Any feats in the ACG that will improve my Goblin Brawler (Fighter archetype)?


Advice


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I haven't so much as cracked it open yet, and I'm trying to decide if I should pick it up... one of the factors would be whether or not they do anything new to benefit some of my favorite characters or make them more fun to play. Below is one of my all-time favorites, the Goblin I ran through Rise of the Runelords; the build is pretty tight, but I was wondering if there were any new options in the ACG that those whom have perused it cover to cover would recommend:

Goblin 15th level fighter (Brawler) / 2nd level Monk (Master of Many Styles)

Attributes:
STR - 10
DEX - 20 (+1 at 4th, 8th, 12th, & 16th level)
CON - 14
INT - 14
WIS - 12
CHA - 5

Racial abilities:
Darkvision 60'
Over-sized Ears
Small-sized

Traits:
Goblin Foolhardiness (+1 melee attack bonus when no allies are adjacent)
Vagabond Child (+1 Disable Device, Disable Device is a class skill)

Feats:
1st - Weapon Finesse
1st - Two-Weapon Fighting
2nd - Improved Unarmed Strike
2nd - Stunning Fist
2nd - Snake Style
3rd - Snake Fang
3rd - Combat Reflexes
4th - Dodge
5th - Crane Style
6th - Weapon Focus: Unarmed Strike
7th - Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
8th - Agile Maneuvers
9th - Piranha Strike
10th - Greater Weapon Focus: Unarmed Strike
11th - Stand Still
12th - Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
13th - Improved Critical: Unarmed Strike
14th - Critical Focus
15th - Sickening Critical
15th - Staggering Critical
16th - Critical Mastery
17th - Iron Will, Toughness or Lunge

Skills:
Acrobatics* (1-20)
Climb* (2)
Swim* (3)
Survival* (2)
Escape Artist* (3)
Disable Device* (1-20)
Perception* (1-20)
Stealth* (1-20)

The two Monk levels were taken at 2nd & 3rd.


Bump.


well there is the actual Brawler Class, so you could convert to that

There are a few new Strike feats for causing different conditions; Daze, Confuse, Fatigue that sort of thing

Canny Tumbler gives up a boost when you use Acrobatics against someone

Barroom Brawler is handy in a pinch if you need a feat you don't have.

of the 3 new Fighting styles probalby Jabbing style would work best with your concept.


Pummelling Style and Pummelling Charge could up your offence substantially against single targets, Jabbing Style chain is also interesting. There's a few new feats for causing conditions with your unarmed strikes.

You could replace the fighter levels with brawler levels. You'd lose two bonus combat feats over the eighteen levels, but you'd be flurrying instead of spending feats on the TWF chain and wind up one feat ahead. You'd lose close combatant, but gain scaling damage (you'd max out at 2d6 at Brawler 16). Manoeuvre Training isn't as good as Close Control, but it's not far off (+4, +3, +2, +1 to four manoeuvres instead of +5 to three at eighteenth.) The other odds & ends are probably a wash. But beyond all that, you'd get the pseudo-feats of Martial Versatility.

(This is probably one of the stronger examples of the ACG obsoleting many fighters. I was expecting the rogue to be buried once and for all by the new book, but was surprised to see that most fighters could be replaced by brawler or slayer builds that are almost entirely upgrades.)


Totally off topic side note:
You must really like the concept and had a very generous GM, because the only thing less optimal than a goblin fighter/monk I can think of is a kobold fighter/monk.


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thegreenteagamer wrote:
You must really like the concept and had a very generous GM, because the only thing less optimal than a goblin fighter/monk I can think of is a kobold fighter/monk.

Actually, this is one of the deadliest martial builds I've ever seen in action.

4th level:
HP 38 (2d10+2d8+12), Fort +8, Reflex +8 (w/Evasion), Will +4
Armor Class: 24

10 +5 [Dex] +1 [Small] +5 [Chain Shirt] +2 [Shield] +1 [Dodge]
Attack: +10/+10 w/Snake Fang & Combat Reflexes
+3 [BAB] +5 [Dex] +1 [Small] -2 [TWF] +1 [Trait] +2 [Brawling]
Damage: 1d6+2
1d6 [Unarmed Strike] +2 [Brawling]
Equipment:
Mithril +1 Brawling Chain Shirt (5,000), Mithril Heavy Steel Shield (1,000)

By 4th level he's attacking at +10 twice per round AND getting AoO's every time someone misses him which, with a 24 AC, is a fair bit. His damage is slight but that changes as soon as he hits 5th level and qualifies for an Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists.

8th level:
HP 74 (6d10+2d8+24), Fort +13, Reflex +15 (w/Evasion), Will +9
Armor Class: 32

10 +6 [Dex] +1 [Small] +6 [Chain Shirt] +4 [Shield] +1 [Dodge] +3 [Defensive] +1 [Acrobatics]
Attack: +16/+16/+11/+11 w/Snake Fang & Combat Reflexes
+7/+2 [BAB] +7 [Dex] +1 [Small] -2 [TWF] +1 [Trait] +2 [Brawling] +1 [Close] -2 [Defensive] +1 [Focus]
Damage: 1d6+12
1d6 [Unarmed Strike] +2 [Brawling] +3 [Close] +7 [Dex]
Equipment:
Mithril +2 Brawling Chain Shirt (10,000), Mithril Heavy Steel Shield +2 (5,000), Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists (4,000), Cloak of Resistance +3 (9,000), Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2 (4,000)

By 8th he's making 4 attacks per round at a very high bonus but dealing substantially more damage PLUS he still benefits from all of those AoO's, high saves and a very high AC.

12th level:
HP 110 (10d10+2d8+33), Fort +17, Reflex +19 (w/Evasion), Will +12
Armor Class: 36 w/ Menacing Stance (-1/-4)

10 +6 [Dex] +1 [Small] +7 [Chain Shirt] +5 [Shield] +1 [Dodge] +3 [Defensive] +1 [Acrobatics] +2 [Ring]
Attack: +24/+24/+19/+19/+14/+14 w/Snake Fang & Combat Reflexes
+11/+6/+1 [BAB] +8 [Dex] +1 [Small] -2 [TWF] +1 [Trait] +2 [Brawling] +2 [Close] -2 [Defensive] +2 [Greater Focus] +1 [Amulet]
Damage: 1d6+15 (w/Piranha Strike -3 attack, +6 damage)
1d6 [Unarmed Strike] +2 [Brawling] +4 [Close] +8 [Dex] +1 [Amulet]
Equipment: (108,000)
Mithril +3 Brawling Chain Shirt (17,000), Mithril Heavy Steel Shield +3 (10,000), Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists +1 (16,000), Cloak of Resistance +5 (25,000), Belt of Incredible Dexterity +4 (16,000), Ring of Protection +2 (8,000), Winged Boots (16,000)

By 12th level he's a literal Tasmanian Devil, cutting through foes with six attacks per round that almost never miss and counter-attacking anything that dares threaten him. Moreover between Disruptive, Menacing Stance, Standstill, No Escape and Agile Maneuvers, he is absolute death to casters the moment he gets adjacent to them. At 13th he's dealing 1d6+24 damage as often as 15 times a round... so not quite as weak as some might think.


thegreenteagamer wrote:
and that's more deadly than the exact same levels, the exact same feats, but, say, a human?

Goblins get higher Dex which equates to higher damage and more AoO's in this particular build, they get an attack bonus and an AC bonus bump from being Small and another attack bonus via the trait Goblin Foolhardiness which isn't available to Humans. Darkvision, trait access to Disable Device and big racial bonuses to Stealth and Perception help round out the concept of a character who is as capable a scout as he is a killer.

I've made the character as a Human, played him and enjoyed him as a Human, but he's better as a Goblin, both in concept and mechanics.


Yeah, Pummeling Style is a must-have for anyone using unarmed strikes now. Pummeling Style itself is a melee clustered shots (which is good enough to consider on its own) but then Pummeling Charge is pounce.

You should rearrange your MoMS levels so that you can get Pummeling Charge with the bonus feat.


Arachnofiend wrote:

Yeah, Pummeling Style is a must-have for anyone using unarmed strikes now. Pummeling Style itself is a melee clustered shots (which is good enough to consider on its own) but then Pummeling Charge is pounce.

You should rearrange your MoMS levels so that you can get Pummeling Charge with the bonus feat.

Wow - that's pretty impressive, especially the critical rider on it. Now I've just got to figure out what has to go to make room for it...

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