Halfling Fighter

[BraveEarth]

Can a small melee fighter can be done? From what I read from the more optimally viewed it shouldn't be done but then I read about how race really doesn't matter in the end. I would like to try making a Halfling Fighter, possibly a polearm centered one but from all I read is that I should not attempt. Advice? I'm very very new to Pathfinder so I'm not completely familiar with all avenues and traps of the system.

[Jubal Breakbottle]

Have you read this yet? Food for thought.

[Sanjiv]

It's one thing to talk about theory crafting, and it's another thing to create a character you can play with. You can certainly play a small fighter, especially if he has guts. The way to give him guts is to make him really, really cool. That's all at the concept phase, and if he dies, he dies awesome. That would be my advice.

In terms of optimization, what do you want him/her to be optimized to do?

[Javaed]

You gain a bonus to attack rolls and AC, but the trade off is that you'll have lower Strength than other fighters. Your damage will be lower at early levels but will even out at mid to higher levels. If you expect your fighter to reach higher levels eventually, then the size of your character really isn't that big a deal.

[Nicos]

a Halfing fighters is more than viable, is pretty good actually. the reason is this feat

Risky Striker (Combat, Halfling)
You can make yourself a little more vulnerable to larger creatures in order to land a devastating blow.

Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1, halfling.

Benefit: You can choose to take a –1 penalty to AC to gain a +2 bonus on melee damage rolls against creatures two or more size categories larger than you. When your base attack bonus reaches +4 and every four levels thereafter, the damage increases by 2. The bonus damage is multiplied in the case of a critical hit. You can only choose to use this feat when you declare that you are making an attack action or a full-attack action with a melee weapon. The effects last until your next

[Xarls Taunzund]

The most optimal route to go with a halfling fighter would be either ranged or scimitar with Dervish Dance. You will want the Fleet of Foot alternate racial trait for a 30' base move. Cavalier is also not a bad choice, as being small with a medium mount makes mounted combat viable even on a dungeon crawl. Either way, as long as you can build a character that is even semi-optimal, and you are having fun because you are playing the concept you wanted, go for it.

[Matt2VK]

Some where in the forums (sorry, don't remember where I read it) someone built themselves a halfling body guard. They only did so-so damage but they could buff someone else's AC like crazy.

[Azaelas Fayth]

If you can get the feat Piranha Strike, Combat it makes a Finesse Build very viable. As someone else said Dervish Dance, Combat is an excellent choice as well.

Also the Race Guide seems out of date as Halflings have 2 or 3 weapons they treat as Martial Weapons now.

[Nicos]

Nicos wrote:

a Halfing fighters is more than viable, is pretty good actually. the reason is this feat

Risky Striker

Spoiler:

(Combat, Halfling)
You can make yourself a little more vulnerable to larger creatures in order to land a devastating blow.

Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1, halfling.

Benefit: You can choose to take a –1 penalty to AC to gain a +2 bonus on melee damage rolls against creatures two or more size categories larger than you. When your base attack bonus reaches +4 and every four levels thereafter, the damage increases by 2. The bonus damage is multiplied in the case of a critical hit. You can only choose to use this feat when you declare that you are making an attack action or a full-attack action with a melee weapon. The effects last until your next

An old (and fairly unoptimized) build of mine prove this assertion

Halfing mobile fighter

Spoiler:

(asuming 20 PB)

Str 16 (18 with belt)
dex 14 (16)
con 14
int 12
wis 12
cha 7 (9)

== feat ==
1. Risky striker, power attack
2. Point blank shot
3. rapid shot
4. Furious focus
5. Iron will
6. nimble moves
7. Step up
8. Lunge

Fleet of Foot Some halflings are quicker than their kin but less cautious. Halflings with this racial trait move at normal speed and have a base speed of 30 feet. This racial trait replaces slow speed and sure-footed.

Favored Class Options
Add +1 to the Fighter's CMD when resisting a trip or grapple attempt.

===========

This fighter should be doing something like

+1 greataxe: +15/+7 1d10+22 20/x3

+1 Shortbow: +13/+13/+8 1d6+6 19-20/x3*

[Cataphor]

Azaelas Fayth wrote:

Also the Race Guide seems out of date as Halflings have 2 or 3 weapons they treat as Martial Weapons now.

What else have the halflings picked up besides their sling staff?

[Zahir ibn Mahmoud ibn Jothan]

I've been playing a Halfling Paladin in our Runelords game since the beginning. His damage is more based on crits (scimitar) and smiting, so the extra +1 to hit and +1 AC is nice.

With Power Attack and Risky Striker one can be taking -1 to hit and AC and gaining +4 damage (for every 4 levels), when smiting that's pretty awesome.

[Azaelas Fayth]

Cataphor wrote:

Azaelas Fayth wrote:

Also the Race Guide seems out of date as Halflings have 2 or 3 weapons they treat as Martial Weapons now.

What else have the halflings picked up besides their sling staff?

Kestros.

[Ravingdork]

Pollivar Mormont is as tough as any human fighter and he will cut out the legs of anyone who says otherwise.

[Jubal Breakbottle]

Ravingdork wrote:

Pollivar Mormont is as tough as any human fighter and he will cut out the legs of anyone who says otherwise.

Do you see Pollivar ever use Risky Striker at high levels? You didn't put in the stat block.

[Nicos]

Ravingdork wrote:

Pollivar Mormont is as tough as any human fighter and he will cut out the legs of anyone who says otherwise.

How do you get the 57 CMD against disarm/sunder RD?

[Krodjin]

I'm fleshing out a Halfling reverse switch hitting ranger (that is a ranged ranger with a melee option opposed to a melee ranger with a ranged option).

I'm still figuring out which order I need to take feats in. The basic premise is that he uses a sling staff and focuses on ranged attacks. If pressed into melee he can use the sling staff as a club (2 handed w/power attack).

The sling staff is actually a pretty decent weapon as feats like Weapon Focus/Specialization apply to both ranged & melee. As far as I can tell enchanting the sling staff is done as per a normal "single" weapon, but you get benefits of having a "double weapon" in that it serves double duty (primary ranged & primary melee).

Will he be "optimal"? No. Viable? I believe so. I want to use him in PFS play but I'd really like to know if things like the Warslinger racial trait apply to the sling staff...

[Ravingdork]

Jubal Breakbottle wrote:

Do you see Pollivar ever use Risky Striker at high levels? You didn't put in the stat block.

I imagine he would be using it more often than not. Though he possesses the feat, I didn't have it reflected in the stat block because there's no easy way to write in the changes it would have on his AC.

His average DPR per round is about 175.1 while using Risky Striker with two-handed Power Attack. That doesn't even account for flanking bonuses (which you know he will be for all his maneuverability).

Nicos wrote:

How do you get the 57 CMD against disarm/sunder RD?

His gloves of dueling and weapon training grant him a +5 bonus to CMD to protect axes he wields. His gloves of dueling also bestow an additional +4 bonus to his CMD to protect any weapons he wields.

44 base CMD
05 weapon training
04 gloves of dueling
53 total

I'm thinking I must have inadvertently added the weapon's enhancement bonus as well. I'm going to double and triple check it and if I can't find any other reason for the discrepancy, I'll fix it.

Thanks.

[Nicos]

Ravingdork wrote:

Nicos wrote:

How do you get the 57 CMD against disarm/sunder RD?

His gloves of dueling and weapon training grant him a +5 bonus to CMD to protect axes he wields. His gloves of dueling also bestow an additional +4 bonus to his CMD to protect any weapons he wields.

44 base CMD
05 weapon training
04 gloves of dueling
53 total

I'm thinking I must have inadvertently added the weapon's enhancement bonus as well. I'm going to double and triple check it and if I can't find any other reason for the discrepancy, I'll fix it.

Thanks.

It seems it comes from the Ioun stone, but even with a wayfinder it would only add another +2.

[Ravingdork]

Nicos wrote:

It seems it comes from the Ioun stone, but even with a wayfinder it would only add another +2.

No, the insight bonus is already taken into account in the base CMD.

.
16 base attack bonus
10 base value
07 strength mod
07 dexterity mod
03 deflection bonus
01 dodge bonus
01 insight bonus
-1 small size

44 total base CMD

[Nicos]

Then I do not know.

[Sanjiv]

Krodjin wrote:

I'm fleshing out a Halfling reverse switch hitting ranger (that is a ranged ranger with a melee option opposed to a melee ranger with a ranged option).

I'm still figuring out which order I need to take feats in. The basic premise is that he uses a sling staff and focuses on ranged attacks. If pressed into melee he can use the sling staff as a club (2 handed w/power attack).

The sling staff is actually a pretty decent weapon as feats like Weapon Focus/Specialization apply to both ranged & melee. As far as I can tell enchanting the sling staff is done as per a normal "single" weapon, but you get benefits of having a "double weapon" in that it serves double duty (primary ranged & primary melee).

Will he be "optimal"? No. Viable? I believe so. I want to use him in PFS play but I'd really like to know if things like the Warslinger racial trait apply to the sling staff...

This sounds really cool. I want to bump this comment, in case anyone knows more about the weapon.

As a player, I like the flexibility of doing what I feel like in combat. I.e. sometimes the character wants to rush in, and sometimes he likes to hold back. As a player, it's really satisfying to let the character do what it wants, so sacrificing optimization for flexibility sounds really appealing to me.