|
So one of my players has been multiclassing armor master fighter and warpriest, and he's been SUCKING at his intended role as tank. So after talking about it we're switching him to full warpriest and I'm wondering for any tips to make him a decent tank as a warpriest. His characters gosl in mind is mithril full plate and tower shield and being the guy who holds up the front line of enemies while all his allies attack from behind.
So I'm looking for ways for him to take hits meant for allies or force enemies to target him, or keep moving to block paths. Are there any good archetypes for this I warpriest that don't get rid of channeling? I have never built or ran a warpriest or a big tanky character like this so I'm clueless on how to help him. Only thing I've see is the antagonize feat which seems lackluster
"Tank" doesn't really work as a role in pathfinder. Because there aren't really ways to force agro, or block paths. The best path blocking is combat reflexes and stand still.
So one of my players has been multiclassing armor master fighter and warpriest, and he's been SUCKING at his intended role as tank. So after talking about it we're switching him to full warpriest and I'm wondering for any tips to make him a decent tank as a warpriest. His characters gosl in mind is mithril full plate and tower shield and being the guy who holds up the front line of enemies while all his allies attack from behind.
So I'm looking for ways for him to take hits meant for allies or force enemies to target him, or keep moving to block paths. Are there any good archetypes for this I warpriest that don't get rid of channeling? I have never built or ran a warpriest or a big tanky character like this so I'm clueless on how to help him. Only thing I've see is the antagonize feat which seems lackluster
As for an Aggro mechanic they do not really exist under the current rules.
A warpriest is actually pretty durable as a class. Full plate + Shield + Ferver Buffs and they can survive a lot.
Channeling SUCKS and SHOULD NOT be done on a warpriest. Roll a Hospitalier Paladin if he wants to be useful at channeling. Ferver is to be used on Swift action buffs.
Now for controlling a battlefield as Matt suggested a reach weapon Paired with Stand still will end a foes movement when they are trying to get past him. The #1 way to get aggro is to do damage and be a threat they need to deal with and can not ignore without being slaughter for it.
If the Warpriest is not for him Try a human Hospitalier Paladin VMC Cav Order of the Star. Only need a few feats. Fey Foundling, Power attack, Greater mercy, Ultimate Mercy being the main feats. Build has Smite + Challenge for great damage. LoH and mercies for removal, healing, and resurrections. Channel pool for the group touch ups. Paladin spells and access to wands/scrolls. If you can work Dangerously curious into his traits he can UMD with the best of them.
make him an arsenal chaplain warpriest maybe, trades the pretty useless channel for a nice attack and damage buff.
Now for controlling a battlefield as Matt suggested a reach weapon Paired with Stand still will end a foes movement when they are trying to get past him. The #1 way to get aggro is to do damage and be a threat they need to deal with and can not ignore without being slaughter for it.
Stand still doesn't work well with a reach weapon,
"When a foe provokes an attack of opportunity due to moving through your adjacent squares"
"Tank" doesn't really work as a role in pathfinder. Because there aren't really ways to force agro, or block paths. The best path blocking is combat reflexes and stand still.
While I agree that tanks have a very hard time both keeping themselves alive and drawing agro, I see nothing wrong with builds that are tanky for the hell of it. Some classes are capable of sacrificing very little of their offensive power to become tanky. (Monk, for example)
However, within the context of this tread, I don't think a tank warpriest would work very well. The class is just too good at murdering things! For this reason, I agree with your Arsenal Chaplain suggestion.
Due to the ability to cast cures spontaneously, a warpriest "tank" is often one that focuses heavily on offense and relies on damage mitigation (killing enemies) and healing to survive.
Now for controlling a battlefield as Matt suggested a reach weapon Paired with Stand still will end a foes movement when they are trying to get past him. The #1 way to get aggro is to do damage and be a threat they need to deal with and can not ignore without being slaughter for it.Stand still doesn't work well with a reach weapon,
"When a foe provokes an attack of opportunity due to moving through your adjacent squares"
The Dude in my group was using it slightly wrong then. It is still a decent feat for stopping someone from peeling off you and going after someone else. I will have to point out to the DM it doesn't extend to Threatened squares, only adjacent ones.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Use the spell Shield other and the feat Antagonize.
|
I do not know if anything here can help, but I have a PFS Warpriest I play as a "tanK", in the sense that he is a front-liner that I send deep into the fray.
I use the trait Fate's Favored to get an extra point on the luck bonus from Divine Favor (+2 to hit & damage @ level 1) and the extra point to my saves from being a 1/2 Orc w. Sacred Tattoo.
And the feat Fey Foundling to boost my auto healing w. Fervor (1d6+2 instead of 1d6) or my CLWs (1d8+level+2).
I took the feat Fortified Armor Training to cancel crits against me (I can auto-repair the damage to my shield w. Mending - it is 1 lb. / level, so a Darkwood Heavy Shield can be repaired at level 2).
I went 1/2 Orc and took City Raised to be able to use Whips, and chose a deity who gives proficiency in Scorpion Whips (Selket), thus being able to do lethal damage vs. all kinds of armor up to 15 feet of range (even if I only threaten adjacent squares).
So, it is Heavy Armor & Shield for AC, and being able to auto-heal as a Swift action, and boost my attacks and defence, and the whip to hit at 3 squares (took Whip Specialist for the +1 damage as my other trait) --- and simply by moving in at the enemy, I take all or most of the attacks for the first few rounds of a fight, which tend to be enough.
Does not deal crazy damage (1d6+6 un-buffed) but it quite survivable, and can help others w. Stabilize (and I like to cast Life Pact too.
It's bad for a few reasons.
1, it uses 2 fervor. At lv4 when you get the ability you have 2+wis of fervor, and fervor is what you use to cast swift action buff spells, meaning using up half your pool of fervor for a channel really limits your swift buffing.
2) it scales slowly, a cleric heals 1d6 every odd level, WP get 1d6 instead of 2d6 at 4, 2d6 instead of 3d6 at 5, 3d6 instead of 4d6 at 8 and 5d6 instead of 6d6 at 11.
this is what makes it worse than any other channels I'm aware of.
Extra channel isn't a bad feat on a warpriest, though.
Extra channel isn't a bad feat on a warpriest, though.
Sure you have a lot of feats but yes it is bad.
"Tank" doesn't really work as a role in pathfinder. Because there aren't really ways to force agro, or block paths. The best path blocking is combat reflexes and stand still.
Well, not as a primary role. You can be a Tank "AND..."
The general point is that yes- you don't have a proper aggro mechanic in pathfinder. So you need a primary role that makes you a big obvious target, and then you make enemies waste time trying to take you down while the rest of their party does their job.
Barbarians are a perfect example of this. They have a fantastic primary role as damage dealers, getting bonuses to attack and even larger ones to damage (due to 1.5x str on 2 handing, and maybe that one power in the superstition line). That, combined with their pounce, means they are always a threat to the enemy, and thus the enemies try to take them down or delay them.
Now, what can a warpriest do to be a big juicy target? Well, I always like using reach, since it is a simple style that allows you to add 'circle of pain 25 feet across' onto your resume. Reach weapons let you continue to be a threat just by standing between your enemies and the squishier party members. Played well, and you can make enemies waste time trying to get around you. They can also be rather tanky in practice, since you can attack from a distance (take the lunge feat to make enemies take a 10' move action to reach you even though you are at full attack range).
My version of the 'basic' reach style is made of power attack, combat reflexes, and lunge. You can also add on trip feats and the like to provide other ways to mess with enemies trying to circumvent you. But trip can be unreliable, while the basic style can always at least provide some benefit, so that might color your priority with feats....
Compel Hostility is on the cleric spell list although your DC likely won't be stellar. It is a will save so that might not matter too much as bad will save is fairly common for the big uglies.