I am building a bard that will be picking Improved Trip later and probably Combat Reflexes too.
By now, she is starting at level one.
She is using a longspear as a weapon and qualifies for Combat Expertise, but I'm still unsure which one of the two feats (Dirty Fighting or Combat Expertise) would suit her better.
She's not human, so it will be just one feat at first level. She also has Heirloom Weapon as a trait, which gives her a +2 bonus to trip attempts made with her inherited longspear.
I have considered too going for Lingering Performance as my level one feat, but that would probably delay me too much in taking Improved Trip so at this time I have decided to choose among the aforementioned two.
I'd like to hear some opinions to help me make my mind, because I have good reasons to pick and not to pick both.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I think you'll benefit from Dirty Fighting more often than Combat Expertise, but Dirty Fighting is only good for those feats that are based on combat maneuvers, so you become more limited in your choices.
How large is your party size? The more people you have, the more likely you are to have a flanking buddy at any given time.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Having to choose between Combat Expertise and Dirty Fighting as Prerequisite, I'd choose the last one:
As a Bard you don't have enough BAB to make Combat Expertise worthy: until level 6 it is just +1 AC and -1 ATQ. Worse than Dodge. And it escalates poorly (+2 AC/-2 ATQ at level 11. Level 11!!).
Dirty Fighting, assuming a flanking buddy, nets you a +2 to all your Combat Maneuvers since level 3, and allows you to try trip attacks before that. It will patch your medium BAB.
Now, between Lingering Performance and Dirty Fighting, just answer this question: Do you want to focus on trip attacks or supporting? If you get Lingering Performance at level 1, you'll have to wait until level 5 for Improved Trip; that's a lot of time.
I think you'll benefit from Dirty Fighting more often than Combat Expertise, but Dirty Fighting is only good for those feats that are based on combat maneuvers, so you become more limited in your choices.
How large is your party size? The more people you have, the more likely you are to have a flanking buddy at any given time.
It's going to be a solo game, but the GM will provide NPCs to complete a 4 people party (and as I am the only player he will ensure that I have a flanking buddy if I need him).
It think until now he has created a herbalist witch, a magus, a sorcerer and a fighter. And I'll get to choose which 3 characters I want to take with me at a time.
The advantage of Combat Expertise is that I can use it against enemies who are immune to my combat maneuvers. The disadvantage is that playing a buffer bard I might not attack so often (maybe some AoO).
The advantage of Dirty Trick is that it seems less situational, but also useless against enemies that are immune to my combat maneuvers.
And Dal, you are right about your analysis, but I am still unsure of that. So hearing some extra opinions wouldn't hurt.
I like playing the supporter, but as you gave me my cool heirloom weapon now I want to have some tripping fun with it too xD
Am I weird or what?
*Plays a solo game*
*Chooses to be a supporter*
XD
Flagging myself because I have realized I have posted it on the third party subforum...
Third post by myself on a row... I am posting with an alias so it isn't so obvious ;-D
I have taken the decision of going for Dirty Trick. From a roleplaying POV it seems to fit a bit better and I also think I'll benefit from it more often. Lingering Performance might be an even better option... but because of the character's concept I want to get Improved Trip ASAP.
Thanks to everybody who gave their opinion!