Author Topic: The Factotum's Handbook  (Read 338755 times)

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JaronK

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #140 on: March 04, 2010, 12:55:20 AM »
Oh yeah...something else that I just remembered. Under arcane dilettante, it's noted that you can't take spells that require an XP cost. Wouldn't that take spells like Limited Wish out of the list? Unless there's no XP cost when duplicating a spell which I may have missed out.

Yeah, Limited Wish isn't available to Factotums.  Neither is Awaken Undead and Animate Dread Warrior, which is too bad.

JaronK

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #141 on: March 04, 2010, 05:04:29 AM »
Fixed, i removed alter fortune and limited wish.
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Freshums

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #142 on: March 04, 2010, 08:13:12 PM »
Does having Arcane Dilettante equate to actually having the Sorceror/Wizard spell list for the purposes of using Wands and things?
I'd think that it would, but with Factotums not having an actual spell list and all...

Havok4

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #143 on: March 04, 2010, 11:07:50 PM »
Does having Arcane Dilettante equate to actually having the Sorceror/Wizard spell list for the purposes of using Wands and things?
I'd think that it would, but with Factotums not having an actual spell list and all...
It does not unfortunately, but that is what UMD is for.

Growin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #144 on: March 10, 2010, 10:44:52 PM »
I'm currently playing in a heavy roll playing Dragonlance game as a Factotum and while I am still level 1 I must say I love the class.  This is a non-optimized game; what I like to do is start from a non-optimized base and then try to optimize the concept.  So the concept is that my father was a knight of solamnia (LG knightly organization) that basically had a kender fetish.  I am his son.  He wanted me to follow in his footsteps but due to intense racial predjudice I failed.  As most kender do I then bounced from one thing to the next. 

LG Half-Kender Factotum 1
Str 15, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 11, Cha 13
Feat: Mounted Combat
Skills: Bluff 1 rank, Craft (Tinkering) 1 rank, Decipher Script 1 Rank, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Handle Animal 1 Rank, Knowledge Arcana, architecture and engineering, history, and religion 1 rank, Listen 4 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Ride 4 ranks, sense motive 4 ranks, spellcraft 4 ranks, use magic device 4 ranks

The feat was chosen due to my knightly 'background' and won't be a complete waste. I found out after I made the character that the game will involve magical items called dragonlances which can only be used by lawful good characters (and apparently lances are more useful on horseback).  However that is probably ten levels away.

So besides our favorite feat Font of Inspiration; what feats should I grab?  (I plan on Factotum 20)

I was thinking:
Combat Expertise -> Improved Trip -> Curling Wave Strike (stormwrack)
Wild Cohort -> Mounted Combat Feats
Knowledge Devotion (Problamatic I don't worship Gillean; but I could start) -> craft magic arms and armor
Constant Guardian? Chosen Foe? (Both drow of underdark)


Other people in party (Elf Rogue going rogue 10/swashbuckler 10 using the feat that stacks rogue and swashbuckling, Afflicted Kender Nightstalker, Gnome Wizard, and half-elf duskblade)

Since the party is not optimized we often are forced to use teamwork tactics in battle.  Myself and the rogue delay so we can move into flanking together.  The wizard mostly cast sleep and enlarge person.  We have no healing and no tank.  (The nightstalker is a poorman's healer; races of ansalon is where the class is)

Any have any good optimized builds if you take into account the heavy roleplaying setting of Dragonlance (No iajitsu, no psionics; besides that we use all books)

JaronK

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #145 on: March 11, 2010, 10:33:02 PM »
If you're doing Improved Trip, I'd suggest a one or two level dip into Swordsage.  It's already great with Factotums, and the Mighty Throw line of manuevers works so great on an Int + Dex focused Factotum.

JaronK

Growin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #146 on: March 11, 2010, 10:43:44 PM »
If I get Knowledge Devotion could I use opportunistic piety to use Knowledge Devotion multiple times per day? 

Akalsaris

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #147 on: March 11, 2010, 10:52:38 PM »
Knowledge Devotion is actually at will, just 1 roll per monster type each encounter :)

Growin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #148 on: March 11, 2010, 11:02:25 PM »
That's awesome, I just assumed they were like the rest of them.  Any idea on whether you can do it for, say, the strength devotion feat?

Growin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #149 on: March 12, 2010, 02:50:15 AM »
I talked to my DM and he told me that I of course could multi-class into swordsage.  All I would have to do is find a temple (Somewhere in the war torn dragonlance setting), and train for 3 - 5 years.  Obviously this was a snide was of saying "No" but I get the hint.  (No one is a big fan of optimization in this group)  Anyway I was thinking of the following feat progression:

LG Half-Kender Factotum 20
1) Mounted Combat
3) Strength Devotion
6) Knowledge Devotion
9) Ride-By-Attack
12) Font of Inspiration
15) Font of Inspiration/something cool
18) Font of Inspiration/something cooler


S_Jerusalem

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #150 on: April 23, 2010, 03:44:18 AM »
Would someone more knowledgeable than I please read the Whirling Blade spell and tell me if you could make trip attacks with it?

I am working up a Factotum and considering Improved Trip, since my campaign is very undead-heavy and I will be cutting the poisoning tactics. If I can trip with Whirling Blade, I will almost certainly take IT, because that will be excellent. If not, I may invest in something else... Maybe just more FoI or Emp/Quick SLA.

Thanks.

Ivory Knight

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #151 on: April 23, 2010, 05:28:22 PM »
Don't know, if I'm more knowledgeable, but I used Whirling Blade to Disarm myself :smirk
The spell reads "..., just as if you were attacking with the weapon in melee, ..."

As for trip, that only works with unarmed attacks and specific weapons(has to say so in the description of the weapon, IIRC).
Whirling Blade specifies "a slashing melee weapon", so I'd throw a Guisarme(SRD/PHB) or Hooked Sword(Secrets of Sarlona).

snakeman830

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #152 on: April 23, 2010, 05:57:14 PM »
Don't know, if I'm more knowledgeable, but I used Whirling Blade to Disarm myself :smirk
The spell reads "..., just as if you were attacking with the weapon in melee, ..."

As for trip, that only works with unarmed attacks and specific weapons(has to say so in the description of the weapon, IIRC).
Whirling Blade specifies "a slashing melee weapon", so I'd throw a Guisarme(SRD/PHB) or Hooked Sword(Secrets of Sarlona).
Why not a Scythe or Sickle?
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Dictum Mortuum

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #153 on: April 23, 2010, 06:19:18 PM »
Arguably, guisarme has more reach? ^-^
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S_Jerusalem

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #154 on: April 23, 2010, 06:28:47 PM »
That was how I read it as well: as long as I could trip with the weapon it should be good. Was mostly looking for other reasonable opinions.

I was planning on guisarme, but maybe keep a sickle or heavy sickle in reserve, just in case.

Related, is a Marshal dip potentially great for a Factotum? I was thinking that grabbing the aura that gives Cha to combat maneuvers could be very handy, especially since I have an orc that wields a huge spiked chain in my group. SF Diplomacy also opens up a 1-3 lvl option for some Exemplar skill mastery.

snakeman830

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #155 on: April 23, 2010, 06:31:58 PM »
A one or three level dip in Marshall can get you three abilities applying to certian checks which can result in some massive modifiers.  Marshall is, of course, all about the team love.
I am constantly amazed by how many DM's ban Tomb of Battle.  The book doesn't even exist!

Quotes:[spoiler]
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That explains so much about my life.
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Why would you even do this? It hurts my eyes and looks like you ate your keyboard before suffering an attack of explosive diarrhea.
[/spoiler]

If using Genesis to hide your phylactry, set it at -300 degrees farenheit.  See how do-gooders fare with a liquid atmosphere.

JaronK

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #156 on: April 24, 2010, 12:16:07 AM »
Related, is a Marshal dip potentially great for a Factotum? I was thinking that grabbing the aura that gives Cha to combat maneuvers could be very handy, especially since I have an orc that wields a huge spiked chain in my group. SF Diplomacy also opens up a 1-3 lvl option for some Exemplar skill mastery.

I wouldn't recommend it just because charisma is one of the few stats a Factotum can safely dump.  It's an okay idea if you have rediculously high stats (42 point buy or something) but other than that I think you'd get more mileage out of other class levels.

JaronK

S_Jerusalem

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #157 on: April 24, 2010, 01:49:10 AM »
I have rolled stats that are pretty good overall.

Currently I am looking at Str 15 (14), Dex 13 (12), Con 15 (14), Int 16 (20), Wis 11 (12), Cha 16 (17). I will be middle aged, so -1 tp the Phys +1 Mental, and applying 3 level adjustments all to int. (final scores)

Starting at L13, Factotum11/Marshal1/Exemplar1.

I've got 7 feats to work with altogether, 3 of which I intend to spend on Font of Inspiration. I will be playing face and shoring up holes other than that, which I see the Factotum as being ideal for. I will likely be going with Improved Trip for some BC versatility. I will take Imperious Command if my DM is cool with it, which I expect to be fine, but will avoid the poisoning because as I stated there is a heavy undead focus and I don't want to spend more than one feat on something useless against the main enemy.

If anyone has suggestions, I will gladly accept them. My only real restrictions are no Realms stuff and no ToB. I would particularly like suggestions on what skills to Master with Exemplar (6). Diplomacy is pretty much a lock. I have thought about some like Tumble, but for the physical ones I could just pick out a belt of ultimate athleticism.

JaronK

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #158 on: April 24, 2010, 08:08:05 AM »
Iajuitsu Focus would be pretty obvious as a take 10 skill.  Just get it to the point where it always does max damage on a take 10 and you're done.

JaronK

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #159 on: April 29, 2010, 12:40:13 AM »
Quote
And something for the guide:  Complete Warrior has a variant rule where you can trade racial weapon proficiencies for any other racial weapon.  This makes Whispergnomes awesome assassin Factotums, as you can trade Gnome Hooked Hammers for Gnomish Quickrazors.  The rule is on page 169 or so, IIRC.

So for a sample assassin build, something like Whispergnome Factotum 13/Swordsage 2 with two flaws, Master of Poisons, Terrifying Strike, Sickening Strike, Darkstalker, Imperious Command, and three Fonts of Inspiration (you can add a fourth at level 18).  Skulk around in the shadows nearly undetectable, and then if you want to hit a single target sneak out and using Cunning Surge + Imperious Command to turn someone cowering, then Coup de Gras with your poisoned Gnomish Quickrazor, and vanish again, if they're vulnerable to mind effecting.  Or you can move into position, cast Sniper's Shot, and fire at a flat footed target with your Splitting +1 Bow of Assassination (boosted to +5 via a Tooth of Leraje).  On a full attack you can fire six shots (thanks splitting, and maybe we can haste this too) full of poison to assassinate that way.

So that's a good sample build.  Note that there's a LOT of ways to get your enemies flat footed.  Grease is easy of course, and the Blurstriking enchantment gets you there as well.  Also, check out the skill tricks... some of them make people flat footed.  In fact, Complete Scoundrel is full of ways to make people flat footed (consider boot blades and the like, with that oil that makes your first attack flat foot them... it's costly, but it's a solid backup measure).  There's also Flick of the Wrist, which is nice, though it does require Quick Draw which is useless with the Quickrazor (but handy enough with the bow).  Sapphire Nightmare Blade works too, and you can get it with an item if you don't take Swordsage levels.  Go nuts with this stuff.  Imperious Command is great too... use Cunning Surge to make them cower, then Coup De Gras with your razor for the kill.  If they're not immune to mind effecting, they're dead.  Don't forget Never Outnumbered with this one.  There's even a feat that lets you Coup De Gras as a standard action... imagine popping into the center of a group of enemies (you can be quite stealthy, after all... consider dropping from the ceiling), using Never Outnumbered + Imperious Command to make them cower, then use one Cunning Surge per enemy to kill them all.  Sweet.  Note that if you're going to do this a lot the Fearsome enchantment lets you intimidate as a move action, thus reducing your costs in Cunning Surges (or Belt of Battle charges).

Oh, and consider Craven.  You do have sneak attack as a class ability after all.

As for Sneak Attack and IF, the wiki IIRC says they don't stack, but I've never found a book source for that, so I can't figure out where it comes from.

JaronK

Two questions about the above comments.
1) Where is the Fearsome enchantment from? Ive looked but I can't find it.
2) To Coup de Grace someone they have to be helpless, but unless Im reading the SRD wrong Cowering =/= helpless. So how are you commiting a coup de grace as above?