I managed to get the Nuar boon for society play from a generous GM, and have yet to actually build the character fully.
So, as the title suggests - what suggestions would you all give for a good melee build?
My primary options are either a Blitz soldier or an Exocortex Mechanic - I'm open to further suggestions, and would appreciate some solid arguments for them. While "because it'd be cool!" is acceptable, it's also not a very substantial argument :P
Edit: Also, any buzz around maze cores suddenly becoming acceptable for Organized Play? That was part of my draw to the race to begin with, I'll admit
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Soldiers and Solarians will always make the best melee (at least until Vanguard comes out), so, if you're looking for pure effectiveness, you should go with Soldier if you are looking at either Soldier or Exo-Cortex Mechanic.
That said, you could do both. Soldier to level 3, get the first style specialization bonus (Blitz, sigh), all the weapon specializations, an extra feat, and the Melee Striker gear boost. Then go Exo-Cortex for Overcharge, Overclocking, and Neural Shunt by character level 9.
Overcharge works with Powered melee weapons but the key is that, while it triples the shot cost of guns to the battery, powered weapons are charged for a full minute off of one "use" so all Overcharge does is cost three rounds of the ten for which you've already paid. At least that's how I've seen it generally understood. So that's an extra +1d6 damage any time you don't full attack.
Overclocking gives you +2 Initiative, which, on top of your +4 Initiative from Blitz, means that you are one quick moo moo.
Neural Shunt, well, it's just a really good way to avoid conditions.
And if you go higher than 9th level, you start to get into slapping some really cool drone mods on your body (including speed upgrades that stack with Nuar and Blitz speed bonuses).
Personally, I almost went with this build with my Nuar, but I decided to be a melee Technomancer Steward Officer instead. I use the Junksword spell to Lash Out For Great Justice.
Edit: Also, any buzz around maze cores suddenly becoming acceptable for Organized Play? That was part of my draw to the race to begin with, I'll admit
Unlikely! If it ever happens, I expect it will be in the form of a scenario boon. (1-32 spoiler)
So, as the title suggests - what suggestions would you all give for a good melee build?
Nuars have a malus in Dexterity. If you compensate it, considering the useless +2 in Intelligence when it comes to melee, you will have a subpar melee character.
So, I would give him an 8 in Dexterity, and build around that. He will have no range options on his own, and low AC.I see 2 ways of building around that:
- Drone Mechanic with a range drone. So depending on the situation, you can either full attack with the drone or with your character. I would avoid going melee against very big baddies, and focus on the drone in these circumstances. At high level, you can take a combat drone with a saddle and the flight module, so you charge on your flying drone, which is quite funny.
- Technomancer. Junksword and Overcharge Weapon allow you to be very violent in melee, for hit and run tactics so you avoid to stay in melee with your low AC and hit points. And Technomancer gives you tons of spells for range situations.
Also, the Intelligence bonus is very cool for both Mechanics and Technomancers. And you have a role in shipcombat, despite your low Dexterity.
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I have to say that I have had a blast playing Mu, a melee icon technomancer with one level of Blitz for heavy armor and weapon proficiencies. She's been great fun, even if she's not pure fighter. Mu and her fight club have been an utter delight for me. You can see her level 8 build by clicking my icon.
So, as the title suggests - what suggestions would you all give for a good melee build?Nuars have a malus in Dexterity. If you compensate it, considering the useless +2 in Intelligence when it comes to melee, you will have a subpar melee character.
So, I would give him an 8 in Dexterity, and build around that. He will have no range options on his own, and low AC.I see 2 ways of building around that:
- Drone Mechanic with a range drone. So depending on the situation, you can either full attack with the drone or with your character. I would avoid going melee against very big baddies, and focus on the drone in these circumstances. At high level, you can take a combat drone with a saddle and the flight module, so you charge on your flying drone, which is quite funny.
- Technomancer. Junksword and Overcharge Weapon allow you to be very violent in melee, for hit and run tactics so you avoid to stay in melee with your low AC and hit points. And Technomancer gives you tons of spells for range situations.
Also, the Intelligence bonus is very cool for both Mechanics and Technomancers. And you have a role in shipcombat, despite your low Dexterity.
Starknife+ returning = solid ranged option for any strength based character in those times you cant get to melee.
I am playing a technomancer soldier build and it's quite effective it might have been mildly inspired by MU but as a witchwyrd I have my own ranged option as well. BTW junksword is not required if you do one level of soldier. It lets me buy more fun melee weapons like two handers with reach. But the rest is very solid|
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BTW junksword is not required if you do one level of soldier. It lets me buy more fun melee weapons like two handers with reach.
While you are definitely correct, Junksword does have some great advantages, such as the 1.5xLevel damage bonus in place of specialization, which is very helpful to stay competitive. It is also incredibly flexible in terms of weapon traits. I like using Nonlethal or Disarm and Reach on my Steward Officer.
Also, I don't necessarily think that you have to lean into the Dex penalty. Sinking a couple of points into Dex to counteract the penalty is fine... you'll never be the most dextrous as a Nuar, but it's less important with Heavy Armor and melee or throwing weapons.
Also, I don't necessarily think that you have to lean into the Dex penalty. Sinking a couple of points into Dex to counteract the penalty is fine... you'll never be the most dextrous as a Nuar, but it's less important with Heavy Armor and melee or throwing weapons.
If you put a few points into Dexterity, you basically play a bad race/build combination (you'll have a better build by playing a Human, which is the most polyvalent and basic race). It doesn't mean it's bad (I have some characters who are in this case). But it's something important to take into account.
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BTW junksword is not required if you do one level of soldier. It lets me buy more fun melee weapons like two handers with reach.While you are definitely correct, Junksword does have some great advantages, such as the 1.5xLevel damage bonus in place of specialization, which is very helpful to stay competitive. It is also incredibly flexible in terms of weapon traits. I like using Nonlethal or Disarm and Reach on my Steward Officer.
Also, I don't necessarily think that you have to lean into the Dex penalty. Sinking a couple of points into Dex to counteract the penalty is fine... you'll never be the most dextrous as a Nuar, but it's less important with Heavy Armor and melee or throwing weapons.
The 1.5 is true and something I didnt look at with the proper depth when doing my melee technomancer build. I instead did 3 levels of soldier with a melee focus gear boost. I personally decided that I didnt need high level technomancer In society play but if I had looked at junk sword closer I might have considered it harder.
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Also, I don't necessarily think that you have to lean into the Dex penalty. Sinking a couple of points into Dex to counteract the penalty is fine... you'll never be the most dextrous as a Nuar, but it's less important with Heavy Armor and melee or throwing weapons.If you put a few points into Dexterity, you basically play a bad race/build combination (you'll have a better build by playing a Human, which is the most polyvalent and basic race). It doesn't mean it's bad (I have some characters who are in this case). But it's something important to take into account.
Yes, well, humans are damn boring. I play a human in real life.
Also humans don't get +10 speed, +2 Piloting/Survival, darkvision, or the ability to charge without penalty. Nuar also have great flavor with their love of technology bordering on religion.
It is possible to play a race for something other than the stat spread. Dexterity is by far the most powerful stat; I don't think there's anything wrong with paying off the Dex tax a little to get to the other goodness.
Also, I don't necessarily think that you have to lean into the Dex penalty. Sinking a couple of points into Dex to counteract the penalty is fine... you'll never be the most dextrous as a Nuar, but it's less important with Heavy Armor and melee or throwing weapons.If you put a few points into Dexterity, you basically play a bad race/build combination (you'll have a better build by playing a Human, which is the most polyvalent and basic race). It doesn't mean it's bad (I have some characters who are in this case). But it's something important to take into account.Yes, well, humans are damn boring. I play a human in real life.
Also humans don't get +10 speed, +2 Piloting/Survival, darkvision, or the ability to charge without penalty. Nuar also have great flavor with their love of technology bordering on religion.
It is possible to play a race for something other than the stat spread. Dexterity is by far the most powerful stat; I don't think there's anything wrong with paying off the Dex tax a little to get to the other goodness.
I use one of my personal upgrades to help with dex helps with the I dont want to be a human problem. Now all of my humans are cyborgs
As a long-delayed update, I finally settled on the Mechanic idea, and just hit level 3 - which means I'm now deliberating on my second Feat (the first one was Advanced Melee Weapons Prof), and would appreciate advice with THAT now.
I was leaning towards Improved Unarmed Strike for the horns, but now that I'm realizing I took Advanced Melee, I may be rethinking that. That said, I could use a Mk 1 Mnemonic Editor to swap Advanced Melee Weapons out for it, but that'd still leave me with a Feat to pick yet.
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Well, if you're planning on using those Advanced Melee Weapons, there aren't many things that you'll probably get more mileage out of than versatile specialization.