Help with War Hulk build ...

[Machiavelli]

Perhaps something like Defensive Sweep (much later, though, because it's a BAB +14 feat) will open up the possibility of more frequent AoO's

Probably "never", as the war hulk doesn't get BAB increases.

Sh**!!!

Well, okay. Now I see that. +20 Strength is still nice, even if it only keeps pace with the +10 BAB you miss out on.

What's this about exta AoO's with Improved Trip? You still only get as many attacks against a foe as you usually would, you just get to also trip them first... which is handy all by itself, yes.

Regardless, you can only wait for the opponents to draw AoO's themselves; you can't force them to. Expecting that to happen more often then not requires that one first assumes a few things about the conditions of combat. In my experience, enemies don't do needlessly stupid things to get themselves killed; only the conditions of combat force them to (a primary one being spellcasters hurling area-of-effect spells).

 

[Iku Rex]

What's this about exta AoO's with Improved Trip? You still only get as many attacks against a foe as you usually would, you just get to also trip them first... which is handy all by itself, yes.

They have to stand up eventually, which triggers an AoO. (Ok, so they don't have to stand up. If they just stay down and let you hammer them into the ground then so much the better.)

Regardless, you can only wait for the opponents to draw AoO's themselves; you can't force them to. Expecting that to happen more often then not requires that one first assumes a few things about the conditions of combat. In my experience, enemies don't do needlessly stupid things to get themselves killed; only the conditions of combat force them to (a primary one being spellcasters hurling area-of-effect spells).

The thing is, an AoO will often be the lesser of two evils. The "intelligent" move is usually to get close ASAP. AoO or no AoO.

The half-ogre can attack opponents 20' away. Now what do they do? Run away? That's an overcome challenge right there. Advance with 5' steps? The half-ogre can fall back with 5' steps himself or use Knockback to push them away and even if he doesn't that's three rounds where the opponents can't fight back. What if the party wants to "kill everything"? The war hulk can close to within 15' of the enemy and now they can't even withdraw without triggering an AoO. Ranged attacks? Most adventuring parties have better ranged attacks than most "encounters" and if they don't - just advance to within 15' and start laying down the smack. They'll have to switch to melee or suffer AoOs for making ranged attacks.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Get Stand Still or Large and In Charge. They are great feats for high-strength, large melees with AoOs.

 

[Seeten]

Nobody has mentioned getting Monkey Grip, which goes FANTASTICALLY with this build. a Huge spiked chain gives even more reach, even more AoO's and even more cheese.

As Kingmat says, Large and In Charge also goes fantastically. I recommend both monkey grip and Large and In Charge, AND the spiked chain.

A Half-Ogre with a 40+ strength, a 40' reach...its ugly. Get Bracers of Dexterity asap and combat reflexes and you own the entire battlefield.

 

[Mr_Spicoli]

In which manual is Large and In Charge , and what does it grant?

 

[Darklone]

In which manual is Large and In Charge , and what does it grant?

Draconomicon and Sword&Fist.

It was something like pushing enemies away within your reach with AoOs...

 

[Machiavelli]

I didn't find Large and In Charge in either manual. Is that actually the wrong name? Or is it not actually a feat?

 

[kigmatzomat]

Both feats are ways to use AoOs to keep people from getting close and/or fleeing.

Large & In Charge is from Sword & Fist, not sure if it has a 3.5 source. The feat
requires a large creature and a certain strength. I believe it is an opposed strength check, aided by the grapple modifiers for size, where if the target loses they are stopped or knocked back.

Stand Still is from the psionics books.

STAND STILL [GENERAL]
You can prevent foes from fleeing or closing.
Prerequisite: Str 13.
Benefit: When a foe’s movement out of a square you threaten grants you an attack of opportunity, you can give up that attack and instead attempt to stop your foe in his tracks. Make your attack of opportunity normally. If you hit your foe, he must succeed on a Reflex save against a DC of 10 + your damage roll (the opponent does not actually take damage), or immediately halt as if he had used up his move actions for the round.

Since you use the Stand Still feat in place of your attack of opportunity, you can do so only a number of times per round equal to the number of times per round you could make an attack of opportunity (normally just one).

Normal: Attacks of opportunity cannot halt your foes in their tracks.