PDA

View Full Version : A gestalt Factotum with...?



The Professor
2009-07-01, 05:06 AM
I'm creating a character for a player in one of my games, and basically, she wants her character to do everything and to do it well. The game is Gestalt and while I've got Factotum on one side, I'm not sure what to put on the other.

Full casters are out, because they don't quite fit the fluff of the character, but a fighting style that lends itself well to dexterity is more her thing. Maybe have her go into the Chameleon PrC when she can?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Edit: Sorry! I forgot to mention. Pretty much all books are allowed, save for Incarnum (because we don't have it) and Dragon Magazines (likewise don't have them).

Yuki Akuma
2009-07-01, 05:08 AM
I'd say Rogue/Bard/Chameleon if she really does want to be able to do everything.

Or maybe Artificer.

Wings of Peace
2009-07-01, 05:11 AM
Artificer and nothing else. Nothing will make wand blasting as amazing as the ability to nova during an encounter.

Edit: Darn you Akuma for beating me to it! *Fist shake*

Edit 2: I lied. I would also be very interested to see how a Monk 6/Shou Disciple 5/Blood Storm Blade 4/Master Thrower 5 with Shadow Blade and Palm throw for daggers does with the nova ability. With haste, all 3 TWF feats, and rapid shot that'd be 22 attacks per round with dex mod to damage and then toss in the nova...

kamikasei
2009-07-01, 05:12 AM
When you say "fighting style", I think "Warblade" - int synergy, full BAB and d12 hit die, and manevers to support a "dexterity-based" approach to combat. You could easily enough fit Chameleon in on either side once you qualify, for as many levels as you want.

You might also peruse this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88633) non-gestalt build designed to do pretty much everything, for ideas.

T.G. Oskar
2009-07-01, 05:21 AM
Second the Artificer point. You'll be using your Int for mostly everything, and you'll have the capability of making magic items with an astonishing ease. Replace Factotum with Chameleon, and you have someone who has pretty much three sets of spell lists, and one of them is to enhance what you already have.

I'd also say Psion, for the heck of it. Again, Factotum/Chameleon for the hijinks, but you'll have a guy who uses a helluva lot of Int, and has access to psionic powers by the thousands.

Finally, Factotum||Warblade. Nets you all BAB, good Fort and Reflex, d12 Hit Dice, maneuvers with the fastest recovery method in which you can expend your Inspiration points on, a set of extra feats for relative strengthening, and both also benefit from a lot of Int. It's a shame you can't get the two capstone abilities of both Warblade and Swordsage (that way you always get Dual Boost and Stance Mastery), but you can get to Factotum 18 and use Cunning Brilliance for adding Sneak Attack, one or two feats for Shadow Hand maneuvers, use your Factotum spell for Greater Invisibility (or a wand with it; heck, use Superior Invisibility if you can), and go wild adding your Sneak Attack to most of the maneuvers you get.

It's a shame you can't use Incarnum, tho. Having a Factotum that can get all advantages of Incarnum is golden. I'd go anything sans Totemist, then get the soulmelds that benefit your combat abilities; you won't need the Factotum spells in either way.

But yeah, Factotum X/Chameleon 10 is always a solid run for one of your classes. I'd go with Factotum/Chameleon/Master of Masks||Ranger/Scout (Swift Hunter build) and go crazy with things like Pouncing Charge, perhaps even the Bounding Assault tactic for getting the Skirmish bonus and easy access to TWF, which really frees your feats if you're going the TWF build. Plus, you can get access to Swift Haste in two different lists, which can be nice every few battles (and the real Haste for when you actually need it, as well!)

paddyfool
2009-07-01, 05:25 AM
Full casters are out, because they don't quite fit the fluff of the character, but a fighting style that lends itself well to dexterity is more her thing. Maybe have her go into the Chameleon PrC when she can?

I agree that Warblade could indeed be awesome for this. Swashbuckler 3 should also be good for the Int synergy, lending itself to Dexterity, and fitting such dex-based fluff. So, something like this might work for a really simple build to give your Fac a little extra punch:

Factotum 20 // Swash 3/Warblade 17

(Yeah, you could start with a level in Warblade first... but somehow, it makes more sense as something to progress to according to my twisted brain).

Doc Roc
2009-07-01, 06:49 AM
Warblade. Factotum Of War! (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=952620&highlight=factotum)
Quite Famous.

shadow_archmagi
2009-07-01, 06:50 AM
Artificer gives the mechanical advantages of a full-caster while allowing you to keep a nonmagical fluff (leading to a sort of batman type character, where they have a literal utility belt with all sorts of ingenious devices).

Warblade is also a good choice, since it has that INT-synergy, but in that case I'd recommend a 1-level dip in Swordsage so you can nab a Shadow Hand stance/maneuver and then take the Shadow Blade feat, adding Dex to Damage.

Eldariel
2009-07-01, 08:00 AM
Warblade/Wizard/Jade Phoenix Mage? Seems like it could work out. Other than that, Swashbuckler/Rogue/Swordsage is a solid finesse fighter build, or just straight Swordsage (you might even ask if the Carmendine Monk-type feats could be used to derive your AC bonus off Int instead of Wis).

dspeyer
2009-07-01, 09:46 AM
I also recommend Warblade. The varied and easily-recovered maneuvers are very handy, and the int synergy is nice.

The downside of Warblade for an int/dex character is the lack of shadow hand. You could just martial study this. You could also go Master of Nine at some point if you can afford the feats (note that this is 3/4 BAB).

Another prestige class worth noting is Eternal Blade. It's also int based and gives some nice abilities, including access to Devoted Spirit.

shadow_archmagi
2009-07-01, 10:10 AM
I'm going to just throw my weight behind Artificer here. Infusions and general "I fight better with magical weapons" is going to provide a nice bonus to your combat without actually having to waste actions on being a caster, and the ability to make all sorts of crazy wonderous items will be great for utility.

Sinfire Titan
2009-07-01, 11:48 AM
When you say "fighting style", I think "Warblade" - int synergy, full BAB and d12 hit die, and manevers to support a "dexterity-based" approach to combat. You could easily enough fit Chameleon in on either side once you qualify, for as many levels as you want.

You might also peruse this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88633) non-gestalt build designed to do pretty much everything, for ideas.

That's the best suggestion. Factotum 10/Chameleon 10//Warblade 20, snag as many Font of Inspirations as your Int modifier will allow, then spam Standard action spells/strikes. Make sure some of your feats support the Warblade side too though.

FatherMalkav
2009-07-01, 12:14 PM
Artificer is good (As the previous 12 posts have stated, incase you missed it :smallbiggrin: )

Warblade may be good, but my group isn't a fan of ToB so I'm unfamiliar with it.

Another class that can kind of 'do everything' is the Binder. It's not as flexible as the Factotum but allows you some extra/original combos and powers.

Deepblue706
2009-07-01, 12:40 PM
Gestalt your Factotum with Factotum.

Myrmex
2009-07-01, 12:49 PM
Gestalt your Factotum with Factotum.

Sup dawg....

only1doug
2009-07-01, 01:23 PM
Duskblade

Full BAB & Int Based Casting with a d10 HD.