Post/Author/DateTime	Post
YamiShinobi 12-25-07, 10:34 PM	i am looking fro builds that optimize the damage an orc fighter can deal, without reducing AC. his starting weapons are a claymore, (greatsword) a shortsword and a shortbow, his armor is of course scale mail, he will start out level 1, need recommended feats and equipment for the ultimate damage dealer. maybe other classes to multiclass. what are good feat and equipment selections for a greatsword wielding orc fighter. basically most damage in the least time. if alignment matters, he is chaotic neutral, a wandering sword for hire, a vagabond, who enjoys indulging in gluttony and alchohol, (especially beef and the hardest possible liquors, such as ale, beer and whiskey) he also enjoys younger women. (adolescents especially) and i am also going to build a 16 year old female nekogami rogue seperated from her younger sibling. the rogue is going to be nimble and agile as well as intellegent and graceful, but have rapid mood swings. the orc is in his early 20's (23 to be exact) upon 6th level or so, the rogue is going to take her 13 year old sister as a cohort ( develop as multiclass rogue/sorcerer/arcane trickster or rogue/wizard arcane trickster that does not need a spellbook and has all her spells memorized, casting spontaneusly, like a mage should.) need idea's for all 3, the rogue sisters are the cat god's daughters (i'll playtest them as nekogami, throw in the human bonus feat)
tenguroEd 12-25-07, 10:54 PM	power attack feat tree. and also weapon focus tree and take weapon Supremacy from PHB 2.
runestar 12-25-07, 11:14 PM	Your favoured class is barb, so no dipping into warblade as it will likely result in an xp penalty in the long run. Maybe take a few martial maneuver feats early on? Also, must it be a pure-classed fighter? You get a lot of mileage early on from dipping in barb. Something like... 1) Barb1: extra rage 2) Fighter1: maneuver - steel wind? 3) Fighter2: power attack, cleave (weak later on, but still useful early on) 4) Barb2: for uncanny dodge 5) Fighter3: 6) Fighter4: weapon focus/spec 7) Fighter5: 8) Fighter6: melee weapon mastery Combat is straightforward. Have enlarge person cast on you prior to combat. With starting str18 and rage (free action), you have good damage, steel wind and cleave let you excel vs hordes of weak foes, and makes your sole attack more meaningful at lower lvs.
YamiShinobi 12-25-07, 11:49 PM	Your favoured class is barb, so no dipping into warblade as it will likely result in an xp penalty in the long run. Maybe take a few martial maneuver feats early on? Also, must it be a pure-classed fighter? You get a lot of mileage early on from dipping in barb. Something like... 1) Barb1: extra rage 2) Fighter1: maneuver - steel wind? 3) Fighter2: power attack, cleave (weak later on, but still useful early on) 4) Barb2: for uncanny dodge 5) Fighter3: 6) Fighter4: weapon focus/spec 7) Fighter5: 8) Fighter6: melee weapon mastery Combat is straightforward. Have enlarge person cast on you prior to combat. With starting str18 and rage (free action), you have good damage, steel wind and cleave let you excel vs hordes of weak foes, and makes your sole attack more meaningful at lower lvs. oh yeah, 18 before mods, 22 after, (22 str, rage would make it 26 that is awesome, which totem should i take for barbarian, +12 with greatword damage, large category adds 8, for another +4, +16 with the 2d6 of a greatsword average 23 a hit average 483 every 20 swings, the rogue sorcerer/cohort should take enlarge as one of her buffs. this is already getting good. enlarged orc flanking with the help of a rogue, while the rogues younger sibling buffs the orc and follows through with lightning bolts)
LoneFlame 12-26-07, 12:37 AM	The Dungeon Crasher variant(Dungeonscape) + Combat Brute(Complete Warrior) + Power Attack + Improved Bullrush + Shocktrooper(Complete Warrior) = fun-filled ground superiority & a lot of stuff breaking. The Overpowering Attack(PHB 2) variant makes for some added fun(it's like Ruby Nightmare Blade, but repeatable & no skill roles) & synergizes well with Rage, Power Attack & even the Weapon Focus Tree. A 1 lv dip into Orc Paragon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm#orcParagon) wouldn't hurt, but isn't needed.
Belkar 12-26-07, 02:24 PM	You can't have "max damage" and "max AC". Different builds in every respect. Different character archetypes. Different roles. Max Damage for a straight smasher would involve levels in barbarian to increase your Str to amazing levels, then taking power attack. You use your racial Str bonus to get to an 18 in Str, then fight two-handed, raging, and full power attacking. At level 1, you'll deal 2d6 + 11. 2d6 (greatsword)+9 (Str when raging x 1.5 for two-handed weapon)+2 (-1 BAB with power attack giving a +2 to damage, with two-handed weapon). That's averaging 17 points of damage. Per swing. AT LEVEL ONE. Move into the Power Attack tree and pick up cleave, and eventually Leap Attack, and you will split skulls better than anyone in terms of raw damage. However... to max out your AC, this build will do anything but. You can wear heavy armor, sure... but not a shield (two-handed weapon), and raging decreases your AC by virtue of the rage itself. Even if you wear full plate, with your max dex - you're looking at an AC of 17 when raging. 10+8(full plate)+1(Dex)-2(Rage). But you're wearing scale mail...? Even if you manage to get a 16 Dex (highly unlikely with your high Str score), you're looking at an AC of 15 when raging. 10+5(scale mail)+3(Dex)-2(Rage). A maxed AC build would involve a one-handed fighter in full plate with a tower shield and combat expertise and dodge. Better yet is a heavy shield with the shield feats from PHB2, in the long run. But at first level, with only scale mail, a 16 Dex, a tower shield, dodge, and combat expertise, you'd get an AC of 24. 10+5(scale mail)+3(Dex)+4(Tower Shield)+1(dodge)+1(combat expertise). So....? What is most important for you? You can't have 'em both. High AC sacrifices damage dealt and ability to hit. High damage sacrifices AC. You want to "max out" your damage without sacrifing your AC? You'll be a mediocre fighter. Mediocre damage, and mediocre AC. Basically. You'd sword and board it... probably with a longsword, or exotic weapon proficiency to wield a bastard sword one-handed and get that d10. But you're not getting the 1.5x Str bonus a two hander will give you. If you're dead set on the greatsword, then get your dex up to 16, just to keep your AC as high as you can without a shield. Pick up power attack to maximize damage, but still not loose AC. Try not to charge.
LoneFlame 12-26-07, 03:40 PM	Tower Shield has a Max Dex(it's the only shield that I know of that does). So, ultimately, Heavy Shields would be better...
Belkar 12-26-07, 04:20 PM	Tower Shield has a Max Dex(it's the only shield that I know of that does). So, ultimately, Heavy Shields would be better... I agree - in the long run - most definitely. Maybe not for a 1st level build... but definitely after a bit. Escpecially when you start piling on the shild feats...