I need a good fighter build

[Argus The Slayer]

BadBird wrote:

Argus The Slayer wrote:

Arcane Fighter types might be the last to die in a TPK, but I would argue that they generally have some of the worst offensive output, which means they don't usually pull their weight. If you can't be effective without wasting a round or two to buff yourself, you aren't contributing to the group's success. If you can find some way to NOT waste round buffing (Magus? Quickened spells?), an arcane fighter can be helpful, but I would say most of the arcane melee builds that I have seen in action haven't been very effective.

Rage is Rage, but it begins only when you 'flip the switch' to go full-on melee.

Rage is rage, but you only get 6 rounds of rage per day, right?

Nothing every makes up for BAB when you are a melee character. BAB doesn't just mean more attack bonuses, it means more attacks.

Fighters or full Barbarians (with reliable rage rounds/day) have ways to stack attack and damage bonuses that are far superior to any Eldritch Knight build you can devise (eg Greater Weapon Focus, Weapon Training, Weapon Specialization, Greater Rage, Reckless Abandon, etc).

The real advantage of the Wizard-based fighter is their flexibility, especially outside of combat. In combat the pure melee character is going to shine.

[Illia-]

Or you can just be a Paladin and get spellcasting and great melee and insane no-buff-necessary survivability.

[BadBird]

Argus The Slayer wrote:

Rage is rage, but you only get 6 rounds of rage per day, right?

Nothing every makes up for BAB when you are a melee character. BAB doesn't just mean more attack bonuses, it means more attacks.

Fighters or full Barbarians (with reliable rage rounds/day) have ways to stack attack and damage bonuses that are far superior to any Eldritch Knight build you can devise (eg Greater Weapon Focus, Weapon Training, Weapon Specialization, Greater Rage, Reckless Abandon, etc).

The real advantage of the Wizard-based fighter is their flexibility, especially outside of combat. In combat the pure melee character is going to shine.

Actually I had Extra Rage in the feats, which taken just once means 12/day for a character that uses it as a situational combat buff. Taken twice and it's 18/day.

You're correct that BAB means iterative attacks sooner; EK lags 3 levels behind martial and 1 behind 3/4 characters like Warpriests. It's probably the single most annoying thing about it between levels 6 and 9. On the other hand they can Haste themselves (and everyone else), so there's that at least.

As far as Fighters and Barbarians simply having 'far superior' attack and damage bonuses, I've seen that said in different contexts (like against the Warpriest), and I'm never sure exactly what 'far superior' means given a baseline of swinging upwards of 30 damage with a weapon by mid-level. I'm sure they can end up with a higher relative output if highly optimized, but I'm not sure the difference is going to be all that game-changing. The EK itself gets min/level buffs like Monstrous Physique II: Calikang, so there's some options there as well. As far as non-damage combat advantages go, things like having 6 levels of Teleportation Wizard are pretty amazing for a character with melee inclinations.

Combat-wise, one of the greatest advantages of a well-made 'arcane warrior' is that select spells add versatility. Even if an EK's Confusion or Fireball runs somewhat smaller margins of success, the option to open with a spell like that can be a massive strategic improvement over 'wait or charge?'. An Arcanist/EK can heavily specialize in Battering Blast, so that by level 7 the tactical possibilities of hopping around with Dimensional Slide while sending foes flying to the floor in controlled directions minus 10d6HP are pretty hilarious.

[Everything Syther]

I am very interested in this build my character that was a paladin/stonelord who took zero damage and dealt the most in the last two sessions just died by falling into water and drowning of all things. Possible resurrection occurring but I am thinking of this build. I would be human with a 25 point buy what would you do with the extra points? Also I would be starting at level 8 any armor or items that you would use I start with about 28 000 gold for items. I am newer to pathfinder and never made a two hand fighter before love to hear back.

Damocles Guile wrote:

A good Fighter build or a good melee build? I ask because I have a truly unkillable Paladin that has been a blast to play (and has gone through that very same AP) and I just posted a mini-guide detailing my favorite Barbarian tank build here. If you just want a martial character who's capable of dealing a lot of damage and staying out of harm's way I also have a great Archer build as well.

If you're set on Fighter though, this might be a good way to go:

Human Fighter (Weapon Master)

Attributes:
STR - 18 (+2 racial bonus, +1 at 4th, 8th, 12th and 16th)
DEX - 14
CON - 14
INT - 14
WIS - 11 (+1 at 20th level)
CHA - 8

Traits:
Defender of the Society
Birthmark

Feats:
1st - Power Attack
1st - Cleave
1st - Dodge
2nd - Mobility
3rd - Combat Expertise
4th - Spring Attack [Retrain Cleave to Whirlwind Attack]
5th - Combat Reflexes
6th - Lunge
7th - Weapon Focus: Bardiche
8th - Improved Critical: Bardiche
9th - Weapon Specialization: Bardiche
10th - Critical Focus
11th - Dazing Assault
12th - Sickening Critical
13th - Staggering Critical
14th - Critical Mastery
15th - Greater Weapon Focus: Bardiche
16th - Greater Weapon Specialization: Bardiche
17th - Stunning Critical

Here's the low-down: by 6th level (where you start), you'll be capable of executing a Lunging Whirlwind Attack and with a reach weapon no less, meaning every round you can pretty much attack everything on the battlefield - especially once you keep in mind that you can execute a five foot step during that Whirlwind Attack. At 11th level that becomes a Dazing Whirlwind Attack which offers some tremendous battlefield control. He's no where near as survivable or as versatile out of combat as the three builds I mentioned above, but I've had this character do some truly amazing things on the battlefield.

A couple of quick notes - if you manage to get a Keen Bardiche, I reccomend swapping out...

[Scott Wilhelm]

I have a few ideas for meat shield fighters. More later.

[Scott Wilhelm]

So you want to be very tanky.

That suggests you want to wear heavy armor. I suppose how heavy depends on your Dex: maximizing your Dex Bonus + your Armor Bonus. I guess that means Medium or Heavy Armor. I find a problem with Medium and Heavy armor: you can't sleep in it, and it takes minutes to put it on. Few things make my skin crawl more than the wicked gleam in my GM's eye when he asks, "Are you sleeping in your armor?" The Endurance Feat will let you sleep in Medium Armor. Mithril Heavy Armor Counts as Medium Armor, but I consider Mithril Heavy Armor to be prohibitively expensive. My solution is to use the Swift Girding Spell. You will sleep out of armor, and when trouble happens, with the Swift Girding Spell, you can dress as a Standard Action. I like Wands of Swift Girding. For that, you only need only 1 level in Magus, Paladin, Wizard, Arcanist, or Sorcerer.

If you take 5 levels in a Familiar-having Class, and you have the Protector Familiar Archetype, your Familiar will give you (sort of) a +2 AC and constantly protect you with Shield Other. If you take even 2 levels in Alchemist, that Familiar can be a Tumor Familiar, which will enjoy Fast Healing 5 while it is Shielding you.

If you take 3 levels in Bard with the Fire Dancer Archetype, you can use your performance to give you and your party the ability to see through Fire and Smoke. So then carry around an Eversmoking Bottle, which covers a 100' radius with Blinding Smoke, except for you and your party, thanks to your Flame Sight Ability.

So now I have shown you how to have a really high armor class, a 50% Mis Chance, and double your hit points.

I have put together 3 builds you might be interested in: a Dwarven Melee character that uses Dwarven War Axe and Shield, a character with levels in Phalanx Soldier Fighter that uses Shield and Pole Arm, and a character that uses Thunder and Fang (Earthbreaker and Shield).

Let me know if anything catches your eye.

[Grandlounge]

My top solution to sleeping in armor is keep watch. Why sleep why you can just stay awake protect your party.

A nice trick for stuff like this is play a half elf, take arcane training (now you can use wand and low level scrolls no check), have a bunch of wands and scrolls at your disposal. Spring loaded wrist sheaths and spring loaded scroll cases help you have stuff that ready.

Shield, touch of the sea, monkey fish, keep watch swift girdling, mage armor (incorporeals), expeditious retreat, etc help make your fighter way more versatile.

[Frosty Ace]

Those stats give you room for some zany builds.

Funny little Dwarf Fighter:

Traits: Glory of Old, Iron Liver

Stat Array:
Str:18
Dex:14
Con:14(+2)
Wis:8(+2)
Int:11
Chr:14(-2)

Feats
Lvl1:Power Attack, Steel Soul
Lvl2:Iron Will (Replace at 4 with Courage in a Bottle)
Lvl3:Master Armorer
Lvl4:Improved Bravery (Bump Charisma)
Lvl5:Inspiring Bravery (Weapon Training: Polearm. Use a Nodachi)
Lvl6:Shield Brace
Lvl7: Steel Headbutt (Trade Armor Training 2 for Armor Material Expertise - Adamantine)
Lvl8:Armor Material Mastery (Bump Str, or even int)
Lvl9:Hard Headed(Weapon Training: Bows or your choice if AWT)
Lvl10: Dented Helm
Lvl11:Cloven Helm (Trade Armor Training for Armor Specialization)
Lvl12: Improved Critical
The rest of the build just Weapon Focuses,
Specializations and Crit feats. Take armored Juggernaut.

This is a quirky build. I'm taking full advantage of a two handed build's simplicity. It forgoes damage for a ludicrous amount of survivability. Mind affecting spells will become a joke very quickly, poisons you'll likely also laugh at, and anything that hits you hard (If they're super lucky with a crit) 4 times a day you can halve the damage.

Touch is a weakness, but you'll likely save against any rider effects (Watch out for high level Monks lol). Your damage will be fine. Not the highest, but ignoring a two handed str based Fighter is a death wish. Make yourself Adamantine armor and helmets to eat damage and shrug off Crits. Leeroy Jenkins into every fight, headbutting fools.

The survivability is pretty hilarious tho. It's mainly to tank and spank the huge thing in the room while your squishier friends peg that caster trying to dominate you in futility. Adaptable Training and Versatile Training so as to not fall or drown to death is also a good idea. Everything after 6 is pretty flexible. Choose your level of indestructibility.

[Volkard Abendroth]

I don't have any fighters laying around that match up exactly with what you are looking for, but I have a few you can use to get ideas from

Sword & Board Fighter

TWF Fighter

Archer