Flavorful gestalt combo's

[danzibr]

In another thread I saw

I play with people who, when they hear gestalt, think it's time to bust out the old Warmage//Barbarian or Ninja//Rogue.
And while it made me laugh, I got to thinking... they're really quite flavorful. And assuming SS and SA stack in this way, you can get a fistful o' d6's with the latter combo.

Wizard//Psion is like the ultimate brain power person.
Cleric//Paladin can be the ultimate holy man.
Samurai//Ninja, while not making much sense if you actually think about it, sounds really cool.
I've always been fond of the Totemist//Barbarian. Illiteracy ftw.
Oooh, Knight//Paladin. Man of honor.

[BioCharge]

If we include Pathfinder/Wotc Archive classes...

Aegis//Soulknife: Spontaneously create ALL the gear.
Wizard/Swiftblade//Scout: High speed, able to move and full attack to get Skirmish, then Wizard casting. Glorious.
Paladin//Crusader: How the Paladin should have started out as, imo.
Duskblade//Warmage: If the DM gives the ability to use spell channel with ranged weapons, a decent magical melee/ranged combatant, with armor.

Probably more, but these are my favorites.

[Crake]

In another thread I saw

And while it made me laugh, I got to thinking... they're really quite flavorful. And assuming SS and SA stack in this way, you can get a fistful o' d6's with the latter combo.

Wizard//Psion is like the ultimate brain power person.
Cleric//Paladin can be the ultimate holy man.
Samurai//Ninja, while not making much sense if you actually think about it, sounds really cool.
I've always been fond of the Totemist//Barbarian. Illiteracy ftw.
Oooh, Knight//Paladin. Man of honor.

Many of these don't really sound that flavourful, more just redundant. When you have the option to gestalt, and you pick two classes that overlap in flavour, doesn't that mean that it's inherently LESS flavourful than something with two classes that don't overlap at all?

For example, a Cleric//Paladin flavour-wise doesn't add particularly much more to a cleric or paladin individually, but a cleric//warlock on the other hand could be anything from a cleric who's lineage is cursed by demonic/infernal blood and seeks to redeem himself through faith, to a worshipper of a demon lord/archdevil who has been granted infernal powers in addition to his powers of faith. Powers that he would retain should he ever choose to betray his patron.

[Red Fel]

Warforged Warblade//Warlock.

Ignoring the sheer magnitude of WAR in the name, you're basically a Gundam and/or Megaman. Which is pretty gosh darn awesome. You're a flying invisible fighting robot with lasers. There is no part of that sentence that I do not adore in an entirely unsavory way.

[Brova]

The strength of Gestalt is doing things you couldn't normally. And that can definitely be extended to flavor. For example, a Druid || Dread Necromancer lets you capture the more Golgari (in MTG terms) side of nature, with a lot of death and decay. Stack Vermin Lord or something for more flavor. Similarly, a Cleric || Wizard stacks up pretty well as an extension to Dweomerkeeper or Incantatrix builds (from a flavor perspective).

[Extra Anchovies]

Warforged Warblade//Warlock.

Ignoring the sheer magnitude of WAR in the name, you're basically a Gundam and/or Megaman. Which is pretty gosh darn awesome. You're a flying invisible fighting robot with lasers. There is no part of that sentence that I do not adore in an entirely unsavory way.

Also, you could go with Warblade 12/Warlock 1/Warblade +5/Warlock +1/Warblade +1//Warlock 9/Hellfire Warlock 3/Legacy Champion 8 to get 25d6 Eldritch Blast.

Does Eldritch Glaive work with martial strikes?

[AvatarVecna]

Monk//Paladin: Find a way to make katanas monk weapons, and you become Samurai Jack. This is possible in Pathfinder (via Crusader's Flurry), and there's a few ways to do it in 3.5 as well.

Bard//Cleric: Head straight into Evangelist and/or Seeker of the Song and/or Virtuoso, and don't look back.

Paladin//Rogue: Holy Assassin that's actually pretty optimized...assuming that your DM decides that Sneak Attack doesn't break your code; if they decide it does, this is terrible.

Druid//Monk: You're Wis-SAD, and you can be the Kung-Fu Panda (or any of the Furious Five). You can even head into Nature's Warrior and/or Fist of the Forest, and you finally have a monk build that isn't totally crippled by taking Vow of Poverty, since druids are one of the few classes that it doesn't gimp.

Warmage//Beguiler. You have basically three sub-par schools of magic that you know all the spells of, but the strengths of both classes cover the weaknesses of the other; the Warmage now has useful out-of-combat utility, and the Beguiler has useful in-combat magic. Throw on a Mindbender dip, Incantatrix, maybe IotSV, and Archmage, and you have a powerful magician that doesn't have every trick in the game, but still has a good number of them.

[icefractal]

I kind of like Psion//Monk or Psion//Warblade (focusing on Diamond Mind). Go for the whole "mind over body, self perfection" thing.

Somewhat more specific:
Changeling Wildshape Ranger/MoMF/Warshaper // Rogue/Cabinet Trickster/Mindspy
With significant shapechanging ability and a fighting style based off reading your foes' thoughts, you are the absolute paragon of doppelganger-ness.

Oddball one:
Pixie/Whatever // Barbarian
With gestalt, you can probably manage to make the Pixie Barbarian a force to be reckoned with, and that's pretty amusing.

[martixy]

Psychic Warrior(or Ardent, or Egoist, if you can spare the MAD) // Monk - the whole mind over body shtick.
Imagine the AC.

Archivist/Factotum - the ultimate spelunker and seeker of forbidden knowledge. (Not necessarily mechanically, due to competition for feats, but flavor-wise it's awesome).

A White Raven Warblade/Marshal - be a legendary general.

Edit: Goddamnit, swordsage'd by a couple of minutes.

[Necroticplague]

Does Eldritch Glaive work with martial strikes?

No, because the Glaive requires its own action to use. However, It could benefit from any stances or swift boosts.

That said, onto some combos I find flavorful:


Monk/Fist of Forest/Totemist//Druid. Take the VOP. Be the ascetic.Still kick rear and take names.

Monk/Fist of Forest/Totemist//Divine Minon/Fighter/warshaper/MoMF/Nature's Warrior. See above, but without worrying about annoying spell preperation.

Battledancer/ghost/marshal/MotUH/sorcerer/monk (ascetic Mage)//eidolon/generic warrior/fighter (possibly dungeoncrasher)/soul eater. Have a force of personality so potent it sustains you and manifests in practically every action you take.

[noob]

Gestalt Planar Shepperd of the far realms(infinite time and turn into chtulu)/ Cheater wizard(actually it is not an official class but it is rather a way of speaking of T0 wizards builds)
or Theurge/cerebremancer//Telepath psion/machinesmith
know all divine spells and also wizards spells and psionic abilities and also technology.

[Ellowryn]

Warmage//Beguiler. You have basically three sub-par schools of magic that you know all the spells of, but the strengths of both classes cover the weaknesses of the other; the Warmage now has useful out-of-combat utility, and the Beguiler has useful in-combat magic. Throw on a Mindbender dip, Incantatrix, maybe IotSV, and Archmage, and you have a powerful magician that doesn't have every trick in the game, but still has a good number of them.

Dude.... Warmage/Rainbow Servant//Beguiler/Shadowcraft Mage. Your only limit is your imagination and your knowledge of cleric spells.

[Brova]

Dude.... Warmage/Rainbow Servant//Beguiler/Shadowcraft Mage. Your only limit is your imagination and your knowledge of cleric spells.

And that you can't take two PrCs at once. Unless the plan is something like Warmage 4/Rainbow Servant 10/Warmage +6 || Beguiler 14/Shadowcraft Mage 5/Beguiler +1.

[Crake]

And that you can't take two PrCs at once. Unless the plan is something like Warmage 4/Rainbow Servant 10/Warmage +6 || Beguiler 14/Shadowcraft Mage 5/Beguiler +1.

you can qualify for rainbow servant at level 2 with the right feats

[Ellowryn]

And that you can't take two PrCs at once. Unless the plan is something like Warmage 4/Rainbow Servant 10/Warmage +6 || Beguiler 14/Shadowcraft Mage 5/Beguiler +1.

You are indeed correct, i never remember that as my IRL gaming group and most people on this forum ignore that part as its kind of silly. But as others have pointed out it is still possible to get both on either side if you optimize it right.

[Necroticplague]

you can qualify for rainbow servant at level 2 with the right feats

Feats, Plural? Just one will do it: Eldritch Corruption.

EDIT: Whoops, realized it has a prereq.

[Kantolin]

Spirit Shaman // Binder

Really, you just deal with spirits. Some of them are whinier than others and have all these demands, but still spirits.

Or some are 'active' spirits - those you can speak to and interact with properly - while others are 'lost' spirits that you're out to try to rescue.

Mechanically, Shadowcaster // Warlock sounds neat as well. You could actually do that outside of gestalt competently with a lenient DM and Shadowcaster 3 / Warlock 1 / Mystic Theurge. You have some potent but extremely limited spells, and some weak but unlimited spells, all melded together in one nifty package.

[AvatarVecna]

Rainbow Servant and Shadowcraft Mage cheese are excellent on a build like that, but my point is that even without them, it's still hovering somewhere slightly north of standard Tier 2.

[Brova]

Rainbow Servant and Shadowcraft Mage cheese are excellent on a build like that, but my point is that even without them, it's still hovering somewhere slightly north of standard Tier 2.

Let's be honest though - the Beguiler side is carrying that really hard. Beguiler/Dread Necromancer is probably just better, and it has the flavor win of being corrupting/forbidden. Of course, that's somewhat weakened by taking Rainbow Servant...

[Crake]

Feats, Plural? Just one will do it: Eldritch Corruption.

EDIT: Whoops, realized it has a prereq.

I usually just use sanctum spell and snowcasting.

[AvatarVecna]

Let's be honest though - the Beguiler side is carrying that really hard. Beguiler/Dread Necromancer is probably just better, and it has the flavor win of being corrupting/forbidden. Of course, that's somewhat weakened by taking Rainbow Servant...

Oh yeah, between the blasting specialist and the manipulation specialist with the broader list, Beguiler is definitely better, there's no denying that. But Warmage helps make blasting viable, which sucks if you've got nothing but blasting but is great if blasting is just one of the tools you've got, since that tool is now a lot more useful. And yeah, DN would be better for the flavor synergy, but I'll confess to having a demon demigod character that I'm fond of making, and Warmage//Beguiler fits them so well...

[Ellowryn]

Speaking of carrying, ive always had a soft spot for beguilers in general but i have always like going Beguiler//Rogue for the ultimate sneak. Yes beguiler is a better version of rogue but the loss of SA and other tricks means that they just aren't that useful when you really just need something dead and the party barbarian is breathing through 3 different holes in his chest. Another is Swordsage//Rogue, again the swordsage carries but tacking on the rogue just gives it that extra oomph i personally feel the class is missing.

[ben-zayb]

Warlock // Binder: you and your ancestors are considered witches and heretics, desperate for quick access to power without much effort and willing to make deals with otherworldly beings. (but not enough wisdom to simply be a cleric)

Spellthief // Binder / Ur-Priest: you want more power, and you're going to take it forcibly away from anyone, even the gods

[Brova]

Oh yeah, between the blasting specialist and the manipulation specialist with the broader list, Beguiler is definitely better, there's no denying that. But Warmage helps make blasting viable, which sucks if you've got nothing but blasting but is great if blasting is just one of the tools you've got, since that tool is now a lot more useful. And yeah, DN would be better for the flavor synergy, but I'll confess to having a demon demigod character that I'm fond of making, and Warmage//Beguiler fits them so well...

Honestly, I don't think Warmage gets enough metamagic to make damage viable. fireball is a decent offensive utility spell, but you're giving up way too much to get it in this case. If the Warmage had some class features that synergized with the metamagic stacking plan you want to be on, maybe that would work, but as is I don't really see it. Especially, in this context, given the flavor gap.

[marphod]

Does Eldritch Glaive work with martial strikes?

RAW No, but Eldritch Claws do.

An Extended or Quickened Eldritch Glaive doesn't, either, RAW, but might be DM-convincable.

[Razanir]

Factotum 20 // Rogue 13 / Iaijutsu Master 5 / Exemplar 1 / ??? 1

Let's look at level 20:

Iaijutsu Focus: +23 ranks, +11 Cha (18 base + 5 level + 6 magic + 3 age), +3 skill focus, +4 Exemplar = +41

Take 10 with Exemplar, and you consistently get 51 (9d6). Except because you have 5 levels in Iaijutsu Master, you can add Charisma to each die. 9d6+9*11 = 9d6+99.

But wait. We also took levels in Rogue. You're already attacking someone flat-footed for Iaijutsu Focus, so we can add that 7d6 sneak attack. 16d6+99.

You're also smart and learned to wield a quickblade from the gnomes, which, in addition to adding a pittance of 1d4 damage, resheaths your weapon after each attack. Couple that with Factota being able to get a second standard action, and you can use Iaijutsu Focus twice in a round. So we're now up to 2d4+32d6+198 damage, assuming both attacks hit. On average, you'd be doing a solid 315 damage, but up to 398.

Of course, that still leaves the issue of making your opponent flat-footed each round, but Acrobatic Backstab, among other tricks, can solve that issue.

Flavorful in that you very much focused on learning to use that quickblade dangerously well, and oh so broken.

[Dondasch]

Knight 20//Crusader 20

Knight's Bulwark of Defense lets you skip Thicket of Blades and still have the lockdown benefit. You have both a mechanic to draw aggro, the durability to survive it, and the power to retaliate against it.
Plus, the longevity you get from Loyal Beyond Death (a capstone whose only rival in sheer awesomeness is the Truenamer's) combined with Immortal Fortitude is funny.

[Andezzar]

Speaking of carrying, ive always had a soft spot for beguilers in general but i have always like going Beguiler//Rogue for the ultimate sneak. Yes beguiler is a better version of rogue but the loss of SA and other tricks means that they just aren't that useful when you really just need something dead and the party barbarian is breathing through 3 different holes in his chest. Another is Swordsage//Rogue, again the swordsage carries but tacking on the rogue just gives it that extra oomph i personally feel the class is missing.You would get a better BAB if you replaced he rogue with the Sneak Attack Fighter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#fighter), you would not gain some other goodies from the rogue though (evasion, improved uncanny dodge etc.)

[DMVerdandi]

Ones I want to play

Cleric//Druid
I would really like to play one as a sort of golden age Adam Kadmon Figure. A human who has the will of heaven behind them, thus is lord of the earth.

Artificer//Warblade
Master Crafter.
Master of Martial Maneuvers.
Very nice.
I like the idea of a fighter that makes his own gear.

Also, you can ARCHER Pretty hard with this.

Factotum//Erudite
Definitely play the ultimate brainiac with this. Fantastic skill-points, Fantastic powers, everything is just perfect.

[Honjuden]

Gotta second that sweet sweet Wizard/Swiftblade//Scout goodness. Especially if you take the dead casting levels of Swiftblade on the Scout side.

[Nifft]

Dragonfire Adept // Sorcerer - the true (fake) dragon - take a bunch of the breath weapon modification spells in addition to utility, since your Dragonfire Adept side handles round-to-round blasting. Being a Dragonwrought Kobold is also a good idea.

Warlock // Scout - mobility and reliable damage, tons of skill points, and complementary passive class features.

Scout // Soulknife / Soulbow - As above, but psionic skirmisher flavor instead of Warlock stuff. This guy can actually do the job that the Soulknife was supposed to do in terms of being a high-mobility character who gets one-big-hit.

Sorcerer // Paladin / Dragon Disciple - Champion of Bahamut; take the Dragonscale Husk ACF (from Dragon Magic) so you can continue to cast spells.

Changeling Egoist (racial sub) 20 // Wizard (racial sub) / Fleshwarper - the most mutated mutant to ever transmute.

Changeling Binder 20 // Rogue 4 / Cloistered Cleric 1 / Chameleon 10 / Cabinet Trickster 5 - "I am whatever I need to be."

Ardent // Swordsage - decent passives, good at-wills, Wisdom synergy, and good nova potential... plus, the desire to talk about philosophy while balancing on a pole and on fire.

[Razanir]

You would get a better BAB if you replaced he rogue with the Sneak Attack Fighter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#fighter), you would not gain some other goodies from the rogue though (evasion, improved uncanny dodge etc.)

Ooh, that goes well with the Iaijutsu Focus gestalt Factotum I came up with. Full BAB, except for the Exemplar dip. +30 or +36 to attack depending on if you feel like spending inspiration points or not. Dragonwrought Kobold, since I'm doing the venerable thing, Dex/Int 14 + 2/3 racial/aging + 6 magic = 22/23. +19 BAB + 6 Dex + 5 magic = +30, before Power Attack or similar. Numbers as a whole might vary, since I just used 28 point buy with 3 dump stats (8/14/8/14/8/18), but it gets the point across.

2d4+32d6+198 damage, and with high enough melee attack bonus that you'll probably hit. And if you make your quickblade brilliant energy as well, you don't even need +5. Their entire AC would be deflection, dodge, and natural armor.

The real question: Is there some way to bypass natural armor as well, and pretty much make a touch attack? I've seen impaling, but the quickblade is slashing.

[DrKerosene]

I generally love trying to combine any of the T4-T6 classes, but I recently learned of a Pathfinder spell that makes me want to play a Horimyo (tattoo Wizard)//Psion.

The spell? Skinsend. http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/spells/skinsend.html
I haven't thought of a character, but I'll probably use it for a villain at some point, maybe one without any magic gear.

[Andezzar]

The real question: Is there some way to bypass natural armor as well, and pretty much make a touch attack? I've seen impaling, but the quickblade is slashing.Wandchamber in the quickblade and a wand of wraithstrike. And forget brilliant energy.

[AvatarVecna]

Wandchamber in the quickblade and a wand of wraithstrike. And forget brilliant energy.

That or a custom magic item of continuous/use-activated Wraithstrike on your person. The point is that Wraithstrike is a much better way to go than brilliant energy.

[Draco_Lord]

Kineticist / Elemental Bloodline Sorcerer become a powerful blaster of elemental might!

[Waker]

Sha'ir//Bard- A teller of a thousand and one tales. You've got a decent chassis from the Bard with decent BAB, saves and skill point being pumped up by the powerful and extremely versatile Sha'ir spell list.
Factotum//Warblade- The archetypical hero, master warrior and finder of the clever solution to a problem. d12 HD, great BAB, excellent skill points and list, two good saves, large array of weapons and armor proficiencies, maneuvers and spells.
Spirit Shaman//Swordsage- The ascetic who finds balance and vanquishes evil spirits. Access to the potent Druid spell list, tons of maneuvers, great skills, two good saves. Arm yourself with a khakkhara and go to town.

[Lerondiel]

Druid20 / Bard 5, Beastmaster10, Warchanter5 .....you have enough ranks in Disguise and Perform(sing) to sound like Mr Burns as you burst into song...

"See my pets,
see my pets,
see my pets!!!"

[Andezzar]

See my Vest? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln2930rBisg)

[Lerondiel]

See my Vest? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln2930rBisg)

Yes but if you have something like 4x T-Rex or Dire Tigers with +12/10/8/6 HD respectively plus buffs....well it's all about your Pets :D

EDIT: Of course there are many people in the playground who would swap the Bard & Warchanter out for much better buffs

[Roxxy]

Bard/Master Summoner. A bit MAD, but on the other hand you belong to the most capable ally buffing class and the most capable ally spamming archetype. Spam those summons and start inspiring courage.