Opportunity attacks

[StreamOfTheSky]

Rogues will never be damage gods. Next question.

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I'm not sure what you mean. Are you looking for a way to move and full attack? There are many ways to get pounce; a Synthesist Summoner or a regular summoner's eidolon can get it at level 1.

 

[Rampant]

You;ve never had to deal with Lucky.

Two-weapon pouncing rogue, manages no less than 3 sneak attacks a round.

Bah I'll live with the pouncing.

 

[Salthorae]

I was in a game just last night where our dual wielding Fighter dealt 130 points of damage to a creature on an AoO action.

The following round, I dealt 72 damage to something on an AoO. If you're using your class features right, you should be laying out good damage, especially against single target "big" monsters. Your paladin should be Smiting and Power attacking with his holy weapon for instance.

So I'm not sure where you get the idea that they don't stay relevant at higher levels, we are 14th by the way.

 

[Rampant]

smiting only works on evil creatures so I don't consider it a valid tactical response to about 1/3 to 1/2 the game's foes in an average campaign for my group

how did the fighter rack up 130 with what I'm presuming was two hits?

 

[Salthorae]

Equal opportunity feature of the two weapon fighter ACF in the APG allows the two hits, yes.

There was some power attack going still on his attacks + high str and I think one of his weapons is a scimitar with improved critical and Critical Focus so he crits more often than not...

I guess for your campaign that is a valid point, our campaign is almost all good vs evil so smite really helps me dish out the damage, but Paladin's have other skills, and I haven't really optimized my feats for combat. Potentially I can get teh damage up there as well, I just didn't try to push the combat optimization.

Still AoO's can be effective at higher levels if you do it right...

 

[Rampant]

Well that's why I asked if I was missing something.

Sky has clued me into two excellent feats already so what's your take?

 

[billd91]

Paladin vs. hill giant

Hill giant doesn't even notice the CMB check.

Why? Because his CMD happens to be 3 points higher than his AC? That's probably not out of reach for the paladin. So he may need a 12 to stop the giant instead of a 9 to just hit him. Is this really that problematic?

 

[Rampant]

because the paladin is pitting his CMB vs the Giant's CMD

Pally +7 bab, +4 strength, +11 total

Hill giant = 24 cmd

So you gotta roll a 13 or better and it's a huge creature, assuming it' can't just reach over you, there's still the fact that most CMB checks don't work on anything more than one size category bigger than you.

Checked beastiary: When the heck did Hill giants drop to large?

Ok fine a storm giant then:

Paladin: 13 bab + 6 str

vs.

42.

Gotta roll a 23.

 

[billd91]

because the paladin is pitting his CMB vs the Giant's CMD

Pally +7 bab, +4 strength, +11 total

Hill giant = 24 cmd

So you gotta roll a 13 or better and it's a huge creature, assuming it' can't just reach over you, there's still the fact that most CMB checks don't work on anything more than one size category bigger than you.

Checked beastiary: When the heck did Hill giants drop to large?

They always were, as I recall.
But there's only a 1 point difference between large and huge anyway, not a +4 like it was in 3.5.
Keep in mind, also, that the paladin gets to add any bonuses he gets from magic or feats or other effects that give him bonuses with the weapon used to conduct the combat maneuver. I'm guessing he'll have at least +3 from his weapon and feats. That would give him, with your estimates, +14 vs the CMD of 24.

Ok fine a storm giant then:

Paladin: 13 bab + 6 str

vs.

42.

Gotta roll a 23.

I notice you're really pushing into high strength opponents here. That's part of what giants are and are supposed to be. It should be no surprise they're hard to beat in any check that involves pitting strength against strength.

Against an ice devil or adult blue dragon, assuming also about +4 in weapon/feat bonuses, you're looking at a 23 vs a 36. If he has a +4 bonus from Charisma and the ice devil/blue dragon is a smite buddy (and why wouldn't it be?), that's a 27 vs 36. Not outlandish at all.

I think there may be some debate whether or not it's worth it to stop the thing in its tracks or do damage, but that dragon is actually a little easier to stop in its tracks than to hit for damage.

 

[Rampant]

Aghhh I keep forgettign the feats and magic side.