Factotum/Iaijutsu master help

[Hikarizu]

D&D 3.5 a campaign in the Dragon Age world(the DM is going to make wizards and clerics work and that means factotums too, iaijutsu is a fighting style my character is creating so no trouble fitting into the setting). Homebrew rule: we get ability points every level beyond 1st.(I know, right!) We start 3rd lvl so I get 2. With possible races Humans, Elves and Dwarves, I chose humans.

Rolling method 4d6 x 6 take the 3 highest. Got a very good roll so Attributes are 10 STR, 18 DEX, 14 CON, 18 INT, 14 WIS, 16 CHA.(before the homebrew rule. 1st question: should i change them and should I pump everything to INT)

From my background I was apprentice of a dwarven smith and the Katana is a weapon of mine design created for my fighting style. So I should probably get Craft Magic Arms And Armor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#craftMagicArmsAndArmor) and make my own weapons.(only if no one else has it)

For the build I am thinking something along the line of Factotum 8-11/Iaijutsu Master 8-10/Something else if we get that far. Other ideas?

Skills: Autohypnosis(to stabilize myself, how many ranks?), Ballance 5(Grease (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/grease.htm)), Bluff 5(synergy), Concentration(synergy to autohypnosis and to cast defensively, how many ranks?), Diplomacy max, Iaijutsu focus max, Intimidate max, Perform(weapon drill) max?(to promote my fighting style, maybe even start a school), Survival 5(to find north and synergy), Tumble 5(for Twisted Charge and no AoO) Use Magical Devise max, Knowledges of course some to 1 some to 5, and whatever the group lacks

I liked several skill tricks starting with the Bold ones: Conceal Spellcasting(for the setting, magic is feared you know), Collector of Stories( Maybe even getting Knowledge Devotion), Never Outnumbered(Intimidate is one of the skills I max, Impervious Command maybe?), Nimble Charge(why not it's 2 skill points and I have plenty), Sudden Draw(but with what weapon?) and Twisted Charge

Feats: 3rd lvl human = 3 feats Quick Draw, Weapon Focus(Katana/Bastard Sword), Improved Initiative. I need them to qualify for Iaijutsu master.
Do I need Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Katana/Bastard Sword) or can/should I just wield it 2 handed.

With that mess I wrote I should probably underline the questions I want most answered.

[shadow_archmagi]

Craft magic arms and armor won't help you, you don't have a caster level or spells, just spell-like abilities that you prepare every morning.

[prufock]

Rolling method 4d6 x 6 take the 3 highest. Got a very good roll so Attributes are 10 STR, 18 DEX, 14 CON, 18 INT, 14 WIS, 16 CHA.(before the homebrew rule. 1st question: should i change them and should I pump everything to INT)
Pump ALL your stat boosts into Intelligence, absolutely. Int is the absolute priority for the factotum class, you want it as high as possible.
You have a great array of scores, but I don't see what Wis is really doing for you so I would probably switch Wis and Str around, and I'm a little nervous about a melee factotum with only 14 Con. I don't see what you can do about it though, without dropping your Cha, which I'm sure you don't want to do.


So I should probably get Craft Magic Arms And Armor and make my own weapons.
It will save you some cash and will cost you a bit of xp and time. I personally tend to avoid item creation feats in most of my characters mainly because of time. In-game, it's rare that we get more than a day's rest. Campaign-specific, I guess.


Other ideas?
Nope! It's a solid build. You def need at least Fact 8 for Cunning Surge (when you get IM, 2 attacks per surge!!). If you don't want to go all the way through IM, more Factotum is great.


how many ranks?
Autohypnosis: Factotums have poor Will AND Fort saves, though they can burn inspiration to overcome that. Still, put this as high as you want/can afford.
Concentration: Also as high as you want. For casting defensively, DC is 15+spell level.


I liked several skill tricks
Keep in mind you can't have more skill tricks than 1/2 your level, which at this point means 1, and you have to meet prerequisites. Hidden Blade (requires Sleight of Hand 5) is a good one, which will allow you to hit IF during combat (remember they have to be flat footed).


Do I need Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Katana/Bastard Sword) or can/should I just wield it 2 handed.
Go 2-handed. If you switch Str around, that's an extra little bit of damage.
Other feats to look into: Power Attack, using Cunning Insight to make up the difference, and of course Font of Inspiration if allowed.

[Hikarizu]

Pump ALL your stat boosts into Intelligence, absolutely. Int is the absolute priority for the factotum class, you want it as high as possible.
You have a great array of scores, but I don't see what Wis is really doing for you so I would probably switch Wis and Str around, and I'm a little nervous about a melee factotum with only 14 Con. I don't see what you can do about it though, without dropping your Cha, which I'm sure you don't want to do.
I have this build in a .txt file "What ti pick lvl per lvl" type and I really don't remember why some of the things are the way they are. Switching WIS and STR right away. Should I switch CON, DEX and CHA around? Maybe 16 DEX, 18 CON, 14 CHA, 18 DEX, 16 CON, 14 CHA, or even 14 DEX, 16 CON, 18 CHA?
Did you take in mind the homebrew stat rule?


Craft magic arms and armor won't help you, you don't have a caster level or spells, just spell-like abilities that you prepare every morning.
Yeah, I forgot that. So no other way to gain magic katana(it's a weapon of mine design, remember) than giving a masterwork one to an Enchanter (someone with the feat, NPC or Player)

Your caster level equals your level in this character class.
So it is an option. If no one in the party has it and we haven't found an NPC with it.


Nope! It's a solid build. You def need at least Fact 8 for Cunning Surge (when you get IM, 2 attacks per surge!!). If you don't want to go all the way through IM, more Factotum is great.

Should I go 10 Iaijutsu Master for:

Strike with No Thought (Ex) : If an iaijutsu master of 10th
level begins combat (not an iaijutsu duel) within melee range
of an opponent, she gains a free surprise round, even though
her opponents are aware of her presence . The only action the
iaijutsu master can take in this surprise round is an attack
action using a katana. For example, if the iaijutsu master Kakita
Timoshiko and Bayushi Koro are standing on the street hurling
insults at each other and the situation erupts into combat,
Timoshiko can attack with his katana before Koro even rolls
initiative, catching his opponent flat-footed.
This ability reflects the iaijutsu master's ability to apply the principles
of the iaijutsu duel in normal melee combat. It does not give
the iaijutsu master any additional benefit within an iaijutsu duel.
Or stop at lvl 8 for:

One Strike, Two Cuts (Ex) : At 8th level and above, an iaijutsu
master can make two attacks with a katana as a standard
action . This means she can strike twice and move in the same
round, or attack twice in the strike phase of an iaijutsu duel .


Concentration: Also as high as you want. For casting defensively, DC is 15+spell level.
I knew that. Provided I won't cast anything higher than 3 lvl for quite some time I think Concentration 10-14? Do I lose the spell if I failed the Defensive Casting check or I only fail casting it and can attempt again?


Keep in mind you can't have more skill tricks than 1/2 your level, which at this point means 1, and you have to meet prerequisites. Hidden Blade (requires Sleight of Hand 5) is a good one, which will allow you to hit IF during combat (remember they have to be flat footed).
I knew that too. The problem remains with a Iaido thematic light weapon. ( I know it's not necessary)

lvl 9 is my first Iaido Master lvl. Should I get a Monk's Belt and the feat Kung Fu Genius for INT to AC again?(1st time from Canny Defense, the 1st lvl of IM )

[LTwerewolf]

Bluff and improved feint might be a benefit to the combat style as well. Set yourself up for a focus.

[prufock]

Should I switch CON, DEX and CHA around? Maybe 16 DEX, 18 CON, 14 CHA, 18 DEX, 16 CON, 14 CHA, or even 14 DEX, 16 CON, 18 CHA?
It really depends on your playstyle. For melee characters, I like to have my Con as high as possible - not usually the primary stat, but a close second - so I don't, you know, die. But if you're more of a "the best defense is a good offense" person, they're fine the way they are. You could even have Cha as your highest for the tasty extra damage once you hit Iaijutsu Master.


Did you take in mind the homebrew stat rule?
Yeah, and if there are no limitations to how many times you can apply to the same stat, I would still go totally for Intelligence.


Yeah, I forgot that. So no other way to gain magic katana(it's a weapon of mine design, remember) than giving a masterwork one to an Enchanter (someone with the feat, NPC or Player)
Levels in the Kensai prestige class will give you Signature Weapon, which allows you to imbue a weapon as if enchanted.


Should I go 10 Iaijutsu Master for:
I have no strong leanings one way or the other, honestly. Strike with No Thought seems kind of situational, though. Definitely get at least level 8.


Provided I won't cast anything higher than 3 lvl for quite some time I think Concentration 10-14? Do I lose the spell if I failed the Defensive Casting check or I only fail casting it and can attempt again?
I go for, minimum, check DC minus 10. A total bonus of 14 means you're failing on only a 3 or less, which is great. As high as you can get it, really, up to the max DC you need to hit minus 1.

I knew that too. The problem remains with a Iaido thematic light weapon. ( I know it's not necessary)


lvl 9 is my first Iaido Master lvl. Should I get a Monk's Belt and the feat Kung Fu Genius for INT to AC again?(1st time from Canny Defense, the 1st lvl of IM )
My gods yes. If you're boosting your Int every level, you'll have a bonus of 4+level/2. It's a pretty good buy at 13K (I think), considering your bonus will scale with no further investment. Of course it depends on how much you spend on your armor up to that point as well. Might not be worth trading in by then.
Doesn't IM also give you Int to AC at some point? I'm not overly familiar with the class.


Bluff and improved feint might be a benefit to the combat style as well. Set yourself up for a focus.
IF requires the foe to be flat-footed; feinting just denies dex to AC.

[LTwerewolf]

Ancestral relic (BoED) or 1 lvl in OAsamurai can give you a weapon that you don't need someone else to enchant.

[Urpriest]

IF requires the foe to be flat-footed; feinting just denies dex to AC.

Surprising Riposte fixes that, but then you're sinking a lot of feats into that one trick.

[Hikarizu]

Bluff and improved feint might be a benefit to the combat style as well. Set yourself up for a focus.
Normal Feint = standart action; Improved Feint = move action. + Combat reflexes that makes 2 feats to be able to bluff and attack any round than bluff and attack next round. Is it worth 2 feats? I won't be able to pull it of until 9th or 12th level though. And there is that:

IF requires the foe to be flat-footed; feinting just denies dex to AC.
even if "Surprising Riposte", that's too many feats for me. I will stick with a wand of Grease.

Yeah, and if there are no limitations to how many times you can apply to the same stat, I would still go totally for Intelligence.
That was my first decision, but I needed second opinion, because I have never played Factotum before.

Levels in the Kensai prestige class will give you Signature Weapon, which allows you to imbue a weapon as if enchanted.
I need to look at that class again to decide

It's a pretty good buy at 13K (I think)
Exactly 13K to be precise( have it written in the mentioned .txt file)

Ancestral relic (BoED) or 1 lvl in OAsamurai can give you a weapon that you don't need someone else to enchant.
How a weapon I made myself qualify as ancestral? But maybe I can pull off "Ancestral relic".
And the most of the Tranquil are basically enchanters so I will manage.

And I remembered why I took 14 WIS instead of STR. Opportunistic Piety is 3+WIS mod per day. I will live with only 3 uses. 14 STR is better.
That leaves the problem with Iaido thematic light weapon.
I forgot that short swords were considered light weapons. A wakizashi it is then.

[LTwerewolf]

Is there a discernible reason as to why that specific weapon could not be an ancestral thing and the ones you make are different? Would solve all your enchanting problems.

[Hikarizu]

Is there a discernible reason as to why that specific weapon could not be an ancestral thing and the ones you make are different? Would solve all your enchanting problems.
an·ces·tral/anˈsestrəl/
Adjective: Of, belonging to, inherited from, or denoting an ancestor or ancestors.
Synonyms: hereditary

I could fit it via the dwarven smith mentioned in my first post(with the feat, not the class feature), but it gets me stuck with lawful good alignment. If there is no other option for enchanting katana I will use this one.