PFS Mobile Melee character

[TheBobJones]

So I am trying to create a Pathfinder Society legal character. I have no racial boons so I am limited to races that are currently legal without boons.

Character concepts that I won't change:
Must focus on mobile attacking
Two-handed melee weapon main attack weapon

Character concepts that I have explored:
Whip builds
Fighter (mobile) archetype - nice build but no real benefit until level 11 - too late for PFS
Fighter (Lore Warden) archetype - free Combat Expertise which is needed for whirlwind attack
Elf Fighter w Elven curved blade

Possible Feat Progression [Lore Warden in ()]
01 Dodge, Weapon Focus
02 mobility (Combat Expertise free from LW)
03 spring attack
04 Combat Expertise (Whirwind AAttack)
05 whirwind attack(Power attack)
06 lunge
07 Power attack (Furious Focus)
08 Furious Focus(improved crit)
09 Weapon specialization

Any advice for class, race, feats, stats, traits would be appreciated

[Argus The Slayer]

Here's my conundrum: I like the idea of an Elven Curveblade Fighter, but it is tough to get Elves to a decent STR score without dumping their DEX to a 14 (or less) - which doesn't work very well with Lore Warden. A Lore Warden either has to have great DEX to compliment their light armor use, or they need to forgo AC altogether and just focus on attack and DPR. I don't think an Elf, with their lack of a STR bonus, can really go all-out for attack and DPR - unless you go with high DEX and Weapon Finesse build.

My suggestion? Go with your Elven Lore Warden build, but sub Weapon Finesse for your Weapon Focus at level 1 - and pickup Weapon focus later, where you have Furious Focus slotted (Furious Focus is really useful at low levels, but less so as you level up).

Elven Lore Warden Stat array:
S:14 D:18 C:12 I:14 W:12 C:7 All bumps to DEX

01 Dodge, Weapon Finesse
02 mobility, Combat Expertise
03 spring attack
04 Whirwind Attack
05 Power attack
06 lunge
07 Weapon Focus
08 improved crit
09 Weapon specialization

[Zedorland]

A different option would be to go for a ranger build with the faithful style of Sarenrae.

at 2 this would net you mobility (if you want it) and whirlwind attack at 6 without requiring any pre-requisite feats.

Consider also that as a mobile fighter, you will probably want some extra movement speed to make the best use of your mobile feats. A level dip in barbarian or Cleric (or inquisitor) with the travel domain will net you 10 bonus move speed. Also, a single level dip of cavalier ( emissary) will get you full move speed in medium Armour.

Finally, if you are looking at staying mobile, consider vital strike. If you rent making full attacks, the bonus damage on a two handed weapon is very strong. If you are going spring attack, then don't bother, but otherwise it might be a strong pickup.

Just my 2 copper

[Hawktitan]

I have had quite a few thoughts on this and I am in the process of creating a mobile Fighter in PFS. He's currently level 4.

In the end I settled on a strength based fighter with no archetypes.

Spoiler:

Strength 17
Dexterity 14
Constitution 14
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 8
Charisma 10

Planned Feat Progression

Power Attack, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint
Furious Focus
Weapon Focus
Combat Reflexes
Improved Trip
Felling Smash
Greater Trip
Greater Feint
(Monk MOMS) Viscous Stomp, Dragon Style
(Monk MOMS) Monkey Style or Dragon Ferocity

Traits
Fast-Talker, Threatening Defender

In the above build I decided I wanted Feinting to be one of the things he does, so that could free up some stat points, feats and a trait if you didn't want to emulate that.

Now there are a couple archetypes that could work and play into the build depending on what you want to do.

Dex-based Lore Warden, the problem is you would need Weapon Finesse and an Elven Curved Blade in an already feat strapped build.

Two-Handed Fighter. Have more oomph in your attacks. The tradeoff is the loss of eventual full movement in fullplate and a point or two in AC and skills due to armor training. I wanted to be more mobile so I decided that I wanted to keep armor training. If you carry around a pocket caster and know you will always be getting haste/blessing of fervor this becomes less important.

Martial Master. In any feat strapped build more feats is nice. The downside is that not only do you lose armor training, you also lose weapon training.

[Pink Dragon]

You could look at monk with some dipping into fighter, or fighter with some dipping into monk. Martial artist archetype for the monk side may be interesting. A dip into barbarian or bloodrager gives more mobility and attack power.

A seven-branched sword is a decent two-handed weapon for a monk. But if you don't want to spend a feat on exotic weapon proficiency, a nine-ring broadsword used in two hands isn't bad. Or just take another weapon and not worry about needing to flurry from time to time.

[TheBobJones]

How about this:

Elf Fighter (Lore Warden)
Strength 16
Dexterity 13
Constitution 14
Intelligence 13
Wisdom 8
Charisma 10

Feats
Dodge, Weapon Focus (Curve Blade (Elven))

Traits:
Veteran of Battle (Gorum)
Killer

HP 13

My problem is that I have: AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13
but I deal Melee curve blade (elven) (two handed) +5 ((two handed) 1d10+4/18-20)

[AndIMustMask]

my advice if you wanna throw out damage and stay mobile: look into vital strike (less effective than full attack, but fighter has loads of bonuses to compensate and the feats to spare for the line), or pummelling style+pummelling charge (which RAW doesnt bar any weapons from using it). these come online at level 6, which is when you get your iterative to even need to worry about not becoming a turret.

otherwise go dawnflower dervish fighter if you want to be mobile while full attacking--the AT is in the same boat as mobile fighter level-wise (11th level), but doesn't trade out all the good class abilities to do so.

or go 2H fighter 6 / horizon walker 3 / fighter +11 and take the dimensional dervish feats (comes online at 11th-13th).

or-or take a dip into sohei monk and go the mounted combat route--sohei monks' bonus feats are "all mounted combat feats", and not limited/separated by level, meaning you could take mounted skirmisher at level 1 despite it normally being reserved for 14th level. with the nature soul+animal ally+boon companion feats you'd have a full-advancement animal companion mount (like say, a pouncing tiger) that you can share your ki powers with, all while armored and flurrying everything with a 2H polearm (while lance is mechanically superior, you wanted to focus on two-handed weapons).

the monk one is online at level 1, but kicks into high gear at around 7th when you get your full animal companion.

[Pink Dragon]

A cautionary note on pummeling style if you chose to take it. Expect to meet much table variation since per RAW it only applies to unarmed strikes (see page 140 of the Advanced Class Guide). You may find many GMs not permitting its use with weapons.

[AndIMustMask]

Pink Dragon wrote:

A cautionary note on pummeling style if you chose to take it. Expect to meet much table variation since per RAW it only applies to unarmed strikes (see page 140 of the Advanced Class Guide). You may find many GMs not permitting its use with weapons.

honestly pummeling style needs a second pass at the editors table. (personally i wouldn't mind seeing unarmed/close group/monk weapons, but even just unarmed would be acceptable)

[Pink Dragon]

AndIMustMask wrote:

honestly pummeling style needs a second pass at the editors table. (personally i wouldn't mind seeing unarmed/close group/monk weapons, but even just unarmed would be acceptable)

Yes. Better writing of this feat would be helpful.

I would prefer it being limited to unarmed strikes only. I have a PFS legal fighter/monk combo at 7th level that uses a nine-ring broadsword. With pummeling style the character could push damage per round into the 200-300 hp range with just a single critical confirmation if she had pummeling style that worked with monk group weapons.

[AndIMustMask]

Just gonna note that pfs legal doesnt somehow mean fair and balanced, but i can see what you mean. Ive got no clue who thought the crit thing was a smart idea.

[Imbicatus]

The crit thing is a good idea if you are unarmed only and stuck with a 20/x2 crit profile and are unable to get a keen AoMF. It's a terrible idea if you are trying to use it with kukris and picks.

Unarmed needed the crit mechanic to stay competitive with weapon users.

[Rashagar]

I don't know what is or isn't PFS legal or how much you care about viability but there are a good few (usually feat intensive and of questionable worth) ways of getting extra 5-foot steps and other bonus movement options.

Off the top of my head;
3 levels of inquisitor with Pack Attack.
The Step Up and Strike feat chain.
The Trickery (Deception) subdomain 1st level ability. I think there's another domain power that let's you move through difficult terrain more easily?
Kirin Path (any weapon), Monkey Moves (unarmed only)
Panther Style can also be cool for moving around a lot, though I've never cared to learn PFS's stance on unarmed strikes when your hands are full, I just remember seeing a few threads on the topic knocking about.

Other people might know more or easier methods of doing similar things.

I've probably miscalculated something somewhere but it seems possible to fit at least 2 of the options into a build easily enough.

eg. Human, (14 int, Lore Warden, 7/8 skills per level?)
F1 Dodge, Power Attack, Step Up
F2 Following Step, Combat Expertise
F3 Mobility
F4 Spring Attack

and then possibly proceed with something like

MoMS1 Combat Reflexes/Whirlwind Attack/Furious Focus, Kirin Style
MoMS2 Kirin Path
F5 Lunge/Vital Strike/Step Up And Strike
F6 etc.

[Charon's Little Helper]

One thing that could help you stay mobile is to use a reach weapon and make a trip build.

After all, they don't get AOOs if you're never within their reach, and they'll have trouble getting you within reach if you keep tripping them with your own AOOs.

[Paulicus]

Jaunt boots allow you to take a 15-foot "5-foot step" three times per day.

[Gwen Smith]

One possibility for the Elven Curved Blade is to go with Butterfly's Sting and Keen or Improved Crit. When you score a critical hit, you can choose to do normal damage and pass the crit to an ally.