So I, too, am playing in the Fall of Sharn PbP game being DM'd by Sinfire Titan. As a refresher, here are the houserules:
- Limited Gestalt: Gestalt is allowed, but by tier. (For reference, JaronK's 'Tier System for Classes' Thread)
Tier 1's are on their own. Tier 2 can gestalt with NPC classes only. Tier 3 can gestalt with Tier 4 and lower, Tier 4 with 3 and lower, etc. Beguiler, however, is considered Tier 2; Totemist is tier 3, Incarnate between 2 and 4 depending on optimization, soulborn is obviously tier 5.
One side is primary, and one side is secondary. This means that one class must be used all the way through; For instance, Warblade 20//Barbarian 2/Totemist 8/Totem Rager 10 - 43 PB, starting level is 7 (XP is halfway between 7 and 8 ); Action points are allowed
- 2 Flaws (however, achievable between 1st and 4th level); No traits
- Standard WBL (19000 for ECL 7)
- All characters get Heroic Spirit as a bonus feat, and another open bonus feat at level 10.
- Non-Eberron campaign settings are banned material, with the exception of Oriental Adventures (effectively Sarlona, with some modifications). Specifically out is FR and DL content.
- And more on a case-by-case basis (For instance, Supernatural Transformation can be applied to Eldritch Blast).
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[spoiler]
So I decided I wanted to try making something that's usually not very versatile to be more-so. For instance, Barbarians are always melee brutes, great chargers, usually terrible if things get primarily ranged. Warlocks are good at range, and except for a well-optimized Glaivelock, are terrible in melee. However, when you get chocolate in my peanut butter...
Well, this isn't quite that simple. However, I've been looking at using RobbyPants' Rebalanced Barbarian as a Tier 3 class (and have wanted to try it since I first saw it), which means tier 4 and below is good for Gestalting. I've also wanted to try a Warlock for the longest time, but usually it's not worth it. Gestalted, however, I could choose between being a Barbarian with some nice buffs and some nice abilities, or a Warlock with d12 hit dice and full BAB. It also makes for a great glaivelock opportunity.
Wall-o-Text hidden for logical reasons.
[spoiler]Sinfire has stated that he is allowing Supernatural Transformation to apply to invocations (taken separately for each power),
including eldritch blast. This means, among other things, I can use it while raging, as it no longer is a power ruled by concentration, and does not provoke AoO's. At first I thought like everyone new to Warlock does, "Hey, that would be great for Hideous Blow!" However, I woke up from that dream and remembered it's still only one attack per round, though admittedly since it no longer provokes AoOs and can be used for much more damage than the standard warlock, it could be... ok, used by a barbarian. Still not sure if it's as good as a regular barbarian with multiple attacks using power attack and a two-handed weapon. At level 7 with a greatsword, that's... 2d6 (7) + 4d6 (14) + 9 str (assuming 18 str and raging for 22 str) + 14 PA = 44 damage vs. (2d6 (7) + 9 str + 14 PA)x2 = 60 total damage, though that's assuming both attacks hit. Better single hit, worse potential damage. That is, until I add haste into the mix, making Attack 1 = Hideous Blow = 44 dmg, + Attack 2 = regular attack = 30 dmg = 74 dmg. ---Edit--- But then again that's only until I get 3 attacks per round. But I digress.
Anyway, the class combination, if fully developed to both sides, is feat starved and MAD. So, I figure there are some things I can trim the fat on. I'll keep an ok Cha score in case I want any invocations with saves, and if I need to be the party face (and I might), and of course for UMD. STR will be decent, but rage will help keep it from being quite as vital. Dex will be ok for skills, bonus to AC, and for the odd time I need to use EB as a ranged attack. Con will obviously be high to absorb hits. The party I'm apparently on has a Shifter Totemist//Barbarian/fighter/weretouched master (eventually bear warrior and warshaper too), a Psion (egoist)//Samurai, some sort of dragon-themed character, and me. I'm not as worried about not having a healer since I'll have good hit points, thp, the egoist's empathic transfer, and my UMD for wands of vigor and such. Hopefully I won't die too often, we'll see.
Anyway, so I'm having trouble truly optimizing this. If my idea works out, doing something along the lines of RP's Barbarian 20//Warlock 16/Binder 1/Hellfire Warlock 3 and using Eldritch Glaive or something should yield some good old-fashioned damage. (Now that I think about it, was it ever ruled whether you can power attack with EG?)
But that's just the thing. The idea is only half-formed. I've got no idea on race, whether or not to bother with a template like Feral for goodies (but at the cost of levels), what weapon combo to attack with, etc. I know DfA synergizes better, but it has fewer invocations and no eldritch glaive.
So far, with 43 PB, level 7, and no racial or template adjustments, I can have stats at:
Str 18, Dex 14, con 18, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 14
As for feats, Power Attack is a given, Supernatural Transformation will be required at least once for Eldritch Blast (and more if there are any good in-combat invocations, but most of them won't be necessary). Other than that, it's mostly up in the air.
[/spoiler]
My question is: Can this be viable? Can I optimize this? Or should I give up and seek some other avenue?[/spoiler]
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New concept on page 3.
