Feat help for my "Bard-barian"

[Twowolves]

I need some help picking some future feats for my PFS character. First I'll summarize his stats, then explain the dilemma.

Human (ulfen) male Fighter 1/Bard 2 (no archetypes)
S:17
D:10
C:16
I:8
W:10
Chr:14

Feats: Weapon Focus: Battleaxe, Power Attack, Cleave, Arcane Strike

Spells:
1st: Expeditious Retreat, Cause Fear, Comprehend Languages

As you can probably tell, he was meant to be a skirmisher/skald northman. His 4th level ability bump will be in Str, and his 2nd level spells will include Heroism (perpetual self-buff, along with Expeditious Retreat and Feather Step) and eventually Versatile Weapon, Gallant Inspiration and Alter Self.

I had originally designed him to be an Intimidation machine, stacking the Shaken effect with Cause Fear/Scare/Fear/Dirge of Doom (yes, I know DoD isn't supposed to stack, it was worded oddly). Now that Intimidate/Demoralize doesn't stack with anything, not just itself, my plan is derailed somewhat. I was going to pick up Dazzling Display at 5th level, but now I'm not sure it's worth it. He does have the Taldan trait that lets him instill a non-Intimidate Shaken effect for 1 round, but that takes a full round action, lasts only 1 round, and is usable only 1/day.

Right now, the short list of feats include Hamatula Strike (free Intimidate/Demoralize when Power Attacking), Vital Strike, Bloody Assault, and ?? I don't qualify for those until 7th/9th level, and those with a BAB requirement of +6 will have to be my last two options, so what do I take at 5th level? Should I just wait on Ultimate Magic/Ultimate Combat and then reevaluate my options? He's going to hit 4th level next month, but I won't play him again until GenCon in August, so waiting is a viable option.

What say you all?

 

[Twowolves]

A week and not even ONE reply?

Sorry to have wasted everyone's time.

And by "everyone's time" I mean "my time".

 

[Kvantum]

You're talking about a Skald type character and you don't take the Savage Skald archetype?

 

[Dingo333]

well, there is intimidating prowess, (add STR and CHA to intimidate), Enforcer (free intimidate check whenever you do nonlethal, just get your main weapon to have merciful property, adds 1d6 to damage, and it is all nonlethal damage), Extra Rage, Extra Rage power (don't know what you would want), Extra Performance, Skill Focus (intimidate to start, perception is also a good one), Toughness, Dodge, Endurance, Diehard, Fast Healer, Great Cleave, Furious Focus.

There is a list for ya, I noted why some would be good, and just noted others that were kinda obvious.

Right now, I have a barbarian, Lvl 12, who focuses on using his claws and bite (gained via rage powers) and when he knocks someone out (over 100 damge a round, range of 52-120 additional critical damage ranging from 3-66) he gets to make a free intimidate check to all enemies in 30ft, 1d20+25 on the check. Unless an opponent has a decent wisdom score, they will be demoralized for a round or 2

 

[Twowolves]

You're talking about a Skald type character and you don't take the Savage Skald archetype?

A) he is Pathfinder Society, and he predates the APG, so that boat has sailed.

B) that template is all about buffing barbarians. This character has nothing to do with barbarians.

 

[Twowolves]

well, there is intimidating prowess, (add STR and CHA to intimidate), Enforcer (free intimidate check whenever you do nonlethal, just get your main weapon to have merciful property, adds 1d6 to damage, and it is all nonlethal damage), Extra Rage, Extra Rage power (don't know what you would want), Extra Performance, Skill Focus (intimidate to start, perception is also a good one), Toughness, Dodge, Endurance, Diehard, Fast Healer, Great Cleave, Furious Focus.

There is a list for ya, I noted why some would be good, and just noted others that were kinda obvious.

Thanks for the reply!

My character is not a barbarian, and I don't really plan on taking any levels in barbarian, so Extra Rage/Extra Rage Power are obviously out. He also doesn't qualify for Dodge (but he does for Shield Focus). Furious Focus only helps with a two-handed weapon (or one-handed weapon weilded in two hands) and he's a shield user.

Likewise, I was going to go Intimidate/Fear stacking, but they changed that in the erratta so I'm no longer trying to push that aspect mostly. So Skill Focus/Intimidating Prowess are out.

I misnamed the one feat I was talking about. It's "Cornugon Smash" not "Hamatula Strike". It gives a free Intimidate check any time you hit someone while using Power Attack. IMO, it's superior in every way to Enforcer.

At any rate, I was looking for feats to make him a better self-buffed fighter. Something better than Toughness/Shield Focus/Improved Sunder or better bard like Lingering Performance/Extra Permormance. I've decided to sit on it until Ultimate Magic and Ultimate Combat come out.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Dingo333]

Read barbarian not fighter, sorry

As for enforcer vs cornugon strike, enforcer triggers on AoO and using a merciful weapon adds to the total damage you can do. Also, there are times when you dont wanna power attack, like vital striking, or maybe cleaving a large group where you need to hit, to cleave the second guy.

Also, furious focus is the prereq for dreadful carnage, you dont need to be using furious focus at the time either. I know you are shying away from big guy smash idea, but it is still nice

I would also recomend upping DEX so you can shield bash (up to 3 more attacks, bull rush attempts, decent damage (1d4-1d6, 1d6-1d8 with bashing shield))

 

[Twowolves]

Dreadful Carnage requires a BAB of +11, and Pathfinder Society tops out at 12th, so he'll never qualify for it. Otherwise I'd jump on some of those Critical Feats.

Likewise, I don't want to get a merciful weapon to make my feat work, although it is a good idea. I'm leaning towards adamantine +2/Thundering or just adamantine +3, but that's another story. I'm thinking about Improved Sunder with an adamantine axe, but I still feel dirty using Sunder on stuff. Yeah, it's effective (a +3 adamantine axe will sunder just about anything, especially spell component pouches and holy symbols, and with the spell Versitle Weapon it'll bypass most of the DRs), but still...

I'd have to sink 3 points into Dex just to get to Dodge, much less TWF. Ouch.

Most everything I've done since they nixed my Intimidate stacking schtick was to make him mobile skirmisher, with Feather Step/Expeditious Retreat and Cleave (move most anywhere fast and hit one or two adjacent foes). He's never going to hit frontline damage output levels, but he will be mobile and a buffing fiend. Plus he's just fun to play. Like a take on the Magus or Eldritch Knight. He'll top out at BAB +9, triple digit HP and no poor saves. He can use all the Cure wands and other back-up heal scrolls/wands without UMD. High mobility + self-inflicted Silence will ruin many a mage's day for sure. Just not sure how to make that vision a reality down the road.

If either Ultimate Magic or Ultimate Combat have anything in it that just jumps out at me, that'll help tremendously.

Thanks for the feedback Dingo333!