What is the basic way(s) to max an ability?

[Dandu]

I think Facto is MAD.

It is you who is mad.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

It is you who is mad.

Factotum doesn't have to be MAD, but it's not that hard for it to end up so, either. Just trying to make it a melee character alone with its light armor proficiency means needing all good physical stats plus gobs of int. And it can easily get worse than that.

My last Factotum (actually a Changeling Martial Rogue / Factotum / Warshaper) was meant to be a battlefield controller via tripping + reach and demoralization, along with being at least somewhat of the party face (s/he was also ultimately the pokedex, but that's just a side effect of Knowledge Devotion being awesome). So, what stat's did my character need?

Strength: As much as possible. Trip checks aren't easy to make.

Dex: Al the normal benefits to someone in light armor + needing enough to still have a fair number of AoOs even while at Dex -2 for being enlarged.

Con: d6 and d8 HDs for a frontiner...

Int: It's a Factotum!

Cha: Minimum of 15 for Imperious Command. Also, almost all of the best skills are charisma-based and UMDing wands was practically my char's lifeblood.

Definitely could've built differently to not be so MAD, but tripping and demoralizing aren't exactly such major roles, either, and are two of the primary Factotum's methods for combat listed in the very guide you just posted.

 

[Dandu]

Using miss chances instead of armor for AC might have helped?

Best I could do.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

You still need dex for attacks of opportunity, at least. Otherwise not much point in having a reach weapon and all those feats.

Basically, a Factotum that wants to fight in melee or ranged combat will be MAD as hell. Someone that just plays one as a smart guy and skill money can probably get by with Int 16-18 and non-negative scores (10+) everywhere else, but I sure wouldn't want to play such a build in any game with the typical amount of combat D&D games have.