Post/Author/DateTime	Post
obtusehobbit 07-12-06, 11:10 AM	I have been reading about Karmic Strike builds for awhile now. So I decided to post my own version, and here it is. This character uses a 32 point buy Allowed Books: Core, Complete Series (except Psionic), All Eberron books, PHB 2, Races of destiny, Expanded Psionic Handbook, Magic Incarnum, Unearthed Arcana, Spell Compendium Race: Human Stats Str: 14 Dex: 16 Con: 14 Int: 13 Wis: 13 Chr: 8 1) Bard 1: Able Learner, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Combat Reflexes, 2 Flaws 2) Fighter 1: Combat Focus 3) Fighter 2: Weapon Focus (Warmace), Karmic Strike 4) Fighter 3: +1 Dex 5) Fighter 4: Mobility 6) Fighter 5: Spring Attack 7) Fighter 6: Elusive Target 8) Fighter 7: +1 dex 9) Fighter 8: Power Attack, Combat Defense 10) War Chanter 1: 11) War Chanter 2: 12) War Chanter 3: Lingering Song, +1 Dex 13) Fighter 9: 14) Fighter 10: Combat vigor 15) Fighter 11: Improved Combat Expertise 16) Fighter 12: Weapon Specialization (Warmace), +1 Dex 17) Fighter 13: 18) Fighter 14: Melee Weapon Mastery (Bludgeoning), Bounding Assault 19) Fighter 15: 20) Fighter 16: Rapid Blitz, +1 Dex This character is designed to be able to play with the numbers as much as possible. The key features of this character are: 1) Has the ability to take away from AC and add to his to hit 2) Power Attack to up damage 3) Karmic Strike to Counter Attack 4) Can negate two Power Attacks used against him per round 5) Fast Healing 4 6) +4 to will save 7) Can take away from to hit and add to AC 8) Good combat Mobility 9) Good Skill List The weaknesses I see are: 1) No Reach 2) No Combat Control 3) The character runs into problems after about 10 rounds Alright here is a numbers break down (before Items): BAB: 19 ~HP: 131.5 Base Damage: 1d12+7, w/ Power Attack 1d12+45 So, what do you think? Please Let me know if you have any suggestions on how to improve the build. Thanks for the advice.
Leugren 07-12-06, 12:11 PM	I'd probably replace the "Rabid Blitz" feat with "Rapid Blitz". As a Karmic Striker, you don't really want to be foaming at the mouth. People might confuse you for a Frenzied Berserker. ;)
Some Like It Hot 07-13-06, 08:04 AM	Spring Attacking and Karmic Strike don't seem to work well together. I understand that Karmic Strike gives you the ability to fend off other retaliation builds (a thorn in the side of most spring attackers), but if you're looking to maximize AoO with something like Karmic Strike, then you want to be attacked. Spring Attack is good for preventing others from attacking you. If you want to rely on AoO (Karmic Strike) then I'd pick up the Fighter 16 ability Overpowering attack, but that doesn't work with Spring Attack so it's really a matter of where you want to go with the character. Retaliation, especially with Karmic, can be a substandard combat focus without feats/abilities that allow you to really capitalize on those AoO. I've tried making dual focus builds like this (Spring Attacking and retaliation) and they don't typically seem as strong as a more focused build. One thing that I've been considering is using a Dervish and the feat that gives you a +4 on your next attack every time you successfully tumble to avoid an AoO. Since the Dervish Dance provokes AoO as normal, you could basically pick a +4 on each of your attacks for the price of a feat. -SLIH
Bloodlust_the_Bold 07-13-06, 08:34 AM	why not use robilar's gambit from player's handbook 2 instead of karmic strike, It gives you an AOO when your attacked, not when your hit
saru 07-13-06, 09:35 AM	you can't take rapid blitz as a fighter feat. you're missing deft opportunist if you want to use AoO (getting +4 on AoO is nice). If you want to be a spring attack/retaliation fighter, i think you should consider this feats: spring attack tree : dodge mobility spring attack bounding assault rapid blitz retaliation tree: combat reflexes robilar's gambit deft opportunist defensive tree: combat focus elusive target combat defense combat acrobat or combat stability (depends if you want it early or later) close-quarters fighting elusive target+combat defense against 2 power attackers per round, and against flanking combat acrobat or combat stability because you don't want to be tripped while using spring attack close-quarters fighting against grapplers and use reach weapons : weapon focus(glaive or guisarme or ranseur) short haft
obtusehobbit 07-13-06, 10:40 AM	The last Karmic strike build I had was destroyed when my DM started hit me with power attackers every battle. So, I built this version to using Elusive Target and Combat Defense to keep that from happening again. The thing is that Elusive Target Req. is Dodge and Mobility which lead me to spring attack. It seem to work well in testing as I use the mobility provided by Spring Attack to position myself in the best spot for Karmic Strike and Elusive Target, and then if the battle goes long and my HP runs low I use it to escape and stay on the fringes of the battle until the cleric can heal me.
Some Like It Hot 07-13-06, 10:55 AM	If all you're looking for is mobility, just use tumble. It will allow you to move into position and allow you to escape just like spring attack. You'll never get the extra attacks that the spring attack tree allows, but it'll save you a couple of feats for other purposes. -SLIH