I don't know what the artful dodger feat says but if I were going to build a twf investigator Str would take priority over dex. Here is how I would do it (I'm not saying this is the best way):
20point buy, human bonus to str. & intelligence with dual talent alternate racial trait, empiricist archetype.
S:18(after bonus) D:15 C:12 I:16(after bonus) W:10 Ch: 7
Feats
1. Two weapon fighting
3. Power attack
The key to this build is using a quarter staff right away you can use it as a two-handed weapon or two weapon fighting with it.
At 1 st level +4 to hit 1d6+6 damage or +2/+2 to hit 1d6+4/1d6+2
At third add power attack
After that more twf feats if that is what you want to focus on or you can go in another direction. But I think this gives you a lot of options and decent damage when you factor in your class abilities. Anyway just my thoughts.
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Have you considered Polymorphing into a creature with 4 arms and a Bite?
Also I tend to Take 1 level Inspired blade Swash to help with early on combat. I grab fencing grace level 1....and by level 5 I can pump dex up by +10 easy enough and add +8 to my AC at the same time. Giving me good front line survival.
But Twf on a investigator is just bad building.
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Hmm, i guess in the current game meta Natural Weapon Stacking just killed TWF. If your Str based might as well take a 2 handed weapon and power attack with it right?
Tends to be the general mindset.
There is a lot in that dip tho.
Darring Do
Free weapon focus and fencing grace
Parry and ripose
Buckler profiency
But if your going str I recommend a reach weapon and abuse it.
2h+reach would be the stronger option I'd think. I have plans for an armored hulk Barb 1, empiricist investigator for the rest. Combat Reflexes, power attack, bardiche, and combat's good, invest means out of combat's good too.
Maybe with studied combat the 2wf could pay off better, eventually.
If you're saving on Dex, you'll want your heavy armor prof too, so will probably want a fighter dip for that and a feat.
...
I still don't see anything paying off going 2wf. If the offhand hits, the extra weapon and half str is equavelent to the bigger weapon and +half str, half your level damage if the off hand hits is similar to the good power attack.. Enhancements to the offhand weapon balanced by money saved by only having one weapon.. You might get a little better dpr when you're full attacking once you get double strike, but don't think it's worth all the feats and money to get there..
Melil, I have had a chance to read the whole Artful Dodger Feat and don't I don't think it is worth it for a twf investigator. Primarily because you will be in light armor and Dex is helpful, but even if you picked up medium/heavy armor proficiency I'd be against it without a level dip in something that gave it(armor proficiency) to you for free.
However, this is just a personal preference, I am against level dipping the investigator you delay him getting some of his best class features. Also, I feel Investigator feats are better spent getting extra investigator talents. So if you wanted to go twf using the artful dodger feat it would use up three feats (Artful dodger, twf, armor proficiency) which isn't crazy.
To answer your question, yes I think it is viable to make a strength based twf investigator and if you don't mind burning a feat the artful dodger feat should make this easier. Will it be the optimal build probally not but is worth considering since it will take dex to damage builds a few levels to come online (without dipping)
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However, this is just a personal preference, I am against level dipping the investigator you delay him getting some of his best class features.
Typically the rule of thumb in Pathfinder is don't dip unless the pay off is big enough.
In this case I will disagree. The major mechanic that makes an investigator Viable in combat is Fast study + Studied Strike. A Typical Investigator can not take fast study till Level 5. And it is almost always the players choice at level 5. Unless they are just unaware how necessary the Talent is.
But in the dip build the player Still can pick up Fast study by level 5 and still not be behind. And most players will agree it is better to take a build that can get up and rolling earlier (Levels 1-6) than later (levels 7+).
For Example here is my Elf Build of the Dip:
N (Worshiper of Urgathoa)
Female Envoy Elf
1 Inspired Blade Swashbuckler/ X Empiricist Investigator
20 point buy:
Str: 10, Dex: 18, Con: 12, Int: 17, Wis: 12, Cha: 7
Traits: Student of Philosophy, What Ever Else
Feats Per Level:
1 HD: Inspired Finesse- Weapon Finesse and Weapon Focus- Rapier, Fencing Grace
3 HD: Potion Glutton
5 HD: Extra Talent- Quick Study
7 HD: Extra Talent- Infusion
9 HD: Extra Talent- Combine Extract
11 HD:
Investigator Talents By Level: (Behind 1 Level from Swashbuckler Dip)
4 HD: Mutagen
5 HD: Quick Study*
6 HD: Extend Potion
7 HD: Infusion *
8 HD: Sickening Offensive
9 HD: Combine Extract*
10 HD: Combat Inspiration
As you can see I still devote a LOT of feats to talents. But come out with more feats and more survivalist in the early brutal levels where a single swing can drop you to unconscious. Investigators have a very weak first 4 levels till studied combat and that ability does not kick off till level 5 when it becomes a swift action. So really both builds parallel when they take off.
Sure you do loose that 1 CL for your alchemy...that does hurt you in the long run but I believe you need to survive to see that long run and Your AC and HP will be much, much, better than the Str full Investigator. Skill wise they will be roughly equal. The straight Investigator will have a few more skills early on. while the dip will Have Darring Do to boost the skills he already has. Both will have inspiration.
I honestly can't see a negative other than 1 level delayed Alchemy. But since your sporting a UMD you can make do with gold.
Also, I feel Investigator feats are better spent getting extra investigator talents. So if you wanted to go twf using the artful dodger feat it would use up three feats (Artful dodger, twf, armor proficiency) which isn't crazy.
Now I can agree with you here. Some Investigator talents are better than some feats....Going TWF really eats your feats away.
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If you really do want to twf investigator though, the fighter dip offers similar benefits that your swash dip does for a rapier user
med/heavy and a bonus for your first twf feat
fast study still online at 5
Yes it does. also gives you a boost to fortitude saves.
But it does not give Derring-Do, 4+ INT Skill Points, Dodging Panache, Parry Riposte, and Inspired Finesse.
But it is an option to help you out to be combat viable for the first 4 levels.
@Furian I agree with you, I am currently playing a empiricist investigator/ inspired blade (primarily because of a 15 point buy). The only thing I would add to your build is the weapon versatility feat from the undead slayers hand book to allow your rapier to do different types of damage and helps with the biggest down side of the build being tied to one weapon.
For me the biggest selling point of the Swashigator (love that term) is the parry and riposte ability avoiding damage is great avoiding plus attacking is even better. However it is my preference not to dip with an investigator and with a 20 point buy I might not have. Although, as you said the pay off is big (really big) for dipping swash and I still might have, it really is a fun build. (it is also a great dip for a dex Magus).
Regardless the OP was asking if the artful dodger feat made twf more viable for a strength build and I felt and still do that it would be feat intensive and harder to do without a level dip so I don't think the payoff would be worth it but it might be comparable to a dex build twf. I wasn't even considering the Swashigator as the OP seemed more interested in TWF and the penalty for twf with two rapier's is terrible.
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Well if your TWF your wanting Short swords or Kukris (if you can get them) on a straight Investigator. Mostly so Feats like Weapon focus and Improved Critical can work for you.
Also if he is going TWF it might be in his best interest to Critical fish and Use butterfly sting to pass off his critical damage to another Melee with more Bite to his Critical damage since The sneak attack damage is not multiplies on a critical. Its one of the better rogue feats to make them more of a party player.
To be honest Best TWF classes are Slayer and Ranger because one can just ignore the Dex pre-req and go full STR and still get bonus feats before a Fighter qualifies for them.
Swashigator (love that term)
Thanks lol I started using it about a month ago during one of my Pot and alcohol fueled Sessions...it just stuck.
You are right the lower the point buy the more the dip pays off.
As a class I believe the best investigator builds are:
Strength based reach builds (quickest to come online)
Natural weapons with Poly-morph Alchemy (Latest to Come online due to being Alchemy Fueled)
and
Swashigator
Others can do well but the synergy the other 3 builds have are hard to compete with. Do-able, absolutely yes...living up to potential not as much.
The Slayer I feel is greatly overlooked as a class I believe tho. Many players can Tunnel Vision the Ranger combat feats and don't see some of the other powerful options in the class. I really like a Switch hitter who turns into a Horizon Walker at level 9+ and gets so many bonuses added to him he becomes a true monster on the battlefield and off it.
Well if your TWF your wanting Short swords or Kukris (if you can get them) on a straight Investigator. Mostly so Feats like Weapon focus and Improved Critical can work for you.
If you are spending a feat for proficiency (rather than dipping a class with martial weapon proficiency) I think it would be better spent on Wakizashis than on Kukris.
And I was recently made aware of the rules regarding the Gladius.
The gladius is the favorite sword of gladiators, with a heavier blade than the standard shortsword. Feats and abilities that affect shortswords apply to the gladius.
Since Investigators are proficient with shortswords they are also proficient with the gladius. This is a slightly better since it deals both piercing and slashing damage. It is even usable with Slashing Grace, although not when TWF.