Dex based fighter advice


Advice


Hey I am pretty new to Pathfinder, and I am trying to make a good dexterity based fighter. I only have access to the Core Rulebook and the Advanced Player's Guide. Any and all advice is appreciated, and I am specifically looking for a swashbuckler type from the Princess Bride movie, like the Man in Black or Montoya.

Also this is the first time I have posted here, so I apologize: f this is the wrong area.

Scarab Sages

3 people marked this as a favorite.

You probably don't want to to hear this, but go buy the Advanced Class Guide, and play a Swashbuckler or a Daring Champion Cavalier.

They are the best options for an effective dexterity based fighter.


OK, thank you. Something I had thought about was the Weapon Master archetype using a rapier. Is that something that would be feasible or would it just not do well?

Scarab Sages

If you are stuck using Core+APG only, my recommendation would be to go Fighter/Rogue into Duelist PrC to create a multi-classed attempt at the swashbuckler class with less style.


Again thank you. I will probably wait on this idea until I have more resources then. Thanks for the advice!

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

1 person marked this as a favorite.

For rapier-style fighting, you'll definitely want the ACG and probably Advanced Class Origins for the Fencing Grace feat as well. But you can play a pretty good Dex-based fighter with mostly Core if you go with an Elven Curved Blade

My wife is running one, and even with only 14 Strength and Power Attack, because it's a two-handed weapon, she hits hard for a Dex-based build. At 6th level, she's hitting at +12 for 1d10+13, with a 15-20 crit threat range. The only non-core element she uses so far is the Lore Warden archetype which boosts her skills and Combat Maneuvers, at the expense of armor and shield proficiencies she's not using anyway.


Unless PFS, the first thing to do is ask if your GM would allow a decent feat for dex to damage or something.

If your GM dont allow that and the ACG sutff then Rainyninja advice is a very good one. Lore warden is particularly good since the bnus to CMD is great to not get grappled.


RainyDayNinja wrote:

For rapier-style fighting, you'll definitely want the ACG and probably Advanced Class Origins for the Fencing Grace feat as well. But you can play a pretty good Dex-based fighter with mostly Core if you go with an Elven Curved Blade

My wife is running one, and even with only 14 Strength and Power Attack, because it's a two-handed weapon, she hits hard for a Dex-based build. At 6th level, she's hitting at +12 for 1d10+13, with a 15-20 crit threat range. The only non-core element she uses so far is the Lore Warden archetype which boosts her skills and Combat Maneuvers, at the expense of armor and shield proficiencies she's not using anyway.

Using a 20pt buy for this kind of build, what would you suggest?


Yes, unless this is for PFS, your DM probably won't have a problem with you using information from the PRD.

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

For an elf, my wife started with stats of 14 Str, 17 Dex, 12 Con, 14 Int, 13 Wis, 8 Cha. If you aren't using the Lore Warden archetype, you may not see the need for that much Int. So maybe something like 14/18/12/12/12/8.

For a human, probably keep the same array, but without the Con penalty or Int bonus, so 14/17/14/12/13/8. For either one, you could dump Charisma all the way to 7 for a couple more points to work with.

Is this for Pathfinder Society Organized Play? If so, you'll probably want to invest in some Knowledge or other scholarly skills.


RainyDayNinja wrote:

For an elf, my wife started with stats of 14 Str, 17 Dex, 12 Con, 14 Int, 13 Wis, 8 Cha. If you aren't using the Lore Warden archetype, you may not see the need for that much Int. So maybe something like 14/18/12/12/12/8.

For a human, probably keep the same array, but without the Con penalty or Int bonus, so 14/17/14/12/13/8. For either one, you could dump Charisma all the way to 7 for a couple more points to work with.

Is this for Pathfinder Society Organized Play? If so, you'll probably want to invest in some Knowledge or other scholarly skills.

No it is not for Pathfinder Society, just my brothers and I. We finished the beginner box scenario and are about to start a longer campaign.

Thank you for the build advice, btw.


If you decide to be an elf, you can use the 2h weapon Elven Curve Blade and finesse the weapon to use your dex for attack rolls instead of strength. If you get Agile on it you can use dex for damage instead of strength.

Elven Curve Blade is 1d10 18-20/2x

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/weapons/weapon-descriptions/curve -blade-elven

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons/magic-weapon-special-abil ities/agile


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I recommend the use of an Ustalavic Duelist (Learned Duelist in d20) instead of a Weapon Master for rapier fighting, if only for the flavor.

Scarab Sages

Secret Wizard wrote:
I recommend the use of an Ustalavic Duelist (Learned Duelist in d20) instead of a Weapon Master for rapier fighting, if only for the flavor.

It's a really good fighter archetype, but it's still a fighter, and it's not on the PRD so that may be a limiter.

It's in Inner Sea Combat by the way if you want to get the book.


Paladin going for ranged/TWF? You get a lot of static damage modifiers from smite, which make up for your lack of damage otherwise. All range and TWF feats you need are core as well. Cavalier also works for this reason.

If it HAS to be fighter... maybe a crit-fisher debuff build? Can't remember the APG feats off hand tho.

EDIT: I made the mistake of starting to look through the APG feats. Had to stop when I got to cockatrice strike. I need to lie down and listen to soothing music.


Look at the Duelist in the core book and try to build that. You could try the Two Weapon fighting route as well. It does take Dex to build and you could use a sword and dagger thing.


Thanks again everybody for the advice. It was a big help and I appreciate it.


Surprised nobody mentioned Dervish Dance (with scimitar) -- one of the early Dex-to-Damage feats. Or is this still too recent?


When u say all u have access to is the core rulebook and the apg do u mean those are the only books u have or thats what ur gm is allowing? Cuz if its the former. U may want to try the pfsrd it contains info from every published product both paizo and 3rd-party (perhaps not all 3rdparty idk)
As for ur character. Hes who u make him. If u wanna just throw out a fighter with a longsword whos got great ac and good reflex saves thats great. If ur looking to power game and get the full effect and damage but want to stay within the line of a fighter, as stated before u can go the finesse route or the dervish archetype route. Both are viable.
I actually am playing an elf with the elven curve blade and weapon finesse w/ 20 dex. @ lvl 4 he has a +14 init and 20 ac (24 vs AoO from movement)

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Advice / Dex based fighter advice All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.