Ive been eyeing this class for a while and after finally mustering up the 2.99 to download the pdf i did. My interest peaked when i found alot of similarities between this class and one of my favorite charaters from The fire Emblem Game on GBA Lord Wallace. A Meat wall at best that i can describe him being he is a general.
Well I decided to finally build the class but im having trouble rolling the character up. He's gonna be used in a couple different campaigns that ill be making a few minor tweaks with. My isssue im having is the feats and equipment. I cant decide which will help the character both survive long (Knowing how one of my gm's runs his games he'll attempt tpk's ALOT) but i want him to be able to deal decent damage as well
My Current build looks something like this
1st Human level armiger
Sir Rodrick "Cold" Steelemantle
Traits are:
Heart of the Streets from page 23 of the APG
Armor Expert page 327 of the APG
Adopted (Dwarf) page 329 from the APG
Adopted trait was Wpn Familiarity
Age: 34
Weight: 220
Height: 6'2
Stats were rolled: 15, 16, 15, 15, 14, 15
Str: 18 (+2 racial bonus)
Dex: 15
Con: 15
Int: 15
Wis: 15
Cha: 14
Now heres where problems arise. based off backstory Rodrick was originally brought up from a tribe of barbarians living in the mountains and abandoned as a baby (more then likely due to a frost giant attack) he was rescued and then raised by the local dwarven blacksmith of a nearby city of dwarves at war with the frost giants and brought back and raised in their heritage until they were also killed off by the giants (more then like around the time he was 12 or so)he fled the mountains to the nearest establishment which was a large human populated city. So heres where my first question comes up for a weapon should Rodrick weild a more barbaric weapon (and stick with the base idea of the armiger and use pole arms and a bulwark as its the only sheild usable with a THW) more then likely a ranseur. or seeing as i have the weapon familiarty of dwarves would it make more sense to use a warhammer or dwarven waraxe and a Heavy steel sheild with spikes that can be used for sheild bashes.
Personally im leaning more torwards the second idea because of the surviability. if im using the heavy sheild i get a +2 to Ac if i resort to the Bulwark and polearm i get +1 my armor and i cant do sheild bashes. My armor is Chain mail so ill get +6 there AND my Dex mod. plus whenever im adj. to 2 allies i get another +1 seeing as armiger is more a support character i find ill probally be covering the sorcerr or some other squishy character so my abilities are more well used.
Now these are the feats ive been throwing around alot and i cant decide which would be the best 2 to start with and then build from there.
Toughness
Dodge
Sheild Focus
Improved Sheild Bash
Two Weapon fighting
Could really use some advice guys and imput
You could use the Lucerne Hammer from the APG, then you can have a polearm AND a hammer.
In terms of feats you know that when using a heavy sheild you are going to be taking a -4 with 2 weapon fighting not a -2 right? That penalty could be pretty hefty for a 3/4 bab character. So I dont know that the 2 weapon fighting shield bash route is the way to go for this character. Use the armiger talent - Spear Brace, and then you are essentially 2handing your polearm even with a shield equiped.
Actually i didnt know that about the heavy sheild so thanks for pointing that out. and i suppose sense i have armor that allows for me to use my full Dex mod anyways instead of wasting my first armiger talent on Armor training i could go with the Spear Brace. Im still unsure though what to do with my feats. Obviously two weapon fighting and improved sheild bash wont really be needed now except possibly in situations in close range combat but i dont find that likely to happen very often
Get a spiked gauntlet if you are worried about those times when you cant use your reach weapon rather then shield bash. You might want to consider combat reflexes and then bodyguard from the APG which goes nicely with bullwark or you could take catch off gaurd to use the haft of your polearm as an improvised weapon (thus negating the need for a spiked gauntlet or some other close in weapon).