Optimizing a Warforged Factotum?

[13_CBS]

I was building a character for this PbP game here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298768) the other day. I made it a Warforged Factotum because I've always wanted to play a robotic handyman/adventurer's companion, and I tried to make it "practically optimized" because the DM requested it. (For a sense of what the DM meant by "practical optimization", consider that the other candidates submitted a Bardblade, a Paragnostic Disciple Wizard with some of the better spells (Glitterdust, Haste, Nerveskitter, etc.), and a Telepath Psion.)

I had to drop out in the middle of character generation, however, partly because I realized that my current schedule left me no room to play a PbP game...but also because I realized that I had no idea how to optimize a Factotum without using Chaos Shuffle for lots of Font of Inspirations or going Iaijutsu Whisper Gnome. :smallconfused: I'm aware that Warforged aren't the best race for Factotums, but nonetheless I felt that the character wouldn't have been able to accomplish much in combat without burning Inspiration points every turn, and wouldn't have accomplished anything at all once the Inspiration points ran out.

So, to reiterate: how could I go about optimizing my "magical robot adventurer's buddy" character? To lay it out in detail...

Fluff concept: "The Adventurer's Companiontm is designed to be the ultimate dungeoneering assistant! Our latest model is capable of a wide variety of tasks critical to any smart adventurer. Need to tie a rope but the Rogue is inebriated? Our Companions are programmed to tie over a thousand different knots! Getting bored at the campfire? Have the Companion sing you a song! Need to know something right now? Ask the Companion! Did the Fighter take one too many arrows to the face? Our Companions are trained in thirty different combat techniques from all over the Multiverse! Order one today! Shipping via Teleportation Circle or Plane Shift requires a 700 gp fee. Abyssal shipping unavailable at this time."

Resources: Any WotC printed material, plus any official WotC web resources (Mind's Eye articles, etc.). No Dragon magazine material. 3.5 only, for now.

Build requirements:

*Capable of hitting ideally lowish Tier 3 (excels in at least one role, useful in situations outside of its specialty), but at worst no lower than Tier 4.

*Usage of Chaos Shuffle tricks, relying on Gnomish Quickrazors (Iaijutsu usage is acceptable), having more than 3 Font of Inspiration feats, and stinky cheese is forbidden.

*Race must be Warforged, or a suitable alternative.

*Build must be capable of contributing at least decently from level 1 all the way to level 20--I'd prefer a build that won't have to wait until late levels to kick in.

*No usage of Flaws or similar things to gain extra feats.

*Using only Factotum levels would be ideal, but as long as the fluff requirement (general can-do handyman robot) is achieved, any class or combination of classes will do. That said, I'd prefer if the build didn't incur any multiclassing XP penalties.

*Assume 32 point buy.

So yeah. My op-fu is weak. :smallfrown: Could someone help me bring this character idea to life? Or is a Warforged Factotum doomed to suck without Chaos Shuffled Font of Inspiration? :smalleek:

Edit: I've already read Guigarci's Factotum handbook, but alas a good Warforged Factotum build still eludes me.

[Waker]

Well, Factotum does quite well with Knowledge Devotion+Collector Of Stories, since you have all the Knowledge skills. Because of Brains Over Brawn, Factota add their Intelligence to Str/Dex skills/checks, which includes Initiative and Trip attempts. This latter portion means that a Factotum benefits from Setting Sun maneuvers, so a dip into Swordsage or the Martial Study feat could come in handy. Should you go this route, getting a Trip weapon with Reach, like a Guisarme, is handy because you threaten the area to 10ft out with the polearm and within 5ft because of your Slam attack.

[gorfnab]

"Your Plastic Pal Who's Fun To Be With"
Warforged
1. Factotum - Mithril Body, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip (2x Flaws)
2. Factotum
3. Factotum - Knowledge Devotion
4. Factotum
5. Factotum
6. Factotum - Combat Reflexes
7. Factotum
8. Factotum
9. Warblade - Ironheart Aura
10. Warblade
11. Crusader
12. Crusader - Stand Still
13. Factotum
14. Factotum
15. Factotum - Stormguard Warrior
16. Factotum
17. Factotum
18. Factotum - Robilars Gambit
19. Factotum
20. Factotum

Manuevers/Stances
9. Warblade - Moment of Perfect Mind, Moment of Perfect Body, (Wall of Blades, Steel Wind, or Disarming Strike), Stonefoot Stance
10. Warblade - Iron Heart Surge
11. Crusader - (Vanguard Strike or Shield Block), Defensive Rebuke, Leading the Attack, White Raven Tactics, (Tactical Strike or Revitalizing Strike), Iron Guards Glare Stance
12. Crusader - Thicket of Blades Stance

Weapon of choice: Guisarme and Battlefist

[13_CBS]

Bah, I forgot to mention in the OP: no flaws/traits. Sorry about that.

That said, gorfnab, that build does look quite interesting. What is the build supposed to do during the first 9 levels, before it grabs Warblade levels?

[Chilingsworth]

You could get combat expertise and improved trip by dipping a couple of levels in fighter.

[gorfnab]

That said, gorfnab, that build does look quite interesting. What is the build supposed to do during the first 9 levels, before it grabs Warblade levels?
It can still trip (Int mod to trip, and some spells) decently. Would play more as a skirmisher in combat. Still has all the other Factotum goodies.