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So I'm going to be joining this campaign shortly that is starting us at level five with two class Gestalt rules.
Basically, the entire campaign is going to be gladiator fights. It's not going to be a main thing that is run, just on days when we don't have enough people to run the main game.
The DM said we could make things as blatantly overpowered as we want, so I want to do that because I don't very often.
I haven't played a gestalt game in quite some time, and was wonder in what you all think would be best?
I'm thinking of going for a pure strength focus, but I've not decided yet.
What classes would you reccomend?
If you want to go pure strength focus you may want to look at a dwarf barbarian/warpriest. The barbarian gives you full BAB and rage. The warpriest gives you heavy armor and extra feats including fighter only feats. You also get spells that can buff your combat ability that can be cast as a swift action and self-healing that can also be done as a swift action. Pick up steel soul and glory of old to boost your saves. If you really want to go over the top take fey foundling as your first level feat to boost your self-healing.
if you want loads of str you could be barbarian alchemist for +8 to str at lvl 1 and increasing from there - or if you're willing to go all out for str you could take possibly my favourite 2 archetypes at the same time: rage chemist for an extra +2 str and wild rager for extra att on every full attack (doesn't say it doesn't stack with haste etc. so it might) - the AC penalty from raging and the bonus from mutagen cancel out - who needs Int anyway!
Those are all wonderful suggestions, thank you!
After looking into it, I'm considering an Armored Hulk Barbarian/ Gun Tank gunslinger build.
Any other ideas are still greatly appreciated.
I'm not sure that in a gestalt pure combat game a poor will save progression is a good idea. Also, two full BAB classes is a lot of overlap - a good fort save from both and a high hit die from both is something of a waste.
If the gun tank is your favourite part of that combo you might combine it with hunter, maybe the Feral Hunter archetype if you don't want an animal companion. Animal focus & some buff spells may be useful and of course you get a good will save.
If the armored hulk barbarian & a ranged attack is what you want then inquisitor is an answer. Their judgement & bane can be activated even while raging.
Excellent points.
I've also been considering a Master of Many Styles Monk combined with something, but I'm not sure what.
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The easiest aspect of Gestalt is building save & BAB synergy. The real difference maker in a Gestalt character is action economy.
For gestalt I would heavily favor classes that have build-in mechanics for move actions and swift actions. Warpriest is an amazing addition, with saves & action economy baked in. Fervor covers so many buffing, resilience, and Band-Aid options it's tough to beat for Gestalt.
A lot of folks go one of two routes with Gestalt:
1) All-Around. 9th level casting + full BAB + full saves + skills. This is actually not that fun for a gestalt group, as no one really shines and no one is really essential. It's just a group of 1-person parties. However, this is not your problem.
2) Synergy Specialization. Strength + Strength + Strength or Int + Int + Int. This is a pretty good match for your PvP environment, with gladiatorial combat as the focus. The game is ultimately rocket-tag, with initiative deciding success or failure.
If I were to prioritize anything for a PvP gladiatorial gestalt game, I would pick two options:
1) Initiative
2) Action Economy
If you can lock-down, de-buff, kill, or otherwise incapacitate the opponent first, you win. If you can do more things in the same amount of time, you win. It's not about gradual or progressive power increase for your game, it's about going super-nova first!
Furthermore, range will be an issue. If you're not adjacent, those strength-based characters will either need a plan to close the gap or a trick for going first. If you knew what weapons would be available, archery could be good. However, if it's truly gladiatorial, thrown weapons may be more beneficial.
Your final point of Master of Many Styles Monk with thrown weapon focus and throw anything, combined with Warpriest, would likely allow you to combine versatility and action economy quite well. I would also think Vanguard Slayer or another initiative-boosting archetype would prove quite useful.
Good luck! It sounds like fun :-)
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This is going to sound really strange, but go Summoner/Witch(Hex Channeler); you will be a complete wrecking crew.
First off, go pure combat on your Eidolon, there are plenty of build guides available for doing the summoner right. Make sure you take battlefield control spells like Create Pit and Aqueous Orb, these are great for keeping a fight running on your terms. There are also a few spells that give your Eidolon additional evolution points; these are FANTASTIC pre-fight buffs.
For the witch, pick the Plague patron and for the Hex Channeler archetype pick negative energy. By doing this you can actually make the Witch a pretty decent necromancer once you pick up the Command Undead feat. You don't need to upgrade the channel at all, you just needed it for Command Undead. Fill up the rest of your hexes with an eye to debuffing (evil eye, misfortune, cackle, slumber, etc.).
In a fight, let your Eidolon wade in while you debuff/battlefield control from the back field. As enemies go down, go ahead and use Animate Dead on them with Reach Spell to bring in more reinforcements. Once you get Dominate Person you can start turning the Big Dumb Fighter types as well in order to bring in more firepower. If your Eidolon goes down, liberally use your Summon Monster class feature.
If your GM allows you to bring this minion master into a fight fully loaded, with a compliment of undead and a few dominated thralls, you should be able to solo roll most adventures.
A lot of great points have been brought up here.
What about a zen Archer/ warpriest or something other class?
Also, gladatorial wasn't the right word. It's basicall just a fighting tournament where the party will be going again more and more powerful opponents and monsters.
Another thought I had was a blaster Sorc/Barbarian/ Dragon disciple.
Actually if you are going for a Zen Arche the best combination is probably Zen Arche/Inquisitor. Both classes rely on WIS so this reduces the number of stats you need. The synergy between the classes is incredible. Flurry of bane is ridiculously good, but add to that judgements and buff spells and this becomes one of the strongest ranged characters in the game. There are even a couple of ranged teamwork feats that the inquisitor can use with solo tactics.
And you can be the face man with the Conversion Inquisition, should it ever come up.
Warpriest/Paladin with lower wisdom and Higher cha but strength is the main stat. High action economy, high defenses, high damage.
Alchemist/Magus because spell combat with fast bombs would never be a problem.
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So you're still working with a party?
Zen Archer//Inquisitor is an excellent choice.
Unchained Monk//Inquisitor is good for similar reasons - Flurry with Bane, mobility, good defenses including all good saves, Wis synergy, spells for buffing. You also get actual Full BAB and d10 HD.
If you want MoMS I'd suggest MoMS//Fighter. Full BAB, all good saves, and lots of passive benefits, including bonus feats which help you get the most out of your combat styles. You could wear light armour since you only lose fast movement; consider Mutation Warrior which is a good trade for armour training if you're going light or unarmoured. Normally I don't like the low utility in this combo, but if the game is just going to be fighting tournaments then it shouldn't matter much. I expect with MoMS//Warpriest you would end up with too many swift actions; MoMS is more swift-action heavy than most monks since it needs to take swift actions to enter styles (and sometimes to use the benefits of those styles).
If you want Dragon Disciple, I'd go Sorcerer/Dragon Disciple//Bloodrager since the Mad Magic feat makes casting sorc spells much easier for the Bloodrager compared to the Barbarian. You'll have to take a duplicate bloodline, but you can use the Primalist archetype to trade away everything past claws on the Bloodrager side (and you'll want to have the bloodrager claws since they'll be available more often than the sorc ones). That'll give you full BAB, d10 HD for four levels and then d12 HD, good Fort and Will saves, massive bonuses to Str, Con, and natural armour, plus almost full casting and some miscellaneous abilities.
However, if you want a gish consider Magus//Slayer, Magus//Fighter or Kensai Magus//Wizard. Fantastic action economy (take Broad Study if you go for the wizard gestalt) and either a solid combat base with 6-level casting on top or else the best casting in the game plus reasonable sword-swinging ability, Int to AC and Int to Intitiative.