Character design with lots of starting feats

[brehobit]

OK,
We've got a new game with some odd creation rules: First level, 32-point buy, and 4 bonus feats. No arcane casters, no Bo9S.

What do you build?



I've gone Orc barbarian S16,I15,W8,D14,C14,Ch10 ==> S20, I13, W6, D14, C14, Ch8
Feats:
Extra rage
EWP: Spiked chain
Combat expertise
Improved trip
Combat reflexes.

You?

Mark

 

[Shin Okada]

I am not a big fun of improved trip feat. Tripping is useful against medium-sized two-legged opponents but not useful against larger monsters and/or something with 4+ legs (or no physical legs at all). It will depend largely on what kind of opponents you can expect.

I'd rather exchange expertise and improved trip to power attack and cleave. Those combos will be effective much frequently. And, drop that high int at all and give him maximum strength (22). You are playing an Orc for high strength, don't you?

 

[Arkhandus]

1st idea:
Dwarven cleric with the Death and Destruction domains
Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 6
Feats: Spellcasting Prodigy (Cleric), Spell Focus (Necromancy), Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy), Martial Weapon Proficiency (Dwarven Waraxe), Combat Casting
Main Gear: Dwarven Waraxe, 5 Javelins, Scalemail, Large Wooden Shield
Prepares several Inflict Light Wounds spells and kicks butt with those, Smites, Death Touches, and his deadly axe

2nd idea:
Maenad Psychic Warrior
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10
Feats: Narrow Mind, Psionic Weapon, Psionic Talent, Psionic Body, Overchannel, Talented
Power Known: Expansion
Main Gear: Greatsword, Scalemail
Kicks butt with his sword and Overchannel+Talented+Expansion for a 2-round Expansion each battle (1 power point each time, out of his 5 pp), and against tough enemies he can regain psionic focus and wreck them with Psionic Weapon, will be more devastating once he can get Psionic Meditation, could swap Psionic Weapon for another Psionic Talent instead

 

[roguerouge]

When you have a 32 point buy, why not go for one of those classes that suffer from multiple ability dependency?

 

[blargney the second]

Azurin barbarian with whirling frenzy variant (UA) and lion totem pounce alternate class ability (CChamp)
Feats: Imp Shield Bash, Shield Specialization (Heavy Shield), Agile Shield Fighter, Shield Ward, Extra Rage, Shape Soulmeld (Wormtail Belt)
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8

Raging pounce +4/+4/+4 (1d8+5/1d8+5/1d6+2), AC 23 in chain shirt
-blarg

 

[Kat']

What, a pouncing barbarian without Power Attack? Cleave? Improver Sunder? Improved Bull Rush? I mean, a standard combination for such a character would be grabbing Leap Attack, Battle Jump and Shock Trooper...

 

[blargney the second]

Yep, that is a pretty standard configuration. Which is why I didn't post that. With this guy, I'd get him Power Attack at level 3, when he's got enough BAB that PA is worthwhile. Note that he'd be able to gain PA damage with both his primary weapon and his shield.

Besides, those barbs usually end up with an AC of about 4, maybe 5 tops.

 

[brehobit]

Thanks for all the responses. We've concluded that whirling frenzy is broken, and so it's likely not allowed. I don't own CChamp, so I've not seen that either. But the shield feats sound like fun (All PHB2 right?)

Mark

 

[Shin Okada]

The question is, if you are just trying to make a "uber 1st-level character" or, you want to make a character which you will use for a while and maximize the advantage of having 4 bonus feats at L1.

If the latter, you may consider taking a lot of "1st-level only" feats. Many of them are better than usual feats. And usually, even human can have 2 of them at best.

 

[blargney the second]

Yep, the shield feats I mentioned are from PHB2. Note that I wouldn't do that build with the standard barbarian: the penalty to AC kills the concept very badly.

Here's a variant on the tripper:

Human Knight
Feats: Aberrant Blood, Inhuman Reach, EWP(spiked chain), Combat Reflexes, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip
Str 17, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 10

How does threatening everything within 20' sound?
-blarg