Hi all
I guess this is for optimization purposes and our local GM is cool with that.
The character we are going to discuss already have a rich and involved story and background, so you do not have to feel bad about this thread being focused on solely one thing:
How do I add more cheese? :-)
We only use Paizo Pathfinder materials, and as a rule only from books the GM owns a hardcover version of. Do not fret though, I will buy him the bloody books in question; if the suggestions you come with are cool enough. (Our GM is clever like that...)
Build requirements:
Must have a minimum of Base Movement of 50 in Full Plate (may be mithril), on foot, by level 10 or before. More is better.
Must have AC and all Saves above the mean for his level. (Lookit standard monster progression: here)
Must have a primary attack mode able to harm and do high damage to same targets.
Must have many important skills.
Would LIKE to have Evasion and Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge, but the latter does not have to scale to Character Level, just a dip is fine.
The core of the build so far:
Level:
1. Barbarian +10 base move rate, alignment NG
2. Barbarian Uncanny Dodge
3. Oracle, Lore, Sidestep Mystery, use CHA for AC and Reflex saves
4. Paladin, Alignmen LG, lose Rage
5. Paladin, use CHA on all Saves.
6. Inquisitor, Travel Domain +10 base movement (for ANY mode of travel)
7. Horizon Walker - Ignore movement penalty for med. armor and med. load (eff. +10 movement)
8. Horizon Walker - Ignore Exhaustion, Desert Mastery
9. Horizon Walker - +10 base movement, Plains Domination
This build requires only STR and CHA to be viable, which is good for our group plays with only 15 points in point buy.
We do play with an additonal set of powers that have their own progression. From there I can pull +2 to any one attribute and the ability of Fast Healing 1.
Race can be anything humanoid and non-monstrous.
Three paths, maybe more?
Two-hander path
Two-Weapon Fighting (needs much dex...)
Natural Attacks (Needs something switched around...)
Your opinion /advice?
Nothing? - Noone?
Is the build so hideous it is beneath these forums to even look at? :-)
Switch Inquisitor to Cleric and you'll get Longstrider for extra 10' for 1h/day & another domain.
No extra feats are coming from any of the classes so 2h weapon is probably the way to go (requires least feats I think).
BAB seems level -2, no rage , weak smite for the level & CL 1 makes this character kind of weak offensively I think.
Thank you for the response Riku. The lack of an offensive element is also what is bothering me.
But, I have come to a realization... When I am actually doing is building a Monk, without using any Monk levels.
Monks get an useful offensive mechanic, decent skill points and movement and defensive bonuses out the nose.
I think that if I keep the 2 paladin levels and the Oracle level and focus on STR, CHA and WIS in that order, I'll find a build that works for me.
And at this point it looks like adding 17 Monk levels will work out great, perhaps switching to Fighter very late in his career.
Multiclassing really is quite dead.
Does the quickling count as humanoid enough and nonmostrous enough? (it's technically not a humanoid- a fey-) They have a starting speed of 120 feet.
Otherwise, if you're going monk and ditching the armor idea, you could go with the improvised weapon master (empty hand), getting Improvised Weapons Mastery as your 6th level bonus feat and use a 10 foot pole as your main weapon (at least until your unarmed damage outpaces it). This'll give you a flurriable, two-handed reach weapon that does 2d6 and you can unarmed strike when people get close. To really twink out your character, you could also pick up a level of cleric with the travel domain and growth subdomain (enlarge self as a swift action to increase damage dice). Of course, for a damaging monk build, power attack is a must.
If you are trying to maximize movement and AC and saves simultaneously, I would go with (For level 10) :
Monk (Sacred Mountain)
Flame Oracle (w Cinder Dance/tongues) 1 level
Saves :
Fort : +6
Reflex : +6
Will : +2 (Oracle) +6 (Monk) = +8
Armor : +1 Natural Armor (Monk), +WIS (Monk), +DEX, +2 Monk Bonus, +Conditional +2/+4 Shield bonus (Monk)
DR 1/--
Move : +10 (Cinder Dance) + 30 (Monk) + racial Base (70/60 depending on race)
Ability to cast heal on himself 3 times per day (assuming WIS is 12+, which it will be). Ability to cast 5 orisons at will all day. He's moving 60 or 70 feet per movement (depending on race), assuming he has a 20 Dex and 20 Wis (easily doable at 10th level with level boosts and items) then he has at least an AC of 10 + 1 (NA) + 2 (Monk) + 5 (WIS) + 5 (DEX) = 23. That's not even counting Bracers of Armor (say +3), +2 Deflection Ring, and an Amulet of Natural Armor (if he goes that route). So he could easily have a 30AC at 10th level. Higher if he's using Bastion Stance (+2 or +4).
Since he has DR 1/-- he's removing 1 pt of damage from each physical attack, no matter what the source.
Put a monk's robe on him, and his HTH damage goes up to the equivalent of a 14th level monk. Give him some enchanted Brass Knuckles to make up for his using an Amulet of Natural armor, and keep his damage and to-hit up. I suggest if you don't keep STR up as high as dex to get weapon finesse so he's hitting more often.
EDIT : Is it just me, or is it weird that a monk that is fluffed as 'not pinwheeling through combat' doesn't give up his fast movement, and because of his defensive bonuses, makes a perfect strike attacker? Rushing up and into combat and then standing toe-to-toe with the bad guy?