AoO Build [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

AoO Build [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GreyStar
04-19-07, 01:08 PM I'm trying to build an agile fighter build that focuses on making attacks of opportunity. I want to use Improved Combat Expertise, Greater Combat Reflexes, Robilar's Gambit, Defensive Oppurtunist (from Dragon mag) and a spiked chain. The general tactic is to dump my BAB into ImpCE to get a +20 Dodge (and greatly off-setting the effect of Robilar's Gambit). Anyone, approaching or attacking gets attacked 3x (thanks to GrCR) at full BAB (thanks to DefOpp: no penalty to hit with AoO when fighting defensively). I also want to use Deadly Defense from Scoundrel to get a +1d6 on attack rolls when fighting defensively.

I realize this tactic depends upon having an astronomical Dex modifier, which I'm already planning on (Rolled Dex is 16, where all my bonus points are going).

I have three questions: what would be any general downfalls to this tactic besides running out of AoO? What are some other feats that would further enhance this strategy? The feats mentioned above already use 10 (including Weapon Finesse) of the human fighter's feats. And the most important...

What's the best way to keep the Dodge bonus. With CR, I can still make my AoOs, but if I fail a opposed feint check my AC drops tremendously (not to mention the foes' +4 circumstance to hit me from Robilar's Gambit). Should I multiclass some Barbarian for Uncanny dodge or dump skill points into Sense Motive? Maybe both?
Tempest Stormwind
04-19-07, 01:21 PM You might find the following threads interesting.

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=646185
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=694016
http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10201398&postcount=146
http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10977016#post10977016

That should give you a few ideas how to expand upon this. I don't have a specific answer to your specific question, but that might give you some new build ideas to expand on.
Mystyc
04-19-07, 01:40 PM (thanks to DefOpp: no penalty to hit with AoO when fighting defensively)
Where's the cite for this? Not that I don't believe it, but I just want to see it. And if it applies when using Combat Expertise, does it apply when, say, Power Attacking?
GreyStar
04-19-07, 02:05 PM Where's the cite for this? Not that I don't believe it, but I just want to see it. And if it applies when using Combat Expertise, does it apply when, say, Power Attacking?

I came across the feat when reading the Feat Archive at Crystal Keep. The feat itself is on page 35. The feat is specifically from Dragon 340, pg 87.

As it reads, the prerequisites are Int 13, Combat Expertise, and Tumble 5. So a fighter qualifies at 7th level and can take the feat as a bonus feat at 8. As it reads in the archive: If you make an Attack of Opportunity while fighting defensively, the attack does not receive the normal penalty for fighting defensively. I am making a bit of an assumption by using it with CE, but I base my assumption off of other feats that require you to "fight defensively or use Combat Expertise with at least a -2 penalty on your attack rolls" and the fact that it requires CE to take. I plan on buying a copy of that issue when I get the chance to see what the magazine says, since I've found several instances where the archive has omitted pieces of a feat.

And no it wouldn't negate the penalty for Power Attack.
Eerongal
04-19-07, 02:19 PM the main problem i've ever seen with players who go for a AoO build is that they forget this rule:

Moving out of more than one square threatened by the same opponent in the same round doesn’t count as more than one opportunity for that opponent.

other than that, it's a pretty fun build, and with reach makes for great battlefield control (for a melee class, anyways)
Captain_Kobold
04-19-07, 02:19 PM Fighting defensively is not the same as using combat expertise. This is why some other feats explicitly state that they can be used whilst either fighting defensively, or when using Combat expertise at a certain penalty.

If defensive Opportunist removed the penalty that you take from Combat expertise, it would specifically say so.

You can fight defensively and use combat expertise at the same time. Both the penalties and the bonuses stack. With defensive opportunist you would not suffer the fighting defensively penalty to attacks of opportunity, but would take the Combat expertise penalty.
GreyStar
04-19-07, 02:36 PM Fighting defensively is not the same as using combat expertise. This is why some other feats explicitly state that they can be used whilst either fighting defensively, or when using Combat expertise at a certain penalty.

If defensive Opportunist removed the penalty that you take from Combat expertise, it would specifically say so.

You can fight defensively and use combat expertise at the same time. Both the penalties and the bonuses stack. With defensive opportunist you would not suffer the fighting defensively penalty to attacks of opportunity, but would take the Combat expertise penalty.

Oh, I undertand completely that, as written, that's how it works. But as I don't have the original text, I'd like to see if the magazine says differently. If it doesn't, my plan was to forego ICE to make room for some other feat.
Mystyc
04-19-07, 02:43 PM Depending on what route you want to go, you could look into Stand Still (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#standStill).
MasterSamurai
04-19-07, 03:13 PM I was thinking of making an AoO build with Karmic strike, leap attack, and shock trooper. With a spiked chain and a +10 BAB. Do a leap attack charge with shock trooper...take -10 to AC and get +30 damage from power attack. Then anyone moving up next to you gets hit with the extra +30 power attack damage from the AoO. Plus since you have the -10 to AC you'll get hit more and then hit back from karmic strike with +30 power attack damage. It may be a little suicidal though but that's part of the fun.
GreyStar
04-19-07, 11:35 PM Stand Still definitely looks great. I wanted the chracter to be able to control the playing field with reach and AoOs combined with potions of enlarge person. Originally it would've been through trips, but stand still doesn't come with that size restriction. I also like that Sidestep Charge just above it, but with the reach and Rolibar's that feat is a little less impressive. I also just read the preview for Drow of the Underdark which included Clever Opportunist: If you hit a creature of your size or smaller with an attack of opportunity, you can spend an immediate action to exchange places with that creature.

But what about the Dex and Dodge bonus to AC? My plan is to combine a high Dex mod (+11 by Level 20, by my calculations) and bracers of armor, but I risk dropping all that AC if I'm flat-footed. How can that be solved?
Mystyc
04-19-07, 11:40 PM But what about the Dex and Dodge bonus to AC? My plan is to combine a high Dex mod (+11 by Level 20, by my calculations) and bracers of armor, but I risk dropping all that AC if I'm flat-footed. How can that be solved?
2 levels of barbarian or 4 levels of rogue gets you uncanny dodge.
runestar
04-19-07, 11:42 PM I seem to recall a feat which causes the enemy to provoke an AoO if he did not move 5-ft away, and another feat which does the same thing if he did. Thus, no matter what he does, that is at least 1 AoO he is provoking.:)
sineous blackspell
04-19-07, 11:45 PM i did not see karmic strike on your feat choice list it gives you aoo when your hit complete warrior
GreyStar
04-19-07, 11:50 PM I seem to recall a feat which causes the enemy to provoke an AoO if he did not move 5-ft away, and another feat which does the same thing if he did. Thus, no matter what he does, that is at least 1 AoO he is provoking.:)

Exploit Adjustment: AoO when someone adjacent to you 5' steps into another square adjacent to you. It requires Canny Opportunist, which nets you AoOs if someone draws a weapon, readies/loosens their shield, or makes a feint...

Wait, that would work well. Pop somebody a few times whenever they try to feint...
Thale
04-20-07, 02:59 AM Perhaps consider the feat Defensive Sweep from PHB2? AoOs incurred if an enemy spends its entire turn next to you without moving.
Chimaera2000
04-20-07, 04:42 AM As Tempest pointed out, the Character Optimization boards have done plenty of builds centered around Attacks of Opportunity, like Snow Savant's "Gatling Chain Gun Tripper," Jack B. Quick or Lester the Molester. Check a few of them out for hints.

One possible flaw with your build is your damage output. Weapon Finesse doesn't provide the extra damage that Strength does.

Off the top of my head, here are a few feats that (preferably when used together) can create a great Attack of Opportunity build:

* Combat Reflexes (no, duh)

* Reach weapon (also duh), possibly that one that can be used as a double weapon (such as one of the Oriental Adventures chains that Snow Savant made famous)

* Deft Opportunist (Complete Adventurer): +4 on Attacks of Opportunity

* Karmic Strike (requires Combat Expertise, Dodge; Complete Warrior): perform an AoO when hit by a melee attack.

* Martial Stance: Thicket of Blades (Tome of Battle): Perform an AoO whenever an opponent performs any movement in your threatened area.

* Robillar's Gambit (requires Combat Reflexes; PHB II): Perform an AoO whenever you're attacked by a melee attack.

* Double Hit (requires Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved TWF; Miniatures Handbook): Attack with both weapons on an AoO

* Stormguard Warrior (requires Ironheart Aura; Tome of Battle): Refuse to make an AoO when you normally could to add a cumulative +4 melee attack and damage next round.

* Defensive Sweep (PHB II): Perform an AoO on an enemy within reach if they don't move.

* Improved Trip (requires Combat Expertise), or Stand Still (XPH, System Reference Document): can be useful for battlefield control. The former is very effective at low levels.

Finally, the Warmind's Sweeping Strike ability can be devastating when used on Attacks of Opportunity. It's a staple of many of RadicalTaoist's melee builds on the CharOp boards. The fighter's 16th-level alternate class feature in the PHB II could be devastating with an AoO build (double damage), but taking 16 levels of fighter can sometimes be painful.
GreyStar
04-20-07, 07:27 PM Does Double-Hit use up two AoOs for the round. I found a similar feat in Dragon, but you used two of your AoOs for the round to use it. I'd like to be able to conserve the uses per round.

The reason I didn't include Karmic strike was that I felt Robilar's would be the better investment, nor did I think the effects would stack (get hit=two AoOs, one for the roll, the second for the hit?).

Hold the Line and Stomguard Warrior would definitely help. Cumulative, though? It stacks with multiple forgone AoOs within one round? I assume the extra damage takes effect at the start of my next turn.
Mystyc
04-20-07, 11:31 PM Does Double-Hit use up two AoOs for the round.
I doubt it. I don't have the book in front of me, but I believe the wording is something like "in place of an attack of opportunity," so the double-hit substitutes itself for a single AoO. And unless I'm totally misremembering, isn't there still only one attack roll? Unless it says explicitly that it counts as two attacks, it doesn't.
MoltenDm
05-01-07, 09:42 PM What does Stand Still do?
runestar
05-01-07, 10:00 PM STAND STILL [GENERAL]
You can prevent foes from fleeing or closing.
Prerequisite: Str 13.
Benefit: When a foe’s movement out of a square you threaten grants you an attack of opportunity, you can give up that attack and instead attempt to stop your foe in his tracks. Make your attack of opportunity normally. If you hit your foe, he must succeed on a Reflex save against a DC of 10 + your damage roll (the opponent does not actually take damage), or immediately halt as if he had used up his move actions for the round.
Since you use the Stand Still feat in place of your attack of opportunity, you can do so only a number of times per round equal to the number of times per round you could make an attack of opportunity (normally just one).
Normal: Attacks of opportunity cannot halt your foes in their tracks.

I also remember a feat in dragon that lets you make multiple attacks with each AoO. One of them lets you make 3 attacks(but each subsequent hit gets a cumulative -5 to-hit), at the cost of 3 uses of AoO. Does this ring a bell?:P
darkeness
05-02-07, 12:40 AM The reason I didn't include Karmic strike was that I felt Robilar's would be the better investment, nor did I think the effects would stack (get hit=two AoOs, one for the roll, the second for the hit?).

I would have to check the boks but I think they stack. KS+AoO when HIT, RG= AoO when ATTACKED. So it's kinda like a double loving kinda thing. :eek:

Hold the Line and Stomguard Warrior would definitely help. Cumulative, though? It stacks with multiple forgone AoOs within one round? I assume the extra damage takes effect at the start of my next turn.

I would say they stack. Hold the line stops them after you hit them if they are charging. SW just means they provoke the AoO for moving. However, Hold the Line is a moderatly useless feat unless you DM uses charge tactics a lot.

A better feat to get is large and in charge and if you do that there is another feat from races of stone which bull rushes your target when you hit them (for large creatures only).
Dheran
05-02-07, 11:05 AM It's clear that having a reach weapon provides more chances to exercise AoOs if enemies close within your threat range. But, if they see that you've got the reach weapon, why would they?

You can use a Hat of Disguise to make yourself and your possessions appear different. So you can make a longspear (reach weapon) look like a standard size spear. They'll get to make a save to see through the magic when they interact with you (i.e., after the AoO).
TheDragonmaster
05-02-07, 11:37 AM In addition to Karmic Strike and Robilar's Gambit, add Defensive Throw... now:

1 AoO if Attacked
1 AoO if Hit
1 AoO Trip if Missed (which, with Improved Trip, adds an extra attack)

Improved Trip and Improved Disarm + Strike at the Tail are good for combat control, as they net nearly the same damage as usual with a good enough attack bonus...

Otherwise most of the things are summed up, I think... oh, and you can TWF (with OTWF) Small Spiked Chains (or Small Kusari-Gama, or Small Chain, or Kawanaga) and still have 10 ft. Reach...

However, Hold the Line is a moderatly useless feat unless you DM uses charge tactics a lot.
Yeah, like me, who throw Anthromorphic Giant Octopus Pouncers with Stormguard Warrior at my poor PC's...
Tempest Stormwind
05-02-07, 12:08 PM Add in Defensive Sweep and Martial Stance: Thicket of Blades (or play a crusader to get it "for free". Chimaera mentioned these above, but I'd like to point them out again.

Defensive Sweep: If they start their turn in your threatened area and don't move, they provoke an AoO.

Thicket of Blades: any movement, even the 5' step, provokes AoOs.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. If they decide to stand and fight, you can Robilar's Karma them into oblivion, spending some of those AoOs as trip attacks and following up with Improved Trip's basic strike. Furthermore, prone opponents grant melee attacks against them a +4 bonus, meaning they have to stand up (which provokes another AoO!) if they want to retain their defensive posture... but if they are tripped and have to wait until next round to stand, they trigger Defensive Sweep again.
kalstrand
05-02-07, 09:59 PM Otherwise most of the things are summed up, I think... oh, and you can TWF (with OTWF) Small Spiked Chains (or Small Kusari-Gama, or Small Chain, or Kawanaga) and still have 10 ft. Reach...

You only get reach with appropriately sized weapons so small weapons will not give you reach unless you are small.
HeNeedsAName
05-03-07, 08:40 AM From the PHB II:

Active Shield Defense
-When using a shield and fighting defensively, do not take the normal -4 penalty when making attacks of opportunity.
-When using a shield and taking the total defense action, make attacks of opportunity at a -4 penalty instead of not being allowed to make any at all.

Since you're using a high DEX fighter you'll likely use Weapon Finesse to be able to actually hit something; that implies a one-handed weapon (unless you're swinging a spiked chain around). That means you can pick up a shield and get some extra defense and the above feat. The only downside is that you have to dump another feat into Shield Specialization (also PHB II) first.
TheDragonmaster
05-07-07, 12:43 PM You only get reach with appropriately sized weapons so small weapons will not give you reach unless you are small. Oh, sorry, I must have missed that part... where in the rules is that stated?

The Kawanaga (OA) still applies though... approporiately sized, it's one-handed for Medium characters, and yet it is a "Double or Reach Weapon, see text for details" or something like that... how in the world does that work? Well, it's 3.0, and seeing how wierd the weapon-wielding rules were back then, I have no problem seeing most DM's ignore the weapon completely or change it drastically...
TheDragonmaster
05-09-07, 09:42 AM Reach is good, and if you are playing a human or azurin gestalt fighter/psychic warrior with two flaws and severe corruption/depravity, you are having feats left... (the total is 33 for that character).

Aberration Blood (LoM) makes you qualify for Inhuman Reach (also LoM), which gives a +5 ft. bonus to reach for a mere -1 to attack rolls.

The above feat mentions the possibility of having "flexible" arms (a nonrigid attack form), which interestingly enough makes you qualify for Extended Reach (SS, albeit 3.0), for another +5 ft. to Reach.

If you are evil, you can also take Willing Deformity (HH and BoVD) and Deformity (Tall) (HH) for reach as a Large creature (10 ft.) for a measly -1 to AC. The problem here is the "Evil" and "Vile Feat" parts, but hopefully, you are an evil, sick, bodymod warrior...

Combined with a spiked chain, you have a total reach of 40 ft. for the cost of five feats. Even without the two vile feats, we are talking about a reach of 30 ft., which is nothing to sneeze at.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GreyStar 04-19-07, 01:08 PM	I'm trying to build an agile fighter build that focuses on making attacks of opportunity. I want to use Improved Combat Expertise, Greater Combat Reflexes, Robilar's Gambit, Defensive Oppurtunist (from Dragon mag) and a spiked chain. The general tactic is to dump my BAB into ImpCE to get a +20 Dodge (and greatly off-setting the effect of Robilar's Gambit). Anyone, approaching or attacking gets attacked 3x (thanks to GrCR) at full BAB (thanks to DefOpp: no penalty to hit with AoO when fighting defensively). I also want to use Deadly Defense from Scoundrel to get a +1d6 on attack rolls when fighting defensively. I realize this tactic depends upon having an astronomical Dex modifier, which I'm already planning on (Rolled Dex is 16, where all my bonus points are going). I have three questions: what would be any general downfalls to this tactic besides running out of AoO? What are some other feats that would further enhance this strategy? The feats mentioned above already use 10 (including Weapon Finesse) of the human fighter's feats. And the most important... What's the best way to keep the Dodge bonus. With CR, I can still make my AoOs, but if I fail a opposed feint check my AC drops tremendously (not to mention the foes' +4 circumstance to hit me from Robilar's Gambit). Should I multiclass some Barbarian for Uncanny dodge or dump skill points into Sense Motive? Maybe both?
Tempest Stormwind 04-19-07, 01:21 PM	You might find the following threads interesting. http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=646185 http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=694016 http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10201398&postcount=146 http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10977016#post10977016 That should give you a few ideas how to expand upon this. I don't have a specific answer to your specific question, but that might give you some new build ideas to expand on.
Mystyc 04-19-07, 01:40 PM	(thanks to DefOpp: no penalty to hit with AoO when fighting defensively) Where's the cite for this? Not that I don't believe it, but I just want to see it. And if it applies when using Combat Expertise, does it apply when, say, Power Attacking?
GreyStar 04-19-07, 02:05 PM	Where's the cite for this? Not that I don't believe it, but I just want to see it. And if it applies when using Combat Expertise, does it apply when, say, Power Attacking? I came across the feat when reading the Feat Archive at Crystal Keep. The feat itself is on page 35. The feat is specifically from Dragon 340, pg 87. As it reads, the prerequisites are Int 13, Combat Expertise, and Tumble 5. So a fighter qualifies at 7th level and can take the feat as a bonus feat at 8. As it reads in the archive: If you make an Attack of Opportunity while fighting defensively, the attack does not receive the normal penalty for fighting defensively. I am making a bit of an assumption by using it with CE, but I base my assumption off of other feats that require you to "fight defensively or use Combat Expertise with at least a -2 penalty on your attack rolls" and the fact that it requires CE to take. I plan on buying a copy of that issue when I get the chance to see what the magazine says, since I've found several instances where the archive has omitted pieces of a feat. And no it wouldn't negate the penalty for Power Attack.
Eerongal 04-19-07, 02:19 PM	the main problem i've ever seen with players who go for a AoO build is that they forget this rule: Moving out of more than one square threatened by the same opponent in the same round doesn’t count as more than one opportunity for that opponent. other than that, it's a pretty fun build, and with reach makes for great battlefield control (for a melee class, anyways)
Captain_Kobold 04-19-07, 02:19 PM	Fighting defensively is not the same as using combat expertise. This is why some other feats explicitly state that they can be used whilst either fighting defensively, or when using Combat expertise at a certain penalty. If defensive Opportunist removed the penalty that you take from Combat expertise, it would specifically say so. You can fight defensively and use combat expertise at the same time. Both the penalties and the bonuses stack. With defensive opportunist you would not suffer the fighting defensively penalty to attacks of opportunity, but would take the Combat expertise penalty.
GreyStar 04-19-07, 02:36 PM	Fighting defensively is not the same as using combat expertise. This is why some other feats explicitly state that they can be used whilst either fighting defensively, or when using Combat expertise at a certain penalty. If defensive Opportunist removed the penalty that you take from Combat expertise, it would specifically say so. You can fight defensively and use combat expertise at the same time. Both the penalties and the bonuses stack. With defensive opportunist you would not suffer the fighting defensively penalty to attacks of opportunity, but would take the Combat expertise penalty. Oh, I undertand completely that, as written, that's how it works. But as I don't have the original text, I'd like to see if the magazine says differently. If it doesn't, my plan was to forego ICE to make room for some other feat.
Mystyc 04-19-07, 02:43 PM	Depending on what route you want to go, you could look into Stand Still (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#standStill).
MasterSamurai 04-19-07, 03:13 PM	I was thinking of making an AoO build with Karmic strike, leap attack, and shock trooper. With a spiked chain and a +10 BAB. Do a leap attack charge with shock trooper...take -10 to AC and get +30 damage from power attack. Then anyone moving up next to you gets hit with the extra +30 power attack damage from the AoO. Plus since you have the -10 to AC you'll get hit more and then hit back from karmic strike with +30 power attack damage. It may be a little suicidal though but that's part of the fun.
GreyStar 04-19-07, 11:35 PM	Stand Still definitely looks great. I wanted the chracter to be able to control the playing field with reach and AoOs combined with potions of enlarge person. Originally it would've been through trips, but stand still doesn't come with that size restriction. I also like that Sidestep Charge just above it, but with the reach and Rolibar's that feat is a little less impressive. I also just read the preview for Drow of the Underdark which included Clever Opportunist: If you hit a creature of your size or smaller with an attack of opportunity, you can spend an immediate action to exchange places with that creature. But what about the Dex and Dodge bonus to AC? My plan is to combine a high Dex mod (+11 by Level 20, by my calculations) and bracers of armor, but I risk dropping all that AC if I'm flat-footed. How can that be solved?
Mystyc 04-19-07, 11:40 PM	But what about the Dex and Dodge bonus to AC? My plan is to combine a high Dex mod (+11 by Level 20, by my calculations) and bracers of armor, but I risk dropping all that AC if I'm flat-footed. How can that be solved? 2 levels of barbarian or 4 levels of rogue gets you uncanny dodge.
runestar 04-19-07, 11:42 PM	I seem to recall a feat which causes the enemy to provoke an AoO if he did not move 5-ft away, and another feat which does the same thing if he did. Thus, no matter what he does, that is at least 1 AoO he is provoking.:)
sineous blackspell 04-19-07, 11:45 PM	i did not see karmic strike on your feat choice list it gives you aoo when your hit complete warrior
GreyStar 04-19-07, 11:50 PM	I seem to recall a feat which causes the enemy to provoke an AoO if he did not move 5-ft away, and another feat which does the same thing if he did. Thus, no matter what he does, that is at least 1 AoO he is provoking.:) Exploit Adjustment: AoO when someone adjacent to you 5' steps into another square adjacent to you. It requires Canny Opportunist, which nets you AoOs if someone draws a weapon, readies/loosens their shield, or makes a feint... Wait, that would work well. Pop somebody a few times whenever they try to feint...
Thale 04-20-07, 02:59 AM	Perhaps consider the feat Defensive Sweep from PHB2? AoOs incurred if an enemy spends its entire turn next to you without moving.
Chimaera2000 04-20-07, 04:42 AM	As Tempest pointed out, the Character Optimization boards have done plenty of builds centered around Attacks of Opportunity, like Snow Savant's "Gatling Chain Gun Tripper," Jack B. Quick or Lester the Molester. Check a few of them out for hints. One possible flaw with your build is your damage output. Weapon Finesse doesn't provide the extra damage that Strength does. Off the top of my head, here are a few feats that (preferably when used together) can create a great Attack of Opportunity build: * Combat Reflexes (no, duh) * Reach weapon (also duh), possibly that one that can be used as a double weapon (such as one of the Oriental Adventures chains that Snow Savant made famous) * Deft Opportunist (Complete Adventurer): +4 on Attacks of Opportunity * Karmic Strike (requires Combat Expertise, Dodge; Complete Warrior): perform an AoO when hit by a melee attack. * Martial Stance: Thicket of Blades (Tome of Battle): Perform an AoO whenever an opponent performs any movement in your threatened area. * Robillar's Gambit (requires Combat Reflexes; PHB II): Perform an AoO whenever you're attacked by a melee attack. * Double Hit (requires Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved TWF; Miniatures Handbook): Attack with both weapons on an AoO * Stormguard Warrior (requires Ironheart Aura; Tome of Battle): Refuse to make an AoO when you normally could to add a cumulative +4 melee attack and damage next round. * Defensive Sweep (PHB II): Perform an AoO on an enemy within reach if they don't move. * Improved Trip (requires Combat Expertise), or Stand Still (XPH, System Reference Document): can be useful for battlefield control. The former is very effective at low levels. Finally, the Warmind's Sweeping Strike ability can be devastating when used on Attacks of Opportunity. It's a staple of many of RadicalTaoist's melee builds on the CharOp boards. The fighter's 16th-level alternate class feature in the PHB II could be devastating with an AoO build (double damage), but taking 16 levels of fighter can sometimes be painful.
GreyStar 04-20-07, 07:27 PM	Does Double-Hit use up two AoOs for the round. I found a similar feat in Dragon, but you used two of your AoOs for the round to use it. I'd like to be able to conserve the uses per round. The reason I didn't include Karmic strike was that I felt Robilar's would be the better investment, nor did I think the effects would stack (get hit=two AoOs, one for the roll, the second for the hit?). Hold the Line and Stomguard Warrior would definitely help. Cumulative, though? It stacks with multiple forgone AoOs within one round? I assume the extra damage takes effect at the start of my next turn.
Mystyc 04-20-07, 11:31 PM	Does Double-Hit use up two AoOs for the round. I doubt it. I don't have the book in front of me, but I believe the wording is something like "in place of an attack of opportunity," so the double-hit substitutes itself for a single AoO. And unless I'm totally misremembering, isn't there still only one attack roll? Unless it says explicitly that it counts as two attacks, it doesn't.
MoltenDm 05-01-07, 09:42 PM	What does Stand Still do?
runestar 05-01-07, 10:00 PM	STAND STILL [GENERAL] You can prevent foes from fleeing or closing. Prerequisite: Str 13. Benefit: When a foe’s movement out of a square you threaten grants you an attack of opportunity, you can give up that attack and instead attempt to stop your foe in his tracks. Make your attack of opportunity normally. If you hit your foe, he must succeed on a Reflex save against a DC of 10 + your damage roll (the opponent does not actually take damage), or immediately halt as if he had used up his move actions for the round. Since you use the Stand Still feat in place of your attack of opportunity, you can do so only a number of times per round equal to the number of times per round you could make an attack of opportunity (normally just one). Normal: Attacks of opportunity cannot halt your foes in their tracks. I also remember a feat in dragon that lets you make multiple attacks with each AoO. One of them lets you make 3 attacks(but each subsequent hit gets a cumulative -5 to-hit), at the cost of 3 uses of AoO. Does this ring a bell?:P
darkeness 05-02-07, 12:40 AM	The reason I didn't include Karmic strike was that I felt Robilar's would be the better investment, nor did I think the effects would stack (get hit=two AoOs, one for the roll, the second for the hit?). I would have to check the boks but I think they stack. KS+AoO when HIT, RG= AoO when ATTACKED. So it's kinda like a double loving kinda thing. :eek: Hold the Line and Stomguard Warrior would definitely help. Cumulative, though? It stacks with multiple forgone AoOs within one round? I assume the extra damage takes effect at the start of my next turn. I would say they stack. Hold the line stops them after you hit them if they are charging. SW just means they provoke the AoO for moving. However, Hold the Line is a moderatly useless feat unless you DM uses charge tactics a lot. A better feat to get is large and in charge and if you do that there is another feat from races of stone which bull rushes your target when you hit them (for large creatures only).
Dheran 05-02-07, 11:05 AM	It's clear that having a reach weapon provides more chances to exercise AoOs if enemies close within your threat range. But, if they see that you've got the reach weapon, why would they? You can use a Hat of Disguise to make yourself and your possessions appear different. So you can make a longspear (reach weapon) look like a standard size spear. They'll get to make a save to see through the magic when they interact with you (i.e., after the AoO).
TheDragonmaster 05-02-07, 11:37 AM	In addition to Karmic Strike and Robilar's Gambit, add Defensive Throw... now: 1 AoO if Attacked 1 AoO if Hit 1 AoO Trip if Missed (which, with Improved Trip, adds an extra attack) Improved Trip and Improved Disarm + Strike at the Tail are good for combat control, as they net nearly the same damage as usual with a good enough attack bonus... Otherwise most of the things are summed up, I think... oh, and you can TWF (with OTWF) Small Spiked Chains (or Small Kusari-Gama, or Small Chain, or Kawanaga) and still have 10 ft. Reach... However, Hold the Line is a moderatly useless feat unless you DM uses charge tactics a lot. Yeah, like me, who throw Anthromorphic Giant Octopus Pouncers with Stormguard Warrior at my poor PC's...
Tempest Stormwind 05-02-07, 12:08 PM	Add in Defensive Sweep and Martial Stance: Thicket of Blades (or play a crusader to get it "for free". Chimaera mentioned these above, but I'd like to point them out again. Defensive Sweep: If they start their turn in your threatened area and don't move, they provoke an AoO. Thicket of Blades: any movement, even the 5' step, provokes AoOs. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. If they decide to stand and fight, you can Robilar's Karma them into oblivion, spending some of those AoOs as trip attacks and following up with Improved Trip's basic strike. Furthermore, prone opponents grant melee attacks against them a +4 bonus, meaning they have to stand up (which provokes another AoO!) if they want to retain their defensive posture... but if they are tripped and have to wait until next round to stand, they trigger Defensive Sweep again.
kalstrand 05-02-07, 09:59 PM	Otherwise most of the things are summed up, I think... oh, and you can TWF (with OTWF) Small Spiked Chains (or Small Kusari-Gama, or Small Chain, or Kawanaga) and still have 10 ft. Reach... You only get reach with appropriately sized weapons so small weapons will not give you reach unless you are small.
HeNeedsAName 05-03-07, 08:40 AM	From the PHB II: Active Shield Defense -When using a shield and fighting defensively, do not take the normal -4 penalty when making attacks of opportunity. -When using a shield and taking the total defense action, make attacks of opportunity at a -4 penalty instead of not being allowed to make any at all. Since you're using a high DEX fighter you'll likely use Weapon Finesse to be able to actually hit something; that implies a one-handed weapon (unless you're swinging a spiked chain around). That means you can pick up a shield and get some extra defense and the above feat. The only downside is that you have to dump another feat into Shield Specialization (also PHB II) first.
TheDragonmaster 05-07-07, 12:43 PM	You only get reach with appropriately sized weapons so small weapons will not give you reach unless you are small. Oh, sorry, I must have missed that part... where in the rules is that stated? The Kawanaga (OA) still applies though... approporiately sized, it's one-handed for Medium characters, and yet it is a "Double or Reach Weapon, see text for details" or something like that... how in the world does that work? Well, it's 3.0, and seeing how wierd the weapon-wielding rules were back then, I have no problem seeing most DM's ignore the weapon completely or change it drastically...
TheDragonmaster 05-09-07, 09:42 AM	Reach is good, and if you are playing a human or azurin gestalt fighter/psychic warrior with two flaws and severe corruption/depravity, you are having feats left... (the total is 33 for that character). Aberration Blood (LoM) makes you qualify for Inhuman Reach (also LoM), which gives a +5 ft. bonus to reach for a mere -1 to attack rolls. The above feat mentions the possibility of having "flexible" arms (a nonrigid attack form), which interestingly enough makes you qualify for Extended Reach (SS, albeit 3.0), for another +5 ft. to Reach. If you are evil, you can also take Willing Deformity (HH and BoVD) and Deformity (Tall) (HH) for reach as a Large creature (10 ft.) for a measly -1 to AC. The problem here is the "Evil" and "Vile Feat" parts, but hopefully, you are an evil, sick, bodymod warrior... Combined with a spiked chain, you have a total reach of 40 ft. for the cost of five feats. Even without the two vile feats, we are talking about a reach of 30 ft., which is nothing to sneeze at.