Optimizing Sunder in PF

[Drothmal]

For storyline reasons, I need to break one of my player's weapons (old hook of reforging weapon while gaining xp). This in turn led me to the idea of making a character that is focused on sundering. I investigated about the CMB/CMD system of PF and I must say that I am a bit confused/I'm not sure how you can make this work efficiently

So in order to perform a sunder the CMB must be equal or higher than the CMD (which includes the same mods + Dex)?

That looks kind of hard to do consistently... I had read a bit that this was a major criticism to PF, but maybe I'm not processing it right...

If the above is true, what would be the best way to create a build focused on Sundering? We are using pahtfinder core with other 3.5 material available. My ideas so far are

Improved Sunder :smallbiggrin:
Fighter to use the bonus to CMB
Psi-warrior to use expansion bonus to Str and size might be the best way to get it to work)
Using an adamantine weapon (ignores hardness below 20) with the sundering enchantment from the MiC?

Am I missing some big ideas/classes/feats/strategies?
What is the minimum lvl to make a pseudo effective build out of this? Right now I might be looking at level 6-7 by the time I can make my character

Thanks!

[sebsmith]

I don't know about pathfinder, but generally sundering is frowned about because it focuses on potential loot destruction.

[Flickerdart]

There is a high-level Utterance that repairs a magic item destroyed last turn, but that's an issue in and of itself (I think you need a 14th level Truenamer). So I suppose you could get a Leadership lackey to boomsmash it for you, then repair it and pick it up off the ground while your lackey grapples the suddenly unarmed opponent. Thing is, it's a lot more efficient to just off the fellow and take his sword that way.

[herrhauptmann]

As a 6th or 7th level PC in 3.5, you can make a very effective sunderer. You need 'sundering cleave' (part of combat brute feat), and an adamant weapon. Bonus points if the weapon is an adamant version of the Shatterspike weapon from the DMG.

You can make it at I think a lower level with ToB. One of the powers allows the initiator to ignore hardness with a bludgeoning weapon (so the user can grab a mace and work his way through a stone wall at like level 5 or so)

[Glimbur]

For storyline reasons, I need to break one of my player's weapons (old hook of reforging weapon while gaining xp).

If it's too hard to sunder in combat, why not break it out of combat? It's generally a **** move to break the characters' stuff, but if it's for plot reasons and the player is ok with it it might be easier to have a thief in the night nick the sword/whatever and either break it himself or take it to an ogre or something with the strength to break said weapon.

[Drothmal]

Yeah, I guess that it does destroy loot... It is a shame, because it would be cool to destroy the opponents weapon or lower their AC by breaking the shield/armor and so on.... but then again, dealing the damage directly might be better.

I was curious if there was something out there that addressed this.

[Drothmal]

If it's too hard to sunder in combat, why not break it out of combat? It's generally a **** move to break the characters' stuff, but if it's for plot reasons and the player is ok with it it might be easier to have a thief in the night nick the sword/whatever and either break it himself or take it to an ogre or something with the strength to break said weapon.

Yeah, I already cleared this with my player and he is ok with it. but I wanted to do it with in-game mechanics, not with a deus ex-machina..

[Rixx]

Well, if it's a forgone conclusion, isn't working out the mechanics kind of a waste of time?

[Draken]

Some people feel more confortable going by the rules even when it is not strictly necssary.

I don't know a lot about pathfinder, so all I can suggest is giving the sunderer an adamantine magic weapon, drowcraft is a good thing to use as well, since it would make this particular piece of loot somewhat bad for the PCs. And bash the weapon. I don't think it gets much better unless you go to your nearest Tome of Battle and fetch a maneuver or two to add to the sunder attack (Stone Dragon has a lot of bonus damage maneuvers).