Di-Did You Just 1-Hit Them With That Shovel?

[Isaac Zephyr]

So a while back when the last Farcry came out, I set about the task of making a shovel-tossing badass.

The end result was as follows

Class: Rogue-Makeshift Scrapper
Race: Dwarf (couldn't decide so went with Dwarf-mom concept)

Str 17
Dex 14
Con 11
Int 13
Wis 12
Cha 8

Traits: Surprise Weapon (+2 with Improvised)
Life of Toil (Fit with previous life farmer, Dwarf-mom concept)

Feat: Two-Handed Thrower

Shovel 2h: +5 1d8+4 B
Shovel 2h (Thrown): +5 1d8+4 B 10ft
Sneak Attack: 1d6

Now, I picked up a copy of the Martial Arts Handbook expecting to find some low-Wis styles for my Drow Vigilante. Instead, I ended up with Shikigami Style.

Shikigami Style wrote:

Your skill with improvised weapons makes them more dangerous than they would otherwise be.

Prerequisite: Catch Off-Guard or Throw Anything.
Benefit: While in this style, you deal damage with improvised weapons as if they were one size category larger. For every style feat you have that lists Shikigami Style as a prerequisite, treat the improvised weapon as an additional size category larger, to a maximum of three sizes larger than its actual size.

The other two Shikigami feats are interesting. Mimicry for weapon traits isn't overly useful, and Manipulation would be great if I could get my hands on some magic shovels. It would also semi-stack with the Scrapper's Supernatural Improvisation, since it could be +3 we'll say from magic shovel, and Supernatural could still give a Shield bonus for AC instead for the rounds.

By 12th, the Scrapper gets Improvised Weapon Mastery for free, so by that level just how deadly is this shovel? I think it comes off like so:

Str from leveling: 20 (not including magic)

Shovel 2h+3: +19/+14 6d6+10
Shovel 2h+3 (Thrown): +19/+14 6d6+10 10ft
Sneak Attack: 6d6

So 12d6+10. That's crazy, but I think it could be better. Of the 6 feats you get up to that point, 4 are taken between the Style feats and 2h Thrower. Additionally nothing has been spent on magic gear, nor have any Rogue Talents been selected. I was tempted to change race to Half-Giant just for higher Str and the damage die jump to 8d6, but I wanna stick to 1st party. The variant Tiefling oversized Limbs also came to mind but for personal preference I don't really wanna play another Tiefling at my table for a while. I like variety.

So what can I add/change to this bad girl?

[Scrapper]

Mystery Men: The Shoveler
I'm just sooo impressed!

[Isaac Zephyr]

Read some of the other threads on improvised. While I couldn't buff up the damage dice further, and as not a fighter or other class with access to Specialization, there were still some nice options.

Essentially, keep as is level 1.
Level 2, Rogue Talent > Ninja Trick > Style Master > Shikigami Style.
Level 3 you grab up Shikigami Mimicry for your feat, then Level 4 Rogue Talent > Combat Trick > Combat Expertise.
Level 5 is the min level for Shikigami Manipulation due to needing 5 ranks of Use Magic Device, however go with Improved Disarm instead for synergy with Catch Off Guard. Shikigami Mimicry can also give your weapon Disarm, though -2 attack roll for +2 to disarm cancels itself out to my knowledge.
Level 6 Sneaky Maneuvers so you can use Flanking with your allies to get free Disarms and double down on your opponent's penalties.
Level 7 Shikigami Manipulation finally to cap out the size increase damage.

From there I liked Makeshift Maneuvers for constant Disarm shovel and Greater Disarm to really stack the odds in your favor on those Disarms (both essentially give you +2 to Disarm so either is fine). Rogue Talents Offensive Defense to get some more AC, and Hunter's Surprise to if you have no other options get Sneak damage in order to sub a free Disarm w/ normal damage.

After level 12 though, I didn't really know what to pick. Improvisational Fpcus for +1 to attacks. Power Attack and Furious Focus. The Advanced Rogue Talent for a Feat. Distance Thrower, Improved Evasion, Point Blank Shot. Nothing really jumped out and the damage boosts plateaued. Also didn't delve into the magic gear at all.

[Meirril]

Basics: Powerful Throwing to use Str instead of Dex to hit. Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot and Deadly Aim for obvious reasons. Improvised Weapon Proficiency will give you a +1 to hit (prereq Catch Off-Guard and Throw Anything).

If you want to set yourself up for maximum dice in a single strike then follow the Vital Strike line of feats. At 12th you could get improved vital strike which would let you throw a 2-handed shovel for 18d6 base damage with your full attack bonus. Great if you want to snipe and deliver a 24d6 sneak attack. To support this I'd recommend a belt to raise your accuracy (hopefully strength with Powerful Throwing so you get damage as well), and enchant the Shovel with Returning and Distance since you only do one ranged attack per turn. Also pick up Snipers Goggles.

Or you go for maximum possible thrown attacks to get as much damage as you can a round. This requires a lot more work. First you want a way to keep your opponent flat footed. The best way I've found to do this is to make sure you can not be seen while doing a full attack. Get a Goz Mask or Fog Cutting Lenses and some item that produces Fog or Smoke. Also pick up the advanced rogue talent See In Darkness so you are immune to Deeper Darkness. Now you should be able to stand 10' in your fog/smoke and freely attack anything that can't see through it with your sneak attack bonus even on a full attack because you have total concealment. Get a blink back belt and switch to one-handed shovels based on short spear. Enchant the shovels with Distance and get a Sniper's Goggles so you can snipe farther. You can't use two weapon fighting with Two Handed Throwing so I'd skip TWF. Though you'd probably get more damage (potentially) out of TWF and switching to a hand shovel based on a throwing axe, but this drops your weapon damage a lot so maybe not a desirable move.

Personally I think I favor the vital strike build since it is less resource intensive and has a lot more wow factor to it.

[Isaac Zephyr]

Sadly Powerful Throwing is 3rd party.

I do like the Vital Strike idea though, it's not bad. And since Vital Strike is an attack that sneak could be added to, it still synergizes with the Disarm + Catch Off Guard + Sneaky Maneuvers synergies. As a Rogue, Vital Strike would be locked behind level 8, and Improved Vital Strike behind level 15, however I like them more than the Power Attack line.

Edit: Had more to say on this. I actually didn't realize thrown weapons used Dex to attack somehow. It makes throwing them harder since I'm hard building Str. The attack bonus difference would be 1 at level 1, going up to 4 at level 20, not including magic items. Most of the attack bonuses granted over the course of level up apply to both so it's not huge but it would be noticeable. It is sad that feat is 3rd party.

I think melee is the way to go. More flank opportunity, but keep 2h Thrower for the versatility. Never know when you're going to fight something that flies and need to throw a chair.

How are you getting 24d6 sneak though? Vital Strike is only weapon die, which with this particular build path in increased size of weapon is very worthwhile. It doesn't double your other die pools though, or your modifiers.

[Isaac Zephyr]

Oh, it was a total. My mistake (calculated the level 15 damage which is when the character could apply for Improved Vital and it came to 26d6).

I am slightly wishing there was some sort of anthropomorphic horse racial option. Could do the entire thing with a guitar and call him El Kabong.

[Alphavoltario]

Tbh I saw this post and it inspired me to try and make my 'superhero persona' I used in COD:WWII - Shovelman... That's it, just a dude with a shovel... Specifics are a Human Unchained Makeshift Scrapper Underground Chemist Scout (jesus take the wheel, that's a lot of AT's) VMC Alchemist (my DM is completely okay with VMC) so that I have Shovel for melee and such, and bombs for range. He's a gravedigger by trade. :3

Alas, also Improvised Weapon Proficiency is also 3rd party...

Edit: Definitely go disarm route. As long as you're not fighting monks, brawlers, and the such Catch Off Guard states "...Unarmed opponents are flat-/footed against any attacks you make with an improvised melee weapon." So disarm that weapon and get to sneak attackin'.