Opinions on Gesalt Characters?

[Storyteller01]

It's a great way to fill in the weaknesses of a monster class.

I often get a feeling of matching classes ala Guild Wars: You don't play two classes, you pick a combo that compliment your initial concept as well as each other.

With that said, even with all good saves alow level gestatlt character will die quickly if they let the 'power' go to their head.

 

[Ian Demagi]

Gestalt

I ran a farily long gestalt campaign. It is a power upgrade that works best in parties of three or less. I had a Fighter/Cleric, Druid/Wizard, & Warmage/Rogue- later we got a Paladin who just wanted to be a paladin-no gestalt.

The game ran pretty well. The biggest limiting factor is what WotC says- the pc's only get the same amount of actions. BBEG's went down easier, but the group had more trouble with multipule monsters or npc parties. The gestalts save very, very well. A consderation to think about as game master.

I also told the party that when we hit five players gestalt was over and they would have to pick a single class, Ian.

 

[blargney the second]

I'd recommend gestalting for 3 or 4 players max. Beware the tendency for newbie players will get lost in the rules at mid to high levels.

Btw, one side of pure caster is no longer strictly necessary - melee-based characters that use the Book of Nine Swords can keep up with spellcasters.
-blarg

 

[Jack Simth]

I'd recommend gestalting for 3 or 4 players max. Beware the tendency for newbie players will get lost in the rules at mid to high levels.

Btw, one side of pure caster is no longer strictly necessary - melee-based characters that use the Book of Nine Swords can keep up with spellcasters.
-blarg

When I mention things like that, I'm referring to Core + stuff directly under discussion (in most cases). If I'm going over how broken Celerity can get, I'm doing it based on what you can do with just Celerity + Core. If I'm saying the Spiked Chain is not a broken weapon (crunch-wise, the fluff is silly) I'm liable to compare it to another core weapon (Ranseur, perhaps).

When I talk about what you'll eventually want on one side of a gestalt, I'm assuming Core classes all around.

But yes, the Book of Nine Swords and the Tome of Battle does wonders for the power level of warrior types.

 

[javcs]

But yes, the Book of Nine Swords and the Tome of Battle does wonders for the power level of warrior types.

Uh, those are one and the same.

 

[Thurbane]

I just can't see the point to gestalts myself - munchkinism at the extreme. Each to their own, I guess...

 

[Glyfair]

I just can't see the point to gestalts myself - munchkinism at the extreme. Each to their own, I guess...

It doesn't need to be. I admit, based on people I know who have played in gestalt games, there is a tendency towards powergaming (not necessarily munchkinism). However, it isn't necessarily going to happen all the time.

I've considered running a gestalt game, but have been satisfied with what I'm running now so it's sitting in the mental desk drawer as a future option (with a few hundred other ideas ).

 

[Drowbane]

Gestalt is (to me) a nod to oldskool "multiclasses". Before 3e, I'd played tons of Fighter/Mages, Cleric/Mages (only half-elves, IIRC), etc... and neither of those is really all that playable in 3x without Gestalt. Well, before such classes as Eldritch Knight, Mystic Theurge, etc... but still, Gestalt can do far more than WotC releasing a dozen "half-this-half-that-classes".

Its kinda funny, I proposed Gestalt to my current group in hopes of being able to keep the "standard four" as well as let people play what they want to play... but typically people use both halves to just make "what they want" more uber.

Self included

I just can't see the point to gestalts myself - munchkinism at the extreme. Each to their own, I guess...

mmmm.... bad-wrong-fun... tasty.

 

[wolfpunk]

My group, which consists of me and two other players, all of us with years of experience, who enjoy both good roll-playing and role-playing, have played gestalt characters.

At lower, levels gestalt characters are not significantly more powerful, because the limited actions a character can take in a round.

At higher levels, gestalts become much more powerful because of the ability to gain extra actions.

If you start the gestalt characters at high level, be prepared for some completely optimized characters.

I had a Half-giant psychic warrior/scout that could easily average 90 points of damage off of a single attack and could hit for up to three hundred on a non-critical charge and pounce.

The thing to keep in mind at higher level starting points is, you have two classes but you get the same starting wealth as a character with only one class, which means it is harder to maximize the equipment for both classes with the limited resources.

As a DM, I like gestalt cause it lets me throw creatures at my group of two players that I would normally not make them attempt to fight.

All in all, I love to DM gestalt groups and I love to play in them as well.

 

[Thurbane]

mmmm.... bad-wrong-fun... tasty.

Hey, I honestly couldn't give a flying fomorian what other people do in their games, just saying it doesn't work for me.