Advice Fighter (Brawler) Two Weapon Fighting caster killer.

[Whisperknives]

Ok, so I am planning way ahead here. I am currently in a game that is going very well as a Paladin but I am the only tank, the only healer and the only melee so if anyone is going to die, I will be first.

I want to play a caster killer, built around the Brawler archetype for Fighters.

So far my Feats plan is as follows:

I want to close on the caster(or really any class) and shut them down, making it where they can not get away and can not cast spells without extreme difficulty.

Human (25 point buy)

1 Weapon Finesse or power attack, Combat Reflexes, TWF
2 Weapon Focus: Something
3 Double Slice
4 Weapon Spec: Something
5 Stand Still
6 IMP TWF
7 Piranha Strike or open feat.
8 Disruptive
9 Gtr Wpn Focus
10 Spellbreaker
11 GTR TWF
12 Two Weapon Rend
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

So my questions are:

1. What weapons to use?
A: I have the idea of going Spiked Shield based with spiked armor so I could go lots of shield feats and also take Spiked Destroyer.
Speaking of which, is it ever specified what part of your body are used to attack with armor spikes? For example could I use the shield two handed and Slam/kick/whatever with the armor spikes?

or

B: Dual wield one of the Close Combat weapons that Brawlers specialize in, but which ones.

or

C: The idea of Agile weapons with weapon finesse sounds good to make all the dex more valuable.

Further info that might help:

1. The GM HATES combat maneuver builds, so shy away from those.
2. Gold should be about standard for the levels we will be at.
3. This game will go 1-20 loosely based on Rise of the Runelord, but with the combat difficulty about tripled.
4. Would prefer not to multi class, Brawler 1-20 is the plan.

Thanks for any help that you guys can come up with.

[lemeres]

Well, I personally like the Cestus.

From the description and in practice, it is basically like spiked gloves with stats that are actually useful. It has the same threat range and damage dice as a dagger, and it does Bludgeoning or Piercing. You can use other items while using them (and there is an argument that you could even use other weapons while using them). it only interferes with precise movements like with disable device...which is no problem for a fighter. Overall, a nice weapon and you can always be armed with it.

You might also consider wooden stakes (which do not have to be wooden, according to their description), which can be free (well, if you go around with metal ones I'd imagine someone would impose a price). The only real advantage there is that they are close weapons that can be thrown, which can be a nice back up if you go with TWF.

Do you really need piranha strike? You have a 25 point buy, and you are not a caster, so you are hardly MAD. Wouldn't having 13 or 14 Strength be a nice little advantage to damage? Heck, it might not even be too hard to go strength based and still get the necessary DEX for TWF feats with that kind of point buy.

Martial versatility and mastery are useful feats for a human fighter, since they allow you to apply the benefits of a single feat, and then all feats, to all weapons within the same group. This is just something to think about when looking at levels 15 and 16.

[Wiggz]

I realize you said that you'd prefer not to multi-class, but...

I've made a Human and a Goblin version of this character and in both versions I took a two level dip into Master of Many Styles for the Crane and Snake Style feats. Tons of benefits including free feats, Evasion (ideal for a Dex-based character), better saves and so forth. Also in both versions I simply went with Weapon Finesse + Unarmed Strike + Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists (remember, Unarmed Strikes can't be Sundered or Disarmed). It worked out really, really well - with the goblin especially who turned out to be a sort of a Tasmanian Devil type threat who served as the group's scout as well. I'd be happy to share those builds with you if you like.

Don't forget about Brawling Armor.

[Kazaan]

I know you said shy away from Combat Maneuvers, but Dirty Trick can be used to give the Deafened condition which will give them 20% ASF on spells with verbal components. And Casters aren't notable for having high CMD. It's something to consider.

[Whisperknives]

Wiggz wrote:

I realize you said that you'd prefer not to multi-class, but...

I've made a Human and a Goblin version of this character and in both versions I took a two level dip into Master of Many Styles for the Crane and Snake Style feats. Tons of benefits including free feats, Evasion (ideal for a Dex-based character), better saves and so forth. Also in both versions I simply went with Weapon Finesse + Unarmed Strike + Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists (remember, Unarmed Strikes can't be Sundered or Disarmed). It worked out really, really well - with the goblin especially who turned out to be a sort of a Tasmanian Devil type threat who served as the group's scout as well. I'd be happy to share those builds with you if you like.

Don't forget about Brawling Armor.

That is a good point on the unarmed strikes and amulet thing.

I also like the Brawling armor plan.

I will see what I can do with that.

It may seem nerdy, but before I play a character, I probably make like 20 different versions of it from level one to twenty before I ever settle on one.

[Wiggz]

Whisperknives wrote:

Wiggz wrote:

I realize you said that you'd prefer not to multi-class, but...

I've made a Human and a Goblin version of this character and in both versions I took a two level dip into Master of Many Styles for the Crane and Snake Style feats. Tons of benefits including free feats, Evasion (ideal for a Dex-based character), better saves and so forth. Also in both versions I simply went with Weapon Finesse + Unarmed Strike + Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists (remember, Unarmed Strikes can't be Sundered or Disarmed). It worked out really, really well - with the goblin especially who turned out to be a sort of a Tasmanian Devil type threat who served as the group's scout as well. I'd be happy to share those builds with you if you like.

Don't forget about Brawling Armor.

That is a good point on the unarmed strikes and amulet thing.

I also like the Brawling armor plan.

I will see what I can do with that.

It may seem nerdy, but before I play a character, I probably make like 20 different versions of it from level one to twenty before I ever settle on one.

I make just one.

Then I re-make it, modify it, scrap it, re-make it again and again until it looks nothing like the original. Uusually after a lot of help from people on these boards.