Character Review

[Tim Proctor]

Here is a character of mine lvl 12, not allowed Tomes, Psionics, etc. I am playing a mix of Buffer/Tank/Diplomancer/Knowledgeable guy that the DM uses to guide the group.


Mashyll Colbey
Marshal 2, Fighter 4, Legendary Leader 5, Exemplar 1 AL: CG
HP: 107
Init: +9 Speed: 40ft
AC: 33, Flat-Footed: 21, Touch: 27
BAB +8/3,
+1 Adamantine Longsword – ATK +12, DMG 1d8+9, Crit 19-20 (+5/+7 when moving 10ft in a round)
SV Fort 10 Ref 11 Will 12
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 20

Feats and Abilities:
Combat Expertise – can exchange 5 of Attack to AC.
Allied Defense - AC bonus from Combat Expertise is extended to adjacent allies. (+7)
Leadership – score 19
Force of Personality – Cha mod to will saves.
Insightful Reflexes – Int mod to Reflex saves.
Lightning Reflexes - +2 Reflex
Knowledge Devotion – Knowledge check to ID a monster gain +5 atk and dmg.
Weapon Focus (Longsword) - +1 atk
Weapon Specialization (Longsword) - +1 dmg
Melee Weapon Mastery (slashing) - +2 atk +2 dmg with slashing weapons
Sly Fortune – reroll hide, move silently, or tumble +1 reroll a day.
Unbelievable Luck - +2 on lowest save + 2 luck rerolls.
Good Karma – Redirect an attack on ally to self at +50% damage. +1 reroll a day.
Skill Focus - +3 Diplomacy
Minor Aura – Motivate Intelligence Cha mod bonus to Int and Int skill checks.
Major Aura – Motivate Care +1 AC to all Allies within 60ft.
Fearless – Immune to Fear Effects
Hero’s Luck - +3 on all saving throws
Natural Commander – Commander level is equal to class level.
Legendary Reputation – add class level to diplomacy checks to influence NPCs.
Greater Command - 2/day DC 21, as spell
Quick Rally – Rally (+10) as a free action 1/round.
Heroic Success - 1/day decide to succeed on a check instead of rolling dice.
Commander Aura – Doublestrike Commander, on a natural 20 allies get an extra attack.
Additional Commander Aura – Maneuvering Commander, when moving 10ft+ and then attacking +2 on attack rolls.
To Hell and Back – Cohorts and Followers are immune to fear effects.
Skill Artistry - Diplomacy +4
Skill Mastery – Can take 10 on Diplomacy, Knowledge (Arcana, Local, Nature, and Planes), Tumble.
Weak Willed – Flaw -3 will
Vulnerable – Flaw - (-1) AC


Skills:
Bluff +13
Diplomacy* +50
Heal +5
Intimidate +7
Jump +7
Knowledge (Arcana)* +26
Knowledge (Dungeon) +30
Knowledge (Local)* +26
Knowledge (Nature)* +26
Knowledge (Nobility) +11
Knowledge (Planes)* +26
Knowledge (Religion) +30
Sense Motive +15
Perform (Oratory) +15
Tumble +*19
*can take 10. Knowledges, receive -5 when not identifying a monster.

Skill Tricks:
Collector of Stories +5 to identify monsters
Acrobatic Backstab, when tumbling to move enemy is flat-footed
Back on Your Feed, when knocked prone immediately regain footing without provoking AoO.
Twisted Charge, cab make a 90 degree turn during a charge.
Healing Hands, when stabilizing a character heal 1d6 damage.

Gear:
+1 Adamantine Longsword of Warning, +5 init
+1 Commander’s Heavy Mithril Shield, +2 Diplomacy -5 Hide
Belt of Battle, +2 Init, 3 charges a day. 1 charge = move action, 2 charges = standard action, 3 charges = full-round action. Charges respawn each day.
Counterstrike Bracers, 2/day when an attacker misses, gain a free attack against them.
Slippers of Battledancing, +10 land speed, +5 Tumble, +2 Init, use Cha mod instead of str or dex for damage when moving at least 10 ft.Cloak of
Cloak of Charisma +4
Headband of Intellect +4
Bag of Holding Type I
Medal of Gallantry +2 diplomacy, -2 bluff, 3/day cast sanctuary
Wink Brooch +2 on a Diplomacy check 3/day
MW Tool (Book: How to Win Friends and Influence People) +2 Diplomacy
Chocker of Eloquence +5 diplomacy, bluff, perform

[Dusto]

Hero’s Luck - +3 on all saving throws


I thought this was +1? At +3, I really need to start considering this for more characters.

[Tim Proctor]

I thought this was +1? At +3, I really need to start considering this for more characters.

It starts at +1 at lvl 1 then +2 at lvl 3 and +3 at lvl 5 for Legendary Leader.

[Diarmuid]

Is that a Feat? What's it from?

[eggs]

This really lacks offensive/active options. It looks like the one thing it adds to an ECL 12 party is a Diplomacy score.

Is Diplomacy being used by the book? If so, your DM is insane, but your character won't be a bad campaign-breaker. If not, this is going to suffer from serious Monk/Turtle syndrome.

[Tim Proctor]

Is that a Feat? What's it from?

It is a class ability from the Legendary Leader PrC in Heroes of Battle book.


This really lacks offensive/active options. It looks like the one thing it adds to an ECL 12 party is a Diplomacy score.

Is Diplomacy being used by the book? If so, your DM is insane, but your character won't be a bad campaign-breaker. If not, this is going to suffer from serious Monk/Turtle syndrome.

He's purpose isn't the be the big bad damage dealer, he is a tank, buffer.

+19 attack, 1d8+16 dmg isn't bad.

The other melee combatants adjacent members gain 7AC and get attacks that would be successful on them redirected via the luck feat, which I use if it will hit them and miss this guy, activate the counterstrike bracers to get an extra attack. But mainly it keeps the Rogue alive, or keeps them from waylaying the Cleric or Wizard.

+2 Attack when they move 10ft, additional +1 to everyone within 30ft, Extra hits when we roll 20s.

As well as Diplomacy (which is allowed RAW one minions) to shut down their blaster, Greater Command, for battlefield control, etc.

Furthermore, he has a bunch of Knowledge and Diplomacy which helps out greatly in the out of combat segments. Especially in the DM trying to get us to go somewhere or do something (he just says that this guys knows this).

He's not casting Fireball for 10d6 every turn in combat or chaining Magic Missile for godly ranks of damage but he's not suppose to either. We have other characters that do that. But without changing the function of the character what could I do to make his damage better?

[eggs]

That would be a lowish but respectable attack at ECL6. At level 12, it's just not going to matter (it's about in line with an unoptimized core monk at level 12, but without the rider effects or Flurry on its full round actions).

Your tactics rely on standing adjacent to the allies that need defending. For a melee build at level 12, that's both unnecessary (as a nonmagical character edging toward the higher levels, your guy's the one who's going to need protecting), inefficient (the wizard probably isn't going to be hanging out in a place where your melee attacks/allied defense will be feasible) and difficult to maintain (wizard mobility at this point involves tools like Phantom Steeds with 240ft moves and Quickened Benign Transpositions; a nonmagical character is going to have a difficult time keeping pace in a literal sense).

If you do have a more fragile ally who hangs out in melee range, adjacent positions are still problematic. There's a problem with grouping in that both targets are easily captured and negated with the same dispels/solid fogs/black tentacles/entangling exhalations (essentially giving opponents actions that they wouldn't have with spread targets). And odds are your allies won't want an adjacent opponent either - such a position reduces your party's threatened area and doesn't provide flanking to sneak attackers. Not to mention that it's hard to maintain (if an enemy has initiative between you and your protection buddy, the protection will drop any time either one of you moves).

Beside the more straightforward powerups (eg. play a caster instead), I'd expect better results with passive area buffs and debuffs. That would give the party Rogue/Summons/Other Melees the kind of protection they're getting here, and would stifle enemies attacks without requiring this character to be able to keep up with the casters.

I'd look to combine Protection Devotion, Dreadful Wrath, Aura of Despair and demoralization tricks with a more focused melee build. Bards and Barbarians are very good for this, but might break concept. But by subbing in 4 levels of Paladin (w/CChamp's Spell-less variant and UA's Paladin of Tyranny variant) for the 4 Fighter levels, you'd at least have a start.

[Bloodgruve]

You could look at the Crescent Knives (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249145) thread. Extra attacks with modifiers could add up nicely.

Throw some natural attacks on top, you can make all natural attacks after your iterative attacks but they are made at -5. I think there are some magic items that give you Bite and Gore attacks..

Give your shield Bashing and spikes and grab Shield Specialization, Improved Shield Bash and Agile Shield Fighter

Basically adding attacks to the build will help with all the +modifiers.

GL
Blood~

[Tim Proctor]

Well we are limited on books in this campaign, can't use Cresent Knives, Dreadful Wrath.

I can do the Paladin thing but Paladin of Freedom is the one that fits the best (the planet is being conquered by Githyanki and he is leading a Freedom Fighter force) So basically what happens from that is the loss of a Feat (cause he would get 2 from the spell-less Paladin) and the gaining of Aura of Resolve giving team mates within 10ft a +4 vs compulsion. Which is actually a really good option. Thank you.

I'm gonna look into it and rebuild it to compare.