Question on best Totemist stats & saves

[danzibr]

Is it more important to increase a Totemist's Str or Con? Initially I thought Con, but the build I'm going uses a ton of natural attacks, so now I'm thinking Str.

As far as saves go, like when the opponent can make a Ref for half or Fort to negate, is it 10+meldshaper level+Con modifier? This seems to make the most sense, but for some reason I'm not seeing it in MoI.

[eggs]

I usually keep both high, but put more resources into Str. Most of the direct save-based effects are too limited to build an offensive strategy around.

Saves are 10+Con+Essentia invested in the Soulmeld. So a level 2 Totemist with 16 Con and 2 essentia invested in a Totem-bound Frost Helm would be able to use it for a DC 15 stun effect. Or a level 14 Totemist with 22 Con and 3 essentia invested in a Throat-bound Gorgon Mask would have a DC 19 Flesh to Stone.

[danzibr]

I usually keep both high, but put more resources into Str. Most of the direct save-based effects are too limited to build an offensive strategy around.

Saves are 10+Con+Essentia invested in the Soulmeld. So a level 2 Totemist with 16 Con and 2 essentia invested in a Totem-bound Frost Helm would be able to use it for a DC 15 stun effect. Or a level 14 Totemist with 22 Con and 3 essentia invested in a Throat-bound Gorgon Mask would have a DC 19 Flesh to Stone.
Thanks.

But man, that DC seems so low at higher levels. Compared to casters anyways. Well, good to stick with melee, I suppose.

[Glimbur]

Thanks.

But man, that DC seems so low at higher levels. Compared to casters anyways. Well, good to stick with melee, I suppose.

It is a low DC. Such is life. I suppose you could take Ability Focus, but ask your DM whether it would be Ability Focus (Gorgon's Breath) (which would be pretty terrible) or Ability Focus (Soulmelds) (which might actually be ok at mid levels).

[eggs]

Yeah. Incarnum's power curve is weird.

Its progression works a lot like nonmagic classes - the classes really strong at low levels, but kind of taper. There are a couple ways to finagle Incarnate or Totemist into higher levels (lots of natural attacks on a Totemist, heavy reliance on Necro Circlet for an Incarnate), but they generally work best with a dip, followed by something with better scaling, like ToB, psionics or spellcasting.

EDIT:
That said, the DCs can be cranked pretty hard on a Totemist via Polymorph effects. But at that point, you'd be using some pretty abusive methods just to keep the DCs level appropriate, and that's not usually a sign of a mechanic's strength.

[Morph Bark]

Dragonborn Arctic Mongrelfolk with Expanded Soulmeld Capacity don't have so much trouble. :smallamused: