So I am pondering making a switch hitting character that uses the vital strike line of feats to maximize the dual benefit of that feat line.
The weapons I am considering are the orc horn bow, heavy crossbow, large bastard sword, lucern hammer, and/or greatsword.
The best classes/options I can find include vigialnte to pick up vital punishment, gorum's divine fighting technique, and warpriest picking up weapon of the chosen feat line.
So thoughts? What are the best weapons to do this with? IS it something that is viable, or am i just deluding myself?
Greatsword and Longbow. Perhaps use a Tiefling that can wield a weapon a size category larger than himself. If I had to recommend a class, it would be a Slayer, or a Nature Fang Druid. It entirely depends on how you want to approach it. I like the Druid as spells change the game significantly. Why those classes? Ranger Combat Style adds a LOT. I've had great success with a Druid of Gorum in the Giantslaer campaign. It is certainly viable.
My (planned) build for that game was:
Nature Fang Druid of Gorum 16 / Unchained Rogue (Scout) 4
Half-orc
Shaman's Apprenticed
Sacred Tattoo
Fate's Favored
Ancestral Weapon (Greatsword)
Crocodile Domain (1st level power traded from Gorum's fighting style)
-Dwarf Caiman (Protector) Familiar
Feats were the following (some were ranger combat style feats):
Power Attack*, Furious Focus, Vital Strike*, Improved vital Strike*, Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Accomplished Sneak attacker, Shield Focus, Unhindering Shield
Evasions and Opportunist were important Slayer Talents.
I can see the appeal of the studied target, the added accuracy is great and the cost of the move action if mitigated somewhat by the mechanics of vital strike. Why longbow for the ranged option? What is your reasoning? Orc hornbow starts at a higher weapon die as dow the heavy crossbow.
Tiefling for extra large weapon is definitely a good suggestion as well.
Longbow was just easier to get proficiency with (unless orc weapon familiarity and having martial weapon prof to start with) and it doesn't suffer from the Crossbow reloading issue. Also, being a switchhitter usually turns out to using your bow for the first two rounds and then jumping into melee. You don't want to focus TOO much on maximizing that potential.
Studied Target eventually gets down to a swift action for both the Slayer and Nature Fang (though Nature Fang only ever gets one target). Also, don't forget the added DC for your class abilities from Studied Target. For a Nature Fang, that translates to their spellcasting, leaving you more free to focus on combat instead of worrying about keeping saves competitive.
For a Nature Fang, that translates to their spellcasting, leaving you more free to focus on combat instead of worrying about keeping saves competitive.
I'm currently running this character in a campaign, and this is one of my favorite aspects of that.
Never vital strike with a longbow when you can vital strike with a double hackbut. : D
Butchering Axe and Orc Hornbow are the logical extremes of melee and ranged dice-mongering, especially if Enlarged.