What's the best race to be when making a polearm fighter?
-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Best race for Polearm Fighter?
- Thread starter ForeverSlayer
- Start date
So, I like the formula of making an elven spear fighter. First take a slayer, add the melee training (Dex) feat, and then pump that Dexterity up to 20. It is a fun combo in my opinion. Take the Berserker's Charge stance, and you have a character that in one round can draw a weapon, close with, and attack an enemy nearly twenty squares away... with awesome accuracy.
With the addition of feats such as Powerful charge and greatspear proficiency, you can make this combo even more amazing.
With the addition of feats such as Powerful charge and greatspear proficiency, you can make this combo even more amazing.
DracoSuave
First Post
Goliath.
Goliath Fighter/Stoneblood/Eternal Defender.
Reach 4, with options for further reach.
Goliath Fighter/Stoneblood/Eternal Defender.
Reach 4, with options for further reach.
Here are my favorites and reasons...
Human - +2 Str, polearm fighters are feat intensive, so bonus feat helps a lot, you end up with great defenses since you're paying attention to Str/Dex/Wis.
Thri-kreen - +2 Str/Dex, extra speed is nice, good multi-mark options
Eladrin - +2 Dex, teleporting to where you need to be is great when you have reach. Eladrin Soldier saves a feat. Eladrin's Challenge is nice if you don't have access to dragonmarks.
Goliath - +2 Str/Wis, resistance works well when you leave things prone at your feet, great PP choice.
Dragonborn - +2 Str, breath is a good multi-mark, Draconic Arrogance
Longtooth Shifter - +2 Str/Wis, if you focus on multi-attacking and off-turn attacks, the bonus from longtooth shifting can add up respectably.
Elf and Half-orc will work also, as far as stats are concerned, but I don't feel they offer sufficient interesting benefits otherwise. Half-elf (or Revenant half-elf) might be interesting depending on your dilettante, though nothing jumps out at me right now. And there is undeniably great support for dwarf fighters, though nothing specifically polearm related.
Human - +2 Str, polearm fighters are feat intensive, so bonus feat helps a lot, you end up with great defenses since you're paying attention to Str/Dex/Wis.
Thri-kreen - +2 Str/Dex, extra speed is nice, good multi-mark options
Eladrin - +2 Dex, teleporting to where you need to be is great when you have reach. Eladrin Soldier saves a feat. Eladrin's Challenge is nice if you don't have access to dragonmarks.
Goliath - +2 Str/Wis, resistance works well when you leave things prone at your feet, great PP choice.
Dragonborn - +2 Str, breath is a good multi-mark, Draconic Arrogance
Longtooth Shifter - +2 Str/Wis, if you focus on multi-attacking and off-turn attacks, the bonus from longtooth shifting can add up respectably.
Elf and Half-orc will work also, as far as stats are concerned, but I don't feel they offer sufficient interesting benefits otherwise. Half-elf (or Revenant half-elf) might be interesting depending on your dilettante, though nothing jumps out at me right now. And there is undeniably great support for dwarf fighters, though nothing specifically polearm related.
Can you go into more detail about how that works?
DracoSuave
First Post
Simple addition.
A polearm is reach +1.
Stoneblood is reach +1.
Eternal defender is reach +1.
1+1+1+1=4
Neonchameleon
Legend
To do the job properly you need by Paragon:
Strength 15 (preferably more)
Dex 15
Wis 15
Cleave
Feats:
Polearm Momentum
Polearm Gamble
Longhand Style
Heavy Blade Opportunity
Expertise
(Spear Push - can be replaced by Rushing Cleats or Polearm Master)
Which means +2 str and +2 to one of the other two stats is almost necessary. You don't need Superior Weapon Proficiency - you want a glaive to give you Heavy Blade Opportunity for a push on the OA.
+2 str is good. +2 str/dex or +2str/wis is better however given the tightness of the feats, human has a claim here.
But then we look at the next part. The Paragon Paths. Two stand out. Polearm Master and Stoneblessed. And Stoneblessed IMO wins. Reach 3 + threatening reach 1 round/encounter > Reach 2 + threatening reach 1 encounter/day. And the action point benefit wins.
Therefore Goliath Stoneblessed.
Of course there's a good case that using a fighter isn't the best option for a polearm momentum wielder even with Combat Superiority. With the enemies bouncing the way they do from the polearm, the marks aren't that useful so there's a good case for going Stoneblessed Barbarian with Pressing Strike or even Warlord (Longhand Style/Viper's Strike) and multiclassing into Fighter.
Strength 15 (preferably more)
Dex 15
Wis 15
Cleave
Feats:
Polearm Momentum
Polearm Gamble
Longhand Style
Heavy Blade Opportunity
Expertise
(Spear Push - can be replaced by Rushing Cleats or Polearm Master)
Which means +2 str and +2 to one of the other two stats is almost necessary. You don't need Superior Weapon Proficiency - you want a glaive to give you Heavy Blade Opportunity for a push on the OA.
+2 str is good. +2 str/dex or +2str/wis is better however given the tightness of the feats, human has a claim here.
But then we look at the next part. The Paragon Paths. Two stand out. Polearm Master and Stoneblessed. And Stoneblessed IMO wins. Reach 3 + threatening reach 1 round/encounter > Reach 2 + threatening reach 1 encounter/day. And the action point benefit wins.
Therefore Goliath Stoneblessed.
Of course there's a good case that using a fighter isn't the best option for a polearm momentum wielder even with Combat Superiority. With the enemies bouncing the way they do from the polearm, the marks aren't that useful so there's a good case for going Stoneblessed Barbarian with Pressing Strike or even Warlord (Longhand Style/Viper's Strike) and multiclassing into Fighter.