What puts Totemist as tier 3?

[animewatcha]

I plan of taking atleast few levels in totemist to supplement a shifter unarmed/natural attack build. How many levels of totemist does it take to become 'tier 3' or is it 'any level' or just x lvl + or what? Drag mag soulmelds are open to me ( most everything else drag mag, dungeon, or WOTC ), but no ToB. Exactly what type of build is required for it to be done as 'tier 3' ?

[DangerDanger]

Blunk Shird, man.

EDIT: Basilisk Mask, Manitcore Belt, Shadow Mantle.

[Psyren]

Tiers aren't defined level-by-level like that; a class' tier is judged by looking at its abilities as a whole. Though that doesn't really matter for Totemists in any case - their biggest change in power is between levels 1 and 2, and from there it's a pretty smooth progression (with another slight bump at 11.)

Anyway, the beauty of Incarnum is that there is no set build. If you're in a more combat-focused part of the campaign, you shape melds that give you lots of natural attacks and boost your defense. If you're in a more social/scouting phase, you shape melds that boost your skill checks. If you're in a more recon/exploration phase, you shape melds that help you get around easier. Things like that. Just get a feel for the kind of campaign you're in (how many fights per day, what roles in the party need filling, that sort of thing) and shape accordingly.

[DangerDanger]

{scrubbed}

[Person_Man]

Things a Totemist can easily do:

Melee: TONS of natural weapons with well scaled buffs for those weapons.
Tank: Decent buffs to AC, hit points, and a few defensive tricks.
Scout: Easily buffed Hide, Move Silently, Spot, and Listen.
Mobility: Lots of movement speed buffs, Jump and Climb buffs, Move Action Dimension Door, the ability to go Etherereal (and thus move through creatures/walls) when you move, flight.
Ranged: Decent ranged attacks and breath weapons.
Save or Suck: Flesh to Stone or area of effect Save or Stun, plus a couple of Fear effects.


And 90% of your best options kick in at level 2, though you're still a melee monster at level 1. (Though like most classes, you can't do more then one role well at the same time until higher levels. You have to change it out each day when you reshape your soulmelds, or wait until level 9ish in order to seriously fill out 2-3 different roles at once).

[animewatcha]

Once thing that I have wondered. Multiple things that grant x-natural weapon attacks without the 'once per round' or like clause. Basically, feral template + girallon's arms.

How many claw attacks total? 2 better damage + 2 lower damage? or 6 for total attacks? or what?

[Darth Stabber]

Once thing that I have wondered. Multiple things that grant x-natural weapon attacks without the 'once per round' or like clause. Basically, feral template + girallon's arms.

How many claw attacks total? 2 better damage + 2 lower damage? or 6 for total attacks? or what?

Depends on the reading, but i'm pretty sure you would get the 2 higher 2 lower option. Make sure you get improved unarmed strike, it ensures you get iterative attacks. Throw on multi-attack and you are set.

But yeah, totemist is a great 2 lvl dip on anything melee, and it's really good on it's own too. It fits very neatly into tier 3 because it's very good at it's shtick (combat monster), and, with the flexibility of incarnum, you can contribute in things outside of it's shtick. Pretty much the definition of tier3.