a human can just squeeze the feats without needing flaws, although that's all they can do.

Something like Rogue 1/Wiz 1/Rogue 2 is probably the best entry at this point...

[kelbpanthera]

You could lean into the non-magical curve with Human Cleric 1/ Forsaker 4/ G. Artificer 10/ Forsaker +5. Choose either the dwarf or drow domain for great fortitude or lightning reflexes, respectively.

It's arguable that  you wouldn't be able to use the devices that are marked with the asterisk, indicating that they use illusion magic in their construction, but otherwise it's a neat way to get around the normal restriction of that PrC since the artifier devices are explicitly non-magical.

Might not be the most powerful choice in the world but certainly an interesting one.

[Stratovarius]

That is the weirdest character design ever, and so very D&D 3.0

I love it.