PDA

View Full Version : Need Horrifying Gestalt Ideas [PF/3.5]



subject42
2010-10-11, 06:27 PM
My DM is suggesting that we do a short gestalt campaign. As a little bit of friendly revenge for a gestalt character that he built for a campaign of mine a while back, I plan on doing something similar with two characters for him.

If any of you have the time, I'd like to hear some ideas for statting up a Chaotic Good/Chaotic Neutral gestalt character that has very simple game mechanics. Warlocks and rogues are good. Rainbow Warsnake//Binders? Not so good.

The game will be Pathfinder/3.5, with PF overriding 3.5 in the case of any rule differences. Characters are starting out at seventh level. We're using the Pathfinder CR = LA rules for monstrous races, and monstrous level adjustment only applies to one side of the gestalt. Unlike normal PF rules, there is no level adjustment reduction over time. This is for simplicity's sake.

The first character I have fairly well in hand as a half-dragon primordial troll totemist. It specializes in lockdown and hitting things really hard. I have a backstory worked up that he, DoorOpener ben DoorOpener, is the most recent member of a long line of personal bodyguards to the crown prince or princess of a royal kingdom.

I'm picturing the second character as a pixie with a bad case of ADD, but beyond that, I have no idea.

Any suggestions?

Jack_Simth
2010-10-11, 06:38 PM
Sure.

Nymph-7/Druid-X//Monk-2/Hexblade-Y (Complete Warrior)

On the Nymph side, take levels in Druid. Charisma to all saves, Charisma to saves vs. Spells a second time, Charisma to AC once, Wisdom to AC once, Evasion, and Mettle. Later on down the road, you can pick up Ascetic Mage (Complete Adventurer) based on your Hexblade casting, to change that Wisdom to AC to Charisma to AC again. Obviously, focus on Charisma.

kestrel404
2010-10-11, 07:27 PM
If you're thinking pixie already, they make excellent rogues and warlocks. These can be combined for truly scary results in gestalt. Pathfinder makes it even nicer with some excellent opportunities for prestige classing.

Pixie LA 4/Rogue 2/Binder 1/Rogue +13//Warlock 5/Hellfire Warlock 3/Warlock +1/Arcane Trickster 10/Warlock +1
Binder is simple, just always bind naberius - he lets you regen con, which hellfire warlock will be damaging.

For yor first rogue talent, you need to take "minor magic' to cast mage hand. This and your warlock manifesting qualifies you for Arcane trickster - at which point you can advance sneak attack EVERY LEVEL from 8 on!

And it still advances warlock manifesting!

Mongoose87
2010-10-11, 08:48 PM
Sure.

Nymph-7/Druid-X//Monk-2/Hexblade-Y (Complete Warrior)

On the Nymph side, take levels in Druid. Charisma to all saves, Charisma to saves vs. Spells a second time, Charisma to AC once, Wisdom to AC once, Evasion, and Mettle. Later on down the road, you can pick up Ascetic Mage (Complete Adventurer) based on your Hexblade casting, to change that Wisdom to AC to Charisma to AC again. Obviously, focus on Charisma.

Why would a druid want to switch his Casting Stat to AC out for his non-casting stat?

subject42
2010-10-11, 09:19 PM
Sure.

Nymph-7/Druid-X//Monk-2/Hexblade-Y (Complete Warrior)

On the Nymph side, take levels in Druid. Charisma to all saves, Charisma to saves vs. Spells a second time, Charisma to AC once, Wisdom to AC once, Evasion, and Mettle. Later on down the road, you can pick up Ascetic Mage (Complete Adventurer) based on your Hexblade casting, to change that Wisdom to AC to Charisma to AC again. Obviously, focus on Charisma.

Don't you have to be lawful to be a monk?

avr
2010-10-11, 09:30 PM
A pixie Alchemist with ADD would be horrifying to many. In the party or not.

On the other side of the gestalt, anything which allows him/her to get the feats to throw more bombs - rapid shot, TWF, etc.

Last Laugh
2010-10-11, 09:44 PM
Perhaps not as simple as what you're looking for buuut
IF you are considering sneak attacking from half of your gestalt instead of straight rogue try out
Spellthief 1/Sorcerer 4/Unseen Seer 10/+caster class 5(spellwarp sniper, csco)
Master spellthief (Cscoundrel) allows you to steal arcane spells and cast in light armor
Unseen seer advances sneak attack (you will have +5d6 from classes, +7d6 from spellwarp)
and gives you the -strike line of spells (grave strike, vine strike, golem strike) letting you sneak attack everything.
and hunter's eye (caster level/3 sneak attack for 1 round, swift action. can be persisted)
at level 20 you should have: 7d6 sneak attack, +7d6 sneak attack (cl21/3=7) and it applies against everything.
You still have lvl 19 sorc. casting, just to make sure you always SA

Kilbourne
2010-10-12, 01:41 AM
I played a Barbarian/Bard in PFRPG, and it was amazing. Being able to cast Haste on myself and the rest of the party in the first round gave an insane amount of action economy right off the bat, and I was a self-buffer with Bardic song (war-chants). The rage power Moment of Clarity allowed me to cast mid-rage, usually a healing spell, and if there was some time to prepare before battle I was usually buffed to the gills. It was great, even flavor-wise.

The character was introduced to the party as an encounter around level 5, and he/I managed to put the Summoner, Eidolon and Fighter down before the Witch hexed my Bardbarian to sleep.

Dark_Nohn
2010-10-12, 02:45 AM
A pixie Alchemist with ADD would be horrifying to many. In the party or not.

On the other side of the gestalt, anything which allows him/her to get the feats to throw more bombs - rapid shot, TWF, etc.

Very much so, but with PF you get feats EVERY ODD level instead of every 3rd, so you have more than enough to get certain feats... however, alchemists have a certain number of bombs they can produce per day (Level+Int Modifier.) Instead of going for more bombs, get Vital Strike at level 9, improved Vital Strike at level 15 (why throw more limited ammo per day when you can throw less and get the same effect.) Also, go Pixie / Rogue // Alchemist: Sneak attack won't always apply to your bombs, but bombs will always apply to enemies if you have the right discoveries.
Carry lots of poison, and a crossbow (or shortbow if you have 10+STR,) and carry the proper mutagens to make this work. If you're worried about how using poison affects your alignment, it's said somewhere (Book of Exalted Deeds, I believe) that Drow Poison is a good poison to use, guilt free.

Or just piss everyone off and go either human or grey elf wizard/archivist.

Amiel
2010-10-12, 02:49 AM
At the very least, erudite on one side and a form of CoDZilla on the other.

Krazddndfreek
2010-10-12, 02:52 AM
Why would a druid want to switch his Casting Stat to AC out for his non-casting stat?

It's easier to add Cha to more things, but spellcasting doesn't really require a high ability score. Just one that has enough for the spells he needs to cast, he doesn't need a high DC for buff spells does he :smallwink:? The other thing is, he's also using Hexblade, which casts based on charisma. Then he can dump physical stats thanks to Wildshape, allowing his wisdom score to stay close behind his charisma.

Clovis
2010-10-12, 06:49 AM
Spell-to-power erudite / druid

Jack_Simth
2010-10-12, 07:09 AM
Don't you have to be lawful to be a monk?
Nymphs are 'usually chaotic good' - LN is, while uncommon, an acceptable alignment for them.

Why would a druid want to switch his Casting Stat to AC out for his non-casting stat?Because it actually is a Charisma-based build. Charisma to saves (twice for most saves), Charisma to AC twice, a charisma-based passive Fort Save-or-lose (humanoids only), and a Charisma-based active Will save-or-lose (no type restrictions, and not technically mind-affecting, although Stunning is a relatively common immunity: Construct, Elemental, Plant, Ooze, and Undead - five of the fifteen standard types).

dsmiles
2010-10-12, 07:11 AM
I dunno, I find gestalt to be pretty horrifying, period. :smalltongue:

Baalthazaq
2010-10-12, 08:06 AM
Can we do prestige classes? I assume not, but if we can, there's some fun to be had.

1) Wizard/Cleric
2) Wizard/Cleric
3) Wizard/Cleric
4) Spellthief/Mystic Theurge
5) Sorcerer/Mystic Theurge
6) Ultimate Magus/Mystic Theurge
7) Ultimate Magus/Mystic Theurge

Take Master spell thief as a feat, you add all your caster levels together.

Totals:
At least 7 Wizard levels
At least 7 Cleric levels
Depending on how you think Magus and Theurge stack in this case your sorc is at least 3.

Your Wizard and Sorcerer caster level is at least 13, possibly as high as 16. Enjoy.


Alternatively:
Ranger/Paladin
Ranger/Paladin
Ranger/Paladin
Ranger/Paladin
Ranger/Paladin
Ranger/Paladin
Beastmaster/Paladin

Feats: Devoted Tracker, Animal Bond. Your animal companion now has the benefits of a level 7 Paladin + level 10 druid combined. Make it a dire wolf in my opinion. Enjoy.

I assume, like I said, that prestiges are out, but if they're not, these two can be fun.

The Glyphstone
2010-10-12, 08:54 AM
It's easier to add Cha to more things, but spellcasting doesn't really require a high ability score. Just one that has enough for the spells he needs to cast, he doesn't need a high DC for buff spells does he :smallwink:? The other thing is, he's also using Hexblade, which casts based on charisma. Then he can dump physical stats thanks to Wildshape, allowing his wisdom score to stay close behind his charisma.

I thought Pathfinder changed Wildshape so it was dependent on your physical stats now, making dumping a bad idea.

hotel_papa
2010-10-12, 09:06 AM
The magus is in it's playtest stage, and a free download. It's a Pathfinder Duskblade, essentially. Prepared caster, Int type. That, with factotum and one level of Carmandine or King-Fu Genius monk makes for a pretty tasty Int-focused, encounter shredding war beast.

Morph Bark
2010-10-12, 09:09 AM
Binder isn't simple enough? Bawww, then my classic VoP Druid//Totemist with Monk 1 or Unarmed Swordsage 2 on one side goes skipping off into the sunset.

true_shinken
2010-10-12, 09:26 AM
Horrifying?

Arcane Swordsage//Mystic Ranger.
You get 6 skill points per level, amazing list. Full base attack bonus. d8 HD.
Full arcane spellcasting. Full divine spellcasting... until level 10, then it slows down. All your casting is Wis-based and you add it to AC.
Since it's Pathfinder, I'd avoid the wildshape variant and keep the combat style. At level 7 you can already spam Blade Storm/Arrow Storm.
This is deviously devious.

Myth
2010-10-12, 09:51 AM
Crud i suck at PF. One thing i have to point out though, is that gestalt does not allow dual progression classes like mystic theurge, ultimate magus etc.

The standard suggestion for gestalt in GITP is Wizard/Factotum. Int casting + breaking the actions per round. Delicious.

I myself am a fan of something like Paladin2/Crusader on one side and Cloistered Cleric with Knowledge Devotion going for Radiant Servant or another good Cleric prc that has full casting on the other. You are very tough, cast like a madman and fight like a beast. Pick up DMM for Persists, pump up cha for more tuning. Get the Sun domain naturally. Good stuff.

You can also combine assorted tankish classes with Warforged and the Saint template. Immune to everything? Yep.

You can also go Swashbuckler/something/Dervish on one side and Warblade/Eternal blade on the other. Be an Elf naturally. A thousand cuts > Time Stand Still > Island in time. That's essentially a full attack nova and it's cool while still not broken.

Oh i almost forgot. You can go Beholder Mage if he allows monster races. He'll hate you forever after that though.