The main problem with this build that it's really tight on feats and I'm having some difficulty balancing it, deciding between which feats to drop and which to keep as well as finding way to increase BaB and Initiator Level. Right now, i think the power of this build is excessive and I'm considering dropping some AoO related feats to make room for some additional metamagic feats or other general combat feats. what do you think?
Thus far, the build is as follows:
Combat Domain Wiz 6 (IL 3, BaB 3)/Ruathar 2 (IL 4, BaB 4)/Abjurant champion 4 (IL 6, BaB 8)/Crusader 1 (IL 7, BaB 9)/Jade Pheonix 5 (IL 12, BaB 14)/Spellsword 1 (IL 12.5, BaB 15)/Abjurant Champion 1 (IL 13, BaB 16)
The end result is BaB 16, CL 18, and 1 6th level maneuver. What really frustrates me is ECL 7 and 8 where we take Ruathar as it really slows down BaB progression and the class features granted aren't all that impressive. The boost to saves are nice though. Are there any viable substitutes for those 2 Ruathar levels that grant +1 BaB and CL? Can't seem to find any that can be used at that low a level. The levels in which we take Crusader and JPM are pretty much set allowing us to take 4th level maneuvers upon entry
Feats: Assumes 2 flaws (1 acquired at a later level), Combat Wizard Variant, and Human = 12 feats
1) Expeditious Dodge, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Extend Spell (Flaw)
3) Karmic strike
5) Combat Casting
6) Two Weapon Fighting
9) Improved Combat Reflexes
12) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
15) Double Hit, Robliar's Gambit (Flaw), Greater Combat Reflex (Heroics, can also be used to gain Martial Stance to get Thicket of Blades earlier until ECL 18 is reached)
18) Defensive Sweep
This is obviously going to be, obviously, a two weapon fighting build. But, instead of using two sowrds, the prefered weapon of choice are hammers or clubs, or some other bludgeoning weapon to be augmented by Greater Mighty Wallop
Maneuvers: a set maneuver list is still open to determination
Essential Maneuvers and Stances
- Thicket of Blades
- Defensive Rebuke
Preliminary Maneuver List: Note that I'm a newbie when it comes to ToB and still in the process of trying to get a handle of things, if there's something wrong with my maneuver list, which I suspect there is, do feel free to comment
-- Crusader 1
Foehammer
Defensive Rebuke
Divine Surge
Overwhelming Mountain Strike or Leading the Attack or Revitalizing Strike
White Raven Tactics or White Raven Strike
-- JPM 1
Burning Blade
-- JPM 3
Flashing Sun
-- JPM 5
Desert Tempest or Leaping Flame (the former being the preferred choice)
Essential Spells
- Repelling Shield (Triggers Thicket of Blades when they attack us, generating 3 AoO's with Karmic Strike and Robliar's Gambit if they hit)
- Thunderlance (20 ft reach, excellent with Defensive Rebuke and Thicket of Blades, awesome with a Rod of Enlarge Spell)
- Forcewave (Surround myself with enemies, move/bullrush them with this spell, then strike them all down with Thicket of Blades)
- Greater Mighty Wallop (Awesome damage boost)
- Heroics (Gain necessary feats)
- Enlarge Person (Add some reach, excellent with Thunderlance)
- Solid Fog (Keep enemies pinned and strike them down with awesome reach)
- Polymorph/Draconic Polymorph (Transform into something with massive Dex)
- Bite of the Wererat (Boosts Dex and grants Weapon Finesse, which could be great if we decided to use compatible weapons instead of a Bludgeoning weapon)
- Bite of the Werebear/Weretiger (Boosts Strength and gains Power Attack)
- Wraith Strike (Obviously)
- Vampiric Touch (For additional HP. Combine with damage augments and a Spell Storing weapon or Smiting Spell)
- Chilling Touch (Combine with a Spell Storing weapon to deal -1 Str damage with every hit, equating to -6 on a single AoO)
- Arcane Spellsurge (To be used in conjunction with Smiting Spell to replicate the Channel Spell class ability or for quickened buffing)
- Shock and Awe (Render all foes flat-footed so as to benefit from the Sneak attack of the Kelvezu)
Polymorph (Draconic) Forms: Assume a +5 Inherent Bonus from a Tome and +6 Enchantment Bonus from Bite of the wererat to Dex
-- Kelvezu: Str 21, Dex 31 (42: +16), Con 16, Int 17; MM2 p.60
Benefits: Poison(Ex): Injury Fort DC 19, 1d6 CON / 1d6 Con, Sneak Attack +8d6;
-- Pit Fiend: Outsider(evil), Large, Fly 60, NA +23, Str 37, Dex 27 (38: +14), Con 27; MM/SRD
Other Benefits: Constrict (Ex), Improved Grab (Ex), Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 27, damage 1d6 Con
-- Horned Devil, Outsider(evil), Large, Fly 50, NA +19, Str 31, Dex 25 (36: +13), Con 25, Int 14; MM/SRD
-- Nimblewright: 10 HD, Construct, Medium, NA +7, Str 19, Dex 24 (35: +12), Con -, Int 10; MM3 p.162
Full Attack: 2 rapier-hands +11 melee (2d6+4/12-20)
Benefits: Construct traits
-- Barbed Devil, Outsider(evil), large, NA +13, Str 23, Dex 23 (34: +12), Con 23, Int 12; MM/SRD
Benefits: Impale(Ex) Deals 3d8+9 damage with grapple, Improved Grab,
-- Sand Giant: Large, NA +11, Str 27, Dex 21 (32: +11), Con 21; MM4 p.59
Combat
-- Str 33 (Dependent on what for we take. This assumes a Kelvezu form via Polymorph with Bite of the Weretiger = 21 base + 12 Enchantment)
-- Int 34 (18 base + 5 levels + 6 Enchantment + 5 Inherent)
-- Attack Bonus
+16 BaB +11 Str (or +12 for off hand) +1 Haste +5 Enchantment +4 Heroism Morale Bonus = 38
-- Standard weaponry will consist of a Warhammer in his primary hand and a Thunderlance in his off-hand (as it can be wielded with one hand and it allows us to use our full Int mod)
-- AoO Attack Sequence (Assumes 1 provoked AoO)
+36/+37/+31/+32/+26/+27
-- Assuming Karmic Strike, Robilar's Gambit, and either Thicket of Blades or Defensive Sweep trigger, the AoO attack sequence is repeated thrice, making for 18 attacks and consuming only 9 of 16 (max) AoO's we can take in a round.
Tactics
-- Hit-AoO-and-Run
Having Repelling Shield active. Initiate Desert Tempest augmented by Burning Blade along with various movement enhancing buffs (Fly + Haste for 120ft fly speed) and weave through the battlefield, striking as many opponent as possible and provoking AoO's from them. If they take the AoO, we gain 3 AoO's from them via Robilar's Gambit, Karmic Strike (if they hit), and Thicket of Blades.
-- The Deterrence Machine
Cast Thunderlance along with Enlarge Person for to gain 30ft reach and strategically place yourself in a position where the maximum number of foes might be threatened. Initiate Defensive Rebuke and watch all enemies threatened do nothing lest they provoke an AoO from Thicket of Blades or Defensive Rebuke. From this position, we are free to cast spells at range comfortably. If they don't move, they still provoke an AoO thanks to Defensive Sweep
-- Focused Hard Hitting Damage
Forgoes reach and battlefield control for hard hitting damage. Two Handed Weapon Fighting with bludgeoning weapons augmented by Greater Mighty Wallop make for tremendous damage. Combine that with Burning Blade and Leaping Flame (if we take it, that is, otherwise, use similar a teleportation spell), the damage is awesome and we can effectively harass a single enemy, teleporting instantly to their location try as they might to escape. When going for hard hitting damage, a spell storing weapon and Vampiric Strike with various damage boosts make for a great source of temp HP to offset the amount of hits we'll be taking to optimize AoO damage
-- Familiar Bullrushing
We can force the target to provoke AoO's with our familiar by Polymorphing it into a Remorhaz. Simply order it to use Awesome Blow to move the enemy, thereby provoking an AoO from Thicket of Blades, then perform a regular bullrush to move it further, provoking another AoO
-- Cornered
When cornered by multiple opponents, simply cast Forcewave to bullrush them all and forcing them to provoke an AoO from Thicket of Blades
So what do you guys think? Point for improvement? Is it worth toning this down to make room for more versatility or expanded spellcasting?
Otherwise, you could take Crusader 1 earlier, that'll get you into Spellsword 1. Lower level maneuvers tho.
As for entering Crusader earlier, I'm thinking it's best to delay it. At least, that way, we play pretty much like a normal Wizard with full casting until all our martial abilities start coming in by ECL 13-18.
