Starting an Artificer

Races

 * Warforged is an attractive choice, with a bonus to Constitution and easy self-healing via repair infusions. Warforged (or Construct Essence) allows the use of the Weapon Attachment Tier 5 Battle Engineer attachment (or the Warforged racial enhancement of the same name).
 * Half-elves have access to their unique dilettante feats. Rogue dilettante with 3d6 sneak attack is particularly popular. Both half-elves and humans have access to the Human Versatility enhancement that can grant up to 25 % damage boost. Humans also have access to the Cannith dragonmark, making them the best crafters in DDO.
 * Races with bonuses to Dexterity (halflings, elves, drow) have an easier time qualifying for the feat Improved Precise Shot (requires 19 dexterity). Drow can start with 20 int. For non-melee artificer builds, halflings add an additional +1 to hit, additional saves, and the potential for non-SP, metamagic affected healing abilities.
 * Dwarves may not be an intuitive choice, but they don't have any disadvantages and can make very sturdy artificers. Half-orcs are a rare choice, except for builds that maximize strength.
 * Counter-intuitively, races not requiring a large racial enhancement investment for a build can be an advantage for generalist builds given the lack of duplication or conflict between the enhancements in both Artificer enhancement trees. Heavily investing in both trees improves casting, ranged/melee combat, skills, the iron defender's abilities, and attributes.

Abilities

 * Strength: Most artificers don't put too much emphasis on Strength. Many rely on crossbows and spells (e.g. Flame Turret or Blade Barrier) for damage. Even those artificers that favor one handed melee weapons and runearms often have only average strength (relying on Insightful Attack or Insightful Damage to improve their melee performance). Few artificers maximize strength or use level-up points to increase it. However, neglecting Strength completely is not recommended, carrying several heavy crossbows on a 6 strength halfling can be problematic.


 * Dexterity: An important ability for many artificers. Most artificers start with at least an average score so they have an easier time hitting with their crossbows. Many start at 16, read a +2 tome and spend one level-up point to achieve 19 dexterity, needed for Improved Precise Shot. This ability also allows you to add your intelligence modifier to damage longer with the infusion Insightful Damage because your base attack is higher. Somewhat rare melee only builds can dump dexterity completely.


 * Constitution: Put at least 6 points here. Given the fact that most artificers rely on ranged attacks, infusions, can self-heal, and come with an iron defender; artificers might survive with less constitution than other classes; however, this is not recommended.


 * Intelligence: The most important ability for artificers. The difficulty class (DC) of spells depends on which particular spell is cast (e.g., Blade Barrier or Tactical Detonation). Also, artificers can add their Intelligence modifier to some attack rolls or damage rolls. Most artificers want to start with 18 (if they can afford to) and put level up points here.


 * Wisdom: Artificers rarely put points into wisdom.


 * Charisma: Artificers are avid users of the Use Magic Device skill, which is controlled by this ability. However, they have enough bonuses to this skill that they can perform successfully without putting ability points into charisma.

32 point ranged: 10 strength, 14 dexterity, 15 constitution, 18 intelligence, 8 wisdom, 8 charisma (all level-up points into intelligence)

32 point ranged with Improved Precise Shot: 8 strength, 16 dexterity, 14 constitution, 18 intelligence, 8 wisdom, 8 charisma (one level-up point into dexterity, rest go to intelligence)

32 point melee: 15 strength, 8 dexterity, 15 constitution, 18 intelligence, 8 wisdom, 8 charisma

32 point strength-based: 18 strength, 8 dexterity, 16 constitution, 14 intelligence, 8 wisdom, 8 charisma

Feats
Artificers start with a free Rapid Reload feat and benefit from a bonus feat every four levels, up to a total of five bonus feats, selectable from a wide list. This allows them to cover their main role and perhaps dabble into other roles.

Still, artificers should choose their focus early:
 * Ranged: Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Improved Critical: Ranged, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, and maybe Shot on the Run including prerequisites
 * Caster: Maximize Spell, Empower Spell, Quicken Spell. While artificers do have access to some healing admixtures, they cannot select Empower Healing Spell without multiclassing (e.g. into Favored Soul). Extend Spell does not seem to work with most artificer infusions. Many artificers skip Heighten Spell as Tactical Detonation and Blade Barrier are already on the highest level.
 * Melee: Most melee artificers pick the full Two-Handed Fighting feat line, Improved Critical: Slashing, Power Attack, and perhaps Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword or Dwarven Axe.

Mental Toughness and Improved Mental Toughness can help artificers overcome a somewhat lower amount of spell points compared to caster classes.

Augment Summoning works just as well on your pet as it does on hirelings, summoned monsters, and charmed creatures.

Eschew Materials - This feat is a mixed bag. Positive: It eliminates the need to eat 6-10 inventory slots for materials. Negative: It costs extra SP and eats a feat slot.

Construct Essence - Non-Warforged races should consider this feat as it allows you to be very self-sufficient. Note: leaving something that can replace this might be a better strategy. High level artificers can use heal scrolls more effectively than anyone and the 25% healing deamplification (attenuation) will always hurt.

One thing to remember on items with clickies: Due to Artificer Knowledge feats, even lower level items can be very useful as your effective casting level for it increases. At level 20, with the Tier 5 Arcanotechnician core abiliy, almost every device has a casting level as if it was level 20. (i.e. 20 minute expeditious retreat spell from a minimum level 1 item.)

Dragonmarks of Making - Additional 10 levels to Cannith Crafting. Provides great synergy with the inherent Artificer benefit.

Infusions
Artificers have access to several infusions that enchant their weapon and improve their combat performance. All artificers can scribe repair spells into bonus slots. Flame Turret, Blade Barrier, Blast Rod, Prismatic Strike, and Tactical Detonation are the main direct damage spells.

Artificers are the masters of UMD and often carry a wide repertoire of wands, scrolls, and clickies to complement their spell list. With improved caster level and +75 % wand mastery, artificers are the best scroll healers in the game. Combined with their Admixture spells, they can act as solid secondary healers.

Multiclassing
Artificers have attractive Tier 5 Core abilities and they have access to bonus feats from a wide list. Therefore, most artificers stay pure. Those who decide to multiclass often choose rogue or monk levels for evasion, to complement their trap finding ability. Additional feats (monk/fighter) and haste boost (rogue/fighter) may be worth losing the capstone for some builds.

Some artificers take advantage of 6 levels of rogue for the mechanic I prestige enhancement - Intelligence to damage with crossbows.

Downside is that for a ranged Artificer scaling on your conjured bolts is calculated from your artificer levels. So +6 at a pure level 20, which allows for a nice selection of cannith crafted weapons, similar to arcane archer.

Dipping Artificer

Artificers are a rather front loaded class, they gain several attractive abilities early. In spite of that, there are not many builds that benefit from taking only a few levels of artificer. Combining artificer 6 with 14 levels of bard warchanter or 11 levels of ranger could make interesting experimental builds.


 * artificer 6/bard 14 crossbow specialist (dexterity, intelligence, and constitution)
 * artificer 6/bard 14 one handed fighter (strength, and constitution)
 * artificer 6/ranger 11 - collects lots of abilities and feats without much synergy, lacking focus; significant ranged burst DPS with fusillade and manyshot; traps and evasion, full two weapon fighting feat line.
 * rogue 18/artificer 2 - Generally taken rogue 1/artificer 1/rogue 5/artificer 1/rogue 12. The first artificer level rectifies the logistics of bolts for a rogue mechanic and gives all repeating crossbow proficiencies and Rapid Reload. The second artificer level--taken after Targeting Sights at 6th rogue level--adds the rune arm damage.  A 3rd artificer level can be useful to add a +1 to weapon enhancement bonuses and critical hit damage as well as level 2 artificer spells (primarily Insightful strikes or elemental weapons).  This is done at the expense of some sneak attack damage (offset by rune arm damage), the loss of a Rogue Special Ability (somewhat offset by the Rapid Reload feat), and the capstone (potentially offset by various enhancements in the artificer trees).

Useful Past Life Feats to Consider

 * Ranger Passive: +2 damage to ranged attacks, +2 to all elemental resistances
 * Artificer Passive: +1 to int skills (disable device, search), +1 to UMD
 * Fighter Passive: +1 to attack rolls (more attack means longer use of Insightful Damage), +1 tactical feat DC
 * Rogue Passive: +1 sneak damage, +2 trap save
 * Monk Passive: +1 to damage rolls
 * Barbarian past life feats: are always handy no matter what class, because of the passive +10 HP and the active feat counting as toughness for enhancements and being a non-scaling +20, minor loss of 2 HP compared to toughness.
 * Druid passive: Summoned creatures, charmed minions, and hirelings gain +2 ability scores. Stacks with Augment Summon. 3 of these and Augment Summon give your dog +10 to all ability scores

Less useful: Mostly because of short buffs


 * Paladin passive: +5% healamp (although normally useful, will have no effect when self-healing with repair spells)
 * Paladin Active: 3 Divine Favor clickies. (+1 luck bonus on weapon attack and damage. +1 for every 3 caster levels beyond level 3, maximum +3 luck bonus. About 2 minutes per use.) Has its uses, but it's a short benefit
 * Fighter Active: is better then Tensor's because it allows you to cast and get a +4 attack bonus on top of making your base attack equal to your level, but it lasts a lot shorter.
 * Rogue Active: +1 all skills, 3 skulk-type clickies (+(level) hide & move silent, +(level/2) sneak damage, +(level/4) sneak to-hit. rounding down ) Note: 1 Minute per use.
 * And there are of course the caster past lives, that are probably less important for just giving small bonuses to sp and spell penetration

Other Resources

 * Artificer
 * Guild of Calamitous Intent Artificer Guide