Author Topic: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!  (Read 3625 times)

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Leviathan

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So, I'm reasonably sure this will be the last one I'll need to post about this game :D

Character codename: Yipthulhu - Skirmisher/Scout type

Rules:
Gestalt
Lvl 1-10
32 Point Buy
Any books & Dragon magazine deals allowed, subject to GM approval
No Arcane or Divine casters allowed
Tier 1 & 2 classes cannot Gestalt with anything above Tier 4, other than that go nuts.

Setting
Us PCs are the vat-grown experriments of a big-bad, ruler of an Evil empire under siege by the Forces of Good.
We were created to be his "Trump Card" after the detonation of a magical bomb, and since Good has triumphed and taken over, the bomb has been dropped and we've been activated.
The Bomb means that this entire kingdom is now a weave-free zone for both Arcane & Divine magic, basically magic items still work but Arcane & Divine spellcasters can't do squat.
We'll be going around doing various tasks for our Overlord (unknown what those will be, but we can anticipate everything from kidnapping to theft, espionage, and hunting down and killing Good's missionaries), during this we'll no doubt end up at times in the areas where Magic still functions, but for the most part we're acting in the dead zone.

The Idea so Far

So, Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold with the Draconic template (I know there's some oddities with adding Draconic & Dragonwrought, but I figure if Draconic is put on first it should work out), Swordsage/Totemist

Plan is take Swordsage from the start, Draconic then Totemist on the other side, then buy off Draconic at lvl 3.
Note: My GM is allowing Natural Weapons to count as "Unarmed" for Maneuvers, Swordsage weapon focus, etc. Also, two claw attacks works fine for "When you attack with two weapons" type maneuvers.

Stats after Racial Adjustments & Advancing age categories

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

Feats
1: Dragonwrought Kobold
1 (Flaw): Dragon Wings
2 (Flaw): Expanded Soulmeld Capacity
3: Adaptive Style
6: Improved Dragon Wings or Bonus Essentia
9: Dual Chakra (Totem)

Flaws are:
Glory Hound (Dragon #328) - Penalty to AC until I kill something in each combat
Short Attention Span (Dragon #328) - Cannot take 20 on skills, penalty to retrying skill checks

Trait
Probably going to take the "Quick" trait (-1hp/level, +10ft movement speed)

Draconic Right of Passage
I'm thinking Horde Gullet will be my free SLA :)

Maneuvers & Soulmelds
I'm mostly taking details from http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181705 & http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2943.0 , but if anyone can advise anything that will synergise well that isn't listed, please let me know :)

I'm largely just looking for advice on any large holes or useful things that I may have overlooked, anyone spot any glaring errors?
« Last Edit: April 07, 2011, 12:21:26 AM by Leviathan »

Ithamar

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2011, 02:42:30 PM »
Consider Bloodclaw Master to get some extra STR damage on those boat loads of natural attacks you'll be delivering.  Pre-reqs should be pretty easy to meet.
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geniussavant

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2011, 06:13:43 PM »
If your adding Draconic just for the natural weapons, see here.
[spoiler]
I see that you want to solve problems. Not problems like, "What is beauty?," because that would fall within the purview of your conundrums of 'philosophy'. You want to solve practical problems. F'r instance, how are you gonna stop some big, mean Mother Hubbard from tearing you a structurally superfluous new behind? The answer: Use a gun. And if that don't work? Use more gun.
And if that fails try this


 
[/spoiler]

Leviathan

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2011, 10:13:06 PM »
If your adding Draconic just for the natural weapons, see here.

Actually I was adding Draconic for the stat boosts :)
I did briefly consider adding Half Giant instead, but that's only a net +2 to my ability scores, and powerful build doesn't increase natural weapon damage.
Plus it makes you automatically Medium, what kind of Kobold is medium??

Aside from that, does anyone have any suggestions for getting DR and/or Fast Healing? Looks like myself and the other Totemist in the party will be the only ones not starting with DR...

Dusk Eclipse

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2011, 12:00:38 AM »
Psionics of Incarnum Scroll down to Astral Vambraces, you will need to burn a feat on Shape Souldmeld (Astal Vambraces) , you could loose the Dragon Wings, since you can get fly 20 ft (average) when you bind it to the arms bind.

Edit: the shaped ability gives you DR 2 /Magic (which would matter at lower levels) and it increases at +2 DR per essentia invested.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2011, 12:02:11 AM by Dusk Eclipse »

Leviathan

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2011, 12:53:26 AM »
Psionics of Incarnum Scroll down to Astral Vambraces, you will need to burn a feat on Shape Souldmeld (Astal Vambraces) , you could loose the Dragon Wings, since you can get fly 20 ft (average) when you bind it to the arms bind.

Edit: the shaped ability gives you DR 2 /Magic (which would matter at lower levels) and it increases at +2 DR per essentia invested.

I saw those ones while poking around, very tempting.
Dang it, now I'm back on the fence as to whether to do Totemist or Incarnate ><
lol

Dusk Eclipse

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2011, 12:55:37 AM »
Incarnate for skill monkey goodness

Totemist for blender style character

Leviathan

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2011, 01:03:34 AM »
Incarnate for skill monkey goodness

Totemist for blender style character

True, but incarnate also offers several things to boost the damage of existing weapons (Incarnate Avatar (Evil), Lightning Gauntlets, etc) so it could mix quite well with Swordsage... also the Arms bind of those Astral Bracers could up my movement speed by another 10ft, which is awesomely handy.
Kobold already gets three natural weapons (though without Totemist there's no way to get Enhancement bonuses on them without magic items) and you can get pounce like effects through maneuvers..
Dangit. Back to the thinking cap...
« Last Edit: April 07, 2011, 01:06:45 AM by Leviathan »

ZeroKnight

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2011, 01:05:16 AM »
You can't take the Draconic template as a Dragonwrought Kobold cause it makes your type Dragon, Unless you are somehow gain the draconic Template before the character is born, I dont know how you would gain it before taking the feat.

You could take Mineral Warrior for the con boost and DR/8 adamintine

Dusk Eclipse

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2011, 01:15:39 AM »
Why not a mix of both? or perhaps a dip into your secondary meldshaping class to get access to the necessary souldmelds... perhaps Swordsage 10// Incarnate 3/Totemist 7 or Swordsage 10//Totemist 2/Incarnate 8?

Leviathan

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2011, 01:19:59 AM »
Why not a mix of both? or perhaps a dip into your secondary meldshaping class to get access to the necessary souldmelds... perhaps Swordsage 10// Incarnate 3/Totemist 7 or Swordsage 10//Totemist 2/Incarnate 8?

It's an interesting thought, Totemist 2 for the Totem meld, Incarnate 4 for the chakra binds & improved essentia capacity, etc.
But it'd mean a lower Essentia capacity and meldshaper level all around. Or has there been an errata/FAQ letting multiclass Incarnates stack Meldshaper level like Martial Adepts stack theirs?

Dusk Eclipse

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2011, 01:26:14 AM »
Not as far as I know; but I don't think that would be an unreasonable houserule to ask for.

Leviathan

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2011, 01:33:52 AM »
You can't take the Draconic template as a Dragonwrought Kobold cause it makes your type Dragon, Unless you are somehow gain the draconic Template before the character is born, I dont know how you would gain it before taking the feat.

You could take Mineral Warrior for the con boost and DR/8 adamintine

I know it's a little odd, but my GM is allowing it.
On the other hand, if you can suggest any other +1LA templates that increase physical ability scores as their primary purpose (don't want to go Mineral Warrior since we already have one in the party) that's not the stupidly broken half-minotaur, I'm all ears :)

CrimsonDeath

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #13 on: April 07, 2011, 01:39:32 AM »
You can't take the Draconic template as a Dragonwrought Kobold cause it makes your type Dragon, Unless you are somehow gain the draconic Template before the character is born, I dont know how you would gain it before taking the feat.

You could take Mineral Warrior for the con boost and DR/8 adamintine
From a flavor standpoint, you're probably right, but mechanically, choosing a race (including inherited templates) is the second thing you do (after determining your base ability scores), and you don't choose feats until after you've also chosen a class, made decisions about class features (like spells or bonus feats), and spent skill points, so there's no problem from a legal standpoint.

I kind of wonder what Dragonwrought does for the character.  Was he locked in the lab for a hundred years to make him Venerable?  Are you planning to take Rapidstrike?  Or do you just really hate magical sleep and paralysis effects?

Leviathan

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #14 on: April 07, 2011, 01:51:20 AM »
Not as far as I know; but I don't think that would be an unreasonable houserule to ask for.

Just checked the book. Essentia capacity goes by *character* level, not class level. So while my things would likely be easier to dispel thanks to lower Meldshaper level, it wouldn't really have much other effect (how many Soulmelds are affected by Meldshaper level anyway?).
Incarnate 4/Totemist 2 may be a very good start...

From a flavor standpoint, you're probably right, but mechanically, choosing a race (including inherited templates) is the second thing you do (after determining your base ability scores), and you don't choose feats until after you've also chosen a class, made decisions about class features (like spells or bonus feats), and spent skill points, so there's no problem from a legal standpoint.

I kind of wonder what Dragonwrought does for the character.  Was he locked in the lab for a hundred years to make him Venerable?  Are you planning to take Rapidstrike?  Or do you just really hate magical sleep and paralysis effects?

Dragonwrought boils down to: Making him Very Old (ie, +2 mental stats) frees up enough point-buy points that after adding Draconic Creature I get a 14 strength. The rest of the abilities that it gives are handy, that and the roleplaying opportunities are the main reason for it.
I'd love to be able to use a different template than Draconic (there's a TONNE of double-ups on abilities with Kobold & Dragonwrought) but I'm yet to find another template that gives physical ability bonuses that's not jaw-droppingly OP (ie, Feral Half Minotaur :) ).

CrimsonDeath

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #15 on: April 07, 2011, 03:01:50 AM »
(how many Soulmelds are affected by Meldshaper level anyway?)
Lifebond Vestments and Vitality Belt are the only ones I can think of.

Leviathan

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Re: Draconic Dragonwrought Jungle Kobold Swordsage/Totemist Gestalt!
« Reply #16 on: April 07, 2011, 06:25:13 AM »
On the other hand, if you can suggest any other +1LA templates that increase physical ability scores as their primary purpose (don't want to go Mineral Warrior since we already have one in the party) that's not the stupidly broken half-minotaur, I'm all ears :)

AHA!
Lolth-Touched should do it :)