Need Help - 3rd Party Fear Based Build


Advice and Rules Questions


Alright so I haven't played in FOREVER and finally found a campaign. Desperately need help optimizing a build as this class isn't common enough class for me to look up builds for.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/ascension-games-llc/night blade/paths/path-of-the-bloodied-chain/

Only stipulation is the character has to be Kitsune. It's a 21 point buy. The character's concept is to become fear incarnate and take down those who abuse their power to bring suffering to the weak and less fortunate.


You get to frighten people any time you demoralise them badly enough with the intimidate skill. That's demanding that you take feats to intimidate more people - enforcer and/or dazzling display are the obvious ones, cornugon smash is possible. Also you're going to need weapon finesse as a kitsune; it's not absolutely clear whether this applies to melee touch attacks, talk to your GM and try to get the answer to be yes. Shocking grasp & similar make a good backup in the case of opponents immune to mind-affecting effects.

As an example feats & arts might go:
1: Weapon finesse
3: Weapon focus (short sword)
Art 3: Combat art (dazzling display) - taken as an art to get it online ASAP.
5: Extra art (terrorizing glare)
Art 6: Warp blade
7: Piranha strike
9: Disheartening display
Art 9: Shadow form

Some spells that look good to me:
1: Umbral assistant (unseen servant+, with a combat use), shocking grasp, maybe color spray
2: Mirror image, glitterdust, invisibility
3: Haste, shadow structure, fly
4: Umbral informant, greater invisibility


Some further info: A guide for the class

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?418529-Into-the-Darkness-a-Gu ide-to-the-Nightblade


Also with high dex should I be considering combat reflexes? And why short sword? Any particular reason?


Combat reflexes would be better if you had more damage. I suppose you could get fencing grace (with a rapier) , or slashing grace (with a dagger rather than a short sword) as well as piranha strike, but that'd cost you two more feats to squeeze in somewhere counting combat reflexes.

The only reason for the short sword is that I was thinking of TWF at one point there. It could easily be switched for a dagger or rapier.


Got ya. My only concern is how specifically to be relevant with damage or is it going to be entirely map control?


Shocking grasp gives you up to 5d6 (average 17.5 damage) on a touch attack, +3 vs. metal armor. That's not terrible. With piranha strike (or fencing grace or slashing grace instead, or deadly agility if Path of War is available too) you have some damage without a spell. But you're certainly no rogue or magus, the class and path you've chosen don't support a lot of damage.


Yeah that's my only concern. There are only gonna be 1 or 2 other pc's so I'm hoping I get a ninja or something :D


Tips on utilizing the 21 point buy?


If you take one of the dex to damage options you'll want a fair bit in dexterity and minimal strength - not the absolute minimum of 7 - 2 race = 5 though, you won't be able to carry your gear (a handy haversack, a weapon or two and a mithral shirt at least). If you're not then 10 Str and 16 Dex total are reasonable. Con should be at least 12, Cha likely around 16 after the racial modifer,


Str 12-2=10
Dex 14+2=16
Con 12
Int 12
Wis 10
Cha 16+2=18

Look reasonable?

Could you explain an example of how in combat I best utilize the fear factor?


Best way is to do battlefield control. Big bad guy wants to attack pc? You make him wet his pants. Party surrounds npc, make them run away provoking from everyone. The guy with the high saves? Sorry but you are shaken (-2 to saves), stack on a couple more conditions and you are set


I guess I should have specified. On what order would I use my abilities to maximize effectiveness? Dazzling display into umbral shackles? Or vice versa? Also I think there was a spell called shadow anchor or something that would entrap someone within my umbral shackles.


I'd use intimidate first (sometimes without dazzling display as you may want to move; DD is a full-round action), as shaken hits the enemies' saves. You want to get them to frightened but you won't always roll high enough.

& yeah, those stats look reasonable.


Tips on useful starting items? Starting lvl 2 with 500 gold


Masterwork studded leather, a melee weapon (likely a rapier), a sling or shortbow for range, a backup dagger, an emergency potion of CLW, antitoxin, a couple of flasks of acid, maybe a scroll or two of spells on your list you don't know, an adventurer's sash to carry those and probably look over one of the adventurers kits to see the boring mundane stuff you might need anyway. Then check your encumbrance and cut if necessary.

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