Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Yavathol 06-01-06, 05:23 AM	Well, there's been a few threads recently which have optimised the use of Robilar's Gambit and Karmic Strike...unfortunately I can't find them off-hand :) Never mind. I was looking through the book of vile darkness last night and came across this weapon property, which doesn't require an evil alignment:- Souldrinking - every time the weapon deals damage it also does 1 negative level, no save. On a critical, it does 2 negative levels AND gives 1d8 temporary hit points to the wielder AND gives +2 enhancement to Strength. Wow! Given that the ethos of the Attack of Opportunity specialist is "you hit me, I hit you back harder", I think this would really kick ass, especially if you combined it with a Scimitar or Falchion and Imp. Crit. I'm not sure if my GM would readily let a fighter of mine obtain a Souldrinking Falchion though, so I've put together a build using Kensai:- Human, lawful, Prioritised attributes: Dex (min 13), Str, Con, Int (min 13), Wis, Cha Human Paragon 1: Adaptive Learning(concentration), Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes HuP 2: Wpn. Focus(Falchion). Meets Kensai skill req's HuP 3: Dex+2, Deft Opportunist Fighter 1: Karmic Strike (use Expertise and Deft Opp. to offset AC penalty) F2: Power Attack (or convert Deft Opp. to damage if enemy isn't likely to hit you) F3: Power Crit.(Falchion) Kensai 1: Signature Wpn Kensai 2: Power Surge Kensai 3: Imp. Crit(Falchion) Kensai 4: Kensai 5: Souldrinking Falchion! Character level 11 Kensai 6: Robilar's Gambit? I don't have CWar to hand, am I right in thinking you still need to make it a +1 Souldrinking Falcion (hence the 5 Kensai levels), you can't do it at Kensai 4? Could you take Signature Weapon with a falchion that is already +1? I think after completing Kensai you might as well pick up Fighter 4 and Wpn. Spec. Any suggestions for other weapon properties - obviously Axiomatic and Vorpal :D Are there any monsters/spells (apart from undead) that would be unaffected by negative levels? Death ward wouldn't work, would it? Y.
X-Codes 06-01-06, 08:59 AM	Death Ward > Negative Levels. Also, you have an odd number of Fighter levels for far too long, as well as two wasted caster levels from Human Paragon. If you want to optimize this, dig up the 3.5e Psychic Weapon Master from Mind's Eye. If you take Combat Reflexes before a certain point in that class, you get to add your Wisdom modifier to the number of AoO's you can make a round (which also happens to be the primary casting stat of the Psychic Warrior). You even get an ability similar (if not the same as) the Kensai's signature weapon, as well as a lot of other abilities that make this a better option. Monk 2/PsyWar 8/PsyWeapon Master 10 With this build, you can even throw Ki Focus on your weapon and make Stunning Fist attempts through it.
Yavathol 06-01-06, 09:58 AM	Death Ward > Negative Levels. Also, you have an odd number of Fighter levels for far too long, as well as two wasted caster levels from Human Paragon. Thanks for the Psychic Weapon Master idea, that's quite neat :) I don't think the 2 extra Human Paragon levels are wasted, even if you aren't a caster, +2 Attribute boost is arguably better than a Fighter feat. Yes, the odd Fighter level is probably sub-optimal, it depends how rapidly you want to start hacking heads off with every AoO ;) A level of Templar (Mettle) would take advantage of your high Fort and Will Saves.
Prominence 06-01-06, 10:09 AM	Doesn't OA samurai get a feat at 1 and bab+1? It could replace your fighter1 Other options are psychic warrior 1 and feat rogue 1 (UA) but with the loss of 1 bab. Human paragon is awesome for any melee I think. It gives you additional skill points and access to a skill (tumble or UMD usually) that many could very badly use - such as the fighter.
EldonG 06-01-06, 11:05 AM	Thanks for the Psychic Weapon Master idea, that's quite neat :) I don't think the 2 extra Human Paragon levels are wasted, even if you aren't a caster, +2 Attribute boost is arguably better than a Fighter feat. Yes, the odd Fighter level is probably sub-optimal, it depends how rapidly you want to start hacking heads off with every AoO ;) A level of Templar (Mettle) would take advantage of your high Fort and Will Saves. I'd try working in a level of Cleric before the HuP levels. Buffing yourself is worth it....and healing, too. Wands. Think wands.
lears_fool 06-01-06, 11:26 AM	I'd definitely go with PsiWar or even better Ardent as a base for an AoO/souldrinker build. Not only do they move into psychic weapon master well but they also have Expansion, which is a cheap way to get lots of reach. By EML nine you can have gone up by two size categories for 10 minutes per level in either class. If I had to pick. . Fig 1/Ardent 5/Psychic Weapon Master 10/ as a starting point. I like that way better than the psiwar lead-in because even if you're not human you're going to get all your feats (if you take the conflict mantle) and you end up manifesting far better than a PsyWar (10 manifester levels and if you take practiced manifester you have the option of picking higher level powers). There are quite a few that help the AOO master concept Another approach would be to use the duskblade with a reach weapon (chain, duom, whatever) to lead into Kensai. Why the duskblade? At level 13 you can cast Dimension Hop through your weapon as a full attack and have it last until the next round, allowing it to also hit on AoOs. Which quite literally means you could be bouncing your enemies away from you and. .when they reapproach, drain them and bounce them back again. Whee
Yavathol 06-01-06, 11:39 AM	Trouble with Cleric and Favoured Soul is the +0BAB. I had to suck it up with Human Paragon, but the idea was to get Kensai as soon as possible (Paladin wouldn't supply the number of feats required). However, my current favourest class :D comes to the rescue: Duskblade 1 at second level will allow +1 BAB and a few spells which can be boosted with the two further Human Paragon levels. Might have to buy BattleCaster though and be stuck wearing medium armour though, hmm. You are right about the wands though..take Adaptive Learning(UMD) instead of Concentration and gain some flexibility for when you are fighting undead. Wand of Dispel Magic for those enemies pre-warned with Death Ward up, Wand of Righteous Might for the AoOs.(level 5 normally, but you might find a mage with Arcane Disciple(Strength) or Couatl Servant 10 who has taken Arcane Thesis:Righeous Might.. :rolleyes: ) Ok, that last is just a whole 'nother build :D
EldonG 06-01-06, 12:32 PM	Sounds pretty sweet. Glad to help. :)
josephbt 06-01-06, 12:37 PM	take a level of duskblade and lose nothing. still have the bab, also get three levels of spellcasting(via HuP), pretty sweet if you ask me.
djinni 06-01-06, 12:48 PM	martial monk (2) Fighter (2) Warrior (2) Psychic warrior (2) Ardent (3) Psychic weapon master (9) that'll get you all the feats you need.
dagger 06-01-06, 01:41 PM	Yea martial monk is nice, multiclass freely with fighter and monk bonus feats are replaced with fighter bonus feat choice. Human martial monk (2) Fighter (2) Thats 4 fighter bonus feats and 2 normal feats, and 1 human feat. BAB is 3.
Caelic 06-01-06, 02:42 PM	martial monk (2) Fighter (2) Warrior (2) Psychic warrior (2) Ardent (3) Psychic weapon master (9) that'll get you all the feats you need. Last I checked, the Warrior doesn't get bonus feats. I suppose you could be referring to the Generic Warrior, but that's explicitly not meant to be combined with normal base classes.