making a character for a friend looking for critic and advice.

[zza ni]

so a friend of mine asked my help to make a 12 level character for a game she would be in. asked for someone who can hit hard, take out enemies and survive tough encounters.
i got the general build done with her consent so far.
i would like to have other's opinion on it and advice on the things not looked at yet (will be mentioned) as well as gear she should get.

she's allowed any 1st party material, start at level 12, with 108,000 gp and starting states array of : 18,16,14,14,12,10.
so far we have the following build :

name : Ya-Bai

race: Half Elf (didn't pick any alt race abilities yet, will be using the racial skill focus so can't trade that).

class : rogue 2(unchained. didn't look into archetypes yet)\ slayer 10 (Ankou's Shadow archetype).

atributes : str 18 (+2 race +2 level 4,8). dex 16, rest as well as level 12 point not set up yet.

traits not picked yet will probably take one as the Elven racial trait for +2 initiative.

feats and talents:

level 1 rogue 1: half elf given skill focus - skill focus(slight of hands). racial heritage(ogre) feat.
level 2 rogue 2 : rogue talent - fast getaway.
level 3 slayer 1 : Deft Catcher feat. (for fast getaway. can pull out arrow as free action drop it as free action and activate deft catcher as immediate. allow move action withdrawal for lightning stance at level 8).
level 4 slayer 2 : slayer talent >rogue talent>combat trick> exotic weapon proficiency (butchering axe)
level 5 slayer 3 : Savage Critical feat.
level 6 slayer 4 : slayer talent>rogue talent>weapon training> weapon focus(butchering axe).
level 7 slayer 5 : Vital Strike feat.
level 8 slayer 6 : slayer talent>Ranger Combat Style(elemental)>lightning stance.
level 9 slayer 7: Vestigial Head feat (1st time).
level 10 slayer 8: not picked yet maybe Stony Step from the ranger elemental combat style feat group ? . he would be true neutral so she can pick 'Faithful (Sarenrae)' as combat style instead of 'elemental' which would switch the Lightning stance and whirlwind attack gained level and allow for improved initiative feat at this level.
level 11 slayer 9 : Vestigial Head feat (2nd time).
level 12 slayer 10 :slayer talent>Ranger Combat Style(elemental)>Whirlwind Attack.

so far this give evasion, 50% miss chance from lightning stance. 50% no effect (beside sickness) from any hostile will save and 3 lasting and reappearing mirror image. that can be used to flank,aid another and attack with (planing on hiding and sending them to attack. maybe even whirlwind). but in a normal round would activate lightning stance via getaway as move+immediate action then can use standard to vital strike+Savage Critical to hit with sneak attack added. or start with vital strike and then getaway as move because of sneak attack.
the fact even when withdrawing he can use his movement as he see fit so he can move only his shadows is a bonus for tactical positioning.

his gear would include a magical belt to increase str (maybe dex too, need tofigure how much to spend) & magical butchering axe with impact on it. not sure what enhancement (+3 or more) anything else is still open yet.

a savage critical hit from him would do 4d6+4d6(vital strike)+4d6(sneak) + str etc.

what do you think on this so far? any advice on magical equipment would be welcomed as well.

[PCScipio]

I would recommend things to boost saving throws in general and Will saves in particular. I would suggest at least a +4 Cloak of Resistance, and possibly Iron Will.

[zza ni]

cant fit iron will in build so far. but Vestigial Head feats give 50% to ignore effects against his will.
not counting normal half elf's Elven Immunities: Half-elves are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.

[zza ni]

just found the BEST item for this guy.
decoy ring.

since he can pull off a withdrawal every round while attacking (or hiding and attacking with his shadow clones). this will add invisibility to him and 4 more clones (each round 4 more that disappear after 3 round.)

unchallenged for 3 rounds would mean anyone with see invisibility and high perception will be seeing 16 of him running about not knowing which is the real (and 3 of the copies CAN actually attack, so anyone with true sight who ignore them will get a nasty surprise).

[Wonderstell]

Got here from the other thread, with a few pointers.

Quote:

level 3 slayer 1 : Deft Catcher feat. (for fast getaway. can pull out arrow as free action drop it as free action and activate deft catcher as immediate. allow move action withdrawal for lightning stance at level 8).

Clever, real clever.

*

Quote:

level 4 slayer 2 : slayer talent >rogue talent>combat trick> exotic weapon proficiency (butchering axe)

You could just buy proficiency for 1,500 gp and implant the ioun stone, if you want to save a talent/combat feat. Also remember that you have access to the Blood of Shadows rogue talents, so Emboldening Strike could be worth it for +2 to all saves.

*

Quote:

level 8 slayer 6 : slayer talent>Ranger Combat Style(elemental)>lightning stance.

You'd actually need to take the Slayer Talent once before "unlocking" the 6th level combat style feats, even if you are Slayer 6.

Not a big setback, as you've not decided on your Slayer 8 talent.

[zza ni]

Wonderstell wrote:

Got here from the other thread, with a few pointers.

...

Quote:

Quote:

level 8 slayer 6 : slayer talent>Ranger Combat Style(elemental)>lightning stance.

You'd actually need to take the Slayer Talent once before "unlocking" the 6th level combat style feats, even if you are Slayer 6.

Not a big setback, as you've not decided on your Slayer 8 talent.

yea she actually went with Sarenrae's combat style for improved initiative as the 1st style feat. so all good.

she has a +11 total initiative after the elf trait for +2

[Meirril]

zza ni wrote:

just found the BEST item for this guy.

decoy ring.

since he can pull off a withdrawal every round while attacking (or hiding and attacking with his shadow clones). this will add invisibility to him and 4 more clones (each round 4 more that disappear after 3 round.)

unchallenged for 3 rounds would mean anyone with see invisibility and high perception will be seeing 16 of him running about not knowing which is the real (and 3 of the copies CAN actually attack, so anyone with true sight who ignore them will get a nasty surprise).

That shouldn't work quite as well as you are thinking. Lets look at action economy here.

First thing, you are using a two handed weapon. Don't muck around with drawing an arrow to drop it to get a trivial skill check just so you can drop the arrow again so you can use two hands on the axe. You'll leave arrows everywhere. Just drop the axe. You should catch it on a natural 1 anyways. Skill checks don't have an automatic failure.

Round 1: Drop axe, withdraw -become invisible and create clones. Some clones lost to AoO if they are trying to give flanking. Player moves into position and vital strikes breaking invisibility. Also, player gives away which being is doing the actual attacks. Also at no point has this player done a hide action, so despite being invisible their opponent doesn't have to make a perception check to find them. Pathfinder invisibility is weird.

or

Round 1: Drop axe, withdraw to become invisible and create clones. Move clones around and end turn to retain invisibility. Maybe use a move action to hide.

Round 2: If next to an opponent (unlikely, if opponent doesn't know player is there, won't they move?) then standard to vital strike/sneak attack. Then drop axe, withdraw to get more clones/invisibility (but not hidden, again so opponents know what square you withdraw to and your 50% concealment doesn't improve).

If not next to an opponent, drop axe to withdraw, clones and invis, then break invis when you vital strike.

[zza ni]

the point is the shadows attacking while the character hides.

"At 10th level, an ankou’s shadow gains a third shadow double. He can divide his actions between his actual body and his shadow doubles, using them as the origin point for attacks or abilities. For example, an ankou’s shadow making three attacks as a part of a full attack could make his primary attack from his own body and his other two attacks from two of his shadow doubles."

he drops weapon.get invisibility and decoy clones. withdraw (i think best would be 5 ft for him rest for shadows. got boots of striding for extra speed). in his movement he hide (he's invisible so +20 beside his own stealth) sending one anku clone next to target (clone is also invisible after all). keeping rest with him (as long as they are with him they don't waste move they act like mirror image. it's when he separate them that he need to allocate movement for them).
end of movement lightning stance trigger.if clone is close enough it savage critical the target for vital strike and sneak (even if target see him savage critical give sneak with vital strike).
next turn if clone is still there (it has the benefit of his lightning stance so it got a good chance to still be up) he can start with savage critical which would trigger the fast getaway from the sneak. or redo the deft catcher.
ether way, can redo while making new decoy clones for withdrawing again.

probably attacking with clone will also break both stealth and invisibility. but that mean the target see from 8-16 possible targets some of which did probably damage it. (they need what? knowledge local to figure out the anku's abilities to know where to look for the real one?)

hack a smart move would be to send one of the decoy to 'help' flank the target with ALL the anku (one move the rest as it's mirror image.) while the actual slayer act as one of the decoys...

[Meirril]

Comments on build: It succeeds on being high survivability. It does deliver one hard blow per round. And...it doesn't take out creatures. All in all I'd actually call this an under performer.

Compare this with a pounce based barbarian using a scimitar, off hand claw and bite attack. That is 1 primary attack, 3 attacks at -5, and 1 more at -10. While each attack is only 1d4-1d8 you get full bonus damage on all of them except the bite, which only gets half strength. But the adds are where all the damage is going to come from. Power attack adds +8 to the 3 weapon attacks, +4 to both of the natural attacks. Strength is going to be about +8 damage. UnBarb adds another +2 damage per attack for rage.

The pounce barb should be able to hit with the primary plus 3 of the other attacks each round. That is 1d6+18 x2, 1d4+10 and 1d8+14. That doesn't even take into account the high crit range on the scimitar and this should be a crit fishing build. Also gear could add a gore attack to this routine for another 1d8 attack. This attack routine as is compares to a 25d6 attack (at 3.5 per d6, averaging the d4 + d8 to be equivalent to 2d6).

To shore up vs mental attacks go for Mind Buttressing armor. Also the standard cloak of resistance. And because the barb is already using natural attacks a helmet of the mammoth lord because its cheap.

[zza ni]

oh i know it's sub per on damage. she didn't want a high damager but a high survivor. gm is notorious for tpks.
hack i made her brother an unchained monk for same game. jabbing style, with haste he get 10 attacks and if all hit can net maximum of 584 damage, crit\buffs not counted. (with jabbing dancer and flying kick to make sure he can move around as many opponent as possible)
i did manage to get him 43 ac and +11 initiative.

her character on the other hand can most likely escape almost anything that comes after him.

[Meirril]

zza ni wrote:

probably attacking with clone will also break both stealth and invisibility. but that mean the target see from 8-16 possible targets some of which did probably damage it. (they need what? knowledge local to figure out the anku's abilities to know where to look for the real one?)

They will know which one performs any attacks. Also keep in mind that the Ankou's shadows take a full round action to create each one.

The archetype specifies that the shadows "The AC of a shadow double is equal to the ankou’s shadow’s touch AC, and it has the same CMD and saving throw bonuses as the ankou’s shadow. Shadow doubles possess evasion if the ankou’s shadow does. Mind-affecting effects targeting a shadow double affect the ankou’s shadow instead, though he isn’t affected twice by effects that target both him and a shadow double."

That is all the shadows get for defense when acting alone. The shadow isn't going to get special abilities that the player has. Only what it says they do. And when they are acting as a mirror image the shadows don't get a 50% miss chance. That isn't how mirror image works.

[zza ni]

they are mirror image except when stated otherwise.(even out of his space they still mimic his look and behavior etc)
the only abilities stated that they do not have are aid another\flanking related ones.

' Shadow doubles provide flanking for the ankou’s shadow and his allies, but they do not possess teamwork feats or special abilities that alter the effects of flanking or aiding another'

they are still mirror images, they just don't grant the slayer the mirror image protection.
if i have lightning stance or invisibility so does my mirror image.

for example. say i have combat reflexes. i can resolve my attacks vie my shadows. and they flank that mean they threat. that mean i can also make aoo from my shadows. using my combat reflexes to have more then one aoo even if the one provoked is a shadow.
or cleave with the shadow. if he lacks my abilities that would be impossible.

[Scott Wilhelm]

If you make the character a Half Orc with the Shaman's Apprentice Feat (Endurance), you can take Diehard, Combat Expertise, then Stalwart. Your Combat Expertise will give you DR/-