Gestalt Game Help

[The Human Target]

I'm going to run a game with gestalt PCs from Unearthed Arcana. I know there have been threads in the past about this. Could someone help me find them?

And any other advice or helpful tips would be appreciated too!

Thanks!

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Try and combine classes that use the same stats...Paladin/Sorc works, for example, as does Monk/PsyW or Monk/Cleric. Actually, anything goes well with Monk, really.

For best saves, take two classes with opposing saves (like, say, a Rogue/Cleric), which'll get you a +15 base on each save at 20th level.

A slightly cheesier way is to take Monk and some other class at first level (one that's preferably front-loaded...racial paragon classes work well for this). Then, take Monk again, and then Favored Soul. Keep doing that. Now you'll have, assuming no PrCing, a +22 base save at 20th level (as you get a +2 to all saves at first level, a +2 to all saves at 2nd level, and then +1 to each save at every level thereafter).

Classes with support abilities work really nice in gestalt games. A fighter/cleric, for example, can buff himself way the heck up. Adding marshal or bard really helps everybody, too.

Brad

 

[DaveMage]

I'm going to run a game with gestalt PCs from Unearthed Arcana. I know there have been threads in the past about this. Could someone help me find them?

And any other advice or helpful tips would be appreciated too!

Thanks!

Here's one: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=121485

And another: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=109398

Enjoy!

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Well, that depends on how much cheese you want.

Personally, the only way I like the concept of gestalt classes is when there is a shared class between all the characters. For example, a band of wandering adventurer monks, which each character a monk / x. The rascally monk / rogue that is constantly disappointing his teachers, the studious monk/wiz/loremaster, the mysterious, dragon-blooded monk/sorceror, etc.

Min/maxing bugs me enough as it is. Watching people min/max with gestalt classes just makes me wonder why they don't just say 'I win' and not waste the time playing.

 

[DaveMage]

Well, for my group they are helpful because we only have 2 players and a DM.

However, I must say that if we had a full group (4 players + DM), then I would not want to play gestalt.

 

[Dracomeander]

For best saves, take two classes with opposing saves (like, say, a Rogue/Cleric), which'll get you a +15 base on each save at 20th level.

A slightly cheesier way is to take Monk and some other class at first level (one that's preferably front-loaded...racial paragon classes work well for this). Then, take Monk again, and then Favored Soul. Keep doing that. Now you'll have, assuming no PrCing, a +22 base save at 20th level (as you get a +2 to all saves at first level, a +2 to all saves at 2nd level, and then +1 to each save at every level thereafter).

You need to review the gestalt rules again. You only get the better value from the combined classes for Hit Die, Base Attack, and Base Saves. Therefore, the Base Save tops out at a +12 at 20th level just like a non-gestalt character's saves do. The one place I disagree with the gestalt rules is for Skill Points. I would only give the character his Intelligence bonus once, but I would give the class base skill points for each class.

 

[The Human Target]

Thanks for all the help so far guys. I decided to run a gestalt game for a change of pace and because I'm not sure how many people will be able to play. But I've worked up a nice little story line for the adventure.

The PCs will be gestalt charcaters because they are mergers of the bodies and minds of people and the souls of others. They have the souls of Moonstart agents (Forgotten Realms) who are killed in the line of duty. Soon after the Moonstars find a minor orc artifact, a brand, that can channel the souls of the dead into fresh bodies. In order to test the brand the Moonstars revive their former fellow members in the bodies of several enemies of the people. As soon as the resurrection is complete the PCs are abandoned in a dangerous local with their old supplies and are bereft of their full memories. If we keep playing it the group will be brought back into the fold by the Moonstars and will (hopefully) work with them as they try to remember their past lives and deal with the conflicting nature of their existance.

 

[The Human Target]

bump

 

[Crothian]

It really depends on what the class combos are. They are not equal, but really should not be that much of a problem. One thing you might want to tone down though is XP. These characters will be able to handle more then a party of their level that are not gestalt. So, in challenging them you may need higher CR monsters, which yields more XP per encounter, and that make level gain even faster.

 

[The Human Target]

It really depends on what the class combos are. They are not equal, but really should not be that much of a problem. One thing you might want to tone down though is XP. These characters will be able to handle more then a party of their level that are not gestalt. So, in challenging them you may need higher CR monsters, which yields more XP per encounter, and that make level gain even faster.

Very ture. I usually give much less xp than average anyway and give story xp rewards. I'm trying to make sure everyone is fairly equal, but one guy is set on a monk/ranger hafling. :\