a few factorum questions

[Korivan]

The first question, 1. was there a book that had ways to increase the amount of insperation points you could get? If so, where?

2. What exactly constitutes an "encounter"? The wording in the book is that "At the beggining of each encounter, he gains a number of insperation points based on his level." Does this mean he only gets insperation points during encounters, or he only regenerates these points at a start of an encounter and then has to wait until another encounter to get more if he used some or all of them. (I want to use his ability to add his factorum level to skills outside of combat)

3. According to another thread on another site, someones handbook for this class states that at 3rd level, he adds his INT modifier to various STR and DEX checks and skills. That I get. But he said initiative is a DEX check. Is he right?

Also, 4. Does the Surge ability work only once per round or as many times as you can afford it?
I appreciate anybody's input.

[Kylarra]

1. Font of Inspiration
3.

An initiative check is a Dexterity check.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/initiative.htm

[kamikasei]

The first question, 1. was there a book that had ways to increase the amount of insperation points you could get? If so, where?

Font of Inspiration. It's a feat. You take it once, you get one extra point. You take it a second time, you get two more, totaling three. You take it a third time, you get three more, totaling six. It's limited by your intelligence. Note that your DM may not allow it as it's from a web enhancement (and lends itself to abuse).

2. What exactly constitutes an "encounter"? The wording in the book is that "At the beggining of each encounter, he gains a number of insperation points based on his level." Does this mean he only gets insperation points during encounters, or he only regenerates these points at a start of an encounter and then has to wait until another encounter to get more if he used some or all of them. (I want to use his ability to add his factorum level to skills outside of combat)

It's ill defined. I would replenish the pool whenever initiative is first rolled for an encounter, and then assume you have the full pool available when out of combat. Out of combat applications like skills have other limits, after all.

3. According to another thread on another site, someones handbook for this class states that at 3rd level, he adds his INT modifier to various STR and DEX checks and skills. That I get. But he said initiative is a DEX check. Is he right?

Yes. "An initiative check is a Dexterity check." This isn't a cheesy, strained interpretation that will have him claiming that attacks are strength checks too.

[Salt_Crow]

The first question, 1. was there a book that had ways to increase the amount of insperation points you could get? If so, where?

It's a web enhancement here.

2. What exactly constitutes an "encounter"? The wording in the book is that "At the beggining of each encounter, he gains a number of insperation points based on his level." Does this mean he only gets insperation points during encounters, or he only regenerates these points at a start of an encounter and then has to wait until another encounter to get more if he used some or all of them. (I want to use his ability to add his factorum level to skills outside of combat)

I'd certainly rule that you regain IP at the beginning of non-combat encounters as well (trap, bluff/dipl/int/gi etc). Anything that aren't exactly casual (say, you can't regain IP for bartering with a blacksmith, but I'd let him/her regain IP if it was a part of the plan to uncover a certain villain).

3. According to another thread on another site, someones handbook for this class states that at 3rd level, he adds his INT modifier to various STR and DEX checks and skills. That I get. But he said initiative is a DEX check. Is he right?

I appreciate anybody's input.

Here: it states that 'An initiative check is a Dexterity check.'.



Also: Ettin-ninja'd!!

[sofawall]

The first question, 1. was there a book that had ways to increase the amount of insperation points you could get? If so, where?

2. What exactly constitutes an "encounter"? The wording in the book is that "At the beggining of each encounter, he gains a number of insperation points based on his level." Does this mean he only gets insperation points during encounters, or he only regenerates these points at a start of an encounter and then has to wait until another encounter to get more if he used some or all of them. (I want to use his ability to add his factorum level to skills outside of combat)

3. According to another thread on another site, someones handbook for this class states that at 3rd level, he adds his INT modifier to various STR and DEX checks and skills. That I get. But he said initiative is a DEX check. Is he right?

I appreciate anybody's input.

Factotums are awesome. Just wanted to start with that.

Font of Inspiration is on the web, google it.

Most rulings seem to be limitless IP outside of combat. That said, encounters can be many and varied. If you're haggling to get a good price from a vendor, that could be an encounter. Traps are encounters. Monsters are the classic encounter. Anything that is a challenge tends to be an encounter. Of course, others rule for it to be an encounter it has to give xp. I'm not sure which side of the fence to fall on.

This is a contested point, but most char op folk tend to see it as a dex check. It's generally agreed on Gleemax that it works (some people always disagree, no matter the rule, but it's written in the rules...), but I'm not sure what the consensus is here.

EDIT: I've been ninja'd by a few someones who said almost exactly what I said, and were more helpful to boot. Skilled ninjas.

[Sinfire Titan]

2. What exactly constitutes an "encounter"? The wording in the book is that "At the beggining of each encounter, he gains a number of insperation points based on his level." Does this mean he only gets insperation points during encounters, or he only regenerates these points at a start of an encounter and then has to wait until another encounter to get more if he used some or all of them. (I want to use his ability to add his factorum level to skills outside of combat)

THe Bo9S has a description of what is defined as an encounter, but that's a description of a Combat encounter. An actual encounter can be anything you want it to be, though I generally rule that an encounter is "any situation measured in rounds that requires one or more d20 rolls from the players."


And it's Factotum. Factorum is a PrC in the Planar Handbook or Manual of the Planes (forgot which).


Edit: Double-ninja'ed again. Twice in one day.

[sofawall]

I see 4 people ahead of you, Sinfire. 3 beat me. There are some skilled ninjas here.

[Sinfire Titan]

I see 4 people ahead of you, Sinfire. 3 beat me. There are some skilled ninjas here.

But only 2 people actually gave a decent answer to the 2nd question, to which I was specifically responding. I don't count the other 2, as I took their posts into account when I posted my answer.

[Korivan]

I tossed a fourth question in there too, just wanted to put this up so people would see it. Thanks for the first question answered, not sure if it'll be allowed, but the current dm allows almost anything so long as we can prove its been published.

Also, thanks for clarifying the 2nd question, I'll definatly argue for your points of view on that.

The third question I thought I knew, but I remember someone saying the opposite, thanks again for the clerification. (current character has a +12 initiative check at third level because of this ability, havnt even got ahold of a warning weapon or belt of battle yet...)

The fourth question is where we are having the biggest debate over this class. Im fine with it working only once per round, its still an awsome ability.

[raitalin]

The Factotum Handbook

An excellent resource, if a bit incomplete.

[Korivan]

The Factotum Handbook

An excellent resource, if a bit incomplete.

that it is, but it still fails to answere questions 2 and 4. And it doesnt give a link to the font of insperation so technically as far as our dm is concerned, fails to answere question 1.

[sofawall]

Also, 4. Does the Surge ability work only once per round or as many times as you can afford it?
I appreciate anybody's input.

Hilariously, as many times as you can afford it. Most houserule differently, however. Even Tidesinger, proclaimer of Cheese, rules away from 32 standard actions in one round.

[Korivan]

Hilariously, as many times as you can afford it. Most houserule differently, however. Even Tidesinger, proclaimer of Cheese, rues away from 32 standard actions in one round.

32?!!?, how do you get that?

[sofawall]

Human+2 flaws+7 normal feats= 10 feats.

you get 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+10 inspiration points. That's 65. How many does it cost again, 3? There's 21. Add your normal one for 22. Celerity for 23. Belt of Battle for 24.

Sure, it's not 32, but I had forgotten the actual number. 24 is still hella good.

[Eldariel]

The argument against it is that the extra action doesn't stack with another from the same source under the D&D stacking rules. It's rather rational too; I built a gestalt Factotum/Archivist Archer that was able to one-turn kill the Hecatoncheires on level 20.

[Korivan]

Your not allowed to give my players ideas when I DM

[sofawall]

Then ban them entirely from Gleemax.

[Sinfire Titan]

The argument against it is that the extra action doesn't stack with another from the same source under the D&D stacking rules. It's rather rational too; I built a gestalt Factotum/Archivist Archer that was able to one-turn kill the Hecatoncheires on level 20.

Stacking rules only apply to rolls. It's the reason I disagree with Cust Serv and the Sage on Monk's Belts+SuS. It's right there in the Stacking section on the Core rules:

In most cases, modifiers to a given check or roll stack (combine for a cumulative effect) if they come from different sources and have different types (or no type at all), but do not stack if they have the same type or come from the same source (such as the same spell cast twice in succession). If the modifiers to a particular roll do not stack, only the best bonus and worst penalty applies. Dodge bonuses and circumstance bonuses however, do stack with one another unless otherwise specified.

Extra actions are not a roll or check. Bonuses from the effects of a Monk's Belt and SuS to Unarmed damage are not a roll or a check. Anyone who says otherwise isn't reading the rules.

[Weezer]

Then ban them entirely from Gleemax.

And this forum.
While its not quite as good a char op site as gleemax, it has its moments

[Eldariel]

And this forum.
While its not quite as good a char op site as gleemax, it has its moments

You'd also need to ban them from the rest of the internet. At least BG. And by the gods, don't let them read the books lest they figure it all out for themselves :/

[raitalin]

that it is, but it still fails to answere questions 2 and 4. And it doesnt give a link to the font of insperation so technically as far as our dm is concerned, fails to answere question 1.

Font is linked in the thread, but not in the OP. One of the failing of the handbook is that it hasn't been updated with all of the stuff for the thread.

Questions 2 and 4 are solidly DM's discretion, as they are vague and were never addressed by WOTC (much like whatever it is Factotums exactly are doing with the Arcane Dilettante ability) as Dungeonscape was a late 3.5 book.

Well, rule 4 is actually "use it as much as you like" RAW, but I think its sensible to make it 1/rd.

[sofawall]

You'd also need to ban them from the rest of the internet. At least BG. And by the gods, don't let them read the books lest they figure it all out for themselves :/

Reading the forums is much easier and faster than figuring it out yourself (except in some cases. Gate, I'm looking at you).

Most of the internet has relatively little char op, gleemax and BG (forgot about that one) have a strong concentration of extremely skilled optimizers.

And yes, GitP is good, but Gleemax stands in my mind as The Char Op Site. Others likely see BG the same way. This, to me, is a site that has some char op on it.

[Thurbane]

Factotums are awesome. Just wanted to start with that.

Yeah, Factorums are OK, but I prefer Rouges.

[sofawall]

Of course, anything a rogue can do, a factotum can do better.

[Sinfire Titan]

Reading the forums is much easier and faster than figuring it out yourself (except in some cases. Gate, I'm looking at you).

Most of the internet has relatively little char op, gleemax and BG (forgot about that one) have a strong concentration of extremely skilled optimizers.

And yes, GitP is good, but Gleemax stands in my mind as The Char Op Site. Others likely see BG the same way. This, to me, is a site that has some char op on it.

BG is where a good deal of optimizers loyal to Wizo-Autumn (Meg) went when Gamer 0 started messing up Gleemax. Others went to The Gamer's Den. At the time, GitP was malfunctioning too, so a few even left these boards in favor of a more stable one.

For a few months though, BG was almost devoted to optimization due to the influx. It's calmed down since more members have joined, but for a stint of time it was nearly impossible to have a thread without a DnD optimization reference being flung around every 3 posts. It's worth noting that, while the migrants were very happy about BG's lax rules and easy-going moderators, several of us still follow a rules code similar to Gleemax's (minus the restrictions on swearing). There's a couple of wild boys on BG, but they have their reasons.

When I come to GitP, it's mainly to read OotS and chime into things that I have experience with. This site gets a lot more threads about Incarnum than both Gleemax and BG combined, so I get to spread the knowledge about my favorite variant system here (that's the other primary reason I visit).

Yeah, Factorums are OK, but I prefer Rouges.

A lot of people say that. Usually, it's for the Sneak Attack damage. Factotums can do something similar using Iaijutsu Focus and a pair of Gnome Quickrazors, arguably better than the Rogue can. Also, Factotum+Able Learner works better than Rogue+Able Learner, a very important combination for multiclassing Skill Monkeys.

[Lycanthromancer]

A lot of people say that. Usually, it's for the Sneak Attack damage. Factotums can do something similar using Iaijutsu Focus and a pair of Gnome Quickrazors, arguably better than the Rogue can. Also, Factotum+Able Learner works better than Rogue+Able Learner, a very important combination for multiclassing Skill Monkeys.

What do the factotum and rogues have to do with factorums and rouges?

[sofawall]

Mainly because the thread is about factotums. The thread title is a typo. You'd know, if you'd read the thread.

[Xenogears]

Mainly because the thread is about factotums. The thread title is a typo. You'd know, if you'd read the thread.

And Rouge is another name for blush. You'd know that if you'd realized his post was a joke on the spelling error.

[sofawall]

I already knew that, yet missed the joke. I appear to have made a liar out of you.

[Sinfire Titan]

What do the factotum and rogues have to do with factorums and rouges?

Cute, Lycan. Theoretically, a Factotum 5/Rogue 5/Factorum X (not sure how long that PrC is) could use rouge as part of a Disguise check. Why anyone would do that instead of Factotum 10/Chameleon 10 or Chameleon 8/Warblade 2 is outside of my expertise.