After some players recently left our group, I'm developing a new character to fill in a missing need. Basically, I'm making a primary melee character who can stand in front of squishier friends and dish out damage.
I want to play a fighter - paladins aren't ideal for the group and we have had a barbarian so I want something different. (Open to ranger as well.) We are playing a modification of the Mummy's Mask campaign (not looking for spoilers) so it takes place in a desert setting. We are level 8.
Stats are rolled and I already did so - they aren't great. 14, 14, 11, 11, 10, 8. Equivalent to a 10-pt buy. I had been thinking of either a two-handed fighter or a two-weapon fighter but I don't have the stats for the latter and maybe not even good for the former. :-/
My thoughts: Given strength is going to be low, iterative attacks are less reliable. A vital strike/critical build with a falchion may be desirable. This would also give me more mobility - or a move action to pull a potion of enlarge person or oil of bless weapon.
My roommate suggested an elf with an elven curveblade and the agile weapon quality, so I could make more use of dex than strength. Yes or no?
EDIT: Additional info - we have an arcanist focused on summoning and battlefield control, a cleric focused on healing and buffs, and an archaeologist bard who is okay in melee but hardly a tank. We tend to find ourselves in old crypts and dungeons a lot, though sometimes on open ground; terrain quality rarely seems to be an issue but walls are. I am open to other classes and build that accomplish the same party role but don't want to step on toes.
Mutagen Fighter can net you +4 Str, +2 NA, Wings, armored Bravery. With Weapon focus, weapon Training, a +1 weapon you should be able to hit rather well. Grab a Scimitar and shield with improved Critical...your good to go. Later grab extra arm and 2 hand your Scimitar while holding a shield in the 3rd arm.
To Expand on my suggestion
Human Mutagen Fighter
Str: 14+2=16, Dex: 11 +1=12, Con: 14, Int: 10, Wis: 11+1=12, Cha: 8
Traits:
Carefully Hidden (+1 Will saves)
Defender of the Society (+1 AC when in Heavy Armor)
Feats:
Human: Toughness
1: Weapon Focus- Scimitar
2: Power attack
3: Iron Will
4: Weapon Specialization
5: Cut from the Air
6: Lunge
7: Greater Weapon Focus
8: Improved Critical
When you pop Mutagen your Str goes up +4, +2 Natural armor, and -2 Int....not a bad trade off.
Discoveries:
Wings
Future- Extra Arm (To hold a Shield and 2 hand the Scimitar)
Advanced Weapon Training:
Armored Bravery (Bravery applies to all will saves)
Gear:
+1 Full Plate
+1 Shield
+1 Adamantine Scimitar
+2 Belt of Str or Con (You pick)
+2 Headband of Wisdom (boost your will)
Cloak of Resistance
Ring of Protection
Necklace of Natural armor
Consumables like Enlarge Potions, Cure, Heroism, Fly, and Bless Weapon.
Whenever you're playing a low-stat campaign, pick feats that maximize your first full BAB attack. Vital Strike is good for single target, Cleave is good for multiple targets.
Power Attack
Cleave
Cleaving Finish
Greater Cleave
Furious Focus
Improved Cleaving Finish
Cornugon Smash (make sure you have a high Intimidate skill)
Get the Cruel (+1) enchant and the Culling (+2) enchant when you're able to.
You will be a cleaving monstrosity with this build and you'll cause a ton of damage. Your defense is actually your offense with this build simply due to immense debuffing potential, because every enemy you hit with Power Attack (i.e. everyone you Cleave or Imp. Cleaving Finish), you get a chance to Intimidate them. If you successfully Intimidate them, you also Sicken them (with the Cruel enchant). You can give every mob around you a -4 to attack, saves, skill checks and ability checks and a -2 to damage rolls (w/ Shaken/Sicken combo).
Make sure you do everything you can to boost your + to Hit, because your Cleave ends whenever you miss.
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Edit: Consider using a Fauchard, Falchion, Falcata or a Bat'leth (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Bat%27leth_(3.5e_Equipment)) for a weapon (for the 18-20/x2 or 19-20/x3 crit range), and get Improved Critical at level 8 and start crit-fishing with your Cleaves and Imp. Cleaving Finish. If you really want to stack the debuffs, get Critical Focus and Critical Mastery at mid-late levels. Debuffing the enemy into oblivion will greatly increase your survivability.
If you do go Bat'leth, there isn't an actual pathfinder weapon description or stats page available. But there is a d&d 3.5 version. You'll have to get exotic weapon proficiency and GM approval to do it though.
Also, consider getting the Swift Drinker feat for maximizing your action economy, and always carry a couple Potions of Cure xxxx Wounds.
If you find that you're getting beaten up by casters, consider getting Step Up & Strike, Disruptive, and the Bleeding Critical (for lingering damage). Disruptive and Bleeding Critical can seriously ruin a caster's day with failures on the Conc checks. Shaken/Sicken combo can also hurt casters a lot because they will have -4 to their saves and Spellcraft checks.
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Edit2: Consider the trait: Dusk Agent. It gives you a +10% on sales and a -10% on purchasing items. Over the course of a campaign, you can end up with a ton of extra items and consumables.
Another route you can go is to forget about crit-fishing with the cleave build, and instead get a greataxe and get Cleaving Sweep http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/cleaving-sweep-combat/
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I'm playing a Shield weilding Ranger Fighter in PFS now.
Do consider this build for a tank.
The build starts shining from lvls 6 to 8
Ranger - Freebooter (Or any archetype that don't affect combat style.)
Fighter - Lore Warden
Combat Style - Weapon and Shield
Equipment, Shield (Enchanted (armor) as high as possible. preferably to +5), Spiked armor, enchanted as needed.
Feats
Lv 1 (Ranger 1)- Improved Shield Bash - No AO when shield bashing
Lv 2 (Ranger 2)(Combat Style) - Shield Slam - Free bullrush when you shield bash someone.
Lv 3 (Ranger 3)- Spiked destroyer - Attack with armor spikes as a swift action if you successfully bullrush someone.
Lv 3 (Ranger 3)- (Ranger) Endurance
Lv 5 (Ranger 5)- Power Attack
Lv 6 (Ranger 6)(Combat Style) - Shield Master - Add your shield's enhancement bonus to attacks and damage rolls made with the shield as if it was a weapon enhancement bonus.
Lv 7 (Ranger 7)- Improved Bull Rush
lv 8 (Fighter 1) - Rhino Charge - Charge as a standard action.
Lv 9 (Fighter 2) - (Fighter Bonus 2) Greater Bull Rush - Your bull rush provoke AO
Lv 9 - Shield of Swings or Weapon focus (Shield)
Lv 9 (Fiher - Lore Warden) - Combat Expertise
The point of this build is to make a tank that is
1) Very high in AC
2) Not full attack dependent
3) Have high mobility and still attack
4) Get multi attacks with just the standard and swift actions
5) Able to work with party members and summons to max damage potential
6) Support the party via Freebooter abilities (Targeted move action untyped bonus to attack and defense.
7) Able to swap between offensive, defensive, battle field control and support as needed. All the while tanking.
The build is also not overly dependent on ability scores. A 13 is good for the feats needed.
I'm hitting Ac 26~8 at lv 8 and at lv 9 it can go as high as 32~34
Awesome. Thanks for the help!
