Help Fixing my Girlfriend's Gesalt Character

[SirFredgar]

This is for the same game I posted about in this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224360)

To recap:

All of us PCs were given a free +3 level adjustment. The rest of the group chose templates/races that added to our spellcasting stat or synergized with our natural abilities. For instance, our Dragonwrought Kobold beguiler/druid chose the dark template to make him extra sneaky. Our Artificer/Wizard went spellwarped for the luzs (and the int bonus). My Dread Necro went half vampire + draconic for the cha bonus.

My Girlfriend went with the Canomorph out of fiend folio. +3 level adjustment AND 4 racial HD. Needless to say this caused her first level build to be a bit wonky (our GM let her start with her 4 hd, and we've been fighting much more difficult encounters because of it), and I couldn't figure out how to get her into a PrC, or basically make her competitve with the rest of the groups optimization. She's really only there to pal around with me (though she knows the system), but why not have her wreck face while she does it?

So my thoughts to get her into a decent state op-fu wize are thus.

She starts with 4 Outsider HD, the first one has been changed to a D12 for Barbarian. Her 1st level feat, and 3rd level feat are chosen by default because of her race, but I had her flaw it up for Initimidating Rage and Tomb Tainted soul. As the Dread necromancer/cleric, I am her dedicated healer and she is my beatstick. So She will basically look something like

Outsider HD 1//Barbarian 1
Outsider HD 2//Barbarian 1/Something 1 (or barb 2, but I doubt it).

I am thinking of going Ubercharger (because she already decided to take pounce over fast movement)... and I think I have to go martial rogue on the other side to gain feats and pick up uncanny dodge. This leaves a gap from levels 5-10 on one side of the gesalt while I wait for the feats to qualify for Frenzy Bezerker AND Steadfast Determination... so she doesn't end up destroying the party the frist time she frenzies.

Rules are gesalt, 1st level is done and cannot be changed. Only one Prc at at time, and she has 4 HD of outsider on one side to contend with, as well as the problem with missing feats (or pre-chosen sub-op ones). She has 19 Str, 18 Dex, 20 Con, 11 Int, 13 wis, 8 cha. Curiously enough, she can Alternate Form into any Small/medium/Large humaniod indefinitely.

Any help would be appreciated, and in the mean time I am going to try and slap something together.


Edit

Okay, so here is what I could come up with. It's only untill level 10 (have no idea what she will/can do after that).


Level 1.Outsider HD1//Bbarbarian 1: Imp Initative, Intimidating Rage(for flaw), Tomb-tainted soul (for flaw)
Level 2.Outsider2//Barbarian 1/Martial (Wilderness?) Rogue1: Power attack
Level 3.Outsider3//Barbarian1/M.Rogue2: Run, Cleave
Level 4.Outsider4//Barbarian1/M.Rogue3
Level 5.Outsider4/DungeonCrasherFighter1//Barbarian1/M.Rogue4: Endurance, Imp Bullrush
Level 6.Outsider4/DCFighter2//Barbarian1/M.Rogue5: Steadfast Determination
Level 7.Outsider4/DCFighter3//Barbarian1/M.Rogue6: Shock Trooper
Level 8.Outsider4/DCFighter4//Barbarian1/M.Rogue7: Leap Attack
Level 9.Outsider4/DCFighter5//Barbarian1/M.Rogue8: Destructive Rage, Kockback
Level 10.Outsider4/DCFighter6//Barbarian1/M.Rogue9:
Level 11 Outsider4/DCFighter6/FrenzyBezerker1//Barbarian1/M.Rogue10: Feat?

After that I guess just more martial rogue for the skills/feats/special options and Frenzy bezerker for the face-wrecking.

[Godskook]

Ubercharger does not necessarily mean Frenzied Berserker, and while the class is beat-stick, its also a liability on a few fronts, and it doesn't offer enough, when you can get full-lethality without it. The Tarrasque only has 858 HP, so it really doesn't matter if you're dealing 900 damage or 9000 damage.

Since you've already got pounce, that's a plus. I'd say, go warblade on your barbarian side to keep your HD, fort and BAB high, taking feat-rogue on the other side to give you some skills, ref, and feats to work with.

Your optimization goals include the stance leading the charge(IL to damage on charge), Valorous weapon(double damage on charge), shock trooper(to insure she hits), and Leap Attack. And we're already at ~+8 damage/ECL on a swing, and I'm not even accounting for most of her gear, buffs, or other stuff. And assuming haste, that amounts to about 800 damage by ECL 20.

[SirFredgar]

While I really love the idea of Warblade, ( i hear great things about it), I don't really know Tome of Battle well, or at all. To futher complicate things my girlfriend has yet to even play a spellcaster, let alone an martial initiator. The Frenzy Bezerker was something that I was familiar with and could fit into the build, while making realitivly safe for the rest of the party (steadfast determination plus some backup options).

I'd really like to give a warblade build a shot, but I'd hardly know what manuvers or stances to use, or even what feats to take after getting the holy trio in Shock Trooper/Leap attack/Knockback. It also seems like many of the warblades classfeatures synergize with int, but she lacks an int all together. Is it still viable for her and how difficult to learn when incorporating manuvers... and what manuvers do I want?

[Godskook]

1.Warblade is Int-friendly, not Int-reliant. You'll make a fine Warblade without it, and with her Int score, simply not selling old +Int gear will be sufficient to enjoy those class features.

2.Maneuvers and Initiator classes are easier than Spells and Caster classes. All you need to do is pretend that the 'stance' is basically a feat you can 'adjust' as a swift action, while the maneuvers enable you to do X with Y action, and can basically be used like playing cards(and often are).

3.By ECL 6, you can pick up and have readied:
MotPM - Replace will save with concentration check(can't be used while raging)
Ironheart Surge - negate some debuffs as a standard action(talk to DM about which)
White Raven Tactics - change ally's initiative(if used 'properly', effectively gives them additional turn).
Leading the charge(Stance) - When charging, deal an additional +1/IL(you can make IL = HD -1 still)

4.I've advised several of my players to play ToB classes, and while there's a learning curve to being 'good' at them, what they offer is intuitive enough and idiot-proof enough that its *VERY* hard to mess up.

5.Feat-wise, you honestly don't even need more than that to be an effective melee combatant. What you 'need' is more options for dealing with the unexpected, such as flying foes or grease, both of which are difficult for a FB to deal with.

[SirFredgar]

That really makes a lot of sense. I think I am going to try and mark up a build incorporating what I am interpreting their strengths to be. However, I do have a question about some of the maneuvers. One in particular is the Charging Minotaur... is that a standard action then to initiate, so the character wouldn't benefit from pounce?

[Godskook]

1.All maneuvers have their action type listed in them, as part of their heading like spells, and describe their effect. Charging Minotaur is a full-round action

2.Charging Minotaur does not grant attacks at the end of a charge, and I don't think it benefit from pounce if it did.

3.Charging Minotaur is also a bad choice for your plans. For your plans, you want to stick to maneuvers that (A)boosts, (B)give you things to do other than charge, or (C)defensive options.

[SirFredgar]

Okay, this is off the top of my head and knowing little of warblade or it's options.


I have to take 4 HD of outsider. Aside from a D8, it's not so bad. 8 skill points a level, all good saves. good BaB

Level 1.Outsider HD1//Bbarbarian 1: Imp Initative, Intimidating Rage(for flaw), Tomb-tainted soul (for flaw)
Level 2.Outsider2//Barbarian 1/Warblade 1
Level 3.Outsider3//Barbarian1/Warblade 2 Run
Level 4.Outsider4//Barbarian1/Warblade 3
Level 5.Outsider4/Martial Rogue1//Barbarian1/Warblade4: Power Attack
Level 6.Outsider4/Martial Rogue2//Barbarian1/Warblade5: Leap Attack, Imp Bullrush, [Warblade Bonus Feat]?
Level 7.Outsider4/Martial Rogue2/Dungeoncrasher 1//Barbarian1/Warblade6: Shock Trooper
Level 8.Outsider4/Martial Rogue2/Dungeoncrasher 2//Barbarian1/Warblade7:
Level 9.Outsider4/Martial Rogue2/Dungeoncrasher 3//Warblade8: Knockback

I have no idea what to do with the bonus feats, but Something of that nature? Though, I could replace Martial Rogue for Dungeoncrasher for that extra oomph, but her skill points will suffer. However, she is not the skill monkey of the party. She just Needs to maintain Survival, maybe spot/listen or hide/move silent.


Edit: Um.. yeah... I messed that up. I adjust it it now to have just enough Martial Rogue to pick up evasion and two extra feats and then go dungeoncrasher to pick up a reason take knock back. Once I get Dungeoncrasher 6 I can maybe go more martial rogue, or splash something else. Still not sure.