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For various reasons my plans to play an EK in our next game have fallen through, and I'm looking to build a dex-based fighter. I'm going to go with a Dervish dance build, and the weapon master archetype, build so far looks like:
Human Fighter (Weapon Master) 2
STR: 10
DEX: 20 (18+2)
CON: 12
INT: 13
WIS: 10
CHA: 8
Feats:
1: Weapon Finesse
1: Dodge
1: Weapon Focus
2: Dervish Dance
This should give me an AC of 19 (in studded leather)
and an attack of +9, 1d6+5, 18-20x2
My plans for future levels is:
3: Piranha Strike
4: Weapon Specialization
5: Iron Will
6: ?
7: Toughness
8: Greater Weapon Focus
9: Additional Traits
10: ?
11: ?
12: Greater Weapon Specialization
13: Penetrating Strike
14: ?
I'm not sure it will go much past this but if so I can probably manage, maybe pick up mobility with one of my remaining feats and go into duelist.
The one thing I'm not sure about is the order of Piranha strike and weapon focus, I;m thinking that at low levels (the 2 we are starting at the +1 will be more useful than a -1/+2. Any comments would be appreciated.
I have a character, an NPC I've been toying around with who is a celebrated follower of Sarenrae (sp?), a Goddess who reveres the use of a scimitar. She's eventually going to be a Paladin 4/Fighter 16. Below are her attributes and feats, though I'm constantly tinkering with them:
Str 8
Int 12
Wis 12
Dex 17 (+2 Human, +1 at 4th, 8th & 12th)
Con 14
Cha 14 (+1 at 16th & 20th)
1st - Weapon Finesse
1st - Dodge
1st - Mobility
2nd - Dervish Dance
3rd - Spring Attack
4th
5th - Combat Expertise
6th
7th - Whirlwind Attack
8th - Lunge
9th - Combat Reflexes
10th - Weapon Focus: Scimitar
11th - Dazing Assault
12th - Greater Weapon Focus: Scimitar
13th - Critical Focus
14th - Staggering Critical
15th - Exhausting Critical
16th - Critical Mastery
17th - Stunning Critical
18th - Weapon Specialization: Scimitar
19th - Greater Weapon Specialization: Scimitar
20th - Piranha Strike
She takes Fighter (Weapon Master)for the first two levels, then four levels of Paladin (for Smites/Oath of Vengeance, Lay on Hands, Spells, Divine Health, Divine Grace and Aura of Courage), and then Fighter the rest of the way - for all of that you lose two combat feats and that's pretty much it. Whirlwind Attack is beautiful, a Lunging Whirlwind Attack even better and a Dazing Lunging Whirlwind Attack can utterly control the battlefield. At later levels she controls her foes with Dazing Assault and her Criticals. Lots of criticals with this girl.
It makes for a different sort of character to run but a very effective one - she's beautiful, graceful and compliments a standard tank or big alpha striker nicely.
Equipment-wise she wears Bracers of Armor and works towards a weapon with the following qualities: Keen, Speed & Flaming Burst. Belts of Dexterity and Headbands of Charisma and 1st level Pearls of Power inexpensively round her out.
I'd consider Grace for her Paladin spell(s) as its a swift action that lets you move without provoking AoO's. Bless Weapon makes all crits auto-confirm and Hero's Defiance lets you cast Lay on Hands as an immediate action if you take what would otherwise be a lethal blow. All nice tools to have in your kit.
In the latest update, I'm probably dropping the last four Fighter levels and finishing with four more Paladin levels to make her a Fighter 12/Paladin 8.
I like the idea of grabbing a few more spells, making those Smites more effective and getting Weapon Bond... keep in mind though that my character creation is driven as much by role-playing value as by optimization.
Last four levels:
17th - Stunning Critical
18th
19th - Pirahna Strike
20th
For that you get more spells (including Litany of Righteousness, another swift action), an additional +2 Lay on Hands, another Smite Evil, +4 more damage when you Smite, Aura of resolve and another Mercy, again for the cost of two combat feats, in this case equating to +4 damage.
Still playing around with it. If you wanted to go pure Fighter this is probably the feat selection that I'd go with. Keep in mind that a huge part of the value of a Scimitar is its high critical chance.
Sickening Critical has no saving throw, lasts for a minute and reduces your opponents saving throws vs. other effects (Dazing Assault, Stunning Critical, etc.). The Weapon Master is able to make excellent use of those criticals at higher levels.
1st - Weapon Finesse
1st - Dodge
1st - Mobility
2nd - Dervish Dance
3rd - Spring Attack
4th - Combat Expertise
5th - Lunge
6th - Whirlwind Attack
7th - Weapon Focus: Scimitar
8th - Greater Weapon Focus: Scimitar
9th - Combat Reflexes
10th - Critical Focus
11th - Dazing Assault
12th – Sickening Critical
13th - Staggering Critical
14th - Critical Mastery
15th - Weapon Specialization: Scimitar
16th - Greater Weapon Specialization: Scimitar
17th - Stunning Critical
18th – Penetrating Strike
19th – Greater Penetrating Strike
20th - Piranha Strike
If your GM allows it, I'd highly reccomend taking this third party Feat somewhere in there...
Acrobatic
prereq
Acrobatic Dodge
Benefit: As an immediate action when you would normally be hit with a melee or ranged attack roll, you may make an Acrobatics check to avoid being hit. The DC for this check is equal to the attack roll that hit you. You gain a free 5‑foot step as part of this Acrobatics check, and must take it. (If you cannot take your 5‑foot step, you cannot use this feat. The movement doesn’t count against any other movement you are taking, and does not provoke an attack of opportunity.) You may only use this feat when you have an armor check penalty of 0, are carrying no more than a light load, and are not wielding a two‑handed weapon or shield. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Dexterity bonus.
I'm in the process of looking for a decent Trait that will make Acrobatics a class feat.
Is it point buy? What are your traits? Are you stuck on human?
20 point buy, Traits: Indomitable will and something else, likely highlander for stealth as a class skill.
I'm debating the wisdom of going into duelist as soon as possilbe.
as always pointed out with dervish dancer builds, piranha strike don't work with scimitar.
If you want to increase damage output you need a decent str to take power attack.
as always pointed out with dervish dancer builds, piranha strike don't work with scimitar.
If you want to increase damage output you need a decent str to take power attack.
huh, you're right, I didn't notice that. Well, after 4th level of fighter for weapon spec I need 2 more levels of a full BAB class, I guess ranger would qualify.
2 level of Ranger will give you power attack without the 13 strength.
nice catch, I never really though about it this way!
Currently thinking about:
1 Ranger
2 Fighter
3 Fighter
4 Fighter
5 Ranger
6 Fighter
7-16 Duelist
17+ Fighter
Feats:
1: Weapon Finesse
1: Dodge
2: Dervish Dance
3: Iron Will
3: Mobility
5: Weapon Focus
5: Power Attack
6: Weapon Spec
7: Toughness
9: Improved Critical
10: Combat Reflexes (duelist)
11: Critical Focus
13: Sickening Critical
15: Deflect Arrows (duelist)
15: Blinding Critical
17: Critical Mastery
19: ???
Not that I expect the game to go on that long. The dip required for ranger actually solves some of the skill problems I had with the character.
Seriously, goblins rock this build.
yeah I fully acknowledge that fact, but for plot reasons this character needs to be human.
Currently thinking about:
1 Ranger
2 Fighter
3 Fighter
4 Fighter
5 Ranger
6 Fighter
7-16 Duelist
17+ FighterFeats:
1: Weapon Finesse
1: Dodge
2: Dervish Dance
3: Iron Will
3: Mobility
5: Weapon Focus
5: Power Attack
6: Weapon Spec
7: Toughness
9: Improved Critical
10: Combat Reflexes (duelist)
11: Critical Focus
13: Sickening Critical
15: Deflect Arrows (duelist)
15: Blinding Critical
17: Critical Mastery
19: ???Not that I expect the game to go on that long. The dip required for ranger actually solves some of the skill problems I had with the character.
Staggering Critical reduces a foe to a single action, meaning that they can either move OR make a standard action and can never make a full attack. Definitely something to consider over Blinding Critical. You might be able to gain an additional feat by dropping Improved critical - by that level you should have no problems getting a Keen weapon, the effects don't stack and its not a pre-req for anything else you're getting.
Again, I really want to put in my plug for a Lunging Whirling Dazing Assault. By level 7-9 you can attack everyone within 10' at your full BAB, and then at 11 you can potentially Daze every one as well. That's some serious crowd control there and the damage adds up quick.
