D&D 4E How would you create a 4E Factotum?

[Saeviomagy]

Just what the title says. I have a player whose absolute favorite PC is a factotum- a crafting savant with machinery and obsessive physical paragon who has studied magic after a bad run in with sorcerer mercenaries. Switching over to 4E will hinge a lot on perhaps translating him. Granted, we won't be switching over for at least another year, so we'll have any sourcebooks in between those times to help, but I'd love to hear some feedback on suggestions.

The crafting bit is currently not really a part of the game. I guess you'll really have to explain what you mean by "machinery" - are we talking crazy tinker style stuff or more normal things like waterclocks and the like?

If the former, you'll probably want to wait for the artificer. If the latter, then if you really must have rules for it, then I guess thievery probably suffices (it covers disarming traps - I don't see a reason not to add creating traps to it).

Apart from that, from what I understand about the factotum, they have a little bit of spellcasting, a little bit of fighting, a little bit of healing, and they're not all that great at any of it. Most of the big class abilities are the defaults in 4e (int to AC, action points, no such thing as 'class' skill lists).

If your factotum generally uses utility spells rather than combat spells, he can probably just pick up the ritual casting feat.

At that point, you're looking at a warlord with ritual casting and some skill training feats. The warlord gives you combat healing and martial prowess, ritual casting gives you magicyness and skill training covers the rest.

If he's really keen on blasting too, then he can multiclass to wizard or warlock.

 

[Trench]

The game is set in Ptolus, so i can get very steampunky.. One of the player's dreams is to invent an internal combustion engine and create a motorcycle- although that is a very long way away.

I've seen other good crafting posts around here, so if some of the sourcebooks don't give rules for it I may improvise.

Otherwise, excellent advice from all. Thank you.

 

[SSquirrel]

Maybe he could find something Chaositech related since it's set in Ptolus. Maybe the vehicle he designs siphons off his lifeforce to power it.

 

[Renraw Kem]

Here's something a little crazy. It breaks the concept of roles, but it should work fine in an experienced group.

Use the rogue as your starting point for class features, but replace sneak attack with hunter's quarry.

Give him proficiency with all military weapons.

Give him Ritual Caster as a bonus feat, but no rituals to start with.

Now, with powers things get interesting. When he takes powers, allow him to choose from any class, with one caveat: he can only take a second power from a given source if he needs to add another power and he has no more power sources to choose from. Even in that case, the power must come from a different class than the earlier one from that source.

For at-wills, he must take one with the implement keyword and another with the weapon keyword.

This gives you a character who is sort of a striker, but who dabbles in everything.

The interesting thing is that, since the classes are balanced across the board, he isn't strictly better than the other PCs. There are some pitfalls - the restrictions on classes and power sources is there to stop him from just taking all wizard powers, while having better HP and AC than a wizard.

Hi...the player in question, here. Thanks for all the tips in this thread, and thanks to my thoughtful DM for going to the experts for advice.

This is a great answer, Mike (and I appreciate you taking the time)...but I also like Leatherhead's semi-solution. How would you feel about using a tactical warlord as a starting point (without sneak attack OR hunter's quarry, obviously), and then going with your ideas for power selection from there? Maybe with the added caveat that he could take warlord powers any time he chose? Is that too unbalanced? Hmmm...sounds like there's no down side, now that I think about it. Or does the at-will power limitation you came up with kind of balance it out? I have no idea with the new system.

The thing I'll miss the most about the Factotum were the inspiration points and adding the INT and/or factotum level bonuses at just the right time (EDIT: And that permanent Brains Over Brawn bonus...awesome)...but I think you can replicate some of that stuff (or more likely the FEEL of some of that stuff) with feat and power selection.