Okie doke. With the newish FAQS on EK's and SLA's, I'm trying to build a Sohei EK.
I like that he can use his weapons and his fists in a flurry, which means that if I'm already holding a charge and I insert fists before weapons as needed... of course the BEST part about this is that it inspires a weird type of horse-monk!
Here's my thoughts and sample build. As an aside, I like to make an interesting character over a powerhouse, there's enough of those in society play. I just don't want to be a hindrance...and sometimes my desire for unique flavor makes me just that. (Which is why I bounce stuff off the boards!)
Aasimar Sohei
Str: 14
Dex: 10
Con: 12
Int: 10
Wis: 18 +2
Cha: 07 +2
Traits:
Wisdom in the Flesh (Dexterity)
2nd Trait: (Who knows? Magical Knack, Sorcerer maybe?)
1 Monk: Mounted Combat
1 Monk: Mounted Skirmisher (Bonus Feat)
2 Sorc: Wildblooded, Empyreal
3 EK: Weapon Focus - (Thinking 9-Ring Broadsword)
3 EK: Power Attack (Bonus)
4 EK: So on and so forth..
Here's the things I'm thinking.
Spells I really want..
Shocking Grasp, Ghoul Touch, Vanish, Bulls Strength, Spectral Steed(?) Monstrous Form and a few other self buffs.
My goal is having a guy who can melee well and is always eligible for mounting up. When Flurrying and attacking I can switch between held touch spells and flurry, I CAN use a lance, but I can't flurry with it I dont think, which is poopy. This is why I think I'll ignore spirited charge and ride by attack. Then again, that's the point of being mounted in combat >.<
Help me with design please Paizo!
I do realize my AC is potentially yucky. I took Wisdom in the flesh to use my Wis for ride and acrobatics checks after tanking my dex. (AC 24 ish? 10 + 6 (wis) + 8 (Mage Armor/Shield) + ?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
In case someone decides to love me, heres how my build ends.
Unnamed Hero
Aasimar Eldritch Knight 10/Monk (Sohei) 1/Sorcerer (Wildblooded) 1
LG Medium outsider (native)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+5 untyped)
hp 108 (10d10+1d8+1d6+36)
Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +12
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee chakram +9/+4 (1d8+9) and
. . lance +10/+5 (1d8+13/×3) and
. . nine-ring broadsword +12/+7 (1d8+11/×3) and
. . unarmed strike +10/+5 (1d6+9)
Special Attacks flurry of blows, heavenly fire
Aasimar Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +13)
. . 1/day—daylight
Sorcerer (Wildblooded) Spells Known (CL 10th; concentration +17):
5th (4/day)—summon monster v
4th (6/day)—greater false life, monstrous physique ii
3rd (7/day)—lightning bolt (DC 18), phantom steed, suggestion (DC 18)
2nd (7/day)—bear's endurance, blindness/deafness (DC 17), bull's strength, ghoul touch (DC 17), mirror image, see invisibility
1st (8/day)—mage armor, mount, shield, shocking grasp, touch of gracelessness (DC 16)
0 (at will)—detect magic, detect poison, flare (DC 15), light, mending, message, prestidigitation (DC 15), resistance, touch of fatigue (DC 15)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 16, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 9
Base Atk +10; CMB +10; CMD 28
Feats Eschew Materials, Expanded Arcana, Greater Weapon Focus (nine-ring broadsword), Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mounted Combat, Mounted Skirmisher, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (nine-ring broadsword), Weapon Specialization (nine-ring broadsword)
Traits focused mind, wisdom in the flesh
Skills Acrobatics +9, Diplomacy +1, Heal +11, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +15, Ride +20, Spellcraft +4; Racial Modifiers +2 Diplomacy, +2 Perception
Languages Celestial, Common
SQ ac bonus, devoted guardian, mutated bloodlines (empyreal), spell critical, unarmed strike
Other Gear chakram, lance, nine-ring broadsword, 119 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
AC Bonus +5 The Monk adds his Wisdom bonus to AC and CMD, more at higher levels.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Devoted Guardian +0 (Ex) At 1st level, a sohei can always act in a surprise round even if he does not notice his enemies, though he remains flat-footed until he acts. In addition, a sohei gains a bonus on initiative rolls equal to 1/2 his monk level. At 20th level, a sohei's
Empyreal Your heavenly power derives from insight rather than force of personality.
Associated Bloodline: Celestial.
Bloodline Arcana: Unlike most sorcerers whose innate magic is powered by force of personality, you use pure willpower to m
Energy Resistance, Acid (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Acid attacks.
Energy Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Energy Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Flurry of Blows +9/+9/+4/-1 (Ex) Make Flurry of Blows attack as a full rd action.
Focused Mind +2 to Concentration checks
Heavenly Fire (8/day) (Sp) Ranged touch attack deals 1d4 divine damage/healing
Improved Unarmed Strike Unarmed strikes don't cause attacks of opportunity, and can be lethal.
Mounted Combat (1/round) Once per round you can attempt to negate a hit to your mount in combat.
Mounted Skirmisher You can take a full-attack action if your mount moves only its speed.
Power Attack -3/+6 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Ride-by Attack You can move - attack - move when charging mounted.
Spell Critical (Su) Cast a spell as a swift action when you confirm a critical hit.
Unarmed Strike (1d6) The Monk does lethal damage with his unarmed strikes.
Wisdom in the Flesh (Ride) Ride becomes a Wisdom-based, class skill.
Seems like a fun build.
I'm pretty sure monks don't have to meet the prereqs for their bonus feats, so yeah your sohei can take mounted skirmisher right away.
I am not sure how that interacts with ride-by attack. I know the FAQ says that you shouldn't get the spirited charge damage on multiple hits.
Is the melee attack line supposed to be "or"s or "and"s? You can't flurry with the lance unless you take him up to 6th in sohei, or get weapon training from another source. If it's "or"s, don't forget you get 4 attacks with the broadsword or unarmed.
Those should be Or's.
I figure Ride by attack is more useful if I want to deliver a touch spell or not get stuck in with something in combat.
With buffs he hits around 125 hp and 26 str, which again isnt too poor before items. I just want to make sure he wont gimp a PFS table by bringing him.
If you have the "Blood of Angels" book (or pdf), you can be a variant Aasimar, and get better stat bonuses.
|
Warpriest is probably a better one level dip for your entry into EK than Sohei. You get a free weapon focus a BAB point with that weapon, the ability to use Fervor for self healing or swift action buffing, cleric wands open up, and you get some blessings, orisons and 1st level spells. You do loose some AC, but it's worth it IMO.
I Think Wisdom in the flesh is one skill not every dex based skill.
Edit: you have it rigth in the second build and it looks good.
@ Jade: I could probably go ahead and drop Suggestion for Heroism! Good Suggestion.. hehe get it?
@ Derwalt: Unfortunately, I need the 3rd level Daylight SLA, otherwise I would shop some traits around.
@Imbicatus: Warpriest sounds really good. I didnt think it was open for PFS yet though? I'll give it a look. The Swift actions sound neat but I would be giving up a feat, Wis to AC, Flurry, Monk Skills, and +2 fort and ref. That one will take some time to parse out. =)
@:Andreww: Wow! Working up a response. Be back with you in a sec!
Level 1: Liberating Command is a great party boost spell, Grease can force fixed DC acrobatics checks and so doesnt care about your casting stat and something like Silent Image, even if it offers a save, brings up lots of options.
Agreed.
Level 2: Bears Endurance and Bulls Strength both have very short durations and at least one of them is likely to be obsoleted by a belt at a relatively early point in your career. I definately would not have both and probably neither. See Invisibility is decent but Glitterdust will do much the same thing while also potentially blinding enemies in an area, it also doesnt care about SR. Given your low DC's and caster level I would avoid Blindness. It is a great spell but you may not manage to get it off very often. I would definately want to fit Invisibility in at this level and might be tempted by Create Pit. The DC will be low but Reflex is often a low save and it still provides some battlefield control.
Can an EK swap out spells at even levels like a Sorc if Sorc based? If so, I think I'd keep the Bull's Str until you have a belt, then swap.
Agreed on Glitterdust and Create Pit
Level 3: Lightning Bolt is fairly weak, I would take Fireball over it if you are determined to have some direct damage. Haste definately feels like it is missing at this level. Suggestion has the same issue as your other Save spells, DC, but is still an awesome spell. For direct damage I might be tempted by Battering Blast, it is force damage, ranged touch, possible bullrushing into a pit. Phantom Steed seems to be a bit of a waste when you already have Mount. You wont be getting much of the higher level benefits.
I like Battering Blast with Create Pit.
Level 4: Greater False life is sort of OK but it doesnt have much impact. I would be very tempted to include some sort of teleportation which you are lacking, Dimension Door could do lots for you here. Monstrous Physique is OK as it can give you Pounce but Elemental Body I can offer fly, swim, earth glide and significant stat buffs. You do become small so your damage value is lower but it also offers a +1 to hit. At this level I also find it really hard not to take Emergency Force Sphere as simply the best defensive spell in the game. Given the Sohei can act in the surprise round you are effectively immune to virtually anything.
Elemental Body I is pretty nice. Especially if you are using Mounted Skirmisher to get mobility/pseudo-pounce, then you don't need Monstrous Physique for your pounce.
Level 5: Summon Monster V is a great spell but I see this as far more of a utility spell for sorcerers who have no way to reduce the casting time from its painful 1 round base. Unfortunately most of the really good utility stuff comes at SM VI. I would be really tempted to change this. Teleport is an always great option as is Overland Flight. All day flying is hard to turn down. Elemental Body II would give you the earth elemental which grants +4 strength and +5 natural armour. Wall of Stone or Force would also be great control options which dont care about casting stat.
Would Overland Flight really be that good if you're trying to use Mounted Skirmisher a lot though? I think I'd pick Elemental Body II, and swap out I for something else if possible.
@ Level 1: The only reason I was keeping Touch of Gracelessness was because I was looking for something to do with my unarmed strikes. In retrospect, either Chill Touch, Color Spray (Still have a 20 Wis at lvl 2), Reduce Person?(In case we wind up in a dungeon or some place a medium mount isn't advisable. Probably a better potion or wand.), Vanish, or something like that.
Level 2: I was actually beginning to worry that I had too many short duration self buffs, but I dont know what kind of income to expect in PFS sometimes. I also dont want to spend 4 rounds of combat buffing either. I can always swap these later on I think. I dodged Glitterdust because I figure every caster in the party has it.
Level 3: Haste seems like the same problem as Glitterdust, every caster ever takes it. I want to do some fighting, and every round I buff is going to slow that down. I figure the party wiz or summoner has haste on lockdown. I might take fireball over Bolt, on your advice. Phantom Steed was going to be the last spell I pull in at 12th level, so I can have a air-walking mount.
Level 4: I only wanted GFL as a long term buff not needing casting in combat. DD is a great idea. I like Mon. Phys because I can use my gear with it, and still cast other spells. I think your right on Sphere. I can't believe I missed it! I wouldn't mind dropping False Life for that one I guess. Invulnerability trumps 20 or so hit points imo.
Level 5: To be honest, I took this as a mini gate, since this is the first level one can summon an angel. I thought it was flavorful to pull out some Azatas or something. That said, there's probably a boat load of better 5th level spells to investigate.
I agree on Magical Knack, me thinks and you've about talked me into Persistent Spell except I don't have many spells with saving throws at all.
@ Gauth: My only hangup with Elemental Body lines are loss of spellcasting in form.
Ah, ok. Then I can see monstrous physique. Do you plan to ever use a mount better than Mount? Not sure how easy that will be in PFS play anymore, what with the "battle cattle" upsetting people.
I just wanted to know how much you expect Mounted Skirmisher to accomplish. Planning on using it for low levels then pretty much flying/turning into something that can pounce?
Well, as I understand it, if I polymorph and summon a mount, that mount is appropriately sized.
Unlike Phantom Steed, Mount summons a light horse, so it would be a huge or gargantuan light horse, right? There's nothing in Mount that keeps the creature from attacking.
I have no plans to fly. Just looking for a different flavor. M Physique is mostly for the STR, SIZE, REACH, NAT ARMOR, and abilities gained.
I figured M.Skirmisher is there for moving and getting my full flurry in, every turn, unless I'm spell casting.
|
@ Gauth: My only hangup with Elemental Body lines are loss of spellcasting in form.
Has there been some official stance that says this somewhere?
Elementals have limbs/hands, they all have the slam attack, they can speak and as a sorcerer you have Eschew Materials. I am not seeing why you can't cast spells in that form. Maybe I am missing something, but I am generally one of the more conservative rules interpretation types, and I don't see a problem here.
Well, as I understand it, if I polymorph and summon a mount, that mount is appropriately sized.
Unlike Phantom Steed, Mount summons a light horse, so it would be a huge or gargantuan light horse, right? There's nothing in Mount that keeps the creature from attacking.
I have no plans to fly. Just looking for a different flavor. M Physique is mostly for the STR, SIZE, REACH, NAT ARMOR, and abilities gained.
I think it calls light horse per the equipment section for the CRB. I don't think it would be appropriately sized for the caster.
It also says "light horse" not "light warhorse", so you'll need to use ride to get it to carry you in combat at all, and it won't be a very good combatant.
Are you planning to use the mounted feats from a Mount spell Mount?
If that is the case, i Think ignoring the chance to get mounted skirmisher 13 levels before everyone Else is a good plan and just get Dodge is a good plan. It Will also leave 2 other feats open.
Hrm.
I just assumed I'd be bringing in a Huge Light Horse if I were poly'd. I had this grand plan in my head.
As far as elem body goes, yea they have a language but I never assumed you automatically became proficient in it, which meant you couldnt cast.
Then again, I suppose speaking and intoning a verbal portion of a spell are different things.
@ Darling: It'd also leave a trait open, as Wisdom in the Flesh isnt necessary to keep my ride skill up.
I think the point is, they have a language that pretty much anyone can learn to speak, ergo, they can learn to speak Common, etc. As long as you can speak a language you know while in that form, there's no reason you couldn't cast verbal spells.
About the huge horses, I think if that were true, a lot of people would be using enlarge on themselves, then casting mount. Since the mount came in when you were large, it'd be huge right, and stay that way until the spell wore off. So, you'd expect to see a lot of casters using huge horses as a better version of summon monster for the early levels.
Im starting to think you are right Gauthok, about the mount spell, though I imagine not many casters would have the ride skill necessary to goad it into combat at early levels.
Galahad, I think I like your stat block better. Extra Reflex save is also a good thing.
Maybe its because of the way I see it working out, but using a EK on a horse that isnt wartrained so he can make a +2/+2 attack doing 8d+2 instead of charging for triple damage with a lance doing d8x3 +9 doesnt quite strike me as cheesy.
Anyway I hadnt even realized how high up the feat was, I simply plugged in what Army Builder allowed me to do. =)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
By the way, whats a battle cattle and how does it affect buying mounts/mount spell/etc?
"battle cattle" is just what people were calling bison. You can buy a war trained bison for 75 gp, and they're ridiculously powerful for 1st level characters.