So I was just reading a thread in the rules forum about figuring out the damage for throwing huge items at people, and it sparked an idea in me.
Now it's for PFS (as all of my characters are), so keep that in mind, but here's what I want. The backstory of the character is that he was the star closer for his MLB team, and was closing out game 7 of the World Series, when he was transported to a different dimension and ended up in Golarion. Since this guy doesn't know anything about magic, or how to fight with weapons, he goes into combat with a bag of baseball-sized sling bullets that he throws at enemies.
I'm really torn on how to build this, because I'm thinking a Str-based build will be best for damage, but I don't see him wearing too much armor either, so a Dex-based build will be best for survivability. I also have a few questions about the build that I'm just unsure of.
What class is best for this? I'm thinking Slayer and taking the ranger combat styles for archery to make getting PBS, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, and Imp Precise Shot easier. Slayer also gets free Weapon Focus and a bonus Combat feat from Slayer tslents. Fighter would also work well because of all of the bonus feats.
Strenth or dexterity base?
Other than Throw Anything, what special feats do I need to make this build work? I know I'll need Throw Anything at level 1, as well as PBS, if I go Dex-based. If I go Str-based, isn't there a feat that allows thrown weapon attack rolls to work off Str?
What other feats should I look to pick up, other than the standard ranged attacker feats? I assume something to increase the range on my thrown weapons, but I can't remember what it's called.
How do I go about enchanting my projectiles? Am imgoing to need to buy durable cold iron sling bullets and just hope 10 is enough to last me a whole Combat so I can collect them after? Does that even work? Will I need to go the blinkback belt route?
I'd definitely focus on Strength, because thrown attacks add Strength to damage. You may also be interested in the lesser belt of mighty hurling.
Paladin might not be a crazy choice for class actually. Smite Evil avoids the need to enchant a lot of weapons to penetrate DR. Otherwise you're going to need something to have your one favorite enchanted weapon return to you.
Because you're Strength-focused, it's pretty easy to make it a switch-hitter on low levels, who throws stuff if enemies are standing in the open, and who whacks them in melee if it's crowded. This gets you through the low levels when you're still trying to get your Precise Shot together.
What works well at low levels is to draw a weapon during your move and throw it, and then re-grab your melee weapon with both hands. At higher levels you'll want Quickdraw otherwise you can't draw weapons fast enough to make multiple attacks (unless you have a quickly-returning weapon).
Another possible route is the Brawler build that throws shields.
I'd definitely focus on Strength, because thrown attacks add Strength to damage. You may also be interested in the lesser belt of mighty hurling.
Paladin might not be a crazy choice for class actually. Smite Evil avoids the need to enchant a lot of weapons to penetrate DR. Otherwise you're going to need something to have your one favorite enchanted weapon return to you.
Because you're Strength-focused, it's pretty easy to make it a switch-hitter on low levels, who throws stuff if enemies are standing in the open, and who whacks them in melee if it's crowded. This gets you through the low levels when you're still trying to get your Precise Shot together.
What works well at low levels is to draw a weapon during your move and throw it, and then re-grab your melee weapon with both hands. At higher levels you'll want Quickdraw otherwise you can't draw weapons fast enough to make multiple attacks (unless you have a quickly-returning weapon).
Another possible route is the Brawler build that throws shields.
That's not even close to what I'm going for, but thanks for the ideas.
Far strike monk hits a lot of your points.
Martial Focus -> Ricochet Toss
Startoss Style + chain, though this won't work with improvised weapons.
If not ricochet toss, perhaps consider a sling glove from adventurers armory, and maybe refluff that as a baseball glove. It has a 50' range increment and is a free action load.
Per the alchemy manual, you can only make alchemical ammunition (which durable is one of) for piercing ammunition. No durable sling bullets.
Also, deflect arrows, because you can't play ball if you can't catch, right?
Ohhh Firebug. I like all of those ideas. If I go with the sling glove, I don't need durable ammunition. Maybe my guy can have a baseball bat (simple club) as a backup weapon.
It's just a shame the sling glove requires EWP, otherwise it's exactly what I'm looking for. Although, it's more jai alai than baseball, to be honest.
This is what I've got with a level 12 far strike monk:
Aroldis 12
Human monk (far strike monk) 12 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Ranged Tactics Toolbox 9)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +9; Senses Perception +20
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Defense
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AC 33, touch 28, flat-footed 25 (+3 armor, +2 deflection, +7 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 monk, +2 natural, +5 Wis)
hp 87 (12d8+24)
Fort +12, Ref +18, Will +16
Defensive Abilities improved evasion
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Offense
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Speed 70 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +11/+6 (2d6+2)
Ranged or
+3 sling glove flurry of blows +20/+20/+15/+15/+10 (2d6+12) or
+3 sling glove +19/+19/+14 (2d6+12+2 flurry)
Special Attacks flurry of blows
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Statistics
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Str 14, Dex 24, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 7
Base Atk +9; CMB +14; CMD 39
Feats Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (sling glove), Far Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Unarmed Strike, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Deadly Aim, Shot On The Run, Snatch Arrows, Throw Back Arrows, Weapon Focus (sling glove)
Traits reactionary, wisdom in the flesh
Skills Acrobatics +22 (+50 to jump), Perception +20, Profession (athlete) +20, Sense Motive +20, Use Magic Device +20
Languages Common
SQ abundant step, fast movement, fast thrower, high jump, invisible blade, ki missile, ki pool (11 points cold iron, lawful, magic, silver), ki range, maneuver training, slow fall 60 ft., trick throw, wholeness of body (12 hit points)
Other Gear +3 sling glove, sling bullets (10), amulet of natural armor +2, belt of incredible dexterity +4, bracers of armor +3, cloak of resistance +3, headband of inspired wisdom +4, ring of protection +2, 11,694 gp, 9 sp
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Special Abilities
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Abundant Step (Su) Use 2 Ki as a move action, to dimension door self.
Deflect Arrows (1/round) While have an empty hand, negate one ranged weapon hit you are aware of (unless from a massive weapon).
Far Shot Halve the range increment penalty for extended range.
Fast Movement (+40 ft.) The Monk adds 10 or more feet to his base speed.
Fast Thrower You may use Shot on the Run a second time, taking a -5 to second attempt.
Flurry of Blows +10/+10/+5/+5/+0 (Ex) As full-rd action, higher BAB and combo unarmed/monk wep as if two-weapon fighting.
High Jump (+12/+32 with Ki point) (Ex) +12 to Acrobatics checks made to jump.
Improved Evasion (Ex) If succeed on Reflex save for half dam, take none instead. Failure deals half dam.
Improved Precise Shot Ignore AC bonuses and miss chance from anything less than total cover/concealment.
Improved Unarmed Strike Unarmed strikes don't cause attacks of opportunity, and can be lethal.
Invisible Blade (Ex) Take -10 penlty instead of -20 to stealth when maintaining obscured location.
Ki Missile (Su) As swt act, use 1 ki pt make thrown weps base dmg equal to unarmed strike.
Ki Pool (11/day) (Su) You have a ki pool equal to 1/2 your monk level + your Wisdom modifier.
Ki Range Spend 1 ki point to increase the range increment of a thrown weapon by 20' for 1 rd.
Maneuver Training (Ex) CMB = other BABs + Monk level
Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into melee.
Quick Draw Draw weapon as a free action (or move if hidden weapon). Throw at full rate of attacks.
Rapid Shot You get an extra attack with ranged weapons. Each attack is at -2.
Shot on the Run When attacking with a ranged weapon, you can move - attack - move.
Slow Fall 60 ft. (Ex) Treat a fall as shorter than normal if within arm's reach of a wall.
Throw Back Arrows When using Snatch Arrows, may throw caught ammo as thrown weapon.
Trick Throw (Su) Use 1,2, or 3 ki pt, as swt act, ignore conceal/total conceal, or total cover respectively, for 1 rd.
Wholeness of Body (12 hit points) (Su) Use 2 ki as a standard action to heal own wounds.
The sling glove doesn't come online until level 3, when I can take EWP, and even at level 12, 2d6+12 sn't terribly good damage.
Hmm, far strike monk is proficient with all thrown weapons, I assumed it was the thrown fighter weapon group, but I could be mistaken.
Also, weapon proficiency ioun stones are a thing. Cracked for weapon familiarity (count as martial) or flawed for proficiency but a -2 Dex, opalescent white pyramid ioun stone. Eventually 10k for the full version with a resonant bonus of weapon focus. This will eventually save you two feats.
For damage, I see you didn't take startoss style, for the low *cough* high cost of 3 feats you can add 6 damage. With the two feats saved from the other ioun stone, that's 4 damage.
Boots of speed 12k.
Pale green cracked prism ioun stone (+1 competence to attack, or saves, get 2) 4k.
Now (haste+ki for damage dice) you are looking at +22/+22/+22/+17/+17/+12 2d6+16. Using the benchpressing guide, a CR 13 will have an AC of 28, with 180 HP. Assuming you get point blank shot, you would do 138 damage or about 75% of a "hard" fight. Which is reasonable, IMO.
You know what, they are proficient with them. I was originally building a slayer and switched over to monk. I just wish far strike stacked with unchained, but I guess you can't get everything.
And I replaced EWP with Clustered Shots. That's gonna be pretty important for. E since I'm only doing an average of 21 points of damage per attack.
Can you think of any other ways to increase damage?
Wasn't the trick with the Far Strike Monk to use a Deer Horn Knife, because it's a thrown weapon that you can also make melee flurries with if need be?
Wasn't the trick with the Far Strike Monk to use a Deer Horn Knife, because it's a thrown weapon that you can also make melee flurries with if need be?
I'm not looking for tricks with a certain class. I'm looking how to build a character that's a baseball player who got dimension shifted to Golarion. All this guy knows how to do is throw a baseball really hard (he happens to be a relief pitcher, hence the name Aroldis in the write up a few posts up).
It just so happens that Far strike monk appears to be the best way to do that.
Wasn't the trick with the Far Strike Monk to use a Deer Horn Knife, because it's a thrown weapon that you can also make melee flurries with if need be?
I'm not looking for tricks with a certain class. I'm looking how to build a character that's a baseball player who got dimension shifted to Golarion. All this guy knows how to do is throw a baseball really hard (he happens to be a relief pitcher, hence the name Aroldis in the write up a few posts up).
It just so happens that Far strike monk appears to be the best way to do that.
shouldn't he be really good with Clubs? maybe using a Club in a two handed swing?
To make a good throwing build you need to be either a fighter or a warpriest. Ricochet toss and trained throw are the backbone of the build. Max DPR is from a Dragoon Figher throwing javelins.
Running the numbers, in my example critter, using the ki pool for increasing the damage dice is almost exactly the same total damage as using the ki for an extra attack.
Wasn't the trick with the Far Strike Monk to use a Deer Horn Knife, because it's a thrown weapon that you can also make melee flurries with if need be?
I'm not looking for tricks with a certain class. I'm looking how to build a character that's a baseball player who got dimension shifted to Golarion. All this guy knows how to do is throw a baseball really hard (he happens to be a relief pitcher, hence the name Aroldis in the write up a few posts up).
It just so happens that Far strike monk appears to be the best way to do that.
shouldn't he be really good with Clubs? maybe using a Club in a two handed swing?
Club = Baseball Bat...
He's a pitcher. Have you ever seen a Major League Baseball pitcher who could be said to be proficient with a baseball bat?
Guess I gotta buy the Weapon Master's Handbook so I can take the Startoss Style chain. I'm going to lose Deflect, Snatch, and Throw Back Arrows, but I think the damage is worth it.
I'll have to put this on the back burner for now and play one of my 26 other PFS characters. While I'm here though, anybody know where I can find a Character Builders Anonymous meeting in the New Orleans area?
