Author Topic: Gestalt Beguiler/Warblade [Thinking Out Loud]  (Read 3436 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Pan-Fried Hamster

  • Barbary Macaque at the Rock of Gibraltar
  • ***
  • Posts: 195
Gestalt Beguiler/Warblade [Thinking Out Loud]
« on: July 24, 2008, 11:59:39 PM »
Working up a character for a PbP here.

Notable Rules:
Code: [Select]
The following 3.5 WotC "books" are allowed:

- SRD
- Spell Compendium
- the 8 Completes
- Races of Stone/Wild/Destiny/Dragon
- Dragon Magic
- Dragonomicon
- ToB
- MiC
- Frostburn, Sandstorm, Sotrmwrack
- Heroes of Horror/Battle
- Lords of Madness
- Libris Mortis
- Mini Handbook
- PHB II

Playable PC races are as per PHB and MM.

- Dread Necromancer and Beguiler has a Eccletic Learning variant as per Warmage.
- Good-aligned campaign

Starting level 6, 36 pt buy.

There's also casting difficulty, but that won't apply as long as I'm wearing light armor.  Overall, the game is around a 3 on optimization level.

Now then, I've never played gestalt, never played a Warblade, and never played a Beguiler--but it looks like a fun combo.  I'm trying to figure out how to get the most out of it.  The Warblade's high Fort save, Beguiler's Will save, and Warblade's Battle Clarity all combine to give me some solid saves, which is excellent.  d10 HD and high BAB mean I'll be right up front in a fight.  The Beguiler's skill list (particularly UMD) make me extremely versatile as well.

Then there are the downsides I noticed:

* Surprise Casting, unfortunately, explicitly says it *doesn't* make a target flat-footed, otherwise it would be that much better for the Warblade's Battle Cunning ability.

* Warblades don't get Shadow Hand maneuvers.  With Beguiler casting though, that may not be important.

So...what are some good maneuvers to look at, and some useful ways to render my opponents flat-footed?  Is a straight 20/20 progression worthwhile?  I'm looking over the classes now and trying to piece things together, but any help would be appreciated.

Currently thinking a Wand of Grease will be a must-have.

On another note, I do believe I've inadvertently stumbled on a great representation of my favorite class ever, the Red Mage.  Melee ability?  Spontaneous INT casting?  Light armor?  Limited but powerful spells?  Hmmm  :)
« Last Edit: July 25, 2008, 12:01:49 AM by Pan-Fried Hamster »

Ubernoob

  • Man in Gorilla Suit
  • *****
  • Posts: 2217
  • Happy Panda
    • Email
Re: Gestalt Beguiler/Warblade [Thinking Out Loud]
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2008, 12:04:15 AM »
What draws you to beguiler over wizard?  Beguiler makes a better rogue than wizard.  It's a great class to take to twenty to fill the rogue archetype, but for true ultimate power wizard is generally better.  Warblade//Wizard is a *very* powerful gestalt (Just PrC up the wizard side) and only has 2 less skill points per level than beguiler (trapfinding can be gotten without loss of bab by dipping a level of trapfinding ranger on the warblade side).
Ubernoob is a happy panda.

Pan-Fried Hamster

  • Barbary Macaque at the Rock of Gibraltar
  • ***
  • Posts: 195
Re: Gestalt Beguiler/Warblade [Thinking Out Loud]
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2008, 12:09:15 AM »
I've been playing a lot of gishes lately and I wanted to work in a different angle.  The Beguiler gives me a broader skill list and some fun with social roles, and it also offers spontaneous casting, which I'd like to try out.  Since this game isn't meant to be optimized all to the max, I figured I'd use the wiggle room to go try this combination.  It's still solid, but it also lets me have more fun and frees me from the bookkeeping of memorizing spells all the time (I have a Wizard-based gish in another PbP).

Ubernoob

  • Man in Gorilla Suit
  • *****
  • Posts: 2217
  • Happy Panda
    • Email
Re: Gestalt Beguiler/Warblade [Thinking Out Loud]
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2008, 12:13:24 AM »
I've been playing a lot of gishes lately and I wanted to work in a different angle.  The Beguiler gives me a broader skill list and some fun with social roles, and it also offers spontaneous casting, which I'd like to try out.  Since this game isn't meant to be optimized all to the max, I figured I'd use the wiggle room to go try this combination.  It's still solid, but it also lets me have more fun and frees me from the bookkeeping of memorizing spells all the time (I have a Wizard-based gish in another PbP).
Sounds like a good reason.  Beguiler 20// Warblade with some dips in fighter and crusader is *very* viable.

Just dip a little crusader to get crusader readied white raven tactics.  Also take a level of mindbender on the beguiler side.  Telepathy is cool.
Beguiler 5/ Mindbender 1// Warblade 3/ Fighter 2/ Warblade +1 is probably the way to go.
Ubernoob is a happy panda.

AndyJames

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 3112
  • Meep?
Re: Gestalt Beguiler/Warblade [Thinking Out Loud]
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2008, 12:27:42 AM »
Mindsight ftw...

Pan-Fried Hamster

  • Barbary Macaque at the Rock of Gibraltar
  • ***
  • Posts: 195
Re: Gestalt Beguiler/Warblade [Thinking Out Loud]
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2008, 12:36:53 AM »
Mindsight ftw...

It's the DM!  Quick, hide the booze and girls!   :o

AndyJames

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 3112
  • Meep?
Re: Gestalt Beguiler/Warblade [Thinking Out Loud]
« Reply #6 on: July 25, 2008, 12:41:10 AM »
Hide the booze all you want, but the girls are mine! :P

Pan-Fried Hamster

  • Barbary Macaque at the Rock of Gibraltar
  • ***
  • Posts: 195
Re: Gestalt Beguiler/Warblade [Thinking Out Loud]
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2008, 12:42:50 AM »
Hide the booze all you want, but the girls are mine! :P

I knew I should have gone with Thrallherd  :weep

Back on topic...Mindbender sounds great.  I'll look into other PrCs while I'm at it, got a lot of reading to do.  No dual-progression choices.