Multiclassing, gestalt, and you - a population sample

[Voadam]

How would you handle powerful monster races? Would the ECL count for just one side, or both? For example, would a astral deva20/warblade20 be comparable in power to a normal gestalt build with 20 class lvs on each side?

I had wanted to try one once, but could not agree with my DM on how to implement this. He felt that keeping the ECL to one side would make it too powerful, since monster races tend to have advantageous stat bonuses which apply equally to both sides. Yet we both agreed that it would be too underpowering to have the ECL apply to both sides. Not to mention the interaction of choosing between class lvs and LA (no brainer, you will automatically take class lvs since LA does not grant HD).

Or does gestalt just fall apart here? Is it meant to only be used on LA+0 races and normal class lvs?

In my game I modify LA, each LA reduces stat point buy by a certain amount instead of increasing ECL. This negates the gestalt LA issue.

 

[Runestar]

Part of the meta-game of 3.x for me was determining the optimum class arrangement for gestalt. I'd take two levels of this on this track, three levels of this on another track, presto-change-o qualify for this other prestige class three levels early, take a complimentary prestige class on the other track, etc.

Case in point. Druid20 on one side, fighter1/cleric19 on the other. Full bab and base saves of +22/+12/+22 (try staggering the bab and saves and see for yourself if you don't believe me).

 

[Voadam]

Case in point. Druid20 on one side, fighter1/cleric19 on the other. Full bab and base saves of +22/+12/+22 (try staggering the bab and saves and see for yourself if you don't believe me).

So I take it you don't use fractional BAB then?

 

[Runestar]

So I take it you don't use fractional BAB then?

Would the end result be any different?

 

[glass]

Would the end result be any different?

No, you would still have 1 level of full bab and 19 levels of medium. It would just be more obvious with fractional bab.


glass.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Since you're the programmer, you can find ways to do things differently if you think about it.

Instead of just having your program randomly determine a PC, use menu boxes to let your users set some of the PC parameters themselves- things like race, for instance, should be determined by the player, not at random.

The next button- assuming the program is just for generating gestalt PCs, is to let them enter a # from 2 on up to set the number of classes the PC will have.

That way, instead of YOU having to program a randomizer that can generate gestalt PCs with the # of classes determined by their resemblance to some statistical norm, you let the user determine how many classes this particular randomly generated PC will have in its gestalt.

 

[Voadam]

Would the end result be any different?

Each side after 1st level would then add .75 to BAB instead of either +1 or +0. Every four levels you would have one where BAB did not go up 1. With the normal chart it is only the misaligned 3/4 BAB progressions that always give you 1/1 resulting BAB advancement and a +20 BAB at 20th level.

With the normal charts staggered and taking the best side by side you could go wiz1/druid1 then the rest clr/druid and have +19 BAB at level 20, full druid powers and casting, lvl 19 cleric casting and with your 1 level of wizard you would be able to use all acane items including loading up on utility spell scrolls and wands throughout the PC's lifetime. +19 BAB as opposed to the +15 for the 20clr/20drd. +4 BAB increase by taking a level of wizard instead of cleric due to the chart staggering.