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Crel
2009-04-16, 05:02 PM
I got a quick question. It's probably happened before, but hey, I haven't seen a thread on it. The Thought Bottle, page 150 of Complete Arcane. Can I use its store experience function, then go craft a bunch of arms and armor, and then get my xp back?


Quote: First written by Complete Arcane, page 150
Experience: A thought bottle can be used to offset level loss as a restoration spell can, but is effective against level loss that even restoration can't undo (including levels lost due to death, but not the negative levels bestowed by magic items such as a holy weapon). When a user's experience has been stored within the bottle, he can subsequently access the bottle to restore his XP total to exactly what it was when it was last stord, negating any levels lost in the interim. Storing experience in the bottle is difficult, and the user must pay 500 XP (deducted before storing) to do so. Only the creature that stored experience can retireve it, but if the bottle is destroyed or lot, the user suffers no ill effects.

I would just use the artificer prestige class, but (and correct me if i'm wrong) its in an eberron campaign setting book, and my group doesn't play eberron. Thanks

The Rose Dragon
2009-04-16, 05:06 PM
Artificer is a base class, not a prestige class. And it is hardly setting specific.

MeklorIlavator
2009-04-16, 05:48 PM
Use the base class. It's the less broken of the options, and just to let you know, the Artificer is either among the top tier classes, or above them, though only if you abuse your power. As long as you play nice, if should be fine.

To directly answer your question, yes, it works, which is why thought bottles are one of the most broken items in the game.

Keld Denar
2009-04-16, 05:57 PM
Thought Bottles are the center of a whole ton of abusive combos, generally involving simulacrums and/or time travel.

And yea, artificers are hardly setting specific. They are a little...wierd, in the fact that they require a bit of downtime (not much with a homonculus), and their ability to literally convert gold into damage at a rather alarming rate. To see a Blastomancer nova in a round makes you cringe, both for the smear that used to be the target of the artificer, and for the shear amount of cash that an artificer can liquify in a 6 second period of time.

Combining MMST with Duel Wand Wielder can result in 10-20 charges burned off a wand in a heartbeat.

Salt_Crow
2009-04-16, 07:31 PM
Yeah, for what the item costs (which is about around the realm of a wish scroll) one could cast Wish spell for 1/10 of XP cost or even less (if you cast it multiple times before using the bottle).

Of course the effect of the wish spell would have to be worded precisely that it would carry over after you use the bottle.

Anyways, yes you can use it to run a factory of homunculi (and making them craft other magical items...) at the cost of 500xp.

Crel
2009-04-16, 09:27 PM
Okay then. I'll have to look harder to find the artificer then. Basically, I was just googling and it only came up as a reference from an Eberron book. probably in connection with warforged or something. So, then, which book is artificer in?

I wouldn't want to play an artificer myself, I was just trying to find a more practical way to create oddball wondrous items and wands, etc. I don't (at the moment) find a character entirely based on crafting items to be truly fascinating. Although the mention of exploding because of money is interesting... Again, I'll need to read the class description when I get my hands on the location of the Artificer. Thanks.

Xyk
2009-04-16, 09:31 PM
It's in the Eberron book, but it really fits in to almost every setting. That was the point being made. No reason to confine it to Eberron.

Thurbane
2009-04-16, 09:39 PM
Artificer is a base class, not a prestige class. And it is hardly setting specific.

It's in the Eberron book, but it really fits in to almost every setting. That was the point being made. No reason to confine it to Eberron.
True - but a lot of DMs, myself and all in my group included, definitely regard the Artificer as campaign specific to Eberron. Moreover, AFAIK the only way to legally get the class description and abilities is by owning a copy of the Eberron sourcebook (unless WoTC have reprinted for free online?).

Chronos
2009-04-16, 10:46 PM
True - but a lot of DMs, myself and all in my group included, definitely regard the Artificer as campaign specific to Eberron.Yeah, you can't really separate artificers from the magic-as-technology theme that runs deep through Eberron. Making access to magic items that easy just doesn't fit into most other settings, many of which are worlds on a decline, not on the rise.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-04-16, 11:05 PM
Yeah, you can't really separate artificers from the magic-as-technology theme that runs deep through Eberron. Making access to magic items that easy just doesn't fit into most other settings, many of which are worlds on a decline, not on the rise.It works in Faerun and Sigil too, IMHO(and the Tippyverse, but I'm not going there).

BobVosh
2009-04-17, 05:49 AM
Artificers work well in the Tippyverse, depending on which theory is being used. If it is the one where noone can question a wizard without magic help then the artificer is hunted.

But I digress, artificer is a good class for any magic strong world. Espically good for worlds with magitech.

Kaiyanwang
2009-04-17, 06:06 AM
IMHO, artificer is good even for a world in decline. If something has been, someone can rediscover it.

I mean, I can easily imagine a Dwarf artificer discovering step by step the ancient secrets of his race about crafting extraordinary and magical items, and leading the party to adventures looking for reagents, rare recipe, and ancient Dwarven Pathways in to the underdark, now owned by one of the 73264587325481254 slaver race inhabiting it.

About the sourcebook, I don't play FR but I own some FR book for mechanics or something i like a lot like crossroads or special materials in Magic of Faerun.