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Reinboom
2008-02-15, 04:04 PM
Gestalt rules are a bit ambiguous as is. So, I decided to put in common additions and define them a bit better.
These are otherwise close to effectively the same as the gestalt in the SRD.

Building A Gestalt Character

To make a gestalt character, choose two standard classes. (You can also choose any of the variant classes, though you can’t combine two versions of the same class.) Build your character according to the following guidelines.

Hit Dice

Choose the larger Hit Die. A monk/sorcerer would use d8 as her Hit Die and have 8 hit points (plus Constitution modifier) at 1st level, for example.

Base Attack Bonus

Choose the better from the two classes at that level from a fractional base attack bonus. A character with a good BAB provides a +1, average provides +3/4, and poor provides +2/4. Round base attack bonus down when it would apply in game.

Base Saving Throw Bonuses

For each save bonus, choose the better of the two classes at that level from a fractional save. If it is the first level of a class, all good saves get +2 and 3/6. A good save at any other level provides +3/6. A poor save at any level provides +2/6. Round base saves down when they would apply in game.

Class Skills

Take the number of skill points gained per level from whichever class grants more skill points, and consider any skill on either class list as a class skill for the gestalt character. For example, a gestalt barbarian/bard would gain skill points per level equal to 6 + Int modifier (and have four times this amount at 1st level), arid can purchase skills from both the barbarian and bard lists as class skills.

Class Features

Class features is any spellcasting capabilities or spell-like, supernatural, or extraordinary abilities a class can obtain for the purpose of gestalt.

A gestalt character gains the class features of both classes. A 1st-level gestalt rogue/cleric, for example, gets sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding, 1st-level cleric spells, and the ability to turn or rebuke undead. Class- and ability-based restrictions (such as arcane spell failure chance and a druid’s prohibition on wearing metal armor) apply normally to a gestalt character, no matter what the other class is.

If a class feature is shared between two classes, the character gains them at the rate of the faster class instead of gaining the feature twice over. This only applies to class features that are exactly the same, such as uncanny dodge between the rogue and barbarian.

Class features that are similar but not the same are kept track of seperately, and as though the character gained both. For example, a character with two seperate spellcasting classes would keep track of their spells per day seperately.

A character can never advance a class feature more than twice in the same level. For example, a character that advances in both wizard and archmage that is trying to provide spellcasting to the wizard only increases their spellcasting once for that level.

Prestige Classes

A gestalt character can't combine two prestige classes at any level, although it's okay to combine a prestige class and a base class.

A gestalt character should also be prohibited from advancing in a prestige class that advances primary class features (any class feature that accrues or advances with at least half of the given base class's levels) of any two base classes simultaneously for at least half of the prestige class's levels. Examples of prohibited prestige classes are arcane trickster (sneak attack, spellcasting) or the mystic theurge (dual spellcasting).

Multiclassing

Since it would otherwise be difficult to prevent an experience penalty when using both prestige classes and base classes, given that one of the two starting base classes will nearly always rise out of multiclassing range of the other due to the prestige class, one additional base class of the characters choice is ignored for experience penalties in multiclassing.

Hit Dice and Level Adjustment

If a gestalt character has hit dice and/or level adjustment, they only need to apply this to one side (as it would in a normal game). Both hit dice and level adjustment must be applied to the same side in such a manner, however. This is to still limit level adjustment that were placed to prevent a racial ability being accessed at an earlier level than a class would otherwise obtain it.

Hit dice accrue first in such progressions and are handled in gestalt as class levels would for determining base attack bonus and saves. Level adjustment act as blank levels occurring after hit dice.

Vadin
2008-02-15, 04:08 PM
How...is this different from normal gestalt?

Reinboom
2008-02-15, 04:13 PM
How...is this different from normal gestalt?

Defined.
As I said, it's not significantly different.

The rules for fractional BAB and saves are built in to, instead of being a separate thing that needs to be looked up. What constitutes as a class feature is defined. It prevents the dual progression feats (ie: swift ambusher) from being taken advantage of, defines hit die and LA working, multiclassing. Etc.
Things that were just left out with the gestalt rules as is.

Vadin
2008-02-15, 04:14 PM
Ah. Good on you, then!