Factotum Dip Suggestions

[Pandyman]

Factotum 5/ Master of Masks 1/ Fist of the Forest 1

I can't go chameleon, because I opted to go with a non-abled learning race. I went with the Hengeyokai from Oriental Adventures, and used the updated version in the Dragon Magazine that waived the level adjustment. I should at least go to Factotum 8 and pick up a few Font of Inspiration feats at some point, but I think I might retrain two of my Factotum levels into Rogue so I can skip taking Ronin.

I kinda want to take a lot of 1-2 level dips from classes front-loaded with goodies. Like Lion Totem Barbarian with the City Brawler alternative from Dragon Mag 349, Warshaper(most likely a 2 level dip), Ronin(full BAB with sneak attack for craven), Shadowdancer(level 1 HiPS), and possibly anything else. Around level 11-20 I was thinking that picking up a level or two of swordsage/warblade would be nice because of the way stances and maneuvers level with 1/2 the base character level.

I know there are a lot of old posts everywhere about good 1-2 level dips, but what are some good ones that'll diversify my character without gimping me too much? I think the only way to pick up good spellcasting dips at this point would be an Ur-Priest Dip followed by several divine casting progression prestige classes. Any Unique dip suggestions would be awesome.

We just met yesterday, and knowledge devotion plus my fullblade was heavily winning in the damage department. So, instead of outwardly optimizing, I'm hoping that I can spread myself into as many abilities as possible and let other people catch up a little bit.

Is there any simple way to prevent petrification? The only prevention thing I can think of is being part celestial in nature, since some angelic beings are immune to it. If anyone knows of any ways, that would be awesome.

[Randomguy]

Incarnate levels are great for miscellaneous skill boosting stuff.

[Gildedragon]

Binder levels, for having a variety of strange abilities any given day. You won't get access to the really powerful ones, but that's allright.

Totemist is cool because you have access to all the totemist soulmelds, and you get to fill your body slots with some diverse "items"

Exemplar to get to take 10 with some number of skills that you couldn't do so normally (such as UMD)

With Factotum you do have Sneak Attack as a class feature; besides retraining'd drop you to fact 6

[sleepyphoenixx]

I'll second Totemist. A 2 level dip gives you lots of nice goodies (like
move action teleport at will).

A single level of Warblade at level 9 gets you both Iron Heart Surge and
White Raven Tactics.

Dipping Swordsage can be worthwhile as early as level 7&8 for all 3 save maneuvers,
Cloak of Deception, Mountain Hammer, Shadow Jaunt +1 (i usually take Burning Blade for some easy fire damage)
along with Assassins Stance and maybe Child of Shadows or Step of the Wind.

A single level of Cloistered Cleric gets you Knowledge Devotion + 2 other Domain powers or Devotion feats (Animal & Travel are quite nice).
See if you can pick up the Cord of Favor (MIC 215, 3,000gp) for 3/day Divine Power for 6 rounds each.

There's a necklace of proof against petrification somewhere iirc and the
Proof against Transmutation armor ability (Complete Arcane i think).

[JaronK]

Get to Factotum 8 for Cunning Surge.

Mindbender 1 + Mindsight would let you instantly know where everything with a mind was relative to you, so that's awesome.

JaronK

[mattie_p]

OK, Factotum + barbarian. Yes, you get pounce, but can't you think of a better way to get that than a class that gives you bonuses when you absolutely cannot use intelligence-based anything?

[limejuicepowder]

Well there's the always popular whirling frenzy spirit lion barb 1 dip, but it sounds like that would further enhance the abilities that are already too strong for the group.

Warlock is a decent dipping class. They have a respectable variety of all-day or at-will abilities to choose from, like see invisibility, +6 to some skills sets, cha to a saving throw, at-will shatter, 20% miss chance for ranged attacks AND cannot be tracked (that's one invocation), and spiderclimb. Eldritch blast can be a nice backup weapon for sneak attacks. 2 levels gets you 2 invocations and detect magic at will (I'd be partial to see invisibility and shatter).

Is there a particular aspect of your class you're trying to boost a bit?

[Pandyman]

With Factotum you do have Sneak Attack as a class feature; besides retraining'd drop you to fact 6

Well, Factotum has Cunning Strike gives possible sneak attack damage, but the class feature isn't named "sneak attack". My DM is being a stickler for the craven feat, so I'll actually need to dip into a sneak attack class.

I really like all the suggestions so far. I'm not really looking to improve what I already have immediately, just increase the overall quantity of abilities at my disposal. Though if anything, by level 20 I'd like to keep a combat oriented focus.

Purely for speculation, if I were to get spellcasting from Ur Priest, I'd probably dip into a few classes for turn undeads, spell progression, and then I'd use it to buff myself. But the party isn't too optimized, so I feel any Ur Priest/DMM shenanigans might be over the top.

I talked to the swordsage in party. I might skip Swordsage and use the Warblade dip instead, he's going for assassin's stance and shadow jaunt so I don't want to step on his toes too much. I'm hoping that if i dip my hands into a lot of classes that the hit to my BAB will help even my attack bonus out with the other fighting oriented character in the group. I don't want to ruin their fun by being too powerful.

[Emperor Tippy]

Just take Martial Study + Martial Stance for Assassins Stance and then Chaos Shuffle Martial Study into something else useful (Assassins Stance means that you remain qualified for Martial Stance).

That get's you sneak attack for one feat and a bit of gold.

[Gildedragon]

Get gloves and then sell them to the swordsage, it nets them an extra maneuver or stance. Less cheesy than using the shuffle, same effect tho.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

A Warblade Dip may do your character good, with the Int focus of the Factotum. Especially when taken at an odd-numbered level, to make the most of the half-level initiator level bonus.