Factotum Without Iaijutsu Focus - Ideas?

[Unusual Muse]

Greetings all... I'm trying to work up a Factotum build and need some ideas for a combat approach, under the following conditions:
1. Level 6, preferably straight Factotum but willing to dip
2. No Iaijutsu Focus
3. No psionics
4. No Tome of Battle, Tome of Magic, or Incarnum stuff
5. No skill tricks
6. No Black Lotus poison

Thanks! :smallsmile:

[mootoall]

Tripping, Alter Self and UMD are your golden rules, then. Int to trip attempts is golden on any character. Grab a guisarme and the right feats, and you'll do great.

[Vortling]

Are you allowed complete champion? The Knowledge devotion feat can give you a boost. How about Races of the Dragon. The greater mighty wallop spell lasts hours/level and increases the damage of your weapon as a size increase based on your caster level. You'll need to be factotum level 8 to use it but 2 levels isn't that long off.

[Unusual Muse]

Tripping, Alter Self and UMD are your golden rules, then. Int to trip attempts is golden on any character. Grab a guisarme and the right feats, and you'll do great.

Cool... how about spiked chain? Also, if you could elaborate on the finer details of this approach, that would help; this is a new build approach for me... just a few suggestions on how to utilize AS, UMD, and what feats you'd suggest?


Are you allowed complete champion? The Knowledge devotion feat can give you a boost. How about Races of the Dragon. The greater mighty wallop spell lasts hours/level and increases the damage of your weapon as a size increase based on your caster level. You'll need to be factotum level 8 to use it but 2 levels isn't that long off.

Yes, all of those are on the table... thanks!

[Vortling]

As far as other feats go you'll mostly want Font of Inspiration (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606). The trick with alter self is to find a creature that has what you need, be it a movement mode (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/locathah.htm) or natural armor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/troglodyte.htm). UMD relies on using scrolls and wands to be a mini wizard. In many cases you're best off using buffs or spells that lack saves as the saves won't be so good. Eternal wands can be very nice for utility spells or combat buffs you use a few times per day if they're allowed.

[mootoall]

Cool... how about spiked chain? Also, if you could elaborate on the finer details of this approach, that would help; this is a new build approach for me... just a few suggestions on how to utilize AS, UMD, and what feats you'd suggest?


You don't really have the feat to spare for Spiked Chain, probably. A guisarme will do whatever you need done. Str and Int are your primary stats, Con and Dex secondary, and Wis and Cha tertiary, depending on how heavily you're using Alter Self. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=343.0) Just pick up Combat Expertise and Improved Trip, and you're about as efficient at tripping as you can get.

UMD wands of useful combat stuff. I like Scorching Ray and Magic Missile, since you can apply Int to damage with each ray. Grease is a good one, too, since you can use it to activate Sneak Attack most of the time.

Spend about three to four feats on Font of Inspiration. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606) More IP are good.

Edit: Accursed ninja!

[Unusual Muse]

You don't really have the feat to spare for Spiked Chain, probably. A guisarme will do whatever you need done.

Do you think it's worth the feat to be able to attack adjacent foes, all things considered?

[Waker]

Do you think it's worth the feat to be able to attack adjacent foes, all things considered?
Spiked Gauntlet has you covered.

[Greenish]

Do you think it's worth the feat to be able to attack adjacent foes, all things considered?Nope. Get Armour Spikes for that.