Author Topic: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum  (Read 4157 times)

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Eldariel

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Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« on: November 10, 2008, 04:56:03 AM »
Ok, so I'm playing in a Level 8 Gestalt game soon and decided I'd like to play a divine archer ('cause Ranger+Cleric+Paladin+Druid spells sounds hawt for archery) with Factotum's win, and Int-synergies. Basic crunch:

-Gestalt
-Starting level & wealth for 8th level
-High-powered
-42 point buy
-Effectively all 3.5e material allowed.


My present idea was Human (or Strongheart Halfling if it's allowed) Cloistered Cleric 1/Factotum 7//Archivist 8 with:
-Planning + Undeath Domains & Knowledge Devotion
-Two Flaws

Feats:
1. Persistent Spell
Human. DMM: Persistent Spell
Flaw. Point Blank Shot
Flaw. Rapid Shot
3. Font of Inspiration
6. Font of Inspiration

I was planning on possibly using Heroics from Factotum's Arcane Dilletante for Manyshot as soon as I qualify and those bracers which grant Precise Shot, along with Reliquary Holy Symbol and Nightstick for a second Persist, picking a third Font on 9. As far as stats go, I was thinking:

10 Str
16 Dex
14 Con
18 Int
12 Wis
12 Cha


I didn't go Zen Archer, since I sorta lack feats (as I need as many Fonts and Extra Turnings as I can get). I'd appreciate any comments on the build, and suggestions for spells beyond Divine Power, Divine Favor, Arrow Mind, Hunter's Eye, Hunter's Sense and Fly.

JaronK

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2008, 06:53:05 AM »
My main comment on this guy: yowch.

Okay, first of all, get Guided Shot (Ranger 1) and persist that... it'll ignore all range penalties, in addition to most cover and concealment.  Next, use Chain of Eyes on something stealthy (the party stealther that's not you, an awakened weasel that you befriended with Handle Animal/Diplomacy, whatever).  Persistant Lesser Holy Transformation is fun.  Now pick up that helm from MiC that gives Far Shot, as well as Strongarm Bracers of Archery, which lets you use a Large Compound Greatbow +1 of Distance (remember, the range increases when the size of the bow increases).  Have it find targets for you while you fly about half a mile up.  When your spotter finds a target, cut loose and blow it away.  If you're 2000 feet away (IIRC that's roughly the range of a the bow), your target is at -200 to see where the heck those arrows are coming.  Anything outside is absolutely dead, and has basically no chance to actually find you.  You don't even need to hide... they just can't see you.

If you want to be a jerk about it, get Poison Use and do the Minor Creation trick for virtually endless Black Lotus poison.

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Eldariel

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2008, 09:03:27 AM »
Thanks, Persistent Guided Shot seems pretty damn awesome, and Chain of Eyes solves a lot. Extended Persistent Spells (I'll just use a Rod so it's clear that I can apply the Extend Spell last) should allow me to Persist 4 spells anyways (6 once I manage 7 more Turn-attempts). Hm, I was thinking of adding one level of Martial Conjurer (Wizard switching Scribe Scroll for a Fighter-feat) to the Factotum-side; the few spells are a non-issue, but getting Abrupt Jaunt and an extra feat (meaning I'd get 3 Fonts by now) seem like lifesavers. Getting Cunning Surge two levels later sucks of course, but I think Abrupt Jaunt and a feat could be worth it.

I'm having a bit of a problem finding some decent Flight-spell from the divine list as I can't get Overland Flight before Greater Anyspell (that is, level 11). Air Walk seems ok, as does Fly, but both have crappy duration and neither is persistable. Should I just...*gasp* walk? Seems below me. In two levels, Phantom Steed (and Bead of Karma) would get me 240' moving flying Mount, but before I reach CL 14, that's hardly an answer. I suppose Lesser Holy Transformation offers a persistable solution to this. I'll have to see if I really want to use a Persistent slot for it though.


Gawd, going through all the books for Archivist-spells is a pain.

Brainpiercing

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2008, 11:01:58 AM »
Seriously at that level scrap dex and go with Wis and Int, and Zen Archery. Spells>>>anything else, and you are gimping your Archivist with that 12 Wis.
Go Str10/Dex12/Con14/Int18/Wis16/Cha12 or even Dex 10/Cha14 for more Turns.

woodenbandman

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2008, 11:05:53 AM »
I wonder if you can use the Factotum ability to get Druid spells on your list by scribing scrolls of them when you prepare them as SLAs?

I can't help but think that an Artificer/Factotum would have more synergy, but that is a nice trick getting Inspiration and using it to fuel your DMM. If only there were a zen archery, but for INT.

Eldariel

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2008, 11:07:53 AM »
Seriously at that level scrap dex and go with Wis and Int, and Zen Archery. Spells>>>anything else, and you are gimping your Archivist with that 12 Wis.
Go Str10/Dex12/Con14/Int18/Wis16/Cha12 or even Dex 10/Cha14 for more Turns.

Where do I get the feat though? I mean, I'm hurting for more as it stands, adding yet another feat would further compound the problem. That's the prime reason I abandoned Zen Archery. I really, really want 2 more Fonts and 2 more Extra Turnings, and that occupies my feats up to level 18. And extras wouldn't hurt at all (really, I'd want 3 more Fonts for free use of the higher level Factotum-abilities, but I'll probably have to make do with 2 to fit Turnings). And that's before even starting to take Manyshot (which would allow Sneak Attack Greater Manyshots with Heroics and such) or Precise Shot (right now I'm relying on Magic for it).

I do like the idea of maxing Wis (together with Owl's Insight, I could get a total of +16 to it), but I simply don't think I have the resources to pull it off. I'll probably be using Owl's Insight once I get level 5 spells anyways, but I'll probably go for +2 spells on all levels as opposed to +3 up to level 5. Between Divine Agility and the other types of bonuses I can get to Dex, I think I can get it high enough too.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2008, 11:22:12 AM by Eldariel »

Brainpiercing

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2008, 11:25:45 AM »
The thing is, you'll want more wisdom, anyway. Scrap Rapid Shot and take a Fighter level after Factotum 11. OR get an eternal wand of heroics for two feats/day (this may or may not fly with your DM, IIRC opinions vary on whether you can use heroics twice).

The idea is, of course, to sacrifice a small amount of power now for a lot more power, later.

Take a dip of Paragnostic Apostle (on your archivist side) (hopefully reflavoured) and get the Travel Domain, swap for Travel Devotion. IIRC PA can get any domain, even those not offered by your deity.

In the end, you can get Owls Insight, and with a single level dip of Hierophant of course persist it (Divine Reach).

Also, I recommend not being good and getting a Persistent Greater Consumptive Field for the fat CL and Str.

You can double your persists if you stack on Extend (of course in the most beneficial order) for 48 hour durations.

And finally, shapechange (or Fiendform/Fiendish Transformation+Polymorph, if you can) to an Arrow Demon.

Of course, by that time if you stand in the sun for too long you'll drown everybody in gouda...

Eldariel

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2008, 12:16:10 PM »

Tshern

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2008, 12:25:36 PM »
Eldariel: Swift fly is persistable.

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Eldariel

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2008, 12:34:25 PM »
Eldariel: Swift fly is persistable.

Oh yeah. Sweet. I always forget the wonders of Swift Personal spells. Although I think I'll be using Lesser Holy Transformation - Sacred bonuses to stats, and Darkvision, are nice.

RobbyPants

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2008, 12:50:07 PM »
Maybe I'm missing something, but don't you need Extend Spell as a prereq for Persistant Spell?  I didn't see it on your feat list.
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JaronK

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2008, 01:13:24 PM »
He's got it from his domains, he just didn't write it.

Lesser Holy Transformation grants flight, IIRC, which is why I mentioned it earlier, and it's persistant.

And no, Factotums can't get Druid spells.

I disagree with scrapping Dex for Wis.  Archivists already get more spells than Wizards anyway, so bonus spells are less of an issue for them, and an archer based Archivist doesn't even need to cast all that much.  Better to get the higher initiative and save the feat on Zen Archery for something else.

Also... Swift Haste.

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2008, 01:32:13 PM »
Better to get the higher initiative and save the feat on Zen Archery for something else.

Like Improved Int.

Tshern

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2008, 01:38:10 PM »
Eldariel: Swift fly is persistable.

Oh yeah. Sweet. I always forget the wonders of Swift Personal spells. Although I think I'll be using Lesser Holy Transformation - Sacred bonuses to stats, and Darkvision, are nice.
That is a good idea, didn't remember Lesser Holy transformation gave flight...

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RobbyPants

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2008, 01:40:59 PM »
He's got it from his domains, he just didn't write it.
That's right: the Planning domain.  Thanks.
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Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
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Brainpiercing

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Re: Level 8 Gestalt Archivist/Factotum
« Reply #15 on: November 10, 2008, 04:33:39 PM »
Doh, I misread the Paragnostic apostle ability. Sorry about that.

And well, your reasoning makes sense. If levelling is slow, you will want that power, now.