Need help building a gestalt natural weapon fighter [3.5]

[Kokaka]

Hi all.

So, me and my friends are about to start a DnD campaign using the gestalt rules, and I'm stuck when it comes to build a character.
I got a pretty good concept with a background story of a natural weapon fighter, using fangs and claws to defeat the enemy, being vicious in combat but has a scholar like demeanor.
First of all I must say that DnD is not my "main" rpg so I only know the basics of character creation and game mecanics.

Anyhow, the gm has not been telling us our starter level but it is usually lvl1, lvl5 or lvl10 using the gestalt rules, and we are not alowed to use psionics.
So my plan is to play a natural weapon fighter, it would be coolest to be some sort of were creature where weretiger () is my top priority, or some sort of deamon thing or even a vampire.
Tough I don't know if these races or templates are good at all and if this is just waste of lvl's I would have no problem playing something that can shapechange into something coolish.
I would also gladly like to cast spells if possible but it's not a criteria, since unarmed fighting is the first priority.

My rolls 15, 12, 18, 17, 16, 10 are the best I have ever rolled so I'm in need of a char who can justify this awesomenes.

So, if anyone have some tips on how to make this char or even bother to make a compleate char I would be very greatful.

[Mongoose87]

Gold Dragon//Sorcerer.

/Thread

[Sinfire Titan]

Totemist//Warblade

Totemist//Swordsage

PsiWar//Warblade

[Glimbur]

I was going to suggest Totemist from Magic of Incarnum also, but since that has been covered, Kobold (with the web enhancement to get claw/claw/bite) Warblade//Rogue

[Frog Dragon]

This is not the most optimized route, but.
Barbarian//Druid. You should probably take the PHBII variant and use magic fang on those claws. Focus your feats on flurries (not the sucky monk ability) of claw/bite attacks. Improved Natural Attack and other such feats would be great. The classes are great for conveying "ahh these herbs should make a fine potion of... what? enemies? HULK SMASH!!" Also. Shifters. That is all.

[Kokaka]

Ok, thanks all for the tips, but since my knowlage of DnD is very basic, it would be great if you guys could give me some advices on feats, abilities and the like since I'm quite lost outside players handbook .
Oh, and the biggest bonus of all would be to play some tiger thing, mmm weretiger fluff.

[Sinfire Titan]

Ok, thanks all for the tips, but since my knowlage of DnD is very basic, it would be great if you guys could give me some advices on feats, abilities and the like since I'm quite lost outside players handbook .

This is the Incarnum Handbook if you go Totemist//Anything.


Arguably, everything in Magic of Incarnum works best in Gestalt games.

[ColdSepp]

Totemist. Use it. Natural attacks are best with it.

[PinkysBrain]

Natural weapon damage without some magical way to upgrade the base damage is pretty sad ... so yeah, totemist or psionic (with Claws of the Beast).

Lycanthropes are pretty poor in gestalt games ... the LA is a problem for normal characters, double so for gestalt characters. Would your DM allow you to half the LA? (Since it's gestalt it seems fair to me.) Also you don't get the pounce special attack in hybrid form.

[Mongoose87]

Natural weapon damage without some magical way to upgrade the base damage is pretty sad ... so yeah, totemist or psionic (with Claws of the Beast).

Lycanthropes are pretty poor in gestalt games ... the LA is a problem for normal characters, double so for gestalt characters. Would your DM allow you to half the LA? (Since it's gestalt it seems fair to me.)

LA doesn't only apply to one side of the Gestalt?

[PinkysBrain]

This is not the most optimized route, but.
Barbarian//Druid. You should probably take the PHBII variant and use magic fang on those claws.

How do you suggest doing that? Either no spellcasting or no claws. Shapeshift druid does pitiful damage with his natural attacks anyway ...

[PinkysBrain]

LA doesn't only apply to one side of the Gestalt?

Generally no, but it differs by DM.

[ColdSepp]

Generally no, but it differs by DM.

Huh, I thought it was just the opposite.

[Mongoose87]

Generally no, but it differs by DM.

That's kinda broken.

[PinkysBrain]

Not very weretigery.

[Sinfire Titan]

Not very weretigery.

Shifter Totemist 20//Warblade 20 focusing on Tiger Claw strikes and using soulmelds that grant claws and bites (like Girallon Arms). More Tiger than you'll ever need to be.

[woodenbandman]

Totemist//Monk/Black Blood Cultist.

You can add your unarmed strike into your full attack routine, and as your unarmed damage step increases, your grapple check damage also increases. Black blood cultist is from... somewhere and it allows you to eventually add your natural weapon damage, all of them, to your grapple damage on a successful grapple check. Combined with Totemists's soulmelds, some of which can grant you a constrict attack, and Monk allowing you to flurry your grapples, this pretty much stacks up to a win all around.

[Thrawn183]

What about feral? I guess Psychic warrior could also use the claws. Though i'm not sure you're able to use those in conjunction with any other natural attacks *facepalm*

[archerpwr]

Wizard//Anything.

Polymorph+Buffs. You'll get more natural attacks with better bonuses and damage that way. Granted, polymorph is practically cheating, but just persisting draconic polymorph at level nine (you are an incantatrix, right?) will get you amazing natural attack routines all day long.

Alternatively, psychic warriors using the claws of the beast and bite of the wolf powers are pretty playable. Takes a little finesse in build, but in actual play they're less of a headache shifting around numbers than your average totemist build.

[UserClone]

I am currently running a Feral Half-Minotaur Human (LA+3, due to houseruling) Barbarian3/Fighter1//Totemist7 to great effect. Girallon Arms, Woo! Let's talk about five natural weapons on a pounce!!

[Person_Man]

I am also a huge fan of the Totemist. But if you can't buy/borrow Magic of Incarnum, my suggestion is Psychic Warrior 20//Swordsage 20.

Take the psionic powers Claws of the Beast, Claws of the Vampire, and Expansion. Take the feats Improved Natural Attack, Karmic Strike, and Robilar's Gambit. You're now a classic King of Smack build, with ToB manuevers and stances.

[UserClone]

You can't take Improved Natural Attack unless you have your own natural attack. Which the power only temporarily grants you. How are you qualifying, by having the power active just at the moment you are leveling?

[quick_comment]

Kobold (with web enhancement) Totemist 20//Tauric Fleshraker 6/Warblade 14

Kobold gets you 2 claw attacks. Tauric fleshraker gets you 2 more, fast movement, leaping pounce, poison and other goodies. Warblade 14 gets you 9th level maneuvers.

[Sophismata]

You can't take Improved Natural Attack unless you have your own natural attack. Which the power only temporarily grants you. How are you qualifying, by having the power active just at the moment you are leveling?

Take a level of Monk, or Unarmed Swordsage, then. That should work :D.

A monk’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

[Faleldir]

You can't take Improved Natural Attack unless you have your own natural attack. Which the power only temporarily grants you. How are you qualifying, by having the power active just at the moment you are leveling?

Of course! You usually gain XP after an encounter, and the power lasts several hours. That's like saying a Warlock can't take Flyby Attack.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

You can't take Improved Natural Attack unless you have your own natural attack. Which the power only temporarily grants you. How are you qualifying, by having the power active just at the moment you are leveling?

If you have the natural attack for 12+ hours a day(not unreasonable), then you have claws more often than you don't, which seems a fair way to qualify for the feat.

[Kokaka]

Thanks for all the tips everyone.

So, I have looked around on alot of different classes and will go either Totemist/Swordsage or Totemist/Warblade, and either human or shiftling.
If I go human I think I will take the, Sacred Vow and vow of poverty at my first level to try to cualify for the saint*.
If I go shifling I have absolutly no idea what to take for feats, so I need some help on that part.

So yeah, if anyone have som tips on some good feats for this build I would be extreamly happy.

*How do you become a saint? I´ve read somewhere that you need Vow of Poverty for it but I dont know what you need more

[sofawall]

Saint is a template, I think you just need to be good.

Also, I strongly advise NOT taking Vow of Poverty. It's a trap, as Admiral Ackbar can attest.

[Kokaka]

Saint is a template, I think you just need to be good.

Also, I strongly advise NOT taking Vow of Poverty. It's a trap, as Admiral Ackbar can attest.

A trap? I thought it was awesome. Could you explain why its a trap since at first glanse it just look ridiciolusly good.

[Zincorium]

A trap? I thought it was awesome. Could you explain why its a trap since at first glanse it just look ridiciolusly good.

Magic items are just too good, as they can be used to specialize against opponents or generalize (Bane arrows, anyone?) without getting too expensive.

Good DMs don't just randomly steal/disenchant items.

Two feats at low levels ain't chump change. And the bonus exalted feats are sharply limited and rarely any good.

You lose all your abilities if you pick up a gold piece.

Clerics can't cast spells, per RAW, that require a focus.

At best, you'll be on par with everyone else.