Character Advice Required.

[kestral287]

BadBird wrote:

kestral287 wrote:

Magus//Anything Arcane works fine thanks to the Broad Study arcana. Selection isn't a huge deal if you're a Wizard or the like, just means you get twice as many spells free.

That's true, Broad Study does allow blending. It just seems less optimal to me to double-down on a very similar feature than it is to introduce a whole new dimension. Magus spell combat crosses with full BAB to devastating effect in melee. On the other hand, if the idea is to cross a full arcane caster with combat ability, Magus seems like a weaker choice to me than doing something like Blade Adept/ Sacred Fist or Sorcerer/ Paladin or whatever, where you're really working the martial side of the equation along with the casting.

As LoneKnave mentions-- the advantage is in the action economy. Sacred Fist//Blade Adept* can do a lot of things with their swift action, flurry, or cast. But, excepting Fervor and at higher levels Quicken Spell, they can't cast /and/ Flurry, and both of those exceptions have their own harsh limits. Sorcerer//Paladin has solid saves, but his only way to cast and full attack is Quickened, which again has limits.

Magus//Wizard? You have a Wizard who's able to get in your face (he's applying his main stat, and possibly his main two stats, to his AC), stab you in the face (he's got accuracy boosters for days, and burning some spells to help him hit matters not at all given his numbers), and still create a demiplane on the side.

The real strength here lies in the three core tenants of gestalt that I try to build around.

1. Action economy. Having two classes demanding the same actions doesn't help you. You can still only do one or the other at a time, never both. This is why I actually respect the Rogue in gestalt; he'll never take up your actions. The Magus//Wizard passes this by virtue of Spell Combat plus Broad Study; it'll virtually never interfere with what the Wizard wants to cast**.

2. Dominant levels of play. I want a character that works at every level. The Magus shines from about levels 3-12, then starts to fade out a bit as its main damage-dealing spells lose ground. The Wizard starts shining a bit later (where depends on how you build, I suppose), but doesn't ever stop shining. Once you get past the first few levels you have a strong character at all levels.

3. Stat synergy. Even with all-18s, the fewer stats I have to worry about the better, and the more I can milk a stat the better. You really can't do better than Kensai//Wizard for that.

*I'd honestly never run a Blade Adept, or a Bladebound, in gestalt unless we were doing gestalt + low magic, which is an unusual combination at best. But hey.

**Okay, that's wrong, there are full-round action spells. So just be careful when you summon.

[GypsyMischief]

I'm gonna suggest Alchemist + Ranger, you'll have all kinds of neat tricks and fiddly bits to play with, nova slightly harder than a regular alchemist assuming you take feats to compliment bombs, and still essentially be a stronger version of a barbarian once you run out of explosives. You'll function at all ranges, at all levels of preparedness, and your complete supremacy over your teammates won't show until you've already had your fun.

Or Samurai/Gunslinger? I don't even think those mechanics can mesh, but it sounds totally sweet, right?

[blackbloodtroll]

A support focus could keep things in check.

Bard, or Skald.

Be the one that everyone can depend on, and back them up.

[Jack o' Lantern]

Core, Featured, and Uncommon Races are all open,
Dreamscarred Races; Azlanti.
Any race with an adjustment of less then 5 no more then 4 I suppose.

The support//Active dynamic seems to be the best. We are a small party so being able to buff the party while still kicking butt wouldn't be a bad idea.

We do have access to 3.5 feats and some 3pp. I have Lost Tradition as an option (Mainly due to this being a game about Azlanti and magic so many thousands of years ago being different works for the fluff of it.)

I don't do Rogue just because my Fiance typically plays Rogue or Cleric characters or lately the Swashbuckler. So she may be playing a Warpriest//Rogue.
(Advice on this would be gladly taken, Warpriest is still new to our group so we are still learning its feel.)

[Koshimo]

Jack i say do whatever you want you most likely arent going to get an oppurtunity like this again between the stats and being in a gestault campaign.

whatever combo you want, whatever interesting build you ever wanted to do. take the most MAD combo you can make

The keys really are taking two classes with the same key stat since the rest aren't going to scale the way your main one will.

Depending on how optimized you want to go personally i would not go with a full caster you are already going to be really good at what you do limiting your spell casting in any capacity will help keep you in line with the party.

One of the cool little combos i personally wanted to make at some point was a Swashbuckler/Kensai Magus obviously both are close to eachother on the core of what they do, but compliment eachother since the abilities arent exactly the same you will probably be swift action starved, but you are a front line fighter with a high AC good con all good saves and eventually getting uncanny dodge, and evasion good init and such

[Koshimo]

Jack o' Lantern wrote:

Core, Featured, and Uncommon Races are all open,

Dreamscarred Races; Azlanti.
Any race with an adjustment of less then 5 no more then 4 I suppose.

The support//Active dynamic seems to be the best. We are a small party so being able to buff the party while still kicking butt wouldn't be a bad idea.

We do have access to 3.5 feats and some 3pp. I have Lost Tradition as an option (Mainly due to this being a game about Azlanti and magic so many thousands of years ago being different works for the fluff of it.)

I don't do Rogue just because my Fiance typically plays Rogue or Cleric characters or lately the Swashbuckler. So she may be playing a Warpriest//Rogue.
(Advice on this would be gladly taken, Warpriest is still new to our group so we are still learning its feel.)

Warpriest is awesome there is a good guide already out there is you just google "warpriest optimization guide" you will find it. it gives a ton of love to sacred fist which is understandable.

the key to WP is remembering for the most part they are "selfish" by design because of how fervor works thats another class i would love to play if/when i get the chance.

[Mergy]

In the spirit of most powerful combinations, cleric (evangelist)/wildblooded empyreal sorcerer. Wisdom is your casting stat for both classes, and you can summon with your copious sorcerer spellslots and then throw inspire courage up for yourself, the party, and your summoned creatures. The flavour actually works decently as well.

Alternatively, celestial bloodrager/evangelist cleric with the feat that lets you cast your other spells while bloodraging. You end up with a skald with full cleric spellcasting and full BAB.

[Eigengrau]

Zen Archer with any of these classes: empyral sorcerer, cleric, vanilla hunter, vanilla inquisitor, sacred huntsmaster inquisitor, other inquisitors, Slayers, war priests, spirit guide oracle with battle or wood, nature fang druid.

[Jack o' Lantern]

How well would a Synth Summoner//Bard work?

Could buff the party and still turn into a bad ass monster?

[Inlaa]

I feel as if a Bard/lots of things is a pretty good choice the more I think about it. It'd be best as a martial character, I think.

Maintaining your Inspiring Courage is a free action. If you want to be a Fighter or other martial character you can bolster your attacks with Gallant Inspiration as a swift action. You get Heroism as a 2nd level spell (HUGE), cast spells like Alter Self and Blur to boost your offensive and defensive capabilities, take Archaelogist for even better self-buffing (as well as trapfinding, hoorah), have a good skillpoint pool, still cast spells while wearing light armor and holding a shield...

It's not bad at all.

[Jack o' Lantern]

Bard//Brawler (good saves, good HD and Full BAB and the flexible feat thing means you can change up the fighting style between each game.)

But I am curious if a Brawler/Arcanist would be best for the character who is never the same in battle each day.

[Rynjin]

Jack o' Lantern wrote:

How well would a Synth Summoner//Bard work?

Could buff the party and still turn into a bad ass monster?

Bard/Summoner gestalt characters are a headache for the GM. Don't do it.

Source: Experience.

Besides, Synth will actually REDUCE your physical stats since you're starting with 18s.

[Inlaa]

I'd be really tempted to try a Bard (Archaelogist)//Bloodrager myself. Angel-blooded (+2 CHA and +2 STR) Aasimar would be nice for the extra stats, not to mention a free Alter Self spell from the get-go. With your racial bonus, the bloodrage and Alter Self all up at once, at level 1...

20+2+4=26 Strength, and you can make this even more hilarious by having the Abyssal bloodline (wait, Abyssal bloodline Angel-blooded Aasimar?) to get Enlarge Person when raging as well. Your STR bonus from raging just goes up and up as you level with the Abyssal bloodline.

You could grab a bonus Combat Feat via Archaelogist (thanks to Rogue talents) and Weapon Focus from a talent, not to mention a few abilities to keep you from being disabled in a fight (like Stand Up, for instance)...

And, of course, you can cast spells while Bloodraging at 4th level.

But... while it's not really a STRONG build, I'd love to play a Paladin//Rogue myself. I've always wanted to make a decent one, and Gestalt would be the only place to really make it work. Smite Evil Sneak Attack with Sacred Strike? Hmm.