Best "support" builds thread.

[shallowsoul]

A had a friend in our old group who used to only make "support" type builds with very little combat ability. The first two classes that come to mind were clerics and bards he used to make.

What are some fantastic "support" builds that you know of that support the party more than actual combat?

[Durngrun Stonebreaker]

My avatar actually.

Durngrun Stonebreaker Monk (Maneuver Master) focusing on trip and bull rush. He was "combat support." My favorite tactic was using imp Ki throw to put enemies prone at the TWFighters feet. They didn't last long after that.

Another character I've made (with help from these boards) but haven't played yet is an Alchemist (Mindchemist/Vivisectionist)/Wizard/Arcane Trickster. At 12th level he has a +20 to all knowledge skills without any ranks and can make checks untrained. He literally knows everything. (Plus he's a magic item making machine)

[Wiggz]

shallowsoul wrote:

What are some fantastic "support" builds that you know of that support the party more than actual combat?

At 8th level an Evangelist Cleric with the Heroism Domain can:

Activate Aura of Heroism as a swift action (+2 moral bonus on Attack rolls, Saving Throws and Skill Checks)
Inspire Courage as a move action (+2 competence bonus to Attack and Damage rolls)
Cast Blessing of Fervor as a standard action (+2 untyped bonus to Attack rolls, +2 Dodge Bonus to AC and Reflex saves or make 1 additional attack/rd at full BAB)

That's all in the opening round of combat, and something he can repeat for multiple encounters a day. Not much left to do after that but cast a healing spell or two I would think.

[D_GENNEXT]

I currently have a Level 9 that is a bareknuckle boxer. The build is 1 level of Monk and 8 levels of Rogue. He is combat support by dishing out a metric ton of non-lethal damage and removing the target from combat quickly through the combination of Sap Adept, Sap Master, and Knockout Artist. Couple that with Improved Feint and Greater Feint and the Rogue Talent: Powerful Sneak, my minimum non-lethal damage sits at 46 points per hit.

[Venture Captain Jonas Vividsun]

I am a Cavalier 1/Evangelist Cleric 10 of Gorum:

I have the Flagbearer feat from the Innersea World Guide, and I have the Banner of the Ancient Kings from Lands of the Linnorm Kings.

With the flagbearer feat and the banner I give out a constant +2 morale bonus to attack, weapon damage, and saves vs charm and fear effects, as well as a +2 resistance bonus to saves vs mind-affecting effects (the last bit is usually redundant with cloaks of resistance) to all my allies within 30 feet that can see the banner. With a move action I grant a +3 competence bonus to attack rolls and weapon damage rolls, and increase the morale bonus to saves vs charm and fear to +3, and +1d6 sonic damage (from the Discordant Voice Feat) this is to all that can hear me. This leaves me a standard action to cast something like Blessing of Fervor or Prayer.

I have the Strength (Ferocity) Domain, and often cast other buff spells as well. I am a primary support and secondary melee. I am active in PFS, so I ensure that I can buff myself if there aren't any other characters that will benefit from my abilities (very rare).

There are certainly some changes I would have made with my training (improved initiative instead of lightning reflexes for instance).

I had originally intended to pursue a career as a Battle Herald, but I have decided my clerical abilities are more useful. (better buffs with cleric spells, than Battle Herald abilities)

[Crosswind]

Here's a pretty standard build for an amazing healer:

Human Dual-Cursed Oracle of Life (Haunted, Burned)

1.) Fey Foundling, (Extra Channel), Revelation: Channel
3.) Selective Channel, Revelation: Life Link
5.) Quick Channel, Revelation: Misfortune
7.) Healer's Touch (Achievement Feat), Revelation: Combat Healer
9.) Extra Revelation: Energy Body, Revelation: Enhanced Cures
11.) Divine Interference, Revelation: Lifesense

Spells below - level you take them in parentheses

Basic idea:
Life Link transfers 5 damage from any frontliner to you, per round.
Fey Foundling means that your channel energy heals you for an extra 2 per dice.
You can channel as a move action (Quick Channel), cast spells as a standard action, and at level 7, cast cure spells as a swift action a few times a day.

You have a lot of heals, and a channel resource pool, as well as a reasonable array of buff and debuff spells. Because you can spend all your actions efficiently, you almost never need to swing a weapon.

-Cross