Abilities like Factotum Cunning Knowledge?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Factotem's 2 less skill points per level roughly counters with the greater reliance on intelligence it has vs. the Rogue. Factotems add int to almost everything, they're possibly more single ability dependent on it than a wizard. So, assuming you managed to roll a high stat (or if point buy, have enough to blow most of them on one stat), putting your highest stat in int while as almost every single rogue in existence will be putting the highest stat in dex.

Anyway...if you have Arcana Evolved/Unearthed, there's a class in there called Akashic that's all about skills and gets 8 + int per level, as well as all skills as class skills. It's a 3rd party book, and the class is weaker than Factotem, but it may be the closest to what you're looking for.

There's an AE SRD with some info on the book, but it's missing a lot. Akashic is here.

 

[zyzzyr]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Two levels of warlock really does look exciting from the point of view of climb + Leaps and Bounds -- I wonder if I can convince my DM to allow the Factotum to use invocations rather than sorc/wiz spells. I'm thinking probably not without some major thematic acrobatics.

I looked into the Akashic class (thanks SoS) but I don't think it's quite what I'm aiming for from a theme point of view ... and I suspect my DM would not be keen on some of the features.

I also discovered that Nymph's Kiss has one doozy of a thematic prerequisite, namely that you once took a fey as a lover. That's ... really hard to work into *any* storyline.

I guess my biggest reservation about playing a factotum is that I have no experience with one, having never seen one played, and I'm worried that I'll end up level 8 or 10 and not be enjoying it. I'm a bit concerned about "placing skills in the right place" as it looks like factotum is really prone to min/maxing and has the potential to be "screwed up" by throwing too many points into a skill that's rarely used. I've also looked into factotum handbook web pages and ... well, it just seems like it's prime for some serious min maxing, and I hate minmaxing to the extent of "take 1 skill pt in this, take 5 in this" etc. etc. ...

I also have no clear picture where to take that character: my rogue version of this character was going to pick up uncanny trickster and dungeon delver for PrCs.

I'm in the middle of rolling up some sample rogues vs. factotums at various levels so that I can see where it's headed to see if I'll understand how it's played at mid to high levels =)

Thanks for all the advice everyone!!!

 

[Theroc]

I once made a Warlock that played much like a Rogue, though only if your DM rules that the Hideous Blow invocation does not provoke an AoO. The catch though, is that he doesn't shine until later levels, and is still rather fragile. The advantage is: His "Sneak Attack" would work on anything(unless it's immune to magic)

I would definitely recommend taking a look at the class, since several of it's invocations would help you get some of the abilities you were looking into, as well as lightening your skill point load.

 

[Dandu]

He also only gets to deal eldritch blast damage on one attack, not on a full attack.

 

[zyzzyr]

Ah!

I was just rereading Factotum and realized that you get your inspiration points *at the beginning of each encounter*. I was thinking it was per day! This makes an enormous difference, since it means I've basically got +level to skill almost whenever I want !!

Ah, so that's the crux of factotum -- inspiration points replenish as you go so you can do those feats over and over! No wonder it's a good skill monkey!

 

[Theroc]

He also only gets to deal eldritch blast damage on one attack, not on a full attack.

That too. The build tended to focus on crippling rather than killing immediately. Using special invocations(Sickening and Frightful Blasts made into a Hideous Blow) with a Rod of Withering to make a touch attack which would cause Shaken or Sickened conditions plus dealing 1d4 str and 1d4 con damage each attack. I don't think the build would work very well without the rod.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Ah!

I was just rereading Factotum and realized that you get your inspiration points *at the beginning of each encounter*. I was thinking it was per day! This makes an enormous difference, since it means I've basically got +level to skill almost whenever I want !!

Ah, so that's the crux of factotum -- inspiration points replenish as you go so you can do those feats over and over! No wonder it's a good skill monkey!

And with the Font of Inspiration feat taken a whole bunch of times, it really gets good.

 

[zyzzyr]

And with the Font of Inspiration feat taken a whole bunch of times, it really gets good.

Nod, I saw that. I'm wondering if taking Font of Inspiration is better than taking Nymph's Kiss -- though I guess a better comparison is "Nymph's Kiss at 1" vs. whatever I would take after I'm outta FoI slots.

Anyone have feat suggestions for Factotums besides those mentioned?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Well, Nymph's Kiss and FoI (taken as many times as your int allows, and then again every time your int bonus increases) should be most of your feats...

I don't know, can't really think of many other good skill-based feats right now. If you find feats more plentiful than skill points, you could always spend one on the feat that gives +5 skill points, or one of the feats that grants extra skill tricks.

If you want feats to benefit combat, anything that adds int to something is good. C.Adv had a feat to replace dex with int on reflex saves, if you end up with a mediocre dex score.

Brains Over Brawn means you can potentially be pretty good at combat maneuvers. You could get Combat Expertise and then get Imp. Trip and/or Imp. Disarm. If you also have a high str score (good rolls or high point buy?), grapple or bull rush feats (latter best if you're large or doing some sort of pouncing build with Shock Trooper) are possibly good.

 

[zyzzyr]

Well one thing's for sure, I'm definitely feat-starved already.

Still trying to get a grip on how this character would interact in combat. I'd like to pick up a whip and do ranged trips but man that's a lot of feats I need to do that ... I'm going to take a look at Complete Adv and Tome of Battle to see if I can find anything interesting. One thing's for sure, I want to stay away from the Iaijutsu Focus skill I see everyone touting with Factotums ... it just hurts me to look at it, eesh.

Also a bit worried about Cunning Knowledge for physical action checks. Balance, climb, move silently, tumble among others require checks *every round*, and CK is limited to once/skill/day (but multiple times for different skills). I'm curious to see how that's going to work out - I can do it once fantastically but other than that I'm crap.