help with new Fighter/??

[GodPhoenix]

So I've been playing Thieves/Rogues for as long as I can remember. I want to branch out and play something else and I was thinking of playing a fighter. I'd like to take some levels in at least one other class too, just to make him/her interesting. What are good classes to go with fighter? What are the must-have feats for those classes? (I've got rogues DOWN...but my knowledge of other classes is sketchy).

Some class/level/feat progression lists would be helpful. I'm not looking for munchkin combos...just something new (to me) and solid.

Thanks in advance!

 

[gfunk]

Well Fighter is a good all-around class and meshes well with most other classes. Some options:

1. Melee Death Machine
Fighter 4/Sorcerer 1/Dragon Disciple 10

You gradually gain Str, Con, Natural Armor, breath weapon, etc. Great feat combos include the Improved Trip/Knockdown chain.
Take True Strike and Feather Fall as spells as both have verbal components and you can cast them w/o penalty.

2. Finesse Fighter
Fighter/Rogue or Fighter/Rogue/Duelist

Take feats like Expert Tactician and Improved Initiative to maximize your Sneak Attack/Precise Strike potential. The Two Weapon Fighting Chain doesn't hurt either for that extra attack. The important thing is to balance a decent attack bonus with decent damage -- it's easy to go overboard in both.

3. Spellsword/Bladesinger/Arcane Archer
Figher x/Wizard x/Prestige Class

Spellswords, IMO, are better if you take one level of Fighter, seven of Wizard and the rest in Spellsword.

4. Best of Both Worlds
Fighter 10/Barbarian 10

You get the feats of fighers with the rage, improved movement, and better skills of the barbarian. I had a great multiclass character in this category and had a lof of fun with him.

These will just get the ball rolling. I'm sure others will have some viable options.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

A few more options:

-The Holy Warrior:Ftr x/cleric x
Good feats include weapon focus (with the deities favored weapon of course--it's free if you pick a War domain deity), weapon specialization (free if you pick up the Templar Prestige class), Power Attack, Divine Might (if you've a high charisma), Divine Vigor (if your charisma is at least 13). Other good fighter feats include the usual: power attack, cleave, sunder, dodge, mobility, Expertise, improved critical, power critical.

With clerics, domains are important. War gives weapon focus for free, Strength gives a one round strength increase, Destruction gives a smite attack, Elf gives the point blank shot feat. Good has some good domain spells (protection from evil is the first level one) and Travel allows you to ignore web and hold spells temporarily. Domains like Death, Sun, and Protection have good abilities but they're very level dependant so you won't get as much out of them as a multi-classed cleric.

-The Holy Warrior (Chaotic variant) good for Kord, Tritherion, etc.
Ftr x/Cleric x/brb x (Holy Liberator or Templar)
Divine feats are still good to make use of your turning ability.

-The Holy Warrior (lawful variant) good for Mayaheine, Pelor, Pholtus, etc.
Ftr 2/Cleric 3/Pal 2 (Templar, Knight of the Middle Circle, Knight of the Chalice)
Divine feats are still very good choices.
Alternately, Ftr 4/Pal 1/Templar will work without spells but with more feats.

-The Holy Warrior (Holy theif-catcher variety)
Rgr/Rog/(fighter or paladin)/Consecrated Harrier

The Wilderness warrior:
-Ftr x/Ranger x
This is how to do a ranger without spells but with a whole lot more feats.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Or just go straight fighter. You don`t have to multiclass every character.
(I will only present some options, I don`t like concentrating on just one possiblity)

Feats to consider:
Power Attack - Cleave / Improved Bull Rush (greater cleave is okay, but that depends on the typical enemies you face - many low hit points enemies can be well elimantet with these feats.)
Sunder is sometimes good, but it hurts if you destroy magic weapons.

Expertise - Improved Disarm / Improved Trip - Knockdown
Both feats are very useful if you encounter many humanoid enemies. Against creatures not using weapons, or creautes greater than medium size, these aren`t so useful. (But knockdown gives high level fighters a good chance to at least try some trips, even if there is no great chance for success)
Expertise is useful if you have easy time to hit your opponent, but he inflicts much to much damage if he can hit you. (and it might compensate for the lack of your shield)

Improved Initiative: If you don`t have a high dex, but want to get in combat quickly (dropping foes as fast as possible - it is also good if you are able to disarm some of them early in combat. At least it will cost them time, at best they might really suffer from it)

Weapon Focus - Weapon Specialisation:
Weapons best for it are Bastard Sword (as Medium size weapons, but only if you get the exotic weapon profiency) or Greatsword.
If you plan on switching your weapons during fight, depending on your foes, these feats are not the best ones.

If you go for Ambidexterity/Two Weapon Fighting (if you multiclass with Ranger, as an example), get the Shield Expert feat. As an offhand weapon you can use your shield (Shield of Bashing or Shield Spikes), as your primary weapon a Bastard Sword (you will be as good or even better as with a double weapon).
But if you decide to go for double weapons, Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialisation might be some great ideas. (I believe, as a double weapon together with Improved Trip/Disarm the Dire Flail is the best weapon, but together with Improved Critical the Double Bladed Sword - good idea probably for Elven Fighters - can also be very powerful.)

I think one of the most important thing is to remember to have the right stats to get the desired feat chains.
With 25 point-buy (that is the most common in our gaming group`s D20 campaigns), the stats are most likely to be:
Str15, Dex13, Con12/13, Int14/13; Wis10; Cha8
(without racial modifiers.)
I currently play a Ranger3/Fighte3 that started with:
Str14, Dex14; Con13(14); Int14; Wis12, Cha8.
(And the low Strength hurts - but not the opponents )

 

[Jairami]

Orc (or half-orc) Tempest

Ftr
1 2-Weapon Combination (Netbook of Feats)
1 Weapon Focus: Battle Axe
2 Dodge
3 Mobility
4 Spring Attack
6 Twin Weapon Fighting (Netbook of Feats)
6 Expertise (Gotta get that Intelligence just barely high enough)
8 Improved Critical: Battle Axe
9 Advanced Ambidexterity (Netbook of Feats)
Tempest
1 Improved Two Weapon Fighting
2 Off hand Parry
5 Greater Two Weapon Fighting (Tempest ability, Masters of the Wild Feat)
8 Absolute Ambidexterity (Tempest ability)
10 Supreme two-weapon fighting

Plus feats at 12, 15, and 18 of course...

(Let's see, that nets us at level 19, +20/+20/+15/+15/+10/+10/+5/+5 with two medium weapons plus full strength and magic weapon bonuses to each, plus you'll probably want to grab a skin of the hero and belt of giant strength to add into the mix to bring you attacks up to +35 or so with full strength bonus to damage on both axes and x3 crits on 17-20 after your scabbards of keen edges keen your blades.)

Without the netbook you could...

Ftr
1 Ambidexterity
1 Two Weapon Fighting
2 Weapon Focus: Axe
3 Dodge
4 Mobility
6 Spring Attack
6 Expertise
8 Improved Critical: Axe
9 Superior Expertise (Oriental Adventures)
Tempest
Same as above

Not quite as good because you've only got half strength bonus to your off hand weapon and you are fighting at -2/-2 instead of +0/+0. But still, just as many attacks, and what does -2 matter by that point?

In any case, you are just looking for ideas, and this is just that.

 

[GodPhoenix]

neat!

Thanks for all the ideas! I especially like the dragon disciple PrC...but the Fighter/Barbarian might be too hard to resist. So now I'm thinking a human barbarian who was captured, sold, and forced to fight in gladiatorial combat, but won his freedom and is now looking for revenge on his captors. Maybe with a cool looking weapon like a spiked chain. Which stats should I load and what feats should I get if I want to concentrate on pit-fighting stuff like trip, sunder, and disarm?

 

[Jairami]

Stats for those maneuvers? Strength, strength, and er.. strength. Looks like you's going to be playing a beefcake.

Improved Trip is nice but requires Expertise and trip doesn't provoke and AofO to begin with. Of course it is a requisite for Knockdown which any good beefcake (especially a spiked chain reach weapon beefcake) should have.

Disarm is more fun than sunder. And more profitable. But if you really are forsaking adventuring potential for the pit fighter mentality then it sure is showy. And gladiator's eat, sleep, and drink showmanship.

 

[bret]

If you liked the Dragon Disciple example, maybe you should consider combining it with your own idea.

No reason that you couldn't do Barbarian / Sorc / Dragon Disciple. It is what I'm planning to do.

I would put the high stat in Con, since it determines the duration of your rage. Definately want True Strike spell with Power Attack feat for that extra damage on the first attack.

I've looked at building this character and it seems very workable. The biggest problems are getting the skill in Knowledge: Arcana and having to spread your attributes so thin. You would like at least a 13 in each of Con, Cha, Str, Dex.

Since there is a lot of overlap in requirements, you could also take SpellSword PrC so you don't suffer Arcane Failure as much in armor. I can't decide yet if this is worth it or not.