Flaming battle poi are interesting....
I had the regular kind of poi at a luau in Honolulu. It was also interesting.
I've never seen a knife-Fighter (Kukri yes, but never just straight-up dagger fighter).I actually like this idea.
A bit more looking-into it, and I think you NEED the STR. First off, you take a -4 CMB if you try to grapple with less than two free hands. Now Improved Grapple/Greater Grapple helps counter this problem, but you'll want as much STR as possible to keep your CMB as high as possible. Plus once you're in the grapple TWF can pretty much take a holiday.
Now, if you want to just go TWF (no grapple), then sure, take enough DEX to make it worthwhile. You'll eventually need DEX 17 for two-weapon rend. As a side note, however, the whole stat-boosting item thing bugs me. I mean, wearing the belt of (+Dex) for 24 hours? How do you take your pants down to take a dump? What if you want take the odd bath? Oh, no, can't take off the belt! I just can't suspend my disbelief that far :D
I've never seen a knife-Fighter (Kukri yes, but never just straight-up dagger fighter).I actually like this idea.A bit more looking-into it, and I think you NEED the STR. First off, you take a -4 CMB if you try to grapple with less than two free hands. Now Improved Grapple/Greater Grapple helps counter this problem, but you'll want as much STR as possible to keep your CMB as high as possible. Plus once you're in the grapple TWF can pretty much take a holiday.
Now, if you want to just go TWF (no grapple), then sure, take enough DEX to make it worthwhile. You'll eventually need DEX 17 for two-weapon rend. As a side note, however, the whole stat-boosting item thing bugs me. I mean, wearing the belt of (+Dex) for 24 hours? How do you take your pants down to take a dump? What if you want take the odd bath? Oh, no, can't take off the belt! I just can't suspend my disbelief that far :D
My personal feel is that this build would be more *interesting* as a single dagger build.
Just got done watching Season 3 of Buffy. Go single dagger and manacle yourself to your opponents so they can't go away.
Just make sure your party bard knows the lyrics to "Beat It."
Or use a spoon.
It's dull.
It'll hurt more.
Another fun character I've seen in real life (by real life, I mean in an actual game) was a whip-and-rapier 2-weapon fighter. He used all the Combat Expertise feats to trip and disarm with the whip, then went stabbity-stab with the rapier. Might want to go shortsword to reduce the 2 weapon fighting penalty. He liked to jump on big opponents, anchoring himself with the whip, and stabbity-stab about its head(s) and shoulder(s). (Some ettins only got the one arm....)
I've never seen a knife-Fighter (Kukri yes, but never just straight-up dagger fighter).I actually like this idea.A bit more looking-into it, and I think you NEED the STR. First off, you take a -4 CMB if you try to grapple with less than two free hands. Now Improved Grapple/Greater Grapple helps counter this problem, but you'll want as much STR as possible to keep your CMB as high as possible. Plus once you're in the grapple TWF can pretty much take a holiday.
Now, if you want to just go TWF (no grapple), then sure, take enough DEX to make it worthwhile. You'll eventually need DEX 17 for two-weapon rend.
Take TWF for when you aren't grappling, and grapple feats with one dagger when you are. You can always throw one of those daggers in hand if you absolutely need that hand free.
Versatility is the Fighter's game, and nothing is more versatile than the dagger.As a side note, however, the whole stat-boosting item thing bugs me. I mean, wearing the belt of (+Dex) for 24 hours? How do you take your pants down to take a dump? What if you want take the odd bath? Oh, no, can't take off the belt! I just can't suspend my disbelief that far :D
I don't think it needs to be that specific. It's more about a bonus that lasts longer than 24 hours. It's just an easier way to make a distinction between temporary bonuses (such as from spells, which have limited durations) and permanent ones (ones that are up 99% of the time because it's passively working).
I'm writing up a Fighter myself, and keep coming back to one cool idea - the brawler. btw, this build involves 3.5 material.
Human Monk 1/Barb 1/Fighter 3/Fist of the Forest 3/Fighter X. To pull this off alignment-wise, you need to shift from Lawful to Neutral. Until you do this you can't become a Barbarian.
So you get IUS as a Monk, by taking the Lion Totem ACF in Comp. Champion you get Pounce, 2nd lvl of Barb so you get Uncanny Dodge and with FotF you get Imp. Uncanny Dodge. And Fighter cuz they rock. FotF both for the RPing goodness of being a savage, + you get Con mod to AC, and your Monk IUS is considered 2 increments higher.
1 Monk 1 - Power Attack, Great Fortitude
2 Monk 1/Barb 1 -
3 Monk 1/Barb 2 - Flying Kick,
4 Monk 1/Barb 2/Fighter 1 - Superior Unarmed Strike,
5 Monk 1/Barb 2/Fighter 2 - Leap Attack, Roundabout Kick
6 Monk 1/Barb 2/Fighter 2/FotF 1 - Scorpion Style
7 Monk 1/Barb 2/Fighter 2/FotF 2 - Gorgon's Fist
8 Monk 1/Barb 2/Fighter 2/FotF 3 -
9 Monk 1/Barb 2/FotF 3/Fighter 3 - Snap Kick
10 Monk 1/Barb 2/FotF 3/Fighter 4 - Martial Study
11 Monk 1/Barb 2/FotF 3/Fighter 5 - Martial Stance
12 Monk 1/Barb 2/FotF 3/Fighter 6 - Medusa's Wrath
13 Monk 1/Barb 2/FotF 3/Fighter 7 - ShadowBlade
Pick up a Monks Robe
You *could* do this with with Barb 2/Monk 3/FotF 3/Monk X and arguably you're losing out on Armour training, but i still like this for flavour.
You charge straight away and break into flurry. You're doing obscene amounts of unarmed dmg, when you hit you get extra attacks - when you critical hit you get extra attacks. And by the end you can stagger foes and apply your Dex mod to dmg as well.
Oh, and after you pounce and full attack, as a swift action you can make a jump check to move back out of full attack range.
Versatility is the Fighter's game, and nothing is more versatile than the dagger.
So true. Piercing or Slashing, Melee or Thrown, Light weapon. The dagger fighter will have Bludgeoning too thanks to Improved Unarmed Combat.
As a side note, however, the whole stat-boosting item thing bugs me.
I don't think it needs to be that specific. It's more about a bonus that lasts longer than 24 hours. It's just an easier way to make a distinction between temporary bonuses (such as from spells, which have limited durations) and permanent ones (ones that are up 99% of the time because it's passively working).
I'd house rule it thusly: Any stat boosting item worn for a full 8 hours (i.e. all day) becomes attuned, so you get 'permanent' bonuses. You can take it off (for up to 24 hours) and it stays attuned, unless you put some other magical item in that slot.
That prevents hot-swapping for permanent bonuses yet allows the player to avoid the absurdity of wearing a crown or belt 24/7.
I had an idea for a fighter who usually goes to battle unarmed and then proceeds to disarm opponents in order to use their weapons. The problem with that is that lots of enemies wield nonmagical weapons, unless they are some sort of boss or big bad. And some others don't have any weapons at all (because they attack with natural weapons or are monks)
When I said "or simple concepts that can make my fighter stand out and interesting to play" I was referring to the possible non-mechanic aspects to the character.
Then my apologies to pachristian. I guess his post hit me the wrong way but it ends up me being the person being wrong. My bad.
I'm a big fan of utilizing intimidate and dazzling display on melee types.
Actually, a barbarian is prolly the better choice (if you take that howl rage feature where shaken opponents become frightened).
Sure, you spend a full round action doing this, but in exchange every creature in a 30ft radius of you is shaken for about 4 or 5 rounds.
From here you can either do the fun trip/disarm routes or just focus on doing damage from here.
...Living Monolith is also a nice PrC that Paizo put out if you can use it.
Can anyone tell me where I can find this PrC?
*smurf*
I played a human fighter I quite liked, who was an archer build but strong in intelligence. He had a life as a professional bowyer, and started play as a 34 year old, and after a few levels hit middle age... his physical stats went down, his others went up. He had a mid-life crisis at that point, realized that he couldn't go toe-to-toe forever, and starting taking levels in wizard. But kept doing it in armor (resulting in frequently spoiled spells) and getting a bit more into melee than was healthy. It was messy but it was fun.
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Posted it in another forum, but Dodge, Mobility, CE, Whirlwhind, Weapon Focus, Spring Attack, Power Attack, 20 Str (+2 Str item) / 14 Dex Fighter 4 / Inquisitor 1 with growth domain and the polearms fighting style, weilding a +1 lucerean hammer at level 5.
Swift action grow yourself, and hit all enemies with 15 feet of your 2X2 square (so really a 25 foot radius spread) for 3d6 + 16 damage (+9 to hit... +6 Str +4 Levels +1 weapon +1 Weapon Focus -1 size -2 PA) ... @ level 7 you gain Weapon Specialization and Combat Reflexes (2 extra attacks enarged or 3 unenlarged)... at that point you should be 3d6+20 with +14 to hit with a +2 weapon.
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From a flavor perspective you could make a very academic fighter. Imagine a fellow who teaches battle theory or combat theory at some academy. He has decided to go out into the world to try some of his ideas. You can give him some int and take a level or two in a class that gives a lot of knowledge and profession class skills.
Then you take as feats only those that you could use with any weapon or large classes of weapons. Then in combat you try out some theories (perhaps ideas that your character has published). Even better you could have an academic nemesis who challenged you to try your crazy ideas in the real world. When in town your fighter has to publish the results of his tests. During adventures your nemesis could publish a paper decrying your results. There is plenty of room to play with this idea.
A few other ideas: A cook fighter who whoops butt with a cleaver (axe?) and uses pans for shields. An OCD fighter who thinks fights must progress a certain way and loses it when it does not (multi with some barbarian). The opposite end, a fighter who keeps trying to use weapons in novel ways. e.g. Hit with stick end of spear. A fighter who refuses to use metal in any way ( hide armor, clubs, quarterstaffs, etc). A fighter who takes scalps or skins and then tans and/or stuffs them.
If you don't like these ideas I have many more.
On that note, how about a fighter who is really passionate about his god? Not a clerical bone in his body, but with the zeal of the best of them. On a mission, stops in the dungeon to pray, has specific rituals that he fights hard to protect, or carries a sacred something that everyone isn't sure he would choose over the life of his heretic companions. Dipping a level into Oracle would help fluff that up. (Or even Adept. :)
Do you have your heart set on a fighter? The reason I ask is because I've been working on an idea for a Darksun character that I won't be playing for at least 6 months so this is just a rough idea so far. Anyway, I am making a barbarian (stuck between dwarf and half-orc, can't decide yet). He's an Invulnerable Rager and Beast Totem Barbarian. He takes the Increased Damage Reduction rage power as often as he can. He eats his potions instead of drinking them (he doesn't care if glass gets stuck in his teeth). He carries a great club but usually lets his opponent strike first because he enjoys the look on their faces when he isn't fazed by their puny attacks. As he levels, he just has more fun. The reason he uses his great club instead of a better weapon is that this still hits hard but not hard enough to end the fight fast.
It's not about the character class.
Give the character a good backstory and personality and he'll be interesting.
+1!
With regards to a dagger fighter has anyone noted the River Rat trait?
+1 damage makes the dagger average as a short sword if my maths are correct (probably not but hey i'm a roleplayer not a maths professer :))
Barbarian 3 (Invulnerable Rager)/Sorc 2 (Draconic - cold dragon type).
20 pt build:
STR: 16+2 [10], DEX 14 [5], CON 13+1 [3], INT 10, WIS 10, CHA 12 [2]
Note that he's NOT dumb as a post, and wiser than Adam Sandler.
Traits:
Highlander [Stealth is class skill, +1 bonus to it.], Armor Expert
Spells:
0: Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Message, One Other; One Other
1: True Strike, Feather Fall
Feats:
Power Attack, Cleave; Point Blank Shot; Improved Sunder. Deadly Aim and Vital Strike are worth considering.
The goal is to use True Strike to cover up the loss in hit capabilities for either Deadly Aim or Power Attack.
Rage Powers:
Smasher (nicely synergizes with Improved Sunder); Ones to consider: Ferocious Bite (makes a good complement to claws); Moment of Clarity (to cast Feather Fall while raging...); Powerful Blow (goes nicely with PA and Vital Strike)
At Barb level 8, you're taking Improved Damage Resistance each time until the GM is sick of it. By 14th level, you'll have DR 8/--. And hopefully an adamantine breastplate.
You lose 1 BAB for the dip into Sorcerer, and you lose about 8 hit points, assuming you put favored class bonuses into hit points every level. On the other hand, the DR 1 you have from Invulnerable Rager more than makes up for it.
Skills: (21 skill ranks)
Perception (5 ranks, +3 Class)
Stealth (3 ranks, +1 Trait, +3 Class, +2 DEX)
Climb (1 rank, +3 Class, +4 STR)
Acrobatics (1 rank, +3 Class, +2 DEX)
Bluff (1 rank, +3 Class, +1 CHA)
Intimidate (1 rank, +3 Class, +1 CHA)
UMD: (1 rank, +3 Class, +1 CHA)
And 8 skill ranks to throw about as needed.
True Strike and Feather Fall are both "Personal Cast" spells that have no Somatic Components. So your armor doesn't interfere with them.
So, here's your schtick(s).
1) Cast True Strike. Move closer to target.
2a) Turn on Rage. Power Attack/Cleave. The True Strike pretty much insures that you will hit the first target, and thus get to roll on the second. With a two handed weapon, you're doing +15 damage between STR, Rage and PA, before getting any other bonuses. With an attack bonus of +30, you Do Not Miss.
2b) Turn on Rage. Power Attack/Improved Sunder/Smasher an object. With a CMB of 4+6+2+20=32, you Do Not Miss. You ignore hardness. You're doing +15 with a melee weapon. Say goodbye to someone's toy.
You only get to do this 5x/day. On the other hand, a Ring of Wizardry I almost doubles your spells per day...and these two spells remain useful through at least level 12 or 13.
If you are ever disarmed, you have 4 rounds of fighting with Claws - two attacks at 1d4+8 or 1d4+12 if raging and power attacking. Add the Barbarian Bite rage power on your next Barbarian level, and you add a third 1d4+4/1d4+6 attack.
For a close in ranged attack, you can cast Ray of Frost; you're going to blow about one in four of these wearing a breastplate, regrettably. However, if you're ever fighting without armor, it's 1d3+2 cold damage due to Point Blank Shot and Draconic bonuses stacking (a pity that Deadly Aim doesn't stack with it.)
Lots of things in LoF are vulnerable to cold, or attack at range. I consider the ASF to roughly counter the better BAB bonus you get; you're less likely to miss if the spell goes off.
It's effectively a ranged attack with no ammunition limit that does slightly better average damage than a short bow, and which is concealable.
Mage Hand is generally useful. It can also be used as the Poor Man's Detect Magic - Mage Hand can't be used to pick up magic objects. Plus, it's a Concentration duration spell.
Message, coupled with Stealth and a good Perception roll allows you to be an excellent scout. Plus, it lasts 10 minutes per level, so the arcane spell failure is less painful.
You have two other cantrips. The longer the duration, the better. Durations of Concentration are wonderful.
You also bolster your weakest save by 3 via the dip into Sorcerer (equal to taking the Iron Will feat), and get the ability to use wands. UMD is a class skill letting you do desperation attempts to use a CLW if nobody else can.
I always liked the idea of a mage hunter. Sent out by his clan to find a specific wizard/sorcerer, he was trained as a mage hunter. Or maybe he knows a guy who was killed by a mage. Who knows, lots of opportunity. I would think Dwarven (shielded maybe?)fighter with the steel soul feat (fives you a bonus of +4 vs spells/abilities) and iron will series. Then maybe add step up and disruptive and all those glorious things. Throw in some goody shield feats like missile and ray shield. Heck maybe you don't have an issue with mage's exept ones that are corrupted/evil. Maybe you prefer to defend your casters. Get feats to help friends with your shield, like Bodyguard, etc.
Alternatively just focus on shielding everyone, there are ALOT of good new feats...(ok well, fun new feats)... in the APG that really give shield users a heck of a lot of options besides bashing someone upside the head.
Anyhow, seems like a fun way to play a fighter to me. Making casters a little nervous and/or making friendly party members alot more comfy when next to you in combat. :-)
What about a fighter that uses Aid Another often to help his buddies in combat. He takes feats that allow him to spend more time helping them, like Bodyguard and In Harm's Way.
Or you could focus on your character's racial abilities. Take feats like Keen Scent, Ironguts, etc.
I was also thinking that it could be fun to play a fighter that tries to fill another class's role. Maybe he tries to be a paladin but just can't quite live up to LG or he gets really angry but not enough to rage. Maybe he fancies himself a bit of a rogue but can only handle a few roguish things.
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New idea!
Fighter with catch off guard, throw anything, and quickdraw.
Your chosen weapon? Beartraps. (2d6+3 damage)
You will throw beartraps at people. At close range you will hit them with beartraps. After the trap springs you will use the attached chain to trip/grapple the victim. I'm assuming large bonuses would be involved, as you're putting on the chain attached to the BEARTRAP that's on them.
Strength is important, as bear traps, while quite cheap, are 10lbs each. Also a backup weapon will likely be necessary at some point.
Dex is good for ranged beatrap attacks
Skillwise I'd take trapmaking of some description to make bigger, meaner beartraps.
Being a human fighter you can do all of this by level 1. The level 2, 4, and 5 feats are just gravy.
Would also sync well with rogue levels mixed in (sneak attack bear trap?) or the mobility/archer fighter.
I don't care if this *should* be a bad idea, I'm using it.
While I have to say the Beartraps idea is the best I have ever heard in ages, another possibility (and could even overlap) is making a weapon master archetype focused on a really bizzare weapon... maybe DWing Chakrams in melee and ranged or something, but have the character completely OBSESSED with that type of weapon, to the point of OCD...
He is the master of this weapon, and thinks about it in a way that goes beyond normal...
...It's late, that is my excuse