Author Topic: Totemist of Doom  (Read 2130 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

rubberduck

  • That monkey with the orange ass cheeks
  • ****
  • Posts: 269
    • my stuff
    • Email
Totemist of Doom
« on: July 23, 2010, 11:07:01 AM »
As soon as my current Psion dies ;-) i am going to try Incarnum which has never been done before in our group. So unfortunately no one really has any idea.

After some reading i came up with the following:
Code: [Select]
Lvl Class Lvl Bab Fort Ref Will hd bsp sm ess cb class features feats
1 totemist 1 0 2 2 0 8 4 2 1 0 wild empathy Able Learner, (Expanded Soulmeld Capacity)
2 totemist 2 1 3 3 0 8 4 3 2 1 totem chakra bind  +1 capacity
3 ranger 1 1 2 2 0 8 6 track wild emphaty favored enemy Leap of the Heavens
4 totemist 3 2 3 3 1 8 4 3 2 1 totems protecton
5 totemist 4 3 4 4 1 8 4 4 3 1
6 totemist 5 3 4 4 1 8 4 4 3 1 chakrabinds crown feet hands willing deformity
7 scout 1 0 0 2 0 8 8 skirmisch 1d6 trapfinding
8 totemist 6 4 5 5 2 8 4 4 4 2 totem chakra bind +1 meldshaper level
9 Slime lord 1 0 0 2 0 8 4 Paralytic Slime, Pseudopods 1/day Bonus Essentia
10 warblade 1 1 2 0 0 12 4 3mk 3mr 1s weapon apitude, battle clarity reflex
11 totemist 7 5 5 5 2 8 4 5 5 2
12 totemist 8 6 6 6 2 8 4 5 5 2 rebind totem soulmeld 1/day Indigo Strike
13 totemist 9 6 6 6 3 8 4 5 6 2 chakra binds arms brow shoulders
14 totemist 10 7 7 7 3 8 4 6 7 2
15 totemist 11 8 7 7 3 8 4 6 8 3 totem chakra bind double bind Raptor School
16 totemist 12 9 8 8 4 8 4 6 9 3 rebind totem soulmeld 2/day
17 totemist 13 9 8 8 4 8 4 7 10 3
18 totemist 14 10 9 9 4 8 4 7 11 3 chakra binds throat waist Double Chakra (Totem)
19 totemist 15 11 9 9 5 8 4 7 12 4 totem chakra bind +2 capacity
20 totemist 16 12 10 10 5 8 4 8 13 4 rebind totem soulmeld 3/day
Total 19 14 14 14 5 88 94

(Wall of Blades2,Iron heart surge3,Moment of perfect mind1,Pearl of Black Doubt stance3)

gosh the code formatting looks awful try this if you cant read it properly:
http://rubberduck.selfip.com/totemist.pdf

tactic is fairly simple i bind land-shark boots and go to town^^
most of the feats focuses around jumping which will be the primal source of damage through my entire career. i put in some slime-lord for free save or paralysis on each of my four attacks.

apart from that the character can find and disarm traps and track pretty good
scout will trigger the sudden strike since i move 10' through jumping

warblade is in for some nice iron heart surge and to cover my weak weak willsave and give me some extra ac with pearl of black doubt.

so any suggestions on that one? change some classes feats or something?
i haven't found a nice way to heal up till now my first idea was a level of dragon shaman or the feat draconic aura to get the vigor aura that heals you and everyone else up to 1/2 your max hp but cant quite squeeze it in. so any suggestions in that direction are most welcome.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2010, 11:09:59 AM by rubberduck »
best online-comics i know: http://lfgcomic.com/ http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
Looking for players? http://spielerzentrale.de/

me fail english? that's unpossible!
fear my new god! DARTH GOKUVERINE
poor literacy is kewl

Arcane-surge

  • That monkey with the orange ass cheeks
  • ****
  • Posts: 222
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2010, 11:22:07 AM »
First, I'm reasonably sure that the first stance you take in an initiator class has to be a 1st level one, so you couldn't get Pearl of Black Doubt. Also, as I understand it the Totemist capstone ability is so amazing that you'd generally want to refrain from dipping, especially only four levels.

Where's Slime Lord from?
This space intentionally left blank.

rubberduck

  • That monkey with the orange ass cheeks
  • ****
  • Posts: 269
    • my stuff
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2010, 11:32:21 AM »
slime lord: players guide to faerun appendix page 186

i never saw anythins saying it needs to be a level one stance in that case i probably go with punishing stance

the capstone ability is nice but i dont feel like waiting 4 empty levels for it and its only 1/day

i mean look what i get in return:
suddenstrike +indigo strike
iron heart surge!!!
and paralysis based on con modifier on every attack!
and lets be honest 20 levels is a loooong way and its not guaranteed that we ever get this far.
best online-comics i know: http://lfgcomic.com/ http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
Looking for players? http://spielerzentrale.de/

me fail english? that's unpossible!
fear my new god! DARTH GOKUVERINE
poor literacy is kewl

Brainpiercing

  • Hong Kong
  • ****
  • Posts: 1475
  • Thread Killer
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2010, 11:34:56 AM »
Needs some Crusader early for Martial spirit stance and (combined with Shape Soulmeld (Therapeutic Mantle)) virtually unlimited healing at lower levels.

Also consider dipping some Incarnate.

You can boost damage by adding a five-level Swift Hunter package (Ranger1/Scout4, Swift Hunter and Improved Skirmish).

rubberduck

  • That monkey with the orange ass cheeks
  • ****
  • Posts: 269
    • my stuff
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2010, 11:55:22 AM »
wow the Therapeutic Mantle thing would really work nice with a cruader
and i could ditch the ranger for crusader its main purpose is fullbab and jump^^

but where to squeeze in the incarnate?
best online-comics i know: http://lfgcomic.com/ http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
Looking for players? http://spielerzentrale.de/

me fail english? that's unpossible!
fear my new god! DARTH GOKUVERINE
poor literacy is kewl

Brainpiercing

  • Hong Kong
  • ****
  • Posts: 1475
  • Thread Killer
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2010, 12:00:44 PM »
Well... the incarnate is useful for some soulmelds the totemist does not get, which are mostly utility. Whether you should dip or not depends very much on whether your DM uses a lot of counter-soulmeld tactics, i.e. soulmeld unshaping spells, etc. Since you cannot rebind, any day where the melds are unshaped will be a very bad day. So... if he does use those tactics then you should keep your meldshaper level up. If he doesn't, dip away.

Since you already have ranger and scout in the build I would consider using a Swift Hunter package for +4d6 on every attack (with a 20ft running jump start).

Sinfire Titan

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 5697
  • You've got one round to give a rat's ass.
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2010, 12:04:16 PM »
Also, as I understand it the Totemist capstone ability is so amazing that you'd generally want to refrain from dipping, especially only four levels.

Totemist has 3 cutoff points: 2nd, 4th, and 20th. Each of those levels provides a very good exit point. If you take more than 4 levels, you really should consider going all the way.

Quote
and lets be honest 20 levels is a loooong way and its not guaranteed that we ever get this far.

In this case, stick with Totemist for as long as it seems useful, then start dipping when you need different abilities that Totemist Soulmelds can't offer you. However, keep in mind that Maneuvers (and sometimes Stances) can be obtained through magic items, which are very easy to work with even with the restrictions placed on your slots by Soulmelds.

Recommendations: Ditch the Ranger and Slimelord levels. If you Dip scout, you will be using the Manticore Belt (it's fraggin required). Ergo, Strikes won't be of much use to you (the Manticore Belt's attack method is similar to initiating a Strike; the two can't be combined into a single action).

The reason for ditching Slime Lord is that, IIRC, the Paralysis only functions as long as your Psuedopods last (which is a few rounds last I checked), so you only get the Con damage 1/day. There's a better way to go about this (Thayan Gladiator), but it requires you to not be Humanoid (so Skarn is out, which removes one of the best options).

Warblade levels make Totem Rager much more appealing. If this interests you, drop Scout for a level of Barbarian. Warblade gets you some of the skill requirements, and the single level of Barbarian is worth that. If you are starting out at 1st level, I recommend taking Totemist or Warblade first, and playing a race that has a natural weapon. If starting above 2nd level, Barbarian or Warblade first for max HP and play a race that gives a Con or Str bonus. Barbarian can get you Trapfinding through an ACF.

For healing, Martial Study/Stance for the Crusader stances. You'll be healing an average of 12 damage/round, give or take AoOs and attack bonus.


Really, there's a couple of ways to take this build. What do you want to do most, and what does your party look like?


[spoiler][/spoiler]

rubberduck

  • That monkey with the orange ass cheeks
  • ****
  • Posts: 269
    • my stuff
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #7 on: July 23, 2010, 02:40:02 PM »
of course it is meant that way so the pseudopod are the natural weapons in question that do the paralysis but the wording goes:
Paralytic Slime:(EX) A Slime lord's pseudopods are coated with slime that can paralyze a foe. Any creature struck by a slime lords natural attack must succeed on a fort save dc 10+ slimelord level+slimelords con mod or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds.

the intention is obvious but the wording.. well im not a native speaker so maybe im not the best one to rip apart the wording^^

thinking about it a totemist 20 could in theory get 16? attacks ot of manticore belt.
but thats not really what im aiming for. besides again we will not get that far.
i thing i can get more damage out of the landshark boots.
first i get 4 attacks regardless of my bab
second those attacks will be decent
Essentia: 4 into indigo strike, 7 into landshark boots (totem), 6 into heart of fire (totem), 0 into girillon's arms (arms).
Damage: 4x[1d6 + 8 insight + 7 enhancement + 6d4 fire + 1d6 skirmish + 4 unnamed + 13 STR] + 2d6 + 22 STR = 12d6 + 24d4 + 120 = 245
assuming a strengths score of 32 and rage

best online-comics i know: http://lfgcomic.com/ http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
Looking for players? http://spielerzentrale.de/

me fail english? that's unpossible!
fear my new god! DARTH GOKUVERINE
poor literacy is kewl

rubberduck

  • That monkey with the orange ass cheeks
  • ****
  • Posts: 269
    • my stuff
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2010, 04:50:08 PM »
just a little question... would it be worthwhile to dip into Necrocarnate?
maybe i am misunderstanding it but it appears that this 1level nets you as much essentia as you can kill things

so in theory limitless essentia.
nowhere does it say that the creatures have to be sentient or need a minimum amount of hd nothing...
not even a maximum of essentia i can harvest or hold at a time
so if i drown a bag of rats with 20 rats or something i could harvest 20 essentia in 20min?
sure thats stupid but after all there are encounters and you are destined to kill something eventually. why not use that?
im evil anyway
or am i wrong here?

Everymorning im gonna be like:
[spoiler][/spoiler]
« Last Edit: July 23, 2010, 07:32:06 PM by rubberduck »
best online-comics i know: http://lfgcomic.com/ http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
Looking for players? http://spielerzentrale.de/

me fail english? that's unpossible!
fear my new god! DARTH GOKUVERINE
poor literacy is kewl

McPoyo

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 3783
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2010, 05:05:12 PM »
PBMC used that to make a BBEG with several thousand HP, among other things.
[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]

rubberduck

  • That monkey with the orange ass cheeks
  • ****
  • Posts: 269
    • my stuff
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2010, 05:19:33 PM »
so it does in fact work the way i thought  :twitch
i really expected someone pointing something out that say no!
COOOOL :D  :smirk
best online-comics i know: http://lfgcomic.com/ http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
Looking for players? http://spielerzentrale.de/

me fail english? that's unpossible!
fear my new god! DARTH GOKUVERINE
poor literacy is kewl

McPoyo

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 3783
    • Email
Re: Totemist of Doom
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2010, 07:43:34 PM »
so it does in fact work the way i thought  :twitch
i really expected someone pointing something out that say no!
COOOOL :D  :smirk
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3084.msg96181#msg96181
[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]