|
I need advice in making a switch fighter for a PFS character.
The basic ideal is an ex-mercenary, who is competent with both a bow and a sword/melee weapon.
I have played both an archer and a melee paladin before, but the feats needed to make "switch fighter" type character seems mind boggling. Not to mention the ability scores needed.
I'm currently looking at Slayer, Fighter, Ranger, Warpriest or a mix of the above classes.
Feats in consideration are:
Quick Draw
The typical range feats - Pointblank, precise shot, etc
Melee etc.
Any advice?
Ranger with archer path grants you half of the feats needed for a switch hitter, and is the single most common way of doing it. Use your regular feats for the melee skills needed and get quick-draw so you can move and draw your melee. Go high STR, use Composite longbow and a cestus, then you don't even have to drop the bow to hit.
|
|
@Guardianlord, LoneKnave, Thanks for the advice!
The Savage Technologist looks perfect for a level or 2 dip.
Some questions on feats,etc.
1) How should I spread out my ability scores? Currently I'm thinking something like this:
Human (+2 Str)
STR: 18 DEX: 14 CON: 14 INT: 10 WIS: 12 CHA: 8
Is this ideal for a switch fighter?
1a) If I focus on Str, would a score of 14 dex be enough for archery?
2) The Savage Technologist can use firearms. Does this means that archetype can purchasing/crafting special material alchemical cartridges if there is atleast 1 rank in craft alchemy? (I'm assuming the 10% on normal ammo requires the gunsmith feat specifically.)
Not planning to pick up guns, but still interested in knowing.
3) Other then the cestus, what other weapons are recommended?
I'm sure I would pick up a comp bow and a buckler, not sure on which melee weapon to focus on.
Run this out of Ranger or Slayer depending on the level of magic you want/if you want a companion.
I suggest 17 str and 14 dex at the start. It saves you a lot at point buy that can be spent in great ways (like dat 14 wisdom). Additionally there is little functionaly difference between 7 charisma, 8 charisma, and 10 charisma. Just dump to 7 and reap the points you gain.
Don't do firearms unless you get dex to damage, too feat intensive and Multishot+static bonuses like the Slayer's or Ranger's is crazy.
If you're a Ranger Instant enemy is your friend and so are a few pearls of power 3rd.
First feat should be power attack
If Human also grab point blank shot
level 2 precise shot
level three rapid shot
level 5 Weapon Focus Long bow (Works for composites) or Boon companion if a ranger
Level 6 Improved Precise shot (Don't fall for the trick and pick multishot)
Level 7 Multishot
Actually at this point you've got just about everything you need! Grab feats to shore up or improve saves. If you have a reach weapon grab combat reflexes. Maybe grab some simple teamwork feat for yourself and animal companion like Outflank.
If you wanna run this mounted then I suggest Samurai, Divine Commander Warpriest,or a Luring Cavalier.
I need advice in making a switch fighter for a PFS character.
Switch fighters are incredibly difficult since the switch is such an ineffective weapon. I mean good gods man it only does non lethal damage. Though I will admit a good hickory switch will sting like the dickens.
..
[/sorry lost control of my warped humor for a moment there]
.
.
The classic is some kind of archer archtype. Take the bow fighting style. Take Power Attack and Quick Draw as quickly as possible. Carry a falchion or other two-handed weapon. Pretty much done at that point.
Any other feats or abilities are just seasoning to taste.
It is probably 1 of the 3 or so simplest yet successful build concepts. They are almost always reasonably effective.
Hmm... It would probably be more accurate to say that the only times I've ever seen one not effective is in hyper optimized groups where you need to be the absolute best at one thing or you just can't survive OR if the player constantly plays poorly. (Ex: has none of the feats for it, but is constantly trying to grapple and pin his foes.)
I don't know if it's PFS legal, but there is a fighter archetype that has the brawler's ability to gain feats on the fly. Take the ranged feats with your normal progression (since it takes a LOT of feats to be a good ranged character in my experience), then use the martial flexibility to get power attack etc as needed? That's how I'd do it.
|
Run this out of Ranger or Slayer depending on the level of magic you want/if you want a companion.
Don't do firearms unless you get dex to damage, too feat intensive and Multishot+static bonuses like the Slayer's or Ranger's is crazy.
If you're a Ranger Instant enemy is your friend and so are a few pearls of power 3rd.
First feat should be power attack
If Human also grab point blank shot
level 2 precise shot
level three rapid shot
level 5 Weapon Focus Long bow (Works for composites) or Boon companion if a ranger
Level 6 Improved Precise shot (Don't fall for the trick and pick multishot)
Level 7 Multishot
use Insain Dragoons ranged feats followed by Deadly aim then clustered shots.
FOCUS ON DEX. Weapon finesse with a agile weapon will hit more often than power attack. An elven curve blade is a good choice but I would prefer a weapon that can be used in a grapple. If grappled or swallowed, your bow is useless. Wakazashi is best followed by gladius then short sword or hand axe. Also, you can hold on to your bow when using a one-handed weapon. Wear armor spikes for AoO`s.
Consider Ranger6, Transmuter1, Arcane archerX for classes.
I don't suggest a dex focus. The shots you really want hitting are your multishot and your bonus shot from Rapid shot. Your class features should be giving you a handsome accuracy bonus too.
An adaptive composite long bow goes a long way.
|
|
Going to avoid making a pure archer. I had already have a lv 12 (aka seeker) Dwarf Fighter Archer. I do love playing that character, but feel its time to try something different. So avoiding pure archer.
I did seriously considered a pure DEX build for a switch fighter, which is not too hard to pull off with the tons of new materials from ACG and other books. However the character concept calls for a more burly mercenary type character, hence a mix of str and dex. Which is where I'm uncertain which combination would do best.
What about something like this?
Race: Human (Ulfen)
Savage Technologist - 1 levels
Slayer - 6 levels
Ulfen Guard - 4 levels
That should give me all the feats I need and able to pull off something extra if needed.
|
|
Is the above build stretching it too much? @_@?
Ideal break down is:
Race: Human (Ulfen)
Savage Technologist - 1 levels - For modified Rage
Slayer - 6 levels - For access to Ranger style. Lv 4's will be spend getting a combat feat via Rogue Talent
Ulfen Guard - 4 levels - Sync well with Barbarian and Slayer/Fighter for a Prestige Class.
|
Question is: What class are you willing to play under? Fighter, Ranger, Slayer, Monk? I just recently finished my build on a throwing character using the new Ranged Tactics Toolbox splatbook that's PFS legal. My character is using the Far Strike monk archetype. It's not as epic as Zen Archer, but then again if you're looking to play overpowered then you're picking Zen Archer or Gunslinger.
Fighters can switch hit easily, though some of the feats you won't get till later on but you'll have access to fighter only feats.
Rangers and Slayers you have access to the Archery Combat Style which will let you get those hard to get archery feats early. Pick Slayer if you want some sneak attack dice on melee, and the Study ability that can be used on anything. Pick Ranger if you want an Animal Companion and want to have specific enemies for bonuses as the Ranger's bonuses to hit/dmg will be higher than a Slayer but only for a select few favored enemies.
Far Strike Monk you can flurry in melee with a Totem Spear, Throwing Axes, plain'ol'spear, and any other weapon that has a natural throwing range in its stat table. This lets you flurry in melee and at range. You'll miss out on some of the archery feats that are "Bow only" (Multishot, etc) but Far Strike does provide early access to some useful archery feats just like the Ranger's Archery Combat style selection. You'll have a few kinks also in designing your stats and getting the feats you want in there but you'll be a "switch hitter" and you'll gain access to a lot of the great things that make Monks fun to play. Can't share my build but if you're interested in this I can give you some pointers to get you in the right direction.
|
|
@Kysune,
Well I'm up for almost any class. As long as they go well with the character ideal.
Character ideal:
1) Mercenary
2) Likely of Ulfen stock
3) Build: Stocky
4) Personality: Honourable, calm, disciplined, and careful.
5) Alignment: N - Not LN as he does break the law occasional in his line of work. Also opens up Barbarian option. If go Monk will take trait to avoid Lawful requirement.
I was thinking bow mainly due to the feat support that style gets. It is also easily accessible.
The Far Strike Monk looks really interesting! (And weirdly suits another character of mine.
Could you post your build?
Also are there any pitfalls I should avoid playing a switch fighter? Like with the lower dex are feats that drop your attack for more damage like rapid shot or deadly aim worth picking up?
1. I don't recommend taking one level of any Barbarian for the rage. That's just too few rage rounds per day.
2. Wanna switch hit? Go STR and thrown weapons with Belt of Mighty Hurling, or go Weapon Finesse with any thrown stuff.
3. Far Strike Monk works well with Chakrams, since they are thrown weapons (ergo, can be flurried by this archetype) but can be used as melee weapons as well (so you can flurry at range and close up!).
4. Remember, you are a switch fighter. Don't spend feats for ranged damage, spend them for accuracy.
EDIT: Judging by what you've posted, I really recommend a Slayer or Ranger. Combat style feats are the shit, and they get weapon-agnostic accuracy boosts. Guide Ranger or Vanguard Slayer fit even more.
|
|
@Secret Wizard,
Belt of Mighty Hurling is so "Thor" like lol!
Going to look into it, but it might be hard to pull off due to gp cost.
PFS has a limited amount of gold being handed out during the lifespan of a character and you need fame to gain purchase access to more expensive items. A Belt of Mighty Hurling is too expensive, while the lesser version would also take some time to save for. Would have to think about it.
Thanks for the advice on range feats. I would likely go pointblank, Precise Shot, clustered shot, improved Precise Shot and hopefully manyshot (I need 17 dex for manyshot..). Avoiding rapid shot and deadly aim, or get them later.
Sweet thing of Slayer and Ranger (and Far Strike Monk and Zen Archer) is that they can pick up Precise Shot without Point Blank. The idea here is that if you would Point Blank, why aren't you going melee?
There is a bit of hidden love when it comes to switch fighter and Ronin
A level Dip into sohei for mounted skirmisher at early levels and being far less dependent on a mount like a typical cavalier gives him the most options of switching combat modes in my mind.
|
Sweet thing of Slayer and Ranger (and Far Strike Monk and Zen Archer) is that they can pick up Precise Shot without Point Blank. The idea here is that if you would Point Blank, why aren't you going melee?
Well, thrown weapons are going to be 30' or less anyway, and dungeons/urban areas tend to have much less usable range for projectile weapons. Not to mention that +1 to hit and damage for one feat is a bargain.