I would go for a half-orc barbarian/fighter. Get improved initiative, power attack, and leap attack. Use a falchion, specialize in it, and get keen put on it. You could also get improved critical at 9th level. Eventually, be a barbarian 8/fighter 12 with greater weapon focus and specialization in the falchion, and power attack while raging as much as you can.
"First Strike" Specialist
- Thread starter InVinoVeritas
- Start date
Korak
First Post
Strike Fast
Well, you can't always win initiative. Sometimes you get surprised. Why not make sure you get to swing first even if you don't take the first action? The books required are PHB, PHB2, and Complete Warrior... not strictly core, but very close, and almost universally allowed.
Human, Ftr18 Bbn1 EWM1
Base Stats: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 8
I'd throw 4 lvl ups into Str and 1 into Con or Dex. Pump stats with enhancement items at earliest opportunity. You can switch Dex and Con depending on taste.
Levels/Feats:
1 - Barbarian1: Exotic Weapon Proficiency [Bastard Sword] (human) Weapon Focus [Bastard Sword] (lvl1)
2 - Fighter1: Dodge (ftr1)
3 - Fighter2: Extra Rage (lvl3) Mobility (ftr2)
4 - Fighter3:
5 - Fighter4: Spring Attack (ftr4)
6 - Fighter5: Power Attack (lvl6)
7 - Fighter6: Cleave (ftr6)
8 - Exotic Weapon Master1: -- Uncanny Blow class ability
9 - Fighter7: Combat Reflexes (lvl9)
10 - Fighter8: Hold the Line (ftr8)
11 - Fighter9:
12 - Fighter10: Robilar's Gambit (lvl12) Bounding Assault (ftr10)
13 - Fighter11:
14 - Fighter12: Weapon Specialization [Bastard Sword] (ftr12)
15 - Fighter13: Greater Weapon Focus [Bastard Sword] (lvl15)
16 - Fighter14: Greater Weapon Specialization [Bastard Sword] (ftr14)
17 - Fighter15:
18 - Fighter16: Rapid Blitz (lvl18) Melee Weapon Mastery [Slashing] (ftr16)
19 - Fighter17:
20 - Fighter18: Weapon Supremacy [Bastard Sword] (ftr18)
I didn't absolutely maximize the feat order for the lower levels. You might find that they give you a smoother power curve in a different order. This charcter can hit hard and fast. You can take AoOs when someone charges you. You can get 2 attacks on a spring attack at level 12 and 3 at level 18. You get an AoO every time someone attacks you after level 12. You can use your Bastard sword in a grapple with no penalty at level 20. You get double your strength mod to damage at level 8 (when using the bastard sword in two hands). You can take 10 on one attack roll per round at level 20.
One alternative you can think about if you want more variety in feats is to drop weapon spec through weapon supremacy and substitute in close quarter's combat for additional grapple protection and then pick 4 other feats, like improved toughness, great cleave, improved bull rush, shock trooper, etc...
This guy will take some damage if you stand toe to toe, but he should dish it out much faster than he takes it, unless you are severly overmatched on CR. Against harder foes, you can always spring attack... which only tilts the balance of your attacks versus enemy attacks more in your favor as you level.
Suggested items: Best Str, Dex, Con items you can afford, Boots of Speed (add striding and springing for when you don't want to waste rounds), Animated Shield, Mith Chain Shirt (your dex should hit 22 eventually), weapon enchantments (holy, vicious, ghost touch, keen)
This character has some weaknesses, most notably the will save. He is best used in a party that already has a defensive tank, that has ample healing, or that is focused on very high offense.
--edit... I forgot to mention that the EWM ability chosen should be uncanny blow
Well, you can't always win initiative. Sometimes you get surprised. Why not make sure you get to swing first even if you don't take the first action? The books required are PHB, PHB2, and Complete Warrior... not strictly core, but very close, and almost universally allowed.
Human, Ftr18 Bbn1 EWM1
Base Stats: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 8
I'd throw 4 lvl ups into Str and 1 into Con or Dex. Pump stats with enhancement items at earliest opportunity. You can switch Dex and Con depending on taste.
Levels/Feats:
1 - Barbarian1: Exotic Weapon Proficiency [Bastard Sword] (human) Weapon Focus [Bastard Sword] (lvl1)
2 - Fighter1: Dodge (ftr1)
3 - Fighter2: Extra Rage (lvl3) Mobility (ftr2)
4 - Fighter3:
5 - Fighter4: Spring Attack (ftr4)
6 - Fighter5: Power Attack (lvl6)
7 - Fighter6: Cleave (ftr6)
8 - Exotic Weapon Master1: -- Uncanny Blow class ability
9 - Fighter7: Combat Reflexes (lvl9)
10 - Fighter8: Hold the Line (ftr8)
11 - Fighter9:
12 - Fighter10: Robilar's Gambit (lvl12) Bounding Assault (ftr10)
13 - Fighter11:
14 - Fighter12: Weapon Specialization [Bastard Sword] (ftr12)
15 - Fighter13: Greater Weapon Focus [Bastard Sword] (lvl15)
16 - Fighter14: Greater Weapon Specialization [Bastard Sword] (ftr14)
17 - Fighter15:
18 - Fighter16: Rapid Blitz (lvl18) Melee Weapon Mastery [Slashing] (ftr16)
19 - Fighter17:
20 - Fighter18: Weapon Supremacy [Bastard Sword] (ftr18)
I didn't absolutely maximize the feat order for the lower levels. You might find that they give you a smoother power curve in a different order. This charcter can hit hard and fast. You can take AoOs when someone charges you. You can get 2 attacks on a spring attack at level 12 and 3 at level 18. You get an AoO every time someone attacks you after level 12. You can use your Bastard sword in a grapple with no penalty at level 20. You get double your strength mod to damage at level 8 (when using the bastard sword in two hands). You can take 10 on one attack roll per round at level 20.
One alternative you can think about if you want more variety in feats is to drop weapon spec through weapon supremacy and substitute in close quarter's combat for additional grapple protection and then pick 4 other feats, like improved toughness, great cleave, improved bull rush, shock trooper, etc...
This guy will take some damage if you stand toe to toe, but he should dish it out much faster than he takes it, unless you are severly overmatched on CR. Against harder foes, you can always spring attack... which only tilts the balance of your attacks versus enemy attacks more in your favor as you level.
Suggested items: Best Str, Dex, Con items you can afford, Boots of Speed (add striding and springing for when you don't want to waste rounds), Animated Shield, Mith Chain Shirt (your dex should hit 22 eventually), weapon enchantments (holy, vicious, ghost touch, keen)
This character has some weaknesses, most notably the will save. He is best used in a party that already has a defensive tank, that has ample healing, or that is focused on very high offense.
--edit... I forgot to mention that the EWM ability chosen should be uncanny blow
Last edited:
Ridley's Cohort
First Post
I was extremely impressed with the Rogue1/Soulknife4 with Psychic Weapon that I have played with. His alpha strike is d6 + 1 + d6 + d8 + 2d6 + Str --> ~22 damage.
That is not quite tip top of the line, a Raging Barbarian who preps with True Strike can do better, but it is a character who both has the skills to get the drop on his target with some consistency and can dish out average damage that is competitive with all but the most offensively optimized characters even in a fair fight at this level. If a friend will help him get a flank, he can do d6 + 1 + d6 + d8 + Str practically every round. Even just d6 +1 + d8 + Str is none too shabby in a toe-to-toe fight.
The party happens to have a lot of stealth. It is very common that some of the enemies never live to see their initiative, and this PC is a big reason why. Not only does he do more damage than your basic Rogue, but unlike a Rogue his damage does not drop terribly even if he does not get the Flank or a Flat-footed target.
That is not quite tip top of the line, a Raging Barbarian who preps with True Strike can do better, but it is a character who both has the skills to get the drop on his target with some consistency and can dish out average damage that is competitive with all but the most offensively optimized characters even in a fair fight at this level. If a friend will help him get a flank, he can do d6 + 1 + d6 + d8 + Str practically every round. Even just d6 +1 + d8 + Str is none too shabby in a toe-to-toe fight.
The party happens to have a lot of stealth. It is very common that some of the enemies never live to see their initiative, and this PC is a big reason why. Not only does he do more damage than your basic Rogue, but unlike a Rogue his damage does not drop terribly even if he does not get the Flank or a Flat-footed target.
Blightersbane
First Post
feats: imp init, lightening init-not available until you have a +6 reflex save gives an additional +4 to init, imp feint allows you to make bluff ck to ignore armor w/ a move action
Spells: Tashas skittish nerves +5 inti
Race: Halfling or Elf (race w/ + to dex) +2 dex
Class: Duelist PrC gains imp reaction +2 to init at 2nd level
Magics: +6 gloves of dex for ? 36,000, Tome of ? action +4 dex for 110,000
put 18 in dex + Elf (+2)+magics (+10 dex) = 30 dex, +feats (+8) + spells (+5) + Duelist (+2)
nets you a +25 on your init rolls
Blightersbane
Spells: Tashas skittish nerves +5 inti
Race: Halfling or Elf (race w/ + to dex) +2 dex
Class: Duelist PrC gains imp reaction +2 to init at 2nd level
Magics: +6 gloves of dex for ? 36,000, Tome of ? action +4 dex for 110,000
put 18 in dex + Elf (+2)+magics (+10 dex) = 30 dex, +feats (+8) + spells (+5) + Duelist (+2)
nets you a +25 on your init rolls
Blightersbane
A barbarian 1/Rogue X should be very good in a core-only build. Make sure you have Improved Initiative and take a weapon that does good damage like a greatsword. Max out your strength, rage and pile on the Sneak Attack Dice.
Outside core, a power attacking Duskblade is nasty, even without sneak attack dice. After (I think) 4th level they get a swift spell once/day, and if you make that spell True Strike, then PA for max with a 2-handed weapon it can be big.
But if you get the drop on your opponent, nothing piles up damage like sneak attack.
Outside core, a power attacking Duskblade is nasty, even without sneak attack dice. After (I think) 4th level they get a swift spell once/day, and if you make that spell True Strike, then PA for max with a 2-handed weapon it can be big.
But if you get the drop on your opponent, nothing piles up damage like sneak attack.
I would agree that a half-orc rogue/barbarian that combines rage with power attacking with a two-handed weapon can deal out major damage. The only problem is that the damage depends heavily on attacking flat-footed opponets subject to sneak attacks. In a typical game, its hard to get the drop on the opponents even with good use of stealth and a high initiative modifier. You will also fight a lot of things you can't sneak attack. It's better to go straight barbarian or barbarian/fighter, max out strength and use power attack judiciously. You will do more damage to more opponents over time than relying on sneak attack.
