30 Point Build Race: Goliath Classes: Fighter 1/ Warblade 1
STR = 17 +4 = 21
DEX = 15 -2 = 13
CON = 12 +2 = 14
INT = 13
WIS = 8
CHA = 8
I am pretty much geared up to have whirlwind attack at lvl 6 and I plan to do it like this:
1st Fighter = Feat + Bonus Feat; Dodge, Combat Expertise
2nd Warblade
3rd Warblade = Feat; Mobility
4th Fighter = Feat; Spring Attack
5th Fighter
6th Fighter = Feat + Bonus Feat; Weapon Specialization, Whirlwind Attack
I took warblade because it adds interesting maneuvers to my guy, especially the one that lets me use a concentration check for a will save. And as of ECL 3 my damage and to hit isnt that bad either.
Large Masterwork Greatsword +8 3D6+7 dmg
I would just like help optimizing him after lvl 6 because I dont know where I want to go after that, also if I made a mistake somewhere. I was thinking going straight warblade after 6 cause I would get a lot more than a straight fighter would, but I would love your comments, or even better ways to make this char would be appreciated.
If the warblade's available, you have the Steel Wind / Mithral Tornado / Adamantine Hurricane maneuvers available to you. Those are Whirlwind, done the way it should have been done from the get-go, and doable as a standard action. Without the ten thousand prerequisites and caveats. Plus Steel Wind is available at level 1.
Second, Whirlwind works best with REACH. Exchange the greatsword for a reach weapon and you'll find yourself working much better. If you're worried about adjacent opponents, note that no one says you have to make all of the attacks with the same weapon if you're dual-wielding, so just add in armor spikes. (As a side effect, the reach weapon will let you have a MUCH better impact on the battle. Grab Combat Reflexes and buff your Dexterity.) Reach is also the only advantage that Whirlwind can ever employ over the Iron Heart whirlwind moves.
Consider going straight Warblade from the get-go (for easier access to maneuvers and better maneuvers). If you insist on having multiple fighter levels, take them all first - 4 fighter levels means that your opening three Warblade maneuvers can be 2nd level ones due to the way Tome multiclassing works.
Similarly, you don't qualify for Weapon Specialization (it needs Weapon Focus), and you should proably ditch it anyway - it works best if you have numerous attacks (so the +2 adds up over each of them), whereas you're making just one attack. You're a Goliath - compared to the average fighter, your +4 Strength and Large greatsword will add up to +6.5 damage above people with comparable points in Strength anyway. This should save you two feats and reduce the need for fighter levels.
Finally, is LA buyoff available? If so, do it.
well i did the classes the way i did because i need one feat at lvl 4 and two feats at 6, that was non-negotiable and darn ur right about weapon spec, hmm all that work i did making my character lol and the only reason fighter was in there was because of feats
Don't be a goliath, then. Be a Human and you're good to go. You lose damage - and Weapon Specialization does not make up for it - but you get to keep your work.
If it helps, I put a bit of work into a "large and in charge" style goliath warrior here and here that might give you some ideas. Whirlwind isn't present, but the ability to strike large is, and you get to play around with the people around you. One ability (that appears later than I'd like) lets him hit two squares with every single attack, essentially turning every attack into a Steel Wind. It also has patently ridiculous reach, position control, (rudimentary) lockdown abilities, and pretty stunning damage potential, so it touches on all the areas regular melee needs (lockdown and damage). Feel free to crib from there and see if it improves your approach.
Or, alternatively, just play straight Iron Heart warblade (dabble in Tiger Claw and one other discipline of your choice). You'll be very similar, except far more mobile and with much more feat freedom.
I actually decided to drop the whirlwind and just go into warblade with a couple levels of fighter. Warblade 1/Fighter 1/Warblade 2/Fighter 2/ Warblade 3/ Warblade 4, Feats will be Lvl 1 - Power Attack, Lvl 2 - Cleave, Lvl 3 - Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Lvl 4 - Great Cleave, Lvl 6 - Weapon Specialization and current manuevers I have right now at ECL 3 are Moment of Perfect Mind, Steel Wind, and Leading the Attack with Punishing Stance. Ability Scores are 21, 12, 15, 14, 8, 8. I went warblade first for the little bit of extra skill points to put into concentration for the potential 7 will save at ECL 3 and fighter just for two extra feats. My damage is really high with this build since I'm wielding a Large Greatsword, having a to hit at +8 and damage at 3D6+7 or 3D6+11 if I power attack, and the stance will help out nicely. Thanks for all your help but I have no idea what to do after level 6 except keep going warblade, any ideas? At later levels I think I will want the fighter feats, greater weapon spec and focus and maybe later ill get a large falchion and imp critical, but for now I have no idea.
If you're going Weapon Specialization in spite of what I said above, take all four fighter levels first.
Due to the way Tome multiclassing works, when you take your first level of Warblade, your initiator level will be 1 (warblade) + 2 (half all non-warblade levels) = 3, which is high enough to pick second-level maneuvers at the beginning, so long as you meet their prerequisites. (You need a first-level stance, but the maneuvers can be 2nd level.) This is very significant if you plan on going into Tiger Claw, since only two maneuvers in Tiger Claw have no prerequisites (and one is the 2nd-level Claw at the Moon). You could open with Punishing Stance, Claw at the Moon, Wall of Blades, and any 1st or 2nd level Diamond Mind maneuver.
@Tempest_Stormwind: Is there that much of a power difference waiting until lvl 5 to go warblade? I really only specced into it early so I could have something to do early levels instead of just smack kill opponents
Not really - in fact, the recommendation I have is to ignore Fighter altogether and just go straight Warblade. My suggest to delay warblade was under the assumption you absolutely wanted to spend two feats for +1 attack, +2 damage as soon as humanly possible.
Remember, most warblade attacks are single strikes, and you can't make a strike as part of a full attack (unless the maneuver says you make a full attack, like, say, Flashing Sun or Time Stands Still). Thus, most of the time you're just hitting once, usually with bonus dice instead of a damage multiplier. Even +1d6 damage averages +3.5, which is better than Weapon Specialization and nearly as good as both Weapon Focus AND Weapon Specialization put together (in general, +1 attack is reasonably balanced with +2 damage), and Punishing Stance adds that to every attack even if you aren't using a strike. Furthermore, Punishing Stance is far from the best stance available to you. (I would argue the best first-level stances are Martial Spirit and Leading the Charge, with Island of Blades and Blood in the Water getting an honorable mention because they're absolutely invaluable for their character type but generally less useful for others.)
You'll have amazing results if you just go straight Warblade and don't overvalue Weapon Specialization. And if you desperately DO want Weapon Specialization, due to Weapon Aptitude, warblades qualify anyway (just at level 6 instead of level 4).
Thanks man, you've helped out a lot