Evil Gestalt Artificer/Blackguard

[Llyendar]

OK, so, as some of you may have noticed by now I tend to do mostly 3.5e Gestalt campaigns. This is for multiple reasons the least of which not being that my group likes to run high powered games and is generally only 3 people. Since I don't post that much a little background for me GMs general rules.

• MOST Dragon Magazine is OK
• This is a Gestalt campaign
• Homebrew will be considered but anything that isn't incredibly clear on how it works will not be allowed
• 3.0 content and pathfinder content that don't have a 3.5 version can be used as their versions when equivalence is possible
• anti-magic = anti-psionic and vice versa. If one is nulled so is the other

Overall there aren't many restrictions and he will work to get most any concept to at least work somewhat.

For this campaign we will have a stealth based sneak attack fighter that is focused on mentally breaking "mary sue" characters. A psionic character with a deep crystal Greatsword that revolves around burst damage from gaining and releasing his psionic focus and nova'ing in dire situations. There there is my character which will be a Artificer/something with the something eventually becoming Blackguard. The campaign revolves around our 3 (evil aligned) characters gathering the things we need to spring up an evil castle overnight (so several earth elementals, binding storm elementals, the lyre of building (maybe) etc etc.) from then on it is just us trying to defend our new home from invading paladins and do-gooders.

My role:

Craft for the party. My DM knows that this will be a focus and doesn't really expect me to have much combat presence. I plan on having several dedicated wrights and any other construct or homunculus that will help me to build faster and more continually. That being said I'm probably looking at the buffificer build for any combat that I have to be a part of.

Does anyone have any suggestions for the base class to take into Blackguard and/or ways I can speed up/improve crafting? I'm looking at both mundane and magical items, but have been reassured I shouldn't have a shortage of magical gear to reclaim essence from.

[Rebel7284]

Hexblade can be a good intro to blackguard if you have good charisma.  Double up on the aura, double up on the saves bonuses.  Keep full BAB. 

Cloistered cleric is always a good dip.  Some domains give crafting bonuses as I recall.

[Llyendar]

I had considered Hexblade, but the only things I really like about are the Dark Companion alternate class feature and the full BAB. It is looking my best option so far though as I want to be able to get to Blackguard as fast as possible.

[Jackinthegreen]

You might get some inspiration from http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=723.0

Though the easiest stuff to get into is Hexblade, Paladin of Tyranny, and Binder.  I highly doubt you'll be able to use Unseelie Fey, so those are your better bets if debuffing is what's wanted.

[Gazzien]

Just warning you; even with multiple Dedicated Wrights, you can only have one crafting a magic item at a time. A Planar Bubble, Acorn of Far Travel, or or other way of mimicking at least the time trait for Dal Quor will multiply your crafting speed by 10, though, so long as the Dedicated Wright is always within the bubble. (My artificer uses a planar bubble auto-reset spell trap inside a portable hole, where my Dedicated Wright is working).

Dal Quor is the only plane (that I could find) that has a faster-than-material time, constantly, and is printed in a sourcebook, though. It's also Eberron, but so is the artificer, so... -shrug-

[Llyendar]

You might get some inspiration from http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=723.0

Though the easiest stuff to get into is Hexblade, Paladin of Tyranny, and Binder.  I highly doubt you'll be able to use Unseelie Fey, so those are your better bets if debuffing is what's wanted.

Thanks for you input and I know it is strange for an evil character especially with levels in Blackguard, but I'm looking more at self buffing and party buffing than enemy debuffing. I know they are essentially two roads to the same means, but meh....

Just warning you; even with multiple Dedicated Wrights, you can only have one crafting a magic item at a time. A Planar Bubble, Acorn of Far Travel, or or other way of mimicking at least the time trait for Dal Quor will multiply your crafting speed by 10, though, so long as the Dedicated Wright is always within the bubble. (My artificer uses a planar bubble auto-reset spell trap inside a portable hole, where my Dedicated Wright is working).

Dal Quor is the only plane (that I could find) that has a faster-than-material time, constantly, and is printed in a sourcebook, though. It's also Eberron, but so is the artificer, so... -shrug-

One magical item at a time is fine for me especially if I can cut the crafting time to 10%. (not sure my math is right there I rarely do that kind of math anymore.) I'll have to look into Planar Bubble and the auto-reset spell trap. As is, my DM will be starting my artificer with a portable hole that contains a forge, a lab, and whatever else he might need to craft as long as I provide myself with a means of entrance and exit and the crafting materials, exp costs, etc.

EDIT: The trap would be really pricey considering that this is a 6th level campaign and the earliest Planar Bubble could be cast would be 14th level meaning I'd have to have a NPC cast the spells for me... maybe a wand of planar bubble would be better for now

[Gazzien]

You might get some inspiration from http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=723.0

Though the easiest stuff to get into is Hexblade, Paladin of Tyranny, and Binder.  I highly doubt you'll be able to use Unseelie Fey, so those are your better bets if debuffing is what's wanted.

Thanks for you input and I know it is strange for an evil character especially with levels in Blackguard, but I'm looking more at self buffing and party buffing than enemy debuffing. I know they are essentially two roads to the same means, but meh....

Just warning you; even with multiple Dedicated Wrights, you can only have one crafting a magic item at a time. A Planar Bubble, Acorn of Far Travel, or or other way of mimicking at least the time trait for Dal Quor will multiply your crafting speed by 10, though, so long as the Dedicated Wright is always within the bubble. (My artificer uses a planar bubble auto-reset spell trap inside a portable hole, where my Dedicated Wright is working).

Dal Quor is the only plane (that I could find) that has a faster-than-material time, constantly, and is printed in a sourcebook, though. It's also Eberron, but so is the artificer, so... -shrug-

One magical item at a time is fine for me especially if I can cut the crafting time to 10%. (not sure my math is right there I rarely do that kind of math anymore.) I'll have to look into Planar Bubble and the auto-reset spell trap. As is, my DM will be starting my artificer with a portable hole that contains a forge, a lab, and whatever else he might need to craft as long as I provide myself with a means of entrance and exit and the crafting materials, exp costs, etc.

EDIT: The trap would be really pricey considering that this is a 6th level campaign and the earliest Planar Bubble could be cast would be 14th level meaning I'd have to have a NPC cast the spells for me... maybe a wand of planar bubble would be better for now

Well, it's for later. Also, Planar Bubble is a seventh-level spell, so you can't put it in a wand. You're stuck with... staves, and maybe scepters? I can't recall the rules for scepters. Also scrolls, but that's not very useful. Trap of it costs 42,000 gp, which my artificer managed to knock down to just over 2,800, but I was spending all of my feats, skills, everything on hitting the lowest feasible price. 42,000 gold -> 21,000 (crafting it with Wondrous Item) -> whatever your modifiers can do... hint: You can apply Magical Artisan to both Exceptional Artisan and Extraordinary Artisan (they're [Item Creation] feats, heh) for a *0.421875 reduction, at the cost of four feats. The Complete Cost Reduction Handbook can help you find other stuff, too.
...
I love artificers.

[Llyendar]

haha, as do I, but this is only my second time making one and the first one was, while still being craft focused, meant to be noticeable in combat. The cost reduction definitely helps and I will be definitely be putting my feats towards crafting, decreasing cost, and decreasing exp cost wherever I can. I'll probably looking into using souls as exp off sets even with the chances of cursed weapons.

[Gazzien]

haha, as do I, but this is only my second time making one and the first one was, while still being craft focused, meant to be noticeable in combat. The cost reduction definitely helps and I will be definitely be putting my feats towards crafting, decreasing cost, and decreasing exp cost wherever I can. I'll probably looking into using souls as exp off sets even with the chances of cursed weapons.

If you can find a copy, look at the Book of Vile Darkness, they have rules for sacrifices to give you crafting xp / gold.

[Vorpal_Bunny]

Factotum for skills/INT synergy and Chameleon for a floating feat for item crafting cost reduction?

-VB

[Rebel7284]

Oh yeah, extra standard actions are good too.

[phaedrusxy]

Factotum for skills/INT synergy and Chameleon for a floating feat for item crafting cost reduction?

-VB

This is all you need to be "combat viable", and it can help out with your crafting, also. I'd say you won't find much better than this.

[DavidWL]

I think one of the best ways to do crafting is to be a dweomerkeeper who uses a Su version of Limited Wish to mimic psychic reformation to reform all feats to the desired crafting feats, then reform them back afterwards.

Best
David