Author Topic: Factotum's Brains over Brawn  (Read 22821 times)

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JaronK

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #20 on: November 01, 2008, 08:01:41 PM »
Lots of them.  Heck, I just made a sample one that had players complaining about how overpowered he was for taking other feats (EWP: Gnome Quickrazor, Item Familiar, Craft Wonderous Items, to be specific).  Other good ones include Flick of the Wrist, Improved Initiative, and Darkstalker.

Though taking a decent number of Fonts is always a good idea.  Still, I find that more than 4 is just overkill, as you're unlikely to run out of IP that way unless you're going crazy with the standard actions.

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #21 on: November 01, 2008, 08:06:34 PM »
Knowledge Devotion maybe?

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JaronK

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #22 on: November 01, 2008, 08:13:40 PM »
I've certainly seen it used, but I feel the number of points you have to spend on knowledges to make that really good is a bit much.  That said, you could use Cunning Knowledge to make that quite good once per day.  So... it's a good one too, but I don't personally like it much.

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #23 on: November 01, 2008, 10:38:07 PM »
I wouldn't take Improved Init as a Factotum, but I guess if you rely a lot on Iaijutsu it's worth it.

Flick of the Wrist doesn't seem very good to me either. There's a skill trick that does much the same and another one (Acrobatic something) that lets you make an opponent flatfooted. That's already 3 rounds (including the first when you won Init) where you can get your Iaijutsu (if you have enough weapons or a Glove of Storing anyway) and you have a few other ways to make people flatfooted. Uncanny Trickster would let you use the tricks twice but I don't find it a worthwhile trade for the lost level.
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Runestar

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #24 on: November 01, 2008, 11:27:29 PM »
What is there for a factotum to do with multiple fonts and over 30+ inspiration points per encounter?

I mean as in - what is the worst that can happen?  :D
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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #25 on: November 01, 2008, 11:31:54 PM »
You mean, aside from that?
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JaronK

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #26 on: November 02, 2008, 12:57:30 AM »
I wouldn't take Improved Init as a Factotum, but I guess if you rely a lot on Iaijutsu it's worth it.

Well, it's an option.  Also, it's core, so it's certainly going to be allowed.  Brains over Brawn may make it less useful, but it's still decent.

Quote
Flick of the Wrist doesn't seem very good to me either. There's a skill trick that does much the same and another one (Acrobatic something) that lets you make an opponent flatfooted. That's already 3 rounds (including the first when you won Init) where you can get your Iaijutsu (if you have enough weapons or a Glove of Storing anyway) and you have a few other ways to make people flatfooted. Uncanny Trickster would let you use the tricks twice but I don't find it a worthwhile trade for the lost level.

Yeah, not saying it's great, but it has potencial.  The prerequisite feat makes it annoying though.

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Akalsaris

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #27 on: November 02, 2008, 04:43:20 AM »

The thing that annoys me is that Font of Inspiration is most useful at low levels, but the higher level you are, the more you'll get from taking it again.  So I get locked into a vicious cycle of taking it every time...

As for the feats mentioned, I think whisper gnome makes an absolutely killer factotum character if your DM agrees to swap gnome thingamahammer familiarity for the quickrazor, since it fits the iajutsu theme so perfectly.  Item Familiar can be good, but it's kind of a questionable feat since it's UA material.  Don't forget Mindsight along with a level of Mindbender for lots of fun. 

I like Knowledge Devotion, but the factotum always seems so strapped for feats...I guess if you're working in cleric levels though, cloistered cleric would make a killer choice.

JJ's handbook, by the way, has some errors in it that were never edited out, like how their spell-like abilities can't fuel reserve feats.  It would certainly be a good project for somebody to pick up and complete.

JaronK

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #28 on: November 02, 2008, 04:50:59 AM »
While swapping would be a house rule, a Whispergnome Factotum could take Racial Weapon Familiarity, gaining proficiency with the Quickrazor in addition to any other gnomish named weapons.  I hadn't realized Mindbender was a valid PrC for Factotums, but that is nice for the Mindsight thing.

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aund

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #29 on: November 02, 2008, 04:39:45 PM »
so who is going to take care of that guide? Since that class does look pretty sexy but gets too little love right now.  :flirt
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Tshern

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #30 on: November 02, 2008, 04:41:20 PM »

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AfterCrescent

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #31 on: November 02, 2008, 04:45:27 PM »
Well of course, i know of jones's work. To be honest i was going to get most of the ideas from that thread (of course with links to the original guide etc). But Jones seems to have abandoned that handbook and factotums are such an interesting class! Someone has to do a more in-depth version of that guide.
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JaronK

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #32 on: November 02, 2008, 05:52:34 PM »
Yeah, it's unfinished, and has a lot of incorrect data (Factotums definitely can't use reserve feats, for example).

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #33 on: November 02, 2008, 06:12:10 PM »
Still copypasting it and using it as the body of the new one wouldn't be such a bad idea.

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SixthDeclension

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #34 on: November 02, 2008, 06:27:54 PM »
I've been in the middle of moving over a bunch of handbooks recently, so if anyone wanted to write out the handbook, I could go through and format it for them.

Just sayin! :eh
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JaronK

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #35 on: November 02, 2008, 06:29:36 PM »
If I didn't have quite so much ADD in the way, I'd have done it already!  As it stands... not sure.

JaronK

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #36 on: November 02, 2008, 06:36:39 PM »
Nice find :D

@JaronK:
As in
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, previously known as Attention-Deficit Disorder.
or
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons?
[Spoiler]
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[/quote]
[/spoiler]

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Tshern

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #37 on: November 02, 2008, 06:41:03 PM »
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, previously known as Attention-Deficit Disorder.
There actually is a difference between ADHD and ADD. The lack of hyperactivity makes you an ADD 'patient.' That's what I was told at least.

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Shadowhunter

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #38 on: November 02, 2008, 06:59:55 PM »
I wouldn't know, I copy-pasta'd it from Wikipedia :blush
[Spoiler]
Quote from: Runestar
the most effective optimization is the one you can actually get away with.  :smirk

Quote from: Vinom
(A group of nerds are called a murder because like crows we are anti-social, like shiny things, and often squack at each other over nothing for hours)

I often have to remind people not to underrate divination.  The ability to effectively metagame without actually metagaming beats the ability to set things on fire more times than not.
[/quote]
[/spoiler]

Binder? You're Welcome

Zceryll makes Binders go from tier 3 to tier 2.
Cagemarrow is a Genius

Before giving the advice that build X would be better of with Fist of the Forest, take a long, good look at Primal Living. Twice.

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Re: Factotum's Brains over Brawn
« Reply #39 on: November 02, 2008, 07:06:01 PM »
I'll start writing a factotum guide. If anyone has details, info, etc, give me a pm!
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