Greetings, I'm currently running a precision ranger since it is my favourite class and as my first time as a player with free archetype i went for fighter dedication, planning to stay there for the entire campaign (which is the Curse of the Crimson Throne 2e conversion).
I use a 2 handed bastard sword as my main weapon and nearing mid levels i began to look around for feat that allows me to do a BIG HIT WITH BIG NUMBERS. I am struggling to choose one that benefits the character and I feel a bit undecided.
Would you suggest to get Power Attack and then Furious Focus or should i go with Dual Handed Assault? What would you choose and why?
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I'd pick Dual-Handed Assault. It's only one action, you can follow it up with Combat Grab for some debuffing and you can get it significantly earlier than Furious Focus.
Of course, the - in my opinion - ideal combination is going Mauler instead of fighter. Pick up Improved Knockdown and Brutal Finish to bring the hurt, then add a bit more by hitting them with Disrupt Prey when they try to get up.
I'd pick Dual-Handed Assault. It's only one action, you can follow it up with Combat Grab for some debuffing and you can get it significantly earlier than Furious Focus.
Of course, the - in my opinion - ideal combination is going Mauler instead of fighter. Pick up Improved Knockdown and Brutal Finish to bring the hurt, then add a bit more by hitting them with Disrupt Prey when they try to get up.
As for the fighter choice i really wanted sudden charge, does wonders for my action economy, expecially early on and i love zooming around to help the rogue and monk of the team. Also for flavour.
As for the combat grab thing are you sure? It is a press and i am a lowly ranger with no fighter attack progression
As for the fighter choice i really wanted sudden charge, does wonders for my action economy, expecially early on and i love zooming around to help the rogue and monk of the team.
Well, there's always retraining if you get enough speed from other sources later.
And there's nothing keeping you from picking up both archetypes, especially in a free archetype game (unless your GM says otherwise, of course). You can just go with something like
2- Fighter Dedication
4- Sudden Charge
6- Opportunist
8- Mauler Dedication
10- Knockdown
12- Improved Knockdown
14- Brutal Finish
Also for flavour.
I can't argue with that, obviously. :)
As for the combat grab thing are you sure? It is a press and i am a lowly ranger with no fighter attack progression
I mean, you're still going to be in situations where you have 2 actions to spend on attacks. If you do a second Strike anyway, why not make it one with a potential upside?
Another wrench to throw into this is that Precision Ranger only adds the bonus precision damage once per round.
And it says 'the first time you hit your hunted prey', but it is debated whether that means the first time you Strike (even if you miss), or the first successful Strike even if it is a later Strike after missing with the first one.
I think Precision Edge benefit is on the first successful Strike no matter if a previous Strike missed or not. Gravity Weapon does something similar - it only adds the bonus damage once per round - but it says that it is on the first Strike of the round rather than the first hit.
But anyway, I am getting into the weeds a bit here. The point is that if you want to maximize one big hit, probably Power Attack would be better since it is added to that first attack that will also have the Precision Edge damage too - as long as you connect. You can always spend an action on Regrip to get the 2-handed damage die size of your bastard sword.