Red Griffyn
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I had originally posted a DEX based reach build here:
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2u2qw?Dex-Based-Reach-Build#1
But didn't get any buy in. I've now reworked it with the help of reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder/comments/5iypij/pfs_legal_dex_reach_bui ld_paladin_2_unchained/
I was wondering if anyone had any input on the build now that I've tweaked it slightly. My main concern at this point is the utility or requirement of the Phalanx Formation Feat for a reach build in PFS. The build below takes it at level 1, but in theory you can optimize stats better by taking not taking it until level 11, and using the level in UnMonk to take the Dragon Style feat (ignoring the 15 STR requirement). Will I really miss this in PFS play, or is there a way to get around it / way to get it earlier in the build that I'm not seeing.
Build Order:
1 Paladin / 1 UnRogue / 1 UnMonk / 5 UnRogue / 1 Paladin / 2 UnRogue
Archetypes:
- Paladin (Divine Hunter/Order of the Wyrm)
x gives Precise Shot free and puts enlarge person on class spell list for wand usage)
- UnRogue (Scout/Thug)
x more reliable ways to get SA by charging/movement and dishing out better or longer intimidate effects for a Shattered Defense feat chain.
- UnMonk (Scaled Fist)
x Gives UnMonk off of CHA instead of WIS.
x Provides IUS to threaten 5ft square of the reach build, stunning fist, flurry of blows, bonus combat feat, and full DEX + CHA to AC. Use a wand of mage armour for low levels to stay competitive until you can afford stat pushes/armour from magic items.
x In theory opens up Dragon Style at Level 1 for a combat feat, but I opted not to take that in this build as per my question to you guys whether it was worth taking earlier.
Race:
- Half Elf
Racial Traits:
- Weapon Familiarity (to get Elven Branched Spear or Dual Minded for Cheese if you believe the wording in that item lets you treat it as martial anyways as a half-elf)
Traits:
- Reactionary (+1 Initiative)
- Dead Eye Bowman (Ignore 1 rank of softcover with ranged attacks)
Stats (Level 1):
- STR 14
- DEX 18 (16 + 2 from race)
- CON 12
- INT 10
- WIS 7
- CHA 15
Stats by Level 11:
- STR 15 (+1 STR at level 8 to get Dragon Style)
- DEX 22 (16 + 2 from race + 4 from Belt)
- CON 14 (12 + 2 from Ioun Stone)
- INT 10
- WIS 7
- CHA 20 (15 + 1 at level 4 + 4 Headband)
Level Progression (highlights):
- Level 1 Paladin (Martial Weapon Proficiency, Smite Evil, Precise Shot)
- Level 2 UnRogue (Weapon Finesse with Elven Branched Spear, SA 1D6)
- Level 3 UnMonk (US/IUS, Flurry of Blows, Stunning Fist, CHA to AC, Bonus Feat)
- Level 4 UnRogue (Talent 1, Evasion)
- Level 5 UnRogue (Dex to Damage with Elven Branched Spear, SA 2D6)
- Level 6 UnRogue (Sneak Attack on a Charge from Scout Archetype, Debilitating Injury, Talent 2)
- Level 7 UnRogue (Skill Unlock - Intimidate, SA 3D6)
- Level 8 UnRogue (Talent 3, Talent 4)
- Level 9 Paladin (CHA to saves, lay on hands)
- Level 10 UnRogue (SA 4D6)
- Level 11 UnRogue (Talent 5, Skirmisher)
Feats/Talents:
1C - Paladin - Precise Shot (ignore in -4 to hit with ranged attack into melee)
1F - Phalanx Formation (Allies don't provide softcover to reach weapons, applies to AoOs as well)
2C - UnRogue Finesse Training - Dex to Attack
3F - Power Attack
3C - UnMonk - Combat Reflexes (increase # of AoOs by Dex modifier)
4C - Rogue Talent - Weapon Training - Weapon Focus (Elven Branched Spear)
5F - Dazzling Display (Full round action to intimidate in 30ft radius)
5C - Finesse Training - Dex to Damage (Elven Branched Spear)
6C - Talent (Slow Reactions - allows charging past an enemy to get more SA on another opponent)
7F - Corguon Smash (Free Intimidate on Power Attack hit)
8C - Talent - Combat Trick - Shattered Defenses (gives SA on various conditions caused by intimidate)
8C - Talent (from human FCB) - Dragon Style (charge through allies and difficult terrain without issues, extra damage on first unarmed attack of the round, + to saves again certain effects)
9F - Lunge (extends reach by 5ft)
10C - Rogue Talent (Ninja Trick - Deflect Arrows)
11F - Gory Finish or Pushing Assault
Sneak Attack Methods:
1 - Charging an enemy (level 4 or 6th in the build - scout archetype). Coupled with the slowed reactions rogue sneak attack talent means the enemy you just hit with SA can't make any AoO so you can charge another enemy. You also get Dragon Style at level 8 which will significantly help with PFS where people are in the way or due to difficult terrain.
2 - Moving at least 10 ft before attacking (level 8 or 10th in the build - scout archetype). Again use slowed reactions here to move 10ft around a guy for SA.
3 - Flanking (level 1 or 2nd in the build - base rogue ability) which is easier with a reach weapon as it threatens more squares that a normal melee weapon.
4 - Using [power attack (PA) + Cornugon Smash for a free intimidate + Shattered Defenses which gives you a SA on people with conditions onset by intimidate checks]. This comes fully online at level 8 in the build and the intimidate conditions are elongated from the thug archetype or skill unlock for intimidate from the Rogue Edge ability (5th level or 7th level in the build).
Combat Tactics:
0 - If a buffing round is available, cast long arm/reduce person/enlarge person as desired for more reach or more damage. Note that reduce person will maintain reach and net increase DPR since you are full dex to damage at level 5 (and bump your AC with a size/dex bonus)
1 - If at Range, draw and fire bow until enemies are within charging range. Note with Precise Shot/Dead Eye you can pretty much ignore the -8 to hit that most people might incur. You are an effective reach based switch hitter.
2 - Drop Bow and Charge enemy. Get your SA and give them the hampered condition and slow reactions to cause them to need to lose a 5ft step ability (gives you an AoO). Power Attack + Cornugon Smash at will, get SA from charge.
2 - Full Round Action with PA + Cornugon Smash + Shattered Defense for SA damage on every attack, or charge to another target to repeat #2. Use of slow reaction rogue talent on first target ensures he can't attack you with AoO.
Roles:
1 - Combat - Ranged (DEX to hit and ignore -8 attack penalty that most suffer but you are Missing Deadly Aim/Rapid Shot/Many Shot to output high DPR like a true archer. Good for switch hitting or falling back as necessary)
2 - Combat - Reach (Amazing - Great ways to get SA at this range and best damage from DEX to hit/damage, lots of AoO to increase # of attacks/round, Causing Fear/Sickened conditions from your feat chains)
3 - Combat - Inside Reach (Good - Monk with stunning fist/flurry of blows, Dex to hit but STR to damage. It will always be optimal to back out and hit with your spear so you can get the full shattered defense feat chain going, but if you can get SA on your unarmed attacks then you can flurry and get your full SA dice on each hit which can be equivalent or better. It also means you always threaten the 5ft square with your unarmed attacks).
4 - Skills - Face - CHA is high, should pump a skill into each face skill, especially intimidate since you are an intimidate build.
5 - Skills - UMD Utility - You will have a high UMD, so pick up wands and scrolls to increase your utility. At a minimum you'll need a wand of Mage Armor (low levels) until you can buy up a better AC via magic items, Enlarge Person (no UMD needed due to Oath of the Wyrm Paladin Archetype), Reduce Person (Great buff for dex reach build), Long Arm, and CLW).
6 - Skills - UnRogue will give you enough skills to max out perception, Face/UMD, Acrobatics, and a few into other random skills as desired.
7 - Healer/Buffer - Self healing via Lay on Hands and Healing/Buff wands using the Paladin class spell list.
Items:
- AoMF +1 (Could use body wrap and get the Amulet of Natural Armor if desired)
- Belt +4 DEX
- Headband +4 CHA
- Ioun Stone (+2 CON, +1 Reflex Resonant Power)
- Eyes of the Eagle (+5 Perception)
- Cloak of Resistance (+2) (Will save will not be great until level 9, after which you get CHA to all saves and another +2 vs. enchantments as elf +2 against some effects from Dragon Style at level 8)
- Circlet of Persuasion (+3 to CHA checks, extra face time)
- Ring of Force Shield
- Ring of Protection (+2)
- Bracers of Armor (+4) - Use a wand of mage armour until you can get the bonus on this high enough.
- +1 Cruel Adamantine Elven Spear
- MSW Cold Steel and MSW Silversheen Elven Spear
- MSW Greenwood +2 Str Composite Longbow (various arrows)
- Handy Haversack (with no armor and a high STR you are doing fairly well here, but not provoking AoO when pulling stowed items is nice).
| Scott Wilhelm |
Usually I favor Dirty Tricks to Blind opponents as as way of denying opponents Dex Bonuses and locking in Sneak Attack Damage. For starters, you need to score 2 hits before you make your opponents Flatfooted: 1 to Shaken, 1 to Flatfoot. Dirty Tricks takes only 1 to Blind, then you are in business. Of course, the disadvantage of Dirty Tricks is that while you are playing the Trick, you aren't inflicting Damage. With Shatter Defenses and Cornudgeon Smash, the first hit is a regular hit that does damage and also Intimidates. The 2nd hit is a real hit that also Flat-Foots.
I see the advantage of using Cornudgeon Smash and Shatter Defenses is that you are not merely denying your opponents their Dex, you are actually making them Flatfooted, and that opens the door to Sap Adept, Sap Master, and Knockout Artist Feats. These Feats will more than double your Sneak Attack Damage. But your opponents have to be actually Flatfooted. And you have to be inflicting Blunt, Nonlethal Damage. Furthermore, Knockout Artist only works if you are using Unarmed Strikes.
I see you are charging a lot. Dude, lance: Double Damage on a charge!
So you can't Flurry and Charge at the same time. If you are going to be spending most of yoru time Charging through the battlefield or skirmishing round the battlefield using your Scout ability, you are going to be hitting opponetns 1/round anyway, and maybe you might as well wear Armor.
If you are going to be doing a lot more Flurrying, then you should stick to no armor and consider those Sap and Knockout feats I mentioned above.
If you are going to spend a lot of time in Mage Armor, consider a dip into Arcanist. You can get that Arcane Exploit Dimensional Slide, a 10' Teleport that doesn't leave you disoriented. The should really help lock in Sneak Attack Damage with the Flanking.
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Red Griffyn
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Well the idea here is that at level 6 you charge an opponent and power attack. On a successful hit:
- The scout archetype gives you SA for the charge and a free intimidate if it hits. With Phalanx Formation and Dragon Style you can charge through terrain/allies and even charge and hit through as a second line (i.e.,in the situation with R X X X A E if you are R you can charge behind A for ally and hit E for enemy since there is no softcover between you and your attack). This only gets more ridiculous with long arm, lunge, and enlarge person.
- A successful intimidate causes him to be shaken for 1 round for every increment of 5 my intimidate check is above the DC involved. With my rogue skill unlock at 7 if I beat it by level 10 he is frightened for 1 round then shaken (at 10 ranks in intimidate this increases to panicked for 1 round or frightened for 1D4 rounds). The thug archetype extends the shaken by 1 more round.
- On a successful SA you apply the hampered condition and the slowed reaction talent. This causes him to lose the ability to 5 foot step and you no long provoke AoO from him for a round.
- On the enemies turn he either runs away (provokes an AoO from your reach) or closes the 5ft to hit you (provokes an AoO). Really if you are intimidating him he should be running but GMs be GMs (Its better if he comes towards you because he is still denied his full attack and now he is in range for your full attack next round). Since he is shaken you apply Shattered Defenses causing him to become flat footed and again redo your intimidate conditions. If you have a cruel weapon you now apply the sickened condition for 1 round. Alternatively and now that I am playing it out in my head maybe it would be better to get a Fortuitous Weapon so you get two AoO on an already shaken enemy. Then the second strike will get you SA dice from applying Shattered Defenses. In theory that gives you up to 3 Attacks in the first round against one enemy with SA on up to two of the attacks in addition to any other AoOs spawned by other enemies.
- On your turn, if the enemy is still within a 5ft stepping distance you can take a full round attack for SA on all your dice and get Shattered Defenses going continuously until the enemy drops. You could also step in and flurry for the extra SA dice (but you won't get Shattered Defenses). Keep in mind that with long arms, enlarge, and lunge you may actually be able to full attack at quite the distance. If he did run away, you can charge right into the back of him (he'll only have half speed anyways) and use Shattered Defenses again so on the next set of AoO you get two SA dice. Alternatively if there are multiple opponents maybe you can charge into a square that threatens multiple opponents in your reach and give yourself an opportunity to hit multiple opponents for that second SA from a fortuitous weapon.
- Downsides are if the enemy takes the withdraw action, if the enemy doesn't move and give an AoO (say he is grappled with an ally or the GM doesn't play it properly) then you are left with one way to get SA per turn (i.e., charging).
- The thing is this build is a reach build first and foremost. The aim was to get DEX to hit and damage (including on Power Attack to look like a full STR reach build for damage) combined with lots of AC/AoOs from a high DEX to maximize the # of potential attacks in any one round. The flurry/Stunning Fist/US/IUS are to provide a better constant 5ft threat inside reach (over a spiked gauntlet) but I wouldn't give up reach abilities to become better at getting SA in my 5ft square. I'm looking to mostly Charge into battlefield control spots then doll out AoO. I can focus down one guy by following him and getting SA on him with Charges/AoO/Shattered Defense and slowly cause a wave of shaken conditions on other enemies from my AoOs when I apply Power Attack + Cornugon Smash.
- At Level 11 you could take Gory Finish and get free intimidates in a 30ft radius when you kill an enemy. It would help getting Shattered Defenses more quickly once you drop one guy.