Hi all. We are resuming a past game and the GM is allowing re-writes due to the release of the ACG. I know it is not a popular concept on these boards, but we enjoy using the tank/ healer/ damage dealer model in our games. It is in this regard I am looking for advice. Thanks in advance for comments!
The game: We are currently level 7 with plans to go to level 20.
The party (before updates): Life Oracle (doing the combat healer thing, channel energy and crowd control spell specialist), straight Cavalier (melee damage, charging specialist), Wizard Spellslinger (ranged damage), straight Druid (jack of all trades, tiger animal companion), Magus (melee damage, shocking grasp specialist), and me (see below).
I'm not sure about changes besides mine, but we will have some sort of in combat healing so I would like to be a good at tanking (and I enjoy it). I would like to be a Bloodrager (I think they are ideal for tanking) but if there is a better class, please let me know. My character is (almost) level 8. Items in italics are things I plan on taking after that.
Half-Orc Bloodrager (Crossblooded Rager/ Spelleater)
Characteristics (20 pt. buy):
STR 18 (including racial bonus and one level up) (will level up to 20 eventually)
DEX 14
CON 15 (will level up to 16 at level 8)
INT 10
WIS 7 (will eventually level up to 8)
CHA 14
Alternate Racial Traits and Traits:
Shaman's Apprentice (Endurance Bonus feat, needed for Fast Healer)
Sacred Tattoo
Armor Expert (combined with Mithral Breastplate, no armor penalties)
Fate’s Favored (combined with Sacred Tattoo, +2 to all saves)
Feats (Aberrant and Abyssal Bloodlines):
Racial Bonus) Endurance
1) Diehard (needed for Fast healer)
3) Fast Healer (combined with Spelleaster Blood of Life, my equivalent Fast Healing will be 5 at level 8 and above 10 at level 20)
5) Raging Vitality
6 Bonus Feat) Combat Reflexes
7) Stand Still (combined with a Reach Weapon, Abnormal Reach, and Demonic Bulk, my Reach will 15 feet at level 8)
9) Arcane Strike
9 Bonus Feat) Power Attack
11) Pushing Assault (combined with reach, I will be able to push multiple times per round)
12 Bonus Feat) Cleave
13) Cleaving Finish
15) Great Cleave
15 Bonus Feat) Iron Will
17) Improved Cleaving Finish (while this is super late game, I'm hoping the Cleaving feats will be much better with a massive Reach)
18 Bonus Feat) Toughness
19) Expanded Arcana
Bloodline Powers:
1) Claws (so I can still threaten adjacent opponents while wielding a reach weapon)
4) Demonic Bulk
8) Abnormal Reach
12) Abyssal Bloodrage
16) Aberrant Resistance
20) Aberrant Form
Spells: I am going with buffing spells first (like Long Arm and Line in the Sand) then movement spells (to get me into melee faster) second. Any thoughts on best spell choices for each spell level would be greatly appreciated.
Bonus Spells:
7) Enlarge Person
10) See Invisibility
13) Displacement (this one is not on the BR spell list!)
16) Stoneskin
Level 8 Equipment (We aren't allowed to purchase everything but most of the basic stuff is allowed.):
Mithral Breastplate (I have the Shield spell if I need it)
+1 Bardiche (reach weapon with 19-20 crit range)
Amulet of Natural Armor +1
Ring of Protection +1
Cloak of Resistance +2
Belt of Giant Strength +2
Headband of Inspired Wisdom +2
Handy Haversack (to keep my mobility abilities)
Tanking Strategies:
Fast Healing plus Oracle Life Link for action-less healing
Mobility (I'll make sure to have Fly as soon as its available)
Use Stand Still and Reach to prevent enemies from passing me
I'm keeping my AC mediocre (but not too low) so enemies will not feel its hopeless to attack me (the Cavalier has tried some tanking but with such a high AC, the GM has enemies quickly realize its fruitless)
Use Pushing Assault to move enemies that do get past
Weaknesses: That Will save (no rage bonus for first tier of rage and an additional -2 due to being crossblooded)! Later game it will be improved with Indomitable Will, Iron Will, tier 2 and 3 rage bonuses, and spells. At level 8 I'm looking at a +5 (2 + Sacred Tattoo + Cloak of Resistance +2, Headband of Wisdom). How big of a problem is this going to be?
I think I'm good on rounds of rage (29 at level 8 with favored class bonus). Please let me know if you think I will be rage starved.
Stand Still only works on adjacent enemies, not on any you can reach. It's one of the changes from 3.5 that people complained about.
Consider a wayfinder/clear spindle ioun stone to avoid some will saves. If someone casts glitterdust or slow or fear or whatever at you you'll fail more often than not; basically assume that you'll be under a debuff or two when facing most intelligent enemies and make sure the life oracle in your group gets all the condition removal spells.
I think you're OK on rage rounds.
Stand Still only works on adjacent enemies, not on any you can reach. It's one of the changes from 3.5 that people complained about.
Consider a wayfinder/clear spindle ioun stone to avoid some will saves. If someone casts glitterdust or slow or fear or whatever at you you'll fail more often than not; basically assume that you'll be under a debuff or two when facing most intelligent enemies and make sure the life oracle in your group gets all the condition removal spells.
Good stuff, thank you!
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Just a reminder that you cannot threaten with Claws on your hands if you're using both of those hands to hold a reach weapon.
Personally, I'd lower Cha and/or Int to get more Wis, because even though the Bloodrager is a Cha-caster, you really won't be able to get good saving throws with its damaging spells. So I'd just use its buff spells and get a Headband of Cha to give you access to higher level spells.
Since you're Crossblooded AND have a -2 Wis mod, that's a straight -4 to Will saves off the bat, and instead of being ahead of the game while Bloodraging, you're at the level of a normal character even after investing so much in shoring up that save. It pretty much SCREAMS "hey, magically compel me to murder my party members."
Other than those two things, though, it looks solid.
Just a reminder that you cannot threaten with Claws on your hands if you're using both of those hands to hold a reach weapon.
Personally, I'd lower Cha and/or Int to get more Wis, because even though the Bloodrager is a Cha-caster, you really won't be able to get good saving throws with its damaging spells. So I'd just use its buff spells and get a Headband of Cha to give you access to higher level spells.
Since you're Crossblooded AND have a -2 Wis mod, that's a straight -4 to Will saves off the bat, and instead of being ahead of the game while Bloodraging, you're at the level of a normal character even after investing so much in shoring up that save. It pretty much SCREAMS "hey, magically compel me to murder my party members."
Other than those two things, though, it looks solid.
Thank you for the input. I will take a harder look at my Will save.
In regards to the claws, I assumed I could make Attacks of Opportunity with my claws per this FAQ entry.Both are free actions. For example, a wizard wielding a quarterstaff can let go of the weapon with one hand as a free action, cast a spell as a standard action, and grasp the weapon again with that hand as a free action; this means the wizard is still able to make attacks of opportunity with the weapon (which requires using two hands).
As with any free action, the GM may decide a reasonable limit to how many times per round you can release and re-grasp the weapon (one release and re-grasp per round is fair).
For example, during my round I grab my weapon in two hands as a free action, make attacks, then release the weapon with one hand as a free action. In between rounds I am only grasping the weapon with one hand so I am free to make Attacks of Opportunity with my claws. Please let me know if I am mistaken. I do now realize, however, that I am losing 5 feet of reach in between rounds when I do this. Thank you again.
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a build for a tanky BR i threw together to try out the crossblooded AT:
*fleet of foot alt. racial ability taken
** - FCB spent on +5 dodge AC against anything medium size and up
START - str 14 (10-2r), dex 14 (2+2r), con 14 (5), int 10, wis 10, cha 15 (3+2r)
END - str 28 (36 rage), dex 20, con 20 (28 rage), int 16, wis 16, cha 28
cha/str/str/str/str (level), +6 all (gear), +4 str/cha (book/wish)
traits: fortune's favored / ???
bloodrage rounds: 47 (4+5+38)
bloodline abilities:
1 - destined (1 - destined strike)
4 - destined (4 - fated bloodrager)
8 - arcane (8 - greater arcane bloodrage)
12 - arcane (4 - arcane bloodrage)
16 - arcane (16 - true arcane bloodrage)
20 - destined (16 - unstoppable)
feats:
1 - power attack
3 - arcane strike
5 - blooded arcane strike
6 - weapon focus (???)*
7 - lunge
9 - steadfast personality, improved initiative*
11 - blasting charge
12 - lightning reflexes*
13 - rage casting
15 - riving strike, iron will*
17 - raging absorption
18 - leadership*
19 - ???
bonus spells:
7 - shield
10 - invisibility
13 - lightning bolt
16 - dimension door
(bloodraging with free blur, haste, and one of beast shape 4/form of the dragon 1/transformation, wielding a +5 keen furious courageous impact falchion)
AC 53 (10 + 10 mithral breastplate, 5 dex, 7 dodge, 5 natural, 5 deflect, 6 luck, 1 size, 4 shield (spell))
SAVES 36f/25r/36w (12/6/6 class, 5/5/3 stats, 6/6/6 luck, 5/5/5 cloak, 0/2/10 feats, 1/1/1 race, 7/0/5 rage+courageous)
but yeah, halflings make surprisingly good bloodragers--who knew?
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Yeah, you can do that, but you're limited to one claw attack. It's generally easier to have something like a Boulder Helmet/Armor Spikes so that you don't give up your reach advantage between your turns. The point of a reach weapon is that you threaten all the time, instead of just when you're making actions.
i'm kinda tempted to try crossblooded arcane+abyssal to squeeze in the scaling STR increase and the free enlarge person onto the hate+blur+transformation buff package.