Author Topic: The Factotum's Handbook  (Read 338814 times)

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Jopustopin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #240 on: August 31, 2010, 11:46:00 PM »
I'm having difficulty allocating stats for a 30 point buy pure factotum.   Anyone have any suggestions?  (You can lower stats below 8 to gain 1 more point per stat lowered)

I was thinking:
Strength: 14
Dexterity: 6
Constitution: 14
Intelligence: 17
Wisdom: 8
Charisma: 13 (Going for Imperious Command)

But, I dunno... I don't want to be so clumsy (or role play a character with a 6 wisdom)

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #241 on: September 01, 2010, 12:00:25 AM »
I'm having difficulty allocating stats for a 30 point buy pure factotum.   Anyone have any suggestions?  (You can lower stats below 8 to gain 1 more point per stat lowered)

I was thinking:
Strength: 14 (6 points)
Dexterity: 6 (-2 points)
Constitution: 14 (6 points)
Intelligence: 17 (13 points)
Wisdom: 8 (0 points)
Charisma: 13 (Going for Imperious Command) (5 points)

But, I dunno... I don't want to be so clumsy (or role play a character with a 6 wisdom)
That looks like a 28 point buy to me.  (6 -2 +6+13+5=28), right?
« Last Edit: September 01, 2010, 12:03:15 AM by The_Mad_Linguist »
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Jopustopin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #242 on: September 01, 2010, 12:05:41 AM »
Yes, you are correct.  Bump Dex up by 2 then, not as bad.

urarenge

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #243 on: September 01, 2010, 10:15:17 PM »
How should be a build who focuses in the capstone of factotum??

Jopustopin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #244 on: September 01, 2010, 10:36:20 PM »
How should be a build who focuses in the capstone of factotum??

Capstone of Factotum? Should be a build who focuses in the feats complimenting in the capstone somewhat.  I think should be feats like Font of Inspiration.  Why for is this guide lacking feats and builds complimenting in the capstone of Factotum.  Should be builds in this thread, but sadly lacking in those in the factotum capstone.  For one of the most flexible classes in the game, this guide reviews about 8 different feats.

LG Human Factotum 20:

Human) Font of Inspiration
1st level) Font of Inspiration
3rd Level) Knowledge Devotion
6th Level) Imperious Command
9th Level) Obtain Familiar
12th Level) Dragon Familiar (If not Lawful Good find a different Familiar that you like)
14th Level) Get a Gold Dragon Familiar
15) Font of Inspiration
18) Font of Inspiration



KellKheraptis

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #245 on: September 01, 2010, 10:36:57 PM »
How should be a build who focuses in the capstone of factotum??

Get Persistent Unfettered Heroism.  Start abusing it to gain any spell (with Sanctum Spell) from any list.  You can use the capstone 1 per round, since you're spending an action point to activate it :)
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Azoriel

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #246 on: September 03, 2010, 08:07:17 AM »
I'm not sure if it was already pointed out, but, in one of the main posts, you said:

Quote
Imperious Command DotU:  This feat is so good that it will devastate any opponent that is not immune to fear effects. First of all, a cowering foe will be unable to act, thus denying your opponents of firepower by using this feat alone. Because this feat makes a demoralized opponent to cower in the first round and be shaken afterwards, you (by using the fearsome enhancement or cunning surge) or your allies can coup-de-grace demoralized targets. This feat is very good along with the Never Outnumbered skill trick.
(bolding mine)

Cowering is not the same thing as helpless - you can get sneak attack dice but not Coup de Grace (same with getting stunned).  To my knowledge, the only way you can get a Coup de Grace straight off of cowering is if you are playing Pathfinder with the "Dastardly Finish" feat.  (Imperious Command is still an excellent feat, but it doesn't let you win the fight quite so fast as that.)

McPoyo

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #247 on: September 03, 2010, 09:31:33 AM »
I'm not sure if it was already pointed out, but, in one of the main posts, you said:

Quote
Imperious Command DotU:  This feat is so good that it will devastate any opponent that is not immune to fear effects. First of all, a cowering foe will be unable to act, thus denying your opponents of firepower by using this feat alone. Because this feat makes a demoralized opponent to cower in the first round and be shaken afterwards, you (by using the fearsome enhancement or cunning surge) or your allies can coup-de-grace demoralized targets. This feat is very good along with the Never Outnumbered skill trick.
(bolding mine)

Cowering is not the same thing as helpless - you can get sneak attack dice but not Coup de Grace (same with getting stunned).  To my knowledge, the only way you can get a Coup de Grace straight off of cowering is if you are playing Pathfinder with the "Dastardly Finish" feat.  (Imperious Command is still an excellent feat, but it doesn't let you win the fight quite so fast as that.)
I believe it's theline about "if th targetis unable to flee, hecowers helplessly, taking no actions" or however that line reads in the fear escalation section.
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
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Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

carnivore

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #248 on: September 03, 2010, 11:17:09 AM »
I'm not sure if it was already pointed out, but, in one of the main posts, you said:

Quote
Imperious Command DotU:  This feat is so good that it will devastate any opponent that is not immune to fear effects. First of all, a cowering foe will be unable to act, thus denying your opponents of firepower by using this feat alone. Because this feat makes a demoralized opponent to cower in the first round and be shaken afterwards, you (by using the fearsome enhancement or cunning surge) or your allies can coup-de-grace demoralized targets. This feat is very good along with the Never Outnumbered skill trick.
(bolding mine)

Cowering is not the same thing as helpless - you can get sneak attack dice but not Coup de Grace (same with getting stunned).  To my knowledge, the only way you can get a Coup de Grace straight off of cowering is if you are playing Pathfinder with the "Dastardly Finish" feat.  (Imperious Command is still an excellent feat, but it doesn't let you win the fight quite so fast as that.)
I believe it's theline about "if th targetis unable to flee, hecowers helplessly, taking no actions" or however that line reads in the fear escalation section.
Panicked characters cower if they are prevented from fleeing.

Becoming Even More Fearful: Fear effects are cumulative. A shaken character who is made shaken again becomes frightened, and a shaken character who is made frightened becomes panicked instead. A frightened character who is made shaken or frightened becomes panicked instead.


 :D

Dictum Mortuum

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #249 on: September 03, 2010, 11:22:33 AM »
So, does it work or not :P?
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Shadowhunter

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #250 on: September 03, 2010, 12:55:46 PM »
As per Rules Compendium, cowering states:

Quote

It doesn't state Helpless.
[Spoiler]
Quote from: Runestar
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[/quote]
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McPoyo

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #251 on: September 03, 2010, 01:06:05 PM »
As per Rules Compendium, cowering states:

Quote

It doesn't state Helpless.
I'd say frozen in fear means helpless, because of the word frozen.
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

zaulsiin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #252 on: September 03, 2010, 01:11:59 PM »
As per Rules Compendium, cowering states:

Quote

It doesn't state Helpless.
I'd say frozen in fear means helpless, because of the word frozen.

Except that cower only removes the target's Dex bonus. A helpless target has an effective Dex score of 0. I would say that the phrase "frozen in fear" is simply flavor text to relay the fact that the target can take no actions and has a reduced (but not eliminated) ability to defend themselves. The definition of the helpless condition from the PHB glossary is spoilered below, for reference.

[spoiler]
PHB 3.5, pg 309
Quote
helpless
[/spoiler]

McPoyo

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #253 on: September 03, 2010, 01:13:36 PM »
Didn't the original text for cowering read "Paralyzed by fear" instead of "Frozen" and they changed it in the RC?
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

zaulsiin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #254 on: September 03, 2010, 01:16:01 PM »
Nope. Not in the glossary anyway.

Definition of cowering from the PHB is spoilered below.
[spoiler]
PHB 3.5, pg 306
Quote
cowering
[/spoiler]

Jopustopin

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #255 on: September 03, 2010, 08:55:59 PM »
How good is Imperious Command if it does not render foes helpless?

Agita

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #256 on: September 03, 2010, 09:12:34 PM »
How good is Imperious Command if it does not render foes helpless?
Still pretty damn good. If you have Never Outnumbered, you just spent a Standard action to make every enemy within 10 feet waste their turn cowering in fear. Action economy, man. Even without, it's still pretty good.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2010, 09:52:36 AM by Agita »
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Havok4

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #257 on: September 04, 2010, 02:34:47 AM »
How good is Imperious Command if it does not render foes helpless?
Still pretty damn good. If you have Never Outnumbered, you just spent a Standard action to make every enemy within 30 feet waste their turn cowering in fear. Action economy, man. Even without, it's still pretty good.
10 feet unfortunately.

Benly

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #258 on: September 04, 2010, 05:24:27 AM »
How good is Imperious Command if it does not render foes helpless?

Imperious Command + Zhentarim Fighter is the only thing I've ever seen make Fighter 9 look tempting. Making 9 levels of fighter look tempting is quite an achievement.

Dictum Mortuum

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #259 on: September 04, 2010, 06:11:03 AM »
How good is Imperious Command if it does not render foes helpless?

It is still very good. It's basically -1 enemy as long as you maintain it with a move action each round.
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