Critique my Cavalier


Advice


Hi,

I'm trying to make a cav that takes NO mounted feats. Strict DPR TWF.

Mostly I'm unsure what to take at 17 (currently stunning assault but with dazing at 13 it feels redundant)

Also after any better feat combos people might see. It's supposed to be a lockdown build (mostly around Stem the tide)

Be aware, we get 2 extra feats at first level and 3.5 is allowed. (No Shocktrooper though)

Cavalier:

Build: Cavalier 20 (Order of the Shield)
Race: Human
Concept- Commander, Knight of the people
STR 19 (22)
DEX 17
CON 15 (16)
INT 11
WIS 13 (14)
CHA 9
Favored Class: 8 for (+2)Cav alt favored bonus to banner, the rest for skills
Skills: Class (4), Human (1) = 5 per level
2 Flaws- Honorable Challenge, Merciful
2 Traits- Wisdom of Body- Acrobatics as class skill, use wisdom mod
Birthmark- +2 Trait bonus to saves vs. Charm and Compulsion effects.

Feats/Class Abilities:
1 Challenge 1/day, Mount, Tactician (Paired Opportunists)TWF, Improved Shieldbash, Doubleslice, Combat Reflexes
2 Resolute
3 Cavalier’s Charge, Power Attack
4 Challenge 2/day, Expert Trainer
5 Banner, Furious Focus
6 Two Weapon Pounce
7 Challenge 3/day, Shieldslam
8 Stem The Tide (Standstill)
9 Gtr Tactician (Outflank), ITWF
10 Challenge 4/day
11 Mighty Charge, Shieldmaster
12 Demanding Challenge, Dazing Assault
13 Challenge 5/day, Two Weapon Rend
14 Gtr Banner
15 Protect the Meek, Leap Attack
16 Challenge 6/day
17 Master Tactician (Coordinated Maneuvers), Stunning Assault
18 Combat Intuition
19 Challenge 7/day, Gtr Two Weapon Fighting
20 Supreme Charge

Combat

AC= 10 + 6 (Mithral Breastplate)+5(Amulet)+5(Ring)+5 (Dex+Belt) +5(armour enhancement)+1(Shield)+5(Shield Enhancement)+5(Defending Shield Spikes)= 47

Will- Trait +2 vs Charm, Compulsion
Banner- +6 vs Fear, Charm, Compulsion (+2 for favored). Plus wave banner for a 2nd saving throw. Banner also adds +4(+2 for favored) to charges for Cav and allies (works with Two Weapon Pounce)

On Mounted- The oppourtunity for 'proper mounted' rarely comes up in our games. Think of the horse as a PC buddy to flank with, rather than a mount. If the rare opportunity does come up your class abilities make it ok to charge to close (horse tripping)and dismount. You don't need mounted combat because the horse is tough, ride by attack not needed because you want to close and standstill.

Combat-1-6
Right from the start your a Melee Tank. When on foot you TWF pretty well and your mount flanks for you- offsetting the TWF penalty. Your wisdom is ok and with your trait and banner you are pretty well protected vs charm and compulsions (the most feared magic for a melee char). By 6 Cavalier's Charge means closing on horseback is good. TWP makes on foot charges nice. Your speed is a little down so charge to close and get sticky. Tactician is nice but 1/day it should be saved for important fights. Resolute reduces the damage you take so tanking works. Your challenge improves damage but you need to have that foe hit an ally to get the to hit bonus. So pairing/protecting a easy to hit ally helps, or delay your action till you know whose going to be attacked. Tactician grants extra AOO'S. Furious Focus ensures the first strike hits (relevant later for Dazing Assault)

7-14 Stem the tide means an enemy who moves can be stopped in their tracks by a successful AOO'S. They are effectively pinned, since only 5ft steps don't provoke and you can 5ft step next round and full attack. With 3 challenges a day- any tough looking opponent is fair game. Pair up with a high damage/easy to hit buddy (rogue) to maximize you challenge and Tactician bonus. Shieldslam lets you better protect friends by bashing them away from your allies, follow them as part of the action to keep full attacking. Once in a spot you like, pin them down with standstill. If they somehow move you can pounce them anyway. ITWF and outflank really upped your dpr so make pinning/full attacking your trick. The horse is still a good flank and adds damage. Once it gets charge through at 8 you should cavalier’s charge to close (the horse attempts to trip) quick dismount and pin with the horse flanking. Mighty charge makes this tactic even better. 4 Challenges a day is about 1/target per encounter.
Gtr Banner means not only do your and your allies have nice bonuses to charms, compulsions and fear but you can grant them a reroll if needed. Dazing Assault imposes -5 to hit for a daze layered on- Do it when you are 1. Buffed by a caster, 2. Menacing Outflanking or 3. Challenging.

15-20 Now we’re onto really big enemies and bigger rooms and open spaces. Leap Attack just made your pounce do over 100 damage when you charge. Your horse need a flying saddle. You should be challenging/tactician in all fights. Mounted is a still just for closing. You have the capacity for flight and stem the tide works in the air as well. TWR adds more damage and Stunning Assault now stunlocks opponents. Combat Intuition is like Wpn Fcs for all attacks.

Attack: BAB20 +3(Belt of Physical Perfection) +6(Str) +5(enhancement on Sword/+6 for +5 Bashing Shield)-2(TWF) -6(PA) +1(Combat Intuition) +Furious Focus= +33/30/22/25/17/20/12
Hasted +34/28/31/23/26/18/21/13
Hasted/Challenge +39/33/36/28/31/23/26/18
Hasted/Challenge/Lords Banner +41/35/38/30/33/25/28/20
Hasted/Challenge/Menacing Flank +43/37/40/32/35/27/30/22
Hasted/Challenge/Menacing Outflank +45/39/42/34/37/29/32/24
Haste/Challenge/Menacing Outflank and Lords Banner
+47/41/44/36/39/31/34/26

Hasted/Lords Banner +36/30/33/25/28/20/23/15
Hasted /Menacing Flank is +38/32/35/27/30/22/25/17
Hasted/Menacing Flank/Lords Banner or Outflank
+40/34/37/29/32/24/27/19
Haste/Menacing Outflank/Lords Banner
+42/36/39/31/34/26/29/21
TWP/Haste
40/35 (+6 Already added for Banner and Human Favored Bonus)

* A lords banner of Victory carried on the mount adds +2 to all attacks AND saves.
Charge- On foot your banner provides +6 to charges (class/favored bonus) and +8 when Mounted.
Mighty Charge- Double Crit threat and Free Trip attempt. (In addition to the horse’s charge through trip)

Damage: Primary
= +5, Shock, Wounding, Keen, Frost Scimitar
D6+ 5(wpn enhance) +9(str+belt) +1d6 (shock) +1d6(frost)+ 12(PA)= ave 36 per hit
Secondary:
+5 Impact, Bashing, Shock, Frost, Corrosive Shield
D6+ 5(Wpn enhance) +1d6(shock) +1d6(frost) +1d6(acid) +9(STR + belt) +1(Bashing) +6(PA)=35 per hit
Rend
1d10+13=18
TWP
- 89 or 129 if challenge/If using Leap attack the damage is 107 and 147 if challenging.
.

Also if anyone wants to figure DPR for a couple of the Attack Circumstances vs CR20 AC (which is 34 I think) that would be great.

Grand Lodge

What is with the flaws? What are they and what book are they from?


It's not like it would kill you to call your mother once in a while. Why can't you get a better mount, like your brother the paladin? That hair cut makes you look like a poor monk...

Wait - does critique mean the same thing as being critical?


Helaman wrote:
What is with the flaws? What are they and what book are they from?

It's from unearthed arcana. Take a max of 2 flaws for an extra feat for each one.you take.

In the 3.5 SRD

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