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So, my GM is planning on running the Ironfang Invasion, and I want to try a Sword Devil Ranger archetype from the Worldscape comic series.
Importantly, at 3rd Lvl Sword Devils get Weapon Finesse for one light or one-handed Slashing Weapon.
Since a Scimitar is a one-handed slashing weapon, i was contemplating making this a Dervish Dance build. Going through the Menacing combat style to get access to Dazzling Display at 2nd.
Ifrit, Sword Devil (Ranger)
13 st/15 dex/14 con/11 int/12 wis/15 cha
Traits:
(R)Mostly Human*
(R)Fire in the Blood*
Tactician (+1 Init, +2 att AoO/day)
Hot-Headed (+1 DMG when charging)
(C) Unbreakable Survivor
1> Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
2> Dazzling Display [via Menacing combat style]
3> [Weapon Finesse (Scimitar)] Dervish Dance
I was considering going human for a bonus feat, but the Ifrit's +2 Dex/Cha bonus helps this build.
Human stat-wise would be 14/15/14/10/12/14.
Opinions/thoughts/advice for this build welcome. I can post the Sword Devil archetype for those that don't know it.
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This class was based off the iconic heroine, Red Sonja.
Mr. Mona explains class choice.
Sword Devil Ranger Archetype-
Acrobatics replaces Spellcraft, as a class skill.
Death Vow 1st- Swift action, designate one foe. Until foe is slain (or until you rest), add half your SD lvl to weapon att and dmg rolls (min 1) vs that foe. Once per day; additional use per three levels afterwards.
<Replaces Favored Enemy, reminds me of the Challenge ability>
Slashing Fury, 3rd- Charisma instead of Intelligence for Combat Feat prereqs. Also, choose one light or one-handed slashing weapons; gain benefits of Weapon Finesse when using that weapon (and to qualify for feats). May select new weapon every five levels afterwards.
<Replaced Favored Terrain>
Inspiring Example, 4th- Standard action, allies benefit within 30 ft get benefit of half the SD's Death Vow bonus, lasts rounds per cha modifier. Doesn't stack with other Death Vow bonuses
<Replaces Hunter's Bond, reminds me of Freebooter's Bane/Weapon Trainer.>
Untouchable, 4th- Sword Devil gets AC/CMD bonus equal to Charisma modifier, when unarmored or unencumbered. At 6th, gets +1 dodge AC bonus [not the Dodge feat, mind you.], and an additional +1 dodge bonus every three levels afterwards.
<Replaces Spells. *gasp*>
Second Combat Style- At 11th, select a second Combat Style to draw feats from.
<Replaces Quarry>
Seething Fury, 19th- Adds Charisma modifier to Death Vow bonus, and automatically confirms critical hits against designated foes.
<Replaces Improved Quarry>
Avatar of Vengeance, 20th- Standard action, gains: Fly speed 60ft/perfect, +6 AC Morale bonus, Fire Resistance 30- 1 minute intervals, total 10 minutes per day.
<Replaces Master Hunter>
Paizo also released a Fighter Archetype, the Warlord in the same series, that benefits from being unarmored and a decent charisma.
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So, is it because this isn't a widely known archetype that people haven't anything to say about it?
Let's just ignore that for now, and look at an Ifrit using Dervish Dance and an Intimidate build.
I'm undecided between the "burning hands" inherit magic, or the "enlarge/reduce persona" inherit magic.
Burning Hands scales with levels and would be a decent crowd control alternative; whereas the Enlarge/Reduce Person would help when going head to head- especially Reduce Person with Dervish Dance comes on line.
Carry around a standard size scimitar til fourth, get a small-sized Scimitar for "reduced person" shenanigans.
Also, Hot-headed is an Ifrit Racial trait that may fit this build, but so does their Fiery Gaze racial trait- which allows me to Take 10 on any Intimidate check, even in combat.
Being able to take 10 on a Dazzling Display would help compared to +1 to Dmg when charging.
I could tweak his stats to 13/16/14/10/10/16- as this build would benefit from good Dex and Cha, and enough strength to qualify for Power Attack if needed.
Being a ranger gets 6 skill points per level, and i get cha vs int to qualify for combat feats, so i don't need a high int.
I can get Steadfast Personality to get better Will Saves, if i wanted to invest a feat towards that vs Iron Will.
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It looks like you really can't get dervish dance until 5th level. I would start out with a level of swashbuckler or daring champion cavalier to get weapon finesse for free, and then get either slashing grace or dervish dance at 3rd level. Swashbuckler mixes well with this since you can get dex to damage earlier and they are both dex/cha based. I wouldn't worry about having a 13 str for power attack, since you would be better off using piranha strike which does the same thing for light one handed weapons.
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It looks like you really can't get dervish dance until 5th level. I would start out with a level of swashbuckler or daring champion cavalier to get weapon finesse for free, and then get either slashing grace or dervish dance at 3rd level. Swashbuckler mixes well with this since you can get dex to damage earlier and they are both dex/cha based. I wouldn't worry about having a 13 str for power attack, since you would be better off using piranha strike which does the same thing for light one handed weapons.
I get weapon finesse for free- via the Slashing Fury ability. Granted, it's not the actual feat, but it allows me to use the ability as a prereq.
so, i can get Dervish Dance at 3rd.And the Scimitar isn't a light weapon, so i can't qualify for Piranha Strike.
We've played through a bit of Ironfang Invasion, and we did fairly well.
I decided to go with the Efreeti Magic trait- the Enlarge/Reduce Person ability can be useful both before and after Dervish Dance comes on line.
Well, slashing grace makes it count as a light one-handed weapon so you ca use pirahna strike with it, that's why I'd take it over dervish dance. It's what pracitically every swashbuckler build gets.
"light" and "one-handed" are two mutually exclusive things. Slashing Grace lets you treat a weapon as a one-handed piercing weapon, which does nothing for piranha strike.
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Well, slashing grace makes it count as a light one-handed weapon so you ca use pirahna strike with it, that's why I'd take it over dervish dance. It's what pracitically every swashbuckler build gets.
First, Rapiers aren't light weapons either, you'd need Effortless Lace to make it a "light" weapon.
Piranha Strike implicitly says at the start "when wielding a light weapon...""every" swashbuckler build tries for Fencer's Grace, then tries to get Effortless Lace to qualify for Piranha Strike.
second, Slashing Grace doesn't count as weapons as "light", they're treated as piercing.
I was considering either Dervish Dance, or Slashing Grace with a Falcata, though i'd need Exotic Weapon Proficiency to use a Falcata.
And from what the GM said of the AP, we'll be more scavenging for better weapons and gear. The next "Weapon Finesse" i get may be attuned to a battle axe.
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Hmm. I always thought you could use piranha strike with a rapier. I guess you'd have to use a dagger or other light weapon with fencing grace to pull that off without and effortless lace. Oh well, that complicates things. I guess you should be fine going with dervish dance and getting extra death vow. That should make your damage respectable, and it looks like your ranger skills will come in very handy in this AP. I wonder what the rest of your party looks like, since it looks like you have melee covered, but won't be as tanky as a full plate wearer.
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Hmm. I always thought you could use piranha strike with a rapier. I guess you'd have to use a dagger or other light weapon with fencing grace to pull that off without and effortless lace. Oh well, that complicates things. I guess you should be fine going with dervish dance and getting extra death vow. That should make your damage respectable, and it looks like your ranger skills will come in very handy in this AP. I wonder what the rest of your party looks like, since it looks like you have melee covered, but won't be as tanky as a full plate wearer.
I agree that Extra Death Vow, with is a feat in the same comic book, may be something I aim for.
As for the party- it's a unique bunch.
My Ifrit Ranger
a Duergar Forgepriest for armor crafting
a dwarf paladin
and a Suli Sorcerer going Dragon Disciple.
Both Duergar and Suli were approved by the GM, and we are looking for a few more players.
If we come across a Headband of Charisma, it's going to be a staring contest. Paladin would benefit for better saves, the sorcerer better save DC's- though he going Dragon Disciple, and will be dipping into Monk, so his saves will be hurting... and i get a decent unequipped armor bonus and more rounds of "Death Vow bonus".
If the Forgepriest is able to craft me some better armor than my Charisma, then i'll just wear the armor. Leather Lamellar may be my best bet.
The one thing about going Dervish Dance, is i have to have an open hand. I can't go two weapon fighting, so the second Combat style i can choose may be archery or a Diety/Loyal style.
1> Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
2> Dazzling Display [Menacing Combat Style]
3> <Weapon Finesse: Scimitar> Dervish Dance
4> - [+1 Dex]
5> Power Attack/Extra Death Vow/Blind Fight
6> Gory Finish?
7> Cleave/Furious Focus (if power attack), Vital Strike?
8> - [+1 Dex/Cha]
9> [See previous]
10> Improved Critical?
11> [see previous], Second Combat Style
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So, is it because this isn't a widely known archetype that people haven't anything to say about it?
Let's just ignore that for now, and look at an Ifrit using Dervish Dance and an Intimidate build.
I'm undecided between the "burning hands" inherit magic, or the "enlarge/reduce persona" inherit magic.
Burning Hands scales with levels and would be a decent crowd control alternative; whereas the Enlarge/Reduce Person would help when going head to head- especially Reduce Person with Dervish Dance comes on line.
Carry around a standard size scimitar til fourth, get a small-sized Scimitar for "reduced person" shenanigans.Also, Hot-headed is an Ifrit Racial trait that may fit this build, but so does their Fiery Gaze racial trait- which allows me to Take 10 on any Intimidate check, even in combat.
Being able to take 10 on a Dazzling Display would help compared to +1 to Dmg when charging.I could tweak his stats to 13/16/14/10/10/16- as this build would benefit from good Dex and Cha, and enough strength to qualify for Power Attack if needed.
Being a ranger gets 6 skill points per level, and i get cha vs int to qualify for combat feats, so i don't need a high int.
I can get Steadfast Personality to get better Will Saves, if i wanted to invest a feat towards that vs Iron Will.Burning hands has very low damage even if the targets fail thesave. One hit die goblins and kobolds can easily survive a burning hands even if they fail their saves vs a low level caster. As a mostly non-caster when you really need some area effect attacks (swarms), you are much better off with alchemist's fire than burning hands. I am pretty sure that your scimitar would shrink with you with reduce person if you are holding it since held weapons increase in size with enlarge person. That's probably a better option, and I think fiery gaze is also a better choice than hot-headed.
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Yes. That's the route I would take. You can always boost your will saves with feats if you really need too, but it looks like you will already be a bit feat starved. I would definitely go for the archery combat style. I would even argue getting it before menacing. It really sucks when you are a melee person and can't close with the enemies, and you are stuck throwing javelins or firing a bow without any archery feats . It looks like you will be the only pc that even has a chance to be decent at archery.
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As for the party- it's a unique bunch.
My Ifrit Ranger
a Duergar Forgepriest for armor crafting
a dwarf paladin
and a Suli Sorcerer going Dragon Disciple.
Both Duergar and Suli were approved by the GM, and we are looking for a few more players.
Yes. That's the route I would take. You can always boost your will saves with feats if you really need too, but it looks like you will already be a bit feat starved. I would definitely go for the archery combat style. I would even argue getting it before menacing. It really sucks when you are a melee person and can't close with the enemies, and you are stuck throwing javelins or firing a bow without any archery feats . It looks like you will be the only pc that even has a chance to be decent at archery.
Meh... I understand that it would benefit the party to be decent at archery. It's not much of a chain of feats- since i only need Precise Shot and maybe Many Shot, and at later levels Dazzling Display becomes almost useless- especially since i don't get a Second Style until 11ths- and the GM said that this AP may get us to 15th lvl. Since rangers don't need to meet the prereqs, i can still get Gory Finish at 11th, and my usual feat at the same time.
13/16/14/10/10/16
1> Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
2*> Precise Shot [Ranged]
3> <Weapon Focus: Scimitar> Dervish Dance
4> -[+1 Dex]
5> Power Attack/Blind Fight/Extra Death Vow
6*> Many Shot
7> Vital Strike/Furious Focus/Cleave
8> -[+1 Dex]
9> [see previous]
10*> ?
11> [see previous], Gory Finish [Menacing]
12> -[+1 Cha]
Do the first set 13/16/etc. Instead of steadfast, take irrepressible as a trait. It works pretty much the same, but is a trait.
Irrepressible only works against Charm and Compulsion. so I wouldn't call it "the same" as Iron Will.
I'd rather take Grief Filled as it's a +2 vs Emotion spells and effects.But then I'd look either Tactician or Hot-Headed/Fiery Gaze.
Granted neither will protect against a Negative Channel.
Is the crunch that was in this comic ever going to make it to another source? It sounds cool.
And from what the GM said of the AP, we'll be more scavenging for better weapons and gear. The next "Weapon Finesse" i get may be attuned to a battle axe.
Sounds like a good place to play a bladebound kensai or phantom blade.
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Is the crunch that was in this comic ever going to make it to another source? It sounds cool.
I did ask if the archtypes released in the comic series will be legal for PFS, or at least made more accessible, like in a Player Companion, to those who don't read the comics.
There were two other archetypes released in the Worldscape series, a Jungle Lord ranger Archetype and Warlord, a fighter archetype.
we don't know if the last issues of the series will have more.