Hi everyone I would like some help with a Level 6, 20 point buy Stonelord.
I am having a tough time with how feat starved it is compared to the amount of options that could work well
I am also not sure if my stats could do with tweaking. (I have added the level 4 boost in strength)
I don’t want to focus on Defense exclusively as a that would mean just being ignored by the monsters.
I don’t like the chain flail conceptually despite it being the most effective defensive stance weapon
My thoughts are to take the extended darkvision and anti undead alternate racials due to the character background
I currently have noted down :
Strength: 18
Dex: 12
Con: 16
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 8
Power Attack
Shield Focus
Shield Brace (was originally thinking furious focus and combat reflexes until I discovered these feats)
Glory of Old (to bolster Hardy)
Defensive Strategist
+1 Dwarven Longhamer
+1 Armour spiked Stoneplate
+ 1 Mithral Heavy Shield
+1 Cloak of resistance
Mwk boulder helmet
So AC should be 27
Questions:
- Should I drop any of my existing stats to raise any others? Con, Intelligence and wisdom could be lower but I like the high con. It would be nice to try and get another lay on hands use or more skills
- Have I missed any no brainer feat choices?
- Are there any better traits than Glory of Old? Perhaps Steel skin?
- I think I have 2000gp or so left over and am noI sure what to add in. I was thinking a fair amount of potions such as enlarge person (but it seems I will not be able to use them with a shield and polearm)
- Where do I go from here? I assume Lunge at level 7 and Bulwark power at 8
Thanks for any help
The stats, feats etc. you have look good enough. I can't imagine how less Int would be a good idea. Considering your Con and Wis would be 14 and 10 before racial modifiers you wouldn't get a huge amount of points back by dropping either.
For items you might want a lesser talisman or two. Maybe a floating feather in case you absolutely have to fly, or to move something big. If you don't have an emergency means of flying then you pretty much have to have a missile weapon & even if you do it's not a bad idea.
You do get one mercy at 6th level, and this would qualify you for the extra mercy feat if you're so inclined later.
Bulwark is a weirdly worded power. Check with your GM that it means what it should mean before you pick it.
Thanks for the tips. I don’t imagine having much luck with flight given the check penalty!
I have a sling listed because I can add strength to it and it is a lot cheaper than the strength bow . And if there is any strength damage I don’t have an issue
I didn’t list it because it is free so not factored into my sums
I'm pretty sure shield brace only works with things in the polearm/spear weapon group I'm not sure the longhammer works with it.
With the feat starvation you're talking about you may just want to go for a standard two hander build rather than including a shield.
There are a few weapons out there that for some reason are not given a weapon group
But they all should have one. So it seems like a typo
Going further it seems like all reach weapons that are given a weapon group have one or the other of spears or polearms. It goes with the association
But say it doesn’t work - what do you recommend for the other two feats ?
Well, i'd drop the wis, raise the dex and take combat reflexes + steel soul.
Versatile Design can move a weapon to a different fighter group if you wanted to shield brace a greatsword or something. If you wanted to use your long axe with shield you'd need Weapon Adept but since other pole hammers are in the polearm weapon group, the dwarven long hammer should be too.
Using a shield would defeat the whole "I don’t want to focus on Defense exclusively" anyways. I've always wanted to see a dwarf dual wield chain flails per Dorn-Dergar Master but the -4/-4 hurts a little too much. A large Morning Star with an Effortless Lace is conceptually sound, as opposed to dual wielding historically questionable weapons. Its pretty much an Earthbreaker but does B and P damage wtih a 20/x2 crit. Sure its inferior to the greatsword but I think its rather cool. Slap on Versatile Design and Shield Brace and you have the classic Mace and Shield Paladin.
1 Power Attack
3 Shield Focus
5 Shield Brace
7 Lunge
Or
1 Power Attack
3 Cleave
5 Greater Cleave
7 Lunge
Greater Cleave should compensate for your lack of whirlwind attack.
Versatile design will work but for some reason (close weapon grouping things with reach frexample) its a bit too suspension of disbelief breaking for me to generally allow as an option.
Some combos don't make sense but most can be fluffed to make sense. Like a Greataxe with a short shaft can be a close weapon and since morningstars are already in the flail weapon group, why can't my greatsword? On a side note, Mordekaiser's large morningstar can fit in with polearm group. Sure it doesn't have reach but neither does the Halberd.
I'm sure Weapon Versatility is a bit too out there as well. Sure hammers don't have a means to slashing damage but my skyrim characters still manage to decapitate with hammers all the same (pretty sure its a buggy mod). Its worse when someone tries to use this feat with a bow. "Muh arrows are slashing." You can't outrun Versatility. Put Versatile Design and this feat in the hands of a Brawler and you have made a monster. Too bad the Wizard does more damage.