I agree that wight for level 1 chars would need very favourable terrain for PCs & possibly beforehand knowledge. Or then players would need to know its gonna be a tough campaign / one shot adventure.
Noticably assuming that players could see wight before it hits is already very favourable for PCs. Since wight has +11 perception, darkvision (and blind fight), +16 stealth & quite good mental stats, I would assume that wight gets surprise round charge against level 1 party in reasonable circumstances (= wigth can hear loudest party member from far and even through a door).
All get of course also 2FORT & martial weapons & heavy armor.
Compared to Paladin 1st level: Aura of good & code are neutral at the best. Detect evil is clearly worse than spells. Focus weapon is +1 to hit which takes out Paladins 1BAB (but yeah is worse in that one can't take power attack for example). Deity's favoured weapon can be exotic, but I won't count anything for that, since 1BAB was slightly better than weapon focus at this level. Smite evil is stronger & quicker than Good domain blessing, but Good domain blessing can be used 3 times per day & in mass battles (which many should be) & also used in allys weapon, is needed. In top of that War Priest has 2nd blessing as alternate, so won't be gimped, if enemy is not good. Also there is of course no reason to think that good domain is absolutely the best. So I give that round to War Priest. Now War Priest is still left with Bonus Feat (!) unchecked by the paladin.
Compared to Fighter 1st level: Focus Weapon & God's Favoured Weapon against 1BAB again. Bonus feats cancel each other out. Now fighter is left with minor quirk (tower shield) against 2WILL, Blessings & Spells.
Compared to Inquisitor 1st level: Both have same base stats. Inquisitor has own spell list which is maybe slightly better for gishs. Blessings & domain are near each other (domain has less flexibility, but more uses). But then War Priests start combat abilities start to show: Focus weapon is better than judgement which is 1/day. Then Warpriest has also heavy armor & bonus feat. Inquisitor has more skills by large margin at this point, but combat wise is clearly weaker.
Then War Priest starts to lag... Channel energy 1d6... channel energy is a good ability, if it goes up full speed & you get Selected Channel & Quick Channel. Slow building channel seems to me as minor quirk. OK its good later for Grayflame enchantment. In the mean time:
Paladin 2nd: Divine grace, lay on hands. Divine Grace is godly & lay on hands is very good also, since its swift.
Fighter 2nd: Bonus Feat. Good also, but since War priest gets 1WILL & 1 more spell in the background, fighter is still behind.
Inquisitor 2nd: Cunning initiative, detect alignment, track. Cunning initiative is later worth a feat, at the start about trait. Detect alignment, track are icing, but much more useful than channel I think.
Levels 3 & 4 do ok for War priest, but level 5 is death. At level 5 old classes get something extra special, since its the "no base advances level". Warpriest gets only d6 to his minor ability.
Now all those 3 classes have surpessed War Priest in combat ability.
War priest has 3 BAB + Weapon Focus (1) + Sacred Weapon (1+1) = 5 attack + 1 damage. With Bulls strength (= i round prep) 7 attack + 4 damage
Fighter has 5 BAB + Weapon Focus (1) + Weapon spec (0+2) + Weapon training (1+1) = 7 attack + 3 damage
Inquisitor has 3 BAB + Judgement = 5 attack + 1 damage.. With Bulls strength & Bane (=1 round prep) 9 attack + 2d6+5 damage
So now War Priest can barely match Fighter with buffing & can't match Inquisitors nova ability anymore.
This only gets worse through levels. At level 10 classes should get about 16 to hit from class only (so not from stats & weapons etc party buffs).
Ranger 10: 10 BAB + Favoured enemy +6 & Instant enemy = 16 hit +6 dmg
Fighter 10: 10 BAB, Weapon foc & greater, weapon spec, Weapon training 2, = 14 hit +4dmg constant. On the top of that I usually count dueling gloves to fighter, since its so fighter only item to get it 16 hit +6 dmg.
Barbarian 10: 10 BAB, Greater Rage, Reckless Abandon = 16 hit +5 dmg
Inquisitor 10: 7 BAB, Judgement, Bane, Divine Favor = 15 hit + 2d6+5 dmg (or 2d6+9, if also destruction on, nut for later use lets forget it). Now Inquisitor needed 1 round to buff, but gets well on the game after that.
War Priest 10: 7 BAB, Sacred Weapon, Divine Favor = 12 hit + 3 dmg. Clearly has difficulties being major combatant even after one round buffing. Major blessing don't help much here, they are ally buffs or etc support.
So I feel the major problems roll play balance wise are: 1st & 2nd level should divide the abilities (not almost all got in 1st level...), 5th level ís far too weak.
In 3.5 there used to be a rule that reach weapons for small & medium chars could strike to corners they wouldn't actually reach.
But currently I believe reach weapons don't actually threaten the corners (for example casting / shooting), but if a creature moves diagonally through 10ft of your reach (eg moves for example 15ft to 5ft) it triggers AoO.
Alchemist is pretty good healer I think. Not with HP damage, but with effects. Oracle gimps himself, if he takes remove blindness/deafness, remove curse, remove disease etc... Alchemist can put these in his spellbook at low cost & use when necessary. HP damage is also lower when you get infused Shield & Barkskin to your party tank (before the battle). Also Alchemist brings versitality what the group can do. Touch of the sea, Spide Climb, Fly, Water Breathing, Burrow ... or beast shape (as infusions) can get your party in places, if you know what to aim for beforehand. That saves precious spellslots from witch, who can then use his in fight to come (you are fairly good in fights with bombs only). Also same goes to sense spells: Negate Aroma, Darkvision, See Invisible, Echolation. Well to coninue good boosts for allies: Heroism, Stoneskin, Enlarge Person, Freedom of movement. Anyway the point being Alchemist prevents damege very efficiently with right infusions & then can remove nasty conditions. Buy Cure Light Wounds Wand for HP damage between the encounters. During encounters the boosts should be enough ; if they are failing for someone that person should use defensive fighting or total defense or withdraw.
Now Oracle of Life is much better at healing HP damage. However I feel once Alchemist has infusion Shield & later Barskin combo prevents more damage than Oracles tricks. Oracle should in my opinion focus on whole party boosts & combat spells (yes oracle of life). Remove blindness/deafness, remove curse, remove disease, remove paralysis & remove fear should be aquired as scrolls for emergency use. Using spell slots for those is waste (unless you are human and take them later with fgavored class... then you should consider... but only consider). The bread and butter is selective channel & channel energy revelation at the start. Then shield other spell & energy body revelation a bit later. Life link works sometimes too slowly & uses precious feats at the beginning ; Energy body is hard to use (except for preventing criticals etc) if you have to move through injured character (as this usually means moving through enemy threatened area.
Hmm almost enough rambling.... all in all I feel its easier to make an alchemist that is good enough for party healer and not useless otherwise (you need Infusion discovery.... then you can buy needed recipes to your extract book later as needed... buy a lot of them). For oracle you need a plan what to do in battle, if healing is not really necessary. Also its much harder to change the spell selection once that is done.
Inquisitor could handle all things you mentioned. With Feather subdomain (or animal domain) could also help action economy (since you'll be playing 2 levels higher, the companion enters soon).
I would still forget channeling for the sorc & use him as party face & UMD guy. That said the combos that are somewhat in line what you've wanted that would work very well in my mind are:
Have you thought about cleric? Having all spells on the list available is a huge boon in the case there is no guaranteed outside help. Also do you think scribe scroll is possible?
1) Don't worry about it. If players are having a good time, don't love so much your minions. There will be time when the horse don't fit to the dungeon / its neutralized by magic
2) More & stronger enemies. This what I use. However its not within the guidelines of PF. I just add advanced templetes etc to monsters & radically increase their numbers (if I count encounters they are APL +7 - APL +9 ; I don't usually) & add more encounter per day. I don't powerup magicusers, just mooks ; also no very, very big monsters which one shot players. I don't give them extra XPs over the normal encounter guidelines, because it just increases problems. I have discussed this with my players and they like it. Evolution from 1st edition to PF has constantly been easing up encounters. ... ah well actually James Jacob said to use advanced templates in such cases, so its not totally far fetched. Erm... and add enemies & their strength gradually.
3) Try to use system guidelines to create difficult encounters. This is worst option I think. If you constantly put them in a narrow pass where horse don't shine & archers are on the top of the mountain shooting arrows (out of fighters reach). The players will just start thinking other ways to create characters that could handle those situations. Also its annoying to player when s/he takes multiple feats which s/he never will be able to use, because GM tailors encounters such way. So I see this way needing most of the GM time for tailoring encounters & also the most annoying to players.
Your party already has 4 melee types (ah and cleric as auxiliary 5th), I assume. Killing of sorc & putting one melee type more isn't going to help the party. I would recommend starting to switch your spell arsenal from blasty spells to those benefical to others (=Enlarge Person for Pally & big guys, Vanish for Rogue & to who ever is in trouble, Haste for all). Now of course chancing spells "right way" is unforunate slow process. If you are a human, use the favoured class option all you can. Or talk to GM. Maybe ad hoc changes in the spell list isn't as bad as chancing chars.
If you are however anyway going to do str Magus, I would recommend spamming Mirror Image rather than trying to improving AC. Also then in that group, I would rather use my spells on others than myself.
Rules wise dropping int below 10 is very significant. If your int is lower than 10, you can't take 10 on knowledge skills and succeed in basic knowledges. So knowing who the ruler of the land is or what a dog looks like would strictly by the rules need a roll. I mean those "10" knowledges are really basic.
Can a magus use spellstrike (Ultimate Magic, page 10) to cast a touch spell, move, and make a melee attack with a weapon to deliver the touch spell, all in the same round?
Yes. Other than deploying the spell with a melee weapon attack instead of a melee touch attack, the magus spellstrike ability doesn’t change the normal rules for using touch spells in combat (Core Rulebook 185). So, just like casting a touch spell, a magus could use spellstrike to cast a touch spell, take a move toward an enemy, then (as a free action) make a melee attack with his weapon to deliver the spell.
On a related topic, the magus touching his held weapon doesn’t count as “touching anything or anyone” when determining if he discharges the spell. A magus could even use the spellstrike ability, miss with his melee attack to deliver the spell, be disarmed by an opponent (or drop the weapon voluntarily, for whatever reason), and still be holding the charge in his hand, just like a normal spellcaster. Furthermore, the weaponless magus could pick up a weapon (even that same weapon) with that hand without automatically discharging the spell, and then attempt to use the weapon to deliver the spell. However, if the magus touches anything other than a weapon with that hand (such as retrieving a potion), that discharges the spell as normal.
Basically, the spellstrike gives the magus more options when it comes to delivering touch spells; it’s not supposed to make it more difficult for the magus to use touch spells.
Sean K Reynolds
Designer
So you can actually do (from level 2 on): Cast Shocking Grasp (standard), , Move & draw a weapon (move), Enchant weapon with Arcane Pool (swift), deliver the Shocking Grasp with attack (free, because of the Spellstrike).
At the early levels Spell Combat won't actually do more damage than 2h weapons (because of -2 to hit). So my basic instinct for STR magus would be to use reach weapons & hit hard (use spell slots to Shocking Grasp & Enlarge Person), if the party had another tank ; However if there is no other tank, then you basically have to use your spell slots to Shields & keep the frontline.
Bigtuna wrote:
Hmm spellstrike does work with a 2-handed weapon doesn't it?
Free action to let go with one hand - cast a spell - 5 foot steep, free action to place both hands on weapon - and then deliver the touch attack with your greatsword?
Yes, FAQ says this works (even if the 5 foot step is replaced with a normal move).
Magus don't have to use Spell Combat all the time. Early levels its usually much wiser to use reach weapon & perhaps enlarge. Note that Spellstrike works well with reach weapons. My advice would be to use mainly Long Spear until your Kensai/Hexcrafter gets to level 4. Then attack to closer quaters every now and then with the protection of Mirror Image (and at that point good Kensai bonus to AC+easily affordable Mage Armor potions).
I would also forget the dragon disciple. Characters that can do multiple things well (like fight & cast) are much harder to build & play than more one sided characters. So as this is your first game I suggest you would stick to straight sorceror. You are not going to be anything close to barbarian even with 16 STR.
If STR has been important in your campaign (usually STR values most at the start and then declines gradually... so that is common), you could try to be a team player and get Enlarge Person and cast it on your allies (you should have one more spell known... the Mage Armor is extra beyond the spells known list).
I could also buy Spartacus as Ranger/Paladin. I mean he had to disobey the law by escaping or continue killing for the regiment (law or good).
Also his main opponent was clearly evil. Crassus reinvented decimation (killing every tenth of own soldiers to keep them in the line) and them crucified thousands of slaves after the war. Also he was so famously greedy that Parthians molded gold to his mouth after his death (which inspired the Mammon ritual for Pathfinder I think). Well in fact most adventure paths don't have as evil BBEG IMHO.
Haven't watched the series in the question though...
OK, I agree to other posters that DEX penalty would fit better. The prone condition gives +4 to opponents melee attacks (though -4 to ranged). I would give at least +8 to AC because of that. Of course there is bonus that you can do a full action, then drop into your shell, but as I understand it now you drop your items from hands & fall prone both of which require actions later. So its kind of thing to do only once in the battle when you are about to drop & want to last action fully. Alternatevily since its a magic world going into shell could also protect from magic (SR or something).
I would probably make getting out of the shell standard action, so there wouldn't be a caster who whould get (move) out of the shell, cast (standard) and then get back in.
I think using plate mail is by far the best choice for brute. Just accept the spell failure (don't use feats to negate it) and cast spells only before the combat (to buff). In the combat you can use wands, if you really need something simple.
Also I think while the invulnerable rager is a great archetype for a full barbarian, it just doesn't work so well with DD. The DR is better the more you get it. 2/- isn't going to be great for very long (almost immediatly useless the second you leave barbarian behind). Basically I think characters should usually rely on AC or DR for physical protection and because of the natural armor DD is clearly an AC guy.
1) Arcane
2) Witch
3) Druid (However the fact that they always get all spells available is a huge boon)
4) Cleric (The base list. Can however compensate much with domains. Also as with druid the whole spell list avaible always is a huge boon)
5) Summoner (keeps up until 7th-8th level with good spells lower level than wizard... Haste & Black Tentacles, but starts to fall behind after that...)
6) Bard (Some very good spells with lowered levels... Hideos Laughter & Heroism)
7) Magus (has access to hard arcane spells which will save the real wizards resourses... Haste & Fire Arrow... Also some nice Personals like Polymorph spells)
8) Alchemist (However the extracts are not as easy to use as real spells... however the infusions are the easies way to give personal buffs to warrior types)
9) Inquisitor
Well in fact I think that Arcane list is clearly the best. Then Witch, Druid & Cleric are hard to put in the order. Then Summoner has clearly stronger list than any of the rest, but falls behind in spell levels & his lists don't keep up (except with Summon Monsters which may be enough) with full casters. Then the rest are again very hard to put in the order.
Seems good but I would make sure hide in shell's action use was more clear, is it a free in free out, do they end up prone? It seems like as a free action they could pop in and out at no cost to them with the nat armor that's like giving a race +6 ac. Also does hide in shell provoke AoO's? As it is hide in shell is a bit much but otherwise cool race tell my you want to make it a ninja.
Yes, I too feel Hide in Shell isn't defined well enough. Can they move or hold items while in it? Why can't they cast spells with Verbal only component? Free Action seems terribly fast for it? Do they get Prone when using it? If its slower action or they do get prone, +4 to AC isn't much (as total defense gives +4 or +6 to AC (and also to touch AC))... so that would be essentially useless.
It sounds to me he is trying to write a book, not role play (= the story is in his mind very clearly & all the player actions just disturb it). But since it also seems to be hard to convince him to change his style, I would:
Ask him to make me a pre made character. Then try to discuss (and write down) the character personality & a bit of history (if not already done).
First a couple of minor things which won't affect much:
a) he should get -1 to hit & AC from large size.
b) Magic Fang must be cast on the bite & both claws separately (well actually I think he is using Greater Magic Fang in which case it checks out)
c) There is something else wrong in the damage he does. It should be someting like d6+8, 3xd4+8 & d4+10 or d6+7,3xd4+7 & d4+9
Anyway those minor things aside. I don't see the druid soloing as the wizard boosts him & probably the cleric heals, if things get seruous. So the problem here is the fighter. What are his stats / tactics? The numbers for the druid you have presented should easily be equalled / surpassed by the fighter of 7th level. He also probably benefits far more from the haste.
I'm slightly concerned that if I'm not using my mutagen (if I'm in the second tough fight of a day and haven't had an hour to brew another), it seems like I'd need to take Improved Unarmed Strike to be any good - otherwise my Agile amulet goes to waste. But even then, I don't even get 2 attacks without a heavy TWF penalty... hrm.
I'm currently playing a character quite similar to that (actually Elf Alchemist-Vivisectionist+Internal Alchemist). Note that Alchemist doesn't get Stealth as a class skill (I had it with a trait, but no such exists in normal PFS material at least as I know).
Your build seems to be 24pt.
My attributes were:
Str:10
Dex:20
Con:10
Int:16
Wis:10
Cha:7
Not dumping str has some advantages, as you'll be quite good with bow also & it gives CMD (you will have high AC, so this is harder) & it makes start a bit easier. However I don't see it hurting much either especially as leaving out Internal Alchemist leaves you Throw Anything which is useful at the start (=normal alchemical bombs are quite good at the start).
Enchanting Armor is extremely cheap. Enchanting weapon is also not nearly as expensive as Standard Prayer Beans (45800). Also avoiding prayer beads protects you from Dispel Magic & lets you have something useful for your 3rd level spells (like Heroism).
Intimidate will work if you put rank on it on every level. You only get -1 from your CHA. For exaple considering against WIS bonus (+2) the Iquisitor Stren Gaze bonus will eat that up at the level 6. I've seen many "overkills" regarding Intimidate as a GM. Usually, if a creature can be intimidated a resonably high (=what you will get) is enough. The rest the players are doing is almost a waste of feats (why I'm saying almost :D).
On the teamwork feats you don't qualify for Outflank at the level 3. Also remember that you can change the latest during the adventure. I think Shake It Off is usually one of the best, if you don't scout a lot. Well Outflank also for melee chars, but as said it can't be taken until level 6.
On the STR issue. Yes Inquisitors are late bloomers. So I would probably do STR 18 choice on the optimization sense... Especially with reach weapon.
Barbarian (Brutal Pugilist+Urban Barbarian) is probably the "easiest" and doesn't fall to one trick pony trap even when going heavily to grappling. The key Rage Powers are Strength Surge and Reckless Abandon. The Strenght Surge obviously makes you much, much better at key grapple rolls (but if time calls any manouver roll, just take the opportinity attack). With human trait Heart of the Fields you can use the Strength Surge twice in a key encounter (not totally necesary I think). The Reckless Abandon momentarily raises the CMB at the cost of CMD, which is great especially against casters (as the concentration checks depend on CMB). Its also of course better to succeed in the grapple in the first place than hold onto it as enemy is forced to take action anyway to break it.
I would probably change Dex & Con in you human barbarian build (dwarf is also good, but your dwarf is 22 point buy :D), since this is meant to be more striker than tank.
Lets see at level 8 (without items):
Str: 20
Dex: 14
Con: 13
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 10
CMB = 8 (Bab) + 5 (str) + 2 (rage) + 4 (Greater Grapple) + 1 (Brutal Pugilist) + 3 (Reckless abandon)= 23 which becomes 31 is you use Strength Surge and 32 if you get Urban Barbarian bonus. And actually goes another 1 up, if you loose armor.
What I mean not one trick pony? It means that if enemy can't be grappled the attack bonus & damage is still respectable:
Ranged: 8(bab) + 2 (dex) +2 (rage) +3 (Reckless abandon)=15 ... yes the Urban Ranger Rage & Reckless Abandon work here too. And the damage is gonna be good, because of strength.
That was all without any magic. From magic department (in addition to normal things) I would strongly suggest you to buy a LOT of potions of Enlarge Self. That is what makes STR builds so great.
The tactics would be shoot first, then reach weapon, then grapple. AC isn't gonna be great , so I would prefer reach to get past it. Of course the high HP count kind of lowers that weakness.
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On totally unrelated thing: Magus can also be built as an awesome grappler, but it takes a bit more (and multiclassing)
How are peole running these spells (extracts) for alchemists? For example Protection from Arrows, Communal...
1) It affects only the drinker
2) The drinker gets to choose how to distribute the effect (this seems most logical... however somewhat clumsy regarding alchemist, since it especially says : "An extract is “cast” by drinking it, as if imbibing a potion—the effects of an extract exactly duplicate the spell upon which its formula is based, save that the spell always affects only the drinking alchemist. ")
3) The PCs can sip as many 1h durations as they wish (assuming its an infusion) at the time
If the answer is 1) then why are the communal spells on the alchemist lists?
1) I wouldn't take Protection either as it gives Resistance bonus, witch won't stack with Cloak of Resistance or Protection from Evil. I don't like Charm's 1st level power either as it works only enemies weaker than you (=use action to possibly deny action from someone weaker than you is kind of waste). Love subdomain gives an action economically great power with about the same spells. Good domain is also good to buff your allies. Yeah Glaive is an exellent weapon for a caster.
2) No you don't need UMD to use divine wands & spells from your class lists. Scrolls require caster level check, if they have higher CL than you have (but its much easier that way than with UMD). Remember to use luck domain, if you absolutely need to use higher level scroll.
3) I'm not a great fan of Selective Channel, since:
a) If you absolutely have to heal an ally (single) in combat (should be rare), a cure spell heals more.
b) If you are fighting undead, its useless
c) If the enemies are not injured (ie they had a jump on your group), its useless.
d) You can often move enough to leave enemies out of the effect
If you go for the channeling then I suggest to have Quick Channel, witch makes it good a couple of times/day. Scribe Scroll is a good choice I think, Improved Initiative & Heavy Armor come also to mind. Then there is Guided Hand & Channel Smite combo from Ultimate Combat, if you choose to go for Wis build (although it screws your damage).
4) Buffing or healing don't need Wis. If you dump Int, Int 7 and 8 will give you same number of skill points. My suggestions:
Str: 17
Dex: 12
Con: 12
Int: 12
Wis: 14
Cha: 12
or
Str: 19
Dex: 12
Con: 12
Int: 7
Wis: 14
Cha: 12
Domains: Love & Luck
Feats: Scribe Scroll & Improved Initiative (or Heavy Armor)... then start taking combat feats (annoyingly many of them requires BAB +1)
I would go for:
Str: 16 (10)
Dex: 14+2 (5)
Con: 14 (5)
Int: 14+2 (5)
Wis: 12 (2)
Cha: 8-2 (-2)
I would use Lucerne Hammer also (starting with that in hand) at the lower levels when you don't have a lot of spells & pick up Combat Reflexes. Those AoOs will probably protect the rest of the folk better than anything from melee enemies at the start.
Shield & Enlarge Person as spells at least.
Enlarged Lucerne Hammer in this case 3d6+6 damage being much more economical than using Shocking Grasp to every hit.
I would say that the general problem is that the APs are too easy. Over 1/3 of the damage here is coming from Wizard (Haste) and I bet other party memebers would also do damge hasted, if the enemies got close. So without further information I wouldn't say this was the rangers problem.
I would add Advanced Template to all enemies for a while and see how it goes (= +2 to all rolls, +4 to AC) without adding the exp awards. If it seems too much, drop it or lower it to half. If not enough keep adding.
The Merge bonus is shield bonus & won't stack with shield spell.
Thalin wrote:
And you're a combat badass anyway :).
In saves & AC department multiclassed synthesis does very well. The problem being that multiclassed synthesis isn't as good combat monster as it originally seems (looking at the attributes). That is because the Synthesis gets Eidolons BAB. So a the 10th level it will be 6. So the synthesis attack bonus will be +6 str + 6 BAB = 12. Hard to improve much, since Amulet is so expensive. Large keeps the synthesis somewhat in the game, but the multiclassed one gets it at the level 10 witch is kind of late in a 12 level sprint (PFS). Same goes for spell casting... So basically paladin & oracle don't give any boost (except smite once per day) for the synthesis attack abilities (Spells or BAB or synthesis attributes or evolutions). So the char has 3 levels witch give no attack power at all witch is devastating at the start. CMB & CMD also lag badly.
Dwarf Inquisitor level 10 of Cayden Cailean (for Rapier :D)
Str: 15 (7) + 2 for levels = 17 (more defensive approach would go for Wis)
Dex: 14 (5)
Con: 16 (5)
Int: 12 (2)
Wis: 16 (5)
Cha: 5 (-4)
Feats:
1) Steel Soul, Domain Luck (or Love)
3) Heavy Armor prof, Shake it Off (bonus)
5) Dodge
6) Outflank (Bonus)
7) Toughness
9) Toughness, Precise Strike (Bonus)
Equip: (62,000 av wealth by level)
Mithril full plate (10,500)
Heavy shield (15)
Amulet of nat armor +2 (8,000)
Headband of Wis +2 (4,000)
Belt of Physical Perfection +2 (16,000)
Cloak of resistance +2 (4,000)
Well kind of lazily spent :D
Spells:
1st) Shield of Faith, Divine Favor
2nd)
3rd) Heroism, Magic Vestment (Don't know about this since it only saves a bit money)
I'd strongly suggest not using a tower shield without the Tower Shield Proficiency Feat, since a -12 to attack rolls (-2 from using a tower shield at all, and -10 from armour check penalty + non-proficiency) makes you pretty much pointless as a combatant... Note that Paladins do not get Tower Shield Proficiency for 'free' (only Fighters and Warriors get that at level 1).
Stalwart Defender gets Tower Shield prof for free.
Dwarf Inquisitor is also a good choice here. With Judgement, Shake It Off, Steel Soul, Domain & Stalwart (eventually) your saves will be top notch. AC also with Judgement, Magic vestments & Domain (possibly).
With Steel Soul feat the saves will be very, very good. Luck lets you reroll a fail witch is worth much. Those together (with good attribute focuses dwarf & cleric) will probably have you fail less saves than pally brother.
Ac will not be very high, although you can use full plate & shield (and dwarf gets bonus against giants); or keep range with glaive (Shelyns favored weapon). The trick here is to use love's powers to keep you protected from the attacks that need a hit roll. Love's power forces the attacker roll a will save against your cleric level/2 + 10 + wis ie. at par with your hardest spell or lose the attack action. No spell resistance, since its supernatural power. You can also apply it against ranged touch attacks (so very good against enemy wizards). The second power lets you try to smile to your humanoid opponent to force him not to attack you for a round, if you are low on hitpoints.
Characters usabilty is guaranteed even all feats going defensively, since you are a full caster.
Lets you have great saves & AC without sacrificing the offense too much. Walk around in full plate and try to cast Shield spell before combats (don't worry about spell failure... if it fails just try again... or buy a wand later). Note that Sorc & DD levels give you +5 natural armor, since Sorc 2 + DD7 is enough to trigger draconic bloodlines level 9 power. Those things keep you in the AC fight with the others. Also DD will have access to better defensive spells also.
Base saves gained from classes:
Fort: 3 (pally) + 2 (ranger) + 4 (DD) = 9 (10 if you count in the DDs Con advancement)
Ref: 2 (ranger) + 2 (DD) = 4
Will: 3 (pally) + 3 (sorc) + 4 (DD) = 10
Straight Monk has Fort/Ref/Will +8 all, so the builds base saves will be on par with that. However the Cha bonus to all saves will get the build higher (even assuming the monk is a dwarf). The build trumps straight pallys or pally/Stalwart Defenders saves.
HPs: DDs 3 bonus feats can all be toughness + it gets +2 to Con. These will trump the loss of favored class bonuses (witch is always less or equal than toughness). However straight pally has effectively a lot more HPs, because of the exponential nature of Lay on hands.
For the attributes, I would go for Asteldian Caliskan's build or even more str focused, since the build will take care of the defense. However Treantmonk's build will get of course better saves & AC.
Diehards main weakness along with the Endurance feat tax is that it doesn't protect against non-lethal damage as written currently. If the Gm house rules otherwise, it will be a much better feat.
I would say that Barbarian & Ranger are best suited martial classes for APs like Serpents Skull or Savage Tide. Because of their skill selection & ease to use different weapons (rage & FE don't ask what weapon you are using). Monk is right out because of the need of very spesific equipment.
Fighter, Pally & Cavalier suffer from:
Serpents Skull players guide wrote:
Recommendations: All manner of weapons and armor
exist in the Mwangi Expanse, but legends speak of certain
types of powerful magic weapons being hidden in the
region’s ancient ruins. Fighters might want to avoid
dedicating themselves to the use of heavy armor—or pursue
ways of increasing their mobility in such armaments—as
the heat and other challenges of the jungle can make such
gear unwieldy, or even dangerous, to wear.
I don't think fighters are bad usually. But if the guide actually states that heavy armor is a bad idea and doesn't give recommendations what weapon you should use, the fighters life will be a lot harder than usually.
