Maximizing Penalties on meele attack roles - or being pretty good at TWF

[Nazrelle]

Hello guys!
I think I'm not the only one trying to make TWF (Two-Weapon Fighting) characters... well, worth?

You can start by thinking a sawtooth sabre char with one swashbuckler level and slashing grace is the best approach. Or a dual weapon for the option to wield it 2-handed, when you make single attacks. Some may say, the best weapon will be the longsword, 'cause of a trait bonus on attack roles and Effortless Lace to make it light.

But I think there is the option to wield two Light Shields and bash with it. The reason, this is being the best option:

Shield Master

For characters with martial weapon prof. and shield prof., wielding a shield, counts as wielding a weapon.
Wielding two (light) shields (AC bonus does not stack) let's you "do not suffer any penalties on attack roles".
It's obvious where this is going:

Help me with penalties on meele attack roles, that bring something in return!

Here's a list of options I thought about:

- Power Attack
- Combat Expertise
- Fighting Defensively (3 Ranks Acrobatic for 1 more AC)
- Pliant Gloves
- Dazing/Bleeding/Stunning Assault
- Using Large Light Shields (heavy instead with "Shield-Trained") instead of Light Shields [the idea here is to get a higher damage dice by increasing the penalties to -6/-6 instead of -2/-2... which you ignore then anyhow - a large light shield with spikes and bashing has 2d6 (3d6 with "Shield-Trained") base damage]
- Doing nonlethal damage without the -4 penalty
- Not really an option, but being kinda immune to debuffs, that directly targeting your meele attack roll or at least the part of the debuff is also nice

You just need Shield Master as soon as possible. Achieving that is easy with Slayer/Ranger via Combat Styles.
Slayer is probably the best option with Sneak Attack and Studied Target.

So, do you have any ideas for further swapping attack for something else?
Thanks in advance and for reading!
Naz

[shroudb]

Just take note that the rai if the ability is that it let's you ignore twf penalties, not any and all penalties.

Raw wise you are correct, but in my experience, I have never seen a DM playing it that way.

[Nazrelle]

I'm aware, that RAI and RAW may see differences here.

Even so, a Large Light Shield at least would also only give you penalty of -2/-2, 'cause the TWF penalties are ignored. You also do not have to pick the Two-Weapon-Fighting Feat before Shield Master and you can ignore -10/-10 then.

But please do not let this thread be a discussion about RAI and RAW. Obviously I'm treating it RAW atm.
Still thanks for the notification ;)

[shroudb]

Why not pick up shield trained transit then for twfing?

[Nazrelle]

You mean the "Shield-Trained" trait?
I could use Large Heavy Shields then and from 2d6 to 3d6 base damage for a trait seems okay. Good advice, thank you :D

[Scott Wilhelm]

Shield Master is cool.

This is going to sound weird, but use a Large, Spiked Shield in 1 hand and a Klar in the other.

You can wield Klar as a Light Weapon if you have Thunder and Fang.

Both shields with the Bashing Enchantment do 2d6.

The heavy shield gives you an extra + on the AC compared with using 2 Klars.

Shield Master Requires Shield Slam. Shield Slam gives you a Free Bull Rush with each attack. If you then take Paired Opportunist and Combat Reflexes, then you get an Attack of Opportunity when you give everyone else one with your Bull Rush.

If you take Double Slice and Piranha Strike, you do full Power Attack damage with your off hand weapons and your Klars

[shroudb]

The others will also have to have paired opportunist for that to work.

In my own bashing build I went with:
Cornugon smash
Hurtful
Shield slam
Shield master
Merciless rush
Squash flat

The plan was charging to opponent, with two handing the shield. Slam them. Free intimidate. Bullrush. Do extra str damage from merciless if successful. Knock them prone. Swift action to repeat all the goodness with a second attack at full Bab.

Something like the above but with twf/itwf instead and instead of charging relying on full attacks could also work.