Lightly Armoured, Martial Q-staff Fighter Ideas
- Thread starter Tetsubo
- Start date
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
Dread Polack
Explorer
Ironically, I am working on pretty much the exact same concept right now. Weird...
So, my advice is this:
First, I wouldn't take any levels in monk. It's been my experience that they don't stack well with anything else, and unless you specifically want monk powers, it's a waste of levels. Half your powers don't work with armor or weapons, and your stunning fists will quickly become ineffective once you stop leveling up as a monk.
Even with a low-level flurry, you'd be better off with two-weapon fighting feats as a straight fighter. You'd end up with a better BAB, hit points, etc.
As was already said, don't worry about the martial staff- once you're power attacking for more than 1 point of damage, it's a wasted feat.
Using the PHB and Complete warrior, and if you want to go crazy, this is what you could do with this concept:
Power Attack: If you're fighter, this is mandatory, unless you want to be bouncing your 1d6+2 off of critters with damage reduction at high speeds at 10th level.
Two-weapon Fighting: because it's a double weapon, and you need to take advantage of that. Otherwise, it's a club that takes two hands. If you really want to embrace the concept, take Improved and Greater as you level up.
Two-Weapon Defense: It's a free +1 Shield AC bonus, which seems thematically appropriate for a staff-weilder. You can take Improved and Greater Two-Weapon Defense from the Complete warrior as you level up.
Alternatively, or in addition to Two-Weapon Defense, you can take Quick Staff from the Complete Warrior. It gives you a +2 dodge bonus when used with Combat Expertise, at a hefty prerequisite cost. You need the following: Dodge, Combat Expertise, Two-Wapon Fighting, Weapon Focus: Staff. Personally, I think I'd give one or more of the two-weapon defense feats if I took this, since it seems to be enough.
Combat Expertise: Again, in keeping with the theme. Always give up 1 from your BAB, and you'll get +3 Dodge AC when using your staff. Combine it with Two-Weapon Defense, and you get +4 AC, take all the feats, and max out your Combat Expertise, and you get +10 AC while still making a full attack. Of course, you're at -5 to hit, and more if you're attacking with both ends of your staff.
Dodge: Another +2 dodge vs. one guy, meaning a possible +10 AC in melee.
Weapon Focus: Staff: You'll need the +1 to make up for all the penalties if you're maxing out your defense (of course, nobody says you have to, this can simply make up for the -1 you're always taking to utilize your Quick Staff feat)
While you're at it, you can take:
Weapon Specialization: Staff, Greater Weapon Focus: Staff, Greater Weapon Specialization: Staff, depending on how awesome you want to be with your staff.
If you want to be a spinning fury of wooden death, you can take Whirlwind attack (and of course it's prereqs: Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack)
Improved Combat Expertise: I thought of taking this one to simply max out my defensive insanity, but this one seems a little unnecessary, unless you thing giving up +5 BAB for +7 AC isn't enough.
So, I've played with a couple different builds, one favoring two-weapon attacks, one favoring AC bonuses, and one with Whirlwind attack. Looks like you can't have it all, but you can probably find a happy compromise.
Dread Polack
So, my advice is this:
First, I wouldn't take any levels in monk. It's been my experience that they don't stack well with anything else, and unless you specifically want monk powers, it's a waste of levels. Half your powers don't work with armor or weapons, and your stunning fists will quickly become ineffective once you stop leveling up as a monk.
Even with a low-level flurry, you'd be better off with two-weapon fighting feats as a straight fighter. You'd end up with a better BAB, hit points, etc.
As was already said, don't worry about the martial staff- once you're power attacking for more than 1 point of damage, it's a wasted feat.
Using the PHB and Complete warrior, and if you want to go crazy, this is what you could do with this concept:
Power Attack: If you're fighter, this is mandatory, unless you want to be bouncing your 1d6+2 off of critters with damage reduction at high speeds at 10th level.
Two-weapon Fighting: because it's a double weapon, and you need to take advantage of that. Otherwise, it's a club that takes two hands. If you really want to embrace the concept, take Improved and Greater as you level up.
Two-Weapon Defense: It's a free +1 Shield AC bonus, which seems thematically appropriate for a staff-weilder. You can take Improved and Greater Two-Weapon Defense from the Complete warrior as you level up.
Alternatively, or in addition to Two-Weapon Defense, you can take Quick Staff from the Complete Warrior. It gives you a +2 dodge bonus when used with Combat Expertise, at a hefty prerequisite cost. You need the following: Dodge, Combat Expertise, Two-Wapon Fighting, Weapon Focus: Staff. Personally, I think I'd give one or more of the two-weapon defense feats if I took this, since it seems to be enough.
Combat Expertise: Again, in keeping with the theme. Always give up 1 from your BAB, and you'll get +3 Dodge AC when using your staff. Combine it with Two-Weapon Defense, and you get +4 AC, take all the feats, and max out your Combat Expertise, and you get +10 AC while still making a full attack. Of course, you're at -5 to hit, and more if you're attacking with both ends of your staff.
Dodge: Another +2 dodge vs. one guy, meaning a possible +10 AC in melee.
Weapon Focus: Staff: You'll need the +1 to make up for all the penalties if you're maxing out your defense (of course, nobody says you have to, this can simply make up for the -1 you're always taking to utilize your Quick Staff feat)
While you're at it, you can take:
Weapon Specialization: Staff, Greater Weapon Focus: Staff, Greater Weapon Specialization: Staff, depending on how awesome you want to be with your staff.
If you want to be a spinning fury of wooden death, you can take Whirlwind attack (and of course it's prereqs: Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack)
Improved Combat Expertise: I thought of taking this one to simply max out my defensive insanity, but this one seems a little unnecessary, unless you thing giving up +5 BAB for +7 AC isn't enough.
So, I've played with a couple different builds, one favoring two-weapon attacks, one favoring AC bonuses, and one with Whirlwind attack. Looks like you can't have it all, but you can probably find a happy compromise.
Dread Polack
Patryn of Elvenshae
First Post
Have you considered the longstaff from Complete Adventurer?
It's an exotic weapon (but has weapon equivalency with a normal staff). When wielding it, if you Combat Expertise for 2, Fight Defensively, or take the Full Defense action, you cannot be flanked for one round by anyone!
Deny those high-level rogues their SA damage!
It's an exotic weapon (but has weapon equivalency with a normal staff). When wielding it, if you Combat Expertise for 2, Fight Defensively, or take the Full Defense action, you cannot be flanked for one round by anyone!
Deny those high-level rogues their SA damage!
