[PF] Quarterling Melee build

[Dyllan]

Okay, let me try this again (last attempt to post this got messed up by server issues).

My character concept is a halfling melee combatant (I'm avoiding the word fighter, as I am not picky about class choices) with permanency reduce person (he was cursed as a child, per storyline). I'll need him at level 7 or 8.

The problems with this build are - he has no reach beyond the square he's in and he gets a total of -4 to strength between racial and size modifiers. Anything Paizo published is fair game, assuming we can find a link on the SRD for it. 25 point buy. Standard starting wealth. I calculated the cost of the reduce person at 3150 GP (assuming level 20 caster of reduce person, and minimum level caster of permanency), so that comes off the top of the standard wealth.

The only way I can threaten that I know if is with a reach weapon. The only reach weapon that can be used with the agile enchantment (and I think that enchantment is the only way I'll be able to do any decent damage) is the scorpion whip. But threatening with that is very feat intensive.

So, any suggestions? Feel free to suggest feats or make an entire build for me.

Thanks,

[missmvicious]

Improved Unarmed Strike?

By my experience Tiny is a bad size category for melee. No real STR to speak of... you'd be great for ranged, and just fine for spell-casting.

What are you trying to go for?

I could maybe see a decent Rogue option.

If the other choices are: Fighter, Barbarian, TWF Ranger, or Monk, then you might be relegated to comic relief.

Psion could be scary, though. I couldn't build a Psion if someone put a gun to my head, so someone else would have to help you with that, but I'd go with Psionic Lurk from Complete Psionic.

Other options would be Hexblade or Swashbuckler, since swashing your buckle will circumvent a lot of your STR issues if your INT is high enough, but hexing would make it easier for your teammates to take down the BBEG.

[hydraa]

Depending on how on the DM allows it a 3.0 (AaE) whip-dagger might be useful.

Also RAW(3.5 {don't have 3.p avail) a whip gives you 15 foot reach (static instead of doubling normal reach) and can be used any where within reach. It is subdual, but your sneak would add on if it was available.

Whip is melee in 3.5, whip-dagger is ranged that is held in 3.0, 15 ft max rang, no increment

[Lord.Sorasen]

The feat "lunge" would increase your reach by 5 feet, which might be beneficial. I hate to suggest this ever, but spring attack perhaps might not be the worst idea for a melee character without a real way of gaining reach.

For me the issue would seem less "not having reach" and more "being subjected to everyone else's reach in order to attack." You might consider rogue, going with the scout archetype. Your strength score will be low, so getting some good sneak attack damage is your best bet.

Unfortunately, by RAW, a reach weapon doubles your reach... So reach 0 is still reach 0 and a tiny creature won't be able to get any benefit from one. Whip works but like you said it takes a lot of effort to make it work, and even if you did, your -4 to strength is going to make the damage negligible.

Take it with a grain of salt, but I might consider going with spring attack (is there spring attack equivalent for charge? Because that with pounce is obviously going to be superior), the scout archetype for sneak attack damage, and then using a a scimitar with dervish dance, using your +4 dexterity for your damage rather than your -4 strength.

[Bhaakon]

You'll want Weapon Finesse, Dervish Dance (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/dervish-dance-combat), and Lunge (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/lunge-combat---final) to turn Dex into your primary combat stat and to get your 5' reach back.

[jmelesky]

I recently played in a one-shot with someone who built a permanently-reduced Gnome Barbarian. It was an experimental build, and it was devastating. Of course, it was 14th level, and built-to-purpose, so he didn't have to deal with all the levels in which the build would probably suck hard.

I'll ask him what the keys to the build were, but i'm pretty sure it involved a rage power that allowed preemptive counterattacks (every time someone attacked him, it provoked an AoO from him which resolved before their attack), combined with a feat which allowed his AoOs to work regardless of reach concerns. And he somehow ended up with a +42 damage bonus, so wielding a pick (x4 multiplier) was occasionally rather spectacular.

[Aerlock]

Here (community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872846/I_May_Be_Tiny,_But_Youre_Dead:_the_other,_melee_Ki ller_Gnome,_for_your_pleasure.), hope that helps. A lot of the same stuff that applies for a gnome would work for a halfling, plus if you're real nice the Blade Brave class has an adaptation section that mentions other small races so you may be able to get your DM to let you in with a halfling and little to no fudging.

- Aerlock

P.S. Nice avatar btw!