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View Full Version : [3.5] Building a gestalt totemist



The Rabbler
2010-05-25, 02:05 PM
I had an idea for a totemist to be used in an upcoming gestalt game and i wanted to get the playground's opinion on it before I showed it to my group.

Build:

for this build, I'll be using a 32 point buy.

Abilities
STR: 16 + 4 (racial) = 20
DEX: 16 - 2 (racial = 14
CON: 16 + 4 (racial)= 20
INT: 10 - 2 (racial) = 8
WIS: 8 - 2 (racial) = 6
CHA: 8 - 2 (racial) = 6

Race: dragonborn(any) water orc
Alignment: NE (needs to be evil)
Flaws: Shaky, Vulnerable
ACFs: traded Sorcerer familiar for feat, lion totem barbarian, whirling frenzy barbarian, dungeonscape rogue 2nd level ACF (precise strike?)

Classes

Totemist 1//Sorcerer 1
Totemist 2//Barbarian 1
Totemist 3//Barbarian 2
Totemist 4//Rogue 1
Totemist 5//Rogue 2
Totemist 6//Fighter 1
Totemist 7//Fighter 2
Totemist 8//Crusader 1
Totemist 9//Warblade 1
Totemist 10//Thayan Gladiator 1
Totemist 11//Thayan Gladiator 2
Totemist 12//Thayan Gladiator 3
Totemist 13//Thayan Gladiator 4
Totemist 14//Thayan Gladiator 5
Totemist 15//Thayan Gladiator 6
Totemist 16//Thayan Gladiator 7
Totemist 17//Thayan Gladiator 8
Totemist 18//Thayan Gladiator 9
Totemist 19//Thayan Gladiator 10
Totemist 20//Full BAB X


Feats:

1: Draconic Heritage (flaw), Dragon Claw (flaw), Azure Toughness, Power Attack(sorcerer)
3: Cobalt Rage
6: Indigo Strike, Craven
7: anything
9: Double Chakra (Totem)
12: rapidstrike
15: anything
18: anything


Results:

what this build would do is focus on soulmelds that grant claw attacks (girallon arms and kruthik claws in this case) and the natural claw attacks provided by Dragon Claw to do 8 claw attacks in one full attack.

By level 5, Iron Heart Surge (and some other fun maneuvers) is attained.
By level 7, all claw attacks are treated as one size category higher.
By level 13, each claw attack does sneak attack damage (assuming they're flat-footed) with half done to anything immune.
By level 16, all claws can make an additional attack at no penalty, raising the total claw attacks to 16
By level 18, each claw has speed on it and the total claw attacks reaches 24.
By level 20, there should be BAB 18, some useful maneuvers, some fun cantrips, full meldshaping, 27 claw attacks with all abilities, 3d6+20+(however much essentia invested x2) sneak attack damage on each attack, and no item dependency.

average damage (no sneak attack) will be 15x(3.5(base)+3(str)+5(PA)) + 6x(4.5(base)+3(str)+5(PA)+10(acid)) + 6x(3.5(base)+6(str)+5(PA)) = 394.5 damage

average damage with sneak attacks will be 394.5 + 27x(3.5(base) + 20(craven)+10(essentia)) = 1299 damage.:smallbiggrin:

even more if essentia is invested in cobalt rage.



so, with that being said, is there anything else I could change around to get some more fun out of this character? Also, some item suggestions would be nice (aside from the necklace of natural weapons and a differently-slotted amulet of natural attacks)?

Machiavellian
2010-05-25, 02:08 PM
Stick with these 3 classics:

Totemist 20//Barbarian 3/Warblade 2/Frenzied Berserker 5/Bloodclaw Master 10

Totemist 20//Psi Warrior 20

Totemist 20//Incarnate 20

Greenish
2010-05-25, 02:27 PM
Why the sorcerer level, don't you get dragonblood subtype from dragonborn?

And how are you evil dragonborn anyway, won't Bahamut yank your dragonbornhood away?

The Rabbler
2010-05-25, 02:31 PM
Stick with these 3 classics:

Totemist 20//Barbarian 3/Warblade 2/Frenzied Berserker 5/Bloodclaw Master 10

Totemist 20//Psi Warrior 20

Totemist 20//Incarnate 20

eh, I wanted to try making myself a nice build that focuses entirely on melee attacks without any buffing needed. and incarnates aren't nearly as cool as totemists are. mind you, this started as an idea for something I'd like to play, not as a first attempt at TO.


Why the sorcerer level, don't you get dragonblood subtype from dragonborn?

the sorcerer level is so that I can pick up draconic heritage (it requires level 1 sorc) which, in turn, allows me to get dragon claws. dragon claws requires both a sorc level and draconic heritage (even though dragonblood should give me access, it doesn't).



And how are you evil dragonborn anyway, won't Bahamut yank your dragonbornhood away?

and dragonborn never says that you can't be evil, just that you can't help Tiamat. Bahamut doesn't care as long as you're still on his/her (feels like a her) side.

Glimbur
2010-05-25, 04:49 PM
You don't seem to actually take levels 2 and 3 of Totemist in your build. This is a) illegal and b) a big mistake, as the Totem bind is pretty critical to being a totemist.

Are you sure the claws from Dragon Claws stack with your other claws?

You can't get Iron Heart Surge from a warblade dip at level 5. It's a third level maneuver, so you need an initiator level of at least 5 to take it. It's like wizards getting spell levels. You have the same problem with Assassin's Stance.

Godskook
2010-05-25, 05:02 PM
the sorcerer level is so that I can pick up draconic heritage (it requires level 1 sorc) which, in turn, allows me to get dragon claws. dragon claws requires both a sorc level and draconic heritage (even though dragonblood should give me access, it doesn't).

DFA would like to have a word with you.

The Rabbler
2010-05-25, 05:42 PM
DFA would like to have a word with you.

DFA is no different from sorcerer as it applies to this build. and DFA would give me one less feat than the sorcerer does.


You don't seem to actually take levels 2 and 3 of Totemist in your build. This is a) illegal and b) a big mistake, as the Totem bind is pretty critical to being a totemist.

whoops, originally I was going to take the rogue dip then. forgot to change it. fixed. thanks for pointing that out.



Are you sure the claws from Dragon Claws stack with your other claws?


they state that they're used for secondary attacks, so there's no reason that they wouldn't.



You can't get Iron Heart Surge from a warblade dip at level 5. It's a third level maneuver, so you need an initiator level of at least 5 to take it. It's like wizards getting spell levels. You have the same problem with Assassin's Stance.

faulty memory :smallannoyed:. thanks again and fixed.