Deadly stroke / stunning fist barbarian 2 / fighter10

[andrew winterman]

What do you guys think of this build?

Human, Barbarian 2, Fighter 9

I rolled 4d6 dropping lowest for some pretty awesome stats:

str 17 + 2 human +1 at 4
dex 15
con 14
int 10
wis 15 +1 at 8
cha 17 +1 at 12

Feats: power attack, two weapon fighting, intimidating glare, weapon focus: scimitar, improved initiative, dazzling display, improved initiative, intimidating prowess, shatter defenses, improved unarmed strike, stunning fist, improved critical: scimitar, greater weapon focus: scimitar, deadly stroke.

She'd use a scimitar and a spiked gauntlet. When making a standard attack she'd two hand the scimitar for 1.5 str bonus. Anytime she can make a full round attack, she'd try to apply stunning fist with her off hand (but only when out of rage). Her intimidate checks are at +5 (+7) str mod + 4 cha = +9 (+11 when raging) from abilities alone, plus max rank of intimidate, the idea being that she can ping her deadly stroke, which pings off of stun and the flat footed conditions, in a variety of ways:

1) in rage, intimidate (dc = 10 + hd + targets wis modifier) with a move action, hit with scimitar
2) intimidate everybody in range with a full round action. Hope to get beat one oponent by more than 5. Stroll up to them next turn and wack em with my scimitar.
3) win initiative. Wack least favorite bady.

I thought about looking around for other stun abilities (e.g. sorc/wizard color spray) which would stun somebody for a little longer, so I could ping deadly stroke off of those too, but I like the flavor of having stunning fist and a scimitar.

Following level 5 I think she'd go fighter for 1 (for second weapon training) and then barbarian, eventually getting stunning critical, and the automatic critical confirmation rage power.

I thought about going half orc for the racial bonus to intimidate, or half elf for skill focus: intimidate, however with either of these choices I wouldn't get improved critical until later.

I haven't thought about which armor is appropriate, but she might use a spiked gauntlet so long as you can still use stunning fist with it, and two hand the scimitar when she wants to.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[Caineach]

Improved Initiative is listed more than once.

Unfortunately, Deadly Stroke and Stunning Fist will not work together. Deadly stroke must be used against a stunned opponent as a standard action. Stunning fist only lasts until the beginning of your next turn, so they would never be stunned for the attack.

If you are really interested in intimidating, consider skill focus.

[Jellyfulfish]

I'm sorry this will not help you.

When I saw your stats I immediately thought of making the 1st intelligent Paladin in history. Just swap Wis for Int and you're set.

Honestly, as far as meleers go, it's very difficult to beat the barb1/fighterX build. Just pick extra rage here and there if you feel like you're short on rage.

Barbarians have a hard time. I hope some of the rage powers in the Adv. P. will make'em shine with the paladin and the fighter :(

-Jelly

[Tanis]

Have you considered Monk 1/Barb 1/Fighter X?

You don't really need the Barbarian lvl dip if you find it hard to change alignment (L>N) in game.

And dump that Cha, your Con or Dex would need it more IMO.

[Zen79]

Stunning Fist works only with unarmed strikes. A spiked gauntlet is a light melee weapon, and therefore an attack with it doesn't count as "unarmed strike".

[andrew winterman]

Thanks for the responses guys! I'm glad Zen79 pointed that out as I wasn't sure either way.

I guess the monk dip is a good idea, except that I like the intimidate as a move action rage ability. Going monk for two instead of barbarian would cost 1 attack bonus and probably around 2 - 8 hp, and 10 feet of movement speed. I would delay deadly stroke for a level, but gain stunning fist and improved unarmed strike (and great unarmed damage) for free, as well as evasion for free. I'd also get two monk bonus feats, probably dodge arrows and something else. Is it possible to ping deadly stroke off an attack of opportunity?

Going monk is good advice.

The CHA is for intimidate checks, I was under the impression that these get difficult as you advance in level, so I was going to buff it a lot. Why do you think con/dex need it more? Or did you mean the level 12 ability score increase.

[Tanis]

andrew winterman wrote:

I guess the monk dip is a good idea, except that I like the intimidate as a move action rage ability.

pffft. Just grab the feat Cornugon Smash.

"andrew winterman wrote:

Going monk for two instead of barbarian would cost 1 attack bonus and probably around 2 - 8 hp, and 10 feet of movement speed.

Unless you're flurrying or you need it to qualify for a feat.

"andrew winterman wrote:

I would delay deadly stroke for a level, but gain stunning fist and improved unarmed strike (and great unarmed damage) for free, as well as evasion for free. I'd also get two monk bonus feats, probably dodge arrows and something else. Is it possible to ping deadly stroke off an attack of opportunity?

aahhh. You need it for a feat. Oh well. Your call i guess.

And no, Deadly Stroke's a standard action, not an attack action.

"andrew winterman wrote:

The CHA is for intimidate checks, I was under the impression that these get difficult as you advance in level, so I was going to buff it a lot. Why do you think con/dex need it more? Or did you mean the level 12 ability score increase.

Just grab the Intimidating Prowess feat add your Strength modifier to Intimidate skill checks in addition to your Charisma modifier. That will more than make up for it. As long as the rest of your lvls are Fighter you'll be fine for feats. And yeh, if you're going unarmoured, pump your Dex, if you're going Full Plate, pump your Con.

Is 3.5 material allowed? If so, grab the

Shadowblade feat from the Tome of Battle.:

SHADOW BLADE
In the course of your training in the Shadow Hand discipline, you learn to use your natural agility and speed to augment your attacks with certain weapons.

Prerequisite: One Shadow Hand stance.

Benefit: While you are in a Shadow Hand stance and attack with one of the discipline’s preferred weapons, you can add your Dexterity modifier as a bonus on melee damage for attacks made with the weapon.

Special: Shadow Blade can be used in place of Weapon Finesse to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other special ability. If this substitution allows you to gain a benefit that normally applies to all finesse weapons (those described in the Weapon Finesse feat description), it instead applies only to the Shadow Hand discipline’s preferred weapons

Shadow Hand associated weapons include the dagger, short sword, sai, siangham, unarmed strike, and spiked chain.