OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edited2)

[Jack Simth]

Hmm... with two players, that means we both have to fill two roles (of Meatshield, Heal-bot, sneak, and sparkcaster), which puts a bit of a crimp on things.

So, Violist - what roles would you like to fill?

[NullAshton]

I'll keep gestalt CR rules in mind. With two players, that would be +1 to the CR, unless it relies on life threatening saving rolls, in which it would be same CR.

[Jack Simth]

Almost right.

Missing two players, you would normally subtract 2 from the CR of critters you throw at the party and expect to do "normal" stuff. So if the appropriet challenge for a party of four would call for a single CR 6 critter, you instead need a CR 4 critter.

With gestalt, you throw things that are CR +1 if they don't particularly rely on abilities with saves, CR +2 if they do. If the appropriet challeng for a party of four would call for a single CR 4 "fighter" critter (no "save or" effects), you use a CR 5 "fighter" critter instead. If the appropriate challenge for four would be a single CR 4 "mage" critter (lots of "save or" effects), you use a single CR 6 "mage" critter instead.

Merging the two, it's CR -1 for things that don't particularly rely on abilities with saves, CR for things that do.

Violist:
Idea: We both put Druid on one side, for the animal companion to round out the combat ability of the party. An Ape makes a half-fighter (especially when Trained for War (the Combat Riding general purpose will do that job, right?) for the armor profincy and put in, say, Leather Barding (40 gp) with the Druid Bonus Trick going for the upgraded attack). Put an "exotic pack saddle" (15 gp; could also take an Exotic Military Saddle and Exotic Saddlebags for 64 gp) on the apes, have them carry stuff, dump our characters' strength, and have one of us take the "rogue" half and the other take the "wizard" half (split the healing/buffing). As a bonus, we end up with a "themed" party. Sound like a plan?

[NullAshton]

..yeaaaaah, something like that.

Oh yeah, minor house rule... magic items don't work in wildshape form, even if you take them off then put them back on once wildshaped. One of the 'spirit of the rules' houserules.

[Jack Simth]

At 5th, it's less of an issue, as you can't have Natural Spell (don't get Wildshape until 5th, Natural Spell has Wildshape as a requirement, so you can't take it - ever - until at least character level 6).

Perfectly fine house-rule, though. More of a house interpertation, really; DM gets to dictate what item slots are available on a nonhumanoid.

Edit:
Oh, and you can relax - at their best, the Ape is maybe worth about a 3rd or 4th level NPC Warrior (well, until it starts getting Druid Bonuses, which doesn't happen until later levels - at which point, they are less useful), and it's the Combat Monkey of the available animal companions. Theoretically, at least, it's rolled into the Druid's effectiveness.

[NullAshton]

http://www.thetangledweb.net/profiler/view.php?id=12694

Yay, it's fun what you make when you're bored, surf the OOTS forums, and decide to make someone happy by making their character. Kobold barbarian that does, like, 134 damage on a critical....

[Violist]

That sounds like a good plan. Mind if I go for the sneak half?

Edit: Oh, Null, same restrictions on sourcebooks?

[Jack Simth]

You can go for the sneak half. That leaves me with the arcane sparkcaster; I should be able to manage it.

Oh, and Nullashton - how do you charge for extra spells beyond the starting and level-up free spells in a Wizard's spellbook?

[NullAshton]

Buy scrolls then scribe it into your spellbook, I suppose.

Yeah, same restrictions on sourcebooks.

[Violist]

Natural Bond feat from Complete Adventurer is perfect for the Ape Plan, I think... adds 3 to effective Druid level for determining bonuses.