Half-Illithid character. Please help me!

[Khathulhu]

Alright so I wanted to play an illithid but the 15 level monster class is way to much and of course just playing one gives way to big of a bonus.

So the DM suggested the Half-Illithid and its CR is 3. For a level 5 game this means my character would be a level 2. But we are allowed the Cr buy off method of every three levels I can buy off a Cr with a class level at 3 and again at 6th level. I heard its suppose to be half your CR rounded down but my DM is allowing the CR buyoff so at level 9 I buy off all my cr I am just gonna be a level behind the party.

What classes are best suited for a Half-Illithid I was thinking Arcanist and just fluff it as psionics. My DM likes Psionics but Psion doesn't seem as powerful and unless I talk him into a STP Erudite I am gonna miss out on a lot of my favorite spells.

This is a gestalt game, but the other side really does not matter as much I am more worried about my caster side.

[ShroudedInLight]

Why not forgo the caster bits and go Tetori/Stranger or something similar for a full Brain-Eating Ithlid superman?

Attack, Grapple, Hold, hope opponent doesn't break out, Suck Out Brain

[Khathulhu]

I was thinking of going Monk on the other side of the gestalt.

Caster is due to my love of the caster style, Monk's grabbling style would be good though.

Was thinking on Gillman as a race because I always saw Illithids as heavily aquatic.

[Khathulhu]

I am also considering taking the Elan race and then applying the template.

[boring7]

Brawler. Monk's main weakness is lack of full BAB, and made worse by the level soak.

Another problem with level soak is the fact that you lose a lot of caster levels. Best to remember that you won't be competitive in the caster game and focus on a class and build whose magics are good at lower levels and synergize with martial. Buff spells, ways of flying, ways of healing, etc.

Actually, you could probably make (caster)/inquisitor work.

[Prince of Shades]

Boring7, I believe he said this was gestalt, what a lot of gestalt does is take the LA/CR adjust on one side of his Gestalt and one class is left alone. So if he took his caster half on the non CR/LA side he would have a full caster levels.

Monk is solid as the passive side of a gestalt since you will either be casting or punching, and you really do want to always be casting.

[kestral287]

Cleric, Shaman, or Empyreal Sorcerer are the obvious pairings with a Monk.

[boring7]

Prince of Shades wrote:

Boring7, I believe he said this was gestalt, what a lot of gestalt does is take the LA/CR adjust on one side of his Gestalt and one class is left alone. So if he took his caster half on the non CR/LA side he would have a full caster levels.

Monk is solid as the passive side of a gestalt since you will either be casting or punching, and you really do want to always be casting.

Ah, I assumed it hit both sides.

Yeah, that makes sense. Still won't be able to hit much if you have to start swinging, but that's less of an issue if you ABC.