I like the priest smith thug idea and am starting to play around with it. (Or will if I ever get a air random
How necessary is the full black plate? It seems to me the high encumbrance from that is the only reason you need the extra reinvig from the earth bless. Is ironskin + fire plate sufficient? Or even one of the robes? Shroud would let you use master smiths, Shadows for etherealness or missile protection? Assuming the appropriate gems/paths on your forgers.