Gestalt 13th Level "Terror and Blasphemy"

[Victim]

Hammerhead has wanted to play a cleric/rogue for a long time, but has been unable to come up with a build that doesn't completely suck. Hence, he leaped at the chance for a gestalt game so his cleric rogue guy can work.

Also, mechanically, using a rogue class in a gestalt character isn't a bad idea. Tons of skill points, evasion, sneak attack, and more. The low HP and Bab mean nothing for most fighter types under the gestalt set up. And a caster type gains evasion, some moderate combat ability, and a much nicer skill set. If you can't think of a good secondary class, rogue isn't a bad choice.

Odd idea about a gestalt character: take a spellcasting class and something else. Later, take a spellcasting class and your favorite PrC that gives +1 caster level. It seems like you'd end up with a caster level higher than character level. Of course, the character will probably suffer on Bab, HP, and saves, since spellcaster PrCs usually aren't much better than the base class.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Odd idea about a gestalt character: take a spellcasting class and something else. Later, take a spellcasting class and your favorite PrC that gives +1 caster level. It seems like you'd end up with a caster level higher than character level. Of course, the character will probably suffer on Bab, HP, and saves, since spellcaster PrCs usually aren't much better than the base class.

Well if you took a spellcasting class and a PrC that granted a +1 to the caster level you would only gain one of the two... As you take the best but if there is a tie you only take one.

Example: a Fighter's and a paladin’s hit points.

As for all the rogue's yeah I think it’s a great class I've never ran a pure one but a few class levels are invaluable. I'm just shocked we haven't seen a fighter/paladin or a Barbarian/Fighter. To be honest taking a fighter as a class isn't a bad pick either.

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

Well if you took a spellcasting class and a PrC that granted a +1 to the caster level you would only gain one of the two... As you take the best but if there is a tie you only take one.

Example: a Fighter's and a paladin’s hit points.

As for all the rogue's yeah I think it’s a great class I've never ran a pure one but a few class levels are invaluable. I'm just shocked we haven't seen a fighter/paladin or a Barbarian/Fighter. To be honest taking a fighter as a class isn't a bad pick either.

There are two things to look for in a gestalt: Covering the other class's weaknesses, and reinforcing the other class's strengths. Rogue is great for covering weakness, with skill points and damage-avoidance abilities. Likewise, the barbarian's full BAB and d12 hit die compensate for melee weaknesses. I went for the barbarian/bard because it seemed to offer the best of both worlds; all strong saves, d12 hit die, full BAB, and six skill points per level is only matched by dragons, and the rage and song abilities are the best instant buffs in the game.

 

[Hammerhead]

Serpenteye, you could try getting the really powerful Ray of Enfeeblement as one of your 1st level spells. No save, and it does 1d6+5 points of enhancement penalty to Str. My character would collapse under the weight of his armor if hit by that one.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Serpenteye, you could try getting the really powerful Ray of Enfeeblement as one of your 1st level spells. No save, and it does 1d6+5 points of enhancement penalty to Str. My character would collapse under the weight of his armor if hit by that one.

Indeed a good spell and it would compliment my rogue's STR damage he does on his sneak attacks.

Hey Hammerhead, How did you end up with all the feats? (I imagine you took feats instead of rogue special abilities (10th and 13th.) but I still don't see how you ended up with improved two-weapon fighting as your sheet only says 16 Dex. Did you forget add an ability bonus to your sheet maybe?

 

[Hammerhead]

I only took a bonus feat for one of my rogue abilities. With the other one I got Crippling Strike.

I use Gloves of Dexterity to increase my Dex score so I can qualify for those feats.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

II use Gloves of Dexterity to increase my Dex score so I can qualify for those feats.

Hmmm I've never heard of that before... Seems rather risky but if your without your gloves your probably in so much trouble it matters not.

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

Hmm. Purely as an exercise in blind hope (since I doubt anyone's going to let the chance to play in this game slip by!), I'd like to jump in as an alternate. And lament the fact that OA isn't 3.5 (Shaman/Monk/Blade singer... mmm).

Out of curosity, how the devil does one calculate CR's with gestalt characters?

 

[Creamsteak]

I'll allow Keia and Thomas Hobbes as 5ths for each group...

But that's absolutely it.

Also, I want everyone to put their characters in monster manual stat-block form. It's my favorite form, and probably among the fastest to just read.

it looks like this:

Zasorthane, exiled of house Izridas Zigân
Lawful Evil Drow Hexblade 4
Hit Dice: 4d10+4 (37 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (Light Load: 48.5 lb./58.0 lb.)
AC: 18 (+3 dex, +5 armor)
Full Attacks: +1 large adamantine greatsword +6 melee (3d6+4/19-20x2 slashing), masterwork alchemically silvered shortsword +7 melee (1d6+1/19-20x2 piercing)
Attacks: +1 large adamantine greatsword +6 melee (3d6+3/19-20x2 slashing), masterwork alchemically silvered shortsword +7 melee (1d6+1/18-20x2 piercing)
Racial Traits (ECL +2): Darkvision (120 ft.), drow racial traits, drow weapon proficiencies, elf sense, favored class (wizard), immunity to magic sleep effects, light blindness, spell-like abilities, spell resistance 15
Class Features: Arcane resistance, hexblade's curse 1/day, hexblade spells, light armor proficiency, martial weapon proficiency (all), mettle, simple weapon proficiency (all), summon familiar
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4; +2 bonus vs. enchantment spells or effects, +7 bonus vs. all Spells and spell-like effects
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 19 (21)
Skills: Bluff +12 [7 ranks], Concentration +5 [4 ranks], Diplomacy +7 [2 ranks], Intimidate +7 [2 ranks], Knowledge (arcana) +4 [3 ranks], Spellcraft +4 [3 ranks]; +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks, +2 Alertness bonus to Listen and Spot when familiar is within arms reach, +3 familiar bonus to Bluff when familiar is within 1 mile, +4 Combat Casting bonus to concentration checks made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability while on the defensive or while grappling or pinned
Feats: [Combat Casting], Monkey Grip, Weapon Focus (Greatsword)
Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Underdark

Spell-like abilities: Drow can use the following spell-like abilities once per day: dancing lights (DC 15), darkness (DC 17), faerie fire (DC 16). Caster level equals the drow’s class levels.

Familiar
Tiny Viper - HD: 1d8 (hp 14); Initiative: +3; Speed: 15 ft., climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft.; AC: 18 (+2 size, +3 dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 14; Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-11; Attack: Bite +7 melee (1 plus poison); Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1 plus poison); Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Poison; Special Qualities: Alertness, empathic link, improved evasion, scent, share spells; Saves: Fort +2, Reflex +5, Will +5; Abilities: Str 4, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 2;Skills: Balance +11, Bluff +3, Climb +11, Diplomacy -2, Intimidate -2, Hide +15, Listen +6, Spellcraft +4, Spot +6, Swim +5; Feats: Weapon finesse

Hexblade Spells (Caster Level 2)
1st (2/day) DC 16 - Expeditious Retreat, Undetectable Alignment

Equipment (12,837/13,000 gp)
+1 Chain shirt (1,250 gp) [25 lb.]
+1 Large adamantine greatsword (5,400 gp) [16 lb.]
Masterwork cold iron shortsword (320 gp) [2 lb.]
Masterwork hand Crossbow (250 gp) [2 lb.]
Alchemically silvered bolts x20 (42 gp) [2 lb.]
Flask of cure light wounds, 8 doses) (400 gp) [0.8 lb.]
Bull’s strength potion x2 (600 gp) [0.2 lb.]
Barkskin +2 potion (300 gp) [0.1 lb.]
Shield of faith +2 potion x3 (150 gp) [0.2 lb.]
Scroll of identify (125 gp) [0.1 lb.]
Cloak of charisma +2 (4,000 gp)
Snake familiar (100 gp)

 

[Creamsteak]

Out of curosity, how the devil does one calculate CR's with gestalt characters?

They give you about a page worth of description. The just of it is that CRs are reduced by 1 or 2. Encounters need to be engineered to be made more challenging, which I think this dungeon does pretty well to begin with. With the -now- 5 characters, I worry a bit that I might skew the dungeon... but I don't mind.