building a charger/pouncer gestalt build. Need serious help.

[Agamemmnoth]

So my druid campaign ended in a TPW. I'm thinking of trying something different and want to try a charger/pounce build but I have no idea where to start, except with a couple of levels of whirlwind frenzied spirit lion barbarian.

what else can I add to make him kick ass in damage but also be somewhat versatile.

Is there a basic build for this?

All books open two flaws allowed.

[Gwendol]

You probably want a Barbarian/Warblade combo. I'd go orc (or half-orc) to grab headlong rush, add on power attack and shock trooper (for heedless charge), leap attack, and you have yourself a good charger. Warblade will give you additional options, thus avoiding the one-trick pony trap somewhat.

[Agamemmnoth]

You probably want a Barbarian/Warblade combo. I'd go orc (or half-orc) to grab headlong rush, add on power attack and shock trooper (for heedless charge), leap attack, and you have yourself a good charger. Warblade will give you additional options, thus avoiding the one-trick pony trap somewhat.

so barbarian and warblade on one side or on opposite sides?

[eggynack]

so barbarian and warblade on one side or on opposite sides?
I'd figure the same side, cause you really don't want more than about two levels of barbarian. Once you pick up improved trip from wolf totem, you're pretty much done. It doesn't help that the two classes have pretty much identical base stats, with the same BAB, saves, HD, and skill points.

[Agamemmnoth]

I'd figure the same side, cause you really don't want more than about two levels of barbarian. Once you pick up improved trip from wolf totem, you're pretty much done. It doesn't help that the two classes have pretty much identical base stats, with the same BAB, saves, HD, and skill points.


true
so what would be good for the other side.

[Gwendol]

What Eggy said: Warpouncer on the one side. On the other... not sure. Rogue maybe, or Factotum? INT will not be overly high even if Warblade can make use of it... Bards make for versatile characters but require some investment in CHA. Cleric is always solid of course, but the book keeping of spells can get annoying, not to mention that casting spells will interfere with your martial strikes once in combat.
Maybe rogue then: the skills are handy and mundane stealth never gets old if you strive towards it (darkstalker for the win!). Try to get HiPS asap.

[Oddman80]

One level of ranger gives you access to Rhino Rush spell (in addition to other benefits). Add a wand chamber to your weapon and get another 2x damage on a charge.

Get the valorous weapon enhancement (2x damage on a charge).

Standard power attack/shocktrooper/leap attack progression. With these combined, you can be doing nearly 200 damage per hit at level 6.

With wolf totem barb at barb 2, gain free improved trip, then get knock-down.

Get a pair of combo steadfast & rock boots. These let you charge over difficult terrain. And are always readied against a charge in case you lose the initiative roll. A foe charges you, you hit them for double damage. knockdown lets you then Trip them, then hit them again (due to improved trip)

Roar!!!!

My character has this. I made the DM cry... next step half orc and human paragons. They will net me +4 to strength, and an unrestricted bonus feat. Plus +1 rage per day. I'll use the bonus feat to coincide with level 12 feat and take Aberration blood (gain tail, get bonus to balance and resist trip attempts) and inhuman reach (add 5' of reach).

Dip cloistered cleric 1 level with the god being Fenmarel Mestarine. Cash Travel, Animal, and Knowledge domains in for their respective devotion feats. Now, almost always get a min +1 to hit vs enemies (knowledge devotion), learn to fly, or boost strength, or speed (animal devotion), and get an extra fee move per round (travel devotion) to get out of danger after you max shocktrooper on a charge and loose all that AC.

Now you are a Living Nightmare!!!!

[Starmage21]

You dont need the barbarian side to get pounce-like full attacks on a charge, nor do you need the warblade to get the same thing.

Do NOT mix Barbarian and Warblade in gestalt, you just dont need to. They both get features where you can pounce, so pick one or the other, and only add barbarian to warblade if you're going to not use the pounce rage power.

...I think thats been said already.


Mix and match up some powers that will synergize better. Go Druid/MMF//Warblade and stay in War Trolll form perpetually, and still have some 1st-3rd level druid spells.

[Red Fel]

Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian 1/ Warblade 19// Totemist 20.

Barbarian gives you Pounce and Whirling Frenzy. Warblade gives you Punishing Stance and Stormguard Warrior. Totemist gives you more natural weapons than anybody should reasonably have. Take a Dragonblood race for Draconic soulmelds. Take IUS and Snap Kick. Use Pounce to dive into combat, Combat Rhythm to deal explosive skullcrushing damage every other round. Your natural weapons overcome DR/magic. You turn enemies into a fine red paste.

Feel free to dip Cleric on the Totemist side, or swap the Barbarian level (Warblade 20// Barb 1/ Totemist 19).

EDIT: Second thought, yeah, go with the latter. Warblade 20// Barb 1/ Totemist 19, Warblade's capstone is awesome and you want full IL.

[morkendi]

Psy war make a very good charger tripper. With gestalt build, doing psywar/slayer// cleric with DMM makes a very nice base as well as stats synergy.

If you can use templates on one side, feral really gives alot as well as free pounce for +1 la.

[Oddman80]

I hadn't even realized this was for a gestalt build. Also, im so used to TOB being banned in my games, i dint e en consider those.

Ok... Not sure if this would work, but could be interesting.

Be a Goliath Barbarian/Druid, and take Mountain Rage ACF instead of Whirling Frenzy. Now, if you rage while wildshaped, your wildshape will increase 1 size category.

Even without rage, an argument could be made that through the Goliath's powerful build, all of your wildshaped natural attacks should effectively be one size larger (as w/ improved natural attack).

[Agamemmnoth]

Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian 1/ Warblade 19// Totemist 20.

Barbarian gives you Pounce and Whirling Frenzy. Warblade gives you Punishing Stance and Stormguard Warrior. Totemist gives you more natural weapons than anybody should reasonably have. Take a Dragonblood race for Draconic soulmelds. Take IUS and Snap Kick. Use Pounce to dive into combat, Combat Rhythm to deal explosive skullcrushing damage every other round. Your natural weapons overcome DR/magic. You turn enemies into a fine red paste.

Feel free to dip Cleric on the Totemist side, or swap the Barbarian level (Warblade 20// Barb 1/ Totemist 19).

EDIT: Second thought, yeah, go with the latter. Warblade 20// Barb 1/ Totemist 19, Warblade's capstone is awesome and you want full IL.

What about warblade 20//barbarian 2/totemist 8/totem rager 10? Or is totem rager not that good.

[Red Fel]

What about warblade 20//barbarian 2/totemist 8/totem rager 10? Or is totem rager not that good.

I've never been a fan, but your mileage may vary. The reason I would discourage it in this case, however, is that Barbarian doesn't add much to your build beyond the first level, and thus Totem Rager's package (Totemist meldshaping, Barbarian rage and some DR) is a bit overshadowed. Remember that some of your Warblade maneuvers, such as those in Diamond Mind that key off of Concentration, won't work while raging. The primary reason for Barbarian in the build is Pounce, not rage, and that doesn't advance.

Totemist gives you the meldshaping Totem Rager does, only moreso.

But again, mileage may vary.

[Rebel7284]

Well a pouncing wildshaped druid is probably better at charging than many other such characters... but you said you already played a druid recently.