Swordbreaker Dagger Build

[Toolbag]

Just wanted to get general opinions about my Human Fighter built with the Swordbreaker Dagger in mind.

STR 18 DEX 17 CON 14 INT 13 WIS 10 CHA 8

Currently Level 7
Fighter 6 Dipping into Rogue/Ninja 1

AC 22 via a breastplate that will need to be replaced with some Mithral if I want to consider Evasion in the future

Fort 8 Reflex 8 Will 5

Weapon Training 1 - Light Blades

Feats:
Two-Weapon Fighting, Dodge, Combat Expertise, Exotic Weapon Swordbreaker, Quick Draw, Endurance, Iron Will, Improved Disarm, Break Guard

Traits:
Giant Blood Trait, Pillager Trait

Weapons carried:
+1 Rapier(Primary hand), Swordbreaker Dagger(Off Hand), Composite Longbow,
+1 Adamantine Heavy Flail(Possibly getting the Flaming enhancement soon)

Other Party Members:
Cleric, Investigator, Witch, May be adding a Sorcerer

Let's overlook my need to take some non-combat feats in order to keep my character functional for a moment. And please overlook the fact that this is an obviously mediocre build. The fact is that I enjoy playing this character when I am in a situation where the swordbreaker is effective. And while not optimal, I also plan to use the Heavy Flail with my upcoming feats of Improved Trip and Greater Trip to be more of a utility fighter who takes advantage of Sneak Attack while Tripping.

Any thoughts or suggestions without taking this build to crazy town?

[Dave Justus]

I would caution against going the trip route. You are reaching a level where it will get harder and harder to be successful at it, both from higher CMDs and foes that are outright immune.

I'd also question multi-classing into Rogue. Sneak attack is often difficult to get off, and is less damage than you might think. Taking a BAB hit isn't going to help your maneuvers any either.

I'd be looking at continuing the two-weapon fighting line. If I really wanted some sneak attack, I might look at a slayer multiclass.

[Secret Wizard]

Do note that Giant Blood doesn't stack with Pillager, they are both trait bonuses.

Build looks fine, I would avoid the Ninja/Rogue dip and consider going with the Molthuni Defender archetype to really pump your CMB.

If you want to trip, you need Poised Bearing and Imposing Bearing.

I'd look into boosting the CMB of your abilities in any way possible.

[Toolbag]

I'm glad to get some input. You both have valid points. And I greatly appreciate the tolerance for the fact that I am pursuing a suboptimal build when a Tank would be the much better option for this party. When we started this path, we had another Fighter so I could pursue the TWF quite easily. Since then we have had to eliminate the player running the other Fighter because the player was being a doink.

As for the Rogue/Sneak Attack:

It would be greatly helpful to have Rogue abilities because the Investigator only puts ranks in Knowledge skills. This means he can't find/disable a trap if it was attached to his characters nose. (Well not literally but you get my point)

My thought was to pursue the tripping with Sneak Attack following right behind it due to the Greater Trip.

Rogue level 2 would provide Evasion which may prove useful to my melee fighter when avoiding AoE spells from a Sorcerer who may join the party.

[Dave Justus]

Choosing a build to avoid friendly fire probably means your party is doomed anyway :)

The slayer option mentioned above can give you trapfinding, and a few more skills per level.

[Toolbag]

You are correct. We may be doomed no matter what. So goes the nature of the RPG ;)

Another suggestion that came from the GM was to buy some potions of Energy Resistance - Fire since the Sorcerer seems to be inclined to go with Fireball type spells.

[Secret Wizard]

Honestly, it's too bad you can't rebuild into a full Brawler.

You have fantastic stats for a Brawler, and they make great use of combat maneuvers. It wouldn't be swordbreaker daggers, but the tekko-kagi are very similar!

Plus, they are fantastic if you get VMC Rogue.

Maybe that could be a good choice for your Fighter – VMC Rogue would give them disabling and lots of fun things without losing BAB.

[Toolbag]

Absolutely! I see the Fighter/Rogue multiclass as a suboptimal but acceptable possibility to a situation that is not so great.

Rebuilding outright is really not an option and converting the build while actively playing would take waaaayyyyy too long and be horrid every moment until complete.

This option may be helpful to the group by providing some Rogue abilities while also attempting to adapt to the changed dynamic of now being the only frontline fighter.

Will it work?

Who knows! But that is the fun of RPG in the first place.

[avr]

You don't need a flail to trip. The only advantage the trip property on a weapon gives is the ability to drop it when you fail horribly instead of being tripped yourself. The difference in terms of lost actions is about the same either way.

[Toolbag]

Well everyone...this group has to make some adjustments now. Over the weekend we lost our Witch and Investigator. The Witch succumbed to 3 doses of poison consumed one after the other (it was perceived as wine in goblets). Our Investigator met his demise via a crit from a Frost Giant wielding a Battle Axe. Times 3 modifier...you're dead. (Hey. Crit happens.)

So now a Swashbuckler will take the place of the Witch and I'm not sure what class will replace the Investigator.

As for the heavy flail, it's a personal preference. I didn't mention it but I choose to use a bludgeoning weapon for sundering, and because I'm weird, I like bludgeoning damage versus undead. Again, personal preference since there really isn't much change to game mechanics beyond the Trip property.

I have even caught small amounts of flak from the other players because they don't understand why I would want the heavy flail as opposed to the additional damage of a great sword. Of course, they are only looking at it from the perspective of hack and slash while I am considering this character to be more of a utility fighter.

But thanks to all for some good input and an excellent general discussion.

[Secret Wizard]

Hey, if you get a fast forward in time until that's done, you could work something out with your GM to rebuild as a Brawler :P

I mean, it looks like people are wanting more optimization in general.