Best Gestalt Build - Assume optimal ability scores.

I am talking about some of the content for the Gestalt System. Such as the 2 Side-Bars dealing with Increased Numbers of classes (Such as 3 or 4 Classes instead of just 2) & how somethings are handled.

I am talking about some of the content for the Gestalt System. Such as the 2 Side-Bars dealing with Increased Numbers of classes (Such as 3 or 4 Classes instead of just 2) & how somethings are handled.

Hmmm, got it, sorry about that, then. Have you looked it up in the book proper? As I understand, most, if not all, the content in sidebars are not OGC, so you simply can't find it in any SRD. Besides, WotC didn't "embed" errata into their books: if something as simple as a spelling error was found, it would be found in all editions. Errata was put exclusively as online PDF addons. They didn't strive, like Paizo does, to correct the book every time it was reprinted.

I know that. That is why it shocked me when I noticed it. I only have access to the 2nd Version not the 1st. But the one who originally taught me 3.5/Pathfinder has the 1st Version. This Guy has so many books it is nuts. He has a 20x20 foot office lined with book shelves loaded with RPG Books.

I usually look in the books first and use Links to show others.

I know that. That is why it shocked me when I noticed it. I only have access to the 2nd Version not the 1st. But the one who originally taught me 3.5/Pathfinder has the 1st Version. This Guy has so many books it is nuts. He has a 20x20 foot office lined with book shelves loaded with RPG Books.

I usually look in the books first and use Links to show others.

What exactly are you looking for? I have the first printing on my lap right now, and the only sidebar on the Gestalt section (pgs 72-76) is the one regarding Fractional Base Bonuses. Everything about Gestalt proper is in the main text, and I don't see anything about more than 2 classes at the same level on a gestalt combination.

Really... Hmm... I have my friends and it has a Small Side Bar at the Bottom of Page 75 dealing with multiple Classes. It basically says you should increase the APL by .5 per additional class.

So a Party of 4 Gestalt-3 Characters would be APL+1.5 instead of APL+1.

The Level-by-Level thing is also mentioned here.

Really... Hmm... I have my friends and it has a Small Side Bar at the Bottom of Page 75 dealing with multiple Classes. It basically says you should increase the APL by .5 per additional class.

So a Party of 4 Gestalt-3 Characters would be APL+1.5 instead of APL+1.

The Level-by-Level thing is also mentioned here.

Hmmm, I have nothing like that here. It only talks about challenge rating and how to challenge a party of gestalt characters, and a little bit on PrCs. Nothing on the so-called "tristalt" or "tetratalt" variants. Either your friend has a newer printing, not older, or I have no idea what's going on. My book certainly isn't missing content.

Anyone say gunslinger monk? Wis + 10 to unarmored AC, wis to grit, unarmed strike to threatening attackers...

I could have missed them, but I don't think I've seen any really awesome archer builds yet. My most ridiculous suggestion is a Samsaran Zen Archer 20;Trapper Ranger 1/Druid 19, with the shapeshifting hunter feat. Basically, you get all the awesome of a zen archer, with full ranger favored enemy progression (thanks to shapeshifting hunter) and instant enemy as a third level druid spell (thanks to samsaran), which you can then cast every single combat. Off course, you also get tons of great buffs and other powerful spells, and you can wild shape into an air elemental and shoot arrows from perfect flight. You're also the best scout imaginable.

A zen archer/empyreal sorcerer or zen archer/cleric would work almost as well, probably, just with a different set of buff spells and different magical utility.

Ah! His is a British Printing! Weird...

He got it during his military days in Scotland...

Alright, so I stumbled upon this little thread roughly a month late. I'd like to throw some suggestions in the mix:

Barbarian 5/ Oracle 5/ Rage Prophet 10 || Two-Handed Fighter 20

Make sure to take the amplified rage teamwork feat as well as the standard fighter stuff. You're immune to the fatigue of rage and you get double str bonus to attacks and double the effects of power attack in addition to casting as an oracle. It's pretty ridiculous.

Paladin 20 || Inquisitor 20 --> Make sure to take the anger inquisition for inquisitor so you can rage like a barbarian. GG. Evil beware.

I spend way too much time working on gestalt builds because I think they're extremely cool... perhaps the most overpowered gestalt build I've stumbled upon is the Kensai Magus 20 || Wizard (or sage bloodline sorc) 7 (or 8) / EK 10 / Fighter 3 (or 2). You are taxed on your magus arcana to get broad study, but other than that... I mean... The 20th level kensai ability combined with the close range arcana combined with the magus spells critting on the threat range of the weapon. If you're dervish dancing or using an agile weapon, you're talking about x4 crits on the weapon, x2 on the spells on a 15-20 auto confirming. When you crit you get to cast another spell from ek, which you can deliver through your weapon for an extra attack as well. Not to mention you're, y'know, a wizard.

Take the Rage Domain instead.

It's like the Anger Inquisition, but just flat out superior.

You're not supposed to be permitted to take hybrid PrCs in gestalt so no Rage Prophet.

@Atarlost: That is incorrect.

You can't take 2 things that raise the same thing. That means no Mystic Theurge with Cleric and Wizard. But you can be a:

Cleric 5/Wizard5/Mystic Theurge10/:Fighter20

Gestalt is not a Pathfinder rule so we go to d20SRD for details.

Prestige classes that are essentially class combinations-such as the arcane trickster, mystic theurge, and eldritch knight-should be prohibited if you’re using gestalt classes, because they unduly complicate the game balance of what’s already a high-powered variant.

Rage Prophet isn't specifically listed with the prohibited classes because it's not a 3.5 PrC, but it does fit the definition of "essentially a class combination" so it's not permitted.

That falls under GM fiat. So not all GMs run it that way.

By R.A.W.: You can use it in the way I stated.

The Reason?: The Prestige Class increases Casting just as the normal Class does and therefore wouldn't stack.

Cleric 5/Wizard5/Mystic Theurge10 // Fighter20
Is blatantly not legal in gestalt. If you wanted to do Wiz 10 // Cleric 10 and then have mystic theurge take up BOTH sides of the gestalt (which is patently inferior to just being Wiz 20 // Cleric 20, btw) it's still technically not allowed since MT is outright prohibited, but a DM might figure it's ok.

The whole point of gestalt is to play two classes. Prestige Classes that let you already play two classes stacked in gestalt w/ another class is not fair and against the spirit of the rules. Not to mention against the RAW as well, as quoted.

The key word you are missing is "Should be prohibited" NOT "These are prohibited".

By R.A.W.: You can't stack 2 identical Features. The build I posted doesn't do that.

Casts Thread Necromancy

_______________________

Anyone here has any good/funny Gestalt ideas with the Advanced Class guide out now?

Warpriest/Empyreal Sorcerer, for swift Action Sorcerer Casting without MAD

Swashbuckler/Sorcerer, you don't wear much armor and need CHA anyway

Vivisectionist/Slayer, could be quite a beastly flanker

Wizard 1/Sorcerer 1/Magus 18/Arcanist 20 gives you the full class features of no fewer than four classes (via Arcanist Bloodline Development and School Understanding), plus combat potential off the Magus and 9th level casting.

Bloodrager/Barbarian might be the obvious, but it's very, very nasty. When you rage, things die. All of the things. Abuse archetypes to swap out some of the redundant features of course.

Brawler almost seems like the Fighter Replacement for building Gishtalts. That said, it's got to compete with the Slayer so... sucks to be you, Brawler.

I like Hunter/Inquisitor. 6th-level Wis Divine casting with a huge field of spells to pick from. Teamwork Feats would be redundant, but it's not that hard to find an archetype to tag one of them out. Primal + Divine Hunter could work, especially since Divine /should/ still get you another Domain-- they're gained at different levels and are something you can explicitly have multiples of.

Investigator could work well with a lot of things. Wizard gets better BAB and dice and extracts for some shenanigans, plus gets to be a super skill monkey. Fighter could enjoy the saves boost, self-buff options, skill monkeying, and extra damage-- think of it as a Lore Warden fed crack.

Shaman is weird. I haven't figured out what to do with that class yet, let alone how to gestalt it.

Same for the Skald. I like the look on paper but then it just gets wonky.

With good Fort and Ref saves, full BAB, d10 hit dice, and 6+Int skills, if you can't find something ridiculous to do with a Slayer gestalt you just merge it with a 9th level caster and mock everything. Alternately, Magus gives you three good saves, the spells to help set up Sneak Attack (Vanish is available from the start...), Spell Combat to help your action economy, and a few bonus feats as icing on the cake. Oh, and if you take Precise Strike off Arcane Deed, even more damage. Because that's necessary.

Swash/Oracle is amusing; I'd take it over Sorcerer honestly. Some Sorc bloodlines are awesome, but so are revelations. By taking something like the Lunar revelation, you can pick up Darkvision, an animal companion, some divination stuff, scaling natural weapons (that don't take your hand slots), and more. Plus you still have 9th level casting and can still wear armor.

Warpriest seems like he pretty much wants to be paired with either a full-BABer (Slayer works) or a 9th level caster (Empyreal Sorcerer is probably your best option unless you can support a lot of stats). That said, in the latter case the other casting class' spells can't be used with Fervor, as it specializes Warpriest spells and there's no equivalent of the Magus' Broad Study.

Investigator is a really big deal for gestalt. Studied Combat is a huge bonus and has no use limit. It combos well with anything full BAB except (non-urban) barbarian, bloodrager, and swashbuckler and will tolerate flat stat arrays pretty well if you get it to level 4. It also looks good with magus, which is otherwise a bit light on accuracy boosters for a medium BAB combatant.

Skald is the new bard for selfish martials. It isn't as good a bonus as inspire courage and your allies probably won't thank you for something that they can't use without turning off their skills and casting, but you can get beast totem on a paladin.

Slayer pretty much replaces ranger. It's just more focused.

Arcanist replaces Sage Sorcerer easily and might conceivably be taken over wizard.

Bloodrager doesn't gestalt well for the same reasons barbarian doesn't, and doesn't bring pounce to the table. It might work okay with druid if you don't want to cast in combat.

Shaman has a weak spell list, but can be used anywhere you wished witch was wisdom based and/or could cast in armor.

Swashbuckler is just bad. Use to get a good reflex save on a dervish dancing cleric or druid and that's about it.

Warpriest is pointless. In gestalt you're pretty much always going to be better off using cleric or fighter with whatever you were going to use warpriest.

Brawler might go well with druid, but it fails to bring the saves of a monk and doesn't use weapons.

Hunter is just bad. Pets don't do well in gestalt. Use druid instead. With a domain.

Aioran wrote:

Classes that sit halfway between other classes like Magus or Bard or Inqusitor are doable with gestalt, you just have to pick another class that compliments the character's role with those classes. It can be a little difficult since they're already jack-of-all-trade classes.

Well, the thing that I like about Magus/Inquisitor/Bard ect. is that they have things that they can do as a swift action or some other ability that helps their action economy.

A Fighter/Wizard for example has a ton of stuff, but his action economy is terrible.

The Kensai/Wizard, on the other hand, is both a melee combatant and a full caster in the same round. The only hardship is feats; do you put them towards spell DC's or melee?

Magus has a few very good ways to boost accuracy-- enhancement bonus on the weapon and the Arcane Accuracy arcana are the two biggest ones. That said, Investigator/Magus is cool.

Bloodrager can bring Pounce via Primalist archetype.

Swash can pair with a few casting classes pretty well, honestly. Full BAB, d10 hit dice. Cha dependent abilities means you don't run into MAD issues with Sorcerers or Oracles. Free bonus damage and some nifty defensive tricks help too. For a battle Oracle I'd take it over anything but the Slayer, and even that's a maybe. For a class that's not already using Cha, screw it and love the Slayer.

Magus has a few very good ways to boost accuracy-- enhancement bonus on the weapon and the Arcane Accuracy arcana are the two biggest ones. That said, Investigator/Magus is cool.

Bloodrager can bring Pounce via Primalist archetype.

Swash can pair with a few casting classes pretty well, honestly. Full BAB, d10 hit dice. Cha dependent abilities means you don't run into MAD issues with Sorcerers or Oracles. Free bonus damage and some nifty defensive tricks help too. For a battle Oracle I'd take it over anything but the Slayer, and even that's a maybe. For a class that's not already using Cha, screw it and love the Slayer.

Enhancement bonus is capped. The amount of accuracy boost the magus can get drops as his weapon's real enhancement rises. Any boost you are only getting because you're enhancing your weapon less than you would if you were some other class isn't a real credit. Arcane Accuracy, I believe, uses arcane pool per attack. That's not a good deal for ki and it's not a good deal for arcana points that you could be using to refresh spell slots if you had some other accuracy source.

The primalist can't get pounce before level 12, can't take extra rage power, and can't get pounce unless he's willing to give up two of his rage powers including his level 12 rage power. I'm not seeing any reason to go bloodrager if you're going to turn around and ditch the bloodline powers.

The swash lacks something of great importance every charisma based class except the paladin and the aforementioned bloodrager really wants: a good fortitude save.

Packmaster Hunter - Gestalts well with other Animal Companion Classes to raise your own small army.

Blood Conduit Bloodrager/Brawler - could be pretty cool

Druid/Summoner

Full divine and good arcane casting, animal companion, eidolon, more summons than you could ever possibly need, pretty good saves, decent HP, cast in light armor, wild shape, lots of class-based perks.

MAD? Not really. Summoner actually doesn't even really need a super high charisma. It doesn't affect the eidolon and most summoner spells are buffs. Just keep it high enough to cast at each level, maybe get some bonus spells. Heck, Druid spells are the same way: the best ones are the buffs and utility options. No need for 20+ wisdom. Put those points into physical stats so you can get in there between your two buffed pets and do some damage!

Bloodrager/Skald might work.

He's still based on Str and Cha. Good Fort and Will. Can cast in rage and gets all the rage powers he needs.

On top of that a good number of spells per day from two quite different lists.

Crazy guy though.

-

Slayer/Cleric is a no-brainer, all good saves, superb warrior, loads of spells including self-buffs.

Arcane Duelist Bard/Oracle of Battle/Apocalypse.

6 levels of Arcane & 9 levels of Divine all done spontaneously with SAD, 3/4 BAB, and all encased in Heavy Armor.

Grab a longsword and a heavy steel shield and power-turtle away, you beautiful disaster you.

Alternatively, Brawler/Wizard. Because killage.

Where would I find the information on how a Gestalt actually works? My son and his friend want to tinker around with some Pathfinder, and I was thinking perhaps this would be the way to go to make them powerful enough to two-man most scenarios.

*waits for the Kineticist drops*

That'll be a sweet gestalt option ^_^

Paladin with weapon bond/bard (arcane duelist)
Or
Soulknife/magus (blade bonded, make your black blade take the form of a crystalline hilt, last part requires DM fiat)

Your weapon has all the enchantments. (Not to mention spell casting, full BAB and other goodies)

Where would I find the information on how a Gestalt actually works? My son and his friend want to tinker around with some Pathfinder, and I was thinking perhaps this would be the way to go to make them powerful enough to two-man most scenarios.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/gestaltCharacters.htm

It works mostly fine if you are straight classing up both sides, but when multi-/prestige-classing things can get wonky depending on how you interpret the rules (like Wizard 20//Fighter 1/Sorc 19 having full BAB). As long as you treat them as guidelines and suggestions rather than set-in-stone rules things will turn out okay.

Well I just read this over at GITP, I thought it was relevant.

I'm always a fan of Magus/Wizard myself, it just has the action economy breaking beauty that I need in my life.

Yeah, that's a nice post. I think one of the most rewarding ways to make a gestalt character is by remembering, as the post said, that "Any class that usually has the phrase "if only it had ___" can easily acquire it."

If only Barbarians had Wild Shape...
(good Will saves and 9th level spellcasting don't hurt either)

Ooh pooh my phone won't load the page, could someone copy paste it here?

Masterpiece of a post that is, very nice.

Bard/lore oracle
You know all the things.

A few of my ideas:

Kensai Magus 20|| Mindchemist Alchemist 20(+Psychonaut for good measure)

You don't gain much in BAB or HD, but you do have perfect saves. Thanks to the power of Grand Cognatogen and Awakened Intellect, It's entirely possible (though insanely difficult and requiring the slightest bit of cheese) to have a +20 INT modifier. For a Kensai that is a +20 AC, +20 Initiative (with the ability to roll a natural 20 every time), +20 attacks of opportunity, +20 damage against flat-footed targets, etc. Combine this with the whip feat chain and a few spells(enlarge person + Long Arms) and you can threaten out to at least 25 feat, which is basically a full attack whenever someone wants to get adjacent to you, thanks to your many AoO. Add to this some Swashbuckler deeds through your "Arcane Deed" Arcana (Evasive, Precise Strike, Opportune Parry and Riposite) plus some cool things from the Psychonaut (Moment of Prescience!) and you basically never get hurt, while putting out tremendous damage and debuff potential (with Frostpite chain). For more fun, use discoveries like Eternal Potion on a Potion of Bestow Grace, or stuff like Preserve organs to prevent tremendous damage when that natural 20 finally gets through. But really, the Alchemist extract list pretty much perfectly fills up the holes in the magus spell list, and with a few discoveries you actually get access to higher level spells. In fact, the bit of cheese I mentioned earlier involved using the Arcana Spell Blending steal the spells needed to call a Succubus for her Profane Gift (for that last +2 INT) and then just making an Alchemical Simulacrum of her while she's trapped. That way, you avoid pretty much all avenues for your GM to F*** you over because of it, and get a free Profane Gift giving machine! You could also do the same with Efretti and wishes, but even I think that's a step too far.

Skirnir Magus 20|| Ranger 20 (
Perfect BAB, perfect saves. If you take the TWF combat style you can take all of the TWF feats without investing in DEX, and when you eventually qualify for Shield Master, you can dual weild 2 Heavy Shields with ZERO of the TWF drawbacks. With Instant Enemy prepared and Broad Study for Ranger spells, you can get quite a few ludicrous attack bonuses against your enemies, which further makes TWF even better. Plus you can go down the Dimensional Dervish feat line and be the ultimate TWF. With the Ranger's utility based spell list (even better with Woodland Skirmisher and/or Spirit Ranger) and the Magus's offensive spell list, you are a powerful jack of all trades. As an added corollary, the Magus can also qualify for feats like Missle Shield, Ray Shield and Teleport Tactician after taking the Disruptive & Spellbreaker Arcana, to truly make it difficult for spellcasters to target you. Better still, you can add the "reflection" shield ability to your shields literally anytime, effectively making you immune to spells!

Paladin 12/Monk 4/Champion of Irori 4 || Life Oracle w/ Wrecker Curse 20

The ultimate healbot. Lay on Hands and Channel Energy are one thing, but with the Champion of Irori's ability to turn ki points into Lay on Hands, and the feat Ki Channel that allow you to turn Channel Energy into Ki restoration, you effectively have infinite Channel Energy. Add on passive healing abilities like Life Link, 9th level spell casting, great AC, the ability to turn attackers weapons to dust tons of immunities and great combat potential (it's possible to get max unarmed damage with the Monastic Legacy feat and some Robes, plus you get 2 free attacks on a 20 BAB flurry). To really make this work though, you pretty much need the Guided enchantment.

Antipaladin 12/Demoniac 8 || Dark Tapestry Oracle of the Black Blood 20

Originally designed as the counterpart brother to the inward focused Paladin of Irori, this cosmic horror makes just as much use of an Amulet of Mighty Fists, but via the Natural Attacks of whatever form he finds suiting. (He also worships Haagenti, for those of you who wonder). Combining pure power with spellcasting, he's an Oradin you hope to never meet, assuming you could recognize him, of course.

Spellbreaker Inquisitor 20 || Cleric 8/Holy Vindicator 4/Envoy of Balance 8

The Ultimate Channel Energy user. Capable of Channeling Positive & Negative energy equally, and gaining AC equivalent to his level because of it (Vindicator's Shield). Such double mastery truly shines when using Variant Channeling, but in order to get any good ones, you pretty much have to make up your own God and get it approved by the GM (A neutral god of war brings life and death to all life forms everywhere, hey, what do you mean I can't take the Travel and Death Domains with the Strength and Weapons portfolio?). That said, even without cheese, you're still more than capable of combat with ludicrous AC, 9th level spells, and a constant Mind Blank effect with the ability to be immune to a whole school of magic.

Other concepts include:
Skuld 20|| Bloodrager 20: Rage all day, every day. So many rage powers too, with the Primalist Archetype. Your ability to buff yourself is downright legendary.

Sacred Fist 20|| Master of Many Styles 20: Learn ALL the styles!

Gunslinger 20 || Swashbuckler 20: Grit = Panache, so now you can use Signature Deed to reduce Panache costs as well. A pistol sword cane would be perfect for this. If your GM lets you reskin it to a pistol sword cane rapier, then it's even better than perfect since you could take the Inspired Blade archetype and get all 3 mental stats to your Grit/Panache pool.

Gunslinger 20|| Spellslinger Wizard 20: Guns and magic. Channel magic through gun! blow stuff up! What's more to say, aside from perfect BAB and saves?

Hexcrafter Magus 20 || Cartomancer Witch 20: If you ever wanted to look cool and deal damage with a deck of cards, this is the best way to do it. Magi even get a specific Arcana that allows them to use the cards with their Arcane pool feature, which works really well with Ghost Touch, Brilliant Energy, and Bane once you get them. Cartomancer prevents them from being destroyed. As a Hexcrafter and a Witch, you will have more Hexes than you know what to do with (especially nice after you gain access to Grand Hexes, may I add). All you need now is a motorcycle to play your card games on.

Sohei Monk 8/Sacred Huntsmaster Inquisitor 12 || Beastmaster Cavalier 20
Evasion + Stalwart, tons of abilities you can grant to your mount, the ability to deal ABSURD damage in a charge, and even some limited spellcasting. Did I mention access to Pummeling Charge with Lances? Yeah.

And this one was already mentioned, but I'll restate it anyway just because of how OP it is:

Scarred Witch Doctor 20 || Invulnerable Rager Barbarian 20
Not only do you hex from your CON stat, but you could also find ways to pour on the DR (Dragon Totem line of Rage powes = 6DR/- !!!), making you downright unkillable. A Barbarian with 9th level spellcasting, reliable self healing and a good Will save. Hell, did I forget to mention that a Half Orc qualifies for both this Orc archetype and the Human FCB for Barbarian? Your Superstitious saves are downright amazing. You could even focus on natural attacks, since Witches get a natural attack in the form of a Hex. Easily the most blatantly OP gestalt combination. GG GM, GG.

Druid 20 || Fighter 7/Stalwart Defender 10/Fighter 3

Anyone know of a good gestalt Dragon Disciple build?
I've been contemplating maybe aasimar Oradin into dragon disciple, with Racial Heritage (kobold) and Scaled Disciple to progress oracle casting.
Would that work? Is there a better option?

Hunter/ranger/druid/barbarian?

with eldrich heritage and dogs

Dogs

Dogs

Dogs everywhere

Oh no

Oh yeah, one more thing, has anyone mentioned Bolt Ace || Zen Archer? The combo looks pretty beastly when it comes down to ranged attacks. I wonder if there's a way to combine the Myrmidarch Magus with it. I guess Bolt Ace 11/Zen Archer 11/Magus 18 would be a pretty good combo, netting you Trick Shot, Inexplicable Reload, and Maximum Weapon Training. With all three put together you can use a ranged spellstrike attack that hits against Touch AC and can ignore most cover while flurrying with effectively Max BAB.Probably an insane DPR machine.

A few vague ideas, and one fully fleshed-out potential 20th level build. I apologize, please pardon the wordiness.

So the ideas:
-Monk/Brother of the Seal/Druid/Master of Storms (for epic size and Awesome Blow)
-Kensai Magus/Sword Saint Samurai (for the Intensified Shocking Grasp Perfect Ultimate Technique of the Thunderous Iajutsu)
-Bard and/or Skald/Broodmaster Summoner (to essentially have an easily buffed standing army)
-Sorcerer/Oracle (I AM GOD BOW BEFORE ME)
-Wizard/Cleric (I am Over-God and I give no s@&*s)

And finally, the piece de resistance- Paladin 7/Dragon Bloodline Eldritch Scion Magus 14/Holy Vindicator 10/Dragon Disciple 9.

And here's the layout:
1. Paladin/Magus
2. Paladin/Magus
3. Paladin/Magus
4. Paladin/Magus
5. Paladin/Magus
6. DD/Magus
7. HV/DD
8. HV/DD
9. HV/DD
10.DD/Magus
11.HV/DD
12.HV/DD
13.HV/DD
14.DD/Magus
15.HV/Magus
16.HV/Magus
17.HV/Magus
18.HV/Magus
19.Paladin/Magus
20.Paladin/Magus

So the end result of this build is:
-Full BAB
-4 levels of Divine
-6 levels of Arcane
-Heavy Armor with no ASF (if you go Strength focus route)
-Stigmata
-Nigh-Constant Flight
-Spell Strikes
-Paladin Weapon Bond and Magus Arcana Self-Weapon buffs

For weapons, you could go with a Heavy Steel Shield for the Vindicator's Shield buff (or just wear a mithral buckler so as not to interfere with spellcasting), a Scimitar for the insane crit chances, or (should you take the route of an Exotic Weapon Proficiency) a Falcata, which has the 19-20 3x crit feature for the Holy Vindicator ability to invoke Doom on a crit.
Is this Kosher?

Oh yeah, one more thing, has anyone mentioned Bolt Ace || Zen Archer? The combo looks pretty beastly when it comes down to ranged attacks. I wonder if there's a way to combine the Myrmidarch Magus with it. I guess Bolt Ace 11/Zen Archer 11/Magus 18 would be a pretty good combo, netting you Trick Shot, Inexplicable Reload, and Maximum Weapon Training. With all three put together you can use a ranged spellstrike attack that hits against Touch AC and can ignore most cover while flurrying with effectively Max BAB.Probably an insane DPR machine.

Doesn't work.

You can't combine Flurry with Spell Combat. You can't combine Flurry with Ranged Spellstrike. Aaand you can't combine Spell Combat with Ranged Spellstrike.

Is this Kosher?

By the 3.5 rules, you can't take two prestige classes simultaneously.

Master summoner with evangelist cleric OR heavens oracle. Heavens oracle aspect will murder any BBEG up till about level 11 and by then the summoner is in full swing with horses of beasts to kill the enemy. Your even a great mouthpiece so your covered except skills and most can get around that.

Artorias Stormborn wrote:

Is this Kosher?

By the 3.5 rules, you can't take two prestige classes simultaneously.

I did not realize that. Thank you for informing me.

My original understanding of the limitations of Gestalt was that it simply took the best and individual class features from each class, and shared areas did not stack (e.g. Fighter/Paladin gets both Smite Evil and Tower Shield Proficiency but both have full BAB and thus don't stack, Wizard/Sorcerer get spell slots but still can only cast Sorcerer known spells with Sorcerer slots, etc.).

Are there any further limitations of Gestalts that I am unaware of?

Kaouse wrote:

Oh yeah, one more thing, has anyone mentioned Bolt Ace || Zen Archer? The combo looks pretty beastly when it comes down to ranged attacks. I wonder if there's a way to combine the Myrmidarch Magus with it. I guess Bolt Ace 11/Zen Archer 11/Magus 18 would be a pretty good combo, netting you Trick Shot, Inexplicable Reload, and Maximum Weapon Training. With all three put together you can use a ranged spellstrike attack that hits against Touch AC and can ignore most cover while flurrying with effectively Max BAB.Probably an insane DPR machine.

Doesn't work.

You can't combine Flurry with Spell Combat. You can't combine Flurry with Ranged Spellstrike. Aaand you can't combine Spell Combat with Ranged Spellstrike.

I think you might be acting on some old information my friend. Flurry is a full attack action:

Starting at 1st level, a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action.

Spell Combat has been FAQ'd to work with any full attack action:

Does spell combat count as making a full attack action for the purpose of haste and other effects?

Yes (revised 9/9/13) This is a revised ruling about how haste interacts with effects that are essentially a full attack, even though the creature isn't specifically using the full attack action (as required by haste). The earlier ruling did not allow the extra attack from haste when using spell combat.

In a similar vein, Ranged Spellstrike can specifically work with full attack actions, like Flurry:

At 11th level, a myrmidarch using a multiple-target spell with this ability may deliver one ray or line of effect with each attack when using a full-attack action, up to the maximum allowed by the spell (in the case of ray effects). Any effects not used in the round the spell is cast are lost.

So I don't really see the problem is with them combining.

As for the prestige class issue, the closest answer I've heard so far from the PF Devs was something along the lines of "DON'T TAKE PRESTIGE CLASSES" but that was mainly along the cheesy and stupid lines of trying to be a wizard on one side while increasing your effective spellcasting on the other side with Eldritch Knight or something.

As such, I would basically say that each prestige class has to basically work on only one side. So you could take Mystic Theurge, but the qualifications for it and the classes it enhances can never cross the gestalt line. As an example:

Witch 6/ Oracle 4/ Mystic Theurge 10 || Antipaladin 20

This should work fine as one of the greatest necromancers ever (though as an aside, if you really wanted the greatest necromancer ever, you'd pick a race with SLA's that get you into MT early and trade 5 witch levels for 5 Agent of the Grave prestige levels right after Mystic Theurge. JuJu Oracle + Gravewalker witch are best archetypes for animating the dead, and getting to do so while still having great combat stats and even better saves is amazing). More importantly, you never apply the increases in effective level to the Antipaladin side (though nobody in their right mind would do this).

You're not allowed to take prestige classes that 'combine' classes. The example given is Eldritch Knight, which is a bad one because EK is pretty terrible in gestalt. A much more rational example is Mystic Theurge; a Cha-Theurge (Oracle/Sorcerer -> Theurge+some kind of martial; I like Daring Champion Cavalier) can get utterly insane, and Wis-Theurge isn't far behind.

Now, of course Pathfinder has no gestalt rules, these are 3.5's and a GM might modify them. Mine, for example, waived the two-prestige-class rule (he actually didn't know it existed until I mentioned it, his immediate response was, to quote, "That's stupid, ignore that"). However, the 3.5 RAW seems like the best case to go by for this thread.

Oh wow, I finally took a look at the Arcanist class an I must say that I AM IMPRESSED.

Better still, is the fact that you can have a Blade Adept Arcanist and Gestalt it with an Inspired Blade Swashbuckler. The two are practically made for each other. Rapiers can be used as the Bonded Blade, and both classes specifically rely on both INT and CHA stats. You have max HD and BAB and a ton of easy ways to increase your attack and damage bonuses, including a sword that levels up to +5 on it's own. Plus, the ludicrous critical threat range of the rapier (with free Improved Critical!) combined with Spellstrike makes for one explosive combination. All this, on top of full 9th level WIZARD casting.

It may not be as overpowered as the Witch Barbarian, but damn does it look magnificent. Unlike quite a few builds I've posted before, this is something I wouldn't mind actually leveling up in, rather than starting at high level from the get go.

Blade Adept is honestly kind of miserable for those higher-power and high-leveled games that I think people expect gestalt to be. Since the Black Blade can't be enchanted, you have to take an exploit to get it past +5, and you can never get a +10 weapon. A full +4 of your enhancements (by level 17) will be drawn from a very limited list; I'd expect a 20th level Blade Adept/Inspired Blade to be carrying a +5 Spell-Storing/Speed weapon, which is really not a fantastic combination since Haste should be easy to access by then. Probably better off just taking a straight Arcanist.

It also has to compete with the Magus for that position. Magus can pull out their own Black Blade, and more importantly Spell Combat to offer a much greater action economy than the Arcanist. Spellcasting is weaker, but it makes for a better front-liner due to the far better action economy.

On the flip side is Inspired Blade/Wizard, for better casting than the Arcanist in exchange for the class features (which are probably better than the Wizard's, on the whole). If that's doable, Arcanist looks more and more mediocre.

Blade Adept Arcanist just seems to sit in an unhappy middle ground where the options on either side outclass it.

How does the Wizard have better casting than the Arcanist? They both have 9 level spellcasting. As for combining the Wizard with a martial, the Wizard doesn't get access to Spellstrike.

The Arcanist also just happens to have a similar ability as one of his exploits. He also gets access to Arcane Accuracy, to boost his attack bonus further, unlike the wizard. With the exception of getting spells early (moot point in a high level game) the Arcanist/Swashbuckler is just better than the Wizard/Swashbuckler.

As for the Magus being better due to Spell Combat, he either has to gestalt with a full BAB class to keep up in BAB, or a full casting class to keep up with casting.

That said, a 15 BAB Magus with 9th level Wizard spells may well be better than a 20 BAB Blade Adept due to better action economy, you've got me there. I'm just a sucker for thematic fits, I suppose.

Then again, a level 20 Inspired Blade can basically make all of his attacks crits at will, which definitely bodes well for a Spellstrike user.

EDIT: Plus the Arcanist would have d10 health, compared to the Magus's d8.