[Jade Phoenix-Gestalt] What's a good class to go with JPM?

['Grasshopper']

Hey Guys and Girls,

I'm looking for some suggestions for my Gestalt character!

It's a fun, crazy Gestalt game where we are Level 8 in (at least) two classes, and each time we level we go up in both (or two).

I really like the Jade Phoenix mage, and love my Warblades.

While Duskblade is a nice compliment to this, the spell-casting is pretty dull.

Compared to what everyone else in the party can do, my spells just aren't that interesting, and for the most part their damage is met by Warblade manoeuvres.

JPM is at the heart of this build, I'm open to any suggestions from there!

[Twilightwyrm]

Since you have a warblade as entrance, I would say Wizard, if only due to the Int synergy. I personally hate lugging around a spell book to the point that I'm generally willing to take sorcerer instead, even with the lack of spell versatility, but then again I like the Quick Draw feat. So yeah, wizard is probably your best bet.

[silverwolfer]

how about we do something way differnt

Level one Human , Adept Learner

Beguiler Warblade
-------Levels up--

Mindbender Abjurant champion
JPM Abjurant Champion



If you have levels left over after your done with JPM

I would suggest More Beguiler/warblade


This gives you a strong Out of combat Illusion/Lock picking, while also strong spells for combat like blink/teleport/ and things that give you cover, while you do your warblade stuff.

Mindbender gives you telepathy for 100 ft

Abjurant Champion gives you swift casting for protection spells, lets you get into battle quicker.

[Lapak]

Since you have a warblade as entrance, I would say Wizard, if only due to the Int synergy. I personally hate lugging around a spell book to the point that I'm generally willing to take sorcerer instead, even with the lack of spell versatility, but then again I like the Quick Draw feat. So yeah, wizard is probably your best bet.As it's less overwhelming and thematically appropriate, I like Wu Jen for JPM entry. As a bonus, its spell list is anything but 'uninteresting' and has a couple of unique entries that work really well with gish builds in general and JPM in particular.

[Talionis]

Without a question: Wu Jen -- Complete Mage or Arcane (I get those confused)

Its Intelligence based.
It gets Body outside Body spell which lets you make copies of yourself that cannot cast, but can use all of your Maneuvers. This can be completely broken if you get levels of Archmage to turn Body Outside Body into a spell-like ability so your clones can make clones.

Either way you'll get some Meta Magic Boosts and a lot of good elemental and buff spells that work well in Melee.

:( Swordsaged' but I did explain why a little better.

[Dusk Eclipse]

As it's less overwhelming and thematically appropriate, I like Wu Jen for JPM entry. As a bonus, its spell list is anything but 'uninteresting' and has a couple of unique entries that work really well with gish builds in general and JPM in particular.

+1 to this and Two words: "Decapitating. Scarf." not the best spell; but an incredibly cool one and just one more reason to carry a badass scarf.

[eggs]

It sounds like you have a build in play. If so, what is it?

ToB does weird things in gestalt that depend pretty heavily on group rulings.

JPM, for instance, kind of progresses a martial initiate class, but does it according to slightly different rules than normal base-class advancement, so the "fastest progression" rule is kind of tricky to adjudicate. Similarly, it kind of acts like a dual-progression class, but doesn't do it in a direct enough way to necessarily follow the same limitations as Mystic Theurge &co.

If this is a blank slate, JPM's allowed in gestalt and double simultaneous maneuver progression is ruled out, think my ideal here would be something like:
{table=head]Lvl|Class|Class
1|Crusader 1|Wizard 1
2|Crusader 2|Wizard 2
3|Crusader 3|Wizard 3
4|Crusader 4|Master Specialist 1
5|Crusader 5|Master Specialist 2
6|Crusader 6|AbjChamp 1
7|JPM 1|Wizard 4
8|JPM 2|Factotum 1
9|JPM 3|Factotum 2
10|JPM 4|Factotum 3
11|JPM 5|Factotum 4
12|JPM 6|Wizard 5
13|JPM 7|Factotum 5
14|JPM 8|Factotum 6
15|JPM 9|Factotum 7
16|JPM 10|Factotum 8
17|Crusader 7|AbjChamp 2
18|Crusader 8|AbjChamp 3
19|Crusader 9|AbjChamp 4
20|Crusader 10|AbjChamp 5[/table]
For 20/20 Wizard advancement, full Crusader IL and Factotum's extra actions.

(Crusader is selected over Warblade for its recharge mechanic, which plays much more nicely with Wizard and JPM than Warblade's swift+attack action cost. Wizard is selected over Duskblade because in gestalt no one cares about the Duskblade's chassis, the Wizard spell list is just drastically better and Arcane Channeling loses much of its appeal when it competes with strikes for a character's standard action.)

[Rebel7284]

Factotum 8

[Psyren]

Definitely Wu Jen. In addition to the juicy eastern flavor you get from all three classes, Wu Jen have very special synergies with gishes in general (e.g. their Scarf spells) and JPM in particular (e.g. Body Outside Body lets your clones perform maneuvers, and Emerald Immolation + Transcend Mortality lets you cheat death on the cheap.

[RFLS]

Alternatively, you could pull some serious cheese out and go something like this; Wizard 13/Wizard 4/Crusader 3 // Crusader 5/Ur Priest 2/RKV 6/Abj Champ 4/Mystic Theurge 3.

I'm not sure this works, I'm AFB and working from memory, but I THINK this gets you 9th level divine and arcane spells, as well as 9th level Maneuvers, along with the awesomeness that is Abjurant Champion and RKV.

[Acanous]

Most folks I know who run gestalt only allow you to Multi/Prestige class on one of the sides, the other is restricted to a single base class with the caveat that you can buy off LA with it.
If this is the case for you, I reccommend Knight.
Mettle is great, the survivability really can't be beat, and it's lv 20 ability goes well with JPM lore. You just. won't. die. Ever.

If you have the option to multi on both sides, I'd go Wizard/Master Specialist (Abjurer) on the one for the Evasion Lite that it grants. Martial Adept on the other into JPM.

['Grasshopper']

Thanks for all the replies guys!

Yes, you are right Acanous, I should've been clearer.
We are permitted two classes, with a prestige class as a part of one of them. (As Acanous explained).

Wu Jen does seem really cool, and you're right it fits the theme nicely. However we already have one in the party and I don't want to take his role away from him. I'll think about it.

(P.S. Wu Jen is in Complete Arcane)

Which book is Factotum in? I haven't looked at that one yet.

Currently I am using [8 Warblade - 4 JPM/4 Duskblade]. I like that a Duskblade can cast without provoking attacks of opportunity, which is pretty key as a melee fighter. But like I said the spell-list is a bit dull, so I am looking at something else. Maaaaaaybe my GM would let me take Arcane Channelling as a Feat >.> (?)

To give you an idea of the character, we are all students in the "Adventuring Society" at a private university. He is a posh-boy who spent his gap year in the Oriental nation of 'Xiang'. Hence the JPM and a certain level of enlightenment. He fights with a cane sword (Fluff. Rapier + Buckler).

It may also may amuse you to know we have two people literally playing "Jeeves and Wooster"

[Psyren]

Wu Jen does seem really cool, and you're right it fits the theme nicely. However we already have one in the party and I don't want to take his role away from him. I'll think about it.

Ask him to trade with you. Seriously. This is absolutely the best concept for Wu Jen; whatever he's got going on doesn't have the same flavor or mechanical synergy. Try suggesting Archivist to him instead (if he's the bookish sort of caster) or even Psion/Erudite.

[Sith_Happens]

Wu Jen does seem really cool, and you're right it fits the theme nicely. However we already have one in the party and I don't want to take his role away from him. I'll think about it.

Just focus on buffing yourself and gishing out while he does the other fun magic-y things.