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Your Nemesis
2010-02-23, 11:31 AM
I plan to play a level three factotum in a 3 person campaign, so far our party consists of a psion and a cleric. Advice?

Adumbration
2010-02-23, 11:34 AM
What advice do you need? Advice on how to play a factotum?

Your Nemesis
2010-02-23, 11:41 AM
Advice specifically on which skills and feats are important for a low level factotum.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-23, 11:45 AM
Do you have a build already? Can you change it? What sources do you have access to? What systems are you familiar with and can use? What's your stat array?

What role(s) are you filling? Do you want direct damage? Sneakster? Hipster? Emo?

Houserules? Flaws?

How many classes and PrCs are you allowed? What's the ballpark of how many would you prefer?

Generally, I suggest taking at least 3 or 4 Font of Inspirations, then rounding out your feat repertoire with things that will help you cover your bases. If you want to be a sneaky ranged combatant, a ToB Shadow Hand stance, Manyshot, and Darkstalker are good. (+Int to all arrow attacks and damage for 1 IP? Yes plz!) Grabbing a few soulmelds would be useful. A melee factotum could do worse than Hidden Talent (expansion), a reach polearm, and a spiked gauntlet (and Combat Reflexes if you can fit it in).

Knowledge Devotion is good if you want attack and damage, and want your Knowledge skills to be more viable in combat.

Factotum is also good for dipping out to get abilities to cover the bases you're working toward (especially incarnum and ToB).

The chameleon PrC lets you do just about anything from day to day.

Do you want to emulate an assassin? A ranger? An artificer? What?

So, more info please?

FirebirdFlying
2010-02-23, 11:46 AM
The obligatory mention of Font of Inspiration. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606)

Get at least one rank in (nearly) everything as soon as possible, because you can always inspire it up later. (Actually, does Jack of All Trades work? I think it depends on interpretation of the feat…)

Sinfire Titan
2010-02-23, 11:51 AM
The obligatory mention of Font of Inspiration. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606)

Get at least one rank in (nearly) everything as soon as possible, because you can always inspire it up later. (Actually, does Jack of All Trades work? I think it depends on interpretation of the feat…)

Jack of All Trades gives 1/2 a rank in all untrained skills. Factotum specifically requires a minimum 1 rank in the skill.

Greenish
2010-02-23, 12:00 PM
Some links:

The obligatory handbook. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2720.0)
Iaijutsu Focus. (http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/3.5_L5R_Skills)
Autohypnosis. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/autohypnosis.htm) Person_Man's Haberdasher. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88633) Tangential to the Haberdasher, Master of Masks. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070105a&page=3) Often suggested for Factotums, Chameleon. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20041210b)Some of those might actually be helpful. :smallamused:

Draz74
2010-02-23, 12:04 PM
Yeah, the problem with Factotums is that it's hard to find feats they don't want. :smallwink: Font of Inspiration is the most powerful for sure, but also IMHO a boring option compared to a more well-rounded feat selection.

I have one suggestion, though probably not the kind you expect: make sure the Cleric is ready and able to be the party tank! :smallcool:

Beyond that ... yeah, you'll need to let us know what you're wanting your Factotum to be like. The class is too flexible for us to assume an archetype yet.

Your Nemesis
2010-02-23, 02:05 PM
I am trying to be an exceptionally sneaky meleer, Iajutsu focus is probably in the cards, and we get one flaw. I am a lesser Tiefling with these stats:
10 16 14 20 8 8

Greenish
2010-02-23, 02:29 PM
I am trying to be an exceptionally sneaky meleer, Iajutsu focus is probably in the cards, and we get one flaw. I am a lesser Tiefling with these stats:
10 16 14 20 8 8Dark template (Tome of Magic)+ Shape Soulmeld: Felmist Robe (Magic of Incarnum)+ Darkstalker (Lords of Madness).

Dark template gives a weakish HiPS, +10 movement speed, darkvision and some other stuff for +1 LA.

Felmist Robe gives 5% concealment (or so I heard), which would allow you to use the Hide without any external concealment or cover (the template only gives the "can hide while observed" part).

Darkstalker allows you to hide against Tremorsense, Blindsight, Scent and so forth.


Then EWP: Gnomish Quickrazor (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/weaponsb.pl?Quickrazor,_gnome) so you don't have to carry a huge load of weapons to draw for Iaijutsu Focus. Grease, bag of marbles and other stuff which force a balance check render opponents without 5+ ranks in Balance flatfooted, as do some Skill Tricks (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070105a&page=5). A dip in the Warblade would give a few maneuvers to treat target as flatfooted, and some good int synergy.

Draz74
2010-02-23, 02:50 PM
A dip in the Warblade would give a few maneuvers to treat target as flatfooted, and some good int synergy.

I see this claim a lot. I don't understand it.

A 1-level Warblade dip gets you nothing from your Int mod except a +1 Reflex save. Which probably wasn't what a dexterous Factotum was worried about improving anyway.

strider24seven
2010-02-23, 03:00 PM
Person Man's Haberdash build is pretty decent. And fairly simple too. The 1-level dip in Master of Masks opens up a lot of combat versatility.

A 2-level dip in Chamelon (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20041210b) is extremely helpful as you get spellcasting and a flexible feat that you can exchange every day. I would normally suggest going 9-10 in Chameleon, but not if you want to be a sneaky fighter. In that case, levels in Nightsong Enforcer (just google rogue's handbook for build advice) or a few levels in Changeling rogue (if you are a changeling) for extra skill points. If you go changeling, you can get levels in warshaper to turn yourself into a melee monster.

Darkstalker is very helpful, especially if you get Craven, too (needs a level of rogue or somesuch).

If you want Int-synergy from Warblade, you need to go 5-15 levels, which is -definately- not worth it for a Factotum. The whole Warblade/Factotum thing is a lot better in gestalt, where you can actually get the best of both worlds and not just a dip.

Edit: A 1-level dip does add a bit- d12 HD, full BAB, and a few maneuvers (although I personally prefer Crusaders- Thicket of Blades rocks!):smallcool:

For general play advice, remember that Brains over Brawn applies to things like trip, grapple, and bull rush, so you likely have decent battefield control. Always keep a few wands on your person, Lesser Vigor, Magic Missile, and Burning hands are good low-level staples. And above all, don't be afraid to burn through your inspiration (especially once you hit level 8), as it resets automatically every encounter (or per hour outside combat, usually).

Greenish
2010-02-23, 03:08 PM
A 1-level Warblade dip gets you nothing from your Int mod except a +1 Reflex save.You can dip deeper if you wish, which is when the int begins to help more. I mentioned it as a bonus, warblade also gets BAB, d12 hitdice, decent skillpoints and Weapon Aptitude to move that EWP from quickrazor to something else if situation warrants. Not to mention maneuvers and stance(s). :smallbiggrin:

Draz74
2010-02-23, 05:15 PM
For general play advice, remember that Brains over Brawn applies to things like trip, grapple, and bull rush, so you likely have decent battefield control.

Nope, not Grapple. Grapple is not a "strength or dexterity check." (Initiative, however, is.)


You can dip deeper if you wish, which is when the int begins to help more. I mentioned it as a bonus, warblade also gets BAB, d12 hitdice, decent skillpoints and Weapon Aptitude to move that EWP from quickrazor to something else if situation warrants. Not to mention maneuvers and stance(s). :smallbiggrin:

Yes, it's a great dip. Just not for INT synergy.

Overshee
2010-02-23, 05:20 PM
Person Man's Haberdash build is pretty decent. And fairly simple too. The 1-level dip in Master of Masks opens up a lot of combat versatility.

+1. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88633)

See this too: http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2720.0

Greenish
2010-02-23, 05:20 PM
Yes, it's a great dip. Just not for INT synergy.It's a bonus, not a reason, yeah.

faceroll
2010-02-23, 05:22 PM
Knowledge Devotion + collector of stories = mad damage bonus vs everyone.


It's a bonus, not a reason, yeah.

But there's no int synergy, so there's not really a bonus.

Greenish
2010-02-23, 05:26 PM
But there's no int synergy, so there's not really a bonus.There is no such thing as too high saves. Even that +1 can make a difference.

Sinfire Titan
2010-02-23, 05:26 PM
Felmist Robe gives 5% concealment (or so I heard), which would allow you to use the Hide without any external concealment or cover (the template only gives the "can hide while observed" part).

One problem with that: You're shrouded in 5 cubic feet of smoke, and the Concealment only applies to attacks.

Draz74
2010-02-23, 05:26 PM
Knowledge Devotion + collector of stories = mad damage bonus vs everyone.
Meh, by strict RAW, Collector of Stories doesn't help Knowledge Devotion. Probably. (Not that it's not still cool to get both of them, of course.)


But there's no int synergy, so there's not really a bonus.

Well, technically +1 Reflex save is a bonus, even if it's underwhelming. :smallwink:

EDIT: ninja'd

Greenish
2010-02-23, 05:28 PM
One problem with that: You're shrouded in 5 cubic feet of smoke, and the Concealment only applies to attacks.Well, that's out then. Too bad.

Then there's the skill trick to get concealment, but that's only good once per encounter, and requires a move action… :smallfrown: