So, I'm planning on playing a maneuver based fighter for a Shattered Star campaign. I'm looking for a way to optimize this character for combat, while still maintaining decent flavor. Rules are 15 point buy, any pathfinder books, build must be useful from level 1-13.
What I have so far -
Half Elf Lore Warden Fighter 1
Feats -
1st - Ancestral Arms (Flying Talon), Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesse
2nd - Combat Expertise, Weapon Focus (Flying Talon)
3rd - Improved Disarm
4th - Weapon Specialization (Flying Talon)
5th - Improved Trip
6th - Greater Trip
7th - Greater Disarm
As far as I know Flying Talon is the only 1 handed weapon that is finesseable, has reach, and can trip/disarm. This allows me to use a masterwork Klar/buckler or light shield with no penalty. Suggestions?
As far as I know Flying Talon is the only 1 handed weapon that is finesseable, has reach, and can trip/disarm. This allows me to use a masterwork Klar/buckler or light shield with no penalty. Suggestions?
The problem with selecting a finesseable weapon is that your disarm and trip abilities are still dependent on your strength.
The Flying Talon looks like a good option but another good choice is the Kama, Double Chained which can trip and disarm and can be used to fight adjacent opponents but has reach as well. The drawback is that it's a monk weapon.
You would be better off starting as a Maneuver Master/Weapon Adept monk anyway and pick up 3 or 7 levels of Lore Warden later. These archetypes all combine nicely to make a fantastic combat maneuver specialist. The Maneuvre Monk allows you to have Improved Trip and Improved Disarm as well as letting you to attack twice per turn all by 2nd level.
Also look at picking up Snake Style if you go the monk option and Half Elf lets you get Skill Focus: Sense Motive. Sense Motive is vital for Snake Style and by about 4th level, you are almost guaranteeing one attack (even touch attacks) misses you each round.
Your ability spread for 15 points should probably be:
Str: 12(14 +2 race bonus)
Dex: 14
Con: 12
Int: 14
Wis: 14
Chr: 7
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If you want a one-handed finessable reach weapon that's good for tripping and disarming, there's always the whip.
Though why are you focusing on Dex instead of Strength? You'd need Agile Maneuvers AND Weapon Finesse to pull it off, when you could just put your points into Strength and save yourself two feats. And for a reach disarm trip weapon that doesn't need finesse, you've got the kusarigama and various polearms I'm forgetting.
The kusarigama just strengthens the argument for a maneuver master monk, since then you can flurry of maneuvers at range to trip and disarm in one turn.
I agree with nico, using weapon finesse lets me make the trip/disarm using dex with a trip/disarm weapon. The reason i'm focusing dex over str is because dex is better for combat reflexes and AC, and str really only benefits damage.
That monk idea seems good, I'll have to look into it more C8. The double chained kama is 2 handed, thats why I missed it. Keep the ideas flowing guys.