A Truly Defensive Fighter… [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Truly Defensive Fighter… [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Demonic Tutor
04-27-05, 01:40 AM Hello all,

I am looking for a purely defensive fighter that focuses on Karmic Strike and Dual Strike. I am just wondering if such a build is available, and if so, perhaps I could be directed to the thread. I guess that I am looking for a duelist or monk type of character that can accomplish the following:

First, he goes to attack using spring attack, and then when the opponent comes to attack him, he has a very difficult time doing it (often getting two or more hits in the process).

If anyone has the basic build or feats that are needed, please share the knowledge with me.

Thank you.
Demonic Tutor
04-27-05, 11:24 AM :bump: :schemes:
Kessalin Talira
04-27-05, 04:44 PM What resources are allowed? If you're allowed 3.0 material, Weapon Master from Sword and Fist increases your AoO per round. If you're allowed Dragon and Dungeon, Dungeon 100/Polyhedron whatever has a couple feats in the Knights of the Lich Queen section that allow you to take multiple attacks for a given opportunity. I'm planning to take those feats in the near future in the game I'm playing in.

I would suggest taking Double Hit (Mini's Handbook) rather than Dual Strike, because Dual Strike won't work on Attacks of Opportunity. It takes a standard action to use.

Otherwise, something like this might work...

Human

Swashbuckler: Weapon Finesse (B), Dodge, Mobility
Fighter: Combat Expertise
Fighter: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
Swashbuckler:
Swashbuckler: Insightful Strike
Fighter: Karmic Strike
Fighter: Two-Weapon Fighting
Dervish: Slashing Blades (Scimitar becomes light and finessable)
Dervish: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Dervish: Spring Attack (B)
Dervish: Dance of Death (Cleave while Dervish Dancing)
Dervish: Double Hit
Dervish:
Dervish: Elaborate Parry (+4 AC when fighting defensively or using Total Defense)
Dervish: Deft Opportunist (+4 to hit on AoO)
Dervish:
Dervish: A Thousand Cuts, +5 to hit and damage when dervish dancing, +3 AC.
Fighter: Weapon Specialization (Scimitar)
Fighter: Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Fighter:

By 20th level with 18 Str and Int, through whatever means, you'll get 7 attacks a round at +28/+23/+18/+13 for the primary hand and +28/+23/+18 for the off hand, while Dervish Dancing. Each hit will deal 1d6+15 damage primary, 1d6+13 off-hand. These numbers assume a non-magical weapon.

Then, with your Karmic Strike, you're getting +32 on the attack roll with the same damage, and will have multiple AoO you can take every round. Getting your Dexterity higher just increases that.

Another option would be to go elf, keep Strength, Dex, and Intelligence as high as possible, and change out the TWF feats for Mounted Combat and Proficiency in the Elven Courtblade. Change the focus and specialization to Greatsword in order to stay flexible, because the Courtblade counts as a greatsword as far as Focus, Specialization, and Improved Critical are concerned.

Finally, with the last three levels of Fighter, change them to Champion of Corellon Larethian to add your Dexterity modifier to damage rolls as well, following the same restrictions as Insightful Strike from the Swashbuckler. If you're an elf, changing the last three levels to Champion levels will avoid XP penalties, as well.

If you can manage at least an 18 in each score by 20th level, you're getting four attacks at +30/+25/+20/+15, five AoO at +34 each, and 1d10+21 damage during Dervish Dance. Any magic on the weapon will increase these.

Either route you choose, I would get a keen weapon(s) as soon as possible, because both weapons have an 18-20 threat range.

Also, all the classes used have a d10 hit die, which will help increase your chances of maximizing your Karmic Strike ability. As far as I'm concerned, you either need a lot of hit points, or need to deal a lot of damage, to make the feat really work. This character would have good damage potential, and plenty of hit points.
Prodigalsun
05-16-05, 07:03 AM For a truly defensive fighter I would suggest

human

1.Rng1:Track*,Dodge,Combat expertise
2.Swashbuckler1:Weapon finesse*
3.Rng2:Two weapon fighting*,mobility
4.Fgh1:Two weapon defence*
5.Fgh2:Weapon focus (scimitar)*
6.Dervish1:Improved two weapon fighting
7.Dervish2
8.Dervish3:Spring attack*
9.Dervish4:Improved critical (scimitar)
10.Dervish5
11.Dervish6
12.Dervish7:Greater two weapon fighting
13.Dervish8
14.Dervish9
15.Dervish10:Improved two weapon defence
16.Tempest1
17.Tempest2
18.Tempest3:Greater two weapon defence
19.Tempest4
20.Tempest5

*bonus feats

This way when you fight defensively with 2 scimitar's, you get
10+3(AC from Dervish lvl10)+3(from tempest defence)+6(Greater two weapon defence)+4(elaborate parry)+1(dodge against one oponent)+(the penatly you take on your attack bonus min 1/max5)=27-32+Dex bonus+armor bonus+natural armor bonus (if any)+deflection bonus (if any)

at lvl20 you should have enough gold to spend for a ring of protection+5, amulet of natural armor +5, Bracers of armor+8, Gloves of dex+6, and 2 Tomes of Dex+5, with a starting Dex of 18 at lvl 20 you should have a dex of 38(+14) wich would bring your AC to 59-64 depending on your dodge feat and the penalty your willing to take on your attack rolls!!! :D
Kessalin Talira
05-16-05, 07:16 AM Ability-Enhancing tomes don't stack with each other, they overlap. Reading a Dexterity book for a +5 Inherent bonus is as good as it gets, and reading another one doesn't increase it another 5, or even another 1.
lonewolf
05-16-05, 07:28 AM Im a big fan of Fighter2/Psychic Warrior2 instead of Fighter4.
you gain one Feat, 2 lvl1 powers known +2 Fort save for -1BAB, -1 Ref+will.

If you have reach through expansion with this guy, it gets even better. You get an AoO when he moves to you and another when he hits you, both with Double Hit. :devil:
PhaedrusXY
05-16-05, 01:47 PM Here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=6107604&postcount=4) is a Psywarrior build that might interest you. You could swap the last couple of feats around for whatever you want (including Double Hit, especially if you can use natural attacks for this instead of TWF)

If you swap around the later feats in this one (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=6158716&postcount=14), it could work for you too. And I find it much more interesting.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Demonic Tutor 04-27-05, 01:40 AM	Hello all, I am looking for a purely defensive fighter that focuses on Karmic Strike and Dual Strike. I am just wondering if such a build is available, and if so, perhaps I could be directed to the thread. I guess that I am looking for a duelist or monk type of character that can accomplish the following: First, he goes to attack using spring attack, and then when the opponent comes to attack him, he has a very difficult time doing it (often getting two or more hits in the process). If anyone has the basic build or feats that are needed, please share the knowledge with me. Thank you.
Demonic Tutor 04-27-05, 11:24 AM	:bump: :schemes:
Kessalin Talira 04-27-05, 04:44 PM	What resources are allowed? If you're allowed 3.0 material, Weapon Master from Sword and Fist increases your AoO per round. If you're allowed Dragon and Dungeon, Dungeon 100/Polyhedron whatever has a couple feats in the Knights of the Lich Queen section that allow you to take multiple attacks for a given opportunity. I'm planning to take those feats in the near future in the game I'm playing in. I would suggest taking Double Hit (Mini's Handbook) rather than Dual Strike, because Dual Strike won't work on Attacks of Opportunity. It takes a standard action to use. Otherwise, something like this might work... Human Swashbuckler: Weapon Finesse (B), Dodge, Mobility Fighter: Combat Expertise Fighter: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Scimitar) Swashbuckler: Swashbuckler: Insightful Strike Fighter: Karmic Strike Fighter: Two-Weapon Fighting Dervish: Slashing Blades (Scimitar becomes light and finessable) Dervish: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting Dervish: Spring Attack (B) Dervish: Dance of Death (Cleave while Dervish Dancing) Dervish: Double Hit Dervish: Dervish: Elaborate Parry (+4 AC when fighting defensively or using Total Defense) Dervish: Deft Opportunist (+4 to hit on AoO) Dervish: Dervish: A Thousand Cuts, +5 to hit and damage when dervish dancing, +3 AC. Fighter: Weapon Specialization (Scimitar) Fighter: Greater Two-Weapon Fighting Fighter: By 20th level with 18 Str and Int, through whatever means, you'll get 7 attacks a round at +28/+23/+18/+13 for the primary hand and +28/+23/+18 for the off hand, while Dervish Dancing. Each hit will deal 1d6+15 damage primary, 1d6+13 off-hand. These numbers assume a non-magical weapon. Then, with your Karmic Strike, you're getting +32 on the attack roll with the same damage, and will have multiple AoO you can take every round. Getting your Dexterity higher just increases that. Another option would be to go elf, keep Strength, Dex, and Intelligence as high as possible, and change out the TWF feats for Mounted Combat and Proficiency in the Elven Courtblade. Change the focus and specialization to Greatsword in order to stay flexible, because the Courtblade counts as a greatsword as far as Focus, Specialization, and Improved Critical are concerned. Finally, with the last three levels of Fighter, change them to Champion of Corellon Larethian to add your Dexterity modifier to damage rolls as well, following the same restrictions as Insightful Strike from the Swashbuckler. If you're an elf, changing the last three levels to Champion levels will avoid XP penalties, as well. If you can manage at least an 18 in each score by 20th level, you're getting four attacks at +30/+25/+20/+15, five AoO at +34 each, and 1d10+21 damage during Dervish Dance. Any magic on the weapon will increase these. Either route you choose, I would get a keen weapon(s) as soon as possible, because both weapons have an 18-20 threat range. Also, all the classes used have a d10 hit die, which will help increase your chances of maximizing your Karmic Strike ability. As far as I'm concerned, you either need a lot of hit points, or need to deal a lot of damage, to make the feat really work. This character would have good damage potential, and plenty of hit points.
Prodigalsun 05-16-05, 07:03 AM	For a truly defensive fighter I would suggest human 1.Rng1:Track,Dodge,Combat expertise 2.Swashbuckler1:Weapon finesse 3.Rng2:Two weapon fighting,mobility 4.Fgh1:Two weapon defence 5.Fgh2:Weapon focus (scimitar)* 6.Dervish1:Improved two weapon fighting 7.Dervish2 8.Dervish3:Spring attack* 9.Dervish4:Improved critical (scimitar) 10.Dervish5 11.Dervish6 12.Dervish7:Greater two weapon fighting 13.Dervish8 14.Dervish9 15.Dervish10:Improved two weapon defence 16.Tempest1 17.Tempest2 18.Tempest3:Greater two weapon defence 19.Tempest4 20.Tempest5 *bonus feats This way when you fight defensively with 2 scimitar's, you get 10+3(AC from Dervish lvl10)+3(from tempest defence)+6(Greater two weapon defence)+4(elaborate parry)+1(dodge against one oponent)+(the penatly you take on your attack bonus min 1/max5)=27-32+Dex bonus+armor bonus+natural armor bonus (if any)+deflection bonus (if any) at lvl20 you should have enough gold to spend for a ring of protection+5, amulet of natural armor +5, Bracers of armor+8, Gloves of dex+6, and 2 Tomes of Dex+5, with a starting Dex of 18 at lvl 20 you should have a dex of 38(+14) wich would bring your AC to 59-64 depending on your dodge feat and the penalty your willing to take on your attack rolls!!! :D
Kessalin Talira 05-16-05, 07:16 AM	Ability-Enhancing tomes don't stack with each other, they overlap. Reading a Dexterity book for a +5 Inherent bonus is as good as it gets, and reading another one doesn't increase it another 5, or even another 1.
lonewolf 05-16-05, 07:28 AM	Im a big fan of Fighter2/Psychic Warrior2 instead of Fighter4. you gain one Feat, 2 lvl1 powers known +2 Fort save for -1BAB, -1 Ref+will. If you have reach through expansion with this guy, it gets even better. You get an AoO when he moves to you and another when he hits you, both with Double Hit. :devil:
PhaedrusXY 05-16-05, 01:47 PM	Here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=6107604&postcount=4) is a Psywarrior build that might interest you. You could swap the last couple of feats around for whatever you want (including Double Hit, especially if you can use natural attacks for this instead of TWF) If you swap around the later feats in this one (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=6158716&postcount=14), it could work for you too. And I find it much more interesting.