Suitability of character build for AP

[Drogos]

I'm about to start playing in a Carrion Crown game and I got the idea of a Richter Belmont-esque character stuck in my head. So whip mastery feats and Quick Draw for throwing weapons as my primary ranged attacks. As I mulled over the idea, I figured that a Lore Warden build focused on Trip, Dirty Trick (including the feat to make it an attack action rather than a standard) and Disarm would be a cool way to do it. My only concern is how viable it would be to play throughout the AP. Since I'm not going for the 2-HANDPOWERATTACKDESTROYALLTHETHINGS, I want to ensure that Trip and Dirty Trick are a viable tactic (ie the AP doesn't wind up pitting you against 6 legged huge monsters). I understand that combat manuevers are best against humanoid oponents at lower levels and tend to level out in effectiveness at higher levels, but I'd hate to start an AP and then at the end of it be a completely useless build.

I sketched it out rather hastily and with my planned feat progression I was at a +24 CMB (+28 for Trip, Dirty Trick & Disarm) at level 11.

TLDR; Would a Lore Warden Combat Manuever Fighter be suitable for a Carrion Crown character or should I scrap it and make something else?

[notabot]

Well considering the number of aberrations, incorporeal, and large beatstick monsters in the AP, I can't recommend it.

It will work fine against the odd humanoid and random trash undead, but IMHO its too niche to be viable in any AP short of KM.

Honestly I recommend building a good will save over anything else. Since fighters have bad will I wouldn't even play one at all in this campaign.

[Keep Calm and Carrion]

A Richter Belmont character sounds like a perfect fit for the Carrion Crown AP, but him built as a combat maneuver focused fighter would be less effective than most players would enjoy playing.

Consider building him as an Arcane Duelist bard with a whip as his Arcane Bond weapon. Or to really stand out, why not a whip-wielding paladin? You’ll be tight on feats but long on flavor. Either choice will give you more abilities usable in fights where tripping with a whip isn’t a viable option.

[Drogos]

Thanks, that's kind of what I was afraid of while I was putting together the idea. I'm going to keep the same style character, but focus more on the aspects mentioned. I appreaciate the guidance.

[Deadmanwalking]

If using ACG classes, Warpriest is a very good choice for a whip build. One Weapon Focus and you're suddenly doing scaling damage with it. Plus Divine Casters are solid in Carrion Crown.

[Drothmal]

Another cool option might be to build a kensai magus (use free weapon prof for whip):

Combat casting + spellstrike + whip = succeed at all combat maneuvers (via true strike) or deal decent damage (via shocking grasp, etc).

[Gauthok]

Deadmanwalking wrote:

If using ACG classes, Warpriest is a very good choice for a whip build. One Weapon Focus and you're suddenly doing scaling damage with it. Plus Divine Casters are solid in Carrion Crown.

Oooh, good call. I really like how Warpriest lets you make plenty of fighting styles work.