Making the most of a high INT score in pathfinder

[molten_dragon]

After my slayer/wizard died in the first session from a combination of bad luck and an unforgiving DM, I'm rerolling another character for the gestalt game I just joined.

This one is going to be a Mindchemist/Witch. Due to some campaign specific stuff, I can get an insanely high INT score at first level. I'll have a base of 32, and a 36 when my cognatogen is active. Obviously my hexes and spell save DCs will benefit from this, but I'm wondering how else I can benefit from this crazy high INT score?

Here's what I have planned out so far. I've only gotten up to level 13, haven't figured out what to do past that.

First side of the gestalt is straight witch 13, making sure to take Prehensile Hair.

Second side of the gestalt is Mindchemist 2/Empiricist 2/Kensai 3/Student of War 2/Kensai 4.

Feats are Skill Focus (Linguistics), Orator, Improved Unarmed Strike, Kirin Style, Kirin Strike, Combat Expertise, Artful Dodge, and Skill focus (1 knowledge)

This gets me:

- Manipulate objects using INT instead of STR with my hair (Prehensile Hair hex)
- INT to damage with splash weapons (Alchemist 1)
- 2x INT to damage with bombs (Targeted Admixture extract)
- An additional 2x INT to damage with any weapon once per round (Kirin Strike)
- 2x INT to knowledge checks (Mindchemist 2)
- Use linguistics in place of bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate (Orator Feat)
- Use INT for disable device, perception, sense motive, UMD, and diplomacy (Empiricist 2)
- Add INT to AC instead of DEX when wearing armor or using a shield (Student of War 2)
- As an immediate action add INT as a shield bonus to AC for one round (Spell Shield magus arcana)
- Add INT to hit as a swift action (Arcane accuracy magus arcana)
- Add INT to initiative (Kensai 7)
- Add 7 points of INT as dodge bonus to AC (Kensai 7)

Any more suggestions for other ways I can make good use of my high INT? Or suggestions for my last 7 levels? Good spells that usually aren't worth taking because they offer a saving throw?

[EldritchWeaver]

After my slayer/wizard died in the first session from a combination of bad luck and an unforgiving DM, I'm rerolling another character for the gestalt game I just joined.

This one is going to be a Mindchemist/Witch. Due to some campaign specific stuff, I can get an insanely high INT score at first level. I'll have a base of 32, and a 36 when my cognatogen is active. Obviously my hexes and spell save DCs will benefit from this, but I'm wondering how else I can benefit from this crazy high INT score?

Here's what I have planned out so far. I've only gotten up to level 13, haven't figured out what to do past that.

First side of the gestalt is straight witch 13, making sure to take Prehensile Hair.

Second side of the gestalt is Mindchemist 2/Empiricist 2/Kensai 3/Student of War 2/Kensai 4.

Feats are Skill Focus (Linguistics), Orator, Improved Unarmed Strike, Kirin Style, Kirin Strike, Combat Expertise, Artful Dodge, and Skill focus (1 knowledge)

This gets me:

- Manipulate objects using INT instead of STR with my hair
- INT to damage with splash weapons,
- 2x INT to damage with bombs using targeted admixture,
- An additional 2x INT to damage with any weapon once per round with kirin strike.
- 2x INT to knowledge checks
- Use linguistics in place of bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate
- Use INT for disable device, perception, sense motive, UMD, and diplomacy
- Add INT to AC instead of DEX when wearing armor or using a shield
- As an immediate action add INT as a shield bonus to AC for one round
- Add INT to hit as a swift action
- Add INT to initiative

Any more suggestions for other ways I can make good use of my high INT? Or suggestions for my last 7 levels? Good spells that usually aren't worth taking because they offer a saving throw?

Could you maybe add, which things you've taken grant you exactly what? I have also an Int-focused character, so I'm interested in this kind of stuff.

If "- Use linguistics in place of bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate" comes from Orator, then I have to say, that this is only affecting some skill usages, not all of them. So I would look for other ways to get bluff and intimidate as Int-based. I think some traits do that. Otherwise you have already done what I've used for that character.

[molten_dragon]

Could you maybe add, which things you've taken grant you exactly what? I have also an Int-focused character, so I'm interested in this kind of stuff.

I updated the OP with where each thing comes from.

[Geddy2112]

If you are going kensai, you can't wear armor. To get the student of war bonus, you need armor. You can get around this with the haramaki-no spell failure, no ACP, no max dex, +1 AC.

If you take a 3rd level in investigator, you can get the applied engineering talent, allowing you to use knowledge(engineering) to break objects which will be really strong.

Why not stack on vivisectionist to your alchemist side? You do lose out on bombs, and that bonus damage from thrown objects is nice but you can just use acid flasks and such for the same effect. You gain sneak attack, but at 3rd level you can use knowledge (nature) instead of heal, giving you INT to heal as well.

For your discovery at 2nd level, extend potion is free extend spell for potions per day up to your INT mod, which is pretty nice. You could take precise bombs if you want to keep your bombs so you never hit allies with splash damage. The skill focus is not the worst choice here though.

Grab a hybridization funnel, mix acid/alchemist fire/ liquid ice to make splash weapons. Throw them with kirin strike and do 3x of your INT damage in addition to the elemental, which might not do anything but they are really just vectors for your INT damage. Also put ranks into craft: alchemy. You get bonuses to alchemy from your alchemist/investigator levels, plus your INT is sky high so you can make potions and alchemical things easily and quickly. Remember you can double the DC to craft in half the time.

For skills: you have enough ranks to max basically everything and with INT to things, a single rank will do. Double INT means a single rank in the non key knowledge skills works, then all of the Monster ID ones get maxed for kirin. Max perception and sense motive, and probably UMD until you at least have a +18(enough to hit a 20 to use a wand or something) then a rank in all your other class skills for the bonus.

For your witch spells, everything you throw is a minimum DC 21+level, which is already insanely powerful. If you can get to 40 INT by the end of the game you will be throwing DC30 cantrips. You don't need any spells/abilities of comp language/tongues, as you will know every language in the game in no time(and your improved familiar might have truespeech). For hexes, grab the scar hex so you can keep an eye on your friends and buff them from range.

If you drop 1000gp on an astrolabe, you can use INT instead of WIS for survival checks to avoid getting lost.

[molten_dragon]

If you are going kensai, you can't wear armor. To get the student of war bonus, you need armor. You can get around this with the haramaki-no spell failure, no ACP, no max dex, +1 AC.

Yeah, I know. I planned to use a haramaki, armored kilt, silken ceremonial, or a mithral buckler.


If you take a 3rd level in investigator, you can get the applied engineering talent, allowing you to use knowledge(engineering) to break objects which will be really strong.

Hmm, I might do that. I was going to rely on my hair to break stuff, but knowledge (engineering) would give double my INT bonus.


Why not stack on vivisectionist to your alchemist side? You do lose out on bombs, and that bonus damage from thrown objects is nice but you can just use acid flasks and such for the same effect. You gain sneak attack, but at 3rd level you can use knowledge (nature) instead of heal, giving you INT to heal as well.

I'm probably not going to be in melee enough for sneak attack to matter. And double INT damage to bombs with targeted admixture is more bonus damage than the 2d6 sneak 3 levels of vivisectionist would get me. Not sure it's worth it just for heal.