Font of Inspiration

[BowStreetRunner]

I have been playing around with a few different skill-monkey builds for a 3.5 campaign and am currently considering a Factotum. The feat Font of Inspiration is NOT available in our campaign however. I am wondering how significant this would prove to be.

Can anyone who has actual experience with a factotum in play - either first hand from playing one or second hand from being in a party with one - tell me whether you believe the skill points available to a standard factotum are sufficient for most campaigns?

Our party is solidly in the Tier 3-4 range and currently around 15th level.

[Saidoro]

Well, your combat ability will take a nosedive by mid levels factotums really rely on font of inspiration to not run out of stuff to do in combat after the first round.
You can probably still manage if you make good use of its SLAs, but it'll be quite a bit trickier.

[Answerer]

Font of Inspiration is usually more important for multiclassed Factota than it is for single-classed ones. When you're single-classed, you get more natural Inspiration Points, and really, a straight Factotum does not really rely on Cunning Surge nearly as much as a multiclassed, or more significantly, a gestalt one does.

[Saidoro]

You are correct about cunning surge, but it does rely on cunning insight if it wants to be more effective than an expert or aristocrat in combat. Even 10 inspiration points really isn't very many if you're using them to boost attacks and damage. Again, you will largely be forced to rely on your more efficient inspiration->effect machines such as your SLAs in combat, I recommend focusing on them.

[Rubik]

Font of Inspiration is usually more important for multiclassed factotums than it is for single-classed ones. When you're single-classed, you get more natural Inspiration Points, and really, a straight Factotum does not really rely on Cunning Surge nearly as much as a multiclassed, or more significantly, a gestalt one does.FTFY.

Whether "factota" is correct for the standard usage of the word or not is irrelevant. Just like "maneouvre" is incorrect when referring to anything in ToB.

[Answerer]

Super-strict RAW, the Factotum's Sneak Attack doesn't stack with itself, so you can't use more than one IP per attack. Even if it does, you're right, you'll have a hard time getting enough IP to use a lot of it per attack.

But, of course, a combat-focused Factotum should have maxed Iaijutso Focus and EWP (Gnomish Quickrazor).


FTFY.

Whether "factota" is correct for the standard usage of the word or not is irrelevant. Just like "maneouvre" is incorrect when referring to anything in ToB.
I really, really don't care. As far as I'm concerned, you're honestly just being rude.

[hex0]

Without Font, you have more feats to spend on other things. Like Martial Study/Stance, EWP: Spiked Chain, Hidden Talent, Knowledge Devotion, Imperious Command, Darkstalker...

Can you take Iajutsu Focus?

[Rubik]

I really, really don't care. As far as I'm concerned, you're honestly just being rude.I edit novels on the side. As far as I'm concerned, I'm honestly just being helpful. Sorry if I came off as being rude.

[Answerer]

It would be one thing if it were an actual error. A choice to use an equally-valid variant of a word, however, is my choice. I don't particularly care if it matches the variant used by Dungeonscape.

[Sith_Happens]

You are correct about cunning surge, but it does rely on cunning insight if it wants to be more effective than an expert or aristocrat in combat. Even 10 inspiration points really isn't very many if you're using them to boost attacks and damage. Again, you will largely be forced to rely on your more efficient inspiration->effect machines such as your SLAs in combat, I recommend focusing on them.

Add on to that:

Tripping/Disarming.
Iaijutsu Focus.
UMD.
Imperious Command.

Though it may not always mean putting out big numbers, there are plenty of ways a Factotum can be effective in combat without blowing all his Inspiration points in one go.

[animewatcha]

Any chance of iron heart surge - > immune to expending Inspiration points?

[Kelb_Panthera]

Any chance of iron heart surge - > immune to expending Inspiration points?

Vaguely worded as it is, there's always a chance that IHS will negate anything.

Realistically though, I wouldn't count on a DM ruling it that way.

[Acanous]

what DOES Imperious Command do, anyhow? I know the rest of them, but that one... What's the source?

[Darthteej]

what DOES Imperious Command do, anyhow? I know the rest of them, but that one... What's the source?

It's from Drow of the Underdark. Take a look. (http://dndtools.eu/feats/drow-of-the-underdark--93/imperious-command--3193/)

[Arcanist]

Vaguely worded as it is, there's always a chance that IHS will negate anything.

Realistically though, I wouldn't count on a DM ruling it that way.

If it is worded that way then a Jade Phoenix can easily conquer the world by simply saying "I am out of Spell Slots" or "Wish is making me lose XP" or "I do not have a Divine Rank".

[Tvtyrant]

I believe the best use of Cunning Surge is to use magical items (if using straight Factotum). You don't have enough SLAs to burn through them, but magic items are replaceable.

[Kelb_Panthera]

If it is worded that way then a Jade Phoenix can easily conquer the world by simply saying "I am out of Spell Slots" or "Wish is making me lose XP" or "I do not have a Divine Rank".

That's exactly my point. The maneuver really is so vague that if you could pitch those items as effects to which your character is subject at your DM convincingly enough, IHS could undo those things.

Of course, those examples are ludicrous, just like trying to phrase it so that you don't burn inspiration points is absurd. Technically, you could get that ruling and call it RAW, but that wouldn't make it right, and if you have that kind of skill in convincing people of things then you could probably be spending your time better than by playing D&D.

So like I said. Don't count on getting that ruling.

[Answerer]

if you have that kind of skill in convincing people of things then you could probably be spending your time better than by playing D&D.
Yeah, I don't think a whole lot of people are getting past that +50 Sense Motive modifier; real-life humans can't really get past level 5 or 6 so getting that kind of Bluff check without glibness seems highly unlikely.

[Zeb]

Currently running a non font Factotum at low levels getting great use of poisons.

If you craft it yourself Waterdeep city of splendors has an awesome knockout gas called Sleep Smoke that works out to 4gp a use.

Master poisoner feat from Drow of the underdark is real handy.

[BowStreetRunner]

Thanks for the replies everyone. This really does help me narrow down the builds I am likely to use.

[Inglenook]

10-point Trajan Pro boldface.

*flees thread*