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Shifter Fighter ideas

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
dsivis
Jun 05, 2008 18:03:06 Has anyone ever played or ran a Shifter Fighter? I'm playing one starting at 3rd level soon and haven't played (only DMed) D&D in 4 years.

Any recommendations for cool/unique feat combinations or prestige classes?

I figure I can spend all my level-based feats on shifter feats and back up whatever my primary shifter trait is with fighter bonus feats.
#2
theapokalypseshovel
Jun 05, 2008 18:51:38 The Weretouched master is pretty awesome as a prestige class, but I think that you would have to drop a lot of points in cross class skills. Any reason that you are choosing fighter over barbarian or ranger?

Do you have any idea what shifter trait you are going to take?

One idea I think would be sweet is the trait that gives you bite attack with improved grapple, maybe going Reaping Mauler from the complete warrior, getting people in a grapple and using your bite attack to rip them to shreds.
Some combo like this:
Trait: Bite attack (Don't have my book with me)
1st level: Whatever shifter feat suits your fancy
1st fighter: Improved Unarmed Strike
2nd fighter: Improved Grapple
3rd level: Shifter feat
4th fighter: Superior unarmed strike from ToB (pretty sure you can get it by 4th)

Combined with strength bonus from shifting and full base attack bonus you are looking at least Str+8 on grapple checks when shifting at third level.
#3
tiwaztyrsfist
Jun 06, 2008 14:17:11 Some Shifter Ideas.

Two good paths.
1. Natural Weapons
2. Bonus Defense w/ Normal weapons.

Initial Assumption. If you're playing a Shifter, you want to maximize the 'Shifterness' of the character. This means taking a lot of shifter feats to ensure maximum Shifting/day and maximum Rounds/Shifting.

Path 1> Natural Weapons.
Either Razor Claw or Sharptooth, these give you a natural weapon and a +2 to strength while shifting.
With Razor Claw, take two weapon fighting so you can attack with both claws, then take the shifter feat that gives you a rend attack if you hit with both claws in one turn.
With SharpTooth, find the feat (savage species? MM?) that allows you to use your weapon for a main attack, and your bite as a secondary natural attack. Look at monster feats that allow things like using a bite attack to start a free grapple, or to trip.

Option 2> Natural Defenses.
Beast Hide Shifter.
You get a +2 Natural Armor bonus while shifting, and a +2 to Con. You get bonus HP from that con increase, AND your shifting length is based on your modified Con score, you Beast Hide shifters always get an extra round of shifting. There's a feat (I forget the name) that gives DR x/Silver, and another that gives Fast Healing 2 while shifting.
It can make you really hard to hurt.

Eventually, you can take the second Shifter Trait feat, which gives you the Special bonus (Claws, Fangs, Natural Armor) of another trait while shifting, but not the stat bonus.
Also note, if you have a Natural weapon, and the DR/Silver, your natural weapons will penetrate other creatures DR/Silver.
#4
durskut
Jun 06, 2008 15:50:48 "With Razor Claw, take two weapon fighting so you can attack with both claws," iirc since they're natural weapons he can attack with both at no penalty if he full attacks.
#5
tiwaztyrsfist
Jun 06, 2008 18:55:08 Yeah, I hadn't looked at the books recently. Shifter Multi-attack reduces the penalty for a secondary natural weapon. You don't need TWF to use both claws.

But yeah.
#6
kelvinaw273
Jun 07, 2008 7:15:50 Fighter is good, Ranger and Barbarian actually suit shifters better, but go with your gut. I would recommend taking level 1 as Ranger for the skill points, maybe level two for the bonus feat. Decide your combat focus and pick your shifter focus accordingly - for example, if you want a mobile archer, longstride is best because you get the dex bonus and can keep ahead of the enemy and pepper them with arrows; if you want a slug-it-out fighter beasthide boosts your AC and hit points (and is great for a raging barbarian).

What kind of fighter did you have in mind? TWFer, tank, mobile support, archer ...?
#7
dsivis
Jun 08, 2008 18:22:46 Well, the rest of the party is going to be an Aerenal Cleric and Warforged Ranger, so I wanted to Tank out. Since I'm native to Sharn, I was thinking some kind of shifter trait that enhanced either my mobility or my toughness. Gorebrute would be good for knocking people off balconies...:D
#8
kelvinaw273
Jun 09, 2008 10:24:14
Well, the rest of the party is going to be an Aerenal Cleric and Warforged Ranger, so I wanted to Tank out. Since I'm native to Sharn, I was thinking some kind of shifter trait that enhanced either my mobility or my toughness. Gorebrute would be good for knocking people off balconies...:D

Then I'd recommend Beasthide. Boosts your AC and hp in one swell foop, making you an impressive tank.
#9
Edymnion
Jun 10, 2008 21:32:13 Fighter is usually the best way to go for a shifter for the same reason you've already discovered. To maximize your shifting is very feat intensive, which means you tend to lose out on combat options. Fighter lets you do both, with good hitpoints to boot.

For pure tank, yes, Beasthide and Beasthide Elite are great traits/feats. However, their effect can be replicated fairly easily with magical items (amulet of natural armor, for example). I would instead recommend Razorclaw, Razorclaw Elite, and Second Trait (Longtooth). That will give you two claws and a bite pretty early. I don't remember which feat it is, but there's one that lets you get a rend attack if both claws hit (was it Razorclaw Elite?).

I know I had a character drawn up using the Scout as a base. Did the above, and then took levels in Eldeen Reach Runner that let them get a full attack after a charge (which meant they would also get Skirmish Damage on the attack), and potentially get 4 full attacks (two claws, a rend, and a bite), all with skirmish.

Was a mean little bugger! And he could get even nastier by taking Improved Natural Attack to up his natural attack damage.
#10
kelvinaw273
Jun 11, 2008 6:50:53
For pure tank, yes, Beasthide and Beasthide Elite are great traits/feats. However, their effect can be replicated fairly easily with magical items (amulet of natural armor, for example). I would instead recommend Razorclaw, Razorclaw Elite, and Second Trait (Longtooth). That will give you two claws and a bite pretty early. I don't remember which feat it is, but there's one that lets you get a rend attack if both claws hit (was it Razorclaw Elite?).

Shifter Rend. Razerclaw Elite allows you both claw attacks as a standard action, so you can charge and slash with both. Edit: for claw and bite, you want Shifter Multi-Attack to get the secondary attack down to -2 to hit.

However, for Shifter Barbarians and Rangers, the prestige class Weretouched Master gives you yummy bonus slots for Shifter Feats, and some additional powers. It makes up for the lack of feats you suffer in those classes rather tidily.
#11
dsivis
Jun 11, 2008 22:57:06 Okay. I made the guy. As usual, I was contrarian.
He's a glaive fighter with a MASSIVE charge attack due to his Gorebrute trait and Powerful Charge feat. And he's only going to get scarier...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dsivis Jun 05, 2008 18:03:06	Has anyone ever played or ran a Shifter Fighter? I'm playing one starting at 3rd level soon and haven't played (only DMed) D&D in 4 years. Any recommendations for cool/unique feat combinations or prestige classes? I figure I can spend all my level-based feats on shifter feats and back up whatever my primary shifter trait is with fighter bonus feats.
#2 theapokalypseshovel Jun 05, 2008 18:51:38	The Weretouched master is pretty awesome as a prestige class, but I think that you would have to drop a lot of points in cross class skills. Any reason that you are choosing fighter over barbarian or ranger? Do you have any idea what shifter trait you are going to take? One idea I think would be sweet is the trait that gives you bite attack with improved grapple, maybe going Reaping Mauler from the complete warrior, getting people in a grapple and using your bite attack to rip them to shreds. Some combo like this: Trait: Bite attack (Don't have my book with me) 1st level: Whatever shifter feat suits your fancy 1st fighter: Improved Unarmed Strike 2nd fighter: Improved Grapple 3rd level: Shifter feat 4th fighter: Superior unarmed strike from ToB (pretty sure you can get it by 4th) Combined with strength bonus from shifting and full base attack bonus you are looking at least Str+8 on grapple checks when shifting at third level.
#3 tiwaztyrsfist Jun 06, 2008 14:17:11	Some Shifter Ideas. Two good paths. 1. Natural Weapons 2. Bonus Defense w/ Normal weapons. Initial Assumption. If you're playing a Shifter, you want to maximize the 'Shifterness' of the character. This means taking a lot of shifter feats to ensure maximum Shifting/day and maximum Rounds/Shifting. Path 1> Natural Weapons. Either Razor Claw or Sharptooth, these give you a natural weapon and a +2 to strength while shifting. With Razor Claw, take two weapon fighting so you can attack with both claws, then take the shifter feat that gives you a rend attack if you hit with both claws in one turn. With SharpTooth, find the feat (savage species? MM?) that allows you to use your weapon for a main attack, and your bite as a secondary natural attack. Look at monster feats that allow things like using a bite attack to start a free grapple, or to trip. Option 2> Natural Defenses. Beast Hide Shifter. You get a +2 Natural Armor bonus while shifting, and a +2 to Con. You get bonus HP from that con increase, AND your shifting length is based on your modified Con score, you Beast Hide shifters always get an extra round of shifting. There's a feat (I forget the name) that gives DR x/Silver, and another that gives Fast Healing 2 while shifting. It can make you really hard to hurt. Eventually, you can take the second Shifter Trait feat, which gives you the Special bonus (Claws, Fangs, Natural Armor) of another trait while shifting, but not the stat bonus. Also note, if you have a Natural weapon, and the DR/Silver, your natural weapons will penetrate other creatures DR/Silver.
#4 durskut Jun 06, 2008 15:50:48	"With Razor Claw, take two weapon fighting so you can attack with both claws," iirc since they're natural weapons he can attack with both at no penalty if he full attacks.
#5 tiwaztyrsfist Jun 06, 2008 18:55:08	Yeah, I hadn't looked at the books recently. Shifter Multi-attack reduces the penalty for a secondary natural weapon. You don't need TWF to use both claws. But yeah.
#6 kelvinaw273 Jun 07, 2008 7:15:50	Fighter is good, Ranger and Barbarian actually suit shifters better, but go with your gut. I would recommend taking level 1 as Ranger for the skill points, maybe level two for the bonus feat. Decide your combat focus and pick your shifter focus accordingly - for example, if you want a mobile archer, longstride is best because you get the dex bonus and can keep ahead of the enemy and pepper them with arrows; if you want a slug-it-out fighter beasthide boosts your AC and hit points (and is great for a raging barbarian). What kind of fighter did you have in mind? TWFer, tank, mobile support, archer ...?
#7 dsivis Jun 08, 2008 18:22:46	Well, the rest of the party is going to be an Aerenal Cleric and Warforged Ranger, so I wanted to Tank out. Since I'm native to Sharn, I was thinking some kind of shifter trait that enhanced either my mobility or my toughness. Gorebrute would be good for knocking people off balconies...:D
#8 kelvinaw273 Jun 09, 2008 10:24:14	Well, the rest of the party is going to be an Aerenal Cleric and Warforged Ranger, so I wanted to Tank out. Since I'm native to Sharn, I was thinking some kind of shifter trait that enhanced either my mobility or my toughness. Gorebrute would be good for knocking people off balconies...:D Then I'd recommend Beasthide. Boosts your AC and hp in one swell foop, making you an impressive tank.
#9 Edymnion Jun 10, 2008 21:32:13	Fighter is usually the best way to go for a shifter for the same reason you've already discovered. To maximize your shifting is very feat intensive, which means you tend to lose out on combat options. Fighter lets you do both, with good hitpoints to boot. For pure tank, yes, Beasthide and Beasthide Elite are great traits/feats. However, their effect can be replicated fairly easily with magical items (amulet of natural armor, for example). I would instead recommend Razorclaw, Razorclaw Elite, and Second Trait (Longtooth). That will give you two claws and a bite pretty early. I don't remember which feat it is, but there's one that lets you get a rend attack if both claws hit (was it Razorclaw Elite?). I know I had a character drawn up using the Scout as a base. Did the above, and then took levels in Eldeen Reach Runner that let them get a full attack after a charge (which meant they would also get Skirmish Damage on the attack), and potentially get 4 full attacks (two claws, a rend, and a bite), all with skirmish. Was a mean little bugger! And he could get even nastier by taking Improved Natural Attack to up his natural attack damage.
#10 kelvinaw273 Jun 11, 2008 6:50:53	For pure tank, yes, Beasthide and Beasthide Elite are great traits/feats. However, their effect can be replicated fairly easily with magical items (amulet of natural armor, for example). I would instead recommend Razorclaw, Razorclaw Elite, and Second Trait (Longtooth). That will give you two claws and a bite pretty early. I don't remember which feat it is, but there's one that lets you get a rend attack if both claws hit (was it Razorclaw Elite?). Shifter Rend. Razerclaw Elite allows you both claw attacks as a standard action, so you can charge and slash with both. Edit: for claw and bite, you want Shifter Multi-Attack to get the secondary attack down to -2 to hit. However, for Shifter Barbarians and Rangers, the prestige class Weretouched Master gives you yummy bonus slots for Shifter Feats, and some additional powers. It makes up for the lack of feats you suffer in those classes rather tidily.
#11 dsivis Jun 11, 2008 22:57:06	Okay. I made the guy. As usual, I was contrarian. He's a glaive fighter with a MASSIVE charge attack due to his Gorebrute trait and Powerful Charge feat. And he's only going to get scarier...