Lv 5 gestalt undead pirate captain

[Spore]

Hello,

so I want a mildly optimized gestalt character for a pbp game here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23025442&postcount=13); mainly I want Animate Dead to bolster the menial tasks on board, for a crew that serves without fail and does not mutiny.

In short:
- 3.5 with Pathfinder allowed (currently leaning towards PF Antipaladin (Knight of the Sepulcher//Bones Oracle simply because I know this option)
- 5th level gestalt (only one full caster)
- a feat every level
- skills bought via Pathfinder (but on a 3.5 sheet)
- WBL times 1.5, a ship has to be bought, or stolen (I want to provide a skeletal crew)
- all races (leaning towards aquatic but Angel-born Aasimar sounds so attractive, regardless of missing swim speed)
- all alignments okay, but I have seen a Paladin apply so I need a reason to play nice with him (Antipaladin is CE by default and while I do not want to play chaotic stupid or stupid evil, I AM playing my alignment)
- Pf traits and flaws

A few ideas from my side:
Antipaladin//Oracle gets Animate Dead on 6th level. I need the skeletons for the gaming start simply as the ship crew, for fluff reasons, so I would need to get Lesser Animate Undead until 6th.
Any other build ideas must be at least capable of leading, melee combat and have a spontaneous full caster on one side.

[FelineArchmage]

Spontaneous caster: Go with dread necromancer (Heroes of Horror 3.5). Also casts off CHA like oracle and once you hit 8th level (when you learn animate dead), you are able to control 4 + CHA bonus HD per class level. Also allows you to rebuke undead (I am unfamiliar with the bones oracle, but I know the regular oracle class doesn't give you the turn/rebuke ability). The only difference for spellcasting is that it's a delayed spellcaster and the class learns spells at the same rate as sorcerer.

If you REALLY want to go the crazy undead route, take corpsecrafting feats. Which should be really easy to do since you are getting feats at every level. Make your undead strong as heck when you create them.

Also, look into the Necropolitan template and become undead yourself (no level adjustment, but the trade off is is that you lose a level +2000XP, so you can't take this until you have a couple levels. Totally worth it in my opinion though.). Talk to your DM and see if (when you become a necropolitan) you can apply your corpsecrafting feats to YOURSELF when you become undead.

Edit: I also want to note that the dread necromancer knows their ENTIRE spell list at all times, so you don't have to pick and choose spells whenever you gain a level. :) Once you get a new level of spells, you can cast any one you want without preparation. Also makes a great melee combatant (even as a full caster), due to some aura and touch abilities.

[Spore]

Spontaneous caster: Go with dread necromancer (Heroes of Horror 3.5). Also casts off CHA like oracle and once you hit 8th level (when you learn animate dead), you are able to control 4 + CHA bonus HD per class level. Also allows you to rebuke undead (I am unfamiliar with the bones oracle, but I know the regular oracle class doesn't give you the turn/rebuke ability). The only difference for spellcasting is that it's a delayed spellcaster and the class learns spells at the same rate as sorcerer.


Thank you for the suggestion. I will prefer oracle's buff spells over the dread necromancer's spell list however. I have given this a lot of thought. Thank you for your help because

f you REALLY want to go the crazy undead route, take corpsecrafting feats. Which should be really easy to do since you are getting feats at every level. Make your undead strong as heck when you create them.


Also, look into the Necropolitan template and become undead yourself (no level adjustment, but the trade off is is that you lose a level +2000XP, so you can't take this until you have a couple levels. Totally worth it in my opinion though.). Talk to your DM and see if (when you become a necropolitan) you can apply your corpsecrafting feats to YOURSELF when you become undead.

This however looks very attractive to me.


I also want to note that the dread necromancer knows their ENTIRE spell list at all times, so you don't have to pick and choose spells whenever you gain a level. :) Once you get a new level of spells, you can cast any one you want without preparation. Also makes a great melee combatant (even as a full caster), due to some aura and touch abilities.

I'd love to pick both Oracle and D. Necromancer but I am limited to one full caster sadly =(

[Zaq]

PF allowed, you say? Have I got a spell (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/skeleton-crew/) for you, my friend.

It's a little above your level to cast without cheese at the moment, but you could theoretically get away with a couple scrolls of it right now. And it's worth having a goal to build towards, if nothing else.

[mabriss lethe]

Now, I'm only passingly familiar with PF classes. But the general rule for gestalt is Passive//Active. One class provides either passive improvements or better action economy, the other side does all the heavy lifting. It's easy to make a gestalt character that has all these neat abilities on paper, but then be absolutely terrible at the table, since you never have the opportunity to pull out all the stops.

OK, so. Necromantic themed Cha based divine caster on one side, 3/4 BAB. That's definitely going to be your active side. For passive. In 3.5, If you don't care about improving to full BAB I'd recommend in no particular order, Binder, Warlock, Dragon Shaman, Marshal... All of them offer a large number of passive abilities, with the later two able to boost the whole party/crew.

If you want full BAB, then that's your first selling point. Anti-paladin is pretty solid. PoW/ToB classes can add some variety. A Crusader or Warblade//Oracle might just be pretty darned scary, especially focused on boosts, counters, and stances with a few utility strikes for good measure.