Epic Level! Fighter? Yeah right... Help!

[Jeremy]

So we're going to run an epic level one shot with fictional (fictional characters in a fictional game, how's that for redundant?) characters with very little by the way of background.

We've got an epic cleric, an epic sorcerer (well, a dragon anyways that casts as a sorcerer), and an epic rogue.

So I wanna play something along the lines of a fighter type. But having seen the powers of the others, he feels like small potatoes. It is an infamous fact that spellcasters make mincemeat of melee'ers at high levels, so I assume the same is true of epic games.

I can't find a single prestige class that grabs my interest for a non-caster type swordsman. My preliminary build is psy warrior 15/iaijutsu master 10 (human).

Anyone got any other interesting suggestions that could keep pace with dragons and sorcerers, epic clerics and epic sneak attacks?

 

[Jeremy]

Oh yeah, premliminary gear:

Belt of Giant Strength +6
Cloak of Charisma +6
Armband of Health +6
Robe of Intellect +6
Gauntlet of Rusting Grasp
Amulet of Natural Armor +5
Ring of Protection +5
Helm of Alacrity +5 (BoEM II, +5 insight bonus to AC)
Bracers of Armor +10
Manual of Gainful Exercise +5
Skin of Hero
Ioun Stone: Pale Green Prism +5
3x5 carpet of flying
Arm of Nyr
Mantle of Warding (Cowl of Warding, altered, MoF, mind protection)
+5 crystal katana (keen, mind feeder, body feeder)
Ring of Epic Psionics
Ring of Fire Immunity
Vest of Resistence +5
Sandals of Swiftness (modified boots of swiftness, haste + a few other things)
Portable Hole
xxxx of xxxx +30 to xxxx skill
yyyy of yyyy +10 to yyyy skill

Don't worry to much about the weapons configuration, that can be changed if someone comes up with something better than psychic warrior or iaijutsu master.

Gear is flexible as well, this is just what I was thinking.

Stats so far are:

39
22
18
18
18
24

After above items and a few other modifications. They are also subject to change based upon proposed ideas.

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

You might want to look at the Deepwood Sniper from MotW.

Some of their abilities can allow for mass damage from a great distance (roughly equivalent to the range of the most popular damage spells). Of course range is fairly moot in most encounters.

Also, IIRC, WotC has published a continuation for most of the PrCs you would be interested in via web enhancments.

Finally, I'm curious about your choice of a non-caster PsyWar.

 

[Jeremy]

I've played two back to back archers and was looking to play a swordsman this time.

And though I've seen the extensions for most prestige classes, I haven't seen a prestige class I'm interested in swapping out for iaijutsu master, or even one who's epic advancement is anything special.

Psychic Warrior? As they are limited to buffing powers I consider them like Paladins and Rangers, halfway between psion and fighter instead of fighter and cleric or fighter and druid. It has almost as many feats as a fighter and the ability to do a few buffs of his own that are harder to dispel as we use the psionics are different optional rule.

 

[Victim]

Check out Masters of Arms. It has some cool fighting prestige classes.

The Precision Sword Master (imaginatively named, I know) is rather Kensai like. They can use up 1 point of Expertise to use their sword like a shield in addition to attacking with it, launch preemptive strikes to do damage and block an opposing attack, deal Con damage. I also think that it does the Iajitsu stuff better than OA. It's not as useful in combat, but is a better fit, IMHO.

 

[Burne]

For high level games the lovin' touch of CHA bonus to saves is your friend. My suggestion of a well-rounded figter type:
I'll do this roughly as tastes differ, but if you like I've got a character sheet (@20th) with sample equipment I can email ya.

2 fighter /3 paladin/10 templer/5 divine champion + X number of epic templar levels

Feats
Nonepic
Shield Expert(Smell that, its cheese)
Twf->Greater Twf
Focus/Spec Longsword
Divine Might (Cheese-tastic)
Power Attack->Great Cleave
Epic:
Lots of choices
Holy Strike
Overwhelming/Devestating Critical
Epic Focus/Spec
Fast healing is everyones friend

Other thoughts:
Weapon Master is a much more reasonable choice when you have 15 levels to qualify with.

Geomancers have excellent abilities for fighter types.
A Templar/Bladesinger/geomancer could be funky

 

[James McMurray]

An epic level dwarven defender could be nearly impossible to hurt. Given a level of templar (IIRC) for the Mettle special ability would be very nice. 500 hit points with great saves and DR 15/- will never fall down as long as there is a cleric with Heal nearby.

 

[Gumby]

What do you need a prestige class for? Epic feats make epic play, even more so than regular feats were important for levels 1-20. A straight-classed Fighter should be great post 20th level. Before then, sure, they were pretty non-sexy. But now, with all those stackable epic Fighter feats...

 

[Victim]

Massive DR is pretty nice too, especially if the DM rules that it reduces spell damage as well. I remember that there was some debate on the matter recently, but don't recall the final verdict.

 

[Jeremy]

What do you need a prestige class for? Epic feats make epic play, even more so than regular feats were important for levels 1-20. A straight-classed Fighter should be great post 20th level. Before then, sure, they were pretty non-sexy. But now, with all those stackable epic Fighter feats...

I think you greatly overestimate the value of melee epic feats at the 21-25 level range. While epic weapon focus is great, I can do better than +1 to hit with a host of non epic feats. And the dc's for the critical death feats are pathetic. There is very little by way of feats that would encourage me to take straight fighter levels post 20th level.

No one has a good offensive melee fighter suggestion for 21-25 that can compete with epic casters?

DR is nice, but it doesn't affect anything but physical damage as it states in the ability description. High hit points makes it even better, but as we've got a dragon in the party, saves and hitpoints are not going to be areas a human is going to compete in.

The ftr/pal/templar/divine champion build is a great defensive build, but unless you want a shield charge or spirited charge divine might multiplier, it has little by way of offense. I'm looking for something that does epic damage each swing and will actually case epic spellcasters to fear him getting within range of a full attack action, rather than just know that their AC or spell protections, will protect them from anything a measly warrior could possibly come up with.

The thing a fighter can bring to the table at this level of play is inexhaustable, dependable, consistent damage. Now the problem is how to make that damage something that is respectable for epic level play...

And their just really aren't any good feat or prestige class or special ability chains that lend themselves to increasing damage output save maybe the barbarian/tribal defender/frenzied berserker avenue that boosts number of attacks and strength to epic proportions.

Am I missing something or are the melee prestige classes out there really that offensively uninspiring?