Dwarven Defender

[Marimmar]

Hi Ffolks!

I'm currently playing a dwarven fighter on it's way to becoming a dwarven defender and was looking for other people's experience with that PrC.

Brok Rock (my PC) is currently level 3 and trying to maximise his AC since he regards defense as the basis for a good offense. He's strives to be the epitome of a tank, a perfect meatshield, nigh invulnerable and capable to dish out at least average damage. Brok's reasoning being that the magic-wielders in the rear can deal with the opposition in a very efficient way when able to cast mighty magics unhindered.

Brok Rock will take Expertise upon reaching 9th level (dwarven defender lvl2) and expects to be almost immune to physical attacks when using his defensive stance. Question being, is defensive stance a worthwhile ability? I can imagine it being in a corridor but what about fighting against giants and other monsters with reach? Do monsters try to avoid dwarven defenders in defensive stance mode?

Tell me about your Experience with this PrC.

~Marimmar

 

[Darklone]

NPCs tend to stay some feet away and lob alchemists fire at them

 

[Marimmar]

NPCs tend to stay some feet away and lob alchemists fire at them

Well it will take a lot of that to bring Brok Rock down, until then my magic wielding buddies can lay the smack down on those 'lobbers'.

 

[Darklone]

You need a reach weapon if you wanna protect your buddies. Otherwise everyone will tumble past you and beat your buddies. Readied attacks with trips are your friend.

 

[Endur]

Dwarven Defender Rocks!

Well, I think this PRC is great! Others think its average.

Defensive stance is great, both from a story perspective and from an ability perspective.

Once you get multiple defensive stance uses per day, its even better, because if you need to, you can leave your stance, move next to an enemy, go back into stance and start attacking.

Rumor has it that in 3.5, a high level DD can move 5' per round in his defensive stance (8+ levels of DD).

As to how monsters react, it depends on the GM. Some GMs will play the monsters straight up, and your Dwarf can stand toe to toe with half a dozen leveled Trolls and Giants and have a great time.

Other GMs will say, hmmm, I can't hit you, I'll go attack some other PC.

Mean GMs will have their monsters with reach back up 5' and keep on swinging. Ignoring the game rules for a moment, backing up in a combat doesn't make sense, and I encourage you to laugh at the pathetic minions of the GM as they flee from your Dwarf.

Expertise is interesting, but I wouldn't pick it. It takes away from your BAB, and you still need a decent offense as a frontline melee type. If you end up in a combat where you really need even more defense, you can use a tower shield or fight defensively. My preference would be some kind of "kill the enemy faster" feat, or perhaps Close Quarters Fighting from Sword & Fist (or if using non-WOTC books, there are tons of feats available).

Also, I've found that fellow PCs and NPCs tend to be more impressed by a high offense character than a high defense character, so making sure that your character has plenty of both has to be a goal.

 

[Marimmar]

I hope I can get around wielding a reach weapon just because all my enemies are pole arm experts. As a DM I often got the impression that my players tend to be as agressive as possible, wielding large weapons and sacrificing AC for offense. Since all it takes for a monster like a troll or fiendish dire ape to score one lucky hit and rip me apart, I'd rather go for defense all the way and reduce the risk of a rending monster killing me. Taking Expertise at 9th allows me to go all defensive when such a monster appears and maybe trip at 12th. Most of the time all my friends need is chance to get off some spells or arrows while the tank takes the punishment. Having an estimated AC of 30+ will make it very hard being hit, thus improving the group's survivability.

My specialized warhammer will still allow me to dish out 1d8+5 damage/attack without any magic. Not very much but maybe some nice DM will hand me a mighty weapon to dent my clan's foes!

~Marimmar

 

[Endur]

AC 30+?

You can get far higher than that without spending an feat on expertise. Make friends with the party cleric. A magic vestment or two (beefed up by a bead of karma) can do wonders for your armor class.

And with the 3.5 Tower Shield being +4 to AC, that is quite nice.

My DD fights a lot of Trolls and Giants, and they generally need a 20 to hit him (unless its like a super-boss level giant that the party has no business fighting at all).

 

[Caliban]

If you can manage the feat cost, combining Dwarven Defender with Devoted Defender can be pretty cool.

It gives you versatility: You can be mobile, and protect a lightly armored fighter/barbarian comrade with the Devoted Defender "Harms Way" ability, or you can be stable and block a passage or fight a crowd of bad guys in your defensive stance.

Sadly, it really works better if you have a reach weapon instead of a traditional dwarven weapon though.

 

[Shin Okada]

How about using a reach weapon + animated shield?

 

[Privateer]

I reccomend the dwarven thrower warhammer -- when in the defensive stance, you can still throw it and it's a perfectly functional melee weapon too