Helpful Feats for a Totemist

[Ali]

Does anyone have any great suggestions for what feats a Totemist should pick? Obviously things like Double Chakra at slightly higher levels, but what about level one and three? Are there any good feats that could be helpful?

[InaVegt]

All of those incarnum feats which give you an additional essentia and something you can use it for are nice.

[Fax Celestis]

Vow of Poverty.

[Ali]

The thing is with the incarnum feats is that a meldshaper would be using the essentia for their soulmelds rather than the ability... or I would, anyway.

Is Vow of Poverty good?

[PlatinumJester]

No, vow of poverty is not good but in fact overpowered. I'll show you some time.

[Fax Celestis]

I say VoP because the Totemist is one of two classes that can reasonably pull it off--the other being the Druid.

Done right, VoP Totemist is awesome. Problem is, it's hard to do right.

Personally, I prefer taking Cobalt Rage and going Totem Rager, but that's a matter of preference.

No, vow of poverty is not good but in fact overpowered. I'll show you some time.

VoP looks overpowered. It's really not. Magic items provide a lot of mobility and other benefits that aren't gained equally by VoP.

[Ali]

So Mr. Fax, if I were to choose Vow of Poverty, do you have any advice on how to do it correctly?

[Fax Celestis]

Heh. Take a few levels of druid. I recommend nine, but that's hard for lower levels. This'll give you some spellcasting to amplify your own totemist prowess, as well as wild shape. I'd say at minimum six.

Alternatively, grab a level of Barbarian and take the Lion Totem variant in CCham. Now you have pounce. And the Totemist's greatest strength is pumping out a metric ton of natural attacks. VoP makes them all magical and gives them an enhancement bonus.

Proceed into Totem Rager. Be righteously indignant. Level things with Power Attack.

[InaVegt]

Binding threefold mask of the chimera to your totem chakra is a good start, as VoP's attack bonuses apply to natural attacks, you'd also take wormtail belt (as (IIRC) VoP's natural armor bonus stacks with your own natural armor), take double chakra at 9th and apply bloodtalons to your totem as well (5 natural attacks at ninth level is never shabby, with the VoP bonuses it's even better), I'm sure fax can do better but this seems quite decent with only three feats and three soulmelds.

[Fax Celestis]

No, don't bind Bloodtalons.

What you want is Double Chakra to your Totem. Then bind Threefold Mask of the Chimera and Girallon Arms to your totem. Also, bind Worg Pelt to your arms.

Now you have four claws and three bites. Your three bites also perform immediate trips.

Add in Touch of Golden Ice and all your attacks deal Dex-damage to evil creatures.

[Ali]

Thanks for the advice you two. I always liked the chimera soulmeld, hee hee, and I will look into the Vow of Poverty.

Thanks again.

[InaVegt]

No, don't bind Bloodtalons.

What you want is Double Chakra to your Totem. Then bind Threefold Mask of the Chimera and Girallon Arms to your totem. Also, bind Worg Pelt to your arms.

Now you have four claws and three bites. Your three bites also perform immediate trips.

Add in Touch of Golden Ice and all your attacks deal Dex-damage to evil creatures.

Not to mention that except for the dex damage part a totemist of any alignment can do this, from 10th level on. Not that it is overpowered (compared to casters) but it is of a CoDzilla like quality (IE, better than any traditional warrior could do at this level), and this is just one level later than divine power (and it can be done without the trip at the same level)

Edit: Just realized, only two of the heads of bite attacks, the last is a gore attack.

Also, combine this with the razorclaw shifter's shifting (6 claws, 2 bites, 1 gore, all at 9th level)

[Fax Celestis]

Get someone to cast Girallon's Blessing on you too. Sor/Wiz/Dru 3 (so it's potionable!), grows you a new set of arms with claw attacks. Also adds rending damage to claw attacks.