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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cheiromancer" data-source="post: 1309853" data-attributes="member: 141">A few "named builds" like the halfling serpent school, above.  They use levels of monk- even the ones with armor.  The good saves and skills (including access to tumble- especially convenient for an armored dwarf) are very handy.The Crab (Lawful Human or Dwarf)(mithral) Breastplate and Tower Shield1. Fighter 1: Dodge,* (Improved Initiative), Weapon Focus: Trident2. Fighter 2: Mobility*3. Fighter 3: Hold the Line4. Fighter 4: Weapon Specialization: Trident* 5. Monk 1: Stunning Fist*, unarmed attack6. Monk 2: Combat Reflexes*, evasion, Combat Expertise7. Monk 3: still mind 8. Monk 4: ki strike (magic), slow fall (20 ft)(by this level have the following skill ranks: hide: 10 ranks, move silently: 8 ranks, perform (dance): 3 ranks, tumble: 5 ranks)9. Duelist 1: canny defense, Improved Disarm10. Duelist 2: improved reaction +211. Duelist 3: enhanced mobility12. Shadowdancer 1: hide in plain sight, Improved Trip13. Shadowdancer 2: darkvision, uncanny dodge14. Duelist 4: grace15. Duelist 5: precise strike +1d6, Spring Attack16. Duelist 6: acrobatic charge17. Duelist 7: elaborate parry18. Duelist 8: improved reaction +4, Whirlwind Attack19. Duelist 9: Deflect Arrows*20. Duelist 10: precise strike +2d6From Sword and Fist (and complete warrior):Hold the Line; Pre-requisites: BAB +2, Combat Reflexes; Benefit: make an AoO against opponent who charges you.A trident can be set against a charge to do double damage.  It’s a piercing one-handed weapon, and so qualifies for precise strike. A crab can use his tower shield to advance with total cover (except against spells), but cannot attack while doing so.  A tower shield otherwise provides +4 AC, but gives a -2 to attacks.  It has a max dex bonus of +2.The crab style is defensive; at low levels it is designed to resist charging foes (hold the line) and maneuver under enemy archer fire (using tower shields for cover); at mid levels it emphasizes not getting hit (tower shield + combat expertise) while moving to strategic positions (mobility) and controlling the battlefield (combat reflexes).  Defense against magical attacks becomes a priority (good saves, evasion, still mind).  Unusual combat maneuvers (stunning fist, unarmed attacks) are a back-up when conventional attacks fail.  High level crab fighters are faster, sneaker, and even harder to hit, but are basically similar to mid level crab fighters.Duelist abilities that don’t function in armor: canny defense, enhanced mobility, grace.  Precise strike and Deflect Arrows do not work with a shield.Monk abilities that don’t function in armor: AC bonus, fast movement, flurry of blows.  Evasion only works in light armor.  Dwarves can tumble in armor, since it does not encumber their motion.Crab fighters usually wear armor until they reach high levels (12+).  At lower levels it is usually much more cost effective to magically enhance armor and shield than it is to buy bracers of armor and ability boosters for dexterity, wisdom and intelligence.  The lost abilities don’t make up the difference.E.g. mithral breastplate: +5 AC bonus, large shield: +2 AC BonusGiven Dex 14, Wis 14, Int 14;+5 armor 25 000+5 shield 25 000+5 amulet of natural armor 50 000Total AC: 10 (+2 dex, +10 armor, +7 shield, + 5 natural) = 34i.e. 100 000 gp buys +22 armor, about 5000 per plusUnarmored+3 amulet of natural armor 18 000+6 bracers of armor 36 000+4 periapt of wisdom 16 000+4 headband of intellect 16 000+4 gloves of dexterity 16 000 102 000 gp buys +15, about 7000 per plus. +5 amulet of natural armor 50 000+8 bracers of armor 64 000+6 periapt of wisdom 36 000+6 headband of intellect 36 000+6 gloves of dexterity 36 000222 000 gp buys +22, at almost exactly 10 000 per plus.Shadowdancer and Monk have 3/4 BAB, so final BAB is +18.  Saves are 4/1/1 + 4/4/4 + 3/7/3 + 0/3/0 = 11/15/8Dwarven Monitor1. Fighter 1: Toughness, Dodge*2. Fighter 2: Hold the Line*3. Monk 1: Improved Grapple*, unarmed attack, Mobility4. Monk 2: Combat Reflexes*, evasion5. Monk 3: still mind6. Monk 4: ki strike (magic), slow fall 20 ft, Weapon Finesse7. Monk 5: purity of body8. Monk 6: Improved Trip*, slow fall 30 ft9. Duelist 1: canny defense, Combat Expertise, +1 AC10. Duelist 2: improved reaction +211: Duelist 3: enhanced mobility12. Duelist 4: grace, Endurance13. DwDef 1: defensive stance 1/day, +1 AC14. DwDef 2: uncanny dodge15. DwDef 3: defensive stance 2/day, Deflect Arrows16. DwDef 4: trap sense +1, +2 AC17: DwDef 5: defensive stance 3/day18. DwDef 6: damage reduction 3/-, improved uncanny dodge, Power Attack19. DwDef 7: defensive stance 4/day, +3 AC20. DwDef 8: mobile defense, trap defense +2Like the Crab, a Dwarven Monitor wears armor and uses tower shields at low levels.  4th level Dwarven Monitors use a Guisarme and so do not use a shield; and at around 12th level they foreswear armor altogether (preferring bracers and ability boosters to enchanted armor).   An unarmored Dwarven Monitor moves very quickly (40 ft) and can set up nearly impregnable positions in a heart beat (Defensive Stance + Combat Expertise). A 5th level monk gets a +1 bonus (in addition to wis bonus) when unarmored.  I put in 4 levels of duelist as quickly a possible, since that will allow a +4 bonus to AC (assuming an 18 intelligence). Dwarves who lack a Dexterity score of 13 or higher may become Alterns:Dwarven Altern:1. Fighter 1: Toughness, Power Attack2. Fighter 2: Hold the Line*3. Monk 1: Improved Grapple*, unarmed attack, Cleave4. Monk 2: Deflect Arrows*, evasion5. Monk 3: still mind6. Monk 4: ki strike (magic), slow fall 20 ft, Improved Overrun7. Monk 5: purity of body8. Monk 6: Improved Trip*, slow fall 30 ft9. Monk 7: wholeness of body, Improved Bull Rush10+ Dwarven DefenderAlterns always wear armor, but are otherwise the same as monitors.</blockquote>

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