| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
So In the people of the north player companion they released the viking archetype. That is something I have been drooling over for a long time now. Anyways I am debating about the weapon composition I am gonna have for my character.
My rough idea is the following
Adventure Path: Reign of Winter
Character: Thoradin
Human (Ulfen) Fighter - Viking Archetype
Greatsword, Warhammer & Heavy Wooden Shield Setup
Level 1 Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Power Attack
Level 2 Bonus Feat: Intimidating Prowess (to go with the class ability Fearsome)
Level 3 feat: Weapon Focus (Great Sword)
Level 4 Bonus feat: Shield of swings
Level 5 feat: Extra Rage
OR
Bastard Sword & Heavy Wooden Shield
Level 1 Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Exotic Wpn Prof (bastard Sword)
Level 2 Bonus Feat: Intimidating Prowess (to go with the class ability Fearsome)
Level 3 feat: Power Attack
Level 4 Bonus Feat: Weapon focus (Bastard Sword)
Level 5 feat: Extra Rage
If you don't know this archetype i recommend you checking it out.
but they get rage at level 4 and rage power at level 6.
Also shield training at level 3.
What other feats should I consider?
I plan on playing him mainly going 2h, and pulling out the shield when he needs the extra defense.
If you want to be historical, the bastard sword is a better choice than the greatsword. Most Viking warriors fought with a shield, so the heavy wooden shield is a good choice. Other traditional Viking weapons include the hooked axe, spear, short sword (seax), and they would carry a handaxe (more for utility, but could be used in battle in a pinch.)
Intimidating Prowess is definitely a good choice. Vikings made more of their plunder through tribute than through actual looting.
edit: and for the love of Odin, do not wear a horned helm!
bastard sword is a waste of a feat... use a longsword or a battleaxe. A battleaxe would be historically correct for a Viking warrior of less wealth.
Viking archetype gets rage, but loses weapon training, Rufus.
In any case, I would really discourage bastard sword. you gain 0-2 damage at the cost of a feat.
I like the idea of Bastard Sword/Dwarven Waraxe and Buckler, or possibly Thunder and Fang, which is always cool.
So yea a battleaxe would be more historically accurate, but this is fantasy and I am more of a sword guy.
with my 15 point buy my stats end up like:
Str: 16(+2)=18
Dex: 14
Con: 12
Int: 8
Wis: 10
Cha: 10
But I think I am leaning for the sword and board combo. I dont want to waste time pulling out the warhammer and shield.
Remember that a fighter with 8 int gets a whopping ONE skill point per level. I would keep an int of 10 if you want to do anything besides hit things.
the human racial bonus skilled will give me another +1 so i do get 2 each level.
Hmm what do you guys think of adding the feat "Shield of Swings"?
Shield is swings is pretty terrible, imo.
|
So you want to use a Bastard Sword, and you're playing with a fighter and all his feats.
Sweet, I love B. Sword even thought its a feat trap I know..
1. Exotic Weapon Pro. (B.Sword), 2-Weapon Fighting, Power Attack (you'll obviously need a 15 in DEX)
2. Improved Shield Bash.
3. Intimidating Prowess
4. Double Slice (+1 Dex)
5. Extra Rage
6. Weapon Focus
7. Weapon Spec.
8. Improved 2-Weapon Fighting. (+1 Dex)
9. Improved Crit (B. Sword)
10. Shield Slam
11. Shield Mastery (no more penalties to your shield, including the -5 to your second attack from Improved 2-weapon fighting, though I may be misinterpreting the rules.)
Now this is just to 11. But as designed, you'd fight 2 handed until you got into a fight you couldn't finish in or or two power attack blows. Once you have to slug it out, you quick draw your +3 light quickdraw wooden shield and you do two swings with your bastard sword at Highest and highest -5 plus two swings of your shield bash at full BAB and full strength behind every attack. Which once you start raging means DAYUMM.
Traits:
1. Hermean Paragon
2. Defender of the Society (if you're using medium Armor, if not then I'd do something that gives you a will save)
Gear.
Bastard Sword (obviously)
L. Quick Draw Wooden Shield (you're going to fight two handed until somebody shows up who challenges your AC
Shield spikes (you need to make the shield at least a 1d4), the enchantments to your shield become the main focus as you get closer to 11.
One thing you should consider how Dazzling Dispaly mixes with the fearsome ability. If your DM rules that it gets reduced as well it could be a feat worth taking.
You guys do realize that the Horned Helm was worn by those who were respected and was ceremonial in use, right.
Look at my Ezra Build for Feat Ideas. Just drop the TWF Feats and switch the Archetype to Viking. Half-Elf with some Alternate Racial Traits could be nice. You can get the Ancestral Arms & Dual Talented traits. You get some major bonuses.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
You guys do realize that the Horned Helm was worn by those who were respected and was ceremonial in use, right.
[rant]
If they were ceremonial, why has not one ever been found in a grave site? There's no evidence that Vikings ever wore horned helms, and of all the Viking art and artifacts, only one appears to depict a horned helmet, until you realize that it's a picture of Odin and the horns are actually stylized depictions of his two ravens, Huginn and Muninn.
[/rant]
The Horned Helm signified either an alliance with or that they respected a Non-Nord/Viking. They were only worn in that case. Usually by the Nord/Viking Chief taking it off and putting it on the Outsider.
Though the Horns were rarely the Bull Horn style you see commonly. It was usually Curved Horns. Say like those of a Ram. They were rarely used, but did exist.
And rarely did vikings actually use Graves. Typically it is a Burial at Sea or in the Flames of a Pyre. Some Nord Tribes used Grave Sites but usually only for the Highest of the High among them. Things like the Chief or a mighty Hero of the Village. In this case they used the Death Mask Helms.
It's Norse not Nord, Nord is a fantasy expy of the Norse.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The Horned Helm signified either an alliance with or that they respected a Non-Nord/Viking. They were only worn in that case. Usually by the Nord/Viking Chief taking it off and putting it on the Outsider.
Though the Horns were rarely the Bull Horn style you see commonly. It was usually Curved Horns. Say like those of a Ram. They were rarely used, but did exist.
And rarely did vikings actually use Graves. Typically it is a Burial at Sea or in the Flames of a Pyre. Some Nord Tribes used Grave Sites but usually only for the Highest of the High among them. Things like the Chief or a mighty Hero of the Village. In this case they used the Death Mask Helms.
Could I see some sources for this? I'd like to know where you are getting these ideas about horned helms signifying alliances, and about ram helms existing at all in Viking culture. If you can show me they did exist, it will be an archaeological breakthrough!
Nord is short for Nordic. It denotes people from the Nordic Cultures.
The Horned Helm are rare to be seen. This is do to the Nords rarely forming the type of bond that the Helm was used in.
One of the Common ones you see was Viking and Gaul tribes forming an Alliance. The Gaul Chief gave an Axe named the Axe of Fenris/Fenrir do to the Wolf Motif. The Viking Chief gave the Gaul a Ram Horned Helm. This is one of 3 times the Viking Tribe had given this Helm in its modern History.
The Helm became a Pseudo-Crown for the Gaulic Tribes Chief when the Right Horn saved the Chiefs life when it was shattered by a Celts Club during the Roman invasion of Caledonia. The Chief still got a broken Jaw & Cheek and died of Starvation do to not being able to eat. The Helm is still kept by the descendants of the Gaulic Chief. The Shattered Horn was kept by the Celt. Ironically, as a sign of peace between the Gauls and Celts...
Intimidating Prowess and Skill Focus(Intimidate) are valuable. Dazzling Display isn't reduced by the Viking's Ability without a Houserule sadly.
If you are going the TWF route get a Heavy Wooden Shield (both for theme and Mechanics) +1 AC and deals more damage. If you don't go the TWF route just get a Quickdraw Shield and use it when you want the AC Boost. If you go a Shield Build you can be absolutely wonderful on defense. The Viking Archetype seems to be excellent for a Bodyguard build.
Hmmm. Decided to check up on this post and I see a lot of activity.
Trying to decided if I want to go the TWF route. Was mainly thinking of using a heavy wooden shield for the AC boost.
I am gonna assume drawing a shield while in melee provokes an AoO.
I am gonna assume drawing a shield while in melee provokes an AoO.
Nope, drawing a shield, like drawing a weapon, doesn't provoke AoOs.
Sweet baby Aroden!
Going to go heavy wooden shield and bastard sword.
maybe a heavy darkwood shield and a masterwork coldiron bastard sword.
but is cold iron actually worth it?
I was thinking of using the reactionary and rich parents trait.
Viking blood was up their also but rich parents can give me an edge that a +1 intimidate bonus wouldn't be worth it.
TWF spells more misses than hits. Emphasize brute strength, durability and axe/sword-n-board combat.
Battleaxe (metal haft), Heavy Shield (wooden at start), Chainmail (free gauntlets), Helmet.
You'll get money out of your ears soon enough. Traits you can't get any more of without burning feats. Every point of bonus puts your viking that much further ahead of the game when it comes to scaring the socks off of the enemy. Drive them before you with every point you can scrape together! ^_____^
Endurance, Die Hard, WF (battleaxe), Shield Focus, Improved Shield Bash. Don't waste your attacks on TWF - alternate weapons instead. Your shield is your bludgeoning weapon of choice (for skeletons). Cold Iron Battleaxes are very affordable, although enchanting them costs more. Given the meta-nature of the AP, picking up cold iron weapons at 1st level is plenty reasonable.
Love playing up the Intimidate facet, so stick with it!
5th level you want the Raging Vitality feat so much your eyes bleed - extra 2 CON when raging (plus other useful stuff)? YES! Extra Rage can wait for your 7th level. The Reckless Abandon and Inspire Ferocity rage powers seem to also fit right in (as your 6th level and 8th+ level bonus Fighter feats respectively). If one of your party plays a Savage Skald, that'd be pretty sweet too!
Traits - you might consider the following:
- Child of Two Peoples human/half-elf/half-orc trait (Ulfen, something else)
- Shield Bearer Ulfen trait
- Blood of Giants campaign trait
- Frostborn region trait stacks with the benefits of the Endurance feat that you are almost certainly going to need
- Viking Blood to add that much more to your Intimidate bonus
- Spirit Animal region trait
- Stoic Optimism or
- Strong Heart depending on the character's religious persuasion.
IIRC: You By R.A.W. can't have a Metal Hafted Axe.
And TWF with Full B.A.B. is pretty good if you build for it.
IIRC: You By R.A.W. can't have a Metal Hafted Axe.
And TWF with Full B.A.B. is pretty good if you build for it.
RAW is frustratingly vague on what you can make as a metal-hafted weapon. The same statistics should be useable to reflect metal-reinforced hafted weapons...
RAW generally assumes common sense for that sort of case, which means they're wooden.
I agree, Turin. I even have Mundane Weapon Modifications similar to the Mundane Armour Modification.
Sorry, I'm confused... why does it matter whether the haft is metal or wood (besides sundering or spells that specifically target one or the other?)
You have the answer right there. Warp wood, heat metal, etc.
What the ... undine weaponshaft ... ripsaw ... *drools* ... where?
And yes, while it is fairly common knowledge, this is Pathfinder we're talking about. ;)
Yes, you can have a metal-hafted battle-axe. Just like you can have a metal or wooden haft for a mace.
@Lloyd Jackson: There is no R.A.W. for it though. A Battle Axe by R.A.W. is wooden Hafted. Maces depends on the Description.