Two-Handed Fighter Archtype Build for Runelords Game

[the Haunted Jester]

Dear Community,

I am going to be playing in a Rise of the Runelords game in the next couple of months and I would like some advice on my Two-Handed Fighter Archtype Build. Any feedback will be helpful as this character will be a mix of optimization and role play elements.

Our GM is allowing us to use a 20 build point system. I am playing a Muse-Touched Aasimar and replacing my spell-like ability with a +2 Strength bonus (GM already approved).

STR 15+2= 17
DEX 14+2= 16
CON ......14
INT ......12
WIS ......10
CHA 11+2= 13

HP Feats
1- 16 Toughness, FF-Weapon Focus
2- 9 FF- Power Attack
3- 9 Dodge
4- 10 FF-Furious Focus
5- 10 Weapon Specialization
6- 10 FF- Cleave
7- 10 Greater Cleave
8- 10 FF- Death or Glory
9- 10 Greater Weapon Focus
10- 10 FF- Combat Reflexes
11- 10 Step Up
12- 10 FF- Strike Back
13- 10 Greater Weapon Specialization
14- 10 FF- Penetrating Strike
15- 10 Following Step
16- 10 Step Up & Strike
17- 10 Greater Penetrating Strike

Hit Points: We are using the PFS system where it is half of the die +1. Total at 17th level is 174

Favored Class Bonus: +1 HP for every level

Languages: Celestial, Common, Elven

Deity: Calistria

Trait: Friend in Every Town
Trait: Unknown

*FF= Fighter Feat

[rorek55]

grab crit feats and go to town with the scythe :3.

[rorek55]

do you want the "merc" guy, the good goodguy or the mean good guy?

or, would you prefer the "Good" badguy, or the bad badguy? I can help after you get me a tad more info on your characters story.

[the Haunted Jester]

His alignment will be CN with CG tendencies. He grew up in a temple of Calistria that also served as a brothel which actually gave him a love and respect for women. He was eventually sent, through a series of personal favors that several of his "mothers" did for him, to serve an old Chelaxian noble family for a few decades. Rising in the ranks until he eventually became a squire to the Lords only son. The son was being trained by a WarPriest of Nethys and his partner in the ways of being a knight. In time my characters training went from merely observing the lessons to the WarPriest training the squire as well to help serve the Lords son better.

[rorek55]

hmm, perhaps a scythe might work depending on how you see him, He could be the bad good guy (along the lines of batman, but nothing against killing a few nerdowells.) and have him wear a black cloak. He strikes people as evil/imposing/scary but is somewhat kind hearted. Just a shot in the dark.

[Magda Luckbender]

You might consider sometimes using a reach weapon. Fishing for AoOs with reach is a great way to increase your damage output, especially at low levels. Here are some other reasons. Your 16 DEX will give you four AoOs once you have Combat Reflexes.

Your crazy-deadly level one first round combination attack could be:

Round 1 - Your turn - Move to block the incoming foe, such that the foe must come to you. Ready an action to attack the first foe to come within reach. End your turn.

Round 1- Enemy turn - Multiple foes move to attack you and get past you. Your readied action interrupts the first incoming foe. Then you get an AoO against that same foe. You might get up to three more AoOs. You will get at least two attacks, and possibly as many as five attacks, in one round of combat.

This won't always work, but you generally know when it won't work, and can use other tactics.

[the Haunted Jester]

As far as I understand it I could threaten at reach, using a reach weapon, but not up close. If I were to switch to a reach weapon what feat would I need to threaten enemies adjacent to me?

[Magda Luckbender]

Everyone always worries about that. Play five levels wielding a reach weapon and you will see that it is not a big concern. There are several ways to threaten adjacent squares: put Armor Spikes on your armor, dip a level of monk, spend three feats on Eldritch Heritage Claws, et cetera. That said, 95% of your AoOs will be at reach, and your adjacent AoOs will be wimpy. Adjacent threat is barely worth bothering with: it's mostly worth it to help allies flank.

If you are so unfortunate as to get stuck in tight quarters where a reach weapon is not suitable, it's a free action to drop the polearm. Fighters are well advised to carry a variety of pointy-sharp-things. My polearm fighters have to do that once every ten-or-so fights.

[Cuttler]

You seem to be spread a little between des build and str build...although it is not bad to have a little dex (just enough for combat expertise), your character will destroy a lot of people with his two-handed weapon.

We are currently playing Rise of the Runelords, and our fighter is a two-haded archetype...his build is a little bit different. He maxed str and con as much as possible and has 14 dex (though belts and such)just enough for few feats. Don't forget that this build will double your strength damage relatively quick and at the end will also double your power attack bonus (instead of the 1.5)

First, He,s using a falchion. Gives 2d4 damage AND threat range of 18-20. When combined with enlarge and lead blades, weapons becomes 3d6. Get keen ASAP. Our fighter does a lot of critical damage and the damge is insane. So in that regard, Critical Focus is a huge boost combined with all that....

His first few feats were focused on Power attack, cleave, great cleave and Cleaving finish (better than dodge i think)and furious focus as soons as he could.

Afterward he went for blind fighting and the step up, and following step chain feats...really good...

Finally, in the last few levels, he started in the critical feats (critical focus, critical sickening, etc).

Overall, at level 12th, our 24 str two-handed archetype fighter can do : weapon damage + (14 strength +12 Power attack + magic bonus + weapon training), so approximately: weapon + 30 ish per hit, double that on a crit!!!

So i think you have a good build, but I think that you could replace dodge and Death or Glory with better feats!

hope it helps

[revaar]

Dodge and Death or Glory seem out of place. I'd suggest dropping them for Skill Focus (Kn: Planes) and Eldritch Heritage: Abyssal. That way you can pop out some claws when you need to to threaten without reach. If you find another place to pull out a feat, you can get a boost to your Str with Imp. Eldritch Heritage. Maybe drop (or retrain later) toughness?

This might also be a bit of great flavor, considering your celestial (aasimar) heritage.

If you really want to keep Death or Glory, I'd suggest looking at the Vital Strike Chain, which Death or Glory specifically works with.

[XMorsX]

Cornugon Smash, Dreadful Carnage and Intimidating Prowess are great feats to have. Also, Pin Down and Dazzing Assault are highly useful for denying them the chance to avoid your full attacks, much better than the step up feat tree.

How I would implement them:

1- Power Attack, FF-Combat Reflexes
2- FF- Cleave
3- Weapon Focus (Baurdiche)
4- FF- Furious Focus, retrain Cleave for Weapon Specialization
5- Improved Sunder
6- FF- Cornugon Smash
7- Lunge
8- FF- Intimidating Prowess
9- Sundering Strike
10- FF- Greater Weapon Focus
11- Dazing Assault
12- FF- Dreadful Carnage
13- Greater Weapon Specialization
14- FF- Critical Focus
15- Blinding Critical
16- FF- Staggering Critical
17- Critical mastery

My reasonings.

- Reach is by far the best thing you could have at low lvls, combat reflexes + power attack will decimate enemies.

- Cleave is only useful at low lvls. When you obtain iterative attacks it is better to rely on them for damaging many targets and do not "waste" feats.

- You have a bonus to Sunder, so take advantage of it with Improved Sunder and Sundering Strike.

- The feats for intimidate will let you debuff your enemies easily and efficiently as you will not waste actions for this. Remember that this way you lower both their AC for easier hits and their saving throws for your party casters.

- Lunge and Dazing Assault are great feats for tactical play and will make you a great battlefield controller. Being able to apply to your enemies both the dazed and shaken conditions is a very powerful ability.

- The critical feats will let you debuff even more your enemies. Do not worry so much about DR, your massive damage hits will make short work of it.

[Broken Zenith]

Another Option: Teddy Rosy.

[the Haunted Jester]

I am not actually going for an Intimidating Fighter and have decided to take the following traits:

Scholar of the Great Beyond
Defender of the Society

The thought of using a reach weapon has peaked my interest and I have decided against getting the Death or Glory feat.

I will disperse my skills between Diplomacy, Know: Arcana, Perform: Sing, and Survival

[XMorsX]

Using a reach weapon is a great choice. Death or Glory is gimmick indeed and rarely worth using.

Fithers usually avoid the intimidation feats because they like to dump charisma. You have both the charisma and the strenght to make great use of the intimidation feats. Why avoiding them?