Hello all!
I was bored and reading Pathfinder Lore the other day (as I'm sure you can relate) and I started to take a close look at the Shoanti. Anyways it inspired me to make an agile Earthbreaker user, and I've been tweaking around with good Rogue builds too, so I thought I'd post this and try to get opinions.
The build is a Human Unchained Rogue (Scout) (Swashbuckler) 10/Fighter 2. It isn't for anything in particular just to make for fun and keep on ice for later.
STR: 16 [All ability progression here]
DEX: 16
CON: 14
INT: 12
WIS: 10
CHA: 8
1 Rogue (Scout) (Swashbuckler) - Dodge, Bonus: Bludgeoner, Earth Breaker Proficiency
2 R- Combat Trick: Mobility
3 R- Sap Adept
4 R- Combat Trick: Power Attack
5 R- Canny Tumble, Edge: Stealth
6 Fighter- Bonus: Sap Master
7 R- Furious Focus, Weapon Training: Earth Breaker
8 F- Bonus: Vital Strike
9 R- Accomplished Sneak Attacker
10 R- Camouflage [Don't know what talents are that good at this point]
11 R- Skill Focus (Acrobatics)
12 R- Edge: Perception, Fast Tumble
Compared to many other builds I try and make this is relatively simple. Either use charge or canny tumble to attack some for a power attack vital strike sneak attack leveraging sap master for bonus damage. It seems to be a fairly reliable source of damage as even against non-sneak-attackable foes it's still vital strike power attack with an Earth Breaker. Eventually this would pick up an impact Earthbreaker for extra fun. :)
If I have that right this would at 12th level with a +1 Impact Earthbreaker, deal 18d6 + 22 damage, or an average of 85 damage per hit. Not too shabby.
Primarily I just want to check if there are any large glaring flaws, and then what Rogue Talents/Skill Unlocks are best, because I have very little sense of that.
Oh! And for the purpose of this thread let's just assume we can use Power Attack with nonlethal damage. That's a whooole other can of worms we can take to the rules threads going on now. ;)
Edit: Added in archetypes to avoid confusion
How are you getting 3 feats at first level, or is the proficiency just there to show that you can use it and not an actual feat.
Also, you can't take Combat Trick twice. per the book
A rogue cannot select an individual talent more than once.
And there isn't anything under Combat Trick saying that you can take it more than once.
How are you getting 3 feats at first level, or is the proficiency just there to show that you can use it and not an actual feat.
Also, you can't take Combat Trick twice. per the book
A rogue cannot select an individual talent more than once.And there isn't anything under Combat Trick saying that you can take it more than once.
The Swashbuckler archetype (pre ACG which is why the name is confusing) gives you martial weapon proficiency in one weapon, and allows you to pick up Combat Trick up to two times. I edited it to hopefully clarify it a bit more. Archetype is a personal favorite of mine, though I admit the Devs probably didn't expect the Swashbuckler to use an Earth Breaker. :p
Please look at one level of human Aquanaut Fighter...
Piercing Focus Ex. @ level 1 makes all feats for specific weapons count for all piercing weapons you are proficient with, like the Klar...
1H. Two Weapon Fighting
1. Weapon Focus Earthbreaker
1. Thunder and Fang
Take the Thunder and Fang trait for proficiency the Aquanaut gives up with the shield.
It's a done deal @ level 1.
Have fun.
It's a one trait one level dip for all things Thunder and Fang. You're welcome.
Lord forbid you take a trait for UMD and grow with a wand and/or multiclass sword and shield Slayer...
If I have that right this would at 12th level with a +1 Impact Earthbreaker, deal 18d6 + 22 damage, or an average of 85 damage per hit. Not too shabby.
Alright, so that's 12 sneak attack dice (Sap Master) + 6d6 from Vital Strike and the Impact Property.
But I think the added damage should be more than just 22 damage.
Remember that Sap Adept grants +1 damage per sneak attack damage dice rolled, so it has synergy with Sap Master and grants you +12 damage instead of +6.
10 R- Camouflage [Don't know what talents are that good at this point]
You know what's bad? Having the Rogue's saves.
You know what's good? Getting massive bonuses to your saves because of your sneak attack.
When a rogue with this talent hits a creature with a melee attack that deals sneak attack damage, she gains a +1 circumstance bonus on saving throws for every 2 sneak attack dice rolled (minimum +1) for 1 round.
Benefit: Whenever you use a bludgeoning weapon to deal nonlethal sneak attack damage to a flat-footed opponent, roll your sneak attack dice twice, totaling the results as your nonlethal sneak attack damage for that attack.
Emboldening Strike doesn't stack with itself, but that should be +6 to all saves for you.
Also, start taking the UnRogue favored class bonus for Humans at (Rogue) lv 5, so that you get an extra Advanced Rogue Talent at (Rogue) lv 10.
And Impact might not be better than straight enhancement bonus, since you're only getting +2d6 dmg from vital strike, while losing out on the attack bonus/DR negation. It's probably not worth trading +2 to attack for +5 to dmg, especially since all your damage is dependent on this one hit and you're already losing out on 3 BAB from playing Rogue.
@VoodistMonk, I was thinking of a warpriest thunder and fang build that could certainly use that dip. For this build though I'll go without it.
@Wonderstell I've seen both interpretations for sap adept so I like to assume the worse one. For an actual game I would check for legality. I do read it the same as you though.
Emboldening strike certainly looks very nice and I'll nab that. You're right about impact, i looked and attack bonus seemed low, and enhancement is really a net gain anyways.
If I grab the FCB what should I spend the extra talent on? I just picked the non combat trick ones at random really.
Thanks so much for help!
If I grab the FCB what should I spend the extra talent on? I just picked the non combat trick ones at random really.
Alright, so since you only need to move 10ft per round, Fast Tumble isn't really doing anything for you. Use that talent slot to pick up the Enforcer feat with the 'Feat' talent.
You are skilled at causing fear in those you brutalize.
Prerequisite: Intimidate 1 rank.
Benefit: Whenever you deal nonlethal damage with a melee weapon, you can make an Intimidate check to demoralize your target as a free action. If you are successful, the target is shaken for a number of rounds equal to the damage dealt. If your attack was a critical hit, your target is frightened for 1 round with a successful Intimidate check, as well as being shaken for a number of rounds equal to the damage dealt.
Then, with the extra talent from FCB, you choose the Stalker talent. This lets you take one vigilante talent (with some restrictions). You'll want Twisting Fear.
Whenever the vigilante causes an opponent to gain the shaken, frightened, or panicked condition, that opponent takes an amount of nonlethal damage equal to the vigilante’s reduced hidden strike damage, as the stress wears upon its body. A creature can’t take damage from twisting fear more than once per round. Panicked creatures that take damage from twisting fear are too winded even to scream as they flee in terror. Only a stalker vigilante can select this talent.
This should give you +6d6 nonlethal damage with a successful Intimidate check.
*******************
The idea above is for the whole "one-hit kill" theme. Otherwise, forget about Enforcer and simply take the 'Up Close and Personal' vigilante talent for another attack as a swift action.
Up Close and Personal (Ex): When the vigilante attempts an Acrobatics check to move through an opponent’s space during a move action, he can attempt a single melee attack against that opponent as a swift action. If the Acrobatics check succeeds, this attack applies the vigilante’s hidden strike damage as if the foe were unaware of the vigilante. Otherwise, the vigilante applies the hidden strike damage he would deal if the target were denied its Dexterity bonus to AC. Only a stalker vigilante of at least 4th level can select this talent.
Can Unchained Rogue take the Scout and Swashbuckler Archetypes? Would it affect your build badly if you just took Regular Rogue instead of Unchained Rogue? IIrc, the chief advantage of Unchained Rogue is Dex-to-Damage, and you aren't doing that with a 16 Strength and an Earthbreaker.The build is a Human Unchained Rogue (Scout) (Swashbuckler) 10/Fighter 2. It isn't for anything in particular just to make for fun and keep on ice for later....
Rogue (Scout) (Swashbuckler)
Well there is debilitating injury and some small skill bonuses. It's not much, but it's more than core rogue. You are right though, it wouldn't change much.
Klar counts as a light shield with spikes. Spikes are piercing weapons. One level of Aquanaut as a human gets you Thunder and Fang as long as you also take the Thunder and Fang trait.
Note also: I may be the @$$#0[3 Because archives of nethys states the Klar as a slashing type weapon.
But it's meant for TWF, so they want it to count as light butbspikes make it hit as a heavy shield. Still probably a slashing type weapon though. Sad. My one level dip is foiled.