What shall we Cunning Brilliance for?

[Kittenwolf]

So, that lvl 19 Factotum ability Cunning Brilliance, the one that lets you copy a class feature of another class on the fly.
What're the best options to take do you think?

[Fouredged Sword]

Spellcasting of a sorcerer with just the right spells...
Spellcasting of a cleric
Wildshape of a druid

If your dm says you get the spellcasting but have no spells prepared, then get the spellcasting of a sha-iir from dragon compendium. You can prepare a select set of spells quickly.

really spells outclass everything in the game.

[kestrel404]

really spells outclass everything in the game.

Untrue! Spells are quite nice, but none few of them provide permanent (or semi-permanent) bonuses! (If you happen to have the Persist Spell feat, then you can manage similar tricks as below)

Take the meldshaping of an Incarnate + the incarnate's rapid meldshaping. It's two uses, but you can now shape 3 soulmelds that will last until they're unshaped each time you do this (up to 9 soulmelds with a high enough con)! It may also works to take the meldshaping of a totemist and the rapid meldshaping of the incarnate, but that's somewhat more iffy. Instead, spend a feat on any totemist soulmeld you want bound to your totem chakra and use the totemist's ability to rapidly bind those soulmelds to their totem chakras! (This also works with several of the soulmelds from Dragon Magic, which are both Incarnate and Totemist. But those are pretty much the only ones that are both.)

Take the binding of a binder - you can now make 4 pacts (assuming you're 20th level) with vestiges of up to 8th level! These pacts will stay around for 24 hours!

Those are my favorites, but there are several others (like the Warlock/Dragonfire adept invocations that last 24 hours) that you can use to the same effect - one use of Cunning Brilliance in the morning can get you all the benefits of various semi-casting classes all day long.

[Cog]

All of these suggestions are missing the Extraordinary ability requirement.

[2xMachina]

Heheheh

They're not stated as Su, thus they all default to Ex. (Someone else need to quote the line though. Forgot where it is.)

[Fouredged Sword]

The spells themselves are SU, the slot and ability to cast them is not defined. wildshape not so much, but spellcasting... Hehehe.

Declare your dm the target of your dodge feat first though.

[FearlessGnome]

Can you pick things from Prestige Classes?

[kestrel404]

Can you pick things from Prestige Classes?

No. It's not even clear that you're allowed to use ANY base class - it states:

Each ability must be
available to a standard character class at 15th level or lower,
and must appear on the advancement table or in the text
description for that class.

Which I forgot rules out Soul Binding from the binder class (it's explicitly SU). Also Rapid Meldshaping doesn't work, but I think there are a few other choice ways to rapidly shape soulmelds.

[Cog]

They're not stated as Su, thus they all default to Ex. (Someone else need to quote the line though. Forgot where it is.)
That would be a very interesting quote to see, if you can actually find it - you're forgetting the fourth category, which is defined by being unlabeled: natural abilities.

Note that this doesn't mean things like spellcasting are no longer vulnerable to AMFs and the like, either. Having spells is the natural ability; you can rest to have a clear mind for regaining spell slots or getting new soulmelds even while in an antimagic field. Using the powers gained by doing so then follows the standard rules, be they spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural, or such.

[Essence_of_War]

This has been a subject of vigorous debate. The last time I watched it I believe the principle parties were JaronK, arguing for the "Ex" side, and Curmudgeon arguing for the "natural" side.

If you want to skim the arguments, I think the thread is here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159859).

Your DM may have strong personal feelings. Check with them.

Edit:

I think the thread I was thinking of was actually here. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184164)

[Corlindale]

Warblade has a lot of (Ex) abilities that are keyed off Int, which you will obviously have a ton of as a Factotum. Most of them will see most use if you are a melee or sneak-attack oriented Factotum.

[Anxe]

Improved Evasion?