Making a tough bastard

[ILM]

So to try out my new armor-as-DR rule, and after deciding that AC may not be as dysfunctional as I thought at high levels, I’m designing a character to test-run the thing.

Important houserule: I’m amending the Knight’s Test of Mettle so that it keys off HD and not class level. I’m also waiving the stupidly restrictive code.

How do I go about making a tough cookie, who can aggro properly (well, as well as Test of Mettle allows) and then survive while pretty much everyone’s pounding on him? I think I’m aiming more for stand-alone survivability and ability to keep a mark alive than the ability to AoO anything that moves, but I’m willing to reconsider.

So far I’ve got a Hellbred (for kicks) Mineral Warrior Gold Dwarf (?), Knight 6/ Crusader 4/ Hellreaver 5/Tactical Soldier 2/ Deepwarden 2. I could maybe replace Tactical Soldier with Dwarven Defender for one use of the stance and uncanny dodge. Of course, he’ll be sporting mechanus armor and an animated tower shield. Also, a large hammer. Thoughts?

[prufock]

How do I go about making a tough cookie, who can aggro properly (well, as well as Test of Mettle allows) and then survive while pretty much everyone’s pounding on him?

So far I’ve got a Hellbred (for kicks) Mineral Warrior Gold Dwarf (?), Knight 6/ Crusader 4/ Hellreaver 5/Tactical Soldier 2/ Deepwarden 2. I could maybe replace Tactical Soldier with Dwarven Defender for one use of the stance and uncanny dodge. Of course, he’ll be sporting mechanus armor and an animated tower shield. Also, a large hammer. Thoughts?

My standard advice is Binder 1 with Improved Binding to Bind Dahler-Nar, which gives you the Shield Self ability. This reflects half the damage inflicted upon you in melee back to the attacker. Amulet of Retribution + Retributive Amulet if you have the cash.

[Mooch]

Don't forget +5 defending armor spikes on both armor and shield for an extra 10 AC

[Halae]

A point - Hellbred is a race, not a template. Just making sure you're aware of that before the game starts.

To add to the discussion, though, there's a feat from savage species. Every time you take it, it increases an existing Damage reduction number by 2. That might not be a lot, but it's still helpful in the long run if you have a free feat - like improved initiative.

[ILM]

Good catch. Ok, just Gold Dwarf then.

I'm currently leaning towards Knight 6/ Hellreaver 8/ Dwarven Defender 2/ Crusader 3. Feats are:
Flaws: Dodge, Power Attack
Levels: Stand Still, Combat Expertise, Improved Toughness (CW - used as a substitute to Toughness), Combat Reflexes, Improved Combat Expertise (CW), Robilar's Gambit (PHB2), Parrying Shield (LoM).
Knight 2: Mounted Combat
Knight 5: Endurance

I haven't decided on a weapon yet. I can use a reach weapon along with shield spikes to threaten the entire 10ft range, right? All I can't do (without taking TWF penalties) is use both in the same round?

[Garwain]

I can use a reach weapon along with shield spikes to threaten the entire 10ft range, right? All I can't do (without taking TWF penalties) is use both in the same round?
You cannot make an extra off hand attack without TWF penalties. If you have iterative attacks, you can choose for each attack which hand to use.

edit: if you can use LA buy-off, consider Crucian as a race (+2LA, Sandstorm p144) which gives +8 natural armor.

[KillianHawkeye]

edit: if you can use LA buy-off, consider Crucian as a race (+2LA, Sandstorm p144) which gives +8 natural armor.

Note that it also comes with 3 Humanoid Hit Dice.

[ILM]

You cannot make an extra off hand attack without TWF penalties. If you have iterative attacks, you can choose for each attack which hand to use.
Even better! :)

[Gwendol]

You cannot make an extra off hand attack without TWF penalties. If you have iterative attacks, you can choose for each attack which hand to use.

edit: if you can use LA buy-off, consider Crucian as a race (+2LA, Sandstorm p144) which gives +8 natural armor.

You can't make an off-hand attack without penalties.

[Jeraa]

You can't make an off-hand attack without penalties.

You can. IT just depends on how you read the two-weapon fighting rules.


If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. You suffer a -6 penalty with your regular attack or attacks with your primary hand and a -10 penalty to the attack with your off hand when you fight this way.

"Can" means you are able to get an extra attack, not that you always have to.
"When you fight this way" can mean "when you use the extra attack".

If you aren't using the extra attack, you wouldn't have to take the penalties.

And the FAQ seems to agree:


Can a monk fight with two weapons? Can she combine a two-weapon attack with a flurry of blows? What are her penalties on attack rolls?

A monk can fight with two weapons just like any other character, but she must accept the normal penalties on her attack rolls to do so. She can use an unarmed strike as an offhand weapon. She can even combine two-weapon fighting with a flurry of blows to gain an extra attack with her off hand (but remember that she can use only unarmed strikes or special monk weapons as part of the flurry). The penalties for twoweapon fighting stack with the penalties for flurry of blows.

For example, at 6th level, the monk Ember can normally make one attack per round at a +4 bonus. When using flurry of blows, she can make two attacks (using unarmed strikes or any special monk weapons she holds), each at a +3 bonus. If she wants to make an extra attack with her off hand, she has to accept a –4 penalty on her primary hand attacks and a –8 penalty on her off-hand attacks (assuming she wields a light weapon in her off hand).

If Ember has Two-Weapon Fighting, she has to accept only a –2 penalty on all attacks to make an extra attack with her off hand. Thus, when wielding a light weapon in her off hand during a flurry of blows, she can make a total of three attacks, each at a total bonus of +1. At least one of these attacks has to be with her off-hand weapon.

Notice the italicized parts. The penalties for two-weapon fighting are only applying when she uses the extra attack with the off hand weapon. Don;t use the extra attack, no penalties.

[Gwendol]

An off hand attack takes -4 to the attack roll and deals 1/2 STR bonus damage regardless of any TWF rules.

The example cited above is for a monk combining FOB with TWF for gaining even more attacks. The Rules of the Game explains that all iterative attacks are made with the primary hand and only the extra attack is made with the off hand.

[Jeraa]

An off hand attack takes -4 to the attack roll and deals 1/2 STR bonus damage regardless of any TWF rules.

You do do only 1/2 Str bonus on your damage rolls, but there are no attack penalties (unless you are using the extra attack from TWF).

Edit: Though page 311 of the PHB does say there is a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

[Gwendol]

I think you'll find the PHB disagrees with that assessment (From the D&D glossary on the WoTC website):


off hand
A character's weaker or less dexterous hand (usually the left). An attack made with the off hand incurs a -4 penalty on the attack roll. In addition, only one-half of a character's Strength bonus may be added to damage dealt with a weapon held in the off hand.

Source: PHB

[Jeraa]

As I edited in my last post, the PHB does say that. But that is never mentioned in any other place except that page, not even in the Two-Weapon Fighting rules. That leads me to believe that its an error.

[Draz74]

I think you'll find the PHB disagrees with that assessment (From the D&D glossary on the WoTC website):

I think this is a relic from 3.0 rules, where Ambidexterity was a separate feat that negated this penalty.

[Gwendol]

Not at all, it's the actual rules. It's in the PHB, how much more of a rule can it be?

To the OP: go with a spiked chain instead to avoid confusion about what squares you threaten and what weapon to declare being primary for every round.