Hi all,
Making a level 6 cavalier for a friend's Kingmaker campaign, not sure if what I've gone with makes sense or if I've screwed something up...thoughts?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XELoxeeoQt4dSEOJlLzcg4sJpbi6-K4ASeR f2D4bTgU/edit?usp=sharing
Going NE Order of the Cockatrice for the time being (suits the character's theme way better than Dragon, which I wanted to go so as not to be a general jerk). Potential character growth by switching from cockatrice to dragon as time goes by.
Basic breakdown
Stats (25 point buy + 2 floating human bonus and +1 advancement increase):
Str 18
Dex 12
Con 16
Int 12
Wis 12
Cha 12
Feats (3 + 1 for human + 1 tactician + 1 cav bonus):
Power attack
Mounted combat
Ride-by-attack
Monstrous mount
Spirited charge
Outflank
Companion creature:
Griffon
Feats - Light armour, power attack, hover and improved natural attack (claws) [I realise that it won't be able to use this for a level, but I figure it's worth it when it can]
My equipment:
Lance +1
Full plate +1
Cloak of Resistance +1
Longsword (mw)
Shield, heavy steel
Griffon's equipment:
Chain shirt barding
Amulet of mighty fists
Cloak of Resistance +1
~10,685 gp
Any suggestions for further itemisation?
I actually just did a major encounter (higher level) with my group against cavaliers. They can actually be amazingly dangerous.
Remember the tactician ability lets you give the teamwork feats to others for a major fight. So consider what other PC's builds are like.
Do you have someone else who has a melee build and is likely to be able to keep up with you? Cavalry Formation and Coordinated Charge are great.
Escape Route will make it much less likely you will ever take AoO.
Pack Flanking Together with Outflank makes hitting much more likely.
Do you have an archer in the group? I forget the name, but one of them will give him a bunch of extra attacks.
Does the group try to be sneaky? Stealth Synergy can make this almost guaranteed.
I actually just did a major encounter (higher level) with my group against cavaliers. They can actually be amazingly dangerous.
Remember the tactician ability lets you give the teamwork feats to others for a major fight. So consider what other PC's builds are like.
Do you have someone else who has a melee build and is likely to be able to keep up with you? Cavalry Formation and Coordinated Charge are great.Escape Route will make it much less likely you will ever take AoO.
Pack Flanking Together with Outflank makes hitting much more likely.
Do you have an archer in the group? I forget the name, but one of them will give him a bunch of extra attacks.
Does the group try to be sneaky? Stealth Synergy can make this almost guaranteed.
I can see how high level cavaliers would be brutal as a group, especially once they have coordinated charge...
The group will at this stage be two half-caster/half-melee (sorc/dragon disciple and a fel-shaped druid) and a bow-using ranger.
I haven't yet determined what tactics the others will be using, so I've gone with outflank as a safe bet (and anything else could potentially be picked up at 9 with the second teamwork feat). I feel like I'll regularly have a flanking partner (what with my mount, the two melee characters and their two animal companions).
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Lemme just say that I play a cavalier, and he's NOT that well optimized (he was my first real character, so...), but I've learned a lot about how to make functional characters, especially cavaliers. I gotta say, you look like you're doing it right. If I could comment on anything, it would be that your DEX is a little low, and that hurts, because your ride skill should be sky-high. I would recomend dropping your INT or WIS, and potentially CON just a little tiny bit to get more into your DEX. I'm also going to suggest a tertiary reach weapon, as well as a ranged weapon, if you can spare the funds. I've gotten a ton of mileage out of both my Lance and Lucerne Hammer, and it's useful to be able to just drop your weapon every once and a while to swap, and pick it up after a battle.
Those are just my 2 cents. I'm by no way a pro, but I know quite a bit about the class, and I think you'll have fun, provided you enjoy blowing up the monster after just one charge. I personally enjoy it.
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Not to long ago I was at a PFS table with an inquisitor, cavalier, and hunter (all have some special abilities with regards to teamwork feats). Those three guys have similar schedules and often end up playing together. The cumulative effects of all those teamwork feats was pretty amazing.
My home group is starting to give them some serious consideration. Or if not the teamwork feats, at least planning things like not blocking charge lanes or waiting until after the AoE spells land.
It kinda amazes me how most/many groups seem to do almost no planning of any kind. We're supposed to be these amazing warriors and mages from the time of adolescence until we are almost gods. And in all that time, we never take a few minutes to talk about / coordinate the things we learn or make plans on how to approach certain kinds of situations.
Never played kingmaker, but my experience with other APs is that having a large size mount is an absolute pain in the neck. It's really really hard to set up charges in dungeons because hallways are narrow and littered with debris, and everything else.
I had more luck with a Halfling, Order of the Sword, Beast-Rider Archetype Cavalier. I took point all the time and by level 8 my charge damage was 3d6 + 66 while riding my bear. It was far more fun than I had with my medium guy. With the Undersized Mount feat you don't even need to play a small race anymore. You don't get to fly though.