Pathfinder Pathfinder: Kingmaker Builds and Strats Thread

[Desiderius]

Nice Arcane Protector abuse haha

What abuse is that? All dodge bonuses stack and only shifters can afford to dual wield stat sticks. I'll use Perfection later and maybe Thundering Claw.

I mean those weapons are not 'equipped' while wildshaping so you shouldn't get the benefit of them. Shifters need all the help they can get though so it's all good

There are Feats in PnP that let you "meld" your weapons into your claws, so the devs effectively gave those feats to you for free to make Wild Shaping suck less. They were pretty much priced into doing that since itemization, especially weapon itemization, is so central to the mechanics of the game.

The bigger problem is dual wielding a unique weapon.

(a) there are already better options like Shields and Lightning Duelist

(b) why are you obsessing so much about AC? You've got Mirror Image and a Smilodon pet. Slay.

 

[Desiderius]

On a related note, Eldrtich Arcana mod has the Share Spells feat and Druid is one of the few classes with the prereqs to get it. The puzzle of sharing Mirror Image has finally been unlocked.

 

[Desiderius]

I played around some with your build Seari. I guess if you're determined to fight Wild Shaped before your high level Druids spells kick in the Monk splash is fine, it is a ton of AC from CHR, but it slows down those spells and once you get them you just destroy anyway. Pounce and tanking isn't really a combo.

This gets you to Crane Wing (which is kind of iffy Wild Shaped since you don't really have a free hand), but you'd be better off just spending those feats on Shatter Defenses or something to help you land all your awesome spells. Trip feats are entirely unnecessary. You only get Trip from Smilo if you burn your Cloak slot for it, and if you do that you don't need the Feats. You can get the +4 CMB from Aspect of the Bear and Aspect of the Wolf (+2 each). Greater Trip is AoO but that's win more. You've already got a million attacks and everyone already gets one when the tripped dude stands up, which shouldn't happen that often since it will usually be dead.

What things look like with some self-buffs and rudimentary group stuff. Would really benefit from Transformation from Jub or Octavia on hardest fights of course, but you should be ok with Inspire Courage and Outflank bonuses. Looks like you need to be careful when you cast the Seamantle, but as you can see plenty of AC options. Likewise Magic Fang, Greater gets cast after Wild Shape.

Some better things to equip

Sweet, sweet Eighth level spells you're working toward. Forgot that you get Legendary at seven, which straight Feyspeaker (no Monk) could get in time for VTomb.

 

[Seari]

Why do you value Lightning Duelist so highly? Don't you just pounce before combat, so initiative doesn't matter?

Totally forgot I can use bucklers, Bladeguard is worth considering for sure. I kinda wish to try Thundering Claw because it's cool, probably shit though.

I'll consider cutting the Trip feats.

 

[Desiderius]

Claw's fun, but in the end it's just damage. First to act after surprise round is determined by Initiative and you don't have Uncanny Dodge.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

I'm contemplating my next run, and would like to do a polarm master type. Preferably with great saves and able to skill-monkey. In D&D its its usually an even split of fighter and rogue, but Pathfinder is a bit more...broad.

Does anyone have suggestions? I plan on taking 3 levels of paladin for the saves and features, then mostly slayer with a few rogue levels mixed in. I want to do alot of combat manuevers and leverage reach weapons for maximum utilization of combat reflexes. I'm not looking for hyper optimal builds that do 1 level dips, just some direction. Thanks in advance.

 

[amurath]

I'm contemplating my next run, and would like to do a polarm master type. Preferably with great saves and able to skill-monkey. In D&D its its usually an even split of fighter and rogue, but Pathfinder is a bit more...broad.

Does anyone have suggestions? I plan on taking 3 levels of paladin for the saves and features, then mostly slayer with a few rogue levels mixed in. I want to do alot of combat manuevers and leverage reach weapons for maximum utilization of combat reflexes. I'm not looking for hyper optimal builds that do 1 level dips, just some direction. Thanks in advance.

I found the fauchard trip vivi to be fun and powerful. Vivisectionist 16/Scaled Fist 1/Paladin 3 could be what you're looking for, but it requires an understanding of the artisan mechanics.

 

[Yosharian]

I found the fauchard trip vivi to be fun and powerful. Vivisectionist 16/Scaled Fist 1/Paladin 3 could be what you're looking for, but it requires an understanding of the artisan mechanics.

3rd level of Paladin is not efficient.

And it's debatable whether an SF dip is even a big deal on a character that is going to be using reach weapons all the time, I mean tanks generally don't want to use reach weaponry.

 

[Seari]

Well trip vivi goes in bite range.

 

[Desiderius]

I'm contemplating my next run, and would like to do a polarm master type. Preferably with great saves and able to skill-monkey. In D&D its its usually an even split of fighter and rogue, but Pathfinder is a bit more...broad.

Does anyone have suggestions? I plan on taking 3 levels of paladin for the saves and features, then mostly slayer with a few rogue levels mixed in. I want to do alot of combat manuevers and leverage reach weapons for maximum utilization of combat reflexes. I'm not looking for hyper optimal builds that do 1 level dips, just some direction. Thanks in advance.

Divine Guardian 3/Fighter x works great. Vivi's a minmaxxing pain in the ass. Just get the full BAB and all the feats and have fun. Fauchard optional, Glaive works great - Combat Manuevers don't care about crits, and you can get a good Glaive sooner.

I've been having a ton of fun with CM Dirty Trick lately.

 

[Desiderius]

Well trip vivi goes in bite range.

It's two builds glommed together. The third level of Pal (Divine Guardian, you're not casting anyway) gets you the handy Fatigue Mercy, Bodyguard, and In Harm's Way. You can use them to protect a wimpy Vivi if you have to have one.

 

[Desiderius]

There's also Spawn Slayer that's designed to take down even the biggest mobs, and you can even get some of your Sneaks that way if you have to have them.

Freebooter also goes nicely with CMs since Freebooter's Bane is a Move Action and CMs (in P:K) are Standard Actions. Vivi wants full attacks.

 

[Haplo]

Some shameless self-promotion:



If you want "lots" of Combat Maneuvers, the only way to achieve that is with the Trip-on-bite Cloak of Winter Wolf... and Bite attack stacking.

Of course, it'd be much weaker in Turn-Based mode.

 

[Yosharian]

Well I was trying to figure out a build that doesn't exploit that but I couldn't find anything that clicked.

 

[Desiderius]

Well I was trying to figure out a build that doesn't exploit that but I couldn't find anything that clicked.

Uh, Pummeling Style gets two free Trips. If anything Trips are oversupported. Bite stacking is a sideshow.

What exactly are you having trouble with?

 

[Haplo]

Ah yes, Pummeling Style. Forgot that.
However can't use Mastery fauchard then

Also if you rely on Attacks of Opportunity, might as well make it somewhat big hits... bigger then fists.

 

[Desiderius]

Some preliminary pre-Alpha testing using CotW, Eldritch Arcana, and Proper Flanking mods with the Depths DLC to test new classes for Wrath:

Here's the Hunter Teamwork Feats helping her be an effective archer and helping her pet keep his fat butt out of the way of other teammates. Usually Enfilading Fire and Cordinated Shot require ranged Feats for pre-reqs, which makes it awkward to get them on the melee mobs it takes to make them work. With Hunter you automatically share them with you pet, so it turns them on for all other ranged characters to take as well (they require someone with the Feat to be flanking). Pattern of play as seen here was to send Mastodon pet to other side of target to flank and use Dirty Trick Blind.

Once Mastodon upsized he got Overrun, which is perfect since it puts him in the backside position while doing damage/prone on the way.

Zen Archer Gregz using his attack bonus from his own Enfilading/Coordinated Feats to fuel up Deadly Aim and do good damage. No Inspire Courage/Good Hope.

Warpriest Blessings: throw Sanctuary on anyone in jeopardy, and every tough skill check gets a reroll, as seen here:

Main benefit is big dice for small weapons, as can be seen in Rapier/Shield Bash here.

 

[Desiderius]

Ah yes, Pummeling Style. Forgot that.
However can't use Mastery fauchard then

Also if you rely on Attacks of Opportunity, might as well make it somewhat big hits... bigger then fists.

I didn't even bother with Greater Trip. Main benefit is just getting them on the ground to make them easier to hit with iteratives/keeping them out of action. Pounce is the big payoff there, Monk gets four Trips in while you're still moving to the target.

Anyway, I like Dirty Trick better now. Pretty much gives everyone Shatter Defenses against the target without having to worry about Shaken or paying all the feats for Shatter.

A legit Trip build would use Greater Trip with Aspect of Wolf and maximizing damage from each Fauchard hit. Could spend extra Combat Reflexes AoOs on Bodyguard since you Reach everything.

 

[Desiderius]

Ghosts are immune to Trip, but not Blind.

 

[Desiderius]

Here's Herald of the Horn Skald using Disarm with help from Dazzling Blade

Unfortunately Lethal Stance is not currently working with the Skald Song to AoE it, which was the purpose of the build. Still doing some good work with Martial and Medium Armor Proficiency.

Disarm is similar to Trip in that it disables while also generating AoOs, but tends to have longer duration.

Oracle with Nature mystery is pretty nice:

CHR to DEX bonus, CHR to all Animal saves 30ft, full Pet for the price of a Revelation, and good bonus spells. Pretty much Divine Sorc otherwise,

 

[Desiderius]

Here you go, Yosh, Spawn Slayer 19:

Man, Improved Quarry is like butter.

 

[Haplo]

Hmm, nice. I suppose the 1 hour / 1 minute time limits between designating a Quarry don't apply?

 

[Desiderius]

Hmm, nice. I suppose the 1 hour / 1 minute time limits between designating a Quarry don't apply?

No, and unlike a lot of Swift actions it was instantaneous. Doesn't matter in turn-based, but a big help in RTwP where it can take awhile for swift actions to take.

 

[Desiderius]

Power Attack turned off for test so actual damage would be a good bit higher.

 

[Haplo]

I think usually you don't want to use Power Attack with Combat Maneuvers...

At least not when biting anyway.