Unhappy with my character

[Rev Bolyard]

This. Also, consider the Vital Strike Feat-Chain. Use the move action to get into flanking position and then unleash a brutal 4d4+ALOTOFDMGLOL 20x4 attack. If you claim to have problems hiting your enemies, then it won't be worth to try to get decent iterative attacks.

A couple multiclass levels into fighter will net you two nifty feats to rework your PC, plus some good BAB to hit more often. If you take them, may I suggest Lore Warden, the Archetype that rocks your world.

I keep reading about Vital Strike, but unless I'm very confused I'd be adding an additional 4 points of damage (on average) while losing my 2nd attack? Seems a bit hefty for the cost of a feat... or is the allure of Vital Strike just because it's a prereq. for other feats?

 

[Ramaster]

I keep reading about Vital Strike, but unless I'm very confused I'd be adding an additional 4 points of damage (on average) while losing my 2nd attack? Seems a bit hefty for the cost of a feat... or is the allure of Vital Strike just because it's a prereq. for other feats?

Well, if we are being nitpicky, 4.5 is the average of 2d4...

Putting that aside, yes, doing your second attack usually has a greater damage output than Vital Striking. The idea is that you are not allways able to perform the full attack, because you have to move. On those circunstances, you can Vital Strike and Power Attack. Furious focus will negate the penalty of Power Attack and greatly increase your acuracy.

Furthermore, Improved Vital Strike will grant you and additional 2d4. It may not be the best choice, but it addresses your acuracy/damage issues.

 

[Systole]

If we're being nitpicky, 5 is actually the average 2d4 roll.

Vital Strike is underwhelming except in certain very specialized builds, like a Mobile Fighter archetype with a reach weapon. It's an extra couple of dice on those rounds when you have to move and attack. But since you don't get the extra multiplier for strength, flaming weapon, magic weapon, etc., it's just not that great.

Vital Strike would actually be worthwhile for a Spring Attack build, except that it doesn't work with Spring Attack according to RAW/errata.

 

[Squire James]

Vital Strike never really ventures into "broken territory", but these circumstances might make it a worthwhile choice:

1. You have a 1d12 or 2d6 weapon.

2. You have a 1d8 or better weapon, and you're Enlarged a lot (see #1).

3. You have Power Attack and Furious Focus, and you realize that second attack's NEVER going to hit!

It's a pretty well-balanced feat - it is good in some situations and bad in others. There is another feat that adds 2 to Vital Strike damage - I forget its name but the 2 DOES multiply on a critical hit. That's only worth it if you have more feats than you know what to do with, which is pretty rare.

 

[Rev Bolyard]

Well, if we are being nitpicky, 4.5 is the average of 2d4...

Putting that aside, yes, doing your second attack usually has a greater damage output than Vital Striking. The idea is that you are not allways able to perform the full attack, because you have to move. On those circunstances, you can Vital Strike and Power Attack. Furious focus will negate the penalty of Power Attack and greatly increase your acuracy.

Furthermore, Improved Vital Strike will grant you and additional 2d4. It may not be the best choice, but it addresses your acuracy/damage issues.

Appreciate the further explanation. Since I have an affinity for melee builds, my next character will likely be a fighter that dabbles in the Vital Strike tree.

I'm getting ready to level to 8 now, and I'd hate to give up the extra attack, the 2nd judgement and extra spells to dip into fighter.

 

[Rev Bolyard]

If we're being nitpicky, 5 is actually the average 2d4 roll.

Vital Strike is underwhelming except in certain very specialized builds, like a Mobile Fighter archetype with a reach weapon. It's an extra couple of dice on those rounds when you have to move and attack. But since you don't get the extra multiplier for strength, flaming weapon, magic weapon, etc., it's just not that great.

Vital Strike would actually be worthwhile for a Spring Attack build, except that it doesn't work with Spring Attack according to RAW/errata.

I'm not totally sure I agree with that errata as Vital Striking during a Spring Attack is hardly game breaking. As for Cleave....

 

[Rev Bolyard]

Vital Strike never really ventures into "broken territory", but these circumstances might make it a worthwhile choice:

1. You have a 1d12 or 2d6 weapon.

2. You have a 1d8 or better weapon, and you're Enlarged a lot (see #1).

3. You have Power Attack and Furious Focus, and you realize that second attack's NEVER going to hit!

It's a pretty well-balanced feat - it is good in some situations and bad in others. There is another feat that adds 2 to Vital Strike damage - I forget its name but the 2 DOES multiply on a critical hit. That's only worth it if you have more feats than you know what to do with, which is pretty rare.

Thanks!

I apparently just had back to back bad sessions because in last session I was hitting everything. As for my damage I guess that's all relative. I was hoping that with Bane and criting that I would be slicing the undead like a hot knife through butter - vanquishing them in one attack - but perhaps that's not a reasonable expectation. I know I'd be upset if a monster were to crit and kill my character in one hit, so I suppose the damage seems fine...

 

[Rev Bolyard]

So when critting while using bane, the 2d6 is static, but I get my (x4) multiptier on the +2, correct? Or do I get a x4 on the whole ball of wax?

And what about using my destruction judgement? It's currently 3 additional damage... does that become 12 on a crit?

 

[SteelDraco]

You can generally assume that extra DICE of damage (bane, flaming, vital strike, etc) don't multiply on a critical and that a flat numerical bonus (Strength modifier, power attack, enhancement bonus, destruction judgement bonus, divine favor, etc) DOES. Exceptions to this rule will be explicitly stated as such, and they're pretty rare.