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Well, I just hit 8th level (vanilla fighter - yes, vanilla: look it up, because you probably forgot how it works and you're going to "correct" me on things that will prove you didn't look it up) and I get another bonus feat. Not only that, but I have the option of swapping out a previous feat for a new one (something I only get the chance for at 4th, 8th, and 12th). Being a PFS guy, this is pretty much my only relevant chance to do this.
Here's my current stats:
STR 18
DEX 14
CON 14
INT 17
WIS 12
CHA 08
Traits: Armor Expert (reduce ACP by 1), Captain's Blade (Acro is class skill)
Feats (through 7th level): Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (flail), Weapon Specialization (flail), Second Chance, Cosmopolitan
AC 28 (10 + 2[DEX] + 11[+2 full plate] + 3[+2 buckler] + 1[Dodge] + 1[Ring of Protection +1])
HP 69
Fort +11 (includes Cloak of Resistance +3)
Ref +7
Will +8
Primary Weapon: +1 adamantine flail
Attacks: +15/+10 for 1d8+8
Disarm: +19
Trip: +17
What I'm thinking for 8th level is to take Greater Trip and then swap out Dodge for either Greater Disarm or Combat Reflexes. I can afford to upgrade my +2 CON belt to a +2 CON/DEX belt to make up for losing Dodge.
Please remember that this character already exists, so suggesting a different build just shows that you can't read. Little better is the suggestion of switching up all my gear that I've already bought.
But any thoughts on my feat decisions for 8th level would be appreciated. :)
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I suggest dropping vanilla for strawberry as it is much tastier.
If you question is whether to do the swap then....sure why not.
Dodge can still be useful though. Mobility can let you move through enemies with more confidence in order to get to a squishy behind them.
If I was playing this fighter I could go either way.
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Depends what you are trying to do. Be more defensive? Gain more utility?
It's mostly just a question of whether I'd rather send people's weapons flying 15ft away, or get to take advantage of the AoO for both the trip AND the stand.
Improved initiative is always good.
Improved Initiative is sometimes good. It's good for characters who get a lot of value out of going first (like rogues, since you can sneak attack anyone who hasn't acted yet) and/or someone who already has a pretty decent initiative bonus (i.e., Reactionary for +2 and +3 or +4 from DEX).
Me going from +2 to +6 is far less significant than a rogue going from +6 to +10.
I'd suggest dropping Dodge and taking Greater Trip and Improved Iron Will (<-- it only has to be useful once in a while to pay for itself, I think).
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have you considered rolling up an oracle??? lol just kidding
ok so you cant trade out combat expertise im not quite sure what you meant by your posting up there. you said "What I'm thinking for 8th level is to take Greater Trip and then swap out Dodge for either Greater Disarm or Combat Expertise."
my preference in this would be to drop dodge and pick up fury's fall and take greater trip as your normal 8th level fighter feat. this will help to make sure your trips work with an additional +5 to trip (assuming you increase your belt as you stated you planned on doing) and then your tripped opponent provokes aos from everyone around him including you. also with him being tripped you can use your ao to disarm him at his now lowered cmd due to being prone.
hope this is helpful might i also suggest that your 9 and 10 level feats look at power attack and furious focus. thanks
ok so you cant trade out combat expertise im not quite sure what you meant by your posting up there. you said "What I'm thinking for 8th level is to take Greater Trip and then swap out Dodge for either Greater Disarm or Combat Expertise."
Maybe a typo for Combat Reflexes?
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I'd suggest dropping Dodge and taking Greater Trip and Improved Iron Will (<-- it only has to be useful once in a while to pay for itself, I think).
Not a combat feat, so no dice.
And yes, it was a typo for Combat Reflexes. Thanks for the catch; I've fixed it in an edit now.
my preference in this would be to drop dodge and pick up fury's fall and take greater trip as your normal 8th level fighter feat. this will help to make sure your trips work with an additional +5 to trip (assuming you increase your belt as you stated you planned on doing) and then your tripped opponent provokes aos from everyone around him including you. also with him being tripped you can use your ao to disarm him at his now lowered cmd due to being prone.
hope this is helpful might i also suggest that your 9 and 10 level feats look at power attack and furious focus. thanks
Hm, Fury's Fall is an interesting idea. Unfortunately, in PFS you have to have the sourcebook and I don't feel like buying that just for one feat. ;)
I kind of like pointing out to people that I don't have power attack, but maybe one of these days I'll take it.
And Furious Focus only works for two-handed attacks.
You already have Combat expertise so I don't see why you would swap dodge for it, do you mean Combat Reflexes?
Are you using a Heavy Flail, just wonder as you have a buckler. If you are then Tripping Strike at 9th level would be nice and grabbing Improved Critical would give you 17-20 critical threat ranger. Then swap dodge for Greater Trip so your critical does trip your opponent then you get AoO as well.
I'm not sure what other feats you could swap as only fighter feats can be swapped at those levels and you don't list what was a fighter feat. I'm assuming Dodge is.
Now if you have just normal fail I'd I'd swap out for Combat Reflexes and take Greater Trip as well ditch the buckler for heavy shield. Increase your dex with the belt and that means more AoO and you are 1 AC better with the shield.
Personally I'd swap out second chance over dodge. Fighters rarely ever miss their first attack. More often that not they are hitting on anything but a 1. But if you didn't take Second Chance as fighter feat you can't swap it out.
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You already have Combat expertise so I don't see why you would swap dodge for it, do you mean Combat Reflexes?
Yeah, I meant Combat Reflexes.
Are you using a Heavy Flail, just wonder as you have a buckler. If you are then Tripping Strike at 9th level would be nice and grabbing Improved Critical would give you 17-20 critical threat ranger. Then swap dodge for Greater Trip so your critical does trip your opponent then you get AoO as well.
Nope, regular flail.
Now if you have just normal fail I'd I'd swap out for Combat Reflexes and take Greater Trip as well ditch the buckler for heavy shield. Increase your dex with the belt and that means more AoO and you are 1 AC better with the shield.
But the buckler means I can seamlessly switch to archery if the target is too far away to engage in melee. And occasionally I'll two-hand the flail (with a -1 to hit) for extra damage against a low-AC target.
The single extra point of AC is less important to me than that versatility.
Personally I'd swap out second chance over dodge. Fighters rarely ever miss their first attack. More often that not they are hitting on anything but a 1. But if you didn't take Second Chance as fighter feat you can't swap it out.
A mid-level fighter still misses sometimes. I used Second Chance three times yesterday in one fight alone. It also combos well with two-handing the flail or using Combat Expertise by mitigating the to-hit penalty. I picked it up at 6th and haven't regretted it.
I'd suggest dropping Dodge and taking Greater Trip and Improved Iron Will (<-- it only has to be useful once in a while to pay for itself, I think).Not a combat feat, so no dice.
Good point. :-)
EDIT: Maybe Fortified Armor Training (Ultimate Combat)? How often do you get hit by critical hits?
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I'd suggest dropping Dodge and taking Greater Trip and Improved Iron Will (<-- it only has to be useful once in a while to pay for itself, I think).Not a combat feat, so no dice.Good point. :-)
EDIT: Maybe Fortified Armor Training (Ultimate Combat)? How often do you get hit by critical hits?
Not often. Last scenario for instance (playing up into tier 8-9 at level 7), most of the enemies needed a 20 to hit me (I spent a lot of time using Combat Expertise). Against the REALLY nasty guy I kept him tripped (-4 to attacks) while staying in CE mode and he needed something pretty high to hit me.
Natural 20s happen, but odds of a confirmation are comfortably slim.
Speaking of trading out combat feats, can you trade out any combat feat, or just the ones that you got from your even fighter levels?
It would be the bonus feats you get from your fighter levels only, but not sure.
Bonus Feats: At 1st level, and at every even level thereafter, a fighter gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement (meaning that the fighter gains a feat at every level). These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat feats, sometimes also called “fighter bonus feats.”
Upon reaching 4th level, and every four levels thereafter (8th, 12th, and so on), a fighter can choose to learn a new bonus feat in place of a bonus feat he has already learned.
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So that would mean that any feat that the fighter picked up at level 3, 5, 7, 9 is ineligible to be swapped out? Also, you would have to specify which feat was your fighter bonus feat at level 1; you can't during your career swap out two of your level 1 feats because only one of them was a fighter bonus feat.
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I'd suggest dropping Dodge and taking Greater Trip and Improved Iron Will (<-- it only has to be useful once in a while to pay for itself, I think).Not a combat feat, so no dice.
And yes, it was a typo for Combat Reflexes. Thanks for the catch; I've fixed it in an edit now.
my preference in this would be to drop dodge and pick up fury's fall and take greater trip as your normal 8th level fighter feat. this will help to make sure your trips work with an additional +5 to trip (assuming you increase your belt as you stated you planned on doing) and then your tripped opponent provokes aos from everyone around him including you. also with him being tripped you can use your ao to disarm him at his now lowered cmd due to being prone.
hope this is helpful might i also suggest that your 9 and 10 level feats look at power attack and furious focus. thanksHm, Fury's Fall is an interesting idea. Unfortunately, in PFS you have to have the sourcebook and I don't feel like buying that just for one feat. ;)
I kind of like pointing out to people that I don't have power attack, but maybe one of these days I'll take it.
And Furious Focus only works for two-handed attacks.
yes i know furious focus only works with 2 handed attacks but once someone is on the floor and disarmed you dont really need the buckler anymore lol thats when you grip up and baseball swing away. and after your initial round for tripping and disarming a 2 handed power attack is really the best way to up your dpr. if you worry about stuff like that.i dont really like sword and board type stuff thats why i rock a buckler so i can ignore it when i want to do damage.