Hypothetical Artificer Archetype: Conduit Master

[DaWiner]

Hi Everyone!

I decided to take a stab at making an Artificer archetype. As I was trying to create interesting ideas, I thought about how there aren't any builds that focus solely on buffing allies. Bards do buff allies with their songs, but that's just a one-and-done at the beginning of the quest. The closest thing to this in DDO is Beacon of Hope's 'Hope for XXX' abilities, but those are secondary to the healing that the character provides. As such, I decided to try and create an 'active buffer', or a character who is repeatedly casting strong buffs on their allies. The tree also ended up including some debuffs and a little AoE crowd control, to make the character feel a little more impactful for the player playing this tree.

Since this character would be devoting a significant portion of their casting time to these buffs, the buffs have to be very powerful. At the same time, we also have to make sure that the character is actually spending a lot of time casting these buffs, or else the buffs would be super powerful, yet the character could still do other things in the meantime, which is both against the idea of the tree, and most likely too powerful. Overall, this character is super hard to balance on paper, since it's unlike any other build DDO currently has. If this were to be added to the game, it would need a significant amount of playtesting and fine-tuning from the state I propose here. And maybe more than the numbers of the abilities have to change. It's hard to say without playing it. And more than that, if this tree became very good, it may become a requirement in high-skull raids, which could be detrimental to the variety of builds that players can play.

To prevent making this too long, I won't list off all the concerns that this tree could present. But, I think the tree is an interesting idea, so I'll put what I came up with here, and you guys can decide whether this could, in some form, be an interesting addition to DDO.

Artificer Archetype: Conduit Master

Class Changes

Added:

• New Spells added to Spellbook
  1. Aid
  2. Aid, Mass, Prayer
  3. Freedom of Movement
  4. Spell Resistance, True Seeing
  5. Heroes Feast
  6. Spell Resistance, Mass, True Seeing Mass
• New Tree: Conduit Master

Removed:

• Rapid Reload, and Proficiency with Great Crossbows, Repeating Light/Heavy Crossbows are no longer granted at level 1
• Any feats that increase weapon damage (Ex: Weapon Focus, Improved Critical) are not a part of the Conduit Master class feat pool
• Removed Tree: Battle Engineer

New Enhancement Tree: Conduit Master

• Cores
  1. Power of the Conduits: Gain 2 SLAs: Amplifying Conduit and Grounding Conduit. These abilities can only target allies (not yourself). Each ability has a separate cooldown. The effects of these abilities can be enhanced by other enhancements in the Conduit Master tree
     • Amplifying Conduit: +5 Melee/Ranged Power. +10 universal spell power. 5 sec cooldown, 11 sec duration.
     • Grounding Conduit: +5 to PRR and MRR. 5 sec cooldown, 11 sec duration.
  2. Enhanced Conduits: Your Amplifying Conduit grants an additional +5 Melee/Ranged Power and +10 universal spell power. Your Grounding Conduit grants an additional +5 to PRR and MRR.
  3. Optimized Conductors: Your Amplifying Conduit grants +5% attack speed, +5% spell cast speed, and -5% spell cooldowns, in addition to its previous effects. Your Grounding Conduit grants +3% uncapped dodge bonus, in addition to its previous effects.
  4. Surge in Potential: Double the effects of your conduit abilities (from all cores prior to this one). Each Conduit ability also grants +5% movement speed, in addition to their previous effects.
  5. Overpowering Current: Your Amplifying Conduit grants +1 Critical Threat Range, +8% spell critical chance, and +15% spell critical multiplier, in addition to its previous effects. Your Grounding Conduit grants +5% maximum hit points, in addition to its previous effects.
  6. Potential, Actualized: +2 intelligence, +2 constitution. Double the effects of your conduit abilities (from all cores prior to this one). Gain the Augment Reality SLA.
     • Augment Reality (40sp, 2 minute cooldown): For a split second, rewrite the fabric of reality to save your team from a dire situation. Stun all enemies in your line of sight for 2 seconds, no save, and cast Amplifying Conduit and Grounding Conduit on all allies (Bosses are immune to the stun)
• Tier 1
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) SLA: Resistance. (Cost: 8/4/2 Spell points, Cooldown: 15/10/5 seconds)
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) One with the Elements: +2/4/6 to all elemental resistances
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) Arcane Apprentice: +2/4/6 MRR
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) Thaumaturgical Conduits: You have made improvements to the efficiency of your rune arms. Your rune arms build charge 10/20/33% faster
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) Unassuming Presence: +1/2/3 Hide and Move Silently
• Tier 2
  • EMPTY
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) Electrical Overcharge: The power of your conduits passively courses through allies affected by your Grounding Conduit, shocking any enemies who make contact. Whenever an enemy hits a friendly character affected by Grounding Conduit with a melee attack, that enemy takes 1d3/1d4/1d6 electric damage per Conduit Master level.
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) Improved Dodge: +1/2/3% dodge
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3, Requires Thaumaturgical Conduits) Efficient Heatsinks: You have made further improvements to the efficiency of your rune arms. Your rune arm's cooldown is decreased by 10/20/33%
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) Heroic Companion: Action Boost: Grants an ally +0.25/+0.5/+1[W], +2/+4/+6 to hit and saving throws, 0/+2%/+4% Dodge and 0/0/+10 Physical Resistance Rating. (Cooldown: 30 seconds)
• Tier 3
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 1) Exemption: SLA: Stun an enemy for 3 seconds, no save. Reduce your threat with all nearby enemies by 500. Spell points: 20. Cooldown: 45 seconds
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) Superconductor: Any time you cast a non-healing spell on an ally, gain 1 stack of Superconductor.
    • Superconductor: +1% class bonus to movement speed. This stacks up to 3/5/10 times. All stacks are lost after 10 seconds (spells that buff multiple allies only give 1 stack)
  • (AP: 2, Ranks: 1) Electrocution: Toggle: Turn your main-hand attack into a ranged spellcast. This spellcast is a guaranteed hit when it comes into contact with an enemy. This deals no damage, but instead inflicts enemies in a small radius with 1-3 stacks of vulnerability.
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 1, Requires Efficient Heatsinks) Increase Resistance: Having maximized the efficiency of your rune arm, you find a way to reduce the efficiency of your adversaries. Your rune arm shots apply 1 stack of Hindrance.
    • Hindrance: -3% movement speed. Stacks up to 5 times. Duration of 10 seconds per stack. Bosses are immune
  • (AP: 2, Ranks: 1) Intelligence or Constitution
• Tier 4
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) SLA: Lightning Quick: Grant all nearby allies +5/10/15% attack speed and -5/10/15% spell cooldowns for 6 seconds. Spell point cost: 5. Cooldown: 5 seconds
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 3) Insulation: +10/20/30 Hit Points
  • (AP: 2, Ranks: 1) Closed Loop: Whenever you cast Grounding Conduit on an ally, also cast it on yourself
  • (AP: 2, Ranks: 1) Short Circuit: Whenever an ally affected by Amplifying Conduit kills an enemy, you gain a stack of Lightning Rod. When you hit 10 stacks of Lightning Rod, all stacks are consumed, and all enemies in your line of sight are stunned for 2 seconds, and lose 10% of their maximum health as electric damage (Bosses instead take 5d50 electric damage per Conduit Master level, and are not stunned).
  • (AP: 2, Ranks: 1) Intelligence or Constitution
• Tier 5
  • (AP: 1, Ranks: 1) SLA: Surge Protector: Grant an Ally temporary hit points equal to 50% of their maximum hit points for 5 seconds. Spell point cost: 10. Cooldown: 15 seconds
  • (AP: 2, Ranks: 1) SLA: Intensify Enchantments: All the enchantments that you have given to your allies' weapons begin to burn brightly. The effects of all weapon enchantments you have granted to your allies is increased dramatically for 10 seconds. (Cost: 20 SP. Cooldown: 15 seconds)
    • Enchant Weapon: +5 to enhancement bonus. +1% spell critical chance per 4 enhancement bonus on the weapon
    • Lesser/Greater Elemental Weapon: Triple the granted number of imbue dice
    • Deadly Weapon: Grant +3W
    • Any enchantment that grants a form of DR bypass: This weapon now bypasses all types of damage reduction
  • (AP: 2, Ranks: 1) Animalistic Reconstruction: Grant 6 SLAs. These SLAs can target yourself and allies. A player can only be affected by 1 of these 6 SLAs at a time. (Cost: 20 Spell Points. Duration: 1 Minute/Caster Level. Cooldown: 1 second)
    • Bull's Brawn: Grants a +4 Alchemical bonus to Strength
    • Cat's Prowess: Grants a +4 Alchemical bonus to Dexterity
    • Bear's Perseverance: Grants a +4 Alchemical bonus to Constitution
    • Fox's Guile: Grants a +4 Alchemical bonus to Intelligence
    • Owl's Insight: Grants a +4 Alchemical bonus to Wisdom
    • Eagle's Grandeur: Grants a +4 Alchemical bonus to Charisma
  • (AP: 2, Ranks: 1) Debilitating Voltage: You apply the Debilitating Voltage debuff to any enemies hit by your rune arm shots. If you have the Short-Circuit enhancement, whenever an ally affected by your Amplifying Conduit kills an enemy affected by Debilitating Voltage, you gain 2 stacks of Lightning Rod instead of 1
    • Debilitating Voltage: -10 AC, PRR, MRR. -3 to all saves. Duration: 10 seconds
  • (AP: 2, Ranks: 1) High-Durability Electronics: +15% Competence bonus to HP, +10 PRR, MRR and MRR cap

And that's it! Like I said above, this tree would likely have to change, whether that's just tweaking the numbers or overhauling multiple abilities, before this is an enjoyable and balanced class. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

 

[DaWiner]

reserved

 

[Terranigma]

I do like the overall concept. I know when I was trying to find some kind of reasonable archetype for Artificer it was hard, given they are already multi-faced (I was at one point trying to make a Grenadier Archetype with a focus on Area-of-Effect throwing before we even had Ranged AoE shots). Some thoughts that came up after giving this a read:

• The niche you are trying to fill, strong short-term buffing, is an interesting one that does need exploration.
• Some of the things coming out of Amplifying Conduit are dead-on-arrival because Standing Stone Games has a pretty firm stance on not wanting to add further untyped ways to increase attack speed or movement speed. They'd either have to be of a type already existing (and not exceeding) such as a [class] or [action] bonus, or you'd have to change the bonuses to something that doesn't affect speed like +Imbue Dice, +Sneak Attack Dice, +Doublestrike/shot, +[W] dice, +Caster Level, etc.
• Similar to the prior statement, the Superconductor enhancement will likely need to be typed as a [class] bonus to movement speed. It might be fine to drop it down to 1 Rank ability, gives 2% per stack, stacks up to 10 times, and expires after 20 seconds. Even though there is an expectation of this Archetype to be casting buffs, casting that many buffs still takes time to max out for each encounter.
• Lightning Quick probably needs to be typed as an [action] bonus to attack speed.
• The pattern of class Tier 1 skill enhancements is that Enhancement Rank 3 provides some extra small bonus, so it would make sense to add something further to Unassuming Presence.
• Hinderance should probably reduce foe attack speed with the movement speed debuff.
• There is precidence for Hybrid characters to get a +20% Competence bonus to HP via Enhancements, so High-Durability Electronics can probably be boosted slightly.

 

[DaWiner]

You bring up some good points

• Some of the things coming out of Amplifying Conduit are dead-on-arrival because Standing Stone Games has a pretty firm stance on not wanting to add further untyped ways to increase attack speed or movement speed. They'd either have to be of a type already existing (and not exceeding) such as a [class] or [action] bonus, or you'd have to change the bonuses to something that doesn't affect speed like +Imbue Dice, +Sneak Attack Dice, +Doublestrike/shot, +[W] dice, +Caster Level, etc.

I wasn't aware of this, though thinking about the additions to the game over the years, I can see it. I had chosen attack speed for Amplifying Conduit and Lightning Quick is because it's the best way to increase the damage by roughly the same amount for all weapon-based builds, and across all levels. Imbue Dice/Sneak attack die favor ranged/throwers in the late game, and would have a significantly higher impact in the early levels. Doublestrike/Doubleshot also favor ranged at cap, since doublestrike is 100% for all melee at cap anyways. +[W] is also devalued as the levels get higher, since weapons base [W] increase as levels increase. If the tree was forced out of using attack speed, and using something like sneak attack die (or just flat damage), then a scaling system would most likely have to be implemented in order for the ability to provide a balanced amount of damage across all levels.

The other option is to replace the attack speed with more melee/ranged power, but that doesn't make the impact of the ability as noticeable for the player being buffed. Other than the balance reasons stated above, I personally wanted the buff to be noticeable for the player being buffed (since that makes the game more fun to play), and buffs to move speed+attack speed are very noticeable. Maybe SSG would make an exception for this unique class, since it wouldn't be buffing their own attack/movement speed, but who knows if that's something they would consider.

• Similar to the prior statement, the Superconductor enhancement will likely need to be typed as a [class] bonus to movement speed. It might be fine to drop it down to 1 Rank ability, gives 2% per stack, stacks up to 10 times, and expires after 20 seconds. Even though there is an expectation of this Archetype to be casting buffs, casting that many buffs still takes time to max out for each encounter.

This ability should be class typed, I'll change it in the above post. But the max should probably be 10%, since in it's current form, Grounding Conduit + Closed Loop gives an additional 10% movement speed.

I think the cooldown would require some playtesting. I like the idea of forcing the Conduit Master to have to actually think about keeping their abilities up on individuals. Ideally, the Conduit abilities would be up 100% of the time, and that would result in Superconductor also always being up 100% of the time. But if it gets too tiring not being able to take a break for longer than 10 seconds, then increasing it is a good idea. I don't have a hard stance on this without being able to play it.

• Lightning Quick probably needs to be typed as an [action] bonus to attack speed.

Doing that makes it pretty useless for nearly every melee (and some ranged), since they are using Action Boost: Haste anyways. But, like you mentioned before, increasing attack speed is something SSG doesn't like to do. This skill might have to be reworked or replaced entirely with a different impactful, short-term buff.

• There is precidence for Hybrid characters to get a +20% Competence bonus to HP via Enhancements, so High-Durability Electronics can probably be boosted slightly.

The reason I didn't do it for this tree was because Grounding Conduit + Closed Loop gives you an untyped 10% bonus to hit points. Making High-Durability Electronics +20% would give you a 30% bonus to HP, which is on par with Renegade Mastermaker (20% Competence + 10% Quality). I don't think those trees should have the same amount of HP given, since Renegade Mastermaker is a tank tree, so I reduced this skill to 15%.

 

[Xgya]

I like quite a few of the ideas in here. A "no damage, just debuff" Eldritch Blast sounds nifty if niche.

I don't know what "line of sight" means here, and the abilities that use it all seem to be off triggers, which makes choosing what you target a pain.

I hate the Lightning Rod idea.
Not being able to trigger it when wanted/needed seems janky.
That and % based damage has been entirely removed barring negative levels that are their own thing.

 

[DaWiner]

I hate the Lightning Rod idea.
Not being able to trigger it when wanted/needed seems janky.

I had liked the idea of autocasting it upon reaching full stacks, so the Conduit Master doesn't have to waste cast time on it, but I can also understand wanting to choose when to do it. Maybe allowing it to be activated without an animation is good enough. Could also add a toggle to autocast when max stacks are reached (not sure if that's a thing that exists already, or if that would have to be coded just for this ability though)

That and % based damage has been entirely removed barring negative levels that are their own thing.

Yeah, I had initially just had it as a stun, but decided it might not be enough, so added in the damage last-minute. Replacing the damage with a different debuff (maybe max stacks of hinderance?) would be better.

I tried to do my best to add a couple abilities that made the playing experience for the buffer engaging, and not just mindless casting and recasting the same spells on the same allies, and being able to impact the battlefield by living vicariously through your allies was one idea I had for doing that. I still think the tree will need 1 or 2 abilities that promote this, but if Short-Circuit is just too hard to activate, or the payoff isn't quite right, then it can be replaced with another enhancement that provides some sort of engagement for the player.

I don't know what "line of sight" means here, and the abilities that use it all seem to be off triggers, which makes choosing what you target a pain.

It was meant to be 'All enemies in Line of Sight'. So basically any enemies on your screen would be stunned. Maybe this is too auto-target-y, and there are instances where would want to have a little more control over which enemies get stunned. Line of Sight can be replaced with something else if need be