Unnamed Hero
Str: 14 Dex: 17 Cos: 13 Int: 10 Wis: 12 Cha: 8
Reactionary, ???
lvl 1: Two Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Short Sword)
lvl 2: Improved Initiative
lvl 3: Iron Will
lvl 4: Weapon Spec (Short Sword)
lvl 5: AWT (Trained Grace)
lvl 6: Improved Two Weapon Fighting
lvl 7: Double Slice
lvl 8: Greater Weapon Focus (Short Sword)
lvl 9: Armed Bravery, AAT (Armor Specialization(Full Plate)
lvl 10: AWT (Fighter's Reflexes)
lvl 11: Two Weapon Rend
lvl 12: Greater Weapon Spec (Short Sword)
This is what i've planned so far, does it look solid enough for a mildly optimized party?
My main concern here is about Power Attack: should i put it in somewhere?
The build should go to lvl 20, but i lack concrete ideas, beside taking advanced armor/weapon training when possible for Warrior Spiriti, Versatile Training, Focused Weapon and the likes...
Any tips is really appreciated, thanks everybody in advance.
So the first thing that jumps out at me is that 13 CON. You could drop CHA to 7 and put CON at 14 even?
Re: Power Attack. I don't think you need it. On a 1-handed weapon you won't always want to use it, and on you offhand weapon you'll never want to use it until you get Double Slice.
Lastly...
Beginning at 9th level, instead of selecting an additional fighter weapon group, a fighter can choose an advanced weapon training option for one fighter weapon group that he previously selected with the weapon training class feature.
I'm not super familiar with playing Fighters, so if there's an archetype or something that changes this then great, but otherwise you need to wait till level 9 to take Trained Grace.
Str: 14 Dex: 17 Cos: 13 Int: 10 Wis: 12 Cha: 8
Is this point-buy or rolled stats? Those numbers are a little weird.
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Replace three or four levels of fighter with three or four levels of unchained rogue, and at least a few more with some in brawler. --Doing so will give you TWF and Weapon Finesse for free, give you dex-to-damage (negating the need for Trained Grace, or any investment in strength at all), and let you use higher threat-range waveblades instead of shortswords. You'll want Piranha Strike rather than Power Attack.
Alternatively, since flurry/TWFing doesn't require either dexterity and lets you make multiple attacks with the same weapon, you could go high strength and use a two-handed weapon.
I was also thinking Brawler would work for this...
You get TWF @ 2, Imp. TWF @ 8, and still qualify for Weapon Specialization, Imp. Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Specialization.
You could actually use a one handed weapon with two hands and Power Attack, then TWF with unarmed strikes using the scaling damage from being a Brawler.
However, stacking accuracy penalties is seldom optimal.
If Weapon Training and the Advanced thereof are essential, then 3 levels of Weapon Master Fighter may be necessary. And three levels of UnChained Rogue gets you Dex to damage (4 levels in Scout gets Sneak Attack on a charge) . Monk's Robes help get you back to speed with your Brawler levels.
Overall, your build isn't bad. But short swords are a hard sell for me, personally.
With the River Rat trait and Pharasma's obedience, daggers have always been preferred, by me, at least. Two damage types and a range increment with some easily added static damage seems to tilt the scales, in my opinion. And you can stack Knife Master and Scout for D8 Sneak Attack dice on a charge with said daggers, but not with short swords.
However, you have a decent single class build, and if you don't want to bother with multiclassing nonsense, then stick with what you got.
Instead of short swords, take kukri and eventually AWT: Focused Weapon.
The vast majority of your damage is going to come from static bonuses, so you might as well take the better crit rate and lower base damage. Once you get Focused Weapon your base damage will be determined by fighter level instead of being 1d4.
*Martial Flexibility can give you any AWT if you dont grab it at lv 10, 4 times a day (up to 4 minutes).
Barroom Brawler can give you any combat feat, including AAT and AWT, once per day. Abundant Tactics adds a number of uses per day equal to your weapon training bonus. Dueling Gloves adds +2 to your Weapon Training. Item Mastery is available via AWT.
Schrodinger's Fighter is real and playable.
Any special reason you're going Short Swords and not Scimitars?
Any special reason you're going Short Swords and not Scimitars?
I assume because Scimitars are 1-handed weapons while Shortswords are light weapons (only -2 to hit with TWF, as opposed to -4 using Scimitars).
The easily added static damage via traits and other insubstantial nonsense to daggers, as well as the additional damage type, not to mention the range increment makes TWF with daggers the obvious choice.
You can go Slayer and pick up Ranger Combat Style Feats (Rapid Shot & Parting Shot!), and Rogue Talents (Fast Getaway!), and use a Decoy Ring/Blinkback Belt.
A Kunai is better than a short sword, in my opinion, and can do everything the dagger can do, but Bludgeoner/Sap Adept/Sap Master can be used with a Slayer... all the traits and archetypes that boost daggers work with the Kunai, as well.
Can a short sword be used as a thrown weapon or a crowbar or a shovel or a climbing piton?
Woah, that's a lot of reply :D
1) We play with fixed stat array, that being 15,14,13,12,10,8 which is a low 15 point buy. There isn't much room for improvement here sadly.
2)Advanced Weapon Training can be taken 1/5 fighter levels
3) in that campaign eastern weapons such as kukris aren't easy accessible. However daggers are a far better choice, now that you pointed to me Pharasma Obedience and River Rat. Add a bit of flavor too, which is nice
4) I could dual one-handed sword, but that would mean picking effortles dual wielding to reduce the penalties, but since i plan to take focused weapon soon or later i don't think it's worth
5) I don't want to multiclass too much, i'm open to a 2-3 level dip if it's really worth.
6) I could consider rerolling to a whole new class (not rogue, i've already got one in another game) like full slayer too.
Thanks everybody for all the imputs, i've got a lot to think of.
6) I could consider rerolling to a whole new class (not rogue, i've already got one in another game) like full slayer too.
Slayer (or Ranger) can ignore the dex requirements of TWF feats, which is very nice. Vigilante via the Shield of Fury talent, Brawling Blademaster Samurai, and the Sanguine Angel Prestige class have similar options.
Brawler and Monk (and Sacred Fist) grant additional attacks without needing to actually use two weapons, which is very beneficial, but a vastly different flavor.Since handwraps, unarmed strikes are also a very interesting option for TWF (only one weapon to enchant), including a feat to pounce, but again different flavor. Gloomblade Fighter can create double weapons at full bonus, but can't apply a large portion of AWT options unless your GM is nice.
Any special reason you're going Short Swords and not Scimitars?I assume because Scimitars are 1-handed weapons while Shortswords are light weapons (only -2 to hit with TWF, as opposed to -4 using Scimitars).
Yeah, but you can get +hit boosting feats/items, especially as a fighter. The crit range is what you're after when going Scimitars.
Yeah, but you can get +hit boosting feats/items, especially as a fighter. The crit range is what you're after when going Scimitars.Any special reason you're going Short Swords and not Scimitars?I assume because Scimitars are 1-handed weapons while Shortswords are light weapons (only -2 to hit with TWF, as opposed to -4 using Scimitars).
If you're going for crits a pair of Kukris will have 1 less damage per hit than a scimitar but will keep you at +2 to hit vs the scimitar. +2 to hit is better than +1 damage.
If you're spending feats increasing your accuracy you're better of going exotic and taking a pair of Waveblades.