I've finally had enough of playing the best I can make and want to make something flavorful trouble is the munchkin in me wants to at least do flavor the best I can. NOTE: This is PFS.
Feats: I have no idea. Power attack somewhere but there's nothing else that springs to mind.
Goals: Strong AC(~35-38 by 12th using only 10 min/level and longer buffs), Strong casting(Save or sucks vs the lowest save have a chance of success), mediocre melee (Able to help clean up an encounter after it's clearly non threatening.). Must use a shield.
Weapon: Probably heavy pick? Although warhammer is just so iconic I might use it anyway. I will be putting spell storing on it and forging runes onto a party member's weapon to give it SS.
Spells: Largely buffs but I definitely want to use burst of radiance at some point. I want to have 2 spell storing weapons in the group via my own weapon and runes. I could use help deciding what to put in the SS weapons. Spell storing weapons just seem so cool and on flavor for a casting/melee dwarf that I'm largely set on them.
The biggest area I need help with is feats. I'm at a flat loss. I was going to say extend spell but I'm unsure what the point of it is with rods as cheap as 3k. Granted I can extend every weapon centered spell (GMW, bless weapon) but does that even help?
You can't take power attack until level 3, but if you take the feat Steel Soul your bonus from hardy goes up to +5 with the trait included, if you take the feat Deepsight, you have more darkvision, if you take Ironhide, you have +1 to natural armor, and there are a S#!+ ton of other good dwarf feats (*cough*goblin cleaver*cough*).
EDIT:I realize that my post ^ wasn't exactly helpful, so I recommend Ironhide because it helps you get the High AC, and Deepsight/Steel Soul benefits aren't as beneficial at lower levels where DCs are laughable.
You can't take power attack until level 3, but if you take the feat Steel Soul your bonus from hardy goes up to +5 with the trait included, if you take the feat Deepsight, you have more darkvision, if you take Ironhide, you have +1 to natural armor, and there are a S#!+ ton of other good dwarf feats (*cough*goblin cleaver*cough*).
EDIT:I realize that my post ^ wasn't exactly helpful, so I recommend Ironhide because it helps you get the High AC, and Deepsight/Steel Soul benefits aren't as beneficial at lower levels where DCs are laughable.
I guess I could skip power attack and take combat expertise or take both (ew...) for more AC. The +1 AC for a feat just doesn't seem like a good use of a feat but I could be wrong.
I guess I could skip power attack and take combat expertise or take both (ew...) for more AC. The +1 AC for a feat just doesn't seem like a good use of a feat but I could be wrong.
It isn't the best use of a feat, but it is just like dodge. That is just what I would take, Deepsight or Steel Soul are both great feats to take though. Yeah, taking both feats isn't a great idea, because you wind up with a -4 to hit as a 3/4 BAB class for just a bit more AC. Power attack is better because it is a prerequisite for the dwarven cleave feats. You can't take power attack at level 1 because you must have a +1 BAB to take it.
I guess I could skip power attack and take combat expertise or take both (ew...) for more AC. The +1 AC for a feat just doesn't seem like a good use of a feat but I could be wrong.
It isn't the best use of a feat, but it is just like dodge. That is just what I would take, Deepsight or Steel Soul are both great feats to take though. Yeah, taking both feats isn't a great idea, because you wind up with a -4 to hit as a 3/4 BAB class for just a bit more AC. Power attack is better because it is a prerequisite for the dwarven cleave feats. You can't take power attack at level 1 because you must have a +1 BAB to take it.
Dodge and Ironhide aren't bad feats, they're just not great. They both provide a +1 bonus to AC, one applies to Touch and one applies to Flat-Footed. You can do worse than a +1 bonus to your AC, though.
Deepsight and Steel Soul are also good suggestions. Improved Initiative is never bad. Combat Casting isn't a terrible idea, either (there's almost always a time you'll need it). Warrior Priest is a decent mix of those two (+1 Initiative and +2 to Concentration) and since you're taking Reactionary, it might be a better option than Improved Initiative. Suppose you could go with the Shield Focus stuff if you want the added boost to your AC.
@TheSideKick:Forgemaster isn't useless in PFS. It isn't great, but it makes a good Tank Cleric, (Free Heavy Armor Prof. at level 3) and you can make a nice melee cleric with it too. If you focus on having a shield and hammer/pick you can use a weapon cord to drop the weapon, cast Lead Blades, and re-grab it, and now your weapon does more damage, while you are wearing full-plate and a heavy shield. The Dwarven archetypes for cleric and paladin are just ways to make a different type of cleric/paladin. Metal Oracle can do the same thing, but the metal oracle 1.)Doesn't have ANY synergy with dwarves (At least forgemaster has wisdom need), 2.)Metal Oracle's can't prepare spells like a cleric. The best thing about preparing spells, is that you can change your buffs and de-buffs everyday.
@Undone:If you can't take the dwarven cleave feats, try spell focus. If you can cast Murderous Command and get it to work at later levels, you can stop encounters with unintelligent foes more quickly. The feat eschew materials is a nice one to let you cast in tight situations. For the weapon, I recommend focusing on the warhammer, and carrying a battleaxe and heavy pick for the purposes of DR. If you ever have the gold (Which with a high craft check you probably will) try obtaining masterwork battleaxe&heavy pick, and a +x warhammer. If you are willing to take the feat Martial Weapon Proficiency (Dwarven Waraxe) you should carry and focus on that because Waraxe+Leadblades=2d8damage in a 1 handed weapon. Also, if you want to focus more on AC than attack, there is Tower Shield Proficiency, because, although you take a -2 on attack rolls, you will just never get hit. ever.
@TheSideKick PFS replaces those with SF craft and heavy armor prof. I really like the rune forging. Additionally the artifice domain while not great has a FANTASTIC level 8 power, and a mediocer spell list. I considered the mendavian priest from inner sea magic for heavy armor prof and something like the glory(heroism) domain. Unfortunately I forfeit the runes which are equivalent to a +1 on your weapon. Keep in mind I've got a 5 cha and runes replace channeling.
ArmouredMonk13 wrote:
@TheSideKick:Forgemaster isn't useless in PFS. It isn't great, but it makes a good Tank Cleric, (Free Heavy Armor Prof. at level 3) and you can make a nice melee cleric with it too. If you focus on having a shield and hammer/pick you can use a weapon cord to drop the weapon, cast Lead Blades, and re-grab it, and now your weapon does more damage, while you are wearing full-plate and a heavy shield. The Dwarven archetypes for cleric and paladin are just ways to make a different type of cleric/paladin. Metal Oracle can do the same thing, but the metal oracle 1.)Doesn't have ANY synergy with dwarves (At least forgemaster has wisdom need), 2.)Metal Oracle's can't prepare spells like a cleric. The best thing about preparing spells, is that you can change your buffs and de-buffs everyday.
@Undone:If you can't take the dwarven cleave feats, try spell focus. If you can cast Murderous Command and get it to work at later levels, you can stop encounters with unintelligent foes more quickly. The feat eschew materials is a nice one to let you cast in tight situations. For the weapon, I recommend focusing on the warhammer, and carrying a battleaxe and heavy pick for the purposes of DR. If you ever have the gold (Which with a high craft check you probably will) try obtaining masterwork battleaxe&heavy pick, and a +x warhammer. If you are willing to take the feat Martial Weapon Proficiency (Dwarven Waraxe) you should carry and focus on that because Waraxe+Leadblades=2d8damage in a 1 handed weapon. Also, if you want to focus more on AC than attack, there is Tower Shield Proficiency, because, although you take a -2 on attack rolls, you will just never get hit. ever.
Can I murderous command off spell storing? I'd love if that worked. Spell storing is a little weird because some answers say it's the weapon casting it (in which case it's 12th level caster) some say it's as the caster. Marshal weapon prof is an option as is spell focus(Enchantment) if murderous command is really good. I did consider tower shield but if I take tower shield prof I'll have a REAL hard time hitting. Although my AC will be really, REALLY high.
BAB 2
Weapon 1
STR 3
Power attack -1
Tower shield -2
VS anything level 5 I'd need a 15+ to hit or 13+ with flanking. I don't believe this is reasonable or viable as I have to hit to use a spell storing weapon's effect. Marshal weapon prof is fine, so is Iron hide but I was hoping there were more feats like power attack which were just good.
