Gestalt Solo party. [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Anium

2013-04-21, 12:03 PM

I'm starting a new campaign with a special thing, i will most of the time be alone(as a pc) interacting with the game and i want to be prepared for everything. I must be effective at all levels and cheese is not allowed(gestalt is cheese enough). My stats are fixed: 18,18,16,14,14,12 and my personality is kind of fixed in Tirant, Lawfull evil guy who wants to rule a kingdom and "force" them to be civil with each other and make his country de best whatever the cost(end justify means).
My first though was a warmage/duskblade with healing arcane disciple. But lacks utility spells and skills. Maybe cloistered cleric/factotum or duskblade?
I'm open for overpowered mix but must have a fluff background. Need feats and race too(humanoid, as i have to rule a kingdom a pixy or an ogre would do a poor job).

Dragon magazines are out, and remember i have to survive ALL levels and can only depend on myself(maybe with other people through diplomance but i don't know the setting yet).

Suddo

2013-04-21, 01:07 PM

Wizard (with PrC) should probably be one side of the character, or at least some Tier 1/2 character. The other side I would make a defensive character.

rollforeigninit

2013-04-21, 01:32 PM

Wizard//Factotum, Wizard//Duskblade, Wizard//Archivist, Wizard//Psion(Telepath)/Thrallherd? and Wizard//Warblade are all quite solid and all quite good for Int synergy.

Feralventas

2013-04-21, 01:38 PM

Warblade/Factotem.

Your Tyrant didn't get that title by simply being powerful, he got it through knowing just about everything about everyone and doing something about it. His martial training was a good start, but while the weapon in his hands was certainly helpful in bringing the nation to its knees, the weapon he cherishes most is his mind.

Factotem is in Dungeonscape, gets a little bit of spellcasting to qualify for Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Wondrous Item, and Wand. Lots of skills, and can add it's Int modifier to almost anything.

Warblade is in the Tome of Battle, and has some of the best immediate-action defenses and easily viable offenses in the game for non-casters.

Focus on a high int-score for enough skill points to know just about everything as well as amping up Balance and Concentration (Iron Heart and Diamond Mind martial discipline's main skills) and take Knowledge Devotion for extra to-hit and damage vs targets you know something about. (Complete Champion for that one).

Your character is a genius, a master of preparation and planning, and excellent at improvisation when needed.

dantiesilva

2013-04-21, 01:41 PM

Saying the wizard side of the coin has been said Cleric/ Fighter

Be a human and if flaws are allowed this is your feat line up
1st level feat Extend spell
Flaw 1 (frail, lose 1 hp each level) Persist spell
Flaw 2 (shaky, -2 to ranged attacks) DMM persist spell
Human feat Extra turning
Fighter feat power attack

Str14
Dex14
Con16
Int12
Wis18
Cha18

At level 1 you can walk around as a large creature from enlarge person making your stats much better and having reach.

Take strength domain as well as Law, Later on get law devotion and Divine might along with the charge feats and you are all set.

qcbtnsrm

2013-04-21, 01:52 PM

Druid (if it fits the fluff) is ideal. You get full casting, a fighter as a class ability, healing, and a huge variety of effects via summoning. Then on the other side you can dip like there is no tomorrow: Monk for feats, abilities, saves; Cleric for domain access and to open up clerical magic items; Rogue for skills; Fighter for a couple of feats. Go crazy. Druid is probably the single best chassis on which to build a solo campaign.

If you need something more urban, you simply can't go wrong with Factotum. Huge skills, Int to almost anything, a smattering of spells, and an ability to break action economy make it a real winner. Then just put your favorite Int based caster on the other side. And as you don't have to worry about falling behind other players you could even put a theurge style prc on the other side and take both Archivist and Wizard. Or matching your character flavor even better Wizard and Ur Priest and get ninth level casting in both Arcane and Divine. Bend the world to your will even if it means defying the gods themselves.

Anium

2013-04-21, 01:53 PM

What do you think of cloistered/factotum?
I wouldnt get arcane power, but skills, healing and utility plenty of it. Human with two flaws.

I would need a deity with this domains: Knowledge(cloistered, devotion feat), undeath(extra turning) and planification(extend). persist and DMM persist.

Stats as follow:STR 12 Dex 16 CON 14 INT 18 WIS 18 CHA 14

Just grab longsword, heavy shield and chainshirt for survival.

If i could take flaws which ones should be, and ¿what feats should i take?

Jack_Simth

2013-04-21, 01:53 PM

Other than the little bit that you're stuck on Lawful-Evil, I'd suggest Druid//Ninja. Divine casting, a disposable minion meatshield helpful companion from 1st level, trapfinding, and stealth all in one convenient package. A little UMD and you're good to go.

Anium

2013-04-21, 02:29 PM

qcbtnsrm

2013-04-21, 02:36 PM

What do you think of cloistered/factotum?
I wouldnt get arcane power, but skills, healing and utility plenty of it. Human with two flaws.
I would recommend Archivist over Cloistered Cleric for three reasons:
Int-synergy - your spells are Int based so you can tank Wis. Better to be be SAD than MAD.
Dark Devotion absolutely rocks
You get access to a ton more spells. And several at much lower levels than the Cloistered Cleric... At first level you could choose between Mage Armor, Identify, Sleep, Entangle, Grease, Enlarge Person, Detect Thoughts, Lesser Restoration, Resist Energy, Summon Nature's Ally I, Winged Watcher (flight at 1st level), and Barkskin. Between Archivist and Factotum you will likely have access to almost every arcane spell in the game. And if you want to go a bit cheesy, you can get every arcane spell in the game.

You lose Rebuking. But a number of prcs can get that back for you. So you can still do Persist DMM shenanigans, you'll just have to wait till 9th level. Likewise you can get domain abilities later via prc. And until you do you have access to their spells anyway.

Anium

2013-04-21, 02:50 PM

Rubik

2013-04-21, 03:01 PM

qcbtnsrm

2013-04-21, 03:03 PM

What book is archivist from? Kinda rusty wiht books diferent of completes. Can archivist cast in armor? I really need the ac or i will go down fast.
Take murky eyed and frail for med armor competence and ?
Heroes of Horror.

Archivists can cast in any armor and is proficient in Light and Medium armors.

But the real nifty bit is their spell list is every divine spell in the game. An Archivist learns spells like a wizard. So it has a spell book. But it can learn any divine spell in the game. Any domain spell, any cleric spell, any druid spell, any prc spell, etc. And you get it at the level of that character. So a 3rd level paladin spell is third level for you even if it is 6th level for a cleric. And even if you can't find a paladin to scribe the spell for you, you can "research" the spell. It is pretty much the definition of a flexible character.

Jack_Simth

2013-04-21, 03:05 PM

What book is archivist from? Kinda rusty wiht books diferent of completes. Can archivist cast in armor? I really need the ac or i will go down fast.

Heroes of Horror, and an Archivist is a divine caster (essentially a divine wizard, really, with a more open-ended spell list) so can cast in armour without penalty (gets light and medium armor, plus shields, but not tower shields). Oh, WotC put the Archivist Online (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20051007a&page=3), so you can read all about it.

Gildedragon

2013-04-21, 03:06 PM

An archivist can cast in armor
if you go a deity that does planning, undeath and knowledge ya gotta go necropolitan for flavor

DMVerdandi

2013-04-21, 03:07 PM

Thing is, i need the skills and healing, i already get the trapfinding from factotum, with inspiration and persisted blessing think i could stand my own for the first two or three levels, and having enough skills for any situation(although very spread). Think that the goal of my pc is getting his own kingdom, so leadership will be a must. Cleric gives me a ton of extra feats and factotum the extra utility arcane spells i will need. Think its a good convination. Sure, wiz/cleric will be way more powerfull at higher levels, but i have to get there and my dm won't babysit me.

Honestly I would say

Cleric 1/ Factotum 1/Cleric 18//
Erudite 20

Use the Able Learner and Academic Priest feats at first level.
INT synergy like crazy.

Now you have Divine Spells and Psionic Powers at your beck and call.
You also have a solid 3/4 Bab and plenty of opportunity to buff it. All skills as class skills, and no reliance on contradictory scores. Just Max INT.

Highest to lowest scores.
Int, Con, Dex, Str, Cha, Wis

If you want, you can use ACF's for the Erudite, most remarkably Spell to Power, which would get you all arcane spells learnable as powers.
And if not, playing a vanilla erudite in the long run is still the best psionic class.

In this build, your tyrant will look to his own power to unify his mind and spirit to the point where they have become one perfect killing weapon.

I encourage the use of spell points as well, just to smooth it all over.

Anium

2013-04-21, 04:18 PM

Draz74

2013-04-21, 04:53 PM

Might I suggest a dragonborn warforged shaper // factotum 11/totemist 2/ToB class 1 or 2/factotum X? You have lots of immunities, a really nice Con score, flight or a breath weapon, and you're a near-literal infinite toolbox with answers for virtually anything. If you want to PrC out, try the 3.5 constructor (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625b) class (but take the Linked Power feat from CPsi and forgo the constructor's 10th level), followed by anarchic initiate (from CPsi) or ghostbreaker (from Hyperconscious).

Hmmm, this is quite close -- although a slight improvement -- to what I was going to recommend. But, although Linked Power is a very good feat, don't rely on it for summoning Astral Constructs quickly; instead, use the Personal Construct ACF from Mind's Eye (which replaces your Level 5 Psion feat).

Now I want to build this guy.

But if the OP isn't allowed to go with a Psion or an Archivist (or, presumably, an Artificer), then I would suggest Wizard for sure.

Full Wizard casting on one side. (PrCs after Level 5, and if allowed, pick up the Spontaneous Divination ACF from Complete Champion at Level 5.) At least 8 levels of Factotum and at least 1 level of Warblade on the other side.

If you're worried about not being a divine caster because of the need for self-healing ... there are other ways to have good self-healing. Warforged + Repair X Damage spells is the obvious method, if Opportunistic Piety (from Factotum) isn't enough. Crusader levels are another good option.

Rubik

2013-04-21, 05:45 PM

I know that this is now somewhat off-topic, but...

Hmmm, this is quite close -- although a slight improvement -- to what I was going to recommend. But, although Linked Power is a very good feat, don't rely on it for summoning Astral Constructs quickly; instead, use the Personal Construct ACF from Mind's Eye (which replaces your Level 5 Psion feat).Linked Power is way more flexible than Personal Construct (not the least of which is because you can't alter the options on the P.C. to suit your current situation), and both cost a feat. If you Link Astral Construct, you can manifest a 1 pp power as a standard, move, swift, or even immediate action, and it'll show up on your turn next round. And you'll want Linked Power anyway, so you can pull things like Psionic Fabricate, Psionic Identify, and Psionic Minor Creation in one round.

That, and if you're going to eat a feat for Personal Construct anyway, you can instead use the Metapower feat from CPsi on, say, Linked Power and Synchronicity to reduce the cost of your manifestations of Astral Construct by one, meaning that instead of having your (essentially) Quickened constructs costing you 1 pp, they now cost you -1 pp (which can be used to further augment them).

Now I want to build this guy.It's incredibly fun. Don't forget some metapsionic and metabreath feats and the Gemstone Breath power from Dragon Magic for super breath weapon blasting!

Draz74

2013-04-21, 06:35 PM

I know that this is now somewhat off-topic, but...

Linked Power is way more flexible than Personal Construct (not the least of which is because you can't alter the options on the P.C. to suit your current situation), and both cost a feat. If you Link Astral Construct, you can manifest a 1 pp power as a standard, move, swift, or even immediate action, and it'll show up on your turn next round. And you'll want Linked Power anyway, so you can pull things like Psionic Fabricate, Psionic Identify, and Psionic Minor Creation in one round.

That, and if you're going to eat a feat for Personal Construct anyway, you can instead use the Metapower feat from CPsi on, say, Linked Power and Synchronicity to reduce the cost of your manifestations of Astral Construct by one, meaning that instead of having your (essentially) Quickened constructs costing you 1 pp, they now cost you -1 pp (which can be used to further augment them).
Two problems with this. First, it doesn't work well with my (admittedly conservative) interpretation of the rather poorly-defined restriction in Linked Power:

The linked power is automatically targeted on the same area or target as the power you manifest in this round (if the power you manifest this round has no area or target, choose an area or target in this round for the linked power to affect in the next round).
Second, if you can get past the first restriction ... then Linked Power (Astral Construct) becomes so good that I think it's in danger of getting banhammered. :smalltongue:

Although your bringing up Synchronicity might have already been a hint that you're not concerned with DMs wielding banhammers anyway ...

It's incredibly fun. Don't forget some metapsionic and metabreath feats and the Gemstone Breath power from Dragon Magic for super breath weapon blasting!
I'm gonna have to re-read that Power. I never paid it much attention, since it's rather ... niche.

Rubik

2013-04-21, 07:03 PM

Two problems with this. First, it doesn't work well with my (admittedly conservative) interpretation of the rather poorly-defined restriction in Linked Power:

Second, if you can get past the first restriction ... then Linked Power (Astral Construct) becomes so good that I think it's in danger of getting banhammered. :smalltongue:Astral Construct can't target a creature, so you CAN'T target yourself with it; ergo, you MUST target a space.

Although your bringing up Synchronicity might have already been a hint that you're not concerned with DMs wielding banhammers anyway ...I optimize strongly but play conservatively...assuming it's not a high-op group, anyway. I'll use strong tricks here and there to pull the group out of the fire; otherwise, I just make myself as versatile as possible so I have tons of tricks up my sleeve. That, and shapers are excellent for power point conservation.

I've only had to nova three times with a higher level shaper character:

One was during an army battle -- I nearly ran out on that one.

Two was against a dragon 17 CRs above me that was slaughtering the party.

Three was against the BBEG who'd outed me as her mole in the party. (I was Evil, but I was also playing both sides, and REALLY wanted the artifact she carried.) My character didn't appreciate it, and neither he nor I thought the party could possibly take her down without us, so we slaughtered her in a surprise round.

Shapers are excessively fun, I say.

I'm gonna have to re-read that Power. I never paid it much attention, since it's rather ... niche.Its damage is usually sub-par. However, it can be optimized REALLY well for duration blasting and BFC if you're clever.

DMVerdandi

2013-04-21, 07:04 PM

Master ruled psions out, and oddly enough, he is frowning at archivist but not at persisting one spell at level 1..

Guess my build will finally be regular cleric:
STR 16
Dex 12
CON 14
INT 18
Wis 18
CHa 14

Domains undeath and planification.
Feats persist spell and DMM persist
Flaw, murky eyed = Knowledge devotion
Shaky = ?

I am telling you man, Take academic priest at level 1.
As a matter of fact, you can't even take persist spell without extend spell, so you have to redo your feat selection anyway.

Int as the spellcasting stat allows for skill synergy.
And since you said you can't play as a psion, then you have all of those extra levels to play as other classes. Factotum is good if you don't care about base physical power, but if that isn't a concern to you, warblade on the other side would be dandy.

Cleric 20// Warblade 1/ Factotum 1/warblade 19

That is a beast with academic priest and Able Learner.

Draz74

2013-04-21, 08:02 PM

Astral Construct can't target a creature, so you CAN'T target yourself with it; ergo, you MUST target a space.
Right ... or the alternative interpretation: therefore, it fails if you Link it to a Power that targets one's self. :smalltongue:

Soranar

2013-04-21, 08:31 PM

If you're soloing , you want a LOT of skillpoints, meaning an INT based character.

Factotum is incredibly good for just about anything so that side is a given (gives a good skillpoint, skill choices, INT synergy, trapfinding, even some healing)

First options, spell to power erudite// factotum

factotum covers all your mundane needs, spell to power erudite covers the rest

everything is INT based and you can wear armor to manifest powers

Rubik

2013-04-21, 08:38 PM

Right ... or the alternative interpretation: therefore, it fails if you Link it to a Power that targets one's self. :smalltongue:Um... Except it does give you the option to alter the targeting for the power. Explicitly. I'm really not sure how you get from here to there.

Gildedragon

2013-04-21, 09:02 PM

binder on one side wouldn't be a bad idea, letting you customize abilities day to day

Wookie-ranger

2013-04-21, 09:35 PM

This thread is very much to my interest. This is what I can come up with right now.
It might be considered cheesy but It gives you lots of power, and does not even bend the rules.

Side A:
Wizard 5 /
Mindbender 1 /
Cloistered Cleric 1/
Ur-Priest 1/
Mythic Teurge 8 (wiz+ur)/
Dweomerkeeper 4
at level20 you are effectively god; spells galore and with the DK you don't need to pay xp or material components if you don't feel like it.

Side B:
Artificer 5/
something something 5/
Thrallherd 1/
Something something 9/

How to get Thrallherd at level 10:
1. get skill in Diplomacy 4 ranks and Knowledge (psionics) 8 ranks.
2. take the feat "Telepathic Affinity" (Complete Psionic, p. 60) at level 10 you can cast mindlink at ML5.
3. ...
4. profit.... and lots of replaceable minions.

If Side B is too cheesy (even though it is fully legit)
just go:
Psion (telepath) 9/
Thrallherd 1/
Something 10/

Gildedragon

2013-04-21, 10:10 PM

binder on one side wouldn't be a bad idea, letting you customize abilities day to day

Rubik

2013-04-21, 10:30 PM

How to get Thrallherd at level 10: He did say psionics was disallowed, unfortunately.

Draz74

2013-04-22, 12:21 AM

Um... Except it does give you the option to alter the targeting for the power. Explicitly. I'm really not sure how you get from here to there.

Because it says you can alter the targeting for the power if the original power doesn't have an area or target.

JaronK

2013-04-22, 04:06 AM

I'd go with Archivist//Factotum. That should give you all the options you'd ever need... and the appropriate synergy.

JaronK

Wookie-ranger

2013-04-22, 06:29 AM

He did say psionics was disallowed, unfortunately.

hmmm, right.
Well, 'technically' you would not be manifesting any powers, and you would not have any power-points either! :smallbiggrin:

In that case, side A is still good.
Side B could be just artificer5/ something, Here you gain 'retain essence'
or
Artificer 11/ something here you get to use MM feats on items.

The main problem of what what to do with side be is that you are already a wizard and you cannot cast any other divine spells. So choosing side B is kind of tough.
You could choose bard, artificer, warlock, dread necromancer or any class that gives you nice class features and is not a divine caster.

Anium

2013-04-22, 08:59 AM

After some book dodging dm finally accepted archivist/factotum, and i'm starting at level 2. Any specific build i could use? He didnt ban domain spells to be learned but i expect him to just tell me i cant find them. I guess this makes the archivist a bit worse. Allowed 2 flaws and a trait. Race must be cl 0 that people would be willing to follow.
Thx guys for the help.

dantiesilva

2013-04-22, 09:20 AM

Human or strongheart halfing you can never go wrong with.

Human gives bonus feat and skill points.

Strongheart gives all the goods of a halfling with a bonus feat. Can't go wrong. Your only real loss is the +1 to all saves, but for a simple feat you could take youndllas blessing from Races of the wild and add you (wisdom or cha forgot which) to your saves if you really wanted it.

And I thought you said no cheese? Oh well, never played either class as they lead into cheese without even trying to ( Tainted scholar) but good luck.

Anium

2013-04-22, 09:30 AM

Well by cheese he meant Rai, so no loopholes, uber combos or whatever, being just a 1 pc party i have to focus more on survival than real power. Though of either human or some lesser planetouched(tiefling or air genasi). How would you use the stats?(keeing in mind i'll have to melee and skillmonkey).

dantiesilva

2013-04-22, 09:59 AM

Intelligence gets the 18 as it adds to everything....Con is always good to have so 18. After that its a matter of play style. 16 in either STR or DEX. 14 in the other. Put the other 14 in Cha for diplomacy and such.

Fouredged Sword

2013-04-22, 10:28 AM

Wizard (specialist Abjurer, banning evocation and necromancy) 7 / Abjurant Champion 2 / Wizard 7 / // Factotum 4 / Spellthief 1 / chameleon 2 / Duskblade 2 / chameleon 8 / Duskblade 3.

Play Int > Con > Strength > Dex > Cha > Wis. Your minimum stat as wis still lets you get a +4 item of wis and cast all the divine spells you can normally cast.

The build focuses on getting to Abjurant Champion 2 quickly on top of getting chameleon casting and closing up any weaknesses in a traditional build and filling all class rolls.

At low levels you are a rough and tumble adventurer. Focus on ranged attacks with a composite longbow and stealth/ sniping. Pick spells that allow you to end encounters from surprise (color spray, sleep) and taking out targets from hiding.

Evolve as you gain more spell levels to battlefield control and power attack melee.

At 5th level you get your spellthief level, so take craven at 6th level and master spellthief at 9th. 6th level greatly increases your damage from the first attack of each combat and you start getting chameleon casting. Use the chameleon divine focus to pick up clerical buffs. Focus on divine power for the melee boost.

Your abjurations become swift actions at 9th level. Use that to spam dispels and buffs. The greater shield spell grants something like +11 AC, use it.

At high levels you have an int in the 30's, and 20th level wizard casting, up to 5th level divine and arcane Chameleon spells (filling in your banned schools), abd a spattering of duskblade 1st level spells you can use to boost melee attacks, a mitheral breastplate that doesn't effect your casting, 1d6+20 sneak attack damage, great hide, move sci, search, and disable device checks)

Divine power gives you full BaB when needed. The caster level for all spells is 20, regardless of class. You have a floating feat to use on item creation feats of your choice. Pick up a ring of evasion.

At 20th level your first round of combat looks like the following - Swift action mage's disjunction -> standard action mind rape.

Soranar

2013-04-22, 11:35 AM

If psionics are banned it complicates thing a little for sheer versatility

You still want to be INT based though so I'd tell you to go for an artificer // factotum build but that is a very difficult class to play so, unless you're familiar with it you might prefer something else.

if you are going that route, play a warforged and get a wand chamber in your arms to insure you always have a weapon

archivist// factotum is definitely a good idea

factotum completes your high saves, fixes your hitpoints and BAB and you can still cast in armor

problem becomes spell access, that'll depend on your DM

if you're not allowed to take academic priest, you also lose out on bonus spells

finally, there's the wizard side idea

go for a focused specialist build (more spellslots are needed for a solo character), your factotum side can compensate with your extra banned schools with it's casting ability

Anium

2013-04-22, 03:22 PM

So for now this is the build:

Level 2 Archivist / 2 factotum lesser tiefling

Str 16
Dex 16(14)
Con 18
Int 20(18)
Wis 12
Cha 12(14)

Feats:
1 Academic priest
Flaw(murkyeyed) = Infernal heritage
Flaw(Shaky) = Wings feat.

Skills maxed: concentration, spellcraft, knowledge: arcana, religion, dungeonering, planes, nobility. Diplomacy, bluff.

Breastplate, shield and longsword. How does it look?