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Frosty
2010-10-06, 08:16 PM
So for this upcoming campaign I was going to play a charismatic war leader who is good at charging enemies while also keeping her allies alive. Then the DM decided that his campaign will use nothing but stuff from Pathfinder. Thus, I'm setting out to build something similar in feel, and I think I want a Cavalier (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/cavalier) who is bitter and out for revenge while at the same time fanatical about defending her friends. This campaign is expected to go from level 1 to 16.

Sources allowed: Any PF printed material that is not region-specific or campaign-specific (game is set in a homebrew setting). Core and APG stuff should be always allowed, and most of the stuff printed in the d20pfSRD should be fine. No flaws since this is not 3.5.

We get two traits (new stuff from PF) and one campaign-specific trait from the DM.

Point buy: Pathfinder 25 pts (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/ability-scores) [Epic Fantasy]

Races: Due to roleplay and the availability of races in this campaign, I will be either Elf (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/core-races/elf), Gnome (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/core-races/gnome), or Human (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/core-races/human).

Class: Prefer straight Cavalier, unless someone can give me a better build that still fits my concept.

Roles: Dual purposed. Needs to be able to do good damage while charging with a lance. Would like to not be screwed totally while on foot. I won't always have my mount, even if Small-sized. Needs to be able to protect allies from HP damage. Also need to emphasize her "leadership" and "coordination" abilities by being able to augment allies and giving them more actions. Some slight Battlefield control and location swap abilities can definitely help.

Rulings: DM has ruled that the Cavalier's Banner (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/cavalier#TOC-Banner-Ex-) ability also affects the Cavalier. This makes the human alternative favored class bonus so very sexy.

Here's what I'm favoring so far for a human build:

Faith, NG or N Human Cavalier [Order of the Dragon]

Trades away Skilled (the extra skill point per level) for Heart of the Fields: Humans born in rural areas are used to hard labor. They gain a bonus equal to half their character level to any one Craft or Profession skill, and once per day they may ignore an effect that would cause them to become fatigued or exhausted. Faith will gain Craft (armorsmithing) for the skill bonus. Her backstory has her growing up helping repair many metal things, and she married an elf who is quite the metalsmith.

Favored Class bonus: Banner bonus is increased by +1 for every 4 Cavalier levels.

Str 16 + future ability gains
Dex 14
Con 14 +2 Racial
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 10

Skills: Bluff or Diplomacy, Craft [partial invest], Handle Animal [partial invest], Ride, Sense Motive, Survival, and Perception

Feat choices:
1 Combat Reflexes, Shielded Caster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/shielded-caster-teamwork) [Bonus Teamwork]
H Bodyguard (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/bodyguard-combat)
3 Power Attack
5 Friendly Switch (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/friendly-switch)
6 Mounted Combat [Bonus]
7 Ride-by-Attack
9 Spirited Charge, Outflank [Bonus Teamwork]
11 Improved Bullrush
12 Rhino Charge (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/rhino-charge-combat) [Bonus]
13 In Harm's Way (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/in-harm-s-way-combat)
15 Stand Still (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/stand-still-combat---final)

Traits (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits): Sacred Touch and Jaded/Courageous. I wish to rp a dichotomy within Faith, with her dark side represented by how much she revels in skewering her opponents, and her light side by giving her some trapping of paladinhood. Sacred Touch is basically Stabilize at-will, and I'll rp that as an extremely weak Lay on Hands (or at least that what Faith thinks of it as), and has potential to create more angst for her as others point to her weak Lay on Hands as a sign of her lack of faith and drifting towards Neutral/Evil. Jaded or Courageous gives her a much needed +2 bonus vs Fear, and makes sense for her character since she's dead set on getting revenge on those who murdered her family in front of her eyes, no matter how scary the opposition is. Her Mount (a stallion with jet-black skin) ability makes it look like she has a Special Mount divine bond.

The Traits are pretty much set. Maybe Jaded could be switched out if the race isn't Human. The backstory will be very similar no matter what, and I know Sacred Touch isn't the strongest of traits, but it's important for the rp.

Anyhow, between being able to give adjacent allies increasing amounts of AC without taking up one of my actions, being able to take a hit for them as an immediate action, being able to grant my allies various bonii and actions, and Spirited Charge + Challenge, Faith should be a decent Leader and Striker (yes they're 4th ed terms. I use them because it's convenient for me to right now).

With Friendly Switch, I can Charge through allies. With Rhino's Charge, I can ready a Charge to intercept an enemy and possibly get next to an ally to protect him. With my mount having Charge Through, we can potential charge the target through one enemy.

Faith actually gives a TON of to-hit bonii to her allies if they are charging and/or if Faith herself threatens a Challenged target. Having another Cavalier or a Paladin in the group would be...devastating.

My mount (a horse) will have the following feats: Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Improved overrun, Charge Through, and Greater overrun. Undecided on the remaining two feats. Bodyguard and In Harm's Way perhaps? Have the Horse use its AoOs to grant Faith more AC? The mount is allowed to rise above 2 Int thanks to Pathfinder rules, so Faith can teach it advanced tactics and not care so much about Handle Animal later on.

Critique and suggestions on my character are welcome! Builds for other races also welcome!

Mongoose87
2010-10-06, 09:13 PM
There's a PrC in the APG, Holy Vindicator, or something like that, that could combine well with Cleric to serve your purpose.

Frosty
2010-10-06, 10:49 PM
i don't need to *heal* my party necessarily, just defend them.

Gerbah
2010-10-07, 04:34 PM
Hey, this may be from yesterday but I feel like I can at least try to help you out.

Since it's pure Pathfinder books, that's makes things a bit simpler. I do not believe there are any other feats that aren't too expensive that help your role here, looks like you have them all. I'd look into Bull Rush Strike (free Bull Rush after landing a Critical strike) later on, since you've already met the prerequisites.

Just out of curiosity, are you taking Heart of the Fields as a flavor thing mostly? Since trading away 1 Skill Point a level for 1/2 Skill Point a level and one darn situational 1/day ability seems... Well, you may be getting the raw end of the deal on that one.

Does the character have to be mounted? Have you looked much into the Fighter variants in Advanced PHB? Some of them might be worth looking into. Also, I'm assuming your planning on doing Sword and Shield, correct? There are a couple feats that are marginally helpful when using a shield to help out your allies. Saving Shield let's you grant a +2 AC bonus as an immediate action (so only useful if you have swift/immediate actions to spare normally) to an adjacent ally. Combat Expertise may also be worth looking into, as you can use it to boost your AC while keeping the attention of a particularly nasty foe, and it opens up a pretty nifty feat line.

Rixx
2010-10-07, 04:50 PM
Battle Herald is lovely if you don't mind a bard dip - you exchange your performance for giving your allies various tactical advantages in combat. Use Perform (oratory) to bark orders across the battlefield!

Mongoose87
2010-10-07, 05:55 PM
i don't need to *heal* my party necessarily, just defend them.

Clerics that focus on healing are bad Clerics.

Frosty
2010-10-07, 06:38 PM
Hey, this may be from yesterday but I feel like I can at least try to help you out.

Since it's pure Pathfinder books, that's makes things a bit simpler. I do not believe there are any other feats that aren't too expensive that help your role here, looks like you have them all. I'd look into Bull Rush Strike (free Bull Rush after landing a Critical strike) later on, since you've already met the prerequisites.

Just out of curiosity, are you taking Heart of the Fields as a flavor thing mostly? Since trading away 1 Skill Point a level for 1/2 Skill Point a level and one darn situational 1/day ability seems... Well, you may be getting the raw end of the deal on that one.

Does the character have to be mounted? Have you looked much into the Fighter variants in Advanced PHB? Some of them might be worth looking into. Also, I'm assuming your planning on doing Sword and Shield, correct? There are a couple feats that are marginally helpful when using a shield to help out your allies. Saving Shield let's you grant a +2 AC bonus as an immediate action (so only useful if you have swift/immediate actions to spare normally) to an adjacent ally. Combat Expertise may also be worth looking into, as you can use it to boost your AC while keeping the attention of a particularly nasty foe, and it opens up a pretty nifty feat line.
Thanks for responding! Here I was thinking people just didn't care about Pathfinder.

1) My character likes using her mount, and would prefer to use it as much as possible.

2) Her weapon is a lance (and will be wielded two-handed even on horseback. Two-handed power attack is much better than one-handed)

3) I am considering Bull Rush strike, but where would I fit it in? Get rid of Stand Still and take it at level 15? This campaign ends at 16. Also, my Lance only threatens on a on a natural 20, so the feat won't help very often.

4) Heart of fields is half fluff, half mechanics. My build is based on charging. If one is Fatigued or Exhausted, one is not allowed to charge at all. Hence, protection against Fatigue/Exhaustion once per day.

Rixx: Battle Herald does fit thematically pretty well as a general type, but I'm not convinced that the stuff I get is *better* than taking pure Cavalier. Can you show me a build of yours in mind?