Alternate Reach Builds for Casters?

[CheezWizrd]

After reading Brewer's Guide to the Reach Cleric, I've been on a Reach Build kick lately. It seems the ideas presented in the guide could be applicable to a variety of other classes, particularly all the hybrid Melee/Caster classes. Obviously a Reach Oracle is viable, but it seems the action economy benefits of a Reach build could be very useful to all classes that use a Standard action for caster abilities.
I'm curious what combos people have tried out, and what they thought worked and didn't work?

[CheezWizrd]

As an example, here's a build I'm going with for PFS. The first thing was wanting to build a Dex-based Reach build around the Elven Branched Spear. The idea is for a general Support Cleric build that can be in melee a bit, use Touch spells at range, Channel a bit and, more than anything, have a very full and robust action economy, that is fun to play, and contributes to out-of-combat in terms of social utility. It is obviously not very good at any one thing, but I hope that in a full group he'll be able to pull his weight and always be able to add something.
Taro Omakase, Kitsune Cleric of Cayden Cailean (Ftr 2 (Lore Warden/Cleric 9 (Separatist)
Starting stats:
STR: 10
DEX: 15
CON: 14
INT: 12
WIS: 14
CHA: 15
+1 to Dex at Lvl 4, +1 to Cha at Lvl 8
Domains: Travel, Druid Eagle Domain
Traits: Rice Runner (Acrobatics as class skill), Magical Knack (Cleric)
Feats:
Lvl 1: Ftr - Weapon Finesse, Exotic Weapon Prof. (Elven Branched Spear)
Lvl 2: Ftr - Combat Reflexes, Combat Expertise (granted)
Lvl 3 onwards: Cleric - Selective Channeling, Eagle Familiar (granted)
Lvl 5: Improved Familiar (Celestial Eagle)
Lvl 7: Boon Companion -> Silvanshee Agathion
Lvl 9: Lunge
Lvl 11: Sacred Summons
Skills (4 per level): Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Perception

[Chess Pwn]

3/4 bab have the bab to make it more useful. 1/2 bab generally will have a hard time hitting.

[Just a Mort]

I think you shouldn't lorewarden. It eats into your casting. Also str based reach builds are easier to do up. Just need 14 dex for combat reflexes.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Bard 7/ Dragon Disciple 4

It is a Str build but with Flagbearer+Banner of the ancient kings you continue at full Bard Performance.

Or you can keep going with dragon disciple. As that is completely up to the player and campaign. For PFS 12 is retirement.

Another good Reach build is the Oradin. Paladin/Life oracle. It is an amazing healer style of play that can dish some decent damage with AoO+smite and buffs.

A Investigator or Alchemist can do well with Reach. Drinking as a standard and moving into position for AoO.

If you like Clerics the Evangelist Cleric is the premium choice Archetype. At level 8 you can: Standard action Sacred summoning, Swift Action domain (like Heroism), Move action Performance. Everyone is super buffed for round 2 and you are ready to react to the pace of the fight. Don't forget your summons get to act that round after you drop buffs on them.

[cavernshark]

Fruian Thistlefoot wrote:

A Investigator or Alchemist can do well with Reach. Drinking as a standard and moving into position for AoO.

I'm currently doing a reach alchemist in PFS using this concept. Dwarf Grenadier using a Dwarven Dorn-Dergar. Long-arm or Enlarge as a standard action at the start of combat extend my reach to 15 feat. Then I usually stand at mid-range to throw bombs to entice enemies to approach. The build pretty solidly sits in the category of "generalist" alchemist - the most notable addition being Combat Reflexes to support AoOs and use of a reach weapon. So far I think it's working out very well. I usually feel like I have a lot of flexibility in combat (less back and forth on "throw" vs. "attack")

[cavernshark]

CheezWizrd wrote:

After reading Brewer's Guide to the Reach Cleric, I've been on a Reach Build kick lately. It seems the ideas presented in the guide could be applicable to a variety of other classes, particularly all the hybrid Melee/Caster classes. Obviously a Reach Oracle is viable, but it seems the action economy benefits of a Reach build could be very useful to all classes that use a Standard action for caster abilities.

I'm curious what combos people have tried out, and what they thought worked and didn't work?

Another concept I've considered, but not really fleshed out, was a Shaman with the Battle Spirit. The concept would be to use your standard action to Hex (either debuff enemies or buff allies), your move to position, and then use a reach weapon to take AoOs. Conceptually, I like the idea of Heavens as a secondary element so you could Jester's Jaunt team-mates into flanking positions as well.

[Imbicatus]

Warpriest is great at reach. You can follow the standard reach tactics when you want to save fervor or activate blessings, and you can blow through Fervor/Quicken Blessing to get a full attack in addition to casting/blessing activation.