Ok so I'm currently playing a kitsune serpentine sorcerer and I'm going to take the EK PrC...took a level of fighter for level 7 and plan EK after
Im looking for ways to help shore up my hit bonus
Obviously I have weapon focus now and my katana is a +1 but about to be +2 or higher
Also anything to help with damage that will not sacrifice to hit since its hard enough getting that up...I planned on taking weapon specialization, arcane strike, and vital strike since my GM has said mythic is a possibility and I like mythic vital strike
Problems stem from the fact that I did not expect to go EK when starting the character so his stats were caster based...my strength is 10 :(
I ask the community for help since there are a lot of books I don't have and I'm always learning new crazy things from you all
I appreciate the advice
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I thought of talking to my GM and taking freebooter ranger instead of fighter for that 7 th level to get their 1st level ability...move action to get a +1 hit and damage isn't bad...at least then I gain something from it right?
The best advice i can think of is that you should´nt go EK with a combat stat of 10. :P
And when I say combat stat that can go for either Dex or Str, how good is your dex? Is weapon finesse -> dervish an option for you?
Level 6 sorcerer and level 1 figther or ranger? That will put you 3 behind on bab. You need to decide what kind of figthing you hope to do. Do you have a decent STR?
There is the transformation Road with natural attacks. There are good options in the monsterous physique spells even alter self give 2 on str.
Or do you plan on using Katana all the way. Then get weapon focus, greater at a EK 8, buy all the strength bonusses you can get. You will be some 4-7 behind figthers and barbarians in to hit and need spells like heroism to keep up. You will be close to the Classic figther mage in that you will be half and half and that May be awesome or fustrating depending on the group.
Third Road is archery i have been told it is awesome but i have never tryed it and cannot se why it is better than the other two options.
Must you katana...story based as is the idea of EK
I know to boost strength and yes I have weapon focus...also I have a +1 trait bonus because it's an heirloom weapon
I'm very enchantment heavy...hoping hold person and hideous laughter help with combat a lot...I will be getting haste but thanks Cap i will get heroism now
Thanks for the help guys...still looking for any "out of the box" things that I hadn't seen like the freebooter ranger thing I posted above
@tsuruki - dervish is not an option since I have to use the katana
Heirloom weapon is only simple or Martial weapons and dosent give +1 to hit trait bonus but only +1 to hit with AoOs. I ditent see that str was only 10 :(
I now suggest you get some good debuff spells like frigid touch and spend some of your melee time doing touch attacks that debuff. Sorcerer have ok options for that.
I deleted my other post...it WAS heirloom weapon but my GM hated the errata so uses the old one :)
I deleted my other post...it WAS heirloom weapon but my GM hated the errata so uses the old one :)
Ok:)
He's a really reasonable GM when it comes to helping out his players...at character creation I never thought about EK but story stuff drove my character to try to find a martial class...so I found EK and it for perfectly but I want to actually be able to hit people
He MAY just let me redo my initial point buy but I probably won't ask and just try to deal with it
I think one level of Barbarian would be more suitable than Fighter as you truly lack strength in melee. If you are going to go melee, you shouldn't have to worry about spell cast. However, if you don't mind being lawful good all the time, paladin will serve you better than fighter, you can take 2 levels and add your Cha into your saves, which you really need. Also lay on hand can self heal when you have the chance. Even just one level, you get smite evil, which bypass DR regardless of the target. Not too bad I think. It's better than two feats with bravery.
You are probably better off not going EK if you didn't plan it. Overall it is nice to give you extra HP and BAB, but that is about it. You might be better off going Dragon Disciple, but since you are not Draconic there is a problem with that. If your DM will let you take Crossblooded Serpentine/Draconic then you'll qualify. "Think of it as your long lost dragon blood coming to life as you dive into finding it."
Remember an EK is essentially a caster class that loses one caster level to gain D10 and full bab for 10 levels, even if there is a small cut to their saves compared to the others. Your role as an EK doesn't change much. You are still a caster that is made of paper, and, if grappled, is still in danger of being hauled off to the BBEG's sex dungeon. Then again, you are a sorcerer, maybe you can convince him to let you go.
Think of the EK class as extra HP if you were not built to fight in melee. Melee is a dangerous place, and just having (on average) 2 extra HP than a sorcerer level isn't going to make a bit of difference as to if a full attack kills you or just makes you wish you were at aforementioned dungeon.
If you want to hit people then you need STR or DEX, or 3 levels in Zen Archer and a ton of Wisdom, but this is getting to be a complete rebuild instead of just you left for the brothel a really charismatic beardless tooth-pick but came back with a beard laden square chin and bellowing voice and muscles to match.
Your best bet: keep his stats as he is. Understand that you are learning about combat (full bab instead of 1/2 bab), but that you still understand your place in the group: behind the less sexy people. Their faces can get smashed in all day, but you, you, no, you need your looks, it powers your magic somehow.
I think you can do better for your level dip. Guide gives you a better bonus than Freebooter, at the cost of not sharing it with the party. Cavalier will give you a bonus teamwork feat that you can use for Outflank and share with you teammates. Paladin 1 gives you Smite Evil 1/day for BBEG types, though you have to want to play a Paladin.
To help you in combat I have a few suggestions. First, even with a 5% chance to poison yourself poison is an effective weapon. A few ranks of Craft(Alchemy) will let you make the cheap stuff. The spells True Strike, Bull's Strength, Alter Self, Mirror Image, Heroism and Haste can make you a terror if you pick your spots well and have backup. If you manage to win initiative spells like Charm Person, Suggestion and Charm Monster can end encounters, and if you don't that's what the buffs and katana are for.
What is your dexterity? If it is high enough, you may be better off going for Weapon Finesse and an Agile finessable weapon. Katana was not a good choice here.
The best finessable weapon you have is your poison bite. You can only use it for a few rounds a day, but your main attacks should be spells anyway.
Take levels in EK, but play like a sorcerer. You're losing 2 caster levels to gain armor and weapon profs, and 2-11 bab.
Thanks guys...also to those that say katana was a bad choice and this and that os a bad choice...I am not a powergamer :) I did not think about going EK at character creation, I like to feel out the character as its played and go from there...katana was the weapon given to the character by his father...it fit the backstory of the character and his clan...his father hates that he has anything to do with magic and wishes him to make a name for himself and a name for the weapon that has been in the family (there will be mythic stuff in the game...after speaking with GM the katana already has a full set of abilities but they "unlock" as I enchant it and gain the mythic legendary item abilities)
Before hitting level 7 the character was stripped of his clan name by his father until he shows some form of martial improvement and gains standing in the area as a great fighter. EK seemed the perfect fit for the character to keep his magic while gaining martial abilities (basically full BAB and some combat feats)
As mentioned I am enchantment heavy for magic but I'm gaining some buff spells as I go...I'm great with thinking out things for spells like suggestion and others give great control...I had no real use for magic items early so saved and bought a few wands for combat spellls
I plan on still playing like I have the whole time as ranged sorcerer but if/when I have to hit someone I just wanted a +1 here or there to help out :)
@Gregory: I had looked at guide but the ability can only be used once a day with that one level dip while the freebooter has no limit and helps my allies. Also my training for that 7th level fighter was done while sailing so I like the feel of it being freebooter instead
If nothing else comes to mind I thank you all again...even if I don't use your ideas they are still appreciated very much because they help with ideas for other characters as well