MaxiDuRaritry
2016-02-03, 08:25 PM
I have a gestalt build going that is primarily dips in classes with 1-3 levels (with 3 primarily being factotum), and it abuses the heck out of the Dark Chaos Feat Shuffle to swap out class-based bonus feats for other feats, including the Armor and Shield Proficiency feats that most base classes and some PrCs get at level 1 (see the feat descriptions for details). It gets full manifesting by abusing an ardent dip and ML boosters, as well as psychic chirurgery, and it's pretty easy to get arcane (and divine-as-arcane) spells as psionic powers, as well, so casting is covered.
But I'm looking for more class levels for short dips (generally 5-6 or less) that give a lot of bang for their buck, including ACFs and lots of bonus feats. Assume for now that feats and skills can be covered with a minimum of trouble, although racial and alignment prereqs (Dragonwrought, Human-Blooded kobold and CG, respectively) may possibly pose challenges. But even for that, we might as well list more, to leave for posterity.
Here's some stuff I've got so far.
Ardent: A one-level dip provides several armor/shield feats, a boost to your Will save, and two mantles, a couple of which are actually pretty nice. And due to the way they learn their powers, boosting your manifester level can get you access to surprisingly high level powers for just a few class levels and a compliant NPC (though whether that compliance is willing or not is up to how you get it). A two level dip grants a third mantle.
Psion: One level grants a psionic/metapsionic/item creation bonus feat, a Will save boost, a few 1st level powers, and some power points. If the boosters you got for ardent affect psion, too, you can get quite a few bonus pp based on your Int score and ML.
Erudite Psion: One level grants practically everything that psion does, as well as Psicrystal Affinity as a bonus feat. ACFs can get you a mantle of your choice, as well as the ability to spend 2 pp to dispense with expensive material and focus components for other classes through the StP erudite ACF, assuming you use psychic chirurgery to learn spells that have them.
Psychic Warrior: One level grants similar bonuses to the psion, except you get a good Fort save instead of Will (though the class encourages good Wis, so your Will save is likely good regardless), your manifesting is based on Wis, the bonus feat can also be used for fighter feats, you get a couple less pp, and you choose one power from a different list. It also grants three Armor Proficiency feats and a Shield Proficiency feat. Two levels can nab you an extra bonus feat or the soulbound weapon ACF and Weapon Focus (since one feat is given up via the ACF), and if you use psychic chirurgery to learn call weaponry as an ardent (or you have a high enough ML on psywar), the ACF ability carries over just fine.
Divine Mind: As horrible as divine mind generally is, it makes for a fantastic dip if you have the right setup. Several bonus feats (if you include armor and shield proficiencies), a few power points based on your Wisdom (which can be seriously boosted if you've got a high enough ML), mantle access, and some of the auras are actually pretty nice. It also has good Fort and Will saves, and nobody complains about good Fort and Will saves.
Fighter: We all know that fighter makes for a pretty good dip, but this gets even better if you can DCFS away your armor and shield feats. It also has good BAB and a good Fort save. Plus, dungeoncrasher is potentially fantastic with a high Strength, multiple attacks, Knockback, Knock-Down, Improved Trip, and Shock Trooper.
Rogue: Now this is pretty nice, especially at first level. (8+Int)x4 skill points is nothing to sneeze at, especially since it has a really good skill list. It also gains Light Armor Proficiency, good Reflex saves, trapfinding, and 1d6 sneak attack, which by itself isn't that great, but adding Craven suddenly makes it pretty stellar at higher levels. Plus, you've got the martial rogue variant, trading in that 1d6 of sneak attack for a fighter bonus feat. Who can't use more bonus feats?
Barbarian: This is one of the few classes I'd consider at level 1 instead of rogue for a dip-based build. Decent skills, some decent armor feats, the best hit die in the game, and a host of excellent goodies that will remain relevant throughout the entire rest of the game, like fast movement and rage (or the ACF equivalents).
Monk: Hoo boy. If ever there was a class built for dipping, it's the monk, even if it's entirely accidental. Great saves across the board, some of the best ACFs in the game for a martial class, Wis to (touch) AC, and some nicely abusable unarmed strike boosts. It doesn't gain any armor or shield proficiencies, but it does give you access to fantastic feats, especially with the martial monk variant. You can also choose between flurry of blows for an extra attack, flailing strike for (potentially) several extra attacks, and decisive strike, for one BIG attack (or many more, if you use attacks of opportunity to their fullest). You can also gain several magical abilities through your ACFs, such as invisibility virtually at will, and the ability to deflect magical attacks.
Wizard: Good Will saves, some pretty nice low level spellcasting, especially outside of Core, and some pretty good ACFs, especially the abrupt jaunt conjuror one. You can also use spell completion items without Use Magic Device, which is great. No armor or shield proficiencies, but you get a familiar. A FAMILIAR. OMG. And with the martial wizard, you can trade in Scribe Scroll for yet another fighter feat.
Cleric: Good Will and Fort saves, and it gains all the armor proficiencies and shield proficiency. Some access to minor healing, the ability to use cleric spell completion items, and the domains can kick some real ass, depending on which ones you choose. The cloistered cleric trades those proficiencies for lots of skill points and an extra domain, which is pretty great on its own.
Marshal: One level will grant you +Cha to one of a great number of categories. Are you a knowledge monkey? Motivate Intelligence will add your Charisma to every Int skill you've got. Have a high Cha but a low Dex? Motivate Dexterity will boost all of your Dex skills, your Dex checks, and even your initiative. It also grants several armor proficiencies, shield proficiency, and two good saves.
Totemist: If you go for a dip, go for two levels. Binding to your totem chakra is what this class is all about. It grants some soulmelds, some essentia, some armor proficiencies, and a good Fort save. Very nice.
Incarnate: Incarnates have a terrible chassis, and given their terrible skill points, you'd think they'd make awful skillmonkeys. Guess what? All of those soulmelds say you're wrong about that. They get a few armor proficiencies and a shield proficiency, and two levels will get you the crown chakra bind, which has some seriously nice things it can do.
All three ToB classes: All three are worth taking. Decent-to-good skills, good hit dice, several armor proficiencies each, some potentially great stances and maneuvers, and they even segue well with other classes, given that your initiator level scales even when you're not actively taking initiator levels. Figure out which maneuvers you want, then dip when your initiator level is high enough to get them.
Factotum: The best skill list in the game, some good skill points, +Int to practically everything, and proficiency in light armor and shields. If you've got a high Int and want skills, take factotum.
Most PrCs that I use are ones you want to take lots of levels in. I know that mindbender grants telepathy and shouldn't really be taken beyond that, but I don't dip PrCs much.
Any other ideas for classes that work well for dips up to 6 or so levels?
But I'm looking for more class levels for short dips (generally 5-6 or less) that give a lot of bang for their buck, including ACFs and lots of bonus feats. Assume for now that feats and skills can be covered with a minimum of trouble, although racial and alignment prereqs (Dragonwrought, Human-Blooded kobold and CG, respectively) may possibly pose challenges. But even for that, we might as well list more, to leave for posterity.
Here's some stuff I've got so far.
Ardent: A one-level dip provides several armor/shield feats, a boost to your Will save, and two mantles, a couple of which are actually pretty nice. And due to the way they learn their powers, boosting your manifester level can get you access to surprisingly high level powers for just a few class levels and a compliant NPC (though whether that compliance is willing or not is up to how you get it). A two level dip grants a third mantle.
Psion: One level grants a psionic/metapsionic/item creation bonus feat, a Will save boost, a few 1st level powers, and some power points. If the boosters you got for ardent affect psion, too, you can get quite a few bonus pp based on your Int score and ML.
Erudite Psion: One level grants practically everything that psion does, as well as Psicrystal Affinity as a bonus feat. ACFs can get you a mantle of your choice, as well as the ability to spend 2 pp to dispense with expensive material and focus components for other classes through the StP erudite ACF, assuming you use psychic chirurgery to learn spells that have them.
Psychic Warrior: One level grants similar bonuses to the psion, except you get a good Fort save instead of Will (though the class encourages good Wis, so your Will save is likely good regardless), your manifesting is based on Wis, the bonus feat can also be used for fighter feats, you get a couple less pp, and you choose one power from a different list. It also grants three Armor Proficiency feats and a Shield Proficiency feat. Two levels can nab you an extra bonus feat or the soulbound weapon ACF and Weapon Focus (since one feat is given up via the ACF), and if you use psychic chirurgery to learn call weaponry as an ardent (or you have a high enough ML on psywar), the ACF ability carries over just fine.
Divine Mind: As horrible as divine mind generally is, it makes for a fantastic dip if you have the right setup. Several bonus feats (if you include armor and shield proficiencies), a few power points based on your Wisdom (which can be seriously boosted if you've got a high enough ML), mantle access, and some of the auras are actually pretty nice. It also has good Fort and Will saves, and nobody complains about good Fort and Will saves.
Fighter: We all know that fighter makes for a pretty good dip, but this gets even better if you can DCFS away your armor and shield feats. It also has good BAB and a good Fort save. Plus, dungeoncrasher is potentially fantastic with a high Strength, multiple attacks, Knockback, Knock-Down, Improved Trip, and Shock Trooper.
Rogue: Now this is pretty nice, especially at first level. (8+Int)x4 skill points is nothing to sneeze at, especially since it has a really good skill list. It also gains Light Armor Proficiency, good Reflex saves, trapfinding, and 1d6 sneak attack, which by itself isn't that great, but adding Craven suddenly makes it pretty stellar at higher levels. Plus, you've got the martial rogue variant, trading in that 1d6 of sneak attack for a fighter bonus feat. Who can't use more bonus feats?
Barbarian: This is one of the few classes I'd consider at level 1 instead of rogue for a dip-based build. Decent skills, some decent armor feats, the best hit die in the game, and a host of excellent goodies that will remain relevant throughout the entire rest of the game, like fast movement and rage (or the ACF equivalents).
Monk: Hoo boy. If ever there was a class built for dipping, it's the monk, even if it's entirely accidental. Great saves across the board, some of the best ACFs in the game for a martial class, Wis to (touch) AC, and some nicely abusable unarmed strike boosts. It doesn't gain any armor or shield proficiencies, but it does give you access to fantastic feats, especially with the martial monk variant. You can also choose between flurry of blows for an extra attack, flailing strike for (potentially) several extra attacks, and decisive strike, for one BIG attack (or many more, if you use attacks of opportunity to their fullest). You can also gain several magical abilities through your ACFs, such as invisibility virtually at will, and the ability to deflect magical attacks.
Wizard: Good Will saves, some pretty nice low level spellcasting, especially outside of Core, and some pretty good ACFs, especially the abrupt jaunt conjuror one. You can also use spell completion items without Use Magic Device, which is great. No armor or shield proficiencies, but you get a familiar. A FAMILIAR. OMG. And with the martial wizard, you can trade in Scribe Scroll for yet another fighter feat.
Cleric: Good Will and Fort saves, and it gains all the armor proficiencies and shield proficiency. Some access to minor healing, the ability to use cleric spell completion items, and the domains can kick some real ass, depending on which ones you choose. The cloistered cleric trades those proficiencies for lots of skill points and an extra domain, which is pretty great on its own.
Marshal: One level will grant you +Cha to one of a great number of categories. Are you a knowledge monkey? Motivate Intelligence will add your Charisma to every Int skill you've got. Have a high Cha but a low Dex? Motivate Dexterity will boost all of your Dex skills, your Dex checks, and even your initiative. It also grants several armor proficiencies, shield proficiency, and two good saves.
Totemist: If you go for a dip, go for two levels. Binding to your totem chakra is what this class is all about. It grants some soulmelds, some essentia, some armor proficiencies, and a good Fort save. Very nice.
Incarnate: Incarnates have a terrible chassis, and given their terrible skill points, you'd think they'd make awful skillmonkeys. Guess what? All of those soulmelds say you're wrong about that. They get a few armor proficiencies and a shield proficiency, and two levels will get you the crown chakra bind, which has some seriously nice things it can do.
All three ToB classes: All three are worth taking. Decent-to-good skills, good hit dice, several armor proficiencies each, some potentially great stances and maneuvers, and they even segue well with other classes, given that your initiator level scales even when you're not actively taking initiator levels. Figure out which maneuvers you want, then dip when your initiator level is high enough to get them.
Factotum: The best skill list in the game, some good skill points, +Int to practically everything, and proficiency in light armor and shields. If you've got a high Int and want skills, take factotum.
Most PrCs that I use are ones you want to take lots of levels in. I know that mindbender grants telepathy and shouldn't really be taken beyond that, but I don't dip PrCs much.
Any other ideas for classes that work well for dips up to 6 or so levels?