Gestalt Build Challenge Returns XVII: Yin and Yang

[dspeyer]

RETURN OF THE GESTALT BUILD CHALLENGE XVII: YIN AND YANG

Thanks to Jcsw for this idea.

Create a character who embodies two opposed concepts, such as life and death, fire and ice, or pirate and ninja. Despite the opposition, the two sides must combine to be stronger than either (e.g. the pirate who swims through a hull, sneaks to the treasure, steals it, and ethereals out again).

"Gestalt Build Challenge" General Rules

We'll follow Duke of URL's old rules plus with a few minor changes.

For numeric attributes with progressions (such as BAB and saves) first determine at each level which progression the attribute follows, then count how many levels of each progression you have, then index into the progressions, then add them together. This means that a fighter 1 / sorceror 19 // wizard 20 has 1 level of good BAB and 19 of bad, giving +1 and +9 respectively for a total BAB of +10. Similarly, a character with 20 different marshal classes gets a base fort save of +12, not +40. It's not addressed in the gestalt or multiclassing rules, but this tends to make the most reasonable builds.

Disregard the clause about multiclassing penalties. We could never figure out how to apply it anyway.

If you are using multiple templates, you may only do so in a way which makes sense with what the template means. For example, you may only use one template that represents one parent being of a different race unless your base race is one where more-than-two parent reproduction is normal.

Well known cheese (pun-pun, omnificer, etc.) is banned.

Here are Duke of URL's old rules, for those who have forgotten them. Spoilered because they're long

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Unless otherwise specified in the specific challenge, the following rules and guidelines are always in effect:

• Gestalt builds; 28-point buy; use any WOTC 3.5 product (including Dragon magazine) except where noted (only 3.0 products with an official upgrade to 3.5 are allowed)
• Make all builds to ECL 20. However, indicate the minimum ECL the build is playable at (the level at which all LA and/or racial HD, if applicable, are accounted for) and label any level that indicates a "power break" where the build has a significant jump in power level. Provide a detailed description of how the build operates.
• Any race with a listed level adjustment is allowed (no racial progressions from Savage Species, please). LA and HD each apply to one side of the gestalt; you may include LA and HD on the same side as each other, or on other sides. No LA buyoff. LA is applied before racial HD, which must be paid off before class levels on that side. Examples: LA X / RHD Y / class Z / ... // class A / ... -OR- LA X / class Y / ... // RHD A / class B / ...
• Multiclass at will, but see "voting".
• Up to two flaws are allowed, but see "voting".
• Templates are allowed, but see "voting".
• Voting: Upon the close of entries for each challenge, members of the forum may vote in-thread for the build that best represents the goals set out by the challenge. The voting criteria should consist of:
  • Functionality: How well does the build do in its primary role as specified in the challenge?
  • Weaknesses: Does the build have any glaring weaknesses that can be exploited?
  • Playability: How much of the 1-20 level range can the build be played at and be effective?
  • Creativity: Clever use of races, classes, and/or feats that may not be "typical" choices
  • Cheese: Minimizing the number of cheese points
    • Using flaws (1 point each)
    • Ignoring mutliclassing penalties -- some DMs actually do enforce this in gestalt (1 point each)
    • Single-level dips that would require several pages of justification to RP properly (1 point each)
    • Templates that would require several pages of justification to RP properly (1 point per +1 LA)
    • Attempting to use more than one PrC at any given level (1 point each)
    • Attempting to use "dual progression" PrCs (1,000,000 points each)
    • Over-dependence on items (1 point per indispensable item)
    • Over-dependence on Diplomacy or Use Magic Device skills (1,000,000 points each)

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Would a Sorceror/Artificer count? Spontaneous arcane caster vs vancian divine caster.

[jcsw]

Would a Sorceror/Artificer count? Spontaneous arcane caster vs vancian divine caster.

Hey what about commoner and wizard?

[Siegel]

Warforged Juggernaut//Reforged maybe ?

[Eloel]

Dragonborn Dragon Shaman//Favored Enemy Dragons Ranger

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Life/Death
Illumian (Vaulnaen), LN Dread Necromancer 20// Cloistered Cleric of Amaunator 6/ Radiant Servant of Amaunator 8/ Contemplative 6, using Servant of the Fallen from Lost Empires of Faerun to worship Amaunator, the LN Netherese deity of law, time, and the sun.

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Adaptation: As mentioned in the introduction to the
chapter, this prestige class doesn’t have to be about Pelor.
It works just as well with any god of the sun whose clerics
often turn undead, and given the Sun domain’s granted
power, it’d be a strange sun-god that didn’t want his clerics
turning undead.

I don't want to hear anyone saying Radiant Servant won't work for Amaunator, as it clearly does. Plus being LN he won't have a problem with the Dread Necromancer part, especially considering he's dead.

Feats: Servant of the Fallen (Flaw), Extra Turning (Flaw), Extend Spell (Planning), Versatile Spellcaster (1), Persistent Spell (3), Divine Metamagic: Persistent Spell (6), Frightful Presence (9), Quicken Spell (12), Divine Metamagic: Quicken Spell (15), Improved Initiative (Domain), Rapid Metamagic (18), Craft Wondrous Item (bonus)

Domains: Knowledge (1), Planning (1), Sun (1), Glory (11), Time (15), Law (20)

Familiar: Visage of Horror, always Melded with him, uses Visage with Gaze of Terror whenever in combat.

He can create/command an awakened undead army, he can use Greater Turning to destroy powerful undead opponents. He gets both Turn Undead and Rebuke Undead (each 7+Cha bonus/day) to power Divine Metamagic. His Vaul rune gives him a +2 on turning checks, with another +2 Synergy bonus and +2 from the Glory domain, probably with a Circlet of Persuasion for another +3 for a total turning check of 1d20+9 + Cha bonus. He can spend a Dread Necromancer spell slot to cast any Cleric spell he has prepared of equal level 2/day, including domain spells prepared. He can spontaneously cast Cure spells which are Empowered or Maximized for free, he can use his negative energy touch to provide unlimited amounts of healing to his undead minions. I'd make him have bipolar disorder.

[Fishy]

Hmm. Psionic Artificer//Monk/Disciple of the Word?

Monks improve themselves through personal training, Artificers improve themselves by building gadgets and shooting people with them.

And a Psionic Artificer can turn anything he finds on the ground into a +2 Truespeech tool, and eventually create Skill Shards for a single shot +10 bonus that stacks with his Amulet of the Silver Tongue. So you can do things like beat DR/Epic at level 12, and dispel artifacts by punching.