the most interesting to play "tanks"


Advice

1 to 50 of 128 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | next > last >>

1 person marked this as a favorite.

rules of the thread:
1) 25 point buy
2) no tanking abilities, lower = 10
3) no build that require an item, build them considering there isn't magical gear - only normal or what your abilities create.
4) the build is mostly for combat, but need to stay usable in RP parts.
5 ) a good tank = can threat, can reach, can survive, less dependent on others, can hit hard enough to be noticed OR can render a foe useless with ease (not everything is damage) .
6) no build that is 1 or 2 a day thing is accepted. we are looking for things that go on and on....
7) lvl 12, but the build is at least decent at most levels.

SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE.

Sovereign Court

I'm assuming by #2 - you mean no dumping them. (tanking vs tank build gets confusing)


3 people marked this as a favorite.

You missed "way" in your topic.

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

Arcane bloodline Bloodrager.

Use Greater Bloodrage to get long arm on yourself when you rage, and add a reach weapon to get a 15-foot reach. And you can enlarge yourself when you need to for even better reach. The Arcane bloodline also lets you gain other buff spells whenever you enter rage, without using up spell slots. Bull Rush lets you knock back people who have already made it through your threatened area.

Human Bloodrager (arcane) 12
18/14/14/10/10/14
1: Combat Reflexes, Power Attack
2:
3: Improved Bull Rush
4: +1 Str
5: Furious Focus
6: Iron Will
7: Greater Bull Rush
8: +1 Str
9: Quick Bull Rush, Improved Initiative
10:
11: Raging Throw
12: Disruptive, +1 Str


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Lune wrote:
You missed "way" in your topic.

The OP could have meant "The most interesting-to-play tanks".

Dark Archive

To confirm, what is a one or 2 day thing?


Variation on a character I'm currently playing:

Human Brawler 1/Blood Conduit Bloodrager (Aberrant) 11
Stats: 18/16/12/10/10/13

1: Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, IUS*
2: Improved Trip*
3: Combat Expertise
4: +1 Str
5: Ki Throw
6:
7: Greater Trip, Improved Initiative*
8: +1 Str
9: Bodyguard
10: Improved Disarm*
11: Vicious Stomp
12: +1 Str

* = feat granted by class

Traits: generally open, but Reactionary is a good choice. You can also bolster your class skills to allow for additional out of combat stuff. Axe to Grind is an option because of your ability to threaten everything at once.

Gear: Spring Loaded Wrist Sheath (Adventurer's Armory, 5gp each), iron vials (Ultimate Equipment, 1sp each - prevents vial breaks and potion mishaps), Potions of Enlarge Person (Core, 50gp each), reach weapon of choice (Horsechopper or Lucerne Hammmer preferred)

Play in major encounters:
Round 1: Draw potion from SLWS (Swift), drink potion (Standard), move and draw reach weapon (Move). If necessary, Bloodrage for additional reach.
Round 2: Martial Flexibility for a relevant feat (Move), 5' step as necessary, either ready an action or attack (Standard). Typical readied actions include "Trip target when they are no longer prone" or "Attack if they cast a spell."
Remaining Rounds: Effectively trip-lock and kite.

What you're leveraging: 30' of threatened space while enlarged and raging, the ridiculousness of the Brawler's Martial Flexibility, and general action economy from having multiple AoOs each round.

My current character is diverging from the above build because of some specific situations he's been in. The functionality is still there, though.


Charon's Little Helper wrote:
I'm assuming by #2 - you mean no dumping them. (tanking vs tank build gets confusing)

Ofc, yes.


Blitzkrieg


Ciaran Barnes wrote:
Lune wrote:
You missed "way" in your topic.
The OP could have meant "The most interesting-to-play tanks".

Same , you got the theme


Souphin wrote:

To confirm, what is a one or 2 day thing?

There are builds that can do one amazing thing, but 1/day, or 1/fight.

I aim for for broad build, pareto style, able to work 80% of the time


Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber

combat reflexes with combat patron, high dex, agile maneuvers with trip, provide a large screen and use a reach weapon and trip everything.

class: probably lore warden for bonus to CMB.

the best tank is the one who makes it really hard to get hit.

... World of Tanks taught me that.


In here somewhere... Posted this yesterday for another topic. There are some good no stat dump builds in that thread.

Sovereign Court

Halfling Arcane Duelist 11/Swash 1

Str:8
Dex:19
Con:14
Int:10
Wis:12
Cha:16

1: Weapon Finesse/ Weapon Focus:Rapier
2: Arcane Strike*
3: Fencing Grace / Combat Casting*
4: +1 Dex
5: Step Up
6: Following Step
7: Disruptive*
8: +1 Dex
9: Step Up and Strike
10:
11: Great Fortitude / Spellbreaker*
12: +1 Dex

Traits: Fate's Favored / Armor Expert (great at low levels b4 medium armor prof for a mithril breastplate - okay later)

Durable it's got - extremely solid will/reflex saves, very solid AC, and decent fort saves (+2 luck bonus to all saves). Not to mention any buff spells. (mirror image / saving finale etc) Also - the 1st level was in Swash - giving access to deed. (parry etc.)

The damage will be respectable, and between that, spellcasting, and Inspire Courage, they can't really be ignored. It's especially good against spellcasters from 7+, though Step Up can be hilarious against reach weapon users and solid against any archers without access to Point Blank Shot.

Finally - it's a bard (albeit one who gave up Bardic Knowledge) - its ability out of combat is obvious.

(The 1 level dip into Swashbuckler is optional.)

Grand Lodge

My favorite frontliner build that typically is thought to be a "tank" is a bloodrager as well here is the breakdown of the Build:

Carl J.R.:

Half-Orc Primalist Spell-eater Bloodrager

Alternate Racial Traits: Sacred Tattoo and Shaman's Apprentice

20 point buy: Str: 16+2 racial=18, Dex: 13+1=14, Con: 15+1=16, Int: 10, Wis: 12, Cha: 13+1=14

Trait 1: Fate's Favored- Paired with Sacred Tattoo you get +2 Luck bonus on all 3 saves...this is better than taking 3 feats. Also I am a firm believer in the Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier.
Trait 2: Dangerously Curious (cause UMD is a Nice skill to Have...scrolls are cheap and VERY useful)
Trait 3: Optimistic Gambler (this is NOT PFS legal because it is a campaign trait from second darkness. but if you play in a home game where they don't care about where the trait comes from and allows 3 traits and 1 drawback This is the trait to pick up.) This trait comes from the second darkness campaign and is THE BEST trait for a Bloodrager or Barbarian that is not rage cycling like the build below. Gives 1-4 extra rage rounds after you choose to end your rage every time. Basically its better than taking Extra rage feat 2+ times.

Build By Level:

1 HD: Feats- Endurance(from Shaman's Apprentice Trait) and Die Hard, fast movement, bloodrage, Disruptive Bloodrage (Su)

2 HD: Blood of Life(Su) Notice the SU in that ability. This fast healing IS magical and not a EX ability like a majority of Fast Healing

3 HD: Feat-Fast Healer, Blood sanctuary
(because of Blood of Life (Su) your fast healing IS magical...makes Fast Healer actually work for you to increase your amount of Fast healing by 1+ Half CON modifier)

4 HD: Eschew materials, Blood casting, Arcane Bloodrage (Sp)

5 HD: Feat-Raging Vitality, Spell Eating (Su)
(another source of Magical healing in spell eating and Raging Vitality makes your CON effectively 2 points higher and you don't end rage while unconscious so you can fast heal while down to stabilize and get back up)

6 HD: Bloodline Feat- Power Attack

7 HD: Feat- Arcane Strike, Fast Healing/ Increase

8 HD: Greater Arcane Bloodrage (Sp)
(Doesn't every melee frontliner want Displacement to add layered defense to your AC...amazing ability to have as a free action)

9 HD: Feat- Sunder (Helps to spell sunder at Level 16. If you chose a reach weapon replace with Combat reflexes and replace spell sunder with Come and Get me Rage Power.) , Bloodline Feat- Iron Will

10 HD: Fast Healing/ Increase

11 HD: Feat-Bloodied Arcane Strike, Greater bloodrage (Need to take bloodied Arcane strike to free up your swift actions for Raging Brutality and Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier.)

12 HD: Bloodline Feat- Disruptive, Primal Choices: Superstitious & Witch Hunter
(you're giving up Caster's Scourge (Ex) for 2 rage powers. You should already be a caster's worst nightmare with Disruptive Bloodrage (Su), Disruptive feat, and "soon to come" spellbreaker feat. Now add in more damage you're doing to casters and increasing your saves seems more important to me)

13 HD: Feat- Raging Brutality, Fast Healing/ Increase

14 HD: Indomitable will

15 HD: Feat- (what ever seems good to you) ,Bloodline Feat- Spellbreaker

16 HD: Fast Healing/ Increase, Trade out True Arcane Bloodrage (Sp) for Eater of Magic and Spell Sunder

17 HD: Tireless Bloodrage (Su), Feat- (what ever seems good to you)

You mention out of combat...this guy with scrolls and toys can add some fun outside of combat. RP is up to the player honestly and not really what is written on the sheet. I tend to play my guy a bit like Natsu from Fairy tail and mixed him with President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho form the movie Idiocracy.

Some Gear Selections:

Jingasa of the Fortunate soldier- This gets you +2 luck AC and 1/day critical negation for 5k...this really is a bargain Item.

Spell Storing and Furious Adamantine Weapon (preferably reach in which case drop the sunder feat for Combat reflexes)
Spell Storing Armor (W/armor spikes if you took a reach weapon)
Spell Storing allows you to cast more spells a day by loading them in your down time. They also are a way to free up action economy and using Vampiric touch or a debilitating Touch attack can make you even better front line tank.

Belt of +2-4 Str and Con...Boring I know but they are you 2 biggest stats since you have the 14 cha to cast spells.

Lesser rod of Extend or Echoing Spell is very nice.

Wands, Scrolls and Potions Oh my....yes because UMD is a godly skill.

I like Sihedron Ring for the bargain it offers and freeing up the back slot for a cool cape. My group is going to toy with the Unchained leveling gear soon as I typically do get bored of the big 6 items because its buying the same gear on all characters just different bonus.


A properly built Life Oracle can "tank" fairly well. If something doesn't attack you, you just heal the damage it did. If something does attack you, then you heal the damage it did. Max Constitution and Charisma.

That said, I'm personally really liking the Slayer's Dirty Tricks Build for tanking.

Spoiler:
Slayer(Bounty Hunter) build:
Prerequisites: Int 13+
Archetype: Bounty Hunter
<Level>: <Selections> :: <Info>
1: Combat Expertise :: Not very useful, but the chain requires it.
2: Bounty Hunter(Dirty Trick) :: Free action Dirty Trick in place of your sneak attack dice, CMB gets +1 per sneak attack die lost in this way.
3: Improved Dirty Trick :: +2 to Dirty Trick
---In all honesty, you could pursue other classes past this point. The free action Dirty Trick is what you really wanted, and you wanted level 3 to get the sneak attack die to trigger it. Taking further Slayer is still good because the extra Sneak Attack die will add to your CMB for the Dirty Tricks, but many other classes can also work well with this build from this point on.---
4: Ranger Combat Style(Two-Weapon Fighting) :: The more tricks the better
5: <Open Feat Selection>
6: Bounty Hunter(Submission Hold) :: This won’t come up much. There’s not much need to start a grapple, when you’ve already blinded, dazzled, deafened, entangled, shaken, and/or sickened your opponent.
7: Quick Dirty Trick :: Turn your first attack into a Dirty Trick. If the first trick is a successful Blind, then your further attacks will be Sneak Attacks, which can be turned in for further Dirty Tricks.
8: Ranger Combat Style(Improved Two-Weapon Fighting)
9: Greater Dirty Trick :: +2 to Dirty Tricks; Extra 1d4 rounds to duration of Dirty Tricks
10: Bounty Hunter(Submission Hold) :: Non-lethal Assassinate for 1d6 rounds. Not really long enough for anything, except maybe tieing someone up.
11: Dirty Trick Master :: Worsen existing Dirty Tricks, notably Nauseated.
12: Ranger Combat Style(Greater Two Weapon Fighting)
--- At this point, the build is complete. You can spam lots of nasty Dirty Tricks with high CMBs.---

Dark Archive

Any build that doesn't have access to magic items is going to be outright garbage after a certain point.

But, assuming access to normal magic items (armor, weapons, etc.) the Warder from Path of War is still the most interesting and effective "tank" in PF that is actually designed to fill the archetypal tanking role. Between Defensive Focus, which is pretty much Int-based Combat Reflexes with Combat Patrol built in (which you can use from level 1) and a wide array of Initiating abilities, it deals and takes damage like it gets paid for it.


Spoiler:
Thaket Bloodspine
Dwarf slayer 12 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 53)
CN Medium humanoid (dwarf)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +17
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +2 shield)
hp 124 (12d10+48)
Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +8; +2 vs. poison, +4 vs. spells and spell-like abilities
Defensive Abilities defensive training
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 20 ft.
Melee dwarven dorn-dergar +16/+11/+6 (1d10+5) or
heavy shield bash +17/+12 (1d4+5)
Special Attacks hatred, sneak attack +4d6, studied target +3 (3rd, swift action)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +12; CMB +17; CMD 27 (31 vs. bull rush, 31 vs. trip)
Feats Dorn-dergar Master, Double Slice, Improved Shield Bash, Improved Two-weapon Fighting, Iron Will, Power Attack, Shield Master, Shield Slam, Steel Soul[APG], Two-weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (dwarven dorn-dergar)
Traits blooded, shield-trained
Skills Acrobatics +11 (+7 to jump), Appraise +0 (+2 to assess nonmagical metals or gemstones), Climb +10, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +15, Knowledge (local) +15, Perception +17 (+19 to notice unusual stonework), Sense Motive +8, Stealth +7, Survival +12; Racial Modifiers +2 Appraise to assess nonmagical metals or gemstones, +2 Perception to notice unusual stonework
Languages Common, Dwarven
SQ combat style (two-weapon combat), slayer talents (combat trick, ranger combat style, ranger combat style, ranger combat style, weapon training, woodland stride), stalker, swift tracker, track +6
Other Gear breastplate, mithral heavy steel shield, dwarven dorn-dergar, 150 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Blooded You receive a +1 trait bonus on weapon damage rolls against giants, goblins, and orcs.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Defensive Training +4 Gain a dodge bonus to AC vs monsters of the Giant subtype.
Dorn-Dergar Master You can use a dorn-dergar with only one hand.
Greed +2 to Appraise to determine price of nonmagic goods with precious metals or gemstones.
Hatred +1 Gain a racial bonus to attacks vs Goblinoids/Orcs.
Improved Shield Bash You still get your shield bonus while using Shield Bash.
Power Attack -4/+8 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Shield Master No off-hand penalties for shield bashes, add a shield's enhancement bonus to attack rolls.
Shield Slam Shield Bash attack gives a free bull rush on a hit.
Sneak Attack +4d6 Attacks deal extra dam if flank foe or if foe is flat-footed.
Steel Soul Hardy's save vs. spells and spell-like abilities becomes +4
Stonecunning +2 +2 bonus to Perception vs. unusual stonework. Free check within 10 feet.
Studied Target +3 (swift action, 3 at a time) (Ex) Study foe as a Swift action, gain +3 to att/dam & some skills vs. them.
Swift Tracker (Ex) Tracking penalties when moving at normal speed or faster are reduced.
Track +6 Add the listed bonus to survival checks made to track.
Woodland Stride (Ex) Move through undergrowth at normal speed.

Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com
Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC®, and are used under license.

I put this guy together for an upcoming Giantslayer campaign. Level 1-3, you'll two hand the Dorn derger but at 4, you can wield it one handed and start carrying a shield. You'll use the Dorn derger for reach attacks and the shield for adjacent.

Grand Lodge

Quote:
Any build that doesn't have access to magic items is going to be outright garbage after a certain point.

I definitely second this opinion.


I'm a big fan of the Stone Lord Paladin (Dwarf Specific Archetype)

The biggest drawback of the Stalwart Defender's Defensive Stance is that you can't move. With this archetype, you can take a mercy that lets you clear the fatigued penalty as a swift action. That means in one turn you can end your stance, clear your fatigued condition, move, resume the stance, and attack someone. It's pretty solid.

You'll have a few abilities that let you do more damage a few times a day, but you get to be really tough between DR/Adamanine and the built in progression that allows you to ignore crits and sneak attacks. Couple this with automatic Dwarven Dorn-Dergar proficiency and you can lock down choke-points really hard. Take the Darting Viper feat to let you switch the DDD between close range and reach, and wallop anything in your range. You can take lunge to let you whack enemies at the 15' range as well. There's even a feat that lets you one-hand the DDD, potentially allowing you to wield a shield in your off hand. Plus, lay on hands is a swift action, letting you cure yourself frequently. The build is especially devastating if you get someone on your party to cast enlarge person on you, making your reach stupidly far with the DDD.

Silver Crusade

it comes into its own at higher than level 12, but a high charisma and high dex combat cast who has celestial obedience to Arshea gets pretty powrful.

Sovereign Court

Fruian Thistlefoot wrote:
Quote:
Any build that doesn't have access to magic items is going to be outright garbage after a certain point.
I definitely second this opinion.

Third - though I believe that the OP probably just meant that the build can't rely upon a specific magic item to function.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Here is a build I intended for PFS

I have a few builds like this. I like MAD builds anyway.
St14
In12
Wis14
Dex16
Con13
Cr10

Level 1, Ranger1: Freebooter, Weapon Focus Claws
2R1Monk1: Master of Many Styles, Snake Style, Unarmed Damage 1d6
3R1M2: Evasion, Snake Fang, Combat Reflexes
4R1M2Fighter1: Feral Combat Training, Claws, +1 Con
5R1M3F1: Maneuver Training, Still Mind, Monastic Legacy
6R2M3F1: Improved Natural Weapon, Claws

Claws at level 1 compare favorably with other weapons, when you bear in mind that you get your strength bonus for each attack, not just 1, and a Tengu with Claws also gets a Bite Attack. 3(1d3+2) for 12 points of damage. If this character used a Greatsword at level 1, she would do 2d6+3 for 10 points of damage. Instead, she might carry a longbow, shooting all she wants, and just using her natural attacks when she closes to melee, no need even to drop the bow.

With Feral Combat Training, the Claw damage does 1d6 at level 4, with Monastic Legacy, 1d8 at level 5, and with Improved Natural Attack, 2d6 at level 6.

Snake Fang is an Attack of Opportunity hair trigger, you get an AoO every time someone attacks you and misses. With a Dex of 13, that can be 4 AoO's/round + an Immediate Action attack also granted by Snake Fang. That is on top of the regular attack routine of 2 Claws and a Beak, maybe even an Unarmed Strike or 2, depending on the circumstances.

This character will begin using a shield by level 3 and will eventually wear a Mithril Agile Breastplate, probably with Armor Spikes. Since MOMS Monks don't get Flurry of Blows anyway, there is no reason not to wear Armor. But she'll keep the armor light to enjoy Evasion.

Losing 1 of the Claw Attacks to wield a shield hurts, but since most of this character's attacks are AoO's granted by being MISSED in melee, it's really the way to go. You lose 1 attack, but gain 5. Meanwhile, this character might eventually obtain a Wand of Monstrous Physique and Polymorph into a 4-armed Sahaugin, gaining 2 more claw attacks that way. Or she may obtain an Animated enchantment for her Shield.

Another good option would be for this character not to take Claws and use the Swordtrained Racial Ability to use a Bastard Sword and Shield. But if you aren't taking Claws, you might as well be a Half-Orc with the Toothy Racial Trait, later to take Keen Scent, Blind-Fighting, and then acquire an Eversmoking Bottle or some means of casting Pyrotechnics spells.

Another option would be to make this character a halfling. No natural attacks, so for the extra punch, he'd take some levels in Rogue or Ninja and take Quick, Great dirty tricks, making opponents Blind to lock in the Sneak Attack Damage. He might tweak the ability scores, with a starting Con of 12 or wisdom of 13 to start the Intelligence at 13. He would take Combat Expertise at level 1

So at this point, out beclawed Tengu with nonmagical shield and mithril armor would look something like this.

BAB: +5
Saves: Fort+10 Ref+8 Will+5 + Evasion. This is without any magical enhancements. If this character were a Half-Orc or Halfling, it would get +1 to saving throws due to racial traits: Halfling Luck or Sacred Tattoos. In PFS, expect early acquisition of a Cloak of Protection +1.

Attacks: Claw 2d6+3, 1 Bite 1d3+3 + 4 attacks of opportunity & 1 Immediate Action attack 2d6+3 with attack bonuses of +8 for the Bite, +9 for the Claws. DPR=53. But again, this is without any magic items or buffs: no amulet of mighty fists, no Magic Fang.

AC: 10 +6 Breastplate +2 Shield +3 Dex = 21. We could reasonably expect +1 armor, shield, and +1 Ring of Protection by level 6, easily bringing it up to 24. The halfling version of this character would have an even higher AC due to Small size and Combat Expertise for an extra +3 to 27.

Where to go from here?

How about

7R2M3F1Alchemist1: Extracts, Bombs, Mutagen, Improved Grapple

The Dex Mutagen will raise the Dex 4 points, adding 2 more Attacks of Opportunity/round and bringing the AC up 2 more points, to at least 23, maybe approaching 30, possibly with a 50% Miss Chance if playing the Half-Orc version.

8R2M3F1A1Witch1: White Haired Witch, Crab Familiar
9R2M3F1A1W2: Constrict, Final Embrace.

With Constrict, This character becomes "a creature with the Constrict Ability," allowing her to take the Final Embrace Feat, giving her Claws the Grab Ability. Constrict applies to all natural attacks and every successful Grapple attempt, and she will use her Claw damage for constrict. The Hair doesn't exactly have Grab, but it has a Grab-like ability, and the +4 bonus due to Grab applies to all Grapple attempts regardless. Meanwhile, she is wearing armor with Armor Spikes, probably +1 by now, and Armor Spike Damage will accrue with every successful Grapple check.

So now the attack routine is

Bite 1d3+3/Hair 1d4+2 +2d6+3Constrict +1d6+4Spikes/Claw 2d6+3 +2d6+3Constrict +1d6+4Spikes/5 Opportunity & Immediate Action attacks 2d6+3 +2d6+3Constrict +1d6+4Spikes.

What's the DPR for that? Close to 200.

10R2M3F1A1W2Cavalier1: Coordinated Maneuvers or Paired Opportunist, Tactician
11R2M3F2A1W2C1: Greater Grapple, Potion Glutton
12R2M3F2A1W2C2: Order of the Penitent, Expert Captor

So if this character begins the round adjacent to her opponent, she can Initiate a Grapple as a Standard Action, then use Greater Grapple to Maintain a Grapple as a Move Action. The Expert Captor ability allows you to Tie Up an opponent you have Grappled--not Pinned!--without taking the usual -10.

If this character took an extract of True Strike or use such a Wand on herself the round before, she would get an additional +20 on the first check, then she could use Potion Glutton to take an Alchemal Extract of True Strike and execute the Tie Up action with +20 again. This is in addition to any other Grapple Bonuses she might get: BAB+10+ST+2+IG+2+GG+2+Familiar+2+Grab+4+Coordinated Maneuvers+2 = 24. That's without reckoning magical bonuses: Armbands of the Brawler +1, Brawling Enchantment +2, Adhesive +2, Gauntlets of the Skilled (Grappling) Maneuver +2, +2 Belt of Strength +1= +8. So we are talking about a character who could plausibly be walking around with a Grapple Mod of +32 and capable of buffing herself with a +20 twice in a round for a +52. Suggesting that if she begins her round next to a Shoggoth, a Great Wyrm Black Dragon, or a Balor Demon, she has a 90% chance of defeating it the next round. Not bad for level 12.

Grand Lodge

Scott nice to see some upgrades in your build above. =) I like the revamp. Only question...is freebooter necessary or can slayer do just as well? Basically the Freebooter's Bane (Ex) is Studied Target (Ex) in a nutshell. Is there more you're gaining from ranger I'm just not thinking about?


This is a variation of a character I played a couple campaigns ago.

Build:

Half Orc (City-Raised, Sacred Tattoo)
Inquisitor 12 (Desna, Exploration Subdomain)
Favored Class Bonus: "Add a +1/2 bonus on Intimidate checks and Knowledge checks to identify creatures" x12
Str 18 (16+2 racial)
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 17 (14+3 from leveling)
Cha 10
Traits: Fate's Favored, World Traveller (Kn Local)
Feats: Quick Draw, Power Attack, Furious Focus, Deepsight, Improved Initiative, one other
Bonus Teamwork Feats: Outflank, Precise Strike, Escape Route, Stealth Synergy
Skill Ranks: Intimidate 6, Kn Arcana 6, Kn Dungeoneering 6, Kn Local 1, Kn Nature 6, Kn Planes 6, Kn Religion 6, Perception 12, Sense Motive 6, Spellcraft 6, Stealth 6, 5 ranks to spend on singles to get the class skill bonus
Spells Known:
4th: Cure Critical Wounds, Divine Power, Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility
3rd: Dispel Magic, Greater Magic Weapon, Heroism, Magic Vestment
2nd: Blistering Invective, Invisibility, Resist Energy, See Invisibility, Silence
1st: Comprehend Languages, Disguise Self, Divine Favor, Litany of Sloth, Protection From Evil, True Strike
0th: Acid Splash, Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Sift, Spark

I went half-ranks on the various skills because of the racial and class bonuses you'd be getting. Use spells to enhance your weapons and armor. The only piece of gear this build really wants is a quickdraw light shield, but a buckler can work too. Lesser metamagic rods of extend spell are also really nice.

Basically, you're tanky because of the shield and armor (preferably mithral breastplate), can hit hard by two handing your weapon on your turn and pulling the shield back out at the end of your turn, you have mobility from dimensional jump, can scout well due to not needing light and having little to no acp on stealth, you've got lots of knowledges and are especially good at identifying monsters, and in rp you are one scary mofo and hard to fool (though one could put a few additional ranks in to sense motive just to be sure).


My warpriest I play is tanky with antagonize, this feat is alot of fun, and the dazzling display feat chain. If your GM is willing to allow Dazzling Display to be used with the major Glory blessing then that can be alot of fun. Plus as a tank and dropping 1 min long sanctuaries on allies can really help.


one of the most fun tanks I've played are a paladin who kept himself alive via free lay on hands each turn. He "drew aggro" by swinging a 2h sword with power attack and smiting. High charisma and insulting/mocking badguys worked to piss them off as well.

Pets (animal companions, summons, edilons) have also made interesting strong damage sponges for us in the past.


3 Levels Figher (Phalanx Soldier) - Reach with a 2 handed weapon
4 Levels Paladin (Sacred Shield) - Amazing AoE damage down to 1/2, saves, lay on hands

Then choices..I suggest one but anything will do.
More levels Paladin (Sacred Shield) - Share your shield AC with your party

Go for Aid Another feats (In Harm's Way etc), traits, items, etc. Use Aid Another as an AoO when your allies are targeted and raise their shield AC to the clouds.

Take the feat which I cant remember the name of...that if they provoke for moving and you hit them, they stay where they are (Cmb/ds might be involved).

Focus: Str > Con > Cha/Dex > wis/int

Now you have a durable, versatile, resilient tank which can still do damage and you'll be reducing your team's damage taken incredibly.


Fruian Thistlefoot wrote:
Scott nice to see some upgrades in your build above. =) I like the revamp. Only question...is freebooter necessary or can slayer do just as well? Basically the Freebooter's Bane (Ex) is Studied Target (Ex) in a nutshell. Is there more you're gaining from ranger I'm just not thinking about?

The real reason for taking levels in Ranger is the Combat Style Feat. In Pathfinder Society, you can't take Improved Natural Attack except by an embedded class feature such as the Ranger Combat Style Feat. But Slayers can take Ranger Combat Style Feats as Slayer Talents, so Slayer would work for that, too.

Freebooter's Bane grants that bonus to all members of the party, not just the Slayer, but that's a minor advantage.

Even 1 level in Ranger grants access to Spell Trigger Items such as Wands that Rangers can cast, such as Cure Light Wounds, Strong Jaw, Magic Fang, and Lockjaw, and I like that ability a lot.

But mostly, I'm not as familiar with the Advanced Class Guide.


Rylar wrote:

one of the most fun tanks I've played are a paladin who kept himself alive via free lay on hands each turn. He "drew aggro" by swinging a 2h sword with power attack and smiting. High charisma and insulting/mocking badguys worked to piss them off as well.

Pets (animal companions, summons, edilons) have also made interesting strong damage sponges for us in the past.

There's a method I've been wanting to try with the Alchemist Tumor Familiar. I would have the Familiar drink a potion of Shield Other to shield the character. Half the damage goes to the character, half to the familiar. A familiar could die that way, but the Tumor Familiar's damage is offset by re-entering the Alchemist's body and enjoying Fast Healing 5.

If the character takes 4 levels in Alchemist, he'll learn the extract Alchemal Allocation, so that 1 potion of Shield Other (or potion of anything) is all he'll ever need. Use the Share Spells Familiar ability to let the Familiar use Alchemal Allocation.


Charon's Little Helper wrote:
Fruian Thistlefoot wrote:
Quote:
Any build that doesn't have access to magic items is going to be outright garbage after a certain point.
I definitely second this opinion.
Third - though I believe that the OP probably just meant that the build can't rely upon a specific magic item to function.

Yeah, I don't think he really meant that the character would have no magic items, but rather that the build shouldn't hinge upon a specific magic item, like those 3.5 Prestige Classes Annointed Knight or Kensai.

I created a Pathfinder build where the character would take Master Craftman and Craft Magic Arms and Armor and build a +1 adamantine Earthbreaker hammer that would combine the Shatterspike and Maul-of-the-Titan (triple damage vs. inanimate objects) enchantments. He would then take Great Sunder and probably Great Cleave so that the residual triple damage would pass to the wielder.

That's an example of what I figure is precisely what the OP wants to not see.


Pretty sure you're inaccurate there Scott.

Read the OP again very carefully. He wants capabilities created by the character himself. Nothing wrong with the character using magic items, but he can't be dependent on the GM providing specific loot.

The Master Craftsman build you mention is within the character's own capabilities, he made it himself with his own two hands.


2 people marked this as a favorite.

Halfling Hunter 10/Beast Rider Cavalier 2
Order of the Cockatrice

Str 14 Dex 16 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 14 Cha 12

Small Cat advanced to Medium size (could also go big cat, but lose free trips and Str vs Dex build for bodyguard) With Bodyguard archetype and Weapon Finesse, Combat Reflexes, Bodyguard, Imp Trip, Greater Trip

1: Cav 1; Combat Expertise, Pack Flanking (Tactician)
2: Hun 1; Animal Focus
3: Hun 2; Outflank (free) Imp Share Spells Teamwork feat(Bodyguard loses this, have to get it back)
4: Hun 3; Escape Route (no provoke AoO's from movement while mounted)
5: Cav 2; Dazzling Display (free), Lookout Teamwork (AC bodyguard always acts in surprise round, now you both probably get full round in surprise round)
6: Hun 4;
7: Hun 5; Power Attack
8: Hun 6; Tandem Trip (roll twice and take better for AC free trips)
9: Hun 7; Combat Reflexes
10: Hun 8; Animal Focus boost
11: Hun 9; Stealth Synergy (max this on AC), Harder They Fall Teamwork (if you use Aid another on attack, they can trip 2 sizes larger)
12: Hun 10;

Now, you and AC roll stealth together and use highest roll/mods, you never provoke AoO from movement while mounted, while mounted you get a +4 to hit for you and AC, you always act in surprise rounds and normally get a full round instead of just a standard, the AC gets to roll twice and take the better for the free trip, and if it trips you both get AoOs, you can give the whole party Pack Flanking 1/day, to share the love.
If they attack mount, you roll a ride check to negate. If they attack you, the mount bodyguards as an AoO. With all the bonuses to hit you have, you can fight defensively pretty much all the time.
Mount also gets to take skirmisher tricks, (Vengeance Strike, Chameleon Step, Upending Strike (if you go big cat with no trip), Tangling attack, etc.) All great choices.

You Want Paired Opportunists (+4 AoOs when the trip works) and Wall of Flesh, so that your mount gets another size increase for tripping.

You do need an Agile AoMF for the AC (but that is standard for dex builds) and a +1 Menacing weapon will add another +2 to hit while mounted for both you and AC.

Take Taunt Feat to use bluff instead of intimidate for demoralize, and no size penalty if you want to focus on that debuff with Dazzling Display.


Devilkiller was saying that Pathfinder Unchained rewrote the Grappling rules, and it sounds like the iterative grappling feature I was describing is over. Can anybody confirm this?

Is Pathfinder Unchained intended to revise the rules in the Core Rulebook?


Scott Wilhelm wrote:

Devilkiller was saying that Pathfinder Unchained rewrote the Grappling rules, and it sounds like the iterative grappling feature I was describing is over. Can anybody confirm this?

Is Pathfinder Unchained intended to revise the rules in the Core Rulebook?

No, it presents alternative systems that can be swapped in at GM's discretion.


Scott- Yeah that sounds "interesting". I personally would never be able to play a character with a tumor familiar- just too gross for me. Well maybe I could if I was DMing... this could inspire a cool badguy...


Rylar wrote:
Scott- Yeah that sounds "interesting". I personally would never be able to play a character with a tumor familiar- just too gross for me. Well maybe I could if I was DMing... this could inspire a cool badguy...

You've never had a 'friend' that leeched and leeched and leeched off of you, living at your house, eating your food and taking everything he could convince you to give while giving nothing in return?

It's just like that, only attached to your body.


kyrt-ryder wrote:

You've never had a 'friend' that leeched and leeched and leeched off of you, living at your house, eating your food and taking everything he could convince you to give while giving nothing in return?

It's just like that, only attached to your body.

Careful, that describes many a gamer.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Errant Mercenary wrote:

3 Levels Figher (Phalanx Soldier) - Reach with a 2 handed weapon

4 Levels Paladin (Sacred Shield) - Amazing AoE damage down to 1/2, saves, lay on hands

Then choices..I suggest one but anything will do.
More levels Paladin (Sacred Shield) - Share your shield AC with your party

Go for Aid Another feats (In Harm's Way etc), traits, items, etc. Use Aid Another as an AoO when your allies are targeted and raise their shield AC to the clouds.

Take the feat which I cant remember the name of...that if they provoke for moving and you hit them, they stay where they are (Cmb/ds might be involved).

Focus: Str > Con > Cha/Dex > wis/int

Now you have a durable, versatile, resilient tank which can still do damage and you'll be reducing your team's damage taken incredibly.

I like Phalanx Soldier.

I would get Quick Draw so I could switch between Horsechopper and Lucerne Hammer, combining Reach Blunt, Slashing, Piercing, Brace, and Tripping whenever I want.

I would take the Antagonize Feat and position myself just right to finesse opponents into charging, then use Quick Draw to whip out the Lucerne Hammer and Ready it as Free Actions, hit them as they close for double damage, then hit them again as an Attack of Opportunity as they try to get inside my Reach.

Then I would take Shield Slam so that when they do get in close, I can just Bull Rush them back out again. I would take Greater Bull Rush so that allies next to me would get an attack of opportunity when I do Bull Rush them out, and I would take Paired Opportunist via a level in Cavalier or 3 levels in Inquisitor so that I'd get the AoO, too. If you set your victim up right, say flanking with your Ally, you can make your AoO another Shield Slam, provoking another AoO, looping AoO's until you can't do it any more.

Use a large, spiked shield or a klar. Get the Bashing enchantment on it, and your shield bash will do 2d6.

Take Great Cleave, and you will be able to able to use shield bash on opponents adjacent to you and also your Reach pole arm on opponents 10' away.


For a Shield-Slamming build, another very solid Option is Thunder and Fang. Still another possiblility would be taking 11 levels in the 2-weapon fighter archetype and wield 2 Earthbreakers. Maybe then take a couple of levels in Titan Mauler Barbarian and wield Large Earthbreakers: not too sure about that.


kyrt-ryder wrote:

Pretty sure you're inaccurate there Scott.

Read the OP again very carefully. He wants capabilities created by the character himself. Nothing wrong with the character using magic items, but he can't be dependent on the GM providing specific loot.

The Master Craftsman build you mention is within the character's own capabilities, he made it himself with his own two hands.

Maybe, but I'm as munchkinly as they come, and I considered that too cheap a trick to offer it as a serious suggestion. to work around the OP's condition.

But if the OP says he wants to see my Sundering build built around using Master Craftsman and Craft Magic Arms and Armor to build the perfect Sundering Weapon, I'd be only too happy to offer it.


Darigaaz the Igniter wrote:

This is a variation of a character I played a couple campaigns ago.

** spoiler omitted **
I went half-ranks on the various skills because of the racial and class bonuses you'd be getting. Use spells to enhance your weapons and armor. The only piece of gear this build really wants is a quickdraw light shield, but a buckler can work too. Lesser metamagic rods of extend spell are also really nice.

Basically, you're tanky because of the shield and armor (preferably mithral breastplate), can hit hard by two handing your weapon on your turn and pulling the shield back out at the end of your turn, you have mobility from dimensional jump, can scout well due to not needing light and having little to no acp on stealth, you've got lots of knowledges and are especially good at identifying monsters, and in rp you are one scary mofo and hard to fool (though one...

I like the idea, but I don't think it's square with RAW to make a 2 handed or 2 weapon attack, draw a Quick Draw Shield, and get an AC bonus that turn. You can start getting your Shield AC bonus next turn, but getting that turn runs afoul of the action economy.

You can hold a weapon in the same hand as you are using a Buckler, but you don't get your Shield AC bonus on the same round as you use that Buckler unless you take 19 levels in Fighter with the Thunderstriker Archetype. Then you can.

You get a +1 Shield bonus to AC when you use a Scizore, but not on rounds you attack with the Scizore.

You can get the Feat Improved Shield Bash, and then you can keep your Shield bonus to AC when you Bash.

You can get the Animated shield enchantment, and then you get your AC and both hands to attack with, too.

You can take 2 levels in Alchemist and take the Vestigial Arm or maybe Tentacle discoveries. then you can wield your shield with one limb and fight with the other 2, which interestingly enough is not against the rules.

A less alchemically-gross way you can do the same thing is to fight with weapon and shield, take Improved Unarmed Strike, and 2 weapon, swinging your sword in one hand and making unarmed strikes as a off-hand attack. Technically, you keep your shield bonus then, too.

You could take a level in something like Magus and use a Wand of Shield or cast a Shield Spell.

Liberty's Edge

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Charon's Little Helper wrote:

Halfling Arcane Duelist 11/Swash 1

Traits: Fate's Favored

Durable it's got - extremely solid will/reflex saves, very solid AC, and decent fort saves (+2 luck bonus to all saves).

Just for the record, the Fate's Favored trait does not enhance the Halfling's Luck save bonus. The trait enhances only Luck bonuses, Halfling's Luck is actually a Racial bonus.

Sovereign Court

Fomsie wrote:
Charon's Little Helper wrote:

Halfling Arcane Duelist 11/Swash 1

Traits: Fate's Favored

Durable it's got - extremely solid will/reflex saves, very solid AC, and decent fort saves (+2 luck bonus to all saves).

Just for the record, the Fate's Favored trait does not enhance the Halfling's Luck save bonus. The trait enhances only Luck bonuses, Halfling's Luck is actually a Racial bonus.

Yeah - sorry - got mixed up because the last time I played a halfling I traded out Halfling's Luck for Adaptable Luck - which IS actually a luck bonus.

Liberty's Edge

My dog and I routinely hand out a very large bonus to my allies armor class (up to +13, +3 luck to all adjacent when I fight defensively, +6 aid another bodyguard from me, +4 aid another bodyguard from the dog)

You can click on the profile to see the build

AC 30 when fighting defensively, Dog AC 27 when I fight defensively.


Scott Wilhelm wrote:
Darigaaz the Igniter wrote:

This is a variation of a character I played a couple campaigns ago.

** spoiler omitted **
I went half-ranks on the various skills because of the racial and class bonuses you'd be getting. Use spells to enhance your weapons and armor. The only piece of gear this build really wants is a quickdraw light shield, but a buckler can work too. Lesser metamagic rods of extend spell are also really nice.

Basically, you're tanky because of the shield and armor (preferably mithral breastplate), can hit hard by two handing your weapon on your turn and pulling the shield back out at the end of your turn, you have mobility from dimensional jump, can scout well due to not needing light and having little to no acp on stealth, you've got lots of knowledges and are especially good at identifying monsters, and in rp you are one scary mofo and hard to fool (though one...

I like the idea, but I don't think it's square with RAW to make a 2 handed or 2 weapon attack, draw a Quick Draw Shield, and get an AC bonus that turn. You can start getting your Shield AC bonus next turn, but getting that turn runs afoul of the action economy.

You can hold a weapon in the same hand as you are using a Buckler, but you don't get your Shield AC bonus on the same round as you use that Buckler unless you take 19 levels in Fighter with the Thunderstriker Archetype. Then you can.

You get a +1 Shield bonus to AC when you use a Scizore, but not on rounds you attack with the Scizore.

You can get the Feat Improved Shield Bash, and then you can keep your Shield bonus to AC when you Bash.

You can get the Animated shield enchantment, and then you get your AC and both hands to attack with, too.

You can take 2 levels in Alchemist and take the Vestigial Arm or maybe Tentacle discoveries. then you can wield your shield with one limb and fight with the other 2, which interestingly enough is not against the rules.

A less alchemically-gross way you can do the same thing is to fight with weapon...

With the Quick draw feat, putting on or stowing a quickdraw light shield is a free action. Changing from weilding a weapon one handed or two handed is also a fee action. So step 1: stow shield as a free action. Step 2: grip weapon with both hands as a free action. Step 3: attack. Step 4: switch back to one-handed grip as a free action. Step 5: re-draw shield as a free action.

The buckler strategy works similar, but less efficiently. step 1: grip weapon with 2 hands. Step 2: attack at -1. Step 3: wait until your next turn to switch grip since you won't benefit from your shield bonus anyway. This variation of the strategy requires more decision making, because you have to decide whether you want the extra damage or extra ac.


Scarred witchdoctor

For a more martial approach combine archon style with antagonize.
If the enemy attacks you, good. If the enemy attacks someone else they get multiple penalties, you can take the hit and you and adjacent allies can make AoOs.


Scott Wilhelm wrote:

I like the idea, but I don't think it's square with RAW to make a 2 handed or 2 weapon attack, draw a Quick Draw Shield, and get an AC bonus that turn. You can start getting your Shield AC bonus next turn, but getting that turn runs afoul of the action economy.

You can hold a weapon in the same hand as you are using a Buckler, but you don't get your Shield AC bonus on the same round as you use that Buckler unless you take 19 levels in Fighter with the Thunderstriker Archetype. Then you can.

You get a +1 Shield bonus to AC when you use a Scizore, but not on rounds you attack with the Scizore.

You can get the Feat Improved Shield Bash, and then you can keep your Shield bonus to AC when you Bash.

If all of the cases where attacking deprives you of your shield bonus need to explicitly call that out then it's not a general rule. It's always in the individual item rules or the rules for a specific attack action, not in the general rules for shields or attacking in general.

RAW You get the shield bonus as soon as you wield the shield. RAW the quickdraw shield has no clauses that cause you to lose your shield bonus. The shield bash rules have such a clause, but it only applies to shield bash, not attacks not made with the shield.


Atarlost and Darigaaz the Igniter,

As I said I like the idea, but I do have significant reservations about it, and I offer alternatives in the event that does not work out for our readers.

Darigaaz, I don't disagree with any part of your counter argument, but I don't think your counter argument really spoke to my reservations. I get that you are talking about Free actions and stuff, but what I was saying is that you can't use the same hand to defend yourself with a shield that you use to attack with. Thunderstriker Fighters need to be 19th level before they can enjoy the AC bonus of the shield hand they attacked with.

My advice to the readers for the reasons I've given is that you can't do quite what Darigaaz is doing, and you should take a look at the alternatives I proposed.

But, if you really do want go in Darigaaz's line of thinking, I have another suggestion.

Use a Quickdraw, Throwing Shield, and acquire a Blinkback Belt. Darigaaz already recommends taking Quickdraw.

You can throw a Throwing Shield as a Free Action. The Blinkback Belt recalls the shield immediately after the throwing attack is resolved, and you can then re-draw the shield as a Free Action.

Since throwing it again would then be a Free Action, you could potentially have a looping Free Action attack routine and do potentially infinite damage, but the rules specifically encourage GMs to put limits as they feel is necessary on the number of Free Actions allowed in a round, and I don't expect to ever meet a GM who wouldn't put such a limit on this.

The combination of Blinkback Belt, Quickdraw, and Quickdraw, Throwing Shield is worth considering even if my worst concerns turn out to be true for the readers, since you could use this trick to add one extra attack to your attack routine, say if you used that shield in conjunction with Bastard Sword and Unarmed strike, plus a Free action shield throw.


If Darigaaz took the Defense Subdomain of Protection instead of Exploration, he would get Shield as a Level 1 Domain Spell, possibly using a Wand of Shield, no dip into Magus necessary.

1 to 50 of 128 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | next > last >>
Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Advice / the most interesting to play "tanks" All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.