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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Caliban" data-source="post: 3437933" data-attributes="member: 284">It depends on the prestige class.  Some are more suited for combat than others.  In my case,  I was going for an overall concept - the iconic dwarven fighter who can stand against almost any foe, the wall that the enemy breaks on.   Facing the realities of high level D&D combat, this means having effective defenses against magic, invisible foes, and area effects, high AC, high hit points, and a variety of combat options depending on the situation. What he gave up to achieve this is was the high end of his damage output and attack bonus.   For an 18th level tank, his strength is about 4-6 points lower, and his BAB is one lower.  It doesn't matter as much at 18th level, but I certainly noticed the lack at lower levels. His strength is lower than normal because he was built with 28 point buy, and his starting strength was 14, so that I could buy up his Dex and Int to support Dodge, Mobility, Combat Expertise.  His current strength is 24 (+4 from levels, +6 from belt of giant strength) and generally maxes at 28 (+2 from Enlarge Person, +2 from Defensive Stance)4 levels of fighter gave him feats and weapon specialization.2 levels of monk gave him +3 on all saves, Evasion, and improved grapple1 level of Exotic Weapon master allows him to apply double his str bonus to when wielding his +1 Holy Cold Iron Dwarven Waraxe two-handed. (Thus counteracting his lower than normal strength)1 level of Pious Templar (of Gendwar Argrim dwarven hero god with the dwarven axe as his chosen weapon) gives him Mettle and the ability to use healing wands10 levels of Dwarven Defender gives him unnamed AC bonuses, good Will and Fort saves, Defensive Stance, Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge, DR 6/-, and Spot as a class skill.At 18th level he has some pretty good gear: +5 mithril breastplate, +3 animated shield, +6 Dex gloves, +6 Strength belt, +4 Con amulet, helmet that gives +2 sacred bonus to AC, +1 insight to AC from Ioun stone, a couple of Holy dwarven axes (cold iron and adamantine), +5 cloak of Resistance, +4 ring of Protection, and various other goodies.His standing AC is 40, his standing touch AC is 25, he can use various tricks to get into the mid-to-high 50's.His lowest save is +17, his highest is +25,  if he makes a save against any spell he takes no effect (i.e. he shrugs off harms, disintegrates, horrid wiltings, fireballs, cones of cold, chain lightnings, blade barriers).  He almost never loses his Dex bonus to AC, and is hard to flank.If he has trouble hitting you, he can try grappling with a good chance of success (he's grappled large and huge dragons a few times.)   In many combats his most effective tactic was to grapple the enemy rogue or barbarian so that the rogue in his party could go off on them.He's just very hard to kill, but will not outdamage an equivalent level barbarian or straight fighter (or even rogue) that is optimized for damage.   He also had to take some sub-optimal feats for a front-line tank: Dodge, Toughness, True Believer.This was my main character in the Living Greyhawk campaign for 5 years.  He's pretty much retired now, although they have released some high level adventures that I can play him in if I get a group together and find a DM.</blockquote>

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