Looking for DPR Melee Class and Build

[Venom007]

Im looking for a DPR melee class build that is simple and out of the box type of character that doesnt require a ton of research to play.

I have a good friend in our PFS who is struggling to find his role in our group.

1.) He has played a invulnerable rager barbarian previously (last 2 years) but we all started new characters post-ACG and he wants to do something different. And Im a Skald so barbarian is out (and also a bloodrager for that matter).
2.) He attempted to play a new Hunter with bad results getting schizo between melee, ranged and animal companion with hunter tricks.
3.) He has also wants to do something no else is doing so Magus is out as well.
4.) And he has no interest in a Paladin or Samurai.

He loves rolling huge damage rounds hence the thread title.

Can any suggest something that fit the bill?

Im thinking TWF Fighter with paired Wakizashis.

[Eltacolibre]

A Fighter with a two handed weapon with a 18-20 crit range, simple , efficient and does huge amount of damage without trying. Frankly it doesn't get simpler than this with you being a skald, he would benefit from the rage powers buff the most. While stacking up on feats to do more damage like weapon specialization, power attack etc...

[Dimminsy]

Only slightly more tricky but along the same lines, he could play a Cavalier or Roughrider fighter with lots of backup mounts. Generic lance and Spirited Charge goodness, he would be dealing large pools of damage on charges. If he went a small character he could ride a medium mount to make moving around even simpler and charges more frequent 'though the damage would be slightly reduced.

(Probably cheesy and I don't know if it's entirely RAW, but lances can be wielded one handed while mounted, so maybe a TWF Cavalier with lances for the times after you've charged an enemy could be an option. If RAW, I don't know if it's optimal either but certainly thematic)

[Carla the Profane]

An alchemist would do the trick as well... forget their spells, just chucking bombs at enemies is usually enouhg to make GM's cry, and you won't even have to worry about armor!

Alternatively, he could try a Slayer, they're fairly straight-forward as well. Like Eltacolibre stated, a 2hander with a nice crit range is pure joy. He'll be slicing through the encounters like butter.

[Shakalaka]

Venom007 wrote:

Im thinking TWF Fighter with paired Wakizashis.

As a variation on that, I'd suggest Weapon Master Fighter, with rapiers. Then he can go into Sentinel of Cayden Cailean

[Charon's Little Helper]

If he wants to be more different from his old character - he could go for one of the more niche fighter archetypes. How about a Phalanx Fighter (probably my fav archetype) they make a solid bastion base for the group to work around. Polearm in one hand? Heck yeah!

[aceDiamond]

Gunslinger deals massive hurt. If your group is against using them, then you could just go archer archetype fighter.

If your buddy wants melee, then I would think swashbuckler would work out well. Grab falcatas, Slashing Grace, and Two Weapon Fighting. Use the Precise Strike deed when you have to move and both your falcatas when you can full-attack.

[Charon's Little Helper]

aceDiamond wrote:

Gunslinger deals massive hurt. If your group is against using them, then you could just go archer archetype fighter.

If your buddy wants melee, then I would think swashbuckler would work out well. Grab falcatas, Slashing Grace, and Two Weapon Fighting. Use the Precise Strike deed when you have to move and both your falcatas when you can full-attack.

With a pair of falcatas he's be taking a huge penalty. The only way I know of to get slashing grace with both weapons without taking the huge penalty is to use sawtoothed sabres.

[Hyrgulf]

Here's another one that I've been working on for my home campaign that I'm in:

This is a little less straight forward than a plan 2 handed fighter, but it's not too complex.

The build is a bit complex (But I've got the tricky parts listed below), the play style however is pretty straight forward.

The idea is that you'll use a 2 handed reach weapon most of the time, and then improved unarmed strike when enemies are adjacent to you. And as the character gains levels, take dazzling display and shatter defense to make enemies shaken and flat footed to apply precision damage, and sap adept and sap master for unarmed strikes to make that precision damage even more potent.

Race: Human (for the bonus feat).

Suggested stats
Str 19 (+2 racial)
Dex 12 (feel free to swap with con bonus, particularly if you somehow get combat reflexes)
Con 14
Int 10 (you can dump this if you want to pump something else up)
Wis 10
Cha 10

Favored class slayer, take 1/6 slayer feat for the first 6 slayer levels (after that switch to hit point or skill point)

traits: Bully (+1 intimidate) and whatever else. maybe indomitable faith.

For skills, max intimidate,

1. Brawler (1): Snakebiter Striker Archetype (1d6 sneak) - weapon focus (unarmed strike), Dazzling Display (unarmed strike)
2. Slayer (1)
3. Slayer (2)- slayer talent - ranger combat style (twf); Intimidating Prowess
4. Slayer (3) - +1 to str.
5. Slayer (4) - slayer talent (whatever you want); sap adept.
6. Slayer (5) -
7. Slayer (6) - slayer talent - combat trick (sap master); slayer talent - ranger combat style (imp twf); shatter defense.
8. Slayer (7) - +1 to str

With this play style, you have full bab, Studied target, 3d6 sneak (+6 damage and +6d6 sneak when non-lethal attacking flat footed opponents), a way to consistently make opponents flat footed. 2 iterative attacks (if attacking 2 handed, or mixing 1 2 handed attack, and 1 unarmed attacks) or 4 attacks if TWF unarmed.

Study 2 targets as a swift action, Perform Dazzling display as full round action, wait for someone to attack you (get AoO when they pass through your reach threatened square), then unleash with with TWF non-lethal unarmed attacks, first attack to shatter defenses, then apply sap master for remaining attacks, and attacks next turn. and remember unarmed attacks provide full strength bonus to all attacks because your a brawler).

Or make a iterative attacks (not using TWF) with improved unarmed for adjacent creatures, or your polearm for those in reach (if you don't focus all of your damage on 1 creature, or you know you'll probably kill something with the first attack).

Even before the Shatter defenses and Sap master feats come online, you have good flexibility and damage potential, and a whole bunch of skills to play with.