Insane Gestalt Game

[lylsyly]

So, three weeks ago, we all received an E-mail from the DM of the game we started yesterday. This is the Gist of it:

Rules of Building:
Source Books: All 1st party and Drag mag. This time we are going to use the setting specific books as well (we almost never use the setting specific stuff).

Level Adjustment: Up to LA+3 FREE (It’s free so use it up right?).

Races/Templates: Creatures with 2 racial hit dice will have them removed along with feats and skills that stem from them (I can live with this!).

Base Classes: Any

Prestige Classes: Any, may PRC on both sides of the build (Normal for our group).

Hit Dice: Max Hit points per level (Oorah!).

Skills: Each class will have +2 skill points, Pathfinder Skill Bundles in effect. No such thing as class skills, buy what you want (Again, Oorah!).

Feats: Pathfinder Feat progression (each odd numbered level). Two Traits, 2 Flaws or a combination. Get feats for both. You must role play them or I may take them away from you. (A 3rd Oorah!).

Really????

Anyway, we played our first session yesterday and this is what we all came up with:

1. Primary Arcane Caster/Acid Breather/Sometimes Archer: Draconic (Copper)(LA+1) Gray Elf w/Half Fey Template (LA+2) My Character
Gray Elf -2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Int/Draconic +2 Str, +2 Con, +2 Cha /// Half Fey +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Wis, +4 Cha
+0 STR/+4 DEX/-2 CON/+2 INT/+2 WIS/+6 CHA
Sorcerer 1/Conjurer 4/Ultimate Magus 10/Legacy Champion 5///Beguiler 10/Abj Chp 1/Arc Arch 2/Abj Chp +4/Beg +3

2. Primary Divine Caster/Melee: Aasimar (LA+1) w/Saint Template (@ level 1)(LA+2)
Aasimar +2 Wis, +2 Cha /// Saint +2 Con, +2 Wis, +4 Cha
+0 STR/+0 DEX/+2 CON/+0 INT/+4 WIS/+6 CHA
Cloistered Cleric 4/Ordained Champion 1/Seeker of the Misty Isle 1/Church Inquisitive 1/Divine Oracle 1/Sovereign Speaker 9/Contemplative 3///Paladin 20 w/Harmonious Knight and Mystic Fire Knight Sub Levels

3. Primary Melee: Goliath (LA+1)Half Minotaur (LA Paying +2)
Goliath +4 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con///Half Minotaur +4 Str, +2 Con, -2 Int, +2 Wis (Medium to Large Size +8 Str, -2 Dex, +4 Con)
+16 STR/-4 DEX/+8 CON/-2 INT/+2 WIS/+0 CHA
Barbarian 6/Champion of Gwynharwyf 10/Menacing Brute 4///Feat Rogue 6/Horizon Walker 4/Suel Arcanamach 10

4. Melee/Scouting: Killoren w/Half Earth Elemental Template(LA+3)
+4 STR/-2 DEX/+4 CON/+0 INT/+0 WIS/+0 CHA
Totem Druid 2/Master of Many Forms 10/Planar Shepard 9//Wildshape Mystic Ranger 6/ Nature’s Warrior 5/Mystic Ranger +9

5. Rogue/Scout/Archer: Kenku (MM3) Half Air Elemental (LA+3)
Kenku -2 STR/+2 DEX/Half Air Elemental Dex +2/Int +2/Wis +2/Con +2/Cha +2
-2 STR/+4 DEX/+2 CON/+2 INT/+2 WIS/+2 CHA
Rogue 5/Trapsmith 5/Slayer of Domiel 10///Scout 3/Mystic Ranger 17

We had a BLAST!! We all also stepped out of our "Comfort Zones" for instance I almost never play full casters, lady who always plays a Cleric 20 is playing the Incredible Hulk, and our full time Rogue is playing a wildshaping fool.

The best thing? We are definitely playing to Level 20!!!

[Kayden Prynn]

So, just here to brag, then? Neat game, sounds like fun, good for you, but did you have a question in there somewhere?

[Jack_Simth]

Good that you're having fun. The point of the game is to have fun without consequences, and you appear to be having that so: You win! Note that you winning has no particular impact on whether or not anyone anywhere else will also win, and how many people who win has no impact on how many people lose. Still: You win! Congrats!

[Nifft]

Feats: Pathfinder Feat progression (each odd numbered level). Two Traits, 2 Flaws or a combination. Get feats for both. You must role play them or I may take them away from you. [I](A 3rd Oorah!).

You get a feat in trade for taking a Trait?

That's interesting. I hardly ever hear about Traits.

Which Traits did you all take? How did they work in play?

[martixy]

Hm... I run more or less the same game. With the following (minor) exceptions or additions:

Source Books: Also borrow liberally from PF(e.g. unchained classes, other bits and bobs).
Level Adjustment: The 3 free levels can be used for LA or RHD. Also can benefit from PF's Race Point system, 25 RP instead of 3 LA, or 8 points per level. Also, automatic LA buyoff, up to half (ala PF) is in effect, for every 5 class levels.
Races/Templates: RHD are not removed, but simply halved. They do offer the following benefits though, to offset their general suckiness: 1. Can double-prestige for every (non-free, see above) RHD. 2. Can buy off additional LA for every 3 (non-free) RHD.
Base Classes: Any, incl. PF classes, and my own personal tweaks. Use PF's Favoured classes mechanic, not 3.5.
Prestige Classes: Any, see above for both sides of build. Theurge classes advance only 1 spellcasting.
Hit Dice: Yep, max HP. Saves me time as a DM and is cool.
Skills: Yep, +2 for everyone. 1 additional skill: Martial Lore, which combines Martial Lore and Iaijutsu Focus from 3.5. We also use this: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=11090577&postcount=1 Pathfinder's unchained bonuses may be bought for 2 skill points once you have the requisite number of ranks(similar to skill tricks).
Feats: Yep, PF feat progression. Traits/flaws work as follows: You can take 1 PF trait instead of 2 3.5 traits. You can also take 2 PF traits in exchange for a flaw. Or a single drawback for 2 PF traits and no 3.5 ones.

Other stuff:

I use fractional BAB/Saves.
No XP. Every XP cost converted to GP cost, in diamonds.
Alignment requirements are waived. Monks can be chaotic, bards - lawful, assassins - good. Poisons do not have an inherent alignment. Spells with descriptors can be used by anyone, and do not change your alignment, etc.
Usage of called shots, the fumble system from my sig, a critical hit deck, PF death and massive damage and a ton of other variant rules and bits and bobs.

[lylsyly]

You get a feat in trade for taking a Trait?

That's interesting. I hardly ever hear about Traits.

Which Traits did you all take? How did they work in play?


We all came to the same conclusion - Aggressive for the initiative bonus and Quick for the speed boost. After all, AC is easy enough to get and with Max hit points...

Did you know that the Draconic Breath feat scales (as I get higher level spells) comparable to a copper dragons breath weapon? Admittedly the DC falls off at higher levels but still ... That's why I went with tripling up on arcane casting ;)

@martixy: I do believe that we as a group are leaning towards incorporating more PF.