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Working on trying to make a shield super-user!

STR 18
DEX 14
CON 12
INT 12
WIS 10
CHA 10

Gear:

Flail (See below)
Sling (propulsive D6 damage that weighs nothing and shoots rocks off the ground? YES)
Breastplate (best we can get at lvl 1)
Steel Shield (best we can get at lvl 1)
Adventurer's Pack
Repair Kit
Crafting book

Versatile Human- Quick Repair general feat and Natural Ambition human ancestry feat to take Diety's Domain (Might) lvl 1 class feat.

Artisan- Blacksmith

Champion- NG Redeemer of Cayden Cailean take Weight of Guilt lvl 1 feat

The IDEA: Using a flail and Steel Shield do whatever it takes to keep people prone or disarmed. If someone attacks you- GREAT! use shield block. If they attack your friends- GREAT! Use your champion reaction and make them pay. After combat use Quick Repair to get that shield back to 100%. If you need to then use LOH for healing (duh) and make use of Athletic Rush to close and get extra +2 to those athletics checks to trip or disarm. You should be at a +9 (4+lvl+trained+power) making it a really good chance to do so. Your allies (rogues cough cough cough) will thank you for making it easier to sneak attack AND invoke AoO for your fighter friends as the enemies stand. Not to mention shooting the enemy action economy down by 1/3 when they do.

Level 2 and beyond: Fighter Dedication (2) and picking up Aggressive Block (4). Shield block will now afford you more control (since it should be your default reaction when taking damage). Take Shield Divine Ally (3) to make your shield last even longer. Take expert in Crafting (2) and Magical Crafting (3) ASAP and start improving your gear with the loot that rolls in. Keep on the lookout for the chance to craft improved shields/armor/weapons.

The MEH: This build doesn't have high CON. The way the math looks right now I do not see this as a problem since we are losing at most 1-2 HP per lvl. The CON can always be added later as you lvl up. Additionally you won't have the highest damage with your sad D6 weapon but you WILL be the tankiest tank in the party with awesome board control and debuffing moves that make your party happy. Also you lack darkvision or any easy way to fix this. Consider dropping versatile human for half-elf or half-orc and losing the divine domain OR Weight of Guilt. This offers low-light vision at least. Human Ancestry is important as it allows lvl 1 access to Quick Repair making you able to sustain the shield blocking (tried to find another way to do this but came up empty).

I considered using the fighter chassis and frankly could go either way. I chose the Champion because I think it looks fun to RP a crafty ex blacksmith's apprentice who uses his crafting to protect his allies and knock his foes around without killing them while yelling REPENT AND DRINK WITH MEEEEEE.

Thoughts?


Aren't you missing a +2 in the stats?


TheGoofyGE3K wrote:
Aren't you missing a +2 in the stats?

You are correct. My scrap paper lied to me. I would probably make INT 14 and go with the "crafter" theme more. Wis 12 would be my next choice.


Get yourself Unconventional Weaponry and a flickmace.

The gnome flickmace is absolutely the best weapon for champions and for one-handed-weapon fighters. It is not even a context. Reach 2 with a one-hander is crazy, and the weapon specialization knocks prone, which is great for Attacks of Opportunity.

If Standing provokes an Attack of Opportunity, as per page 474, the attack resolves after the creature has already stood up. If that is a critical hit, they get knocked right back prone.

Shadow Lodge

A flail has the disarm and trip traits, meaning the PC could add the item bonus to the attempt and have a greater chance for success.

Furthermore, Trip requires at least one free hand. Since the PC is a shield user, a flickmace would not work in that build unlike the flail which has the traits that allow the weapon to be used regardless of free hands.


The actual Trip action can be a little niche, note.

Reach works quite well with Attack of Opportunity.

Consider a flickmace paladin with Ranged Retribution.


Sammy T wrote:

A flail has the disarm and trip traits, meaning the PC could add the item bonus to the attempt and have a greater chance for success.

Furthermore, Trip requires at least one free hand. Since the PC is a shield user, a flickmace would not work in that build unlike the flail which has the traits that allow the weapon to be used regardless of free hands.

pg 283

Weapon with trip trait allows a Trip athletics check without a free hand i.e. Flail and board is allowed to trip

Shadow Lodge

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yes and that’s why I recommended it over the flickmace

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