Hi everyone,
a quick question, or actually three.
I've created an 18th level NPC bodyguard type with the following build:
The character sheet in question can be seen here:
NPC character sheet (thanks MageHunter, found in the FAQ how to format it to linkify :-) )
1) How to increase it's damage output without sacrificing protection versatility? right now with the whip it's 1d6+5 str +3 of weapon specialization.
Maybe swap Toughness for Power Attack? Or maybe Hammer the Gap? Any other ideas?
2) Did I do the math right when it comes to it's AC?
Right now it's AC 10 + 19 from heavy armor (reinforced heavy full plate) + armor specialization +8 from heavy shield +5 and two more from Shield Focus and greater shield focus +5 from +5 amulet of natural armor +5 deflection from ring of protection +5 gives it a base AC of 57. I didn't add the +4 AC from the Crane Wing feat as it requires to have a hand free and this build makes use of fighting with a shield and a whip (for reach and the bodyguard feat)
But using Combat Expertise would give a another +4 bonus to AC (18th level) as well as another +3 for fighting defensively and another +5 for a defending whip if everything goes into defense = AC 69 ; plus 1 more AC to AC70 when employing Haste (cause dodge bonuses stack)
3) The question comes from the fact that with this build I want the bodyguard to be able to protect it's ally as much as possible, but I want it to do some damage too so it won't get just flatout ignored. Also if people can point out weaknesses it has for the party to overcome that'd be nice. (Right now I see it's relatively low Will save as something they could exploit as well as using touch attacks) ; which is fine, that's what they'd need to concentrate on to bring this one down after all.
But this build works as follows:
Fight with caster ally standing behind you since anything that enters the threaten area will not be able to exit the threaten area via Stand Still and Pin Down as well all incoming missile attacks would veer towards him via Arrow Catching on the heavy shield. When making an attack action he fights defensively and use combat expertise to up personal ac and grant 1 adjacent ally a natural armor bonus equal to the dodge bonus from combat expertise and fighting defensively via Draconic Defender. Uses AoO to grant aid another ac to an adjacent party member via Bodyguard (+7 AC; +2 from aid another, +5 from Benevolant +5 armor) and an immediate action grants a shield bonus via Saving Shield. He can negate 1 melee attack, 1 ranged spell attack, and 3 ranged missile attacks a round via Armored Sacrifice, Ray Shield, Deflect Arrows, Missile Shield, and Arrow Deflection.
In short, any advice... and did I make any mistakes in my math here?
On second thought, maybe I should lose Crane Wing and Crane Riposte instead as they do require a free hand and I don't want to sacrifice either the whip (reach) or the shield (protection)
Thanks for replying.
Are you aware of the Antagonize feat? Intimidate DCs are usually (relatively) low, so even with a low CHA you can get the skill up to a successful point. And it's a way to mechanically force enemies (at least some enemies) to attack you; your damage output as listed is simply not going to matter enough to make them care.
At PC level 18 you could be dealing with, say, this. With 315 HP that devil doesn't care about your d4+8 damage... but it's only a DC 34 Intimidate check to force him to attack you, which is doable with a little investment.
Meanwhile, your maxed-out AC of 70 is sort of... a nice big beautiful number that is kind of irrelevant. Even very high CR creatures are unlikely to get past the mid +30s to hit. To use that devil I linked as an example: realistically speaking, if you're fighting it, doesn't matter if your AC is 50 or 70, you're still only getting hit on nat 20s. And in the meantime you've spent a lot of character resources (money, feats, etc) on cranking out that extra 20 points of AC.
At that level, you're more worried about saves, as you brought up. Dominate takes your big steel bodyguard out of a fight (or worse, has him giving that +7 AC boost to the BBEG). But if I were the high-CR monster facing this NPC, I probably still wouldn't be sending attacks-- spells or otherwise-- at this character, because he's just not much of a threat offensively.
(But specifically, yes, you could Power Attack for more damage, or crank out another few points by making it an agile whip, I think)
@Dien>> Well, the NPC is protecting an Immortal Ichor that actually -has- Dominate Person ; so the NPC fighter is a victim of it and now worships the Immortal Ichor and protects it as such. (that's how the NPC got mixed up in the first place) ; the object isn't to kill the Lawful Neutral NPC (though they could if they wanted to) ; it's just a victim. The Immortal Ichor will be standing behind the bodyguard, using it's spell like abilities, summoning swarms and other nasty things.
Do you have access to the Armor Master's Handbook? There are several options for great defense that scales relatively well. Armor Specialization gives a scaling bonus in AC up to +5 for a specific heavy armor, also, Shield Brace allows a shield with a spear or polearm, or go Unhindering Shield a buckler with any weapon. At this point, I'd highly recommend going STR based and two handing, picking up Power Attack. Boom. A huge boost to Damage.
As previously noted, you have way to much AC as is. I'd honestly recommend going straight fighter. Sacrificing ac for needed damage (A few extra feats will go a long way). And it sounds like Vanguard Style would suit you well. Vanguard Style.
With the trait threatening defender and Exotic Weapon Proficiency Madu, you can get some good damage from two handing the Madu with improved shield bash, while hugely reducing penalties to combat Expertise and fighting defensively. Also, consider Unbreakable archetype and going Stalwart.
Advanced Armor Training provides a secondary headbutt attack to aid dpr.
Just random thoughts here.
@Frosty Ace>> Yes ... Vanguard Style I missed. Probably better than the Crane style indeed.
And way too much AC I wouldn't say. One of the PC's in the group is a Raging Barbarian that gets a +25 BAB (with Str bonuses included) ; spells like Good Hope and Heroism... Bardic Inspiration ... the AC he can hit ends up in the 60's ; and doing 70+ damage per hit, along with Come and Get Me, I want this bodyguard to last a few rounds. Just pounding it to a bloody smear (the usual modus operandus) isn't going to cut it with this beguiled NPC.
Okay, following Frosty Ace's advice,
I did a rebuild with 18 Fighter (Unbreakable) levels: (Still need to assign skill point ranks)
gave him power attack, and the Madu shield as advised. No longer has a +5 defender type weapon (as using the shield) ; and using the Vanguard Style feat tree. Removed Deflect Arrows and kept the same magical item gear but added Gloves of Arrow Snaring and a Ring of Regneration to give him some lastability. No longer has Evasion however.
Max AC now is 63. But damage output with Power Attack is now 1d4 +13 on damage x 1.5 (wielding one-handed weapon (Madu) with two hands)
also... Combat Patrol + Bodyguard + Saving Shield + Vanguard Hustle + Benevolant Armor is a very nice combo indeed.
Thoughts? Ideas? Comments? Input is most welcomed :-)
Unless you meant with Stalwart going Stalwart Defender PC? (Cause Unbreakable also gets a Stalwart ability around level 13)
(Though Stalwart Defender PC and Combat Patrol don't mix as the Stalwart Defender needs to stay put in its place to benefit from it's powers) ; so it wouldn't work well with Vanguard Hustle?
If fighting defensively and using combat expertise does draconic defender add both benefits to the target? That would be quite a large AC buff to your ally. Or possibly yourself depending on how you consider yourself an ally in this case.
Hi Leitner,
It's situational. Draconic Defender gives Natural Armor bonus to AC so id the ally already has that it wouldn't stack with say an amulet of natural armor the ally might already be wearing.
Anyone else something to add on this NPC's build/optimization?
Consider the Feat Fast Healer. It would give you half your con per proc of ring of regeneration. (Keep in mind for later suggestions).
Is there anyway an orc is an option? The deathless feats along with the FCB for +2 con for determining when you die help a lot with survivability. Especially the rerolls on critical threats. That and fortification makes you laugh at a threat.
Stalwart Defender is a very good option, though at that point you would want reach+lunge and a way to enlarge. Intercepting blows with crazy bloated HP, stopping enemies with a swing of your Lucerne Hammer(Maybe). Combine this with their DR+(Improved) Stalwart+DR Armor if available, DR can get upwards of 15+. If you can combine this with being an Orc and deathless, you'll be very hard to kill. The amount of negative HP is easily 60+.
Another hilarious idea is to combine Shield Brace with a Tower Shield, employing mobile Bulwark Style. Go full fighter, take the trait Armor Expert, and make the shield Mithral, and I think that reduces the total attack penalty you take due to shield Brace to -1. There might be something else you can do to make it 0. Weild the most badass polearm/spear you want (Read good long spear or nodachi) and you have great ac all around, good damage (You need to be STR based), and cover against ranged attacks and spell, as well as protecting whomever is behind you. I'd recommend being an Armor Master here. Since the character is at such a high level, they can get that huge Armor Master Dr. Stack that with DR based Armor (Whatever it may be for your setting) and you have DR 15/- with no feat investment.
As you can tell, you can't really combine these. Just random ideas for a durable guard. You could maybe combine Mobile Bulwark with Stalwart. Be a Phalanx Fighter till 7 and you get a bevy of nifty ability, and a two handed weapon in one hand. The possibilities are vast.
If the person being guarded helps even slightly, you got a real badass.
@Frosty Ace>> Some solid tips and pointers in there... for an idea of the bigger picture... it's in regards to this encounter design I'm working on.
Epic encounter work-in-progress
The bodyguard type is primarily concerned in defending it's master.