Shield Basher of Rovagug

[Sammy T]

I'm toying with the idea of a PFS-legal melee combatant who simply carries a spiked heavy shield of bashing. I'm using Stream Of The Sky's suggestion of Ranger into Fighter for this build.

Shield Basher of Rovagug:

CN Human (worships Rovagug)

STR 21 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 11 CHA 8

(STR boost: +2 human, +2 PFS boon)

L1-6 Ranger (Guide/Skirmisher), L7-10 Fighter (Brawler), L11 Ranger

L1: Improved Shield Bash, Power Attack
Trait: Heirloom Weapon (Hvy Shield)

Heirloom for +2 CMB for Bull Rush. Will use Masterwork Transformation to allow it to be enchanted down the line.

L2: Ranger: Combat Style (Weapon and Shield)
L2: Ranger Bonus: Shield Slam
L3: Improved Bull Rush
L4: +1 STR
L5: Combat Reflexes
L5: Hunter's Trick (Vengeance Strike/Tangling Attack/Chameleon Step?)
L6: Ranger Bonus: Shield Master

Switch gears to Fighter for more feats.

L7: Greater Bull Rush
L7: Fighter Bonus: Merciless Rush (feat tax for Squash Flat)
L8: +1 STR
L8: Fighter Bonus: Squash Flat
L9: Weapon Focus (Hvy Shield)
L9: Fighter Archetype Bonus: +1/+3 with Close Weapons Group
L10: Fighter bonus: Weapon Specialization (Hvy Shield)

Back to Ranger

L11: (feat?)
L11: Hunter's Trick (pick another)
L12: +1 STR

I would simply use the Dangerously Curious trait and UMD skill for L1 wands I'd need (Lead Blades/Enlarge Person/CLW).

I would maneuver about the field Shield Bashing>Bull Rushing>Tripping (thanks to Shield Slam & Squash Flat), granting everyone AOOs from Greater Bullrush. Obviously I'd have a back up weapon or two, but that would be their main hook.

Thoughts?

[Major_Blackhart]

Hmmm, I honestly don't think I would personally go with Ranger at all with this. For this build, a bull rusher who simply barrels his way through things using an axe and a shield, I would go straight up fighter, probably Armor Master.
I know I've mentioned the build I like for Armor Master on these boards before, so I'll just lay them out for you here:
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pri4?Armor-master-fighter-advice#1

Now, with that in mind, if race isn't a problem I still suggest half-orc, especially as a worshipper of Rovagug.
Other than that, take a look at which feat trees you'd want to keep to exchange for Combat Reflexes, Improved Bull Rush, Greater Bull Rush, Merciless Rush, and Squash Flat. You'd want combat reflexes, because enemies you'll be bull rushing will be provoking attacks of opportunity like mad, meaning you'll want to be swinging like a madman.

My suggestion? If you want to go half-orc, you don't necessarily need to have deathless zealot AND Resilient Brute. That's one feat you can free up. Plus, Fight On, Tenacious Survivor, and Improved Critical might not be necessary either.
So, you already have 4 out of 5 feats that you'll need. After that, I'm sure you can scratch out what you want and don't want.

If you stay human, there's a whole bunch of feats you want need or get unless you choose that weird human only blood trait whatever it is. Lets you count as whatever race you want for feat purposes, etc.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Hmm, if this is for PFS, they probably won't let you use the Brawler's weapon training replacement with gloves of dueling. You may just want to go with some other Fighter archetype (Lore Warden is solid all around and gives CMB bonuses) and do an even split, 6 in Ranger then 6 in Fighter. With the gloves, you'd have +3 to hit and damage vs. brawler's +1 to hit and +3 damage. Is that worth the extra fighter levels? I don't know. But I'm not sure those last few ranger levels add much for you anyway.

Not sure what is legal for PFS, but for ranger archetypes, you may want Freebooter instead of Guide, it's pretty awesome for people who drop out of ranger (and didn't exist when I wrote up the ranger shield basher idea).

For other feats... if you squeeze in Furious Focus somewhere, you can get Dreadful Carnage at 11th level. I don't care much for the former feat, but the latter requires it and gives you a nice free action area debuff each time you drop a foe. At 12th level, if you are getting a feat slot (ie, if you level up as Fighter at 12th), Dazing Assault is very very nice to add to your arsenal.

You may want Bashing Finish at 10th level.... the occasional extra attack is always nice.

The best Hunter's Tricks, in rough order of decent-ness (best to worst), IMO:

Skill Sage
Sudden Shift
Uncanny Senses
Hobbling Attack
Upending Strike
Vengeance Strike
Rattling Strike
Chameleon Step
Deft Stand
Second Chance Strike
Ranger's Counsel

None of the others are worth taking at all.

[redward]

Sammy T wrote:

I'm toying with the idea of a PFS-legal melee combatant who simply carries a spiked heavy shield of bashing. I'm using Stream Of The Sky's suggestion of Ranger into Fighter for this build.

** spoiler omitted **

I would simply use the Dangerously Curious trait and UMD skill for L1 wands I'd need (Lead Blades/Enlarge Person/CLW).

I would maneuver about the field Shield Bashing>Bull Rushing>Tripping (thanks to Shield Slam & Squash Flat), granting everyone AOOs from Greater Bullrush. Obviously I'd have a back up weapon or two, but that would be their main hook.

Thoughts?

My very nearly retired Barbarian/Ranger still has 43/50 charges left on her Wand of Lead Blades. It's nice in theory, but I rarely found it worth the action economy to cast it. And that's if Lead Blades even stacks with Bashing (since they both treat the weapon "as if it were larger."

Which is a roundabout way of saying you may want to consider Accelerated Drinker over Dangerously Curious and use potions of Enlarge Person.

I'm also not sure if Skirmisher is worth it for only 1 trick for the vast majority of your career (and only 3 times/day at that).

I agree that the Freebooter is a nice alternative to the Guide, since the Freebooter's Bane isn't limited by uses/day. It is a Move action instead of a Swift action though.

I also like Armor Master instead of Brawler if you want to trade damage for mitigation (but I know you don't).

[Byrdology]

This is all you need

[Furious Kender]

I've a very similar character at level 2. Perhaps we should make a team!

For shields and glory!

[Fromper]

I also have a character who walks around with a shield and usually no weapon drawn, but mine's a cleric who specializes in melee touch attacks. We really should team up some time - charge of the shield brigade!

[Sammy T]

@Major Blackhart
If I were starting with levels of fighter, I would definitely consider Armor Master for the first 5 levels. However, I'm looking for early entry into Shield Master so I only have one item to enchant versus two for sword and board--basically doubling my investment on enchants. Secondly, pure fighters are skill-point poor which can be punishing (but mostly boring) if you can't contribute outside of combat in PFS.

@StreamOftheSky
I was torn between Guide and Freebooter: Freebooter is a nice party-buffer...but at the cost of a move action when you're on the frontlines trying to get full attacks off. I was also torn between Brawler and Lorewarden lol. I was teetering between Guide/Brawler and Freebooter/Lore Warden and you may have pushed me towards the latter ;)

@redward
Good point re: lead blade and bashing.

@Furious Kender and Fromper
You just know we'll get seated at a table together and it will be a ranged melee heavy scenario!

[Furious Kender]

Sammy T wrote:

@Furious Kender and Fromper
You just know we'll get seated at a table together and it will be a ranged melee heavy scenario!

Yeah! Smoke sticks for the win!

[Sammy T]

Quick Update on where my Shield Basher is at and how it is going.

Level 6 stats and gear:

Atavisk
Male Human (Shoanti) Ranger (Freebooter) 6
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +9

--------------------
Defense
--------------------

AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 23 (+7 armor, +4 shield, +2 Dex, +1 natural, +1 deflection)
hp 58
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +4

--------------------
Offense
--------------------

Speed 30 ft.
Melee heavy shield bash +14/+9 (1d6+11/×2)
Ranger (Freebooter) Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +3):
1st (1/day)—feather step (DC 11)

--------------------
Statistics
--------------------

Str 22, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 7

Base Atk +6; CMB +13 (+15 bull rush); CMD 25 (27 vs. bull rush)

Feats Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Shield Bash, Merciless Rush, Power Attack, Shield Master, Shield Slam

Traits bred for war (shoanti), indomitable faith

Skills Acrobatics +3, Climb +9, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (geography) +3, Knowledge (nature) +8, Perception +9, Survival +9, Swim +8

SQ combat styles (weapon and shield), favored terrain (underground +2), freebooter's bond, track, wild empathy

Combat Gear Oil of bless weapon, Oil of daylight, Potion of enlarge person (2), Potion of fly, Potion of Protection from Evil (x3), Wand of cure light wounds, Wand of Longstrider; Other Gear +1 Mithral Agile breastplate, +2 Shield Spikes Heavy steel shield, Masterwork Composite longbow (Str +6), Amulet of natural armor +1, Cloak of resistance +1, Ioun torch, Ring of protection +1, Smoked goggles, Weapon cord, Wrist sheath, spring loaded

--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Favored Terrain (Underground +2) (Ex) +2 to rolls vs Favored Terrain (Underground).
Freebooter's Bane +2 (Ex) +2 to hit & damage vs. chosen target.
Freebooter's Bond At 4th level, a freebooter forms a bond with her crewmates. This bond allows her to spend a move action to grant her allies extra combat prowess when they work as a team. All allies within 30 feet who can see or hear the freebooter gain an additional
Improved Bull Rush You don't provoke attacks of opportunity when bull rushing.
Improved Shield Bash You still get your shield bonus while using Shield Bash.
Merciless Rush If bull rush beats CMD by 5+ can trample foe for Strength mod damage.
Shield Master No off-hand penalties for shield bashes, add a shield's enhancement bonus to attack rolls.
Shield Slam Shield Bash attack gives a free bull rush on a hit.

Leveling map:

L1: Improved Shield Bash, Power Attack
Trait: Bread for War for CMB and Intimidate bonus
L2: Ranger: Combat Style (Weapon and Shield)
L2: Ranger Bonus: Shield Slam
L3: Improved Bull Rush
L4: +1 STR
L5: Merciless Rush
L5:
L6: Ranger Bonus: Shield Master

Switch to Lore Warden

L7: Greater Bull Rush
L7: Fighter Bonus: Squash Flat
L8: +1 CON
L8: Fighter Bonus: Furious Focus
L8: Lore Warden: Combat Expertise
L9: Weapon Focus (Hvy Shield)
L10: Fighter bonus: Weapon Specialization (Hvy Shield)
L11: Dreadful Carnage or Dazing Assault

Freebooter's Bane: Typical level 1-5 combats involve tossing out Freebooter's Bane to focus fire on a target early and then wading into to stomp monsters. While I would previously swap it to a new target mid-combat, now that I have iteratives I'm not sure how often I'll use it after the opening round.

Shield Bashing: It's been going great for DPS and battlefield control. I've only used Merciless Rush a handful of times as it triggers an AOO from my foe--I never used it for the STR damage but to reposition myself on the far side of my opponent and set up an ally for a flank (hopefully with Freebooter's Bond up).

To avoid table variation in PFS (re: bashing enchant & spikes stacking) I'm just going straight enhancement bonuses on my shield for the double dip on defense and offense.