All around fighting machine

Dannyalcatraz said:
If your PC is going to be the front-line fighter, taking ranged weapons feats will be a waste of time, unless its something like Throw Anything.
That depends on the campaign and is the right thing to do for a traditional dungeon crawl and most city adventures. Fighting flying opponents often or wilderness adventures may not feature a lot of melee though.

If you have access to FR stuff, think about that regional Axe Thrower feat (you can use your strength bonus to hit for thrown weapons) in case you expect to be most fights at rather close range.
 

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Ramblings:

If you're going to be spending a lot of time outdoors, I'd consider looking at the mounted combat chain - can really help with the mobility and hurting power. Consider leadership for a better mount. Obviously not a lot of use if it's all going to be city based or dungeon crawling.

If you're the only fighter, then I'd aim at building up to spring attack by about level 8 or so. You'll start running into all sorts of monsters that you won't want to be taking full attacks from - certainly not if the rest of the party is staying out of reach... Being able to dart in, hit them once, really hard, and then back off is a great ability. Can be useful at lower levels, where you don't have an extra attack to lose.

I'd steer clear of focusing on one weapon. Possibly go for quickdraw and a whole variety of weapons... right tool for the right job. I'd include a two handed weapon, 1 handed, shield, reach weapon, spiked armour for grapples and a bow for starters... just make sure you're strong enough to lug it all round.

At first level, I think sword and shield wins out over 2 handed weapons. The extra AC is really nice and most creatures are just overkilled by a greatsword!

Some feats:
1- Power Attack, Cleave, Quickdraw
2- Point Blank Shot
3- Rapid Shot
4- Dodge
5-
6- Mobility, Spring attack

From here you could head in many directions. Whirlwind attack could be nice if you fight a lot of weaker stuff?
 

The first thing to do is determine what are the situations you are going to need to be good at. As was already mentioned, if you are a frontline fighter, taking the ranged attack feats will be sub-optimal because you won't get to use them very often...you are on the front lines. Of particular note would be the lack of usefulness of precise shot. Precise shot is specifically for the ranged weapon attacker who does not step up holding his nuts in his left hand shouting obsenities to his foes. However, that's not to say that you will never be in a position to make ranged attacks.

So looking at ranged attacks first: PBS is one of the best feats in the game and is a prereq for every other ranged attack feat. Moreover, PBS is great for versatility. If you are in melee and want to make a ranged attack at an opponent you can't get to, you have the added boost. If you think about it, when making a full attack you only get to take a 5' step, if you take down your opponent in melee, your only option would be to move to the next foe and that is only if you were able to take out the original in one blow. Mixing it up with ranged weapons adds to your flexibility because you effectively threaten a larger area of the battlefield. Of course, this necessitates Quickdraw - which I will get to later. The only other ranged feat I'd look at would be far shot for those times when an encounter starts several hundred feet apart and for increasing the range of your throwing weapons to be used with the above combo. As an aside, if you wanted to focus a bit more heavily on this combo, you might go for rapid shot which could be combined with a full attack including melee attacks. However, make sure you are really good with your ranged weapons then because of the -2 to hit.

Summary: PBS (great), Quickdraw (necessary), FS (good), RS (situational)

Now let's look at melee combat: you have several things to consider. The first are the various different styles of combat. Different styles are better against different types of foes. For example, two weapon fighting is great for weak foes with low AC's, two handed style is great for meaty foes, sword and board is best for foes that are better at hitting you, etc. I'd say for versatility purposes, TWF is a must. Going from -6,-10 to -2,-2 at least just as an option is too good to pass up. Of course, if you are going for versatility, you want to make sure that your weapons can match that versatility. We already went into the benefits of ranged weapons. Considering those tactics and TWF, you may want to select an offhand weapon that can be thrown: daggers, throwing axes, i.e. some light weapon that can be used both for melee and for ranged attacks. With quickdraw you have the option of pulling the second weapon out and with your ranged feats, can be just as effective (if not more so) at range than in melee. To combine this with two handed style, I'd say the clear choice is a bastard sword or dwarven waraxe. They are the perfect weapons to go from one handed to two handed with ease. If you want to make a two handed attack, throw your dagger in your offhand, dual grip the bastard sword and go to town. If you need to switch back, quickdraw your dagger, and switch back. The next style to consider is sword and board. A light or heavy shield is going to be cumbersome for two weapon fighting for one (without several feats), and even more so for ranged attack versatility. I would say ditch the traditional shield and go for a buckler. Devote the feat to get the boost to AC from the buckler even when making an attack with the offhand. The only downside is that the buckler's AC bonus is only +1 and that it doesn't protect against missiles. I'd say two things to this: first, if you are doing long range missile combat, kneel first, and get behind cover two, and second, the additional +1 of a heavy shield is nice, but it is the magical enhancements on shields that really make them worthwhile. Get MV on the buckler or find yourself a permanent magical buckler.

Summary: TWF (great), Quickdraw (necessary), EWP (bastard sword) (good), buckler defense (good)


The next aspect of melee combat to consider are opponent's styles and ways to counteract them: the first is reach. Perhaps the biggest issue of monsters is that they are usually so much bigger than you. A reach weapon is nice certainly and could be combined with the above suggestions with slight alterations. You could for example take throw anything instead of EWP bastard sword and toss your pike at an opponent than quickdraw two lighter weapons for close quarters melee. I personally don't care for this combo as much. Having reach yourself is certainly nice, but unless you wield a spiked chain, forces you to be very mobile which is a liberty you may not have if you are the front line type. Certainly, carrying around a reach weapon isn't a bad idea. You can control position on the battle field a bit more letting opponents come to you and once they've reached you, just switch to the bastard sword, light throwing/melee weapon combo above. But back on subject, to avoid opponents with reach, you either need a reach weapon, the Spring Attack feat, or tumble. In reverse order, tumble was already suggested but with its limitations on armor worn, I would steer away from. I can't think of the time that you are not going to want the best armor you can afford as a front line fighter. Spring Attack is certainly nice and would definitely increase your flexibility, especially if wielding a reach weapon. More importantly, its prereq's are both very good for a versatile fighter type. Up to this point we have considered only the tank. If you want to have the flexibility to be mobile as well, there isn't a better way than the mobility feat and spring attack. The catch is that spring attack limits you to medium armor. i'd say that unless you find some mithril full plate, don't worry about spring attack because again, you are going to want the best armor you can afford. I think the reach weapon is the way to go here. Match reach for reach and if their reach is greater than 10' stick to your ranged weapons until you can close. As an aside, for mobility during combat, the mobility feat really is very useful. I often hear people consider it wasted prereq feat to get to spring attack, but it can be used in a lot of ways: not only is it good for positioning, but you can also engineer your movement to cause opponents to waste AoO on you with your higher AC, such that you perform a maneuver that provokes an AoO with no worry (especially if the AoO would spoil the maneuver). Moreover, dodge it's prereq is very good (well with the houserule that it affects all opponents). A +1 to AC is just so important.

Summary: Dodge (good), Mobility (good), Spring Attack (only if you can get mithril heavy armor).


Along with reach, you also need to consider grappling (another big one of the monsters): you already have quickdraw and light weapons on you for when you can't beat the grapple attempt in a straight up roll. You could take improved grapple. It gives a +4 to the check and is great for taking care of mages. The best defense against grappling though is close quarters combat. This is campaign dependent of course, but there are just so many creatures with improved grab. I'd really consider both feats.

Summary: Improved Grapple (moderate), CQC (good)


Now it's time to consider synergies: for your combat styles, WF, WS, GWF, GWS, IC, and PA are all good choices. However, if you plan to really diversify your arsenal, you simply won't have enough feats to boost every weapon. If you want them I'd say focus on bastard sword. TWF will increase your number of attacks, but cleave is good too. I don't know how good great cleave is. To me it just seems that the situations where the feat would come in handy are simply too far and few between, if anything I'd just get the magical boost to your sword that gives you the bonus cleave attempt. I have never played in a game where more than two cleaves would have mattered. Perhaps at really high levels. If you plan to use a reach weapon often, CR is a must (well, if your dex is 14+). Finally, I'd consider the CE chain. Boosting your AC matters. Once you hit midlevels, even the best armors are not as useful anymore. Any supplement to magical protection is very beneficial. Moreover, the improved trip and improved disarm feats are useful. I would definitely choose I.D. or Sunder and not both. Keep in mind, that without a tripping weapon, it is an unarmed attack.

Overall Summary: You have 19 feats to work with as a human figher (over 20 levels). If it were me making a generalist, I'd take:

PBS
FS
EWP - Bastard Sword
TWF
Quickdraw
Buckler Defense
Dodge
Mobility
CQC
PA
Cleave
CR
CE

For a generalist, I'd also look to stand alone feats that are just really good to have: Improved Iniative, Blindfight, IRONWILL

Also, if you do wind up taking Spring Attack, then definitely get Whirlwind attack.

Hope that is helpful
 

Wow, Gaiden, write a book ;)

Only things to add:
TWF is nice and stylish but not overly effective and costs a lot of feats if you pursue that style.
Improved Buckler Defense always gives you a -1 to hit and as written is not useable with a twohanded weapon (in case you want to grab your main weapon with both hands).
Rapid Shot: Due to my experience the most important ranged combat feat. Especially for fighter BAB types who hit usually pretty well.
 
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BTW- something sneaky I found.

If you have access to Oriental Adventures, check out Datsana (Armor Sleeves). They are light, add +1AC, and stack with shields and certain armors. If you're not a spellcaster, why not?

Its not much, but you are talking about an additional 5% miss chance, and at low levels...

Also, if you expect to face grapplers or creatures that can engulf your PC, spike his armor as well.
 

I´d say start as barbarian and multiclass with fighter; use the heaviest armor, the biggest weapon and the strongest bow. Basic and effective, you can´t go wrong with that.
 

Darklone said:
Wow, Gaiden, write a book ;)

Only things to add:
TWF is nice and stylish but not overly effective and costs a lot of feats if you pursue that style.
Improved Buckler Defense always gives you a -1 to hit and as written is not useable with a twohanded weapon (in case you want to grab your main weapon with both hands).
Rapid Shot: Due to my experience the most important ranged combat feat. Especially for fighter BAB types who hit usually pretty well.

I disagree about the TWF. All you need is the one feat to have the option and the option is what's important. Sure, you will not use it all the time, but the occassion when you would want to makes it worthwhile. Certainly don't go blowing feats on TWD, and what not and definately don't waste your time with any of the ITWF feat chain feats. But the one feat to be able to fight with weapons in both hands is handy (no pun intended).

With regards to buckler defense - I had forgotten that my rule that allows the use of two handed weapons while wielding a buckler is a house rule.

There is another option though - in fact, several. Still go for the TWF, but instead of dual wielding weapons, dual wield your main weapon and armor spikes (1) or unarmed attacks (2). This gives you the use of an actual shield but limits your two handed style and throwing weapons potential.

Alternatively, get another exotic weapon proficiency: buckler axe. It is a buckler that can be used as a hand axe. No penalties to hit, but again the problem with the two handed style. Of course, in this case, you can hold your bastard sword in your offhand to quickdraw weapons to throw and then change grips as a free action.

I can't think of a good way to get a shield and two handed style without the house rule that you can use a weapon two handed while wielding a buckler...at least not without an animated shield :). If your DM permits, I suppose you could pilfer the Dastana from the OA book like Dannyalcatraz suggested.

You could go for a captain america shield - no joke. Find a throwing returning shield and use it as your offhand weapon and your throwing weapon tossing it aside when you want to go two handed with the bastard sword and just calling it back when you need it.

Rapid shot is certainly nice, Darklone. However, the reason it is so good for ranged combat experts is because they don't just have the high BAB but WF, the 3.0 stacking of arrows and bow bonuses to hit, PBS, and maxed out dexes. This character needs to focus mostly on Str and Con as an all around fighter becaues the front lines is where this character is always going to end up. Conveniently, RS and TWF can be used in conjunction with one another or seperately but with Full attacks that incorporate ranged and melee attacks. So synergy wise it is useful. Of course, the penalty to hit is applied everywhere and you will suffer from the same restrictions that TWF does.

If I understand Drawmack correctly, this is the fighter type. You are only going to be doing missile fire at long range, at the very beginning of combat, or as part of a full attack sequence involving melee. Certainly it couldn't hurt (which is why I suggested it in the first place), but for a generalist, it is not first on my list. I'd be thinking about: Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Iron Will, Close Quarters Combat, etc. before this feat. (Of course, out of your 19 possible feats, I don't think I made it past 17).
 

Agreeing fully now, sorry for misunderstanding you. TWF alone (and perhaps together with Rapid Shot) rocks for versatility, even though I don't allow armor spikes (as a houserule) with TWF.

If there are some feats left, it's time to spend them for specialising on one signature weapon (perhaps bastard sword... exotic weapon master... double strength damage...)
 
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Wow, Gaiden and Darklone that is some great advice. I've gotten some more information on the campaign and the other players. The campaign will be mostly wilderness, based out of a small vilage along and major trade and travel route (personally I think it's a lazy DM who doesn't want to have to make up or learn a city but that's just my speculation). The other two confirmed players will be playing a Cleric and a Rogue. Therefor we'll have ranged and magical we'll mostly need a tank from my character. I definately looking at the Bastard Sword as my main weapon - though I do find something appealing about the Great Sword. Just the mental imagry of the character wearing Full plate and carrying a great sword makes me say wow. Could I get some thoughts on the pros and cons of Bastard Sword specialization versus Great Sword Specialization?
 

Dannyalcatraz said:
BTW- something sneaky I found.

If you have access to Oriental Adventures, check out Datsana (Armor Sleeves). They are light, add +1AC, and stack with shields and certain armors. If you're not a spellcaster, why not?

Its not much, but you are talking about an additional 5% miss chance, and at low levels...
While everything you say is true. You need to read the full item description. It is limited to the armors it may be worn with. Basically ones that would benefit from chain sleeves, not the plate armors.
 

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