Opinions on a Gestalt Build

[Katana1515]

Hey Playgrounders

been toying with ideas for a new Gestalt character and wanted to get folks opinions on its validity. Looking to fulfil the Melee damage and tank role but still have plenty of different options both in and out of combat (I get bored with constantly full attacking every round). To this end looking at either a neutral evil Warblade/Incarnate or Warblade/Totemist. The plan is to use Manoeuvres for most of my standard actions while using soulmelds and stances to provide utility and static bonuses.

Mainly looking for advice on which Incarnum class i should go with. As well as which Melds/Incarnum feats would serve best for a Melee character since this will be my first time using Incarnum.

Thanks in advance

[Waker]

If you want the soulmelds to provide static bonuses, you'll probably be better using the Incarnate over the Totemist. Totemist is more about natural attacks, movement and sensory/stealth skills. Incarnate is more varied about what it's melds allow.
As for some favorite melds: Crystal Helm, Impulse Boots, Pauldrons of Health, Mage's Spectacles, Strongheart Vest, Airstep Sandals, Mistfell Cloak, Bluesteel Bracers.

[Radar]

Quite honestly you can take both - the essentia pool is combined anyway and the maximum essentia per soulmeld is proportional to your character level. Take most levels in one class and dip a single level of the other at the earliest convenience. The only impact of choosing one class over the other is, how much soulmelds and chakra binds from the particular class can you have at a given time.

@Waker
Natural attacks, movement enhancers, sensors and stealth are very valuable for a melee character. For example binds for Blink Shirt, Girallon Arms or Displacer Cloak are quite useful.

[Katana1515]

Thanks for the feedback, nice to know that both options are viable, Think I would be tempted to go mostly Incarnate As I quite like some of the class features. However I might be quite tempted to start off with a 2 level dip in totemist so i can unlock the totem chakra and make good use of the blink shirt meld, since even short range dimension door can be quite potent.

Are their any manoeuvres/Stances you can think of that might make the most of this combination of classes? or shall i stick largely to the standard warblade set up? also I am aware of this http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176968
warblade handbook, but are their any other useful sources either on TOB material or the warblade class?

[Person_Man]

There are a bunch of little things that are dependent on your soulmeld meldshaper level. (Strait Incarnate or Totemist level for their particular soulmelds, or 1/2 your hit dice if you get it with a Feat).

Incarnate has three big useful such things:

Necrocarnum Circlet bound to Crown chakra: You get an infinitely replaceable Necrocarnum Zombie, made from basically any creature you kill, with a maximum number of hit dice equal to your Incarnate meldshaper level. This can provide you with a very potent tackle dummy, flanking buddy, flying mount, door opener/trap finder, use the Aid Another action to add +2 to anything, etc.
Vitality Belt: Bonus hit points equal to the number of essentia points you invest multiplied by your meldshaper level. (1-8 * 1-20, or up to 160 bonus hit points).
Incarnum Radiance: This is a base Incarnate class ability that's often overlooked, which provides a scaled bonus to-hit, damage, AC, or movement, depending on your alignment. The number of uses per day and the bonuses provided depend on your Incarnate level, and starting at 7th level you can share it with allies within 30 ft. They're not earth shakingly large bonuses. But +2-10 damage or +1-5 to hit for you and your Zombie and all your friends can still be very handy.


Everything else dependent on meldshaper level is a lot less important and can be worked around (though going strait Incarnate or Totemist is generally the quickest and most efficient way to get higher essentia capacity and access to the higher level cool chakra binds). If you care about the things bulleted above, then you should go strait Warblade//Incarnate. If you don't (there are many other useful reasons to take Incarnate levels) then don't.

Totemist is a lot less dependent on Totemist levels, though against, strait Totemist is usually the quickest and most efficient way to get the best Totemist stuff.

[Waker]

Quite honestly you can take both - the essentia pool is combined anyway and the maximum essentia per soulmeld is proportional to your character level. Take most levels in one class and dip a single level of the other at the earliest convenience. The only impact of choosing one class over the other is, how much soulmelds and chakra binds from the particular class can you have at a given time.

@Waker
Natural attacks, movement enhancers, sensors and stealth are very valuable for a melee character. For example binds for Blink Shirt, Girallon Arms or Displacer Cloak are quite useful.

The two are mixable, the downside is that you delay access to Chakra Binds by multiclassing. Though having access to a both lists is certainly nice.
I'm aware that the Totemist soulmelds are nice, but they are a bit too focused. The OPs original post seemed to me that he wanted more out of combat versatility, which the Incarnate is better at since it can be a Diplomat, Trapmonkey, Faux-Mage or something else. The Totemist is pretty much limited to being a Scout. I kept my earlier post somewhat terse since I had just gotten home was work and was falling asleep while typing.

[Katana1515]

Thanks for the Input guys, I'll start putting this guy together now. Decided to avoid multi-classing the Incarnum classes. Will stick with Incarnate for the moment, since I don't want to put off access to the expanded essentia capacity or more powerful chakra binds. I am hopeful he should see play sometime in the next few months, may check back in with the results! feel free to add any further advice that comes to you. Been playing 3.5 for quite a few years now but this is the first game we have run that permits Incarnum and only the second were TOB wasn't banned so I am still a tad unfamiliar with the most optimal choices for either subsystem.

Thanks again