Malevolence

[daedra18]

Hello BG,

I just started a gestalt campaign (3.5) recently and the DM has slaughtered a few of us. The campaign is set in the middle east, but with a WWIII-esque plot.

My idea for a character is to take one of the newly dead players (the party bard/sorceror who was specialized in buffing) and bringing him back as a bitter ghost, who throws away his attempts at bolstering his allies and decides to curse his enemies.

I can rebuild the character, partially. I need to maintain the following:

Race: Gnome, Rock
At least one of the original classes the character originally had
Backstory, etc.

My DM wants me to split up the LA to each side of my gestalt tree (3LA ghost on one side, 2LA on the other; I would add the Evolved template to make it an even 3LA on each side). I would take Corrupting touch and Malevolence as my Ghost Abilites (and contagion for Evolved).

2 flaws and 2 traits are allowed and over all 20 levels, we can only have a max of 6 different classes.

The party is currently level 7 (so I would be lvl 4 with LA)

I was thinking something along the lines of Lurk/Bard with Bard advancing into Dirgesinger (though I don't know what other PrCs to take that would help) who debuffs his enemies will saves and then possesses them.

I've been looking through the boards trying to find different ideas on maximizing my chances at possessing, but it seems like most builds that involve the ghost template are focused on MotUH telekenisis.

Any ideas on how to improve my ghost?

[Halinn]

See if you can get the Ghost template class allowed. That'll allow you to function with less LA.

You won't be able to take the Evolved Undead template, as that is only for very old undead (at least 100 years old, to have a chance of taking it once)

I don't suggest taking the corrupting touch ability, as the damage is completely negligible. Even without optimizing it, you'd be better off with telekinesis.

[sirpercival]

Definitely do the savage progression, and you don't need too many levels of it.  Get Telekinesis and go into Master of the Unseen Hand.

[Nunkuruji]

Some debuff discussion

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2440

[daedra18]

DM won't budge on the Savage Progression Template, so here is what I came up with:

Ghost 3/Paladin of Tyrrany 3/Bard 1/Diresinger 1/Hexblade (Dark Companion) 4/Dirgesinger 4/Bard 4 || Ghost 2/Binder 4/Anima Mage 10/Binder 4
(Ghost, being a LA, doesn't count toward the max number of classes I can have).

Necessary Feats:

Practiced Spelcaster (Bard) - To attain required casting for Anima Mage
Devoted Performer - Lawful Paladin/Bard
Quicken Spell - Metamagic requirement for AM
Requiem - DS requirement

[DS = Dirgesinger, AM = Anima Mage]

[daedra18]

If Malevolence counts as a move action, add Doomspeak to that feat list for an additional -10 to saves.

[daedra18]

If Malevolence counts as a move action, add Doomspeak to that feat list for an additional -10 to saves.

Disregard, Magic Jar counts posession as a full round action.

[nijineko]

basically you are looking for ways to boost your save dc. there are some items and spells that help with that. maybe a feat or two. i suggest looking at the malevolence feat chain in ghostwalk. see if your dm will allow it, and your ghost ability to meet the lower prereqs. will make the malevolence ability much more useful if you can use it more broadly. and there are already lots of threads on how to boost a given stat / save dc.

[Tshern]

Tradtionally dual progression classes like Anima Mage are not allowed in gestalt. I suggest you check that with the DM.