Ardenup's page

To the OP, not sure if you've tried it yet. But if DPR is your problem with rogues sucking? Build a 2handed brute rogue. Human is better for the extra talents favored class.

Take power attack, Conrugan Smash (cheliax book), shatter defenses and intimidating prowess or skill focus:intimidate.

Basically you get a free check to demoralized whoever you hit. Shatter defences let's you auto sneak attack any demoralized targets. AUTO SA with no flank needed.

If you use scout Varient from APG first your charges then moves 10ft or more are auto SA.

Basically all full attacks and allstandard
attacks become SA. DPR issue solved.
Layering on Crippling Strike rocks too.

ASubtle weapon (core book) adds +4 to hit on all SA. Missing is not a problem.

Is there any other thing REALLY, beside DPR you don't like them mechanically?

Hi, just wanna check my reading of Deadly Defense is Correct (Two Weapon Warrior Archetype) it says ‘When a 2 weapon warrior makes a full attack with both weapons every creature that hits him with a melee attack before his next turn provokes an AOO.’

My question: is it one AOO or one AOO PER HIT. If a creature hits you 3 times does it provoke 3 times?

Cheers.

Hi,

normally the aid another action can grant a +2 to an ally's attack or ac etc.

The swift aid feat states you can use aid another as a swift action to grant an ally a +1 to attack or AC.

Is this a unique ability rather than simply using aid another as a swift action for the usual +2?
Is it a typo.

Further how does this interact with an order of the dragon cavalier who can use aid another to grant up to +5? Could he use swift aid to grant his +5?

Cheers.

Here's the best combat monster i can think of.

Human- extra spells favored class.
Domain: Animal (Wolf)

The Wolf has 2 attacks that auto trip. Feats are:
ats
1- Light Armour Prof
2- Paired Oppurtunists
5- Ability Fcs: Trip
8- Outflank
10- Power Attack
13- Iron Will
16- Iron Will Improved
18- Furious Focus

Your feats/Traits
Traits- Desperate Focus, Ancestral Weapon (Falchion)
1- Combat Expertise, Improved Dirty Trick
3- Power Attack, Paired Oppurtunists
5-Boon Companion
6- Outflank
7-Gangup
9-Weapon Prof: Falchion, Co-ordinated Manuveres
11-Gtr Dirty Trick
12-Shielded Caster
13-Furious Focus
15-Swap Places
17-Feat
18-Allied Spellcaster
19-Feat.

Reasons: Dirty Tricks work at all levels you get +4 or +6 conditionally
Gangup; Paired Oppurtunists and Outflank is massively powerful-it grants your and your auto tripping wolf heaps of extra attacks at +4 or +8 to hit.
Furious Focus +Dreadful Carnage synergies well with your intimidating class ability and is a free debuff.
You'll likely never lose a spell when adjacent to an ally.

Dude,

If your mate is willing to look at the following build he'll love it.

Basics- Scout archetype
Gets SA whenever he moves NO FLANK REQUIRED
Gets auto intimidate on foes he hits, said foes are flat footed= SA NO FLANK REQUIRED

I've been using this in one of my games and the DPR is awesome! And did I mention NO FLANK REQUIRED!

*Note: If you wanna squeeze combat reflexes ino the build, forget the longsword proficiency and 2Hand a Heavy Mace- but I can't fathom a rogue not stabbing things!

Rage Powers (the new ones at least) are better than feats
Try This:

Now ths build rocks DR10/-,
Has awesome saves

You Like? Haven't worked out the dpr but basically your full attack is only a little less damaging than a 2H fighter archetype (you lack backswing and overhand chop powers) vs a non caster and the same vs a caster, but you can full attack more often. And Eat alot more hits!!

(Cookies to Paizo for giving us this goodness)

Alexander Kilcoyne wrote:

Any enlarged martial class with a reach weapon is a pretty good 'tank' in my eyes. Hard to ignore.

Just to point out, past a certain level (13ish) everything can fly or have some alternate movement so a fighter needs to be able to adapt to that. It's hard to "tank" something that is 30' away, flying, and bombarding the party.

Well that depends- would a fighter who had Three Mountains (CW- neauseate if successfully attack with 2x hits) and Bounding assault (2 attacks when using spring attack) be able to do it if he had

A neaseated bad guy can't attack anyone, just move. So Bounding Assault again and neaseate again. Repeat until dead.

Cheers.

Seems you're open to 3.5 then.

Warblade's and Crusader's make awesome tanks.

We allow the martial study, martial stance feats but not the classes.

A good way to make a tank is to get the Bad guy thinking your not a tank.

One method is Fighter20 go full twf and take vanguard stike with a feat then the martial spirit stance (available earlyish) you or a buddy heal 2hp for every hit. Take rolibar's gambit for AOO when you get hit. you'll be doing a ton of damage (to get there attention) and healing between 6 and 14 hp per round (stacks with ring of regen).

Another option is 2h a falchion and take Combat Fcs, Stability and vigor -10rds of fast healing 4 after you're first hit. This continues even after they drop, so mook fights should see you near full hp without help. Trade full attacks- you'd be suprised how not wearing a shield and doing heaps of damage gets attention. Also get Bounding Assault or Deadly Stroke. If they move away to target a buddy you still deal near full damage on a move.

See both builds in full in 'Best Ftr builds, 1 to 20' thread

Also, Tripping is awesome below 13, they can't ignore you/move away when on their backside!At later levels the crit feats rock- staggered, blind and stun are best as they rob the enemy of actions or capacity to find your friends

And this Is my favortie TWF'r build

Trip Master:

Build: Fighter 20
Race: Human Alignment: Lawful Good
Ability Scores:
STR 20
DEX 17 (20)
CON 11 (12)
INT 13
WIS 13 (14)
CHA 9
Favored Class:Fighter (hit points)
Skills- Including Int, Human 5 per level
2 Flaws- – Honorable Challenge, Merciful
2 Traits Carefully HiddenYour life as a member of an unpopular ethnic group has given you an uncanny knack for avoiding detection. You gain a +1 trait bonus to Will saves and a +2 trait bonus to saving throws versus divination effects.
Threatening Defender You know how to avoid a blow while still maintaining your offensive posture.
Benefit: When you use Combat Expertise, reduce the number you subtract from your melee attack rolls by 1.
Char Lvl Class BAB Fort Ref Will Feats/Special
1 Ftr1 1 2 0 0 Improved Trip, TWF, Weapon Fcs: Longsword, Weapon Fcs: Handaxe, Combat Expertise
2 Ftr2 2 3 0 0 High sword, Low Axe
3 Ftr3 3 3 1 1 Doubleslice, Armor Training
4 Ftr4 4 4 1 1 Gtr Trip (swap for Martial Stance:Leading the attack at lvl 12)

5 Ftr5 5 4 1 1 Wpn Spl: Longsword
Weapon Training
6 Ftr6 6 5 2 2 Two weapon pounce
7 Ftr7 7 5 2 2 ITWF, Armor Training
8 Ftr8 8 6 2 2 Melee Weapon Mastery (Slashing)
9 Ftr9 9 6 3 3 Power Attack, Weapon Training
10 Ftr10 10 7 3 3 Gtr Weapon Fcs: Longsword
11 Ftr11 11 7 3 3 Two Weapon Rend, Armor Training
12 Ftr12 12 8 4 4 Combat Reflexes
13 Ftr13 13 8 4 4 Martial Stance: Martial Spirit, Weapon Training
14 Ftr14 14 9 4 4 Gtr Weapon Spl: Longsword
15 Ftr15 15 9 5 5 Gtr TWF Armor Training
16 Ftr16 16 10 5 5 Rolibars Gambit
17 Ftr17 17 10 5 5 Penetrating Strike, Weapon Training
18 Ftr18 18 11 6 6 Wpn Supremacy (Longsword),
19 Ftr19 19 11 6 6 Martial Stance- Thicket of blades, Armor Mastery
20 Ftr20 20 12 6 6 Standstill, Weapon Mastery
AC= 10 +8 (Plate) +5(Magic)+5(Amuet)+5(Ring)+8 (Dex+Belt)= 41 or 46 if Fighting using Expertise.

Combat- Up until level 6 your best option is full attack. At level 6 you learn two weapon pounce allowing you to make two attacks at the end of a charge. You are a trip monkey.

Level 7-12 You can now move at full speed in heavy armour (wear adamantine fullplate if you can get it- DR3/-) At these levels your defense gets a big improvement and damage increases. At 9 your weapon training bonus negates the TWF penalty with the primary hand and makes it -1 with the offhand. Healing stance lets you recover in a fight.

12-17 Here is where your damage gets to serious levels- Two weapon rend is great, Gtr Two weapon grants yet another attack. Power attack (-5) adds +10 to the primary hand and +5 to the off hand. Typically Power attack and TWF at level 17 (BAB) would impose a -7 to your attack bonus, but weapon training reduces this penalty to just -3 and Melee weapon mastery and Wpn fcs, Gtr reduces it to +1, offhand it's -1. So your full attack is 18/16/13/11/8/6/3. Your charges are now doing heaps more as well- two attacks at +18/16 (factoring in power attack) for +10/+5 bonus damage- leap attack doubles this to +20/+10 (+2 For wpn mastery, +4primary,+3 secondary for weapon training)Add rend to any attack that hits twice.

18-20 You are a blender. Heaps of attacks for big damage and good healing. You aren't much more than a full attacking, pouncing machine, but you are awesome at it and difficult to kill. You obviously gain weapon and armour mastery (Taking you to DR 5/-) and confirming crits with the Longsword.Thicket of blades lets you swap a healing stance for heaps of AOO, Standstill lets you pin them down (better than re-learning gtr trip because of frequency of use and lets you pin multiple opponents.

Taking weapon Training and full power attack into account Final Full Attack is
Primary Hand and off hand
BAB20 +4(Gtr Wpn Fcs, Mastery)+ 4(Weapon Training) -2TWF+ 5(STR) +3(Belt of Physical Perfection) +5(wpn enhancement) -5(PA) 34/33/29/28/24/23/19(plus another +34 for boots of speed)

Damage Primary= +5, Shock, holy, keen, ghost touch longsword
D8+ 5(wpn enhance) +5(str) +3(belt of perfection) +10(wpn train, wpn mastery, wpn spl) +1d6 (shock) +2d6(holy)+ 10(PA)= ave 40 or 46 if evil

Damage Secondary= +5 Sonic, Holy, Wounding Handaxe
D6+ 5(wpn enhance) +5(str) +3(belt of perfection) +10(wpn train, wpn mastery, wpn spl) +1d6 (sonic) +2d6(holy)+ 5(PA)= ave 34 or 40 if evil

Plus 1d10+ 12 for twr.
So around 91pts damage on a hit with both 1st primary and offhand.
On a full attack your first 2 are auto, 3rd is 80%, 4th 75%, 5th you can treat the roll as a 10 (auto), 6th is 50% and 7th (with 5added for supremacy) is 50%. Averages says 6 will hit (3primary, 2 sec and one either.
214 for the hits plus 17 for rend= 230dpr (+40 with BOS)
Without PA on your to hit increases to 39/38 on a charge (not counting +2 for charging) but you lose 15points of damage. Leave PA on for charges since you only get 2 and they'll both hit anyway.
For a full attack 39/38/34/33/29/28/23(plus another +39 for boots of speed)
VS AC 33 you'll get more hits but less PA damage.
7 hits is 210 points of damage (+29 for BOS) so vs AC's below 36 leave it on.

A ton of hitting attacks, self healing tripping death machine. Deals quite a bit more damage than the 2 hander (in fact most dual wielding rogues struggle to keep up.

Big Weakness- Will Save.

If you wanna focus on a 2 handed fighter. This is my favorite build. Be aware. We allow 3.5 and Roll 4d6 drop low. 2 flaws allowed.

I'm having a ball with this (currently level 14) and I'm Kicking a$$ hard.

Build: Fighter 20
Race: Human Alignment: Lawful Good
Ability Scores:
STR 17+2human (20)
DEX 13 (14)
CON 15 (16)
INT 15 (16)
WIS 13 (14)
CHA 9
Favored Class:Fighter (hit point), Including Int, Human 5 per level until int =16 then 6 per level.
2 Flaws- – Honorable Challenge, Merciful
2 Traits Carefully HiddenYour life as a member of an unpopular ethnic group has given you an uncanny knack for avoiding detection. You gain a +1 trait bonus to Will saves and a +2 trait bonus to saving throws versus divination effects.
Threatening Defender You know how to avoid a blow while still maintaining your offensive posture.
Benefit: When you use Combat Expertise, reduce the number you subtract from your melee attack rolls by 1.
Char Lvl Class BAB Fort Ref Will Feats/Special
1 Ftr1 1 2 0 0 Wpn Fcs: Falchion, Power Attack, Dodge, Mobility, Combat Fcs
2 Ftr2 2 3 0 0 Cleave (swap for Spring Attack at level 4)
3 Ftr3 3 3 1 1 Combat Stability, Armor Training
4 Ftr4 4 4 1 1 Wpn Spl: Falchion

5 Ftr5 5 4 1 1 Combat Expertise, Weapon Training
6 Ftr6 6 5 2 2 Whirlwind Attack
7 Ftr7 7 5 2 2 Elusive Target, Armor Training
8 Ftr8 8 6 2 2 Melee Weapon Mastery (Slashing)
9 Ftr9 9 6 3 3 Combat Vigor, Weapon Training
10 Ftr10 10 7 3 3 Gtr Weapon Fcs: Falchion
11 Ftr11 11 7 3 3 Critical Focus, Armor Training
12 Ftr12 12 8 4 4 Bounding Assault
13 Ftr13 13 8 4 4 Lunge, Weapon Training
14 Ftr14 14 9 4 4 Gtr Weapon Spl
15 Ftr15 15 9 5 5 Blinding Critical, Armor Training
16 Ftr16 16 10 5 5 Blindfight
17 Ftr17 17 10 5 5 Combat Awareness, Weapon Training
18 Ftr18 18 11 6 6 Weapon Supremacy
19 Ftr19 19 11 6 6 Rapid Blitz, Armor Mastery
20 Ftr20 20 12 6 6 Combat Strike Weapon Mastery

AC= 10 +8 (Plate) +5(Magic)+5(Amuet)+5(Ring)+5 (Dex+Belt) +1(Dodge)= 39 or 44 if Fighting using Expertise.

Combat- Up until level 6 your best option is charge and cleave. You are hard to affect with combat manuveres, once you learn Whirlwind attack you can hit everyone in reach.

Level 7-12 You can now move at full speed in heavy armour (wear adamantine fullplate if you can get it- DR3/-) At these levels your defense gets a big improvement and damage increases. Because of three Focus feats, Combat Fcs your will save is high +4.
Combat vigor is fast healing 4- you are very durable. Elusive target grants some great abilities (Negate PA, Diverting Defense are the best) Bounding Assault makes a standard attack into a full attack.

12-17 Now with bounding assault there's no reason not to move around in combat. Combat Awareness grants blindsight to 5ft and gives you the HP total of adjacent allies, You can now blind opponents on a crit. Lunge lets you whirlwind everyone in 10ft. (15ft if enlarged)

18-20 You have a great will save (for a fighter). You obviously gain weapon and armour mastery (Taking you to DR 5/-) and confirming crits with the Falchion. Full attacks should be devastating thanks to supremacy. First and second attack should be auto,take 10 to the 3rd (now auto) and add +5 on the 4th (60%). Rapid blitz gives 3 attacks on a spring attack and against really tough foes you can end your focus for +5 to hit and damage on your next attacks.

Taking weapon Training and full power attack into account Final Full Attack is
BAB20 +4(Gtr Wpn Fcs, Mastery)+ 4(Weapon Training) + 5(STR) +3(Belt of Physical Perfection) +5(wpn enhancement) -5(PA) 36/31/26/21(plus another +36 for boots of speed)

Damage Primary= +5, Shock, holy, keen, ghost touch Falchion
D8+ 5(wpn enhance) +12(str,belt x1.5) +10(wpn train, wpn mastery, wpn spl) +1d6 (shock) +2d6(holy)+ 15(PA)= ave 49 or 55vs evil

So around at least 98 w50% of another 49 on a move- ave 125
DPR is 147 guaranteed with a 50% chance of anothee 49 so ave is 173.

** My Dpr Math may be off a bit. Truthfully I ain't great with the averages. my chars tend to do well because I find as many stackable feats for +1's as I can. I do notice however I do kill most things pretty easily and rarely need buffing. Mostly my mage helps me overcome obstacles so I can reach things that need killin.

Please tell me you took skill fcs: intimidate.

I'd go ftr next for dazzling display and use combat trick talent for shatter defences...

get a skill item if you need help on the intimidate check.

Feint is a trap.
Intimidate a single foe (standard action) or everyone (full round) then treat those who fail as shaken (-2 attack, good for you) and flat footed (no dex to AC- easier to hit and can't AOO you, automatic SA without needing a flank) this can last multiple rounds depending on how much you win your check by.

Conrugan smash (if allowed) lets you intimidate as a free action...awesome.

Ftr9/Rogue11 is great and Rogue 20 is also great with this trick (the first option is better for to hit and defense but less damage-still heaps though)

Sorry to repost from another thread but I figure this to be a good place as the shadow spells concern my build

I am building a straight sorcerer for a party of optimisers consisting of
TWF ranger,
Falchion master fighter
Cleric/fist of raziel
Falchion intimidate/shatter defences orc rogue.

I was leaning towards gnome (+2 cha ,+1 illusion), speed bites but this build relies on high illusion DC's

normally i focus on b/c, buffing and no save debuffs.

For this build though i'd actually prefer to be as versatile as possible but with a focus on Save or die and blasting and necromancy.

I've considered fey bloodline but have settled on arcane (for the free metamagic and extra spells and extra dc on metamagicked spells and spell power). i'll take the familiar option as well.

We allow two flaws. 3.5 allowed. I'm thinking about the following

CHA 20

1- Spellcasting Prodigy, Combat casting, Empower Spell
3- Scuplt spell
5- Craft Wand
7- Bonus: Spl fcs:Illusion, Metamagic School Fcs
9- Gtr Spell Fcs
11- Quicken Spell
13- Residual Metamagic
15-School Power (Illusion), Metamagic Vigor
17- Extra Spell
19-Bonus feat, Extra Spell

The idea is to cast either empowerd, scuplted blast (shadow illusion/conjuration) spells (+1 for metamagic,+2 Gtr Spell focus, +2 for spell power, +1 if gnome, if metamagic vigor used another+1) for a total of +6 or +7 on an empowered and (maybe) scuplted spell- Metamagic focus lets me use just 1spell level to empower 3/day and residual metamagic lets me repeat those spells using a regular slot.

A Couple of issues though
1. Basically I've tried to make empowering a spell worth it. Between Metamagic focus and Residual spell I can add +6 or +7 to the dc with just a empower (+1 spell level 3/day), and can repeat any empowered or shaped spell using a regular slot.-*Could I repeat a shaodow evocation but emulate a different spell with this ability or would it have to be the same spell (technically it is the same spell: shadow evocation)

3. Obviously this build will reply VERY highly on Shadow Conjuration, Evocation and the greater versions. I am actually loathe to allow to saves but I've sqweezed every +1 dc I could think if (hence Gnome, *shudder*) Any regular illusion spell has +5 and any metamagic altered spell has 6 to 7. Adding 4 points to CHA (+2 DC) from leveling and +3 for a CHA(+6) item means a 1st level spell at 20 would have a DC of 23 to 25 and a 9th level spell is 31 to 33. Sounds high but at high levels the Will Save is strong...against say at will save of +15 (Paladin with 16 CHA) that's only 10% chance to save. Good enough.

2. Normally i love SOD but most are in enchantment school which i don't mind but i'm a high DC kinda guy (I usually go enchantment and the Fey bloodline)- besides phantasmal killer and wierd i can't think of many illusion SOD and the're not particularly good. I'll have to check Spell Comp but offhand if anyone can think of a few good illusion Save of Dies i'd be appreciated.

Cheers.

Hi,

I recently got The PFChron Campaign setting. Saw that Cleric can select a Celestial Paragon as a Patron. Ragathiel has Vengence in his Portfolio and grants Destruction as a Domain (which I've wanted to take but until now no good deity had it)

I'm having trouble deciding whats more combat effective.
1. A Bastard Sword (Ragathiel's Favored Weapon) wielding cleric with the destruction/nobility domains.

2. A Falchion weilding Battle Focus Oracle with Skill at Arms, Weapon Mastery, Manuvere Mastery, War Sight Mysteries.

Either Build Will Prc into Fist of Raziel (redone with Ragathiel as the Patron- thematically this fits)
Feat Selection Is Similar. Furious Charge, Power Attack, Cleave, Leap Attack, Weapon Focus, Servant of the heavens. The Oracle Gets Imp Crit and gtr Wpn Fcs, Imp,Gtr Sunder as well.

both builds focus early on charges, then later get smite from the Prc.
The cleric has channeling, Destructive Smite, Destructive Aura, Leadership, Inspiring Word

The oracle gets heavy armour, extra feats, spont casting, less mad.

It appears early the cleric gets more- Destructive Smite Bonus Damage, Channeling but these abilities get less useful at high levels (Channel Tops out at 5d6 and Destructive smite is worth +5damage)

The strength of the oracle is higher to hit (+1), can sunder, better AC and Spont Casting (great as there spell choices for a Buffer/healer are fairly straighforward and you can spam them)

Thoughts?

In that case, I wish it hadn't. I would be nice if my oracle new it automatically (wink, wink, jason) instead of having to spend a precious spell known!

Cheers.