Mixing Gestalt with Non-Gestalt

[Xuldarinar]

A idea came to me earlier, I'm certain it is nothing original but hear me out. In a campaign, allowing both gestalt and non-gestalt characters.

My question on this, is how would one go about balancing this? What guidelines should be in place to dictate what classes are viable for gestalt and which ones are not. A possibly relevant question is how one would assign tiers to different gestalt combinations?

[Devronq]

A idea came to me earlier, I'm certain it is nothing original but hear me out. In a campaign, allowing both gestalt and non-gestalt characters.

My question on this, is how would one go about balancing this? What guidelines should be in place to dictate what classes are viable for gestalt and which ones are not. A possibly relevant question is how one would assign tiers to different gestalt combinations?

I've seen guidelines for this before it was something like
Tier 1 Gestalt with Tier 5
2 with 4
3 with 3

Something along those lines I'm sure someone will give a link or the proper answer right away :p

[hymer]

I allowed gestalt as an option in my recent campaigns. Gestalt meant that I calculated XP as if you were 2 levels higher than you are. This might be a tad much for a fighter//rogue (especially if they were in a party of tier 1s and 2s), but it worked fine. Nobody complained. You may want to tweak it a tad.

[Xuldarinar]

Both systems look quite good, I have to admit. Slowed advancement can be an effective trade off. You are split between two disciplines, it only makes sense it would take more to level.


The tier system balancing also looks quite good as well. Though, I know of no official tier 0 classes that one could mix with truenamer. Perhaps Secret of Pact Magic's Soul Weaver is close enough.

I've heard a mix of responses on this, what tier is the shadowcaster? What about with Avi's fix?

I've generally heard 3 or 4 without it, 2 or 3 with it.

[G.Cube]

Sorry to jack your thread for a moment, but I find the question appropriate, what about allowing only non casting classes to gesalt, as in both classes need to be mundane.

[molten_dragon]

If I was going to try it I'd try the following.

Switch the numbers on the tiers (i.e. current Tier 1's become tier 6, Tier 2's become tier 5, etc.). Then simply set a limit on what tier the results are allowed to be.

For example, if you decide the limit is Tier 6, then a wizard, cleric, or druid couldn't gestalt at all. A sorcerer could gestalt but only with something like aristocrat or warrior (currently tier 6, which would flip to tier 1).

[molten_dragon]

Sorry to jack your thread for a moment, but I find the question appropriate, what about allowing only non casting classes to gesalt, as in both classes need to be mundane.

Doesn't really work. Something like a paladin or ranger can cast, but is lower tier than something like a crusader or swordsage that can't cast.

[Zanfire]

There's a suggested partial gestalt in the tier list thread, use that as a guideline or starting point?

[mabriss lethe]

The best guide I've seen for this would be partial gestalt, which works something like this:

-Tier 1 and 2: Not viable for gestalt
-Tier 3 and 4: May gestalt with NPC classes only
-Tier 5 and 6: May freely gestalt with other tier 5 and 6 classes and with the Adept NPC class.

[dspeyer]

If you don't like depending on tier lists, you could do something like "your choice of gestalt or 2 free LA". I think that would be about balanced, though I haven't tested it.