Help with feats for my Dwarf Fighter/Rogue

[Sal]

couple of questions about build

I looked up Penetrating Strike in Dungeonscape.

Does Craven apply to this damage, as it doesn't call the damage sneak attack.

Also I don't have Champions of Ruin so I don't know the specific wording of the Craven Feat.

Thanks from Sal

BTW I found out how to do varients in heroforge

 

[Dandu]

Combat Reflexes + Robiliar's Gambit is better than Dodge + Karmic Strike in that you don't have to take a poor feat. Also, you need Combat Reflexes to make multiple AoOs.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I looked up Penetrating Strike in Dungeonscape.

Does Craven apply to this damage, as it doesn't call the damage sneak attack.

I have no idea, it's not an issue the writers of Dungeonscape anticipated, since sneak attack is normally only dice damage. I'd ask your DM. A reasonable middle ground between getting or not getting it is having it halved, just like your SA dice.

In any case, Penetrating Strike is mostly a stop gap when all else fails. Ideally, you'll be angling towards a +3 weapon (the minimum enhancement a weapon needs to be able to apply a greater augment crystal to it), and a greater truedeath crystal and greater demolition crystal. The former is 10,000 gp and among other things lets you SA undead. The latter is 6000 gp and lets you SA constructs. Together, they let you ignore about half of the SA immune stuff in the game.

If you're not familiar with them, augment crystals were introduced in Magic Item Compendium. You basically have one "slot" on any weapon, armor, or shield that can hold one. Attaching or removing them is a move action, so swapping them in combat IS an option when needed. They're basically like magic arms/armor bonuses that are easily transferable between gear and purposely designed to give you more customization.

EDIT: Unless you're doing Zhentarim and/or Dungeoncrasher Fighter, I recommend not going beyond level 2 in Fighter. If you feel the absolute need for Melee Weapon Mastery, take the bare minimum Fighter levels that requires and get out. Dungeoncrasher Fighter is in Dungeonscape. Zhentarim is located in a small downloadable pdf here. It makes Intimidate a very useful skill, and actually gives all of its benefits for FREE.

 

[Dandu]

Again, may I point out that a Str based Rogue wields a quarterstaff in two hands and starts power attacking when things that are immune to sneak attack come by?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Why blow a feat on Power Attack, which is a terrible option for when you'r TWF, when you can just twink out your main attack method and make it work as often as possible?

*Shrug* My SA alternative is Use Magic Device in any case. Power Attack works, too. It's just that feats are precious.

 

[Dandu]

In the event that you don't have access to Dungeonscape, the MiC, or the SpC.

Actually, several Ranger builds I've seen involve taking the TWF option to fight with a THW and armor spikes. I think Power Attack was involved with some of them.

Interesting note: a quarterstaff can hold two wand chambers and armor spikes may be able to hold one, which means you could get the entire line of "-strike" wands on your person at the same time. Assuming you manage to design spiked armor with a wand chamber in it.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Yeah...cause RC also changed the rule on wands so that swift spells only take a swift action to activate... :angry scowl:

 

[Dandu]

Changed... or clarified?

After all, the PHB states that
"Wands use the spell trigger activation method, so casting a spell from a wand is usually a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. (If the spell being cast, however, has a longer casting time than 1 standard action, it takes that long to cast the spell from a wand.)"

Things to take away:
1. Casting a spell from a wand is usually a standard action.
2. Spells with longer casting times use the longer casting time.

The issue of what happens if a spell takes less than a standard action is not addressed, though this might have been due to the lack of swift and immediate action spells at the time. Feather Fall is the only one I can think of, and they might have forgotten to address it.

Anyways, there is precedent for using the spell's casting time if it's not a standard action since spells cast out of a wand do not need to take a standard action.

I don't see the problem. Do you think it's unbalanced or something?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Yes, I think it's unbalanced. And I always read that as: Standard action, unless the spell takes longer to cast. Seemed pretty straight forward. And the was an Immediate action spell in core, even if it didn't gain that name until later, Feather Fall. As well as quickened spells, which could be made into wands for cantrips.

 

[Dandu]

Yes, I think it's unbalanced.

Is your concern that parties will be able to kill of undead and constructs too quickly because they lack Con scores?

And I always read that as: Standard action, unless the spell takes longer to cast. Seemed pretty straight forward. And the was an Immediate action spell in core, even if it didn't gain that name until later, Feather Fall. As well as quickened spells, which could be made into wands for cantrips.

But then do you admit that is is a grey area in the rules, rather than an outright restriction?