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Fruchtfliege
2012-10-21, 05:23 AM
Hey all,

I am currently in the process of creating a new character, because my old one was too powerful for the crowd I'm playing with.
"The crowd" is very unoptimized and consists of a bararian (who never heard of shocktrooper, leap attack or pounce), a druid (who knows basically no game mechanics at all and is played like a tier 4 at best) and a sorcerer (who chooses his spells out of PHB I only and is about to take a PrC that doesn't increase caster levels).

This is why I chose the skill monkey role with a bit of healing flavour.

My build so far is Factotum 3/Cloistered Cleric 1
(With knowledge devotion and Improved initiative through CC and 1*Font of Inspiration, Weapon finesse, Obtain familiar [Raven] as my feats)

Stats are (28 point buy):
Str: 10; Dex: 14; Con: 14; Int: 15 [-> 16 lvl 4]; Wis: 12; Cha: 10

Now in combat this means damage through criticals and Knowledge Devotion, which is weak but okay.
Iaijutsu focus is nothing that belongs in 3.5 in my oppionion and my DM sees it the same was.

So this is why I am worried about damage at higher levels.

Right now one option would be either multiclassing into a ToB class, which I'd like to avoid. My last three characters were all ToB and I'd like to take factotum all the way.
Another option, and the one I am leaning towards right now, would be taking improved familiar at level 9 and chosing an Earth Mephit, giving him leather armor and some big two handed weapon for additional fighting power.

Do you guys think this would be a viable option?

P.S.: Regarding Familiars My DM has sanctioned that my familiar would gain the benefits of me leveling up and may even share spells with me even though they are spell like abilities.

Cranthis
2012-10-21, 05:38 AM
Chameleon prc (races of destiny) is like factotum on steroids. This is a good way to keep the factotum-ness going, and do decent things at higher levels.

Fruchtfliege
2012-10-21, 06:08 AM
Well, it would eliminate the need for a familiar to fight for me and I would also be able to drop weapon finesse.
Thus freeing two feats (three if you count in "improved familiar") of which one would be replace with "able learner", which is quite useful on a factotum.

Thanks for the input.
I'll definitely think about this one.

sleepyphoenixx
2012-10-21, 06:38 AM
i think that, considering the level the rest of your party plays at, taking Chameleon at 6 would just make you too powerful again.

Even a pure Factotum taking only FoI for feats will most likely outshine the other players in combat with smart spell selection and cunning surge alone.
As the skillmonkey you will also quite likely take the spotlight in non-combat encounters.
Everything after that is just overkill, considering the reason you're making a new character.

Since your goal is "skillmonkey with a bit of healing flavor", have you considered playing a bard? your role would be the same, while inspire courage would help your damage (along with your partys, making them feel more useful :smallwink:).

Fruchtfliege
2012-10-21, 07:38 AM
After reading up on the PrC a bit I think you might be right.
Bard was another option for this, but I really like the factotum mechanics.
They seem like a lot of fun.

Maybe I should play test the character and make changes if needed.
Though planing ahead is generally my cup of tea ;)


But I still can't shake the feeling, that the current build (Without Improved Familiar) would be near useless in combat from level 6 on. Maybe get a bit better at level 9 due to being able to pull a few additional standard attacks, but getting worse fast there after.

Sith_Happens
2012-10-21, 08:29 AM
But I still can't shake the feeling, that the current build (Without Improved Familiar) would be near useless in combat from level 6 on. Maybe get a bit better at level 9 due to being able to pull a few additional standard attacks, but getting worse fast there after.

Tripping. Lots of tripping. And grappling. Brains Over Brawn lets you add Int to both.

Fruchtfliege
2012-10-21, 09:01 AM
I keep forgetting that...
With the right spells this will improve my combat viability a great deal.
Polymorphing/Shape changing spells... Here I come :D

Thanks!