Playing a gestalt with mediocre stats...suggestions?

[13_CBS]

Hello everyone, it looks like I'm about to embark on a gestalt game with...not so impressive stats.

Character creation rules were...
Starting level = 1
3.P
4d6 best 3 for stats
All books are okay, as are official online supplements, but no 3rd party and no Dragon stuff.

Alas, I rolled the following for stats:

16
14
11
10
9
7 :smalleek:

I'm uncomfortable with playing full casters (or even tier 3 casters), however, without a base 18 in the casting stat, and there already are 3 other ToB characters in the party, so I'm a bit reluctant to go down that path as well. I'm not in the mood to play a mundane beat stick either (Fighter, barbarian, etc)

Currently I'm looking at Dragonfire Adept // Bard, seeking to optimize Dragonfire inspiration and focusing purely on buffing and party face, but I'm also open to suggestions.

(FYI on party makeup:
Bard//Druid skill monkey
Druid//Cleric blaster caster
Swordsage//Fighter Melee disruptor--grappling tripping ToB throwing
Cloistered Cleric//Crusader tank/healer
Egoist psion//Warblade Melee DPS

Despite the plethora of tier 1 classes in the party, my group tends to be low op.)

[Gerrtt]

How about playing a binder or a warlock? Or both since you are gestalting? You don't really need stellar stats for either and can fill a number of roles.

[Spuddles]

Rogue//warlock or binder//hellfire warlock.

You get damage on both without needing good stats, and sweet abilities like turning into a swarm of bats, summoning monstrosities from a dimension beyond time and space, re-animating the dead, flight, wearing the full plate called to you from a warrior long dead, and fistfuls of d6 damage.

Rogue//warlock for skills, hellfire warlock//binder for utility & dat damage.

The best part is having only a mild charisma dependency and little need for str. Good will save means 9 goes in wisdom.

[Master_Rahl22]

I'll second the warlock and/or binder suggestions. I've played a warlock with poor stats before, and since your attacks are all touch attacks a high Dex (or Str with Eldritch Glaive) isn't that necessary.

[Waker]

You could go Dragonfire Adept//Incarnate. Incarnates are somewhat NAD, the only stat they sorta care about is Con and that only needs to be 19 at the highest levels. The various melds can let you be a skillmonkey when you want or add to offensive/defensive options.

[cerin616]

binder//hellfire warlock.

Isn't there something you can bind that heals con damage each round...? sounds pretty pro with a hellfire warlock.

[Fouredged Sword]

You have one good stat, roll with it.

Kensai Magus 20// Spellthief 1 / Factotum 4 / Chameleon 10 / Abjurent champion 5.

At level 6 you take broad study to open up chameleon casting to magus tricks. The Int to armor bonus of magus works with light armor, but you loose the ignoring ASF, spellthief and master spellthief buys that back.

Ok, you get Int to everything, and get a floating stat +6 to apply to it that stacks with tomes and enhancement bonuses.

Stats
Str 10
Dex 11
Con 14
Int 16
Wis 9
Cha 7

You do damage through spells, and Int to AC mitigates a bad dex.

You pick arcane focus and stick to that. You get tons of spells, 1-6th level.

Boost Int, dex, and wisdom in that order. Add one advancement point to wisdom so you can get a +6 item and use the divine focus as needed.

The floating feat gets you item creation feats, so cheep gear. Make wands, scrolls, and other stuff you want. Staffs are nice as you have tons of slots to recharge them.

[Spuddles]

Synthesist summoner, as a dip, is worth a mention. Overwrites your phys stats.

[Eslin]

Why not take races and templates on one side? You can get whatever stats you feel like with ease.

[sonofzeal]

I'd recommend Warlock//Scout over Warlock//Rogue or Warlock//Binder. The two synergize pretty sweetly. You won't be the biggest beater on the block, but you'll be stealthy, mobile, with a tone of skills, and a reliable source of damage that synergizes flawlessly between the two sides.

[Fouredged Sword]

If you are going warlock scout...

Rather than Warlock//Scout, I would recommend

Warlock // Scout / Ranger with Swift Tracker.

That BAB will mean never needing dex. Plus, the ability to take all the crit immune creature types as favored enemies means never having to worry about dealing precision damage to golems. Mix well with a SR no blast invocation, shake, and serve invisibly from 200ft away.

[Gnaeus]

Synthesist Summoner//Rogue.

Give your form as many attacks as possible. Stats ordered as Cha, Int, Con, Wis, Dex, Str.

[13_CBS]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks!

I will likely build 3 characters in preparation; Dragonfire Adept//Bard, Warlock//Scout/Ranger, and Synthesist Summoner//___ and use whichever one seems to fit the party the best. Not sure about the Binders, though, honestly...even after reading the various handbooks on Binders I'm having trouble seeing how Binders fulfill roles effectively (aside from maybe Scouting). :smallconfused: Would anyone mind sharing some advice?

[Fouredged Sword]

I will recommend a Magus 6 / Chameleon 10 / magus 4 as a build as well. Nothing like spell slinging while attacking to be awesome.

Also, I see no reason for you not to get all your systhisis natural attacks on top of your magic and melee attack. It follows the rules of TWFing, and you get your natural attacks after attacking with TWFing.

[shadow_archmagi]

Artificer is a fantastic class that doesn't really rely on stats!

[13_CBS]

Artificer is a fantastic class that doesn't really rely on stats!

Hmm...while it's true that Artificers might not need as much in the way of stats, it might be too much bookeeping for my tastes. Perhaps next time.