Incarnam/TOB

[paperarmor]

Specifically how good are multiclass Incarnate/Crusaders and Warblade/Totemists or swordsages? Aussming of course that you get 9th level maneuvers. I get that it'll still be solid tier 3 if done well but what you guys think?

[Red Fel]

It depends a lot on what you're doing.

Incarnates and Totemists can make exceptional dips, because each one gives you full access to their Soulmeld lists from a single class level. (Totemist makes for a good 2-level dip so that you get your Totem Chakra.) Each can also make for excellent larger chunks of level, because while having access to the Soulmeld list is good, you need multiple levels to get solid use out of it.

Warblade/Totemist can be outrageously good in a King of Smack-style build, by using Stormguard Warrior and a slew of natural weapons from Totemist Soulmelds. Combine that with Punishing Stance to drop tremendous amounts of damage (for a melee) every other round.

Incarnate is trickier unless you have Incarnum Focus equipment, because while soulmelds are good, your major slots should ideally have magic items in them. Nonetheless, it adds tremendous versatility, particularly to a Crusader, whose limited maneuver list similarly limits versatility. With the right Soulmelds, that Crusader can fly, Dimension Door, and pick up other cool tricks. And that's really useful if you want to drop him into the middle of combat and unleash hell.

One of the problems is that, unlike spellcasting or psionics, ToB doesn't have a maneuvers-and-soulmelds theurge class. (Compare Soulcaster and Soul Manifester (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20060217a)). As a result, you have to choose one to favor over the other. With regard to ToB, that means following the Rule of 6: you can take no more than 6 levels of a non-initiator class if you want access to your level 9 maneuvers. But 6 levels of Incarnate or Totemist can still net you a nice selection of goodies.

Ultimately, an Incarnum dip basically takes your ToB classes and gives them even more versatility - which for melee is never a bad thing.

[Fax Celestis]

Don't forget that spending your feats to pick up soulmelds and open chakras is also an option, even in a build like Crusader 20. Observe (http://www.pifro.com/pro/view.php?id=6461).

[paperarmor]

Good point Fax, but I'm phobic about using feats that way since as Red Fel pointed out the rule of 6 means I can get most of the goodies of a lv 20 martial adept. then again the feats might work better if a Dm disallows a particular class but lets you take feats to gain the features or of course the concept of the character requires single classing.

[Particle_Man]

If you take 2 levels of incarnate or totemist and then go crusader 18, it makes the crusader get their 4th class-granted stance at the right time to get one of the stances immortal fortitude, strength of stone or swarm tactics without spending a feat.

If you can reskin it slightly (or convince your DM) there might be a way to combo cleric, incarnate, crusader, sapphire hierarch and ruby knight vindicator for some sort of purple knight (blue and red). Trouble is, as written, sapphire heirarchs prefer that their followers don't revere any particular god, even a lawful one, while ruby knight vindicators, obviously, are devoted to the goddess Wee Jas. And I am not sure what the proper balance is, although usually maximizing the cleric side of things is a good idea.

[TroubleBrewing]

Incarnate/Crusader has a fun trick. Take Therapeutic Mantle, pump as much essentia as possible into it, then enter the Martial Spirit stance. Heal 2 + 2/essentia invested on every attack? Yes, please.

For best results, go Changeling so you can get into Warshaper and Fast Heal 4 + 2/essentia invested. You're literally a T-1000.

[Fouredged Sword]

Warblade 5 / Incarnate 1 / Ironsoul Forgemaster 3 / Warblade X is a great way to pile on a nice amount of resistance to most energy types. It makes for a good sword and board dwarven warrior. It also lets you craft magic weapons and armor as a level 9 caster, and more if someone else aids with a higher caster level.

25 reststance to fire, acid, cold, electricity and sonic is not to be underestimated, though it takes some feat investment to pull off.

[Irk]

Tiger Claw + Girallon's arms + Sphinx Claws can make nasty pounce-charger, especially with raging mongoose.

[infomatic]

Another good one to mix with LN incarnate is Bloodstorm Blade, for martial throw. Lawful Incarnates get most of their benefits in melee -- Incarnate Avatar and Radiance abilities don't work at range. But BS Blade lets you treat ranged attacks as melee, giving some more flexibility.

[Big Fau]

then again the feats might work better if a Dm disallows a particular class but lets you take feats to gain the features or of course the concept of the character requires single classing.

The odds of a DM disallowing the Incarnate/Totemist classes yet allowing the Shape Soulmeld feat are incredibly slim, as most DMs who disallow the classes do so out of a lack of understanding of the entire system.

[paperarmor]

I've played with some strange people

[Keld Denar]

You can make standard action strikes with Incarnum Blade.

Also, Phase Cloak bound to Totem is neat on any Warblade/Crusader who charges, making a 2 level dip pretty enticing. That pretty much lets you charge through solid objects and foes and across difficult terrain.

[Coidzor]

Our local Totemist Handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287304) certainly likes the combination of the two multiclass-friednly systems.

I view them quite favorably as well, though I'm not sure of where they really rank in the grand scheme of things.

[Piggy Knowles]

I made an ubercharger without Power Attack using a warblade/totemist build. Dragonborn water orc totemist 9/warblade 8/uncanny trickster 3. +16 BAB and 8th-level maneuvers. With unarmed strike for four iterative attacks, plus a boatload of natural attacks as secondaries, and Leading the Charge plus Headlong Rush and Sphinx Claws hands bind and Raging/Dancing Mongoose, it can deal thoroughly ridiculous damage per round without needing to touch Power Attack.