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On my current playthrough I'm going as a Vital Striking Freebooter. I'm wondering how useful Monks' AC bonus and Crane chain of feats is in general. On one hand the early going must have been easier with the AC, while on the other I'm thinking that maybe armor access and buffs would be enough even then for frontlining. Not to mention the early AB hit. Of course there is also the possible opportunity cost of having something else that early. I'm pondering the ways to avoid damage and resting early but I'm guessing that as long as Val has the main aggro it isn't such a huge deal.
I never took more then the 1st basic Crane Style feat, granted freely by 1 monk, without prerequisites. Found it useful when tanking. Makes Defensive Fighting useful, otherwise its too costly IMO. YMMV.
On my current playthrough I'm going as a Vital Striking Freebooter. I'm wondering how useful Monks' AC bonus and Crane chain of feats is in general. On one hand the early going must have been easier with the AC, while on the other I'm thinking that maybe armor access and buffs would be enough even then for frontlining. Not to mention the early AB hit. Of course there is also the possible opportunity cost of having something else that early. I'm pondering the ways to avoid damage and resting early but I'm guessing that as long as Val has the main aggro it isn't such a huge deal.
I never took more then the 1st basic Crane Style feat, granted freely by 1 monk, without prerequisites. Found it useful when tanking. Makes Defensive Fighting useful, otherwise its too costly IMO. YMMV.
I've played that way most of my playthroughs, and I guess you kind of have to to survive early game Unfair, but I've gotten away from it now unless I'm taking Dodge for something else like Duelist Parry (so Crane Wing is easier to get to) and I want the CHR/WIS to AC.
Fighting Defensively isn't on when you need it (flat-footed), it only comes on when you attack.
How do you generally view Dragon Disciple dips? Namely four levels for additional stats/possible spells? This in regards for melee characters of course.
How do you generally view Dragon Disciple dips? Namely four levels for additional stats/possible spells? This in regards for melee characters of course.
Stats (especially STR) end up being a dime a dozen.
Archeologist means only Light Armor, Eldritch Scoundrel no armor at all. Melee characters have a lot of things they can do without dabbling in spells at all, and many of those things get better with levels.
Think clearly about what you're giving up and what you're getting, and other ways you can possibly get it. The game is biased toward single-classing, even for melee. Took me a long time to come to that conclusion.
Things like Barb 10/Freebooter 10 on Amiri end up being very powerful, but make sure you have a specific, game-changing purpose in mind before multi-classing (in this case Pounce at Barb 10 and all three Combat Style Feats from Freebooter), not just going for a few stats.
How do you generally view Dragon Disciple dips? Namely four levels for additional stats/possible spells? This in regards for melee characters of course.
Unfortunately Dragon Disciple is really suboptimal for nearly all builds.
If you're desperate for a bite attack there are usually other, better, options, and additional attacks like this are usually only worth it if you have lots of Sneak Attack dice, which DD doesn't offer. I mean if you're bite stacking then it could be valid, but otherwise no.
The loss of spellcasting levels is just really bad, and isn't justified by what DD brings to the table. If it was a full spellcasting PrC it wouldn't be so bad.
Medium BAB means that any STR bonuses have to be weighed against that loss of BAB.
STR bonuses basically amount to +2 to hit and +2 to damage. That's really poor value, even for 4 levels, especially since it's a medium BAB class. If you get other things from the STR boost then it could be more valuable, for example Regongar gets bonuses to his kingdom management role so STR is more valuable for him.
The natural armor is one of the best things about this PrC but it doesn't apply to touch attacks unlike, say, Stalwart Defender AC, so it's not that good, it's just OK.
The other cool stuff such as the INT boost, the bonus Wings feat, Blindsense and so on come too late to be worthwhile, though they are nice bonuses.
It's a real shame cos thematically this PrC has a lot going for it. If it had full spellcasting, it would be a really good option.
Main Hand: Dormition (+5 Dagger, +2 to spell DC when casting a Death spell)
Offhand: Lightning Duelist (+1 Shock Dagger, +1 Dodge to AC, +4 Insight to Initative)
Armor: Robe of the True Master (+5 Deflection to AC, SR 18, +4 Resistance to saves, +2 SP)
Belt: Greater Belt of Perfect Components (1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-level spells auto-extended)
Boots: Sure Step (+4 ?? bonus to CMD, +4 Enh. bonus to CON, trip/slow immunity)
Gloves: Lightest Touch (+6 Enh. to Dexterity)
Head: Crown (+6 Enh. to INT/WIS/CHA)
Neck: Wind Breath (+4 Morale bonus to Initiative)
Ring1: Ring of Law (+4 Defl. to AC, Fear/Confusion immunity)
Ring2: Ring of Circumstances (+2 Circumstance bonus to Cha, DC, Skills, Saves)
Shoulders: Cloak of Sold Souls (-4 CON, +2 to CL/DC for Necro spells, 3x Vamp Touch)
Wrist: Bracers of Armor +6 (+6 Armor bonus)
Rod: Rod of Power Source (+4 to Conjuration spell DC)
Rod2: Rod of Undeath (+2 to Necromancy spell DC, +1 caster level, Maximise 5/day)
Loot Locations:
Main Hand: Dormition [CH3, Varnhold Vanishing: side with Enneo and against Jaethal]
Offhand: Lightning Duelist [Loot Stefano Moskoni]
Armor: Robe of the True Master [CH3 Varnhold Vanishing: Abandoned Keep, in room behind hidden wall]
Belt: Greater Belt of Perfect Components [CH6, Purchase from Rushlight for 170k]
Boots: Sure Step [Artisan: Tirval ('boots', T5)]
Gloves: Lightest Touch [Artisan: Nazrielle ('speed', T3)]
Head: Crown [Coronation event]
Neck: Wind Breath [Artisan: Mim ('amulet', T0)]
Ring1: Ring of Law [CH5, War of the River Kings]
Ring2: Ring of Circumstances [CH5, Rushlight Tournament, Magical Accessories trader]
Shoulders: Cloak of Sold Souls [Collect 15x Ancient Scrap of Script-Covered Leather]
Wrist: Bracers of Armor +6 [Unknown]
Rod: Rod of Power Source [Artisan: Irlene ('Rod', T3)]
Rod2: Rod of Undeath [Artisan: Irlene ('Rod', T4)]
Just a sorcerer build, basically. Crazy CC power throughout the game, endgame annihilates stuff with Wail of the Banshee.
You can make a good tank out of her using TSS 9 + something else, though. Probably Stalwart Defender. Gaining the shield bonus on Touch AC is a really big buff for endgame tanking.
Haplo I have a question about your bastard Sword 1 monk/19 saint build. How do you take GVS at lvl 18, it requires 16 BAB yet you have 14 BAB at that point, am I missing something? Wouldn't you need another full bab class level to be able to take it at level 19?
A few more questions since I never used standard action combat feats before.
Tell me if I understand this correctly, Vital strike chains via Improved Cleaving Finish, so every target I kill, the next one will recieve Vital Strike damage? Is Great Cleave pointless once you get Vital Strike?
Do you only use Vital strike vs more targets or do you use it vs only one target as well? Are iteratives with haste better vs one target?
Thanks.
A few more questions since I never used standard action combat feats before.
Tell me if I understand this correctly, Vital strike chains via Improved Cleaving Finish, so every target I kill, the next one will recieve Vital Strike damage?
Not quite. If there are several mobs in range and all at full health, it might be beneficial to weaken them all first, rather then deliver a strong blow to one and not kill him or chain just one more attack.
And it is a a prerequisite for Improved Cleaving Finish...
Do you only use Vital strike vs more targets or do you use it vs only one target as well? Are iteratives with haste better vs one target?
Thanks.
Vital Strike (or Cleave) is used after movement, when you can't full attack. Or combined with other Move actions (like Freeboter's Bane).
Iteratives are better in most cases if you don't have trouble hitting. Although Vital Strike is good to deliver accurate blows vs enemies that are not easy to hit (for example with a Quickened TrueStrike), even better if they are also mighty blows (SS Perfect Strike is simply... perfect for this).
Although Vital Strike is good to deliver accurate blows vs enemies that are not easy to hit (for example with a Quickened TrueStrike), even better if they are also mighty blows (SS Perfect Strike is simply... perfect for this).
I thought Vital Strike only like you roll damage rolls twice? That's what the description says. Did Owlcat implement it so that attack is rolled twice as well? If it did both, that would be way better.
Although Vital Strike is good to deliver accurate blows vs enemies that are not easy to hit (for example with a Quickened TrueStrike), even better if they are also mighty blows (SS Perfect Strike is simply... perfect for this).
I thought Vital Strike only like you roll damage rolls twice? That's what the description says. Did Owlcat implement it so that attack is rolled twice as well? If it did both, that would be way better.
The power of Vital Strike is that it lets you go exponential (in addition to Standard Actions being generally better than they look since Moves preclude Full Attacks/Iteratives).
First power: big dice (like Amiri's original weapon) + Enlarging effects + Lead Blades
Second Power: Vital Strike (up to 4x with Greater)
Third Power: Crit (ideally x4 as well, Perfect Crit ups this)
Fourth Power: Perfect Strike
(this is why Vital Strike is not supposed to multiply on crit)
Although Vital Strike is good to deliver accurate blows vs enemies that are not easy to hit (for example with a Quickened TrueStrike), even better if they are also mighty blows (SS Perfect Strike is simply... perfect for this).
I thought Vital Strike only like you roll damage rolls twice? That's what the description says. Did Owlcat implement it so that attack is rolled twice as well? If it did both, that would be way better.
