Fighter build advice

[Theroc]

Stand still is in the SRD (but classified under the psionic feats section). I don't think the other 2 feats are, though.

I am not sure how well a watered-down tripper fighter will fare though. Trip is one of those things you really need to go out of your way to trick out, or it will be flat-out useless.

On the other hand, you still get weapon finesse, combat reflexes and improved trip/disarm. The wizard can supply enlarge person castings. But you lack goodies such as thicket of blades and robilar's gambit.

I'm slightly curious as to what benefit Weapon Finesse is in a trip build. Is dexterity to be my favored stat above strength, that I'm using weapon finesse? Also, I was considering possible multiclass options to enhance the concept, since I will be unable to trick out a large number of feats around the concept, I thought perhaps multiclassing into something else may enhance the buiild in ways that can't be achieved through SRD feats.

For example: A Level 2 Pyschic Warrior can learn Expansion, which works like Enlarge person on self. Perhaps getting some levels in Rogue may also help, sneak attack AoO's from 10' away if I am a flanking, etc...

Just curious if there is anything else I can do to enhance this concept within the confines of the SRD.

Edit:
Sidestep Charge looks promising-
Benefit

You get a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against charge attacks. If a charging opponent fails to make a successful attack against you, you gain an immediate attack of opportunity. This feat does not grant you more attacks of opportunity than you are normally allowed in a round. If you are flat-footed or otherwise denied your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, you do not gain the benefit of this feat.

It isn't exactly trip-based, but it gives another AoO(if I have combat reflexes)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

First of all, out of apology, I missed that thing about SRD only. The ones that aren't are in the Completes, which are so commonly included I probably just glossed over your limitation.

Mea Culpa!

However, further research shows that Hold the Line is listed in the General section under the Divine Feats, meaning only Deft Opportunist is out of your reach.

I'm slightly curious as to what benefit Weapon Finesse is in a trip build. Is dexterity to be my favored stat above strength, that I'm using weapon finesse?

WeapFin is used for Dex-based reach fighters who specialize in weapons like the Spiked Chain, Kusarigama, Chain, and so forth- all of which are finesseable reach weapons.

Also, I was considering possible multiclass options to enhance the concept, since I will be unable to trick out a large number of feats around the concept, I thought perhaps multiclassing into something else may enhance the build in ways that can't be achieved through SRD feats.

PsyWar is a good one for the reason you cited- Expansion is a good power. You could even save yourself a step and start off as a PsyWar- you won't give up much (if anything) to the Fighter over the first 2 levels.

The Pyrokineticist PrCl gives you a nice fire-based boost, as well as a weapon that is almost impossible to take away, and a ranged attack that is about as useful as the Warlock's (basic) eldritch blast.

The Elocater PrCl increases your PC's mobility quite a bit, and has some abilities that can stack quite nastily with the Rogue's sneak attack.

Rogue, of course, gives you some nice potential, especially if you can position yourself to flank from an unexpected position...see the Elocater.

 

[Theroc]

Well, good to know most of those feats are accessible then, thanks Danny. I wouldn't mind the other advice, except the En-World Living Campaign world can only use OGC, which apparently excludes the Complete anything.

As for the Finesse, the major issue I see with finessing in a reach-trip build is that trip checks are done utilizing the fighter's STR. Meaning that if I neglect it, soon I won't be tripping anyone, and may end up being forced to disarm myself... now, for simply a reach build, that may be far more beneficial.

As for starting as a Pyschic Warrior, for roleplaying reasons starting off with psychic powers wouldn't make a great deal of sense (as he's a naive boy just trying to get his start in the world of adventuring, being taught the basics of being a fighter/blacksmith at level 1) perhaps Psychic warrior for level 2, if I can find enough reasoning for Viktor to explore the realm of magic and/or psionics, I'll definitely look into Pyschic Warrior.

Pyro and Elocater both look pretty good, though not sure if Pyrokinetics would really fit Viktor's shtick, lol, given he's generally not the type to want to just watch the world burn. Though maybe if something happens to him involving fire, he may develop an obsession with it.

He's the type of guy who gets really stubborn when he sets his mind on something, and goes for it rather emphatically.

Reach Fighter+Rogue&Elocater sounds nasty. Opportunistic sneak attack flanking from 10-20' away? Ouchies. Opportunistic sneak attack tripflanking!? lol

 

[Runestar]

The chain fighter typically relies on combat reflexes to get more AoOs, which give the player incentive to increase his dex. Weapon finesse lets you take further advantage of this (the assumption is that a higher dex will likely come at the expense of a lower str).

But to take advantage of the many AoOs you can potentially make each round, you will need to ensure that the foes will actually provoke that many. And quite a number of the more useful ones (eg: robilar's gambit, thicket of blades) are not core.

And don't take whirlwind ever, despite how cool it may sound to combine it with trip attempts.

 

[Theroc]

The chain fighter typically relies on combat reflexes to get more AoOs, which give the player incentive to increase his dex. Weapon finesse lets you take further advantage of this (the assumption is that a higher dex will likely come at the expense of a lower str).

But to take advantage of the many AoOs you can potentially make each round, you will need to ensure that the foes will actually provoke that many. And quite a number of the more useful ones (eg: robilar's gambit, thicket of blades) are not core.

And don't take whirlwind ever, despite how cool it may sound to combine it with trip attempts.

I understand this, but if I sacrifice Str, which is the stat I use to determine trip success, how precisely am I going to ACTUALLY trip anyone with all those AoO's? If I get an AoO and attempt to trip, and fail because my str was too low, the adversary can attempt to trip me in kind, unless I drop my weapon, and making those AoO's useless.

 

[Runestar]

the idea is that you are getting multiple ways of boosting your trip check, but looking back, quite a number of them are not core (ie: out of bounds to you).
Tripping is secondary to the build I linked to, it is simply one of a few options available when you attack/make an AoO. Hence the emphasis on AoOs over tripping.

My oversight there.

In this case, you will likely want an equal emphasis on both str and dex then.

 

[Theroc]

the idea is that you are getting multiple ways of boosting your trip check, but looking back, quite a number of them are not core (ie: out of bounds to you).
Tripping is secondary to the build I linked to, it is simply one of a few options available when you attack/make an AoO. Hence the emphasis on AoOs over tripping.

My oversight there.

In this case, you will likely want an equal emphasis on both str and dex then.

Ah, alrighty, I will do disarm attempts as well, but tripping seems to be more beneficial to me, as if I knock them down with a reach weapon, they have to spend their 'move' action getting back up if I remember correctly, giving me a 'free' attack while they can't attack me. Unless they try to use a crossbow while lying down, or somehow a reach weapon themselves.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The chain reach weapons are, in a way, the most dependent upon the non-Core feats.

You might consider staying with a glaive or other Simple or Martial reach weapon (saving yourself that feat) and instead of using the Combat Expertise/ImpTrip/ImpDisarm Feat chain, going with Power Attack/Sunder/Cleave/Great Cleave chain. Most of them do decent damage, and since they're all 2 handed, you'll get a +4 bonus to the roll.

Its just as cool to destroy your foes' weapons, shields or other crucial gear (at reach) for your front liners to take advantage of as it is to trip them.

 

[Theroc]

The chain reach weapons are, in a way, the most dependent upon the non-Core feats.

You might consider staying with a glaive or other Simple or Martial reach weapon (saving yourself that feat) and instead of using the Combat Expertise/ImpTrip/ImpDisarm Feat chain, going with Power Attack/Sunder/Cleave/Great Cleave chain. Most of them do decent damage, and since they're all 2 handed, you'll get a +4 bonus to the roll.

Its just as cool to destroy your foes' weapons, shields or other crucial gear (at reach) for your front liners to take advantage of as it is to trip them.

Well, if I'm to give up entirely on the trip/disarm utility build, I'm not really into the idea of using a polearm and spiked armor, so if it's not possible to make an effective chain fighter, I'll likely go with a more traditional character, but I think I'll try out this fighter and see where it goes. If I find tripping and disarms becoming too difficult, I can always gear more towards straight damage with the power attack chain later (which I'd planned for powerattacks after trips anyway.)