Gestalt idea help

[StriderITP]

I'm going into a level 8 gestalt game soon and I would like some help making an energy-focused psionic character. The background for the campaign is that arcane magic causes mysterious damage to yourself every time you use it, and it's up to the party to find out why it's happening. The character I have in mind is a dragon-obsessed Ardent. The materials we're allowed are Core, All completes, Magic Item Compendium, Spell Compendium, Dragon Magizine Compendium, Heroes of Horror, Expanded Psionics Handbook, Dungeonscape, Player's Handbook II, Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle, and Mind's Eye articles, and a book the DM abbreviated as EoE (I don't remember which book that is).

My stats are 18, 17, 15, 14, 13, and 11

[rel]

As I said in another gestalt thread, action economy breaking is king. Factotum gets that at level 8 and dungeonscape is on the approved list.

Go Factotum / ardent (or psion if you want to be really SAD), spend your spare feats on more inspiration points and bust out a few free standard actions in each encounter.

[StriderITP]

Can't get Font of Inspiration. It's not from a source that's approved.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

EoE is Exemplars of Evil, it has some choice spells and feats (Friendly Fire, Uncanny Forethought) but not much for PCs beyond that.


Ardent is a great choice, especially considering you can get Practiced Manifester and still learn the same level of powers as if you didn't lose up to four levels of manifesting. Substitute Powers and in this case the elemental mantles (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a) just makes this choice that much better. Since it's a Wis-based class, I'd recommend sticking with Wis for your primary stat.

I'd mix it with Swordsage 1/ Soulknife 2/ Swordsage 2/ Soulbow 3 starting out, so you've got some maneuvers for utility, defense, and flavor, and some decent attack options for when you don't want to spend powerpoints. See if you can swap the Wild Talent feat from Soulknife for Hidden Talent (XPH p67) to learn a choice 1st level power that you otherwise wouldn't be able to learn, such as Vigor or Astral Construct. Point-Blank Shot and Precise Shot will also help your ranged touch psionic powers, I'd grab Rapid Shot as well, and consider Zen Archery if Wis > Dex.

Considering Practiced Manifester, you could actually start out Swordsage 5/ Soulbow 3// LA +2/ Ardent 1/ Soulknife 2/ Ardent 3, you would have fewer powerpoints/day and powers known, but the level of your powers would still be the same as if you'd started out with Ardent 8. You could also throw in Human Paragon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm#humanParagon) if you only take +1 LA or one level in another class, and that can get you a class skill for your whole career such as Use Magic Device.

I'd probably go with a Dvati from Dragon Compendium, especially if both can manifest a power at the same time or one attack while the other manifests a power. Even if that falls under the spellcasting rules for the race, they can both full attack with Mind Arrows and initiate maneuvers at the same time. I'd probably throw on Quasilycanthrope (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a) for DR 10/Silver or some other defensive template like Mineral Warrior (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e), and use Practiced Spellcaster to make up for a few lost Ardent levels.

[Fouredged Sword]

Ok, so I am going to suggest you go the whole psionic/dragon angle, but let's play up the crystal dragon angle.

Here is the rough build - Psion (or ardent) 5 / Crystal Master 10 / psion 5 // Dragonfire Adept 5 / psion 1 / dragonfire adept 8 / psion 1 / dragongfire adept 5

You are a psionic gem studded dragon blooded blaster with really good physical stats, DR, and saves (pick the GOOD crystals) and you can save all your PP for cool things because you can cover all your basics with invocations.

[ExLibrisMortis]

How is LA handled in your game? You could just play an actual dragon, as in, wyrmling HD + LA 8//ardent 8.

[StriderITP]

LA goes on one side of the gestalt. Nothing above +3 LA and 4 RHD.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Ardent/Crusader is really fun (and a thematic combination) especially if you plan to be the front liner.

[ExLibrisMortis]

LA goes on one side of the gestalt. Nothing above +3 LA and 4 RHD.
Well then, that's wyrmling black, white, yellow (Dragon Magazine Compendium), or brass dragon for you! I'd go with brass myself. By no means a melee chassis, as you'd be Tiny, but an excellent base for spellcasting/manifesting.