| Lirya |
A pathfinder game might be starting up near me soon. The GM said that 3rd party content would be accepted, so I figured this would be my chance to test out some Path of War goodness. With the Myrmidon archetype I figured I could build a plain soldier, who is actually quite badass. The characters also use Lore Warden and Martial Master, and the idea is to be a "generalist" fighter who favors polearms because polearms are superior weapons.
From what I heard, the characters are supposed to start naked at 6th level. So I have built two different 6th level fighters to fit into either a more lawful or evil aligned group, or a more good or chaotic aligned group.
Celix Quaran
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Male Human Fighter [Myrmidon, Lore Warden, Martial Master] 6
LE Medium humanoid (human)
Age 24; Height: 6 ft. 1 in.; Weight: 190 lbs.; Hair: Dark-Blonde; Skin: Fair
Deity: Asmodeus; Languages: Common, Dwarf, Elvish
Init +4; Perception +11
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Defense
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AC 12, Touch 12, Flat-Footed 10 (+2 Dex)
Hp 49/49 (6d10 + 12)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +5 (+2 vs. Fear and Compulsion)
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Unarmed Strike +10/+5 (1d3+4, 20/x2)
+8/+3 (1d3+8, 20/x2)
Grit (2/2): +2 Initiative and Will vs. Fear and Compulsion (requires 1 grit in pool)
Unbreakable (Immediate, 1): Gain a +4 circumstance bonus on a single
saving throw
Heroic Recovery (Swift, 1): Recover an expended maneuver
Man of Action (Swift, 1): Gain a +6 circumstance bonus to Acrobatics,
Climb, or Swim.
Field Bandage (Full Round): Grant 2d6 Temporary Hit Points (10 min.).
Once per day per target, until healed by magical healing for more than the
Field Bandage gave. Also ends a single bleed condition.
Warrior's Determination (Immediate, 1): Ignore Fatigued, Shaken, or Sicken.
Martial Flexibility (6/6): Move Action, gain a feat for 1 minute.
Stance: Black Seraph Glare (+4 Profane to Intimidate, Free Action Demoralize vs.
targets damaged this turn)
Maneuvers Readeid (IL 6th)
Intimidating Force, Sanguine Barrier, Flurry Strike, Leg Sweeping Hilt
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Statistics
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Str 18 Dex 15 Con 12 Int 13 Wis 14 Cha 7
Base Atk +6/+1; CMB +12 (+14 to Trip); CMD 24 (26 vs. Trip)
Feats: Power Attack, Combat Reflexes, Hurtful, Combat Expertise,
Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Pushing Assault
Skills: Acrobatics [6] +11, Climb [1] +8, Craft (Weapons) [6] +10,
Intimidate [6] +10 (+14 Seraph Glare), Knowledge (engineering, nobility)[3] +7,
Linguistics [2] +6, Perception [6] +11, Profession (Soldier) [6] +11,
Sense Motive [6] +11, Survival [2] +7, Swim [1] +8
Traits: Bruising Intellect, Strong Faith
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Equipment
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Maneuvers Known
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2nd- Leg Sweeping Hilt (Standard Action; Make a trip attempt with a +2
competence bonus. If successful, also make an attack at full Base Atk.)
Rising Zenith Strike (Standard Action; +11 vs. AC; 2d3+8 damage "unarmed")
Sanguine Barrier (Immediate Action; +13 vs. Attack Roll; Attack is negated)
Intimidating Force (Immediate Action; +14 vs. Attack Roll; Attack is negated)
1st- Flurry Strike (Standard Action; Make two unarmed attacks)
Brawler's Attitude (Swift Action; Gain a +4 bonus to CMB with Unarmed Strikes
when performing Dirty Trick, Disarm, Grapple or Trip)
Horizon Wind Lancet (Swift Action; Next ranged attack this round deals +1d6 damage)
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Stances Known
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Black Seraph's Glare (+4 Profane to Intimidate, Free Action Demoralize vs.
targets damaged this turn)
Stance of Piercing Rays (Deal +1d6 fire damage with ranged attacks)
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Black Thorn Knight
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Oath: By my blood and soul do I swear myself as an ally to Hell against the
many-faced forces of Chaos. I will revenge myself against those who wrong me,
with an eye for an eye and blood for blood, and teach those who come to me
seeking the tools to avenge themselves. From me my enemies shall experience
neither mercy nor redemption, and I shall drive Chaos before me as the wolf
drives the herd to stampede, until the day that I die or its taint is removed
from the world.
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Background
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Celix Quaran grew up as a simple peasant boy and part of a large family of
dirt farmers working for the local backwater lord.
At his 15th birthday he was drafted into a peasant army to fight some war.
The drill sergant gave him a spear, told him to use it to poke the enemy
with the pointy end, and then told him to march. This was the start of a
5 year long campaign, during which he learnt the basics of soldiering, as
well as the horrors of war.
After the war was over and the peasant army got disbanded, Celix figured
there was no way he would go back to life as a peasant. So he started working
as a sell-sword instead. At one point he was wronged by a mercenary captain,
and while seeking the means of revenge he met an Erinyes. She took his oath
as well as a rose soaked in his blood, and in return he got the means to get
back at the one who wronged him.
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Celix is a harsh man, and perhaps a bit cruel. He is willing to use any means
available to achive his goals, and he views vengeance as an important part of
justice. Celix takes oaths very seriously, and he will stand by his comerades
above all, as he views working against or betraying his comerades as performing
a service to the powers of chaos.
Celix doesn't really have any grand goal. But he is willing to fight any fight
that is against chaotic, unstable forces that might disrupt the rule of law
and order.
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Future Feats
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Greater Trip (7th)
Fury's Fall (8th)
Lunge (9th)
Pin Down (11th)
S'Allerie "Allie" Gothan
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Female Human Fighter [Myrmidon, Lore Warden, Martial Master] 6
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Age 24; Height 5 ft. 4 in.; Weight 130 lbs.; Hair: Dark-Blonde; Skin: Fair
Deity: Desna; Languages: Common, Dwarf, Elvish, Giant, Goblin, Undercommon
Init +4/+8; Perception +11
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Defense
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AC 12/14, Touch 12/14, Flat-Footed 10/12 (+2 Dex/+2 Insight)
Hp 49/49 (6d10+12)
Fort +6, Ref +4/+6, Will +5 (+2 vs. Fear and Compulsion)
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Unarmed Strike +10/+5 (1d3+4, 20/x2)
+8/+3 (1d3+8, 20/x2)
Grit (2/2): +2 Initiative and Will vs. Fear and Compulsion (requires 1 grit in pool)
Unbreakable (Immediate, 1): Gain a +4 circumstance bonus on a single
saving throw
Heroic Recovery (Swift, 1): Recover an expended maneuver
Man of Action (Swift, 1): Gain a +6 circumstance bonus to Acrobatics,
Climb, or Swim.
Field Bandage (Full Round): Grant 2d6 Temporary Hit Points (10 min.).
Once per day per target, until healed by magical healing for more than the
Field Bandage gave. Also ends a single bleed condition.
Warrior's Determination (Immediate, 1): Ignore Fatigued, Shaken, or Sicken.
Martial Flexibility (6/6): Move Action, gain a combat feat for 1 minute.
Stance: Silver Crane Waltz (+4 Init, +2 Reflex, +2 AC; Insight bonuses)
Maneuvers Readied (IL 6th)
Sanguine Barrier, Bronze Knuckle, Leg Sweeping Hilt, Flurry Strike
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Statistics
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Str 18 Dex 15 Con 12 Int 13 Wis 14 Cha 7
Base Atk +6/+1; CMB +12 (+14 to trip); CMD 24
Feats: Power Attack, Combat Reflexes, Pushing Assault, Combat Expertise,
Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Lunge
Skills: Acrobatics [6] +11, Climb [1] +8, Craft (Weapons) [6] +10,
Knowledge (engineering, history)[5] +9, Linguistics [4] +8,
Perception [6] +11, Profession (Soldier) [6] +11, Sense Motive [6] +11,
Survival [2] +7, Swim [1] +8
Traits: Strong Faith
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Equipment
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Maneuvers Known
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2nd- Rising Zenith Strike (Standard Action; +11 vs. AC; 2d3+8 damage "unarmed")
Sanguine Barrier (Immediate Action; +13 vs. Attack Roll; Attack is negated)
Leg Sweeping Hilt (Standard Action; Make a trip attempt with a +2
competence bonus. If successful, also make an attack at full Base Atk.)
Bronze Knuckle (Swift Action; For the duration of the turn, unarmed attacks
deal +2d6 damage and ignore damage reduction.)
1st- Enduring Crane Strike (Standard Action; Make a melee attack, if
successful you or ally within 30 ft. heals 1d6+2 hit points.)
Silver Strike (Standard Action; Make two attack rolls and use the better.)
Flurry Strike (Standard Action; Make two unarmed attacks)
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Stances Known
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Silver Crane Waltz (+4 Init, +2 Reflex, +2 AC; Insight bonuses)
Stance of Piercing Rays (Deal +1d6 fire damage with ranged attacks)
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Empyreal Guardian
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Oath: In my own name, unsullied and bound to my virtue, and in the name of
Al'asadriel, this I swear: with my blades I shall defend the innocent from
those who theraten them wrongfully. With my eyes I shall look for evil and
with my words and deeds seek to turn it back to good, or else destroy it.
With my mercy and conviction I shall lead others into the light, and with
my courage I shall hold back the shadow, until the day I die or Al'asadriel
returns to release me.
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Background
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S'Allerie Gothan popularly called Allie, spent her early years as part of a
large family of peasants working for a local lord at a backwaters dirt farm.
At her 15th birthday, Allie was drafted into a peasant army, handed a spear
by the drill sergant and told to march. Thus started a five year campaign
during which she learnt the basics of soldiering, as well as the horrors of
war.
After the war was over and the peasant army got disbanded, Allie realized
that returning home to the dirt farm wasn't really an option any more. She
had seen too much and done too much to return to a life as a simple peasant
girl. Instead, she travelled the world working as a sell-sword.
At one point she worked for some time with a real soldier of virtue. Allie
could see the wisdom in the old man's words and deeds, and asked him to
teach her. And so, after their job was done, he showed her the ruins of an
ancient church and had her stand vigil there for a day and a night after
which she swore her oath as an Empyreal Guardian.
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Allie is kind hearted and perhaps a bit naive. She values freedom greatly
and is open to different cultures. She seeks to make the world a better place
to live by showing by example how a warrior can act.
If her comerades wish to commit an act of evil, she will advise against it,
give her reason for disagreeing, and then firmly show that she does not stand
for such an action. If the act of evil is still committed, she will at a later
point have a talk with those responsible, trying to show them why what they
did was wrong so that it won't be repeated.
If Allie were to travel with someone who continuosly perform acts of evil,
and completely disregard her advice and show no sign of wishing for redemption,
then she will be forced to find new companions.
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Future Feats
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Greater Trip (7th)
Fury's Fall (8th)
Improved Dirty Trick (9th)
Pin Down (11th)
Quick Dirty Trick (12th)
Are there any hidden feats I should look up because I want to grab them using Martial Flexibility? Is Lore Warden effective enough even if I ignore Know thy Enemy? Anything else I should look out for/change or any other comments?
| Seerow |
I'm curious, if you're wanting to favor polearms, why so many broken blade maneuvers instead of Piercing Thunder? The current maneuver selection feels more like a brawler than a combat maneuver master, or any sort of polearm favoring character. Not saying it's bad, just not what I expected when reading your initial blurb. I do love that you are including a couple of ranged stances/maneuvers, makes the character feel much more like a general all around badass.
As for Lore Warden, it's plenty effective just for the big scaling bonus to CMB/CMD and other goodies. It's definitely a step up above the baseline fighter, and the only other archetype I can think of that would fit in with Myrmidon and Martial Master is Mutation Warrior... which is awesome but totally changes your flavor (though I might consider it on your Evil Fighter, and fluffing it instead as gifts of the devils he is allied with).
That said, I'd totally invest some ranks in Kn(Planes) and Kn(Local), which will get you the Know Thy Enemy bonus against opposed outsiders and humanoids, which fits the character (in either iteration) quite well.
| Lirya |
Honestly, I do not find Piercing Thunder maneuvers of levels 1-3 very good for my kind of character. I favor polearms because of the extra threatened area used to defend myself and my allies. Most of the Thunder maneuvers revolve around charging or throwing your weapon, instead of capitalizing on superior reach.
Now Repositioning Leap (4th) and Twisting Lance (4th) both look really quite nice, but they get fierce competition from awesome maneuvers like Sanguine Perseverance and Silver Crane Resurgence. Black Seraph also looks really nice at that level.
Scarlet Throne is crazy strong when it comes to 5th level maneuvers, and 6th level maneuvers won't come online until 13th level. And at that level I would expect the game to be wrapping up.
Broken Blade on the other hand, has very good low level maneuvers and has lots of support for combat maneuvers, which I would like to use as Lore Warden and Martial Master both help make them more easily available.
I might be wrong (and would very much like someone to show me why), but even though I favor polearms. I do not see how Piercing Thunder is worth it for this character.
| Lirya |
Also, I think I got it wrong in my write up above as I keep forgetting it. But the crazy low level Broken Blade damage maneuvers such as Flurry Strike (1st) and Steel Flurry Strike (3rd) are compatible with 2h weapons, making them crazy good. They only get the +2 bonus damage when used with discipline weapons.
I will likely forget that part in real play though, as that is supposed to get an errata to bring it in line with other damage disciplines. Though if the need to bring out the big guns arrive, then it is always an option.
I will also consider adding Kn(local) and Kn(planes). Probably in place of Kn(nobility/history). The future when it comes to ranged maneuvers is probably Blinding Ray Shot for auto blind on a hit, and Twisting Wind Shot for auto crit on a hit, if the character ever reaches that high a level.