3.x Factotum Advice

[DurionArcanis]

Alright, building a Factotum to likely start at lv7. I have a few ideas for the build (mostly due to personal whims) but I'd also like to see what others recommend for building this. I've been consulting four different guides (the "Getting the Facts Straight" one and the three linked in that guide) and weighing my options.

The original inspiration for building a Factotum was my desire to play a Red Mage. I'm not too keen on taking several classes to reach that end though so Factotum seems like the best answer. I'm debating between going pure Factotum or possibly looking into some class dips or PrC's later, for now though I intend to be pure Factotum up to my current level (unless something really big changes my mind lol). For playstyle I was thinking of keeping some of the skillmonkey aspect, and focusing alot on the Iaijutsu Focus as well as a few fearmongering aspects. Big personality, spellcasting, good with a blade, and can take a few hits and keep going? Sounds fun to play overall :) Weapons wise, I was thinking about going with a bladed whip (AE) , a gnome quickrazor, and likely a longsword or katana or something to that nature. (I wonder if I can flavor one of those to match a kriegsmesser...) I had also considered some other eccentricities to make this character look at least somewhat crazy. I was considering getting a familiar, but blowing two feats to get an awesome familiar (which would probably be squished at some point) doesn't seem like the best option here considering that the Factotum uses SLA's not Spells.

One race option I was looking at was the Whisper Gnome (despite its hit to Cha) mostly for the racial proficiency. The GM has said they'd allow swapping racial proficiencies as per what CW alludes to. Considering the inclination to get other weapons that would require an EWP feat, I might go against this in favor of getting Aptitude on something.

One template option I liked from the moment I saw it (despite some of its drawbacks) is the Shadowwalker (Una), those SLA's could prove incredibly useful over time and would allow me to expand my versatility a bit. Thematically I'm sure I could fluff some interesting ideas with that.

Anyways, what ideas might you have? Race and template suggestions would be most useful right now, as well as particularly obscure options that might add to the eccentric world-traveler type of impression. Any build advice in general is always useful. I'm not trying to fully optimize this, but I would like to optimize while keeping a balanced competency.

[Gildedragon]

Dip fighter 1 exoticist variant, that gets you 4 exotic weapons and a special ability. It saves you a lot of feats.

Get a beguiler cohort instead. A bard perhaps

How much LA you looking for/at with buyoff: la +1 at your level has been mostly obviated. My favoured choice is athasian human (+1 to int and cha)
Lesser cansin (with divine minion or dark creature slapped on)

[DurionArcanis]

LA: I would prefer low, so +1/+2 is preferable, depending on the worth of the LA I might go higher but that's a slim chance.

We can't use the Leadership feat unfortunately, hence looking into familiar. Oddly enough I was looking into the Beguiler creature as a familiar (hence the high likelihood of it being squished). This character is more likely to develop a good friendship or so in-game though so I could look into getting something along those lines as a cohort once I earn "leadership points" or whatever.

I'll consider that fighter level, sounds useful. I was only planning to need one EWP feat though and put Aptitude on a few things. Especially if I considered going into Iaijutsu Master, it'd be useful to be able to have the Quickrazor with Aptitude on it for some of those abilities. The exoticist variant does sound like it'd fit in quite well with the theme I'm shooting for though so bonus points there.

The Dark Creature template is definitely something I've used before, and I can see how it'd be useful. Depending on the things I shoot for there might be something else that'd be more worth it. For example, Shadow Walker grants SLA's, and you get more as you level. By lv6 I'd have a self-only restricted Dimension Door 1/day get-out-of-danger free SLA lol. I'll definitely be looking into and comparing any suggestions in here though.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Dark Creature in ToM gets Hide in Plain Sight and a few other benefits, mostly to stealth.

Half-Fey (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) gets you a bunch of spell-like abilities, and if you use a race that can take the feat Magic in the Blood (PGtF) those will all change from 1/day to 3/day. You don't have to take both those levels at once (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a), you can put as many class levels between them as you want, and each of those levels counts as a point of level adjustment. You can gain the first level of that, gain three class levels, buy off the level adjustment, take the second level of the template, gain three more class levels, then buy off that level adjustment.

[Gildedragon]

Problem is, the beguiler ain't familiar-able that I know of. Next best thing: standard monkey familiar (go for the tumble bonus), pop a pearl of speech in

[DurionArcanis]

The Beguiler does say you can get it as a familiar with Improved Familiar at arcane caster level 7. The main issue with familiars in general is that Factotum is very feat starved, and I can't share my SLA's with my familiar either. So the only way I'd want a familiar is if it comes with enough awesomeness to be worth trading two feats for it. Only one I saw that suits that is the Beguiler.

The Dark Creature's HiPS ability only really works when concealed or behind cover, which is fine and all but that reduces it's usefulness a bit unless I combine it with stuff like No Light/Darkness spells.

Hmm half-fey looks pretty decent to mess with. I keep forgetting that for ways to get wings in alot of characters because it's a +2, so I never looked at it in depth. (most of my other characters I was disinclined to go beyond +1). Anyone know a place to get the Savage Progressions info besides wizards.com? It's not loading for me at all.

As for a base race, what do you think of a Lesser Aasimar? There are quite a few good choices out there, but very few of the will give a bonus to Cha without hitting with a penalty where I'd need it.

[Gildedragon]

Oh. I see. It probably isn't worth the effort if you're feeling the feat pinch (as your DM for cohort sans followers leadership; it'll be pretty sim to a familiar)

L aas is good but I reiterate lesser cansin: bonus to cha and int, your two big abilities, and no penalties iirc

If home brew is something you might like: disciple of mymcysl or somesuch is a good 3 level dip. It is a joke class but three levels are very nice

[DurionArcanis]

Can't homebrew and can't dragon mag. I was looking for the cansin before I commented on it, and seeing it's a dragon mag race I can't use it unfortunately.

As for feats, from what I can tell Factotum is very feat starved regardless of what build you shoot for, so yeah. A Beguiler familiar would still get a significant amount of bonuses as a familiar, but you wouldn't be able to use any of your Factotum "spells" through it as they're classified as SLA's. If I went a route to get actual spells it might be useful but at the moment the cost outweighs the benefit.

[Gildedragon]

Mmmm. That nixes the exoticist fighter. Pity.

[The Grue]

Gnomish Quickrazor Iajutsu Focus notwithstanding, my usual go-to is Changeling. At-will shapechange, what's not to like?

Failing that, Human is always a solid choice for one extra FoI.

[sideswipe]

since you are skill monkey and all knowledges, take knowledge devotion, that with iaijitsu focus will give you the damage you want. and you can role play it that he is so good he can instantly tell a foes weakest point and exploit it at his whim.

take flick of the wrist to gain the ability to make people flat footed.
(means you will need quick draw though, but if you do you can take a couple of skill tricks to make them flat footed too)
or take the feat martial study. and gain sapphire nightmare blade. concentration check vs ac for flat footed.

i would personally go like this.

human

edited
1st - knowledge devotion
human - font of inspiration
flaw - exotic weap prof gnome quick razor
flaw - font of inspiration
3rd - martial study - sapphire nightmare blade
6th - knowledge devotion

that is without dips. if i were to dip i would dip warblade, so that you can recover manoeuvres in combat more than 1/day

[Gildedragon]

Knowledge devotion needs 5 ranks in a kn skill, and martial study at 1 has an IL of 0 making you unable to get the feat (or rather get any maneuvers out of it), neither of these can then be got at level 1.

[DMVerdandi]

Gnomish Quickrazor Iajutsu Focus notwithstanding, my usual go-to is Changeling. At-will shapechange, what's not to like?

Failing that, Human is always a solid choice for one extra FoI.

This.
Although it may not look it, Chameleon is far more valuable a class than factotum. Factotum is simply a means for getting all the skills required to enter it, but that could be done with a level of expert, and whatever else you want, until you reach level 5. Any skill-monkey can get into Chameleon like it's nothing.

Furthermore, Actually being able to cast off of EVERY LIST IN THE GAME TO 6TH is just delicious. Any day, Every day, you can completely switch it up, get the best spells imaginable, and kick butt.
If anything, that is the true red mage class.
Factotum in FF is more like the freelancer (Which at level 99/20 is awesome in it's own right.)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Hmm half-fey looks pretty decent to mess with. I keep forgetting that for ways to get wings in alot of characters because it's a +2, so I never looked at it in depth. (most of my other characters I was disinclined to go beyond +1). Anyone know a place to get the Savage Progressions info besides wizards.com? It's not loading for me at all.

Half-Fey (http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:xLybhKaeHn8J:www.wizards.com/default.asp%3Fx%3Ddnd/sp/20040213a+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us), Savage Progression rules (http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:PLjYUKxOg8YJ:www.wizards.com/default.asp%3Fx%3Ddnd/sp/20030824a+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us)
Paste the URL into a Google search, below the name of and link to the page is a green text web page > path, to the right of that is a tiny arrow pointing down, click that arrow and select cached. You could also try clearing your history/cache, and/or try using a different browser.

As for a good base race, Factotum is an Int-based class, not a Cha-based class. Even then, Half-Fey gives +4 Cha, so you can put it on a Whisper Gnome or a Lesser Tiefling and end up with a net +2 Cha. Just be sure to use a race that can get Magic in the Blood.

[DurionArcanis]

Hmm... my list of ideas is growing exponentially, and it might not be a good thing XD

The Chameleon I'm seeing alot of good for but the caveat I have with it is I'm not sure it would really fit in with the idea I'm building. It's something else I'll definitely keep in mind though. For now I'm gathering ideas and brainstorming, I have a good amount of time before I actually get to the point I'd be bringing this character into the game.

[Bloodgruve]

I ran an IF Factotum and it was super fun.

Whisper Gnome and Gnomish Quickrazor with Iaijutsu Focus
Dark Creature template for HiPS in shadowed areas, boost Hide and Move Silent.
Item Familiar to kick up Iaijutsu Focus skill
Dip a level of Swordsage for some synergistic maneuvers and grab the stance that shrouds you in shadows while moving.

Hiding is debated since the latest release of the PHB, DMG and MM but if your DM accepts Rules Compendium as taking precedence over the latest releases then Hidden vs your enemy makes them Flatfooted for IF attacks. Hide in combat with a -20 modifier is doable for the race/template.

Feats are Item Familiar, Font of Inspiration x3 and TWF. Font of Inspiration becomes real handy by 8th level.

I'd suggest limiting your Cunning Surge to once per round otherwise your DM will start throwing books at you.

Stick 1 rank in each skill then you'll be able to be good at everything once a day.

GL
Blood~

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

For Iaijutsu Focus, get Quick-Draw. Put marbles (A&EG) in a folded square of cloth and ready it on your belt as a weapon like object, get a few of these. You can quick-draw one of those as a free action, drop it in an adjacent square as a free action, the marbles will spill in that space and anyone standing there will be flat-footed if they don't have at least 5 ranks in the Balance skill. Proceed to full attack with TWF and Gnome Quickrazors to get IF damage on every hit.

Quick-Draw also allows you to get the Hidden Blade skill trick in CS and Flick of the Wrist in CW, so you can still get two guaranteed IF hits against an opponent if they have the balance ranks.