I'm participating in a low to moderate level gestalt game with a few odd restrictions and rules. The first character I made was just killed in session 2 so I'm trying to work on a few things for a replacement.
-All materials are assumed to be available, except 3rd party, though pretty much everything is subject to DM approval (thus truly shifty tricks and some Dragon Magazine material are unlikely to slide)
-Standard character WPL
-Characters must be good-aligned
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Current starting level is 2 Current starting level is now 3, and we are (still) unlikely to advance much past level 14 or 15, if we even make it that far. All HD at character creation are maxed.
-If you have a level offset, it applies only to one side of the build
-No flaws, retraining is allowed every level, partial saves and BAB are optional, some fluff is mutable.
-For stats we have three options:
- the elite array (ugh...)
- 28 point (/facepalm)
- Use the DM's roll method, which is 4d6, drop the lowest die, reroll 1's. The catch is that stats are rolled in order (Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha), and at the end you are allowed to switch any two stats once. Two sets are rolled, one by the player and one by the DM. Everyone else but me seems to be thrilled with this method (especially the guy that ended up with a 71 point buy).
There are also restrictions on what is allowed when gestalting classes as well:
-The short version is that you are not allowed to two of the "same kind of class on both sides of the character". Now what the DM defines as "same" seems to be pretty loose and whimsical. For instance, sorcerer 20//wizard 20 would not be allowed, even though they cast off two different stats, they are both "arcane casters", and scout 20//rogue 20 would also not be allowed as they are both "skill monkeys".
Also, what the DM defines as "dual progression" prestige classes are allowed, but only if you give up the half of class that progresses the other side of your build. For example, one player is currently a warlock//cleric and will eventually go into Eldritch Theurge on his cleric side for the class abilities, but is only allowed to progress cleric casting with it, since he will maintain warlock invocations by advancing warlock. This restriction applies to gish concepts and classes as well, so if you want to take something like Abjurant Champion, you must have, on the other side of the build, either a full BAB class or a something that grants caster level progression (so you don't gain the benefit of both full bab and full caster progression, in addition to getting something else with the class on the other side). I guess this rule is to prevent double-dipping but still allow access to the class features, but it sure makes for headaches.
In the same vein, what the DM considers "dual progression feats" are not allowed either unless you can still follow the "no double-dipping" rule. This includes things like Swift Hunter, Daring Outlaw, Tashalatora, etc.
This is what is causing me to keep banging my head against the wall, especially coupled with the fact that I'm not very good at optimizing low levels.
Given the nature of the roll method, I've been trying to plan builds that largely key off one stat, like my first character, a Warblade//Factotum, so I'll have something to do regardless of what I roll. Also considering something that will work even with 28 point buy (like a wizard). Given the nature of the campaign I'm trying to find things that provide immediate benefit, even if they'd be terrible at higher levels.
There are a couple of things I was tossing around.
-Monk//Psionics
This was my first thought, keying off either wisdom or intelligence with Carmendine Monk/Ascetic Psion. Since the overall goal would be punching things I was planning something like Monk 6/Fist of the Forest, with a possible dip to Shiba Protector, with Intuitive Attack to get Wis to attack twice, with something like Psychic Warror 6/Warshaper X or Illithid Slayer to help fix BAB. Vow of Poverty, and an attempt to nab the Saint template might work too, since we'll probably end at or before the levels VoP starts to suck really suck.
-Binder//anything
This was honestly my first choice, before the Warblade//Factotum, but I put it aside when the DM said we had to be good alignment. Assuming I can get him to waive that requirement, my plan was Binder 20 up one side, and Sorcerer/Anima Mage on the other. In hindsight though I honestly don't know what I would build for. The free metamagic made buffing attractive perhaps, or maybe battlefield control.
-Crusader 20//Cloistered Cleric 4/Ordained Champion 5/Ruby Knight Vindicator X
Obviously I'd give up the maneuver progression from RKV to make this work, I wouldn't get 9th level spells but... shoot, given the projected campaign length, nobody else will either. Would probably be a tripping build, using a glaive, trading the domain for Knowledge Devotion, with the Holy Warrior reserve feat and maybe Stormguard Warrior to put some more umph into his attacks when there's nothing to trip.
-Wizard 6/Swiftblade X//Scout X/Unseen Seer X
I've been wanting to try a swiftblade for a long time, but I could never find the right mix of abilities to make it work how I wanted it to. The general thought here was to make use of Bounding Assault with a 2h weapon, take Spontaneous Divination for the Wizard and use the advanced learning from Unseen Seer to nab the Grave Strike and Vine Strike spells to use precision damage on normally immune targets.
Originally I also toyed with the idea of instead using Swashbuckler to get Int to damage and then Daring Outlaw for sneak attack, but that will probably be disallowed in this game.
In the end... I really don't know. What would you do given these rules and circumstances?
EDIT: clearly I was drunk when I did my first draft of this...