Hello friends,
This is my fighter that I am currently playing in a PbP Emerald Spire campaign. I am really enjoying the game and the character but as I am not even close to an expert on build ideas/feat knowledge/general optimization, I wanted to solicit some feedback and suggestions from the community here.
Do you see any major pitfalls in my build?
Anyway to boost my AC/survivability without losing damage output?
Any advice on reworking the character?
Current feats:
1- Exotic Weapon Prof: Bastard Sword, Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword (human), Dodge (Fighter)
2- Power Attack (Fighter)
3- Intimidating Prowess (this is a relic of a previous build. I'll definitely trade this one out next level)
4- Weapon Specialization: Bastard Sword (Fighter)
5- Extra Rage (was retrained at level 6 for my UnBarb level)
6-
A few points of note:
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How much of a re-build are you allowed? And what armor are you wearing?
Because, frankly, rebuilding as a straight Barbarian might well give you most of what you want if you're in medium armor.
If that doesn't work for you, Advanced Weapon Training contains some seriously awesome options, and could definitely jack your AC up a bit. As can several relatively cheap magical items, if you can get some of those.
Hi Deadman,
I should've stated - all my character info is on this alias/profile. I didn't want to clog up the thread with too many details.
I believe I'll be allowed to rebuild as much as I want for the sake of fun's continuity. Right now I am wearing medium armor but my plan was to eventually have 7 levels of fighter so that I can move freely in heavy armor. I'm aware that RAW I can't use barbarian speed in heavy armor but the spirit of armor training could be argued that it should allow for it, and my GM might allow it. (we're not playing by super strict PFS rules).
I was comparing straight barbarian builds vs fighter vs fighter/barb builds and it seemed (to me, at least) that the multi-class came out on top in these lower levels. The combination of feats, weapon/armor training + rage, movement, skills... it seems to work decently. If I were to go straight barbarian, are there any good archetypes/builds that maintain a decent AC that aren't reliant on magic items?
We're using the unchained Automatic Bonus Progression, so items with vanilla bonuses like +1 nat armor, +1 deflection are not available.
One of my primary reasons for seeking advice is the impressive knowledge some of you forumers have of the vast array of feats/synergies. I could go through the lists available on the SRD but cherry picking a few wouldn't be as helpful as the advice I know I've seen on these forums.
Another possibility is the Viking Fighter archetype. This also trades out Heavy Armor (and Tower Shields), but gets you Rage at 4th level and the option to replace any Fighter Bonus Feats with Rage Powers starting at 6th level (caution: no free retraining of these). It also trades out Bravery for the ability to make other people wish they had Bravery without hosing your action economy as badly (although it takes quite a while to get fully online). Unfortunately, it also trades out all Armor Training and Weapon Training.
Yet another possibility that merits investigation after the Armor Master's Handbook becomes fully available (real soon now) is to go Armored Hulk Barbarian optionally VMC Fighter. (The optional VMC Fighter part is to get Armor Training and Weapon Training, and the Bravery that it gives you is actually not terrible either, especially if you choose Armed Bravery Advanced Weapon Training later. Need to see what Advanced Armor Training options get you, though -- hence the need to see the Armor Master's Handbook.) Armored Hulk is proficient in Heavy Armor and replaces Fast Movement (although you get it back in increments later by trading out Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge) with Indomitable Stance, which gives you a CMB and CMD bonus for Overrun and on Reflex against trample, and bonus AC and to-hit vs charging creatures -- not the greatest overall, but it actually sounds like something you would want for your role as the tank. It also replaces Trap Sense with scaling defense against Critical confirmations against you, which also sounds like something you would want for your role as the tank.
Edit: By the way, I wouldn't think of the Bastard Sword as something you necessarily want to swap out -- if you aren't a Dwarf(*) and aren't worried about fishing for Criticals or Combat Maneuvers, but just want good solid reliable high base damage on a One-Handed weapon that will get enemies' attention without needing to taking Performance Combat feats, Bastard Sword is one of the best (even checked Eastern Weapons to make sure I wasn't missing an option).
(*)For a Dwarf, either version of the Dwarven Waraxe would be better, since Dwarves treat these as Martial weapons; the Double Waraxe would be even better if you went up the Cleave chain of feats (including the Dwarf-specific ones); of course, it balances out since Dwarves don't get the Human Bonus Feat.
Advice: If you can, can you go Viking archetype? It gains a straight AC bonus when using a shield, instead of armor training. one of the best archetypes. ANd you eventually get Rage that will stack with barb levels, and can use combat feats for Rage Talents.
If not Viking, can you go weapon Master? A Weapon Master Fighter starts his Weapon Training at level 3, and can use Fighter combat feats to buy AWT feats, instead of only 1/4 levels. It'll get you the key feats you want, faster. You can even use the fighter class feat retraining to swap one of your early feats for AWT, if you wish.
If you use EWP, you want to go Falcatta. Mathematically, its the best weapon in the game. And you can 2h it if you like.
You need Iron Will. And the AWT feat that turns Bravery into all Will saves.
To be perfectly honest, you are probably better off going straight barbarian then being a fighter. The invulnerable rager build, taking Superstitious to buttress all your saves, is versatile, powerful, tough and very survivable. A fighter build is going to have glaring weaknesses.
A barb's combat prowess is taken care of with rage and elevating DR...he doesn't have to spend feats on it, so he can use Rage powers for defenses, more offense, and versatility.
The Viking Archetype is probably the best shield AC build, because of the flat scaling AC bonus. However, a true shield build is actually a Shield Master TWF build, and that doesn't come on line for a fighter until level 12...hugely annoying since a Ranger can access it at level 6.
The key thing for a Shield AC build is to make it a quickdraw shield, so you can stow it in an instant, and be ready to 2 hand at a moment's notice to up your damage.
Then you want Shield Master, so you can turn the enhancement bonus of the shield's AC into its attack bonus, letting you use the attack bonus to further up your AC with Defender. Waiting for 12th level for this to happen is VERY annoying, however.
Your ultimate goal with an off hand shield is a +5 Spiked Quickdraw Shield, +5 Defender Guardian. You use the +5 Weapon bonus to either up your AC with Defender, or saves with Guardian. Shield Master means its still a +5 weapon for bashing, if you choose to do so.
==Aelryinth