So, the question is, how would I go about making something like that? The image I have in my head is a character viciously tearing through enemies with a spiked shield in one hand and a halberd in his other, hacking, stabbing, slashing and tripping opponents and cackling with sadistic glee.
So... How do I go about making this for the upcoming evil campaign I'm joining? I'm liking the antipaladin class for the character since he is a Dhampir, but I am open to multiclassing and any other suggestions you guys may have for him. We are playing at a 25 point buy, and starting at level 6 and playing through to level 20. I would eventually like to become a Graveknight, already approved of by our DM, and my character's lover is a Gravewalker archetype Witch with an obvious focus on Necromancy and raising undead. I'd love suggestions on how best to make her build as well.
Becoming a Graveknight is kind of redundant with being a dhampir, though not inherently a bad choice.
Generally, high STR and CHA are essential, and you get a bonus on DEX and CHA, and take a negative to CON.
16 16 12 10 8 17 is your most survivable array, though you could try something like:
16 14 14 10 7 17
And have better HP.
I'm mainly wanting to go Graveknight for flavor purposes of being an undead commander/general alongside my character's companion. She is the magic-using creator of undead, and my character is the commander of the hordes she raises and also her vicious protector.
I was thinking possibly a single level dip into Bones Oracle and maybe a 3 level dip into Phalanx Fighter so he can use a halberd one handed and still wield a shield.
oracle 1 makes a great dip (nature/lunar/lore for their respective 'cha-to-defenses' abilities, and some curses are really easy to live with), titan mauler barbarian 2 or phalanx soldier 3 lets you wield a polearm in one hand with a shield--i suggest a buckler to keep your hand free for spellcasting and ToC'ing yourself to heal if you need it.
i certainly wouldn't take all of them at once, but considering one of them might be helpful.
for oracle i'd start as it and move into antipaladin, for barbarian or fighter i'd wait until level 5 antipaladin before going into them.
also, since you're cha-focused as a class, going the intimidation route might be worth your while:
with the unnatural presence trait to intimidate animals and vermin (in addition to the usual targets), and the cornugon smash, dreadful carnage, shatter defenses (and it's prereqs), and violent display feats. tack on the cruel enchant to your weapons and you're a debuffing machine (which incidentally lowers their saves along with your aura, making things easier for your necromancer buddy as well) on top of laying the damage on thick and hard.
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anyway, for a dhampir stat spread i'd go with moroi-born (svetocher), assuming 20pb:
before racials: str 15(7), dex 12(2), con 16(10), int 10, wis 8(-2), cha 14(5)
after racials: 17 12 14 10 8 16
the wis dump makes sense for someone who's vicious, since it might lead them to make rash decisions in their anger.
also, since both animate dead and desecrate are in your class spell list (and the reliquary trait is super cheap), you could use them to supplement your eventual graveknight army (since they're separate 'buckets', to use Brewer's terminology). spend the money to make your weapon a "reliquary" weapon for a permanent altar-boost in your desecrate spells too (while this becomes redundant when you become a graveknight since you ARE the altar at that point, before then it's super helpful).
read THIS for some great advice (and suggest it to your necromancer lady-friend as well, to save your GM a headache)
I'd also say take a look at marshmallow's guide above, and bodhizen's guide (the antipaladin stuff is towards the bottom) for some excellent advice on the subject of antipaladin-ing.
best of luck, and give them hell for me.
an example build:
2SPOOKY
dhampir (svetocher)* antipaladin 17 / phalanx soldier 3
(AP 5 / FGT 3 / AP +12)
* - dayborn alt racial feature taken
starting stats:
str 17, dex 12, con 14, int 10, wis 8, cha 16
endgame stats:
str 32, dex 18, con 20, int 14, wis 14, cha 26
+5 str (level), +6 str/dex/con/wis/cha (belt/headband), +4 int (robe of runes), +4 str/cha (book/wish)
traits: unnatural presence / magical knack (antipaladin)
feats:
1 - EWP (fauchard or nodachi)
3 - Power Attack
5 - Weapon Focus (fauchard or nodachi)
6 - Cornugon Smash*
7 - Dazzling Display, Shatter defenses*
9 - Violent Display
11 - Intimidating Prowess
13 - Dreadful Carnage
15 - Dazing Assault
17 - ??? (up to you)
19 - ??? (up to you)
* - fighter bonus feats
endgame gear:
+5 cruel (1) conductive (2) unholy (2) reliquary (+250g) [polearm of choice]
+5 dueling (1) defending (1) guardian (1) spiked gauntlet
+5 heavy fortification (5) buckler
+5 dastard (1) unrighteous (-) warding (1) mithral fullplate or hellknight plate
free demoralize checks against his target anytime he power attacks, free checks against everyone within 30ft on a kill, and can use dazzling display as an immediate action on a 15-20 crit. wield a +X cruel polearm (with keen via fiendish boon) for maximum effect, and have a spiked gauntlet on his buckler-hand for melee threatening.
endgame intimidate will be sitting around +42 before non-stat items (23 ranks/class skill, +8 cha, +11 str), and will work on pretty much anything not mindless or a paladin.
if he goes graveknight, acid or electricity are nice elements to choose for the mandatory 'theme' since they're not as often resisted as fire or cold (and spitting lightning everywhere you go is badass).
ACK! pardon the triple-post; the edit timer got me on the first one. I wanted to add:
I you have the time to spare, I'd also suggest reading the webcomic Darken, since it shows a great way to operate as a CE player and not be retarded (and is a pretty cool comic to boot).
the MC has some clear-cut rules he follows despite his rampant greed and lack of empathy:
-take no prisoners: for obvious reasons.
-suffer no betrayal: if someone betrays you at any point and for any reason, kill them. no questions asked and no mercy given.
-do it yourself: while allies and minions are useful tools, carrying out your objectives yourself means you can verify it's success or failure personally.