I'm planning on making a living monolith build that takes advantage of reach weapons, reach and increased size. So far I have 4 levels of aberrant Bloodrager for the extended reach during bloodrage, but I need 1 more level of a full BAB class before I can take living monolith levels.
1) What one level dip do you think is most worth it?
2) Are there any full BAB prestige classes you can take at 5th level?
For example: one level of unchained monk gives me +2 to two saves, full BAB, unarmed strikes for when they're too close for my reach wep, combat reflexes as a bonus feat, stunning fist, 4 skill points and flurry if i ever find myself outside of my medium armor.
I always liked Ranger for full BAB dips, if I intend on using weapons. Lead Blades makes a nice wand to use.
But otherwise, not too many full BAB choices have a ton of stuff given at level one like the Monk does.
And I know of no prestige class that can be taken pre-level 5 anymore.
I always liked Ranger for full BAB dips, if I intend on using weapons. Lead Blades makes a nice wand to use.
But otherwise, not too many full BAB choices have a ton of stuff given at level one like the Monk does.
And I know of no prestige class that can be taken pre-level 5 anymore.
Reply: Looking at ranger they dont seem to get much at first level beyond saves and skll points, what makes ranger so appealing?
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snakebite brawler gives +2 to two saves, full BAB, unarmed strikes for when they're too close for reach wep, sneak attack and 4 skill points.
Unarmed fighter gives +2 to fort saves, full BAB, unarmed strikes for when they're too close for reach wep, a style feat and 2 skill points.
These are just a couple that Ive looked at for unarmed strikes, though i now have a natural bite attack to use in close if need be. But anyway there must be loads of neat little packages available from dipping, I used to use the dipping for fun and profit guide, but as far as i can tell that hasnt been updated in a while so its lacking a lot of content.
Does anyone else want to suggest a dip?
Aaaaaand, does anyone else know of a prestige class available at level 5? (i'm sure it wont be as powerful to dip prestige at 5, but curiosity and all that)
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Brawler is an attractive dip, because of the flexibility you get from Martial Flexibility. It really lives up to its name.
Need Blind Fight? You got it. Need unarmed strike to make AoOs against people who get within the dead zone of your polearm? Got that all the time. Want a maneuver feat that's too niche to take normally, but would be great for this enemy? Got it.
I'd rather take another level in Bloodrager, especially if you're a Rageshaper archetype. Furious Transformation isn't too shabby to have.
In addition you get more rage rounds (and one more caster level)
I'd rather take another level in Bloodrager, especially if you're a Rageshaper archetype. Furious Transformation isn't too shabby to have.
In addition you get more rage rounds (and one more caster level)
I was concerned that rageshaper would be a little redundant if I was using living monolith enlarge person effect, as I was led to believe you cant have enlarge person and polymorph effects active at the same time?
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Do you really need extra reach plus the enlarge person from LM?
An enlarged LM wiht a reach weapon threatens out to 20 feet: I haven't found too many circumstances where that wasn't sufficient.
I went with a combo of Lore Warden and Master of Many Styles. Plenty of feats from the Fighter Archetype (helps with prereqs as well as all of the trip-related feats), and gives you Improved Unarmed Strike to deal with creatures adjacent to you. Dragon Style and Tiger Pounce are very useful to a build like this: Dragon Style gets you positioned quickly and efficiently, Tiger Pounce removes the penalty to attack for Power Attack (transferring it to an AC penalty).
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I also only went with a single level into Living Monolith, as I wanted the feats from Lore Warden. Here's the build:
Half Elf Lore Warden 8 / Master of Many Styles 2 / Living Monolith 1
1) LW1 - EWP: Fauchard (Half-Elf), Weapon Focus: Fauchard, Combat Reflexes
2) LW2 - Combat Expertise (LW bonus), Improved Trip
3) MoMS1 Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Fuse Styles, Dragon Style, Power Attack
4) LW3 - +2 to CMB/CMD
5) LW4 - Iron Will; Endurance
6) MoMS2 - Tiger Style; Evasion
7) LW5 - Tiger Claws; Weapon Training: Polearms (+1/+1)
8) LW6 - Greater Trip
9) Living Monolith 1 - Ka Stone; Toughness (Ka Stone bonus); Improved Critical: Fauchard
10) LW7 - +4/+4 CMB/CMD
11) LW8 - Tiger Pounce; Combat Style Master
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If it was a little earlier I'd suggest at least 2 levels in the Polearm Master fighter archtype so you can widen your range of reach. The feat will help you work towards the ever awesome Combat Patrol feat, which lets you take a full round action to increase your reach 5', provides what appears to be unlimited attacks of opportunity, and move whenever someone triggers an attack of opportunity (up to your move speed across all movement that round). Good way to dodge charges, still hit, and cover a more ranged-favoring party.
IMO Combat Patrol is a trap: you give up your round of attacks just to get more attacks of opportunity. If you threaten out to 20' you already get a ton of AOO's - and you should be doing a ton of damage with the attacks on your own turn - and helping your friends to damage with Greater Trip AOOs.
I agree that i'm not seeing combat patrol being worth it when I've already got plenty of reach.
I do however want to go full LM for thematic reasons and immortality fluff, as soon as possible. I also wanted a familiar and figured bloodrager would be the best approach to getting one while maximising BAB to qualify for LM sooner, getting aberrant reach was just a bonus, though i'm happy to discuss alternatives to the first 5 levels if you think there's something better i can get.