Character Optimization - Brawler Style Fighter (Level 16)

[JiggleFloyd]

Greetings,

I created a build with this interesting fighting style, which in my opinion, needs some serious buffs and additional options. I made the most of it and I am open to any and all suggestions in order to optimize my character.

Things to Note:

* The purpose of my build is to be a solid Defender with Controller capabilities.

* Fortitude defense is maxed in order to prevent grab escapes. I challenge you to find a way to increase my base fortitude. I am also open to learning of other ways I can temporarily improve it via powers, class features, etc.

* Grab attack is maxed and is currently a +28 vs Reflex. I'm interested to ways to improve this if possible.

* I'm quite open to race changes, MC options, PP changes, and items. I prefer Human due to the +1 NADs (allows me to max fortitude) and extra feat. Genasi is the only other race that can give me the same Fortitude defense. Pit Fighter is a great overall PP, but I'm open to other suggestions.

SUMMARY:

Armand, level 16
Human, Fighter, Pit Fighter
Build: Brawling Fighter
Fighter: Combat Superiority
Fighter Talents: Brawler Style
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Heavy Blade)
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Unarmed)
Background: Born Under a Bad Sign (Born Under a Bad Sign Benefit)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 24, Con 11, Dex 15, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 11.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 10, Dex 13, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 10.


AC: 36 Fort: 40 Reflex: 26 Will: 27
HP: 139 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 34

TRAINED SKILLS
Intimidate +13, Endurance +11, Athletics +18, Heal +16

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +9, Arcana +7, Bluff +8, Diplomacy +8, Dungeoneering +11, History +7, Insight +11, Nature +11, Perception +11, Religion +7, Stealth +8, Streetwise +8, Thievery +8

FEATS
Human: Vicious Advantage
Level 1: Versatile Expertise
Level 2: Stout Shield
Level 4: Encouraging Shield
Level 6: Improved Grab
Level 8: Inescapable Hold
Level 10: Toughness
Level 11: Great Fortitude
Level 12: Armor Specialization (Scale)
Level 14: Improved Initiative
Level 16: Danger Sense

POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Knockdown Assault
Fighter at-will 1: Cleave
Fighter at-will 1: Grappling Strike
Fighter encounter 1: Takedown Attack
Fighter daily 1: Seize and Stab
Fighter utility 2: Pass Forward
Fighter encounter 3: Slamming Rush
Fighter daily 5: Crushing Foot
Fighter utility 6: Defensive Training
Fighter encounter 7: Echoing Assault
Fighter daily 9: Shield and a Hard Place
Fighter utility 10: Reactive Surge
Fighter encounter 13: Stranglehold (replaces Takedown Attack)
Fighter daily 15: Relentless Headlock (replaces Crushing Foot)
Fighter utility 16: Defiant Shield

ITEMS
Diamond Cincture (heroic tier), Sun Shield Heavy Shield (paragon tier), Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier), Spiked gauntlet, Grizzly Gauntlets (heroic tier), Magic Stormscale Armor +4, Periapt of Cascading Health +3, Coif of Mindiron (heroic tier), Backlash Tattoo (heroic tier), Acrobat Boots (heroic tier)

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Do brawling fighters have some special rule I'm not aware of restricting escape attempts to fortitude? Otherwise monsters could still take an acrobatics check against your much lower reflex - sure, acrobatics is much less common in monsters than athletics, but you 14 point spread in defences makes going that route to escape more than worth it for a monster.

Additionally, I'm not sure what the heavy blade expertise is supposed to be used with - while I admit to being unfamiliar with many of your items, none of them scream out to me as being usuable as a heavy blade.

Additionally, both the iron armbands and shield are enchanted arm items... so you can only use the magic benefits of one of them. I would ditch the shield - sure you lose the bonus fort from one feat, but it allows you to grab 2 targets.

Grizzly gauntlets do look good with your build, but leave you with no magic item to hit people with... might it not be a better idea to have your spiked gauntlets enchanted as a weapon instead? No real choice if you do, though... either your generic enhancement or tiger claw gauntlets...

 

[JiggleFloyd]

Sun Shield is a special item that is both a weapon and a shield. I get defensive bonuses from the shield and I can use it as an enchanted heavy blade. It is considered to be a magical weapon so it does not take up the arm slot. This is how I attack while grabbing a target. That being said, if I enchant my gauntlets it takes up the hands slot, so I have to ditch the Grizzly Gauntlets.

The Inescapable Hold feat forces enemies to escape against my Fortitude defense whether they use athletics or acrobatics.

 

[RangerWickett]

If Essentials is allowed, the superior fortitude feat in there is better than Great Fortitude.

I dunno, you could play a thri-kreen, and go for the thri-kreen predator paragon path to get more grabby powers. That's actually my character now. I'm amazed your Fort is 40, though. I'm level 11, and I'm only at 30.

 

[JiggleFloyd]

I don't have any books so I can't check out that race until the next CB/Compendium update. I will check it out right away though. I also have no idea how essentials works so I'll have to play around with it.

Yeah 40 is nuts but the sad thing is most enemies are like 2-3 levels above you on average so with a move action they usually have a 25-30% chance to beat that fortitude, escape the grab, and make my standard action grab useless.

It's sad that a move action can so easily defeat an optimized brawler's standard action grab...That's why I think more brawler attacks need to allow standard grabs (not temporary ones) or a class feature or feat that gives a penalty to enemies escape attempts...or just make the standard grab a move or minor action instead of a standard action.

 

[Alukane]

There are not many monsters with trained skills, I think the %'s lower than that...something you may want:

-Pin down+headman's chop: This is the best way to get use of your bonus at-will
-Focused superiority
-Rain of steel(daily 5°) mantain an enemy close to you has never been so funny! XD
-The Dreadnought PP may be useful, giving the opportunity to evade annoying conditions for a grabber..

 

[RangerWickett]

Rain of Steel doesn't do anything if you can't make opportunity attacks. Can you make opportunity attacks while grabbed?

 

[Shin Okada]

Sun Shield is a special item that is both a weapon and a shield. I get defensive bonuses from the shield and I can use it as an enchanted heavy blade. It is considered to be a magical weapon so it does not take up the arm slot.

I have checked both online D&D Compendium and Dragon #385. Both of them state that "Item Slot: Arms". So it should be an arms slot magic item.

Being a magical weapon does not automatically assure that does not occupy another slot. For example, a magically enchanted Spiked Gauntlet occupy hands slots.

 

[JiggleFloyd]

I have checked both online D&D Compendium and Dragon #385. Both of them state that "Item Slot: Arms". So it should be an arms slot magic item.

Being a magical weapon does not automatically assure that does not occupy another slot. For example, a magically enchanted Spiked Gauntlet occupy hands slots.

You're probably right but the CB doesn't recognize it yet with Fighting Shields. It does with other Magical Shields but not the Fighting Shields that were introduced. I will either add a Boar Tusk Helm to my mix or use a normal shield and take the hit to fortitude.