Author Topic: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?  (Read 7804 times)

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Silent Wayfarer

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Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« on: February 22, 2009, 12:29:37 PM »
This is an outgrowth from the Awesome Monsters thread. Basically, we all know that Black Ethergaunts are insanely boss and have almost everything a level 20 wizard has and more. Now, assuming that LA and RHD only counted on one side of a gestalt... what else would you put on the other side?

Also, is there a +1 LA template or a feat that can make the Black Ethergaunt an outsider? Because turning all its HD into outsider HD would make it a combination skillmonkey, beatstick and a combat wombat at the same time...


Agita

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2009, 12:38:19 PM »
Definitely put a PrC that advances casting (Incantatrix, say) on the other side of the levels that are taken up by LA. Now, how many Persistent self buffs per day does that make?

wooden: Otherworldly has regional prereqs, though.
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bogsnes

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2009, 12:40:57 PM »
That could be insanely powerful...

"Keeps mouth shut about otherwordly for the Black Ethergaunt ScM"

Be a ScM Incantatrix and Factotum of at least 8th level for the ability to take extra standard actions and Int to everything Str and Dex based...

Anklebite

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2009, 12:48:04 PM »
I thought shadowcraft mage requires "race: gnome".... how are you pulling that one off?
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Silent Wayfarer

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2009, 12:48:49 PM »
I thought of otherworldly, and I know it's an FR racial feat. Thing is, isn't it only available to certain elf subraces?

I was thinking of the LA +2 Half-Celestial template, the one which doesn't have SLAs. Mainly for the wings, stat buffs, and the fact that it's going to look like Overdrive Sin from FFX. :p

bogsnes

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2009, 12:49:15 PM »
Forgot that...

He got allowed to skip racial prereqs for ScM...

Anyways, you could take the PrC that includes you in Gnome society :D

Agita

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2009, 12:53:55 PM »
I thought shadowcraft mage requires "race: gnome".... how are you pulling that one off?
What are these "requirements" you speak of?
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bogsnes

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2009, 01:25:40 PM »
I thought shadowcraft mage requires "race: gnome".... how are you pulling that one off?
What are these "requirements" you speak of?
One word and a number: Stoneblessed 3.

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BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2009, 03:06:51 PM »
There might be a way to circumvent the prereqs of Otherworldly in Champions of Valor, not sure. I'm AFB right now, but I posted it in AC's Cleric handbook, should be in the last 2 pages...

Aside from that, there's an adaptation section for ScM's in RoS where it mentions that it might be possible for non-gnomes to enter ScM IIRC.

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bogsnes

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2009, 03:12:17 PM »
Yeah, it mentions something about a special cabal...

anomalousman

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2009, 05:59:14 PM »
I second the thought of some factotum after you get your casting to full.  Your really unusual feature as an ethergaunt is your Int, and there are few better ways to exploit it.  Archivist would be another good way, but it would work better if you had the levels to take it all the way to full casting.  Factotum works fine many levels short of 17.

Watch out when taking templates (good idea, btw) that you don't overlap with LA from the ethergaunt side, wherever they are deemed to be.  Phrenic would also be nice.  Extra Int, power resistance, some decent PLAs.


bogsnes

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2009, 06:09:57 PM »
I think at least 3 Factotum levels is great for BoB, possibly 8 for Cunning Surge or 11 for Cunning Breach...

And use some PrCs like Incantatrix or IoSV

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2009, 06:53:24 PM »
Regional feats are based on your character's background, not their race, so Otherworldly works.
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Cyrocloud

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #14 on: February 22, 2009, 09:41:44 PM »
Why not try for dragon instead of outsider, you don't have to worry about low level resurection spells not working(probably not a big deal if its a BBEG), you get d12 HD instead of d8, immunity to paralysis and sleep effects, and low light vision(not sure if this really matters much).  In exchange  you would lose 2 skill a level, the not needing of food and sleep, and proficiency with martial weapons(from the outsider type).

Depending on what you want to do Dragon may be the better option, how to get the dragon type is a bit harder than the outsider type but may the better of the two to pick.  The only way I can think to pull this off is half drag, but that has 3 LA, Incarnate construct would lower that to +1, but I think that would make you lose the subtype then.

Heliomance

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #15 on: February 22, 2009, 09:55:17 PM »
Incarnate Construct can't be applied due to the fact that you're not a construct.

Silent Wayfarer

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2009, 03:33:44 AM »
Well, for one thing, d12 vs d8 HD is not a humongous difference for a non-beatstick, paralysis and sleep effects tend to be rare and weak enough that there's no point protecting against them, and Black Ethergaunt's Total Vision (Ex) ability completely trumps low-light vision.

However, not needing food and sleep is a big, big deal, so are skill points and proficiency with martial weapons is not a huge benefit but it's much more helpful than anything half-dragon can bring to the table, besides, maybe wings and breath weapon, both of which a wizzard can circumvent with ease.

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2009, 04:29:28 AM »
I would feel like putting something multipurpose on the other side, like Binder or Incarnate. Lots of bonus versatility and abilities which can play off your casting.
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Silent Wayfarer

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2009, 04:33:35 AM »
Factotum is definitely a shoo-in; Warblade might be a good dip for various Int to stuff abilities. Unfortunately I don't know much about optimizing binders or incarnates, though I hear binders are insanely versatile with their abilit
y to bind bunches of vestiges...

BowenSilverclaw

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Re: Optimizing a Black Ethergaunt for gestalt?
« Reply #19 on: February 23, 2009, 05:26:31 AM »
And ofcourse a Warblade dip is great for that Roar of Effort :D
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