I know, I know, it sounds crazy but I only have two players tackling this adventure path.
I haven't DM'ed in almost 4 years and could use a little help... When the player applies the saint template to a gestalt character, does the LA apply to only one half of the gestalt end character or to both? Can she apply the template to the cleric half and still progress as a fighter? If not, then is the LA not more like a +4 LA? Man, I never should have stopped playing for all these years!
Thanks!
I don't have the book handy, but as I recall gestalt characters only apply the template to one side, so the second class can still run all the way.
Also, I'd personally suggest putting the LA on the fighter side, rather than the cleric. Being a couple levels slower with the feats and a point behind on BAB is nothing compared to being two levels slow on spells.
Good luck with the campaign – it's a good one!
Age of Worms and only two gestalt characters? The hurting they'll suffer being on the wrong end of action economy alone "pays for" the template.
You can't apply a level adjustment to "only one half" because the character doesn't have any halves. Gestalt fighter cleric is one class. It's one character with the best of both classes. Plus, it's a template, not a prestige class. It effects the character - not the classes.
Gururamalamaswami,
That's how I initially thought of it until the player pointed out that the other player had the combined benefits of a 15th level fighter and 15th level ranger for a total of "30" levels and she only had the combined total benefits of 26 levels (13 cleric, 13 fighter with a level adjustment of 2). See my dilemma?! The 2 levels of adjustment end up denying her four levels of class benefits. That does that make sense? How does a template with a level adjustment apply fairly to a gestalt character?
Level adjustment is an arbitrary level penalty that creates a level gap to compensate for the percieved advantages granted by the template. In other words, the saint template is supposed to be as good as the benefits received from 2 actual levels.
30 levels doesn't compute. A 15th level gestalt still only has 15 HD, some better saves (but still only as a 15th level character), and some extra benefits. It's not a 30th level anything. Don't allow yourself to think like that.
Go back and look over the saint template and see again just how good it is. It's a fair trade.
Followed my own advice...protective aura alone is worth the price of admission. Useable as a free action! FTW!
One of the things I really loath about gestalt is players who try to squeeze even more out of it than it already gives. Total headache.