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In the last session, my Skald had her back broken by the the big bad. The DM knowing my enjoyment of character creation and storytelling gave me the option, to continue as my Skald or I could create another lvl 4 character as a replacement for her (with the option of me returning to the Skald at a future point if I so wish)
Wanting to try something different, I chose the latter and whilst I have several ideas for backstory and stuff for this new character I'm not sure about the mechanical side, nor have I played a slayer before so I'm unsure about score assignment. Our DM had us use 2d6+6 for our score arrays. and I ended up with 18,17,16,13,12,10.
The basic premise of the character is she is from a 'viking-esque' land where the most common races are Human, Half Orc, Half-Elf (others are less likely but if I give a good enough reason he will usually accept the idea) where she was a highly repsected and highly ranked soldier in their army, (fighting alongside my previous Skald character as co-captains because of their). Whilst the Skald was a charismatic leader, the Slayer was a tactical one. The Skald could empower her men through sheer force of personality, but the Slayer could think on her feet and change the tide of the battle though tactical superiority and smarts.
The only things I have decided on fully is that depending on race, she will either weild a Greatsword (Human, Half Orc, other), Great Axe (Half Orc) or Elven Curve Blade (Half elf (through ancestral arms racial trait)) so it will be a strength based character.
Anything other than strength based for a Slayer is a bad idea.
Anyway, if you are going with Viking-esque, you probably want to go with TWF shield, but on the other side I see you want a 2H weapon.
Personally, I think that the only feats you need are Power Attack and Iron Will. Both good candidates for your first feats. If you go Human, you'll have an additional feat. I'd personally consider getting something to kick start a switch hitting throwing build to get ranged capabilities - so Point Blank Shot or Quick Draw.
Vanguard takes your Slayer Talents so not much to think in that front.
Probably get Stealthy Synergy for utility or Precise Strike for damage as your teamwork feat.
For attributes, good STR, get 17 DEX if you want to switch hit, otherwise 16, then get good CON and WIS. 12 INT is enough if you don't plan to use Assassinate or the Talents with DCs.
I'm not against a trying a 'sword and board' take on this idea, I'm just more used to playing two handed weapon characters.
As for her party role, I was thinking that she is the antithesis of the Skald, to further showcase their differences. My skald was a switch hitter in that she could play front line and support in equal measure, but mostly she played support making her allies strike harder, and intimiding the enemy. This slayer was going to be more the front line fighter who when she and her allies are positioned right uses her tactician ability to support them.
I'm unsure about the VMC barbarian though cause though it fits the 'viking' theme, it sort of clashes with the 'fight smart' theme.
I'd avoid the VMC.
Switch hitting is important anyway - even if this character lives in the front lines, fighting tactical means using terrain, hit and run tactics, etc... And having switch hitting abilities is key to being tactical.
Considering Vikings used thrown weapons profusely, it might be interesting to spend your level 5 and 6 feats in Martial Focus and Ricochet Toss, and then use the rest of your feats and Talents into thrown weapon feats.
You could totally go trident + buckler and go 1h... You can 2H melee with a small -1 penalty, or fight with the buckler up for extra AC, plus go into throwing mode seamlessly.
Also, I stand corrected, you probably want 13 INT or more.
Finally, I find it odd there are half elves, half Orcs but no full blooded either.
There would be Orcs and Elves in the group, however they wouldn't be a common sight. In the story within our setting, both those races and their kingdoms are kind of like North Korea, they're enclosed and their leaders have made them rather xenophobic. Usually if you see one outside of their borders its a 'refugee' from their kingdom. Its taken to the extreme of that any of their race who were born in the last 100 years wouldn't even be able to speak common upon leaving their kingdom.
I'm down to two possible arrays now
pre racial
STR 18, DEX 17, CON 16, INT 13, CHA 12, WIS 10
OR
STR 18, DEX 17, CON 13, INT 16, CHA 12, WIS 10
Both give me a choice to take some of the combat expertise based feats which is a bonus for what I'm trying to go for. One gives me a higher HP which is useful, but the other does improve my Vanguard's Bond ability is equally helpful.
What Combat Expertise thing would you want?
I was mainly looking at the Felling Smash or Whirlwind Attack.
He sounds like he has enough flankers to need sneak attack enablers.
Whirlwind Attack is too awesomely situational to merit inclusion. It's best fit for 3/4 BAB classes perhaps.
Yeah. Our party of 8 only has 2 casters. A hedge witch and our ratfolk alchemist. Everyone else is either a melee caster (paladin, druid) or full melee. Flanking Is not a real problem.
I was wondering if trying to build towards a 'Thunder and Fang' build was a viable option. Or is 'Thunder and Fang' more suitable for those classes with more of an abundance of bonus feats.
Well, if you go TWF and Human for the extra Slayer Talent, I could probably see you having enough feats to pull it off.
If you want something a little more unusual, go for a dwarven reach build using a dwarven long axe and a dwarven boulder helmet to threaten far and near. The dwarf is much hardier and the reach will make up somewhat for the lesser speed. And if you really want to go for a whirlwind build, you will want to threaten as many squares as possible.
The vanguard slayer doesn't get a talent till level 6 making the early access of ranger combat styles much less useful. For that reason, vanguards should typically favor either a two-handed weapon or a bow.
As with most slayer builds, don't worry about building for getting sneak attack every round. You get much fewer dice than a rogue, so sneak attack is usually just more of a small occaisional bonus.
If you really want whirlwind attack, the faithful of Sarenrae combat style can get it without all of the nasty prerequisites. But as a vanguard you won't be able to access it till level 8 or 7 if you burn a feat on extra slayer talent.
My Emerald Spire dedicated Archer Vanguard Slayer is seriously kicking ass at level 7... but I guess archer is out of the question?
I'm not totally against that option. If someone was able to sell me on the idea I'm open to it.