Totemist//Swordsage Gestalt Help

[mrcarter11]

So, recently been trying to go about building a totemist//swordsage, and they just don't seem to mix at all. Totemist focuses on full attacks with loads of natural attacks, while the swordsage uses a move and maneuver approach to combat. I've thought about trying to use one defensively and the other offensively, but that hardly works either. Totemists seem to lack for defense, being generally focused on skills or offense instead, and swordsages only have a handful of counters.

So does anyone have any ideas, or possibly what I'm missing?

[Cog]

Swordsages have plenty of boosts, interrupts, and stances as well. You won't be able to shift essentia while using those (other than remaining in a current stance), but that still leaves plenty of options. You'd probably benefit from dipping one class and keeping most of your levels in the other rather than going for an even split. (Scratch that, missed the gestalt note.)

[Kaje]

Totemist and martial adepts can gestalt well if you stick with counters and boosts on your ToB side or the non-natural attack soulmelds (utility, movement, damage-boost, etc.) on your incarnum side. I think there are also a few strikes that grant you a full attack.

[hex0]

This can be done if you free up the action economy first...like going Totemist and/or Swordsage//Factotum 8. Though you'd have to ask your DM if Kung Fu Genius/Carmendine Monk work for your Swordsage AC bonus instead.

[Darth Stabber]

I don't see much synergy between totemist and swordsage, without playing against both classes' strengths. Wierdly I see some more usable synergy with warblade. Warblade ends up full-attacking about 1/2 the time any way, and with full BAB and that big d12 hit die you have a lot to love about it. It's been my experience (limited as it may be) that warblades tend to change stances less frequently, leaving you with an open swift for redistribution of essentia. Also there are plenty of natural weapon options for totemist that are not as "mass of attacks" oriented. Pick up Kruthic Claws as your totem and focus on tiger claw (with SS or WB) and you are cutting up some punks bad.

[Person_Man]

There are plenty of worthwhile Standard Action soulmelds (Basalisk Mask, Frost Helm, Dragonfire Mask) and maneuvers. Play a Dragonborn (for wings), take Flyby Attack, and you're set.

Also, Totemist has plenty of cool defensive options - Spell Resistance, at will Blink, Swarm template, some immunities, a Natural Armor bonus, and so on. But most of them don't become available or worthwhile until later in his progression.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Totemist and Unarmed Swordsage do have some synergy, because your unarmed attacks can be boosted with various binds.

Totem Avatar, for example, gives bonus hit points (never a bad thing), binding to shoulder gets a damage size increase, and binding to totem nets a morale bonus to damage with natural weapons (like your unarmed attack). When bound to Shoulders, you get a Natural Armor bonus to AC.

Dread Carapace, unbound, gives an untyped bonus to damage with natural weapons. Bound to Arms increases the crit range of your unarmed attacks.

Sphinx Claws, bound to Hand chakra, gives you Pounce

Ankheg Breastplate nets armor bonus to AC with no dex check penalty and no ASF, considered to be light armor, which plays very well with the Swordsage AC bonus.

Heart of Fire bound to totem gives you a few extra d4's of fire damage on all natural attacks

Blink Shirt bound to Totem chakra gives you a move-action DimDoor. Are you familiar with the term 'Shadowpounce'? If not, you might want to look it up.

Most of these are passive buffs to your unarmed attacks, which includes most maneuvers, and synergize fairly well.

Also, Swordsages have amazing defenses, such as Shifting Defense/Baffling Defense that makes you all but immune to being attacked in melee as long as you have room to maneuver.

[BelGareth]

You can shift your Essentia around while changing stances with this feat:

Dual Stance Mastery [Epic]
You are capable of holding yourself in a way to gain multiple benefits.
Prerequisites: Martial Lore 12 ranks, ability to use at least one 9th level maneuver, and an 8th level stance.
Benefit: You are capable of using two martial stances simultaneously, or if you have a class feature that gives you this benefit(such as the warblade or master of nine) you are instead capable of using three. You are also capable of taking two swift actions a round, so long as one of them is used to go into a martial stance.

From here

I know Ragged Approved that feat already, Note the bold part.

[Big Fau]

It really depends on which side you want to be the offensive one. If you choose to use the Totemist as the damage-dealer, your Swordsage maneuvers should be oriented towards mobility, counters, boosts, and the occasional strike (for when you can't use all of your natural weapons for some reason). If you focus more on the Swordsage side, your Totemist melds will be majority stat buffs like the Wormtail Belt and tricks like the Phase Cloak soulmeld.

Regardless, the Flashing Sun, Burning Blade, Raging/Dancing Mongoose, and Time Stands Still maneuvers all interact with a Full Attack action. Combining those with your Totem Binds will allow you to unleash quite the devastating assault

[mrcarter11]

Bel: I actually went all the way to One Stance.. I can walk anywhere and flank with SA.. It's enjoyable.

Well, I think I ended up taking a sub optimal route with this. Houseruled Sphinx Claws to function under Shadow Blade. They act as my main weapon, in use with maneuvers. Grabbed any counters or boosts that looked good, and then focused majority of the soulmelds on boosting the claws for better use.