For my next Core character, I wanted to play around with Two-Weapon Fighting, and I like the advantages of a double weapon over two light weapons. But I'm looking at ways to streamline and optimize him.
Human Fighter
19/15/12/10/12/7
Traits: Dangerously Curious, Reactionary
1: Two-Weapon Fighting, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (two-bladed sword), Weapon Focus
2: Double Slice
3: Skill Focus (UMD)
4: Weapon Specialization, +1 Strength
5: Iron Will
6: Improved TWF
7: Power Attack
8: Greater Weapon Focus, +1 Dex
9: Improved Critical
10: Critical Focus
11: Two-Weapon Rend
Skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Swim, UMD
So nothing too fancy here. The only unusual thing is UMD, which will be mainly for utility and long-term buffs (like Longstrider and Barkskin). I'm a bit iffy on the skills though; I plan on wearing full plate eventually (probably stick with a regular breastplate until armor training 2), so I want to keep my Climb and Swim bonuses high to beat the ACP.
Any other suggestions?
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I like the build but might recommend the same feats but Grabbing them at different Levels.
My suggestion:
1: Two-Weapon Fighting, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (two-bladed sword), Weapon Focus
2: Power attack (This is for those times you move and get a single shot.)
3: Skill Focus- UMD
4: Weapon Specialization
5: Iron Will
6: Double Slice
7: Improved Two Weapon Fighting (I know you can take it earlier but no need to rush into a -5)
8: Greater Weapon Focus
9: Improved Critical
10: Critical Focus
11: Two Weapon Rend
I feel the Damage will be better taking the power attack earlier than the double slice and delaying Improved TWF 1 level.
It will be a very streamline build. I sat for a good 5 minutes trying to figure out a way to fit in Toughness cause of the 12 Con.
But what ever you go with I hope you have some fun with it.
Hmm. I really don't think I need Power Attack that early, because I've still got enough damage for the low levels, and at 4 and 5, my damage takes off anyway due to Strength boosts, Weapon Spec, and Weapon Training.
I don't think I need Toughness, because I think I can spare the FCB to go to hp, and my AC will be good due to full plate and filling out my expanded max Dex bonus from armor training.
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I think a strength based ranger could work out better for you:
Half elf : Weapon proficiency + bonus on saves vs enchantment
18/14/14/12/12/7 (same number of skills, more HP, same total strength as you don't need to put level points into dex)
traits: probably don't need all the UMD if you want spells primarily from the ranger spell list, so let grab reactionary and magical knack.
Feats:
1: Weapon Focus
2: TWF
3: double slice
5: iron will
6: ITWF
7:power attack
9: improved critical
10: two weapon rend
11:critical focus
+ spells, + skills, - Weapon training, + favoured enemy
I believe Advanced Weapon Training (Armed Bavery) is a better choice than Iron Will for any Fighter
I think a strength based ranger could work out better for you:
Half elf : Weapon proficiency + bonus on saves vs enchantment
18/14/14/12/12/7 (same number of skills, more HP, same total strength as you don't need to put level points into dex)
traits: probably don't need all the UMD if you want spells primarily from the ranger spell list, so let grab reactionary and magical knack.
Feats:
1: Weapon Focus
2: TWF
3: double slice
5: iron will
6: ITWF
7:power attack
9: improved critical
10: two weapon rend
11:critical focus+ spells, + skills, - Weapon training, + favoured enemy
Interesting...
I ran the numbers on the Ranger, and he's really quite sub-par when not fighting his favored enemy (and I'd rather not be so situational). However you have a good point about not needing UMD. If I took a single level dip into Ranger, I could drop the Skill Focus but still use most of the wands I wanted, get more skills to play around with, pick up a single favored enemy, and boost Fort and Reflex saves, at the cost of delaying my bonus feats and fighter class features for a level. I'll have to consider that.
I believe Advanced Weapon Training (Armed Bavery) is a better choice than Iron Will for any Fighter
But it's not Core.
How were you getting to a 17 DEX to qualify for Improved Two Weapon Fighting? I see only a 16 DEX by 8th.
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Instead of Double Slice, Combat Reflexes and Enlarge Person Potions could make for some pretty nice fun.
I'll either include it in my Belt, or get the separate Ioun Stone to boost it.
I already have a reach/AoO-based character, and I don't want to repeat fighting styles like that.
OK, here's a version that includes a Ranger dip:
19/15/12/12/10/7
Traits: Reactionary, Birthmark
F1: EWP(TBS), Weapon Focus, TWF
R1: favored enemy (evil outsiders) +2
F2: Double Slice, Iron Will
F3: armor training 1, +1 Strength
F4: Weapon Specialization, Power Attack
F5: weapon training 1
F6: ITWF, ???
F7: (retrain ??? to Improved Critical), armor training 2, +1 Dex
F8: GWFocus, Critical Focus
F9: weapon training 2
F10: Two-Weapon Rend, Bleeding Critical
Skills: Acrobatics, Knowledge (dungeoneering, nature), Survival, Perception, 1 in Climb and 2 in Swim from the Ranger level
The advantage here is in freeing up the feat slot from Skill Focus to eventually pick up a new critical feat at level 11, freeing up a trait slot to further boost the most important Will saves, adding a favored enemy bonus for some of the toughest enemies, and still getting wand access to Longstrider and Barkskin.
I think this may be the way to go, unless anyone else has suggestions.
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OK, here's a version that includes a Ranger dip:
19/15/12/12/10/7
Traits: Reactionary, Birthmark
F1: EWP(TBS), Weapon Focus, TWF
R1: favored enemy (evil outsiders) +2
F2: Double Slice, Iron Will
F3: armor training 1, +1 Strength
F4: Weapon Specialization, Power Attack
F5: weapon training 1
F6: ITWF, ???
F7: (retrain ??? to Improved Critical), armor training 2, +1 Dex
F8: GWFocus, Critical Focus
F9: weapon training 2
F10: Two-Weapon Rend, Bleeding CriticalSkills: Acrobatics, Knowledge (dungeoneering, nature), Survival, Perception, 1 in Climb and 2 in Swim from the Ranger level
The advantage here is in freeing up the feat slot from Skill Focus to eventually pick up a new critical feat at level 11, freeing up a trait slot to further boost the most important Will saves, adding a favored enemy bonus for some of the toughest enemies, and still getting wand access to Longstrider and Barkskin.
I think this may be the way to go, unless anyone else has suggestions.
I like this one Better than the straight Fighter.
Your favored Enemy is a good one for Season 5 stuff. But I have found Human and Undead to be better Favored Enemies if you don't know what season you would be playing.
OK, here's a version that includes a Ranger dip:
19/15/12/12/10/7
Traits: Reactionary, Birthmark
F1: EWP(TBS), Weapon Focus, TWF
R1: favored enemy (evil outsiders) +2
F2: Double Slice, Iron Will
F3: armor training 1, +1 Strength
F4: Weapon Specialization, Power Attack
F5: weapon training 1
F6: ITWF, ???
F7: (retrain ??? to Improved Critical), armor training 2, +1 Dex
F8: GWFocus, Critical Focus
F9: weapon training 2
F10: Two-Weapon Rend, Bleeding CriticalSkills: Acrobatics, Knowledge (dungeoneering, nature), Survival, Perception, 1 in Climb and 2 in Swim from the Ranger level
The advantage here is in freeing up the feat slot from Skill Focus to eventually pick up a new critical feat at level 11, freeing up a trait slot to further boost the most important Will saves, adding a favored enemy bonus for some of the toughest enemies, and still getting wand access to Longstrider and Barkskin.
I think this may be the way to go, unless anyone else has suggestions.
I like this one Better than the straight Fighter.
Your favored Enemy is a good one for Season 5 stuff. But I have found Human and Undead to be better Favored Enemies if you don't know what season you would be playing.
Undead and humanoids rarely have sky-high ACs or significant DR. I'm much more worried about evil outsiders in terms of general threat level.
How were you getting to a 17 DEX to qualify for Improved Two Weapon Fighting? I see only a 16 DEX by 8th.
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Instead of Double Slice, Combat Reflexes and Enlarge Person Potions could make for some pretty nice fun.I'll either include it in my Belt, or get the separate Ioun Stone to boost it.
I already have a reach/AoO-based character, and I don't want to repeat fighting styles like that.
But by dropping str by one point, you can get dex to 16. With a 4th level ability adjustment, you can grab 17, and then devote all your moeny into boosting str alone. Just ignore dex entirely after that, since you are the class that can get +3 max dex and full speed in full plate.
If you want to take ranger as a dip I like the guide archetype, unless you know you are going to be fighting a lot of one particular thing.
Always getting FE bonuses vs the BBEG regardless of what type it is is handy.
It sacrifices the companion later on, but you don't care.
This is Core only.
This is Core only.
Core as in CRB ONLY or Core as in the main line?
This is Core only.Core as in CRB ONLY or Core as in the main line?
CRB only (plus traits).