Need help with a solid frontliner


Advice

Grand Lodge

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So were playing a weekly running game and currently were being run through Slumbering Tsar. Well I have a reoccurring problem, every time we get into a fight, i go down, stay down or just die.

I started the game with a heal bot, but didnt like that. So when I got the chance I reworked him into a front line cleric, problem was first night we went to camp after the rework some wraiths decided we look good enough to eat... Well lets just say I never made it too my feet before i joined their ranks. (Btw I sucked as a wraith...DM let me have control, never hit more than once.

Well it was late into the night and I really didn't feel like throwing something together so I dive into the NPC COdex grab a level appropriate monk and went to work. Well I loved it so much I reworked that for the next session and was greated to a cave of murderous delight. If not for a cleric that joined the group and a timely Breath of Life, I would have died within the first hour of the game that week. But I survived to gain a level (woot) so we continue on, stumbling into a cave with some creatures that while tough die without too much trouble.

As we walk into a crude throne room, it proves to be my downfall. I had no trouble dealing with the wights, shadowed bears, but not 3 rounds into the fight what shall appear... my dreaded enemy.... with a girlish scream I my character's soul reacts to the great beyond and my former characters fear of the wraiths that join the party. I don't last the another 3 rounds. I again thinking I'm going to join the ranks soon discover that, while the creatures were there it was not them that did it. I was to be taken out by the shadow bears but they can't turn me into one of them so I'm just gone to join the shadow plane.

So the dm give me some good stats to work with 18,17,14,14,13,8 and tells me, we still need another frontliner and this time make something that can survive. Now I'm a little peeved at the comment and think a well placed shot to his nose was in line but I reserve that for worse comments.

So I ask you, currently our group has a Ghost touch barbarian, a cleric, an arcane trickster and a witch, what could i add to this group?

I have thoughs of an inquisitor melee build but don't know were to begin.


What level. What race. What books allowed. ??? these are all important.

Sovereign Court

Paladins are by far the most survivable class in the game. Heavy armor + swift action healing + super high saves + defensive spells, not to mention bonus AC against the most evil monster in the room. Combat will be as simple as swinging your sword around, but you probably get to be the party face. (Plus a paladin of one of the popular gods = instant popularity in any town.)

Barbarians come close, with their huge HP, DR, bonuses to Will and Fort saves, and optionally defensive rage powers. But they often have atrocious AC and poor Reflex saves, which means they can't go toe-to-toe with a dragon the way a Paladin can.

Grand Lodge

Tiefling Paladin- Demon-Blooded (archtypes: oath of vengeance or oath against the wyrm see more below)
Str: 18(20) +1 all the other levels
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 11
Cha: 17(19) +1 at 4
Wis: 8

Feats:
1st: Fey Foundling
3rd: PA
5th: Greater Mercy (or trade w/ PA, your choice)
7th+ is iffy. If you're paranoid about deeper darkness like I am, take Fiend Sight twice ( for my PFS build I took it before greater mercy even)
Other feats include step-up, lunge, Extra LoH (some people swear by this)

FC Bonus: +1 to LoH when healing self. This + Fey Foundling is pretty amazing.
Armor: Mithril Full-Plate Highest AC Available w/ your dex. Boost it a couple times, but your survivability really comes from your LoHs.
Weapon: +1 Keen x No-dachi. W/ ghost rager barbI wouldn't be too afraid of incorporeals, so you may ignore ghost touch. Beyond that, straight +s
Belt: Str first, then maybe tack on con. Seriously, LoH is a billion HPs.
Headband: CHA CHA CHA. This is saves, more LoH, + to hit, all rolled into 1.
Bracer: Bracers of the Merciful Knight from UE boost your LoH even MORE
Boots of striding and springing- I hate being below 30' movement. It just sucks.
Cloak of Resistance +a lot-Seriously, boosting saves is never a bad thing. It is good to get this to +2-+3 fairly quick.

Spells: Hero's Defiance Hero's Defiance (seriously, all or most of your 1st level slots go here, but maybe a lesser resto or two)
2nd: Litany of Righteousness-most broken spell in the game, swift action double your damage (and the cleric's) for a turn, no save but SR.
3rd: A fly or 2 if you have vs. Dragon, maybe some utility, OR more litany of righteousness
4th: too lazy to detail this section

Archetypes: Vengeance vs. Dragon
Vegeance has a lot going for it. Once you get a few Ex LoHs they're free smites. That's pretty boss. Spell selection is ok, gets good at the end. The big thing Dragon has going for it is Fly as a spell and maybe stoneskin, if you're willing to pay.

I may add more thoughts later


Paladin good, maybe also ultimate mercy, if people die that often.


I was going to make a case for the paladin, but it has been done for me. :)
If you're still have doubts, the divine bonds are awesome as well. You either get a kick as weapon (you get bonuses that stack with your existing weapon) or you get a animal companion. Oh, and you can't get sick, frightend or charmed.

Grand Lodge

TGMaxMaxer wrote:
What level. What race. What books allowed. ??? these are all important.

Level 10, Core Races (My GM is kinda lame, for this one) and all books, might be able to talk him into 3pp. oh and I only get to start with NPC wealth, in this case I'm looking at 10050gp, plus loot from last character that they haven't sold on me. (RoP +2, AoNA +2, belt of Str +4 and tumbling, cloak of res +2 and a few other things)

Yeah Paladin would make alot of sense. I'm going to say that one of the many builds, even the one mentioned here with the necessary changes to fit my Gm would work?


18,17,14,14,13,8 ... Dwarf Fighter(THF)/Rogue 3. Dorn Dergar specialist.

20 Str (+2levels), 17 Dex, 16 Con(race), 13 Int, 16 Wis(race), 6 Cha(race)

Power attack, Cleave, G Cleave, Goblin cleaver, Orc Hewer, Cleaving Finish, Surprise Follow Thru, Darting Viper, Dorn Dergar Master, WF Dorn Dergar, TWF.

With the new FAQ, does -1/+3 for PA with both hands. Two hand for 1d10+10(strx2)+9(PA-3/+9)... +2d6 to all targets after the first(surprise Follow Thru)... if he kills one he gets to take another swing, 10ft reach with one hand, 5ft reach with the other.

This isn't counting any magic, buffs, or whatever.

Grand Lodge

@TGMaxMaxer

I like it, gonna have to do a full write up to see how it looks.

Shadow Lodge

It's Greg Vaughn's brainchild, Slumbering Tsar. There are 6 pages of obituaries in the back of the printed hardbook, each with over 20 lines for names. Expect to die. No matter how solid a character you make, there is something that can and will kill it.


Oh... and on that dwarf... check out the ApG Rogue talent

Fast Getaway:
(Ex): After successfully making a sneak attack or Sleight of Hand check, a rogue with this talent can spend a move action to take the withdraw action. She can move no more than her speed during this movement

... with that... you can withdraw after a cleave as a Move action, because you make sneak attacks on a cleave... leaving them stepping up to you with your reach weapon. It's absolutely sick.

Grand Lodge

TGMaxMaxer wrote:

18,17,14,14,13,8 ... Dwarf Fighter(THF)/Rogue 3. Dorn Dergar specialist.

20 Str (+2levels), 17 Dex, 16 Con(race), 13 Int, 16 Wis(race), 6 Cha(race)

Power attack, Cleave, G Cleave, Goblin cleaver, Orc Hewer, Cleaving Finish, Surprise Follow Thru, Darting Viper, Dorn Dergar Master, WF Dorn Dergar, TWF.

With the new FAQ, does -1/+3 for PA with both hands. Two hand for 1d10+10(strx2)+9(PA-3/+9)... +2d6 to all targets after the first(surprise Follow Thru)... if he kills one he gets to take another swing, 10ft reach with one hand, 5ft reach with the other.

This isn't counting any magic, buffs, or whatever.

How do you get all these feats and in which order as when I look at building this guy I can't seem to get all those at my current level.


Level 10. 4 fighter feats, 5 character feats, 2 rogue talent. I had Darting Viper in there by mistake, with Dorn Dergar Master you don't need it, since you can have one with reach and one without at all times.

1F: Power attack/cleave.
2F goblin cleaver.
3R orc Hewer.
4R wf Dorn dergar(rogue talent weapon training)
5R surprise follow thru.
6F.
7F twf, GCleave.
8F.
9F dorn dergar master, cleaving finish.
10R Fast Getaway(rogue talent).
11F Combat Reflexes.
12F Darting Viper

You can also do this with only 2 levels of rogue, taking WF as a fighter feat instead, since the 1d6 sneak isn't really stacking damage, just allowing you to full great cleave and withdraw in the same round every time. You could also go 6 fighter then all rogue, as you aren't really worried about full attacks, just massive G cleaves and making sure you have 5 fighter levels for weapon training, cleaves are at full BAB so you should always hit. For those single BBEG fights, you do have a 2 handed weapon, power attack, double damage for str, and a 20+ str without magic. Pick up befuddling strike(rogue talent) to give a -2 to all enemies hit with a sneak, pick up offensive defense(rogue talent) to get a dodge vs all sneak targets, and take thug(rogue archetype) to get a free demoralize on any sneak target... you should be able to drop a -6 debuff and do d10+20 or more points of damage to everyone in a 10ft area, then fast getaway back so they have to provoke when they come to hit you back.

Dark Archive

Just thought I would update this post, in case anybody stumbles upon this build. Dorn Dergar looks solid with the Goblin Cleaver and Orc Hewer feats, the so-called Dwarf Cleave line of feats, especially with Darting Viper to adjust reach for the Dorn Dergar, but Surprise Follow Thru is an orc-only racial feat that won't work with the Dwarf-only racial cleaving feats.

Sczarni

I would up your touch AC. Your GM seems to like incorporeal creatures.


Ghost touch armor on your wish list?


Master Summoner. Summon "meat" with a standard actions. Bury encounters in monsters.

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