Get a mount. The cavalier might work. Unlike those medium sized characters you don't have to worry about an area being too small for your mount.
You could also just go barbarian or fighter.
Inquisitor has Judgments that might work, Paladins have Smite, and Fighters get bonus feats that can help with damage(Weapon Focus/Specialization and Power Attack).
Having played a Halfling Paladinthat went to town with an elven curved blade(I wanted a weird weapon for him), I'd recommend Paladin.
If you don't want any spells at all, then a Halfling Trapper or Skirmisher Ranger could be a good replacement for your magus.
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Hi there!
A little background: We're playing a fast progression halfling party, where basically one of the party members follows a kick-ass guide and outshines everyone else. Cool that we have someone who can take care of all the baddies solo, but this offers everyone else a lesser chance to shine.
Basically halfling bladebound magus with shocking grasp and scimitar (dervish dance) at level 3 dishes out a possible 1d4+7 dmg (scimitar) + 1d4+7 (scimitar) + 3d6 shocking grasp damage per round, where everything threatens crit on 18-20. Of course, this levels out just a bit as he can only do this for 3 rounds/day, but our style of play has us in only 1-2 combats per day at the moment anyway.
In comparison the halfling barbarian w/greatsword does 1d10+9 dmg when raging and power attacking. The halfling bard does 1d6+2 with halfling sling staff and arcane strike, and something similar for the halfling gunslinger and rogue.What I'm after is having a possible alternate character more or less ready for if I should die at some point. The barbarian is already dead and is to be replaced with a druid.
So anyone got any bright ideas for a low level'ish (4-8) halfling martial character that can potentially compete with said magus? (Yes I know spellcasters in general kick ass with non-dmg dealing spells, but I'd like a martial character).
Much obliged
Cilveran
Ugh you want to hit things with sticks as a small race? Talk about making it hard on us!
Look up the Switch Hitter Ranger by Treant Monk. His guide is great and optimized! Kind of a bummer you are a halfling, but it should still work out nicely.
If you don't want to do that hen try and make a set up character. Be the guy that just trips the heck out of the enemy and leaves them prone so your teammates can just come up and easily dispose of them. A Fighter with all his feats (Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip, etc) and a Guisarme can be a fun combo.
If you are only doing a couple of encounters a day, a Barbarian/Alchemist (Vivisectionist) could be pretty insane. +4 Strength from rage, +4 Strength from Mutagen, plus sneak attack, power attack, any miscellaneous boosts you give yourself from extracts (yay, enlarge person).
I have been overcome by the urge to play a front-line gnome and was about to start a thread on it, but I hope that I can piggy back here since the issues are similar.
My best idea is to take a fighter at first level for the extra feat to start with Combat Expertise and Improved Feint. Then go with Cavalier or Paladin after that to make the charisma worth something.
Basics at 1st level:
S 12, I 13, W 10, D 14, Con 14, Cha 16 (After race bonuses)
Traits: Fast-talker and killer
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint
He'd start as "sword and board", but if the strength can be raised to 14, he would switch to greatsword. If cavalier, maybe a lance while riding a wolf.
Feats: Power Attack (3), Furious Focus (5), Greater Feint (7), Improved Critical (9), Critical Focus(11)
I couldn't get the starting strength to 14 without sacrificing too much in a 20 point buy. (I want to be PFS compatible.) I could go with 13 by sacrificing Wisdom to 8, which would get me the 14 at level 4. Or I could just hope for some nice strength boosting magic items.
I am open to any comments, criticisms or recommendations. I know that folks here have stared at the feat list much longer than I have.
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the only build that will out damage that is a halfling cavalier. even a halfling pally or gunslinger wont get as much damage in as he will.
halfling on a boar is pretty awesome, you can do 3d4+3x strength per hit which if using bull strength and power attack you would be able to do a max, at 3rd level with a strength of 14, of 12+12+9= 33 points every hit with a ...+8 to attack, then factor in your pets damage wich would max at 8. so if you just wanted to build something to put the magus in his place, lol, then i would say cavilier.
Hmm,
Fast progression means you're gonna hit level 5 soon, huh?
Ever considered a sap mastery rogue?
Level 5 damage is 1d3 + 6d6 + 6 + dex.
Trick is, the enemy needs to be flat footed to get the above damage. How you accomplish this is that you use the scout archetype which makes them take damage as if they were flat footed whenever you chage.
Rogue build:
Rogue: (Archetypes: Scout, Thug)
Feats:
1: Weapon Finesse
3rd: Sap Adept
5th: Sap Mastery
Tricks:
2nd: Unarmed Combat training
4th: Enforcer
Put everything into dex and cha, leftover in con. When you hit enemies, you can intimidate them as a free action, and they are intimidated for a number of rounds equal to the damage you dealt. If more than 4 (of course it is), you can instead make them frightened (running away) for 1 round, which is basically their turn wasted.
Then next round, do it again.
prototype00
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Basics at 1st level:
S 12, I 13, W 10, D 14, Con 14, Cha 16 (After race bonuses)
Traits: Fast-talker and killer
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved FeintFeats: Power Attack (3), Furious Focus (5), Greater Feint (7), Improved Critical (9), Critical Focus(11)
I couldn't get the starting strength to 14 without sacrificing too much in a 20 point buy. (I want to be PFS compatible.) I could go with 13 by sacrificing Wisdom to 8, which would get me the 14 at level 4. Or I could just hope for some nice strength boosting magic items.
I am open to any comments, criticisms or recommendations. I know that folks here have stared at the feat list much longer than I have.
Sorry to break it to you, but he won't qualify for Power Attack at 3rd level as currently built. PA requires a minimum Str of 13 to take.
And dumping Wisdom, even with the (eventual) Paladin bonuses to Will saves is not a good idea.
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I'd like to throw my support for the Cavalier idea. A halfling riding a boar can produce some serious damage. A Mounted Fury barbarian would be a good second choice-- you gain the "RAGELANCEPOUNCE" tactic but lose the teamwork feats. Your party members would love you for the teamwork feats, and you'll probably want your party members to love you if you start outperforming them.
Since you made this thread in the first place as a result of feeling outshined, I'm sure you can appreciate the appeal of a character who can keep pace with that Magus and still do it in a way that everyone feels like they're contributing.
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Basically halfling bladebound magus with shocking grasp and scimitar (dervish dance) at level 3 dishes out a possible 1d4+7 dmg (scimitar) + 1d4+7 (scimitar) + 3d6 shocking grasp damage per round
What am I missing which grants a BbM two weapon attacks at 3rd-level with Dervish Dance?
-- He could stack TWF and Spell Combat, but the only way to juice two scimitar attacks out of that is to attack with one, drop it, then attack with the other, then cast a spell with the empty hand (which dropped the first sword). And be -4 to hit.
<shrug>
= = = = = =
If this halfling campaign is fast-tracking, and not cash-starved, I'd take a look at using Agile weapons and completely ignoring strength. You'll eventually make the Dervish guys look suboptimal, especially if mixing in barbarian[urban].
In comparison the halfling barbarian w/greatsword does 1d10+9 dmg when raging and power attacking. The halfling bard does 1d6+2 with halfling sling staff and arcane strike, and something similar for the halfling gunslinger and rogue.
What I'm after is having a possible alternate character more or less ready for if I should die at some point. The barbarian is already dead and is to be replaced with a druid.
Excellent -- that means you can be the new halfling barbarian, and do it right. (You can also make a run at being skill-monkey, since it looks like everyone else is eschewing it.)
(Mild annoyance: you didn't say what point-buy method was used, or what your current character is.)
STR-05 Halfling 20pt
DEX+19
CON:12
INT:12
WIS:12
CHA+14
Racial: Outrider
Traits: Dangerously Curious
01 barbar1 [Urban][Crowd Control], Weapon Finesse
02 samura1 [Order of the Warrior][Mount][Wakizashi]
03 fightr1 [Dragoon][Mounted Combat][Skill Focus:Ride], Two Weapon Fighting
04 barbar2 [Uncanny Dodge][Reckless Abandon], DEX>20
05 fightr2 Boon Companion, Indomitable Mount
06 samura2 (all samurai from here on)
The nice thing about putting this in your game is that you get to avoid most of the suck levels. Basically don't spend a nickel until you have 8000 for a +1/Agile wakizashi (use a shang gou in the other hand to trip).
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Basically halfling bladebound magus with shocking grasp and scimitar (dervish dance) at level 3 dishes out a possible 1d4+7 dmg (scimitar) + 1d4+7 (scimitar) + 3d6 shocking grasp damage per roundWhat am I missing which grants a BbM two weapon attacks at 3rd-level with Dervish Dance?
-- He could stack TWF and Spell Combat, but the only way to juice two scimitar attacks out of that is to attack with one, drop it, then attack with the other, then cast a spell with the empty hand (which dropped the first sword). And be -4 to hit.
you don't really know how a magus works do you? as long as he has spell strike he can make his normal attack then make a second attack using spellstrike and arcane mark in conjunction with each other. effectively giving him TWF with dervish dance using the same hand to attack twice.
Sorry to break it to you, but he won't qualify for Power Attack at 3rd level as currently built. PA requires a minimum Str of 13 to take.
And dumping Wisdom, even with the (eventual) Paladin bonuses to Will saves is not a good idea.
I wondered why the spreadsheet wasn't showing it as an option. I looked at the pre-reqs but kept forgetting my strength was 12. I suppose that I can take Con to 12 in order to get the 13 Strength.
Agile weapon enhancement is from the Pathfinder Society Field Guide. It's basically a +1 equivalent weapon enhancement that allows you to use DEX instead of STR on weapon damage. The enhancement can only be placed on finesseable weapons, and you do not get the 1.5x modifier for two handed weapons (ex. elven curved blade or spiked chain). It's a great way to add damage for DEX characters.
I'd also recommend Piranha Strike if you're going with light weapons. It's basically power attack for light weapons (it's from the Sargava Player's Companion).
Personally, I still wouldn't drop the STR quite so low, but that's personal preference.
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If you're permanently welded ("I Sovereign Glued my butt to the saddle!") to a medium-sized mount which will be doing all the heavy lifting, you absolutely do not need STR at all. If your campaign permits taking any mount as a cavalier/samurai, take a badger for burrow and climb movement types, and you'll have no trouble navigating dungeons.
Piranha Strike is a good choice at 7th, although Rapid Reload is probably a better choice to give you credible ranged options given that BAB6 and Haste tend to arrive near-simultaneously. 3d6+3d6+3 off three shots of a +1/Element light crossbow is a heck of a lot better than "I move and attack one time with a light melee weapon".
Keep Ride maxed because it blocks one hit and one save per round against your mount (and Skill Focus:Ride is not a bad choice at 9th or higher).