Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 chase Apr 06, 2008 19:12:10	Hello All, In an upcoming game, I plan to play a Dwaven Crusader from the Tome of Battle. Now, while I have played a dwarf before, I have never focused on becoming a tank. Any suggested feats/prestige classes/equipment etc would be appreciated. :D Thanks, Chase
#2 stickboy2323 Apr 06, 2008 19:27:00	Focus on Stone Dragon maneuvers for damage dealing mixed with a little Devoted Spirit for healing. Get the heaviest armor you can and a shield. Take Heavy Armor Optimization and the greater version, Shield Spec. and Shield Ward. You should be able to withstand a lot of hits and deal a fair amount of damage as well.
#3 chase Apr 06, 2008 19:30:38	Thanks, Where can I find the Shield Ward feat? Any other advice, keep it coming! :D
#4 stickboy2323 Apr 06, 2008 19:39:52	PHB2. Other than that you could look at the deepstone sentinel PrC in ToB. When I think of dwarves and ToB in think of that PrC. It is kind of tankish too.
#5 chase Apr 06, 2008 20:00:44	So.. that pillar of stone... it's five feet tall correct? Does this mean you are standing on an elevated surface (and get a bonus from doing so)? Also, I would hope that you can attack enemies normally from being five feet up, correct? :P
#6 stickboy2323 Apr 06, 2008 20:08:34	yep yep n yep. AFAIK
#7 chase Apr 06, 2008 22:04:41	ok... I just found the deepwarden prestigeclass from Races of Stone, and I must admit... I want it.. LOL... Any advice on how to easily attain it while still somewhat sticking to Crusader? Thanks Chase
#8 ksbsnowowl Apr 06, 2008 22:34:02	Straight Crusader with the Stone Power feat, the Martial Spirit stance, and a few other healing strikes. Via Stone Power, your delayed damage pool, and your healing strikes, you effectively have a form of fast healing. That'll help you tank.
#9 x-codes Apr 06, 2008 22:36:15	Doesn't Crusader give you Endurance as a bonus feat? If so, that's that. That said, I don't think it's needed. You'll want Dex anyway because Combat Reflexes is awesome and you'll be wearing Medium/Heavy Armor so an enhanced bonus won't affect much. Dwarf Crusader 4/Cleric 1/RKV 10/Deepstone Sentinel 5 (not in that exact order, mind you) is an impressive tank build. Deepstone Sentinel and Earth Devotion both produce a massive amount of difficult terrain that people can't 5' step through, leaving them as sitting ducks for Defensive Sweep. It should also net you most of the handy cleric buffs and even a Heal or two each day (in addition to what you can get out of Strike of Righteous Vitality, that is).
#10 chase Apr 06, 2008 22:42:30	What class is RKV? I don't recongnize the abbreviation.
#11 x-codes Apr 06, 2008 22:46:21	Ruby Knight Vindicator. It's technically specific to followers of Wee Jas, but contains virtually no fluff. If your DM wants to change it to another deity, then he might want to also change which disciplines are offered by the class, but all that matters are, again, Devoted Spirit and Stone Dragon.
#12 deathmond Apr 06, 2008 23:29:53	I haven't seen Steadfast Determination mentioned. If you're not going to go the RKV route that feat makes your will save so much better. It also keeps you from failing fortitude saves on a natural 1.
#13 chase Apr 06, 2008 23:33:29	Where do I find steadfast determination?
#14 x-codes Apr 06, 2008 23:33:57	I haven't seen Steadfast Determination mentioned. If you're not going to go the RKV route that feat makes your will save so much better. It also keeps you from failing fortitude saves on a natural 1. Even if going the RKV route it can make your saves better. All you need is Wis 15 to get all your spellcasting from a single level of Cleric and the RKV levels, while Constitution can easily hit 30. They even share item slots, so you can consolidate your item purchases a little. That said, Steadfast Determination should be saved until much, much later.
#15 chase Apr 07, 2008 2:17:39	What are peoples thoughts on Dwarven Defender/ Defender of Sentinal (or something like that)?
#16 ieniemienie Apr 07, 2008 2:29:48	Where do I find steadfast determination? PHB 2
#17 x-codes Apr 07, 2008 6:53:53	What are peoples thoughts on Dwarven Defender/ Defender of Sentinal (or something like that)? Defender of Selathiel (I think that's how it's spelled) is flatly superior because of it's SLAs, so even if something gets past you you're not 100% dead weight. That said, the Cleric really should be using Imbue with Spell Ability to give the tank the Shield Other spell as well as a couple Divine Favors.
#18 chase Apr 07, 2008 9:42:18	Do you know where I might find the Defender of Selathiel? I'm liking my options through ToB, but I figure I will check that out. LOL... We are playing with a new DM so I figure I will do something kind of straight forward, opposed to the Paragon Dwarf/Deep Ward/ Hammer of Moradin/ rediculous build. :P Chase
#19 ganbor Apr 07, 2008 13:23:16	Do you know where I might find the Defender of Selathiel? I'm liking my options through ToB, but I figure I will check that out. LOL... We are playing with a new DM so I figure I will do something kind of straight forward, opposed to the Paragon Dwarf/Deep Ward/ Hammer of Moradin/ rediculous build. :P Chase Book of Exalted Deeds
#20 x-codes Apr 07, 2008 17:12:46	Do you know where I might find the Defender of Selathiel? I'm liking my options through ToB, but I figure I will check that out. LOL... We are playing with a new DM so I figure I will do something kind of straight forward, opposed to the Paragon Dwarf/Deep Ward/ Hammer of Moradin/ rediculous build. :P Chase Don't think I made myself clear. Defender of Selathiel is 100% superior to Dwarven Defender, but that doesn't mean it's particularly good either. The defensive stance ability is just too limiting to be useful, and Defender of Selathiel's SLA's are, by and large, on the Paladin spell list as well (if you don't want to be a Paladin, then you can be a Pious Templar and still get access to the spell list).