So I finished tweaking the build I was trying to make and am content with it, so here we go.
The concept is dealing the most brutal blow in a single strike and be almost sure to hit.
Magus is the most appropriate class with true strike, and kensai to get perfect strike @lvl4.
Then to boost the single blow, the vital strike tree is a no-brainer, and furious finish makes it maximized.
Having a larger weapon increases the number of weapon dices so I'll be taking lead blades with UMD and polymorph spells to culminate with monstrous physique 3 (getting it @lvl19 along with greater vital strike).
Human(Heart of the Fields) CG
for18/ dex14/ con10/ int12/ wis7/ cha15
traits :
magical knack(magus)
optimistic gambler
kensai7/urban barbarian2/fighter1/ragechemist2/EK8
1 - kensai1 - combat reflexes, skill focus : survival
2 - kensai2
3 - kensai3 - familiar, power attack
4 - kensai4
5 - urban barbarian1 - eldritch heritage(orc)
6 - urban barbarian2 - roused anger
7 - fighter1 - vital strike, furious finish
8 - ragechemist1 - improved familiar
9 - ragechemist2 - extra arm, extra discovery (extra arm)
10-kensai5 - furious focus
11-kensai6 - improved share spells, arcane accuracy
12-kensai7
13-EK1 - improved eldritch heritage(orc)
14-EK2
15-EK3 - improved vital strike
16-EK4
17-EK5 - arcane strike, devastating strike
18-EK6
19-EK7 - raging brutality, greater vital strike
20-EK8
Choices :
- heart of the field : rage, finish, roused anger removes fatigue, finish, ignore exhausted, do it again.
- orc bloodline : gives a +6str and some damage with touch of rage. Power of giant isn't needed with the magus spells.
- kensai first : I lose some HP at first but I get perfect strike asap.
- fighter @lvl7 : need a high BAB lvl to get vital strike at this level (with the bonus feat), and I get furious finish directly with the 7th level feat. I was considering a level of samourai to deal with fatigue 2 more times a day with resolve, but I would get furious finish @lvl9.
- ragechemist : gives a +6 alchemist bonus to str with mutagen, and enables to strike 2-handed along with spell combat. (2nd extra arm just to look symmetrical, I might take infuse mutagen)
- familiar : Lyrakien gives a nice scout, UMD platform, and a way to remove fatigue and exhaustion. I might let her do the talking as well.
- Eldritch Knight : great for a magus who wants to get BAB16 without crippling his spell casting.
- improved share spells : get some more damage with a huge familiar wielding a leaded greatsword flanking my target. I miss battlemind link though.
- bastard sword : I think it is the best one-handed weapon damage-wise, getting a large one to get the most out of the d8.
Here it is, feel free to suggest improvements, point out rules not respected etc.
NB : I intend to use this character in an upcoming campaign, and haven't ask the GM anything yet so I tried to stay within RAW. Some tweaking might be possible depending on the GM reading.
I haven't done the math according to the last modifications I made, I'll post the damage @lvl19 later but with a mundane large bastard sword he would deal 192 weapon dmg, add in str and other modifiers and he should 2-shot a great wyrm.
If you want the best single hit damage, you want a lance charge on a mount w/ spirited charge.
If you do not want to be mounted/charging based, the best use of Vital Strike is with a Druid, or even better a Summoner who has access to the druid/ranger spell Strongjaw. Latter IMO is best for it, but would need an ally or potions or something, while as the former has it on his spell list already.
You basically buff yourself and/or your companion/eidolon with Improved Natural Attack (and the similar evolution, if eidolon), Strongjaw spell, as large a size as possible, and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting. Point is, natural weapons go 2dx->3dx->4dx->6dx-->8dx->12dx, where dx is d6 or d8, depending on what your original damage was. So you want to at least get to the 2 dice jump from 4 to 6, and ideally hit that sweet 12dx. And then multiply it w/ the Vital Strike line. If a druid buffing his pet, the T-Rex has nice base bite damage, high str, and the special ability to add 2x str to damage, instead of 1.5x.
Oh, also...never play a comatose chemist. Ever. Cause the name (the one it should have been called) is what you'll be doin' most of the adventuring day.
EDIT: Enlarge Person / Animal Growth! That's the main building block I was forgetting!
Actually I tried to get the most out of vital strike tree first considering dices rolled. The most I got was an Eldritch knight summoning a gargantuan T-rex, buffing him with animal growth and strong jaw, and magic jar into it.
Considering natural attack, the choice is between 2d8 or 4d6 with a gargantuan guy, 4d6 is better on average and for vital strike purposes.
It would be :
4d6(base) => 6d6(animal growth) => 12d6 (strong jaw).
Going greater vital strike with it would be 48d6 weapon damage wich would deal an average of 161, wich is less than the "perfect furious finish".
As for the mount route, I would welcome some math or a link to a thread giving it, it may indeed be better but I think such a blow would be harder to land.
ps: I found this, I'll take a look and come back :)
Since you are doing a single big attack, consider improved or greater feint. So your 'full attack' being a feint + giant hit of death, a succesful fient makes your attack easier to land anyway.
Hmm, theoretical 20th level ninja with vital strike, improved vital strike, sap adept, knockout artist and sap master and enlarge person cast.
12d8(4d8x3) + 20d6 (2x SA) + 20 (Sap adept) + 10 (Agile weapon dex bonus) + 10 (knockout artist) + 5 (weapon enhacement bonus)
Average is 153, hmm well, the buffed T-Rex does more.
prototype00
Edit: Oh wait, the ninja could get strong jaws as well so switch the first value for 24d8, which would make the final average value 201.
prototype00
NB : I intend to use this character in an upcoming campaign, and haven't ask the GM anything yet so I tried to stay within RAW. Some tweaking might be possible depending on the GM reading.
Are you starting @ 20th level?
Hope you got a good plan to survive the first few levels. :)
Are you starting @ 20th level?
No, but the build starts to deal some nice blows @lvl4 with perfect strike and when it gets vital strike and furious finish @lvl7.
It strikes harder and harder while getting bigger buffs and going further in the vital strike tree. First level I should strike for 1d10+6 (2d8+7 enlarged) with a bastard sword with an attack bonus of 5(6 enlarged).@Prototype : I was only stating weapon damage wich is easy to calculate, I intend to use furious, vicious and merciful for ~14-15 more dmg, and I haven't added strength and other mods. Howerver how do you get agile weapon on a natural weapon to cast strong jaw on it ?
@Hawktitan : Being a magus I have true strike at my disposal, so feint is overkill.
@Daeran : Being enlarged, I should strike first on anything that comes to me, plus I won't be alone and having 2-3 AOO per round I should do fine. I still have an AC of 13, and that will require careful planning and position :).
@Prototype : I was only stating weapon damage wich is easy to calculate, I intend to use furious, vicious and merciful for ~14-15 more dmg, and I haven't added strength and other mods. Howerver how do you get agile weapon on a natural weapon to cast strong jaw on it ?
Amulet of mighty fists (Agile) and an allying weapon held in the off hand +5, mostly to give my unarmed strikes +5 agile.
prototype00
@Daeran : Being enlarged, I should strike first on anything that comes to me, plus I won't be alone and having 2-3 AOO per round I should do fine. I still have an AC of 13, and that will require careful planning and position :).
Don't bank on always being prepared.
Personally I am skeptical of builds that don't really come into their own until high level unless you are starting at high level.
Oh and I don't think you'll get much benefit out of the touch of rage power. It is a standard action that lasts for 1 round. The bonuses scale but the duration never does.
Concerning touch of rage, I don't think I'll be using it that much, it is just to get more damage and to qualify for strength of the beast. It will last 1 round +1d4 thanks to optimistic gambler. And I can give it to my friends.
As for not coming into its own, it is not that much different from any glass canon build. It sure lacks the power and versatility of a full spellcaster but if that was what I wanted I would have done a wizard.
First couple of levels are always tough regardless of the class anyway, only high AC/constitution builds are somewhat safe.
I may carry a tower shield with me however, hiding behind it if my life is at stake.
First couple of levels are always tough regardless of the class anyway, only high AC/constitution builds are somewhat safe.
I may carry a tower shield with me however, hiding behind it if my life is at stake.
lol - I have a group of three I'm taking through Shackled City right now who are learning this lesson very quickly!
Personally, I'd rather my character really start to shine or "come on line" or whatever at level 3. If you can wait until level 4 or 5 and still have fun, then good on you, you should go for it!
Personally, I'd rather my character really start to shine or "come on line" or whatever at level 3
I tend to follow that line as well, and with this one I'm expecting trouble on first level. Next levels I should be able to take some hits and my opponents won't survive mine.
I noticed an error on the rundown :
8 - ragechemist1 - improved familiar
9 - ragechemist2 - extra arm, extra discovery (extra arm)
Should be :
8 - ragechemist1
9 - ragechemist2 - extra arm, improved familiar
I'm compiling damage by level without preparation and with mundane weapon (medium and large bastard sword). I'll post it when it's done.
My preferred single-hit build is a four winds monk, with a dash of barbarian and horizon walker.
The unarmed damage at lvl 15 (+monks robe) is: 2d10 for meduim size or 4d8 for large.
- With a Giant Hide Armor, he goes huge for: 6d8
- Strong Jaw through ally or potion: 12d8
- Greater Vital strike attack: 48d8 + bonusses
- Furiously finishing this: 384 + bonusses.
Oh, but this guy isn't satisfied with killing a Great Wyrm Black Dragons in one blow.
As a horizon walker his desert terrain mastery makes him immune to exhaustion, his roused anger will keep him rage-cycling. As a 4-winds monk, his slow time ability is ensuring that he makes 3 of those attacks at his maximum damage.
You know you can't Vital Strike when you use Spellstrike right? As along as you are ok with that. Vital Strike is a standard action, and spellstrike is done as part of a full round action. So basically you don't get True Strike + Vital Strike in the same round.
How many times can Strike be used in a paragraph.... needs Arcane Strike too somewhere I think :)
I still would recommend the improved feint + greater fient talents.
Vital Strike is a standard action, and spellstrike is done as part of a full round action.
Not quite, spellcombat is part of a full round action, spellstrike is just making a free weapon attack as part of a touch-attack spell instead of the actual built-into-the-spell-free-touch-attack.
Shocking grasp can be cast and the charge then held. The next round, Vital Strike for big hurts and the spell gets discharged.
You are right though in that you can't cast a spell and vital strike in the same round.
EDIT: Also, you could turn on Arcane Strike before the Vital Strike, and then when the Vital Strike lands, your stored-touch spell would get discharged thanks to Spellstrike. There, I think we squeaked more uses of strike in like you asked =P
You know you can't Vital Strike when you use Spellstrike right?
Sure, but I can quick spell true strike and then vital strike if need be. But as Dal Selpher said the routine might be spellcombat first round, vital strike round2.
I tried to fit quicken spell in the build and maybe get spell lineage instead of magical knack, but I just haven't enough spell slots to do it :(.Named bullet might be brutal indeed, I might take a look but I see some ig issues. lvl4 spell so lvl7, depends on a companion or a scroll, have to be a thrown weapon and I don't think a scythe qualifies. Anyway I would take a higher dice weapon with a x3 multiplier to benefit more from vital strike. It makes me think of this :).
I should have taken a look at the monk, not only does he strikes real hard, but he does it 3 times a round if he wants to -_-".
However furious finish maximizes only vital strike dices, and you can't get greater vital strike at lvl15. I think the build would be something like monk12/horizon walker2/ barbarian2, that is BAB13, you'll get greater vital strike at lvl19 like I do.
So his damage would be 12d8 + 288 + bonusses. I don't even beat the 300 damage at lvl19 (only 290 so far). Now I feel sad :(. Some nice ideas however I might pick some, especially horizon walker2. I think I'll stick with this guy rather than going monk anyway, stuff like being able to cast fly might be usefull, plus the familiar for some more actions (casting named bullet on me, hum ?).
I'm wondering how powerful charge works.
I corrected the levels, I found other errors.
kensai7/urban barbarian2/fighter1/ragechemist2/EK8
15 + 2 + 2
1/0 - kensai1 - combat reflexes, skill focus : survival
2/1 - kensai2
3/2 - kensai3 - familiar, power attack
4/3 - kensai4
5/4 - urban barbarian1 - eldritch heritage(orc)
6/5 - urban barbarian2 - roused anger
7/6 - fighter1 - vital strike, furious finish
8/6 - ragechemist1
9/7 - ragechemist2 - extra arm, improved familiar
10/7 -kensai5 - furious focus
11/8 -kensai6 - improved share spells, arcane accuracy
12/9 -kensai7
13/10-EK1 - improved eldritch heritage(orc), devastating strike
14/11-EK2
15/12-EK3 - improved vital strike
16/13-EK4
17/14-EK5 - arcane strike, extra discovery
18/15-EK6
19/16-EK7 - greater vital strike
20/17-EK8
Ok so after a quick look, this guy launching a dwarven waraxe with named bullet would deal 18d8(crit) + 18d8(vital) + bonusses. That's 288 + bonusses, I can at least somewhat compete with the monk :). I note that and will ask the GM about that.
I wonder if a kensai can spend 3 arcane points to increase the crit multiplier and maximise weapon damage with perfect strike. I don't think so.
If your simply looking for some ridiculous amount of damage then why not just a rogue or ninja with the feats sap adept, sap master, knockout artist and the 3 vital strikes. As long as it is non lethal it seems pretty potent. Lets not forget the talent Underhanded as well.