Abomination Vaults Fighter Advice Wanted


Advice


Just reached Level 2 in Abomination Vaults. Playing a Human Fighter with Double Slice and Sudden Charge. Trying to decide on a Level 2 feat and a feat path going forward. I've been going back and forth between a spiked whip + shield boss, a kukri + shield boss, and a guisarme.

I can't decide whether to play a 2H reach / control build or a two-weapon build or a free-hand control build.

Rest of party is comprised of a Fey Sorcerer (taking Medic Dedication), a Redeemer Champion, a ranged Magus, and a Construct Inventor.

If I play the 2H reach build, I'm debating between Lunge and Brutish Shove. In some ways they provide equivalent benefits in that both force an enemy without reach to Step twice if they want to attack me and not provoke an AOO. Brutish Shove provides the added utility of repositioning an enemy but only on a hit, and I'm not sure how often this will be useful.

At any rate, I like the control playstyle and enabling my team with damage being secondary.

I value the advice I see given here; so I thought I'd see what ideas / build paths people might suggest.

Thanks!


For a two-weapon build, you'd want to switch up your weapons at level 5. Using weapons from two different weapon groups lowers your attack by that point, which is a bad idea.

As for the general playstyle, I'd say go free-hand and get a Bastard Sword. Shoving enemies away is nice, but ultimately doesn't keep them from just running past you to hit your party members (even if they risk an AoO). I also don't like the stricter size limitation on Brutish Shove. I find grapple or trip much more effective for locking down a foe. Dual-Handed Assault will also deal quite significant damage with a bastard sword. Sometimes the best control maneuver is "make them dead" after all.


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In age of ashes, I switched from a sword and shield build to a reach weapon. Getting a possible extra attack every round on fighter is worth it in my opinion.

Scarab Sages

Since you already have a good-aligned champion in your party, you can concentrate on damage if you want. Our agents of edgewatch group has a fighter into two weapon warrior and he does really well. The two-weapon warrior dedication can get you some good damage potential, especially as you can strike twice before MAP kicks in.. Flensing strike at level 8 is particularly nasty, but only comes online at level 8, so a bit late for Abomination Vaults


Here's an update. Our GM has opened up Free Archetype, and I've decided to go for a close combat brawler/wrestler sort of character. Below is the build out to Level 10. I'd love feedback if you have it.

L1: Snagging Strike & Double Slice (will retrain this to Sudden Charge at Level 6) as Class Feats (Human w/ Natural Ambition)

L2. Combat Grab (Class) + Wrestler Dedication (Free Archetype)

L4. Suplex (Class) + Elbow Breaker (FA)

L6. Martial Artist Dedication (Class) + Tiger or Stumbling Stance (FA)

L8. Strangle (Class) + Whirling Throw (FA)

L9. Dazing Blow (Combat Flexibility) + Monk Dedication (Multitalented)

L10. Agile Grace (Class) + Monk's Flurry (FA)

Relevant skill feats are: Assurance (Athletics), Titan Wrestler, Underwater Marauder (no idea if this will come in handy in AV), Battle Medicine, Assurance (Medicine)

Until I get Martial Artist at 6, I plan to wield a Shield Boss + Spiked Gauntlet to allow for Double Slice and to satisfy the free-hand requirement of some of my feats.

I plan to use a Spellguard Shield once I can afford one. I'd love to put Crushing & Grievous runes on the Handwraps. The Crushing rune is why I'm leaning toward Stumbling Stance over Tiger Stance, but I'm open to other ideas.

Again, your feedback is most welcome!


I realize I'm wasting a feat on Martial Artist Dedication at L6. I could simply take Monk Dedication and leave the L9 Multitalented slot open for something else. Barbarian maybe? Another action to enter Rage on top of an action to enter a Stance seems...eh.


It allows you to take the martial arts/monk stance. I don't think you can take the stance without it.


nicholas storm wrote:
It allows you to take the martial arts/monk stance. I don't think you can take the stance without it.

Yes, but I took Martial Artist AND Monk dedication in the build outline above. I'm not taking anything from MA that I couldn't get from the Monk archetype; so I shouldn't take both.


yeah but you are taking martial artist at level 6 and monk at level 9. Meaning you can't take the feats in between until you hit level 9. And abomination vaults goes from level 1-10, so monk dedication comes late into the AP.


I'm probably not being very clear. I'm suggesting that I should take Monk Dedication at 6 (instead of Martial Artist). Then I'd either take another Dedication at 9 (Barbarian or Rogue maybe) or so something else with my L9 Ancestry seat.


Okay, my fault for misunderstanding.


And I probably would take stumbling stance over tiger. Tiger doesn't allow you to wear armor.


I totally overlooked that! Thanks for pointing it out. Stumbling Stance it is.


Also, Monk Dedication grants a Trained skill (if you're already Trained in both Acrobatics & Athletics) which I can immediately put into Deception (allowing me to take Stumbling Stance without needing to invest in Deception earlier). So Monk is the better way to go all around and frees up my L9 Ancestry feat.

Scarab Sages

Double Slice doesn't work with unarmed attacks because the feat specifies melee weapons. Are you planning on using it with gauntlets until you pick up Monk or Martial Artist?

It's fine to take Monk instead of Martial Artist, but remember that Monk requires DEX 14, whereas normally a fighter only needs DEX 10. If you want to use Deception to Feint, then you may prefer to put those points in CHA instead of DEX.

You're correct that a barbarian dedication isn't good for your build. Rage eats an action and lowers your AC.

Sovereign Court

A fighter can scrape by with Dex 10 and Bulwark, but there are also upsides for going with more Dex:

- With a Dex 12 you can do fine with Splint Mail, which costs 13gp which means you can buy it with starting money.
- At level 5 you can raise Dex to 14 and get into Monk at level 6.
- You'll be better off than Bulwark on non-damaging reflex saves, such as various battlefield control effects and Trip.
- You're not automatically a liability on Dex skills, like when the whole party has to Stealth.
- You can choose between Half Plate and Splint Mail, which have different armor specialization effects. (Piercing or Slashing resistance)
- By level 10 your Reflex save will be as high as with Bulwark, and more consistently. By level 15 it will be better.


Periodically you will need to attack things at range, so having *some* dex (unless you have like a ranged cantrip which requires something else) is valuable.


NECR0G1ANT wrote:

Double Slice doesn't work with unarmed attacks because the feat specifies melee weapons. Are you planning on using it with gauntlets until you pick up Monk or Martial Artist?

It's fine to take Monk instead of Martial Artist, but remember that Monk requires DEX 14, whereas normally a fighter only needs DEX 10. If you want to use Deception to Feint, then you may prefer to put those points in CHA instead of DEX.

You're correct that a barbarian dedication isn't good for your build. Rage eats an action and lowers your AC.

Yes, I'll use Double Slice with a shield and gauntlet for now. I'll up my DEX to 14 at L5, and I'll retrain Double Slice to Sudden Charge at L6 when I get good unarmed strikes from Stumbling Strike!

Don't plan to actually feint so just need the skill point from Monk Dedication to meet the Stumbling Strike prerequisite.


Ascalaphus wrote:

A fighter can scrape by with Dex 10 and Bulwark, but there are also upsides for going with more Dex:

- With a Dex 12 you can do fine with Splint Mail, which costs 13gp which means you can buy it with starting money.
- At level 5 you can raise Dex to 14 and get into Monk at level 6.
- You'll be better off than Bulwark on non-damaging reflex saves, such as various battlefield control effects and Trip.
- You're not automatically a liability on Dex skills, like when the whole party has to Stealth.
- You can choose between Half Plate and Splint Mail, which have different armor specialization effects. (Piercing or Slashing resistance)
- By level 10 your Reflex save will be as high as with Bulwark, and more consistently. By level 15 it will be better.

Agree with you and Possible Cabbage on the value of DEX. I do plan to increase it at 5 and 10.

Thanks to all 3 of you (including Necr0g1ant) for your thoughts.

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