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View Full Version : Gestalt build challenge, The Straight



Eloel
2008-11-28, 01:37 PM
I'm jealous of dspeyer's thread to some point, so I'll just copy-paste part of the rules :)

I was toying around with Gestalt, when this idea occured to me. What could be the best straight-leveled gestalt build be? By straight-leveled, I mean 20 X/20 Y, you CAN take LA, but it would shut down an entire side. You can also skip levels, if you want a PrC after some point. So, here we go :)

Old Rules as written by Duke

Unless otherwise specified in the specific challenge, the following rules and guidelines are always in effect:

* Gestalt builds; 28-point buy; use any WOTC 3.5 product (including Dragon magazine) except where noted (only 3.0 products with an official upgrade to 3.5 are allowed)
* Make all builds to ECL 20. However, indicate the minimum ECL the build is playable at (the level at which all LA and/or racial HD, if applicable, are accounted for) and label any level that indicates a "power break" where the build has a significant jump in power level. Provide a detailed description of how the build operates.
* Any race with a listed level adjustment is allowed (no racial progressions from Savage Species, please). LA and HD each apply to one side of the gestalt; you may include LA and HD on the same side as each other, or on other sides. No LA buyoff. LA is applied before racial HD, which must be paid off before class levels on that side. Examples: LA X / RHD Y / class Z / ... // class A / ... -OR- LA X / class Y / ... // RHD A / class B / ...
* Multiclass at will, but see "voting".
* Up to two flaws are allowed, but see "voting".
* Templates are allowed, but see "voting".
* Voting: Upon the close of entries for each challenge, members of the forum may vote in-thread for the build that best represents the goals set out by the challenge. The voting criteria should consist of:
o Functionality: How well does the build do in its primary role as specified in the challenge?
o Weaknesses: Does the build have any glaring weaknesses that can be exploited?
o Playability: How much of the 1-20 level range can the build be played at and be effective?
o Creativity: Clever use of races, classes, and/or feats that may not be "typical" choices
o Cheese: Minimizing the number of cheese points
+ Using flaws (1 point each)
+ Ignoring mutliclassing penalties -- some DMs actually do enforce this in gestalt (1 point each)
+ Single-level dips that would require several pages of justification to RP properly (1 point each)
+ Templates that would require several pages of justification to RP properly (1 point per +1 LA)
+ Attempting to use more than one PrC at any given level (1 point each)
+ Attempting to use "dual progression" PrCs (1,000,000 points each)
+ Over-dependence on items (1 point per indispensable item)
+ Over-dependence on Diplomacy or Use Magic Device skills (1,000,000 points each)

Vortling
2008-11-28, 01:41 PM
Wizard 20/Factotum 20, Grey Elf. Max out your int and take FoI for every single feat. The factotum gives you extra standard actions at level 8 and before that it lets you use your int for lots of other neat things.

Emperor Tippy
2008-11-28, 01:53 PM
Actually Wizard 20/Fighter 20 grey elf with FMI and turning all your feats into metamagic.

Best melee would be Warblade 20/Factotum 20 grey elf using FMI and all the FoI you can cram in.

Fighter 20/Factotum 20 with 13 FoI at level 20 is also nice. You're looking at around 100 IP.

JackMage666
2008-11-28, 01:57 PM
Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is FoI?

TerrickTerran
2008-11-28, 02:01 PM
Font of Inspiration I believe which allows you to use Factotum powers to the max.

Emperor Tippy
2008-11-28, 02:02 PM
Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is FoI?

Font of Inspiration. Every time you take it you gain additional IP equal to 1+(The number of previous time's you have taken FoI).

You can take it a number of times equal to your Int bonus (so 13 times at level 20 with max int and a +2 racial mod on it).

dspeyer
2008-11-29, 02:36 AM
Druid // Ninja
Some velociraptors learn to open doors -- others learn to walk through walls.

Wizard // Archivist
It's a classic for a reason.

Rogue // Warlock
22d6 ranged touch against a flat-footed opponent, all day long.

Barbarian // Swordsage
Everything you could want in a melee character.

Evolved Draconic Vampire
LA // RHD
How strong is too strong?

Belial_the_Leveler
2008-11-29, 05:07 AM
Evolved, Feral, Unholy Vampire Lord // Sorceror

400+ HP: check
Strength 60: check
Hide/move silently bonus of +49 while itemless: check
undead immunities: check
saves at +40: check
ten 9th level spells/day: check

icefractal
2008-11-29, 05:39 AM
Black Ethergaunt Wizard 20? Casting as a 37th level Wizard, plus ungodly high Int (could be as high as 50) - that seems fairly effective. Plus you get some bonus features, like immunity to some spells and excellent vision.

Hida Reju
2008-11-29, 06:02 AM
My personal favorites are

Human or Lesser Assimar
Bard 20
Warmage 20
Nothing says love like bard defensive spells/enchantments, the swiss army attack spell list, Great skills, and Charisma Synergy.

Next up is

Azurin
Incarnate 20
Warblade 20
I just love taking the power of Incarnum and adding ToB to it to make something just sick and wrong.

Aneantir
2008-11-29, 08:26 AM
Fighter 20/Factotum 20 with 13 FoI at level 20 is also nice. You're looking at around 100 IP.

I wasn't aware you could take FoI as a fighter bonus feat, unless theres some other way you're planning on gaining those 6 extra feats (5 if you're human or strongheart halfling)?

Emperor Tippy
2008-11-29, 09:52 AM
I wasn't aware you could take FoI as a fighter bonus feat, unless theres some other way you're planning on gaining those 6 extra feats (5 if you're human or strongheart halfling)?

Chaos Shuffle.

Ramza00
2008-11-29, 10:12 AM
Artificer 20//Factotum 20

Rules I don't need Rules.

Quirinus_Obsidian
2008-11-29, 10:51 AM
Barbarian // Swordsage
Everything you could want in a melee character.


Quoted for Truth. I did something similar (had Half Dragon (LA Buyoff) Lion totem Barb 8/Ftr 2/FB 10 // Ssage 20, and it is pure unrelenting WIN. The only bad side is the lack of Iron Heart Surge.

Realms of Chaos
2008-11-29, 10:30 PM
Chaos Shuffle.

what is chaos shuffle.

Also, from one of the earlier posts (the wizard/fighter suggestion), what is FMI?

Draz74
2008-11-29, 10:36 PM
Yeah, FoI I know well, but FMI has me stumped. I'm guessing the M is for Metamagic, though.

I'd like to throw in a personal-favorite vote for no-equipment-necessary Gestalt combos that work great: Factotum//Psion with Vow of Poverty, and Totemist//Dragonfire Adept with Vow of Poverty.

Other cool options that haven't been mentioned yet:

Cleric//Druid (duh)
Beguiler//Warblade (the ultimate swashbuckler)

RebelRogue
2008-11-29, 10:42 PM
what is chaos shuffle.
Using Embrace the Dark Chaos/Shun the Dark Chaos to rearrange your Feats.

Emperor Tippy
2008-11-29, 10:45 PM
what is chaos shuffle.
Two spells.

Embrace the Dark Chaos let's you turn any feat that the touched creature has into an Abyssal Heritor feat. Shun the Dark Chaos let's you turn any Abyssal Heritor feat that the touched creature has into any other feat that they currently qualify for.

Elves gain four Martial Weapon Proficiency feats as one of their racial bonuses. Which can be converted into useful feats.


Also, from one of the earlier posts (the wizard/fighter suggestion), what is FMI?
Faerie Mysteries Initiate

It let's you use Int to HP instead of Con to HP. Meaning that all the sudden the wizard is not so squishy (36 Int means that a level 20 wizard has an extra 260 HP). It is also very nice for factotums. And when combined with Grey Elves (you have to be an elf to qualify for FMI) it nicely offsets the Con penalty. Throw in Keen Intellect and Insightful Reflexes and you also have Int to Reflex and Will saves (plus a few wisdom based skills).

Combine with Chaos Shuffle and a grey elf for what is effectively Int to Reflex saves, Int to Will saves, Int to HP, and a free bonus feat in addition to the other elf traits.

Thurbane
2008-11-29, 11:00 PM
Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is FoI?
It's a feat which only exists on the WotC website (i.e. never published in a book), and turns the Factotum from a decent class into OMFG who'd ever play a Rogue again? :smallbiggrin:

...now where did I put those asbestos long johns again?

Animefunkmaster
2008-11-29, 11:08 PM
Can I point out some cheesy abuses (Although I am not sure if they are alowed in the above rules, tldnr).

Fighter1/archivist19//wizard 20

full bab, dual casting, int based... whats not to like?

Slyph +Outsider hd (up to 20)//Wizard or Druid 20

(Slyph's racial gives sorcerer casting based on outsider hd and then some... Outsider hd is pretty good all by itself... this is more broken than abuse.)

Nohwl
2008-11-29, 11:15 PM
ive heard that archivist 20// artificer 20 was really good, but i havent gotten to try it. thats mostly because i havent had the chance to do a gestalt game yet.

monty
2008-11-30, 12:37 AM
Druid 20. Who needs gestalt?

Realms of Chaos
2008-11-30, 10:59 AM
No, no, no, my dear friend Monty.

Druid 20/Cleric 20

CoDzilla becomes CaDzilla. :smallbiggrin:

mabriss lethe
2008-11-30, 03:14 PM
Ferocity variant Barbarian 20// Binder 20 with animal devotion and travel devotion. Binding some combination of Paimon, Huares, Tenebrous, Andromalius, Marchosias, Focalor, or whomever. You're a strong, fast melee combatant that can plow through mooks, shoot lightning, command the undead, or do whatever else you decide is cool for the day. And if I remember correctly, unless specified as requiring concentration, you can use any supernatural ability while raging. Most of the binder's abilities do not specify.