[PF] Feats and rage powers for a Halfling "Samurai"

[Arutema]

I'm putting another of the many character concepts that live in my head to paper. this one is a Halfling "Samurai" with anger-management issues.

Mechanically he is a Babarian who happens to swing a nodachi around.

Stats are (20 point buy):
Str: 14
Dex: 14
Con: 16
Int: 12
Wis: 10
Cha: 9

First-level feat is Power Attack, for obvious reasons.

I'm curious to what me options for feats and rage powers are as I advance the character. I know with this race/class combo he won't be uber-optimized, and I'm somewhat looking for things that fit the Samurai theme (aside from actual levels in Samurai.)

How can I take advantage of the nodachi's 18-20 crit range aside obviously from getting a keen one at first chance?

Likely to be played in the level 1-7 range. Legals sources are Core, APG, UC, UM, ARG, and Dragon Empires Primer/Gazetteer.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Since I'm mostly unfamiliar with PF the only advice I can give is this: mathematically, it's generally better to put off power attack until 3rd or even 6th level unless you need it as a prereq' to something else, especially after the folks at paizo nerfed the to-hit:damage to a 1:1 trade always and forever.

Edit: Just remembered that they changed the feat schedule. PA becomes useful in the 4-6lvl range, before that it's just taking up space.

[Novawurmson]

I highly recommend picking up Raging Vitality from the Advanced Players' Guide as either your first or third level feat, with Power Attack being the other. If you're never going to see level 10 (and thus pounce from the Beast Totem rage power line), Vital Strike at level 7 is a decent pickup.

Pathfinder actually buffed the ratio of Power Attack; it's 1 accuracy for 3 damage for a two handed weapon. What they nerfed was the variability of Power Attack and the multipliers that could be stacked on top of it (i.e. no leap attack, no valorous weapon).

Edit: Also, check out my Barbarian guide in my signature (though it won't help you much with feat choice - I really need to update that) and the optimization guides compendium for two other barbarian guides.

[Sayt]

Since I'm mostly unfamiliar with PF the only advice I can give is this: mathematically, it's generally better to put off power attack until 3rd or even 6th level unless you need it as a prereq' to something else, especially after the folks at paizo nerfed the to-hit:damage to a 1:1 trade always and forever.

Edit: Just remembered that they changed the feat schedule. PA becomes useful in the 4-6lvl range, before that it's just taking up space.

Actually, in pathfinder (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/power-attack-combat---final) its -1 to hit, +2 damage(+3 for two handed weapons. What they nerfed was the ability to trade attack bonus for damage at a variable rate. Power attack now trades a set amount based on your BAB (the penalty is equal to 1 plus 1 for every four points of BAB you have, and gives +2(3 for 2h) damage per point taken off accuracy. Whoops, Novawurmson covered that.


Furthermore, the Furious Focus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/furious-focus-combat) feat allows you to ignore the penalty to power attack on the first attack each round, which I heartily recommend.

[grarrrg]

Well, most of the Halfling-only feats are based around Adaptive Luck, or Fighting Defensively.
There is one that might come in handy though, Risky Striker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/arg-feats/risky-striker-combat-halfling). Same scaling as Power Attack, but it only works on opponents 2 or more sizes bigger than you, and you lose AC instead of To-Hit.

Also, you may want to look over the Halfling Opportunist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/other-paizo/e-h/halfling-opportunist) PrC. No Barbarian synergy, but good Halfling boosts.
It has good Ref/Will saves to compliment your Barb's Fort, 2nd and 4th level each give +1 All Saves. You also get +1d6 Sneak Attack on levels 2 and 4.
Level 5 lets you add Sneak damage on ALL Attacks of Opportunity you make.
The main downsides are needing a cruddy feat for entry (Defensive Combat Training (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/defensive-combat-training-combat)), and it only has 3/4 Bab.

If you decide to go Mainly Barbarian, then you may as well take advantage of the Halfling Favored class bonus of +1/3 to-hit with the Surprise Accuracy (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/rage-powers/paizo---rage-powers/surprise-accuracy-ex) Rage Power. This will require getting Immunity to Fatigue for best results though.

There are a few ways of doing this.
Dip Oracle for the Lame Curse (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle/oracle-curses). At 5th effective level you are Immune to Fatigue (Oracle levels count for 1 level, all other classes count for 1/2 level for Curse effects). So Barb 8/Oracle 1 with minimal dip. This will reduce your speed back down to 20ft. however (Barb +10 says it applies first, then Lame drops it back). The Fleet of Foot alt Racial trait can get you back up to 30ft. again.

Another popular option is 2 or 3 levels of Horizon Walker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/other-paizo/e-h/horizon-walker) PrC. You need the Endurance feat, and 6 ranks of Knowledge (Geography), which Horizon Walker's 6 skills/level will help pay you back for.
2 levels will let you take Desert Terrain Mastery to treat any Exhausted condition as Fatigued instead, and the Roused Anger Rage power will let you Rage when Fatigued, at the expense of becoming Exhausted afterwards, which becomes Fatigued from Desert Mastery, letting you Rage again.
3 levels of Horizon Walker with Desert Dominance will outright give you Immune Fatigue (and thereby Immune Exhaustion as well).
Also, another option, take 1 level of Unbreakable Fighter (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/fighter/archetypes/paizo---fighter-archetypes/unbreakable), instead of the normal Bonus Combat Feat, you'll get Endurance and Diehard.

Or you can just wait until Barb 17 for Tireless Rage...

[Kelb_Panthera]

Actually, in pathfinder (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/power-attack-combat---final) its -1 to hit, +2 damage(+3 for two handed weapons. What they nerfed was the ability to trade attack bonus for damage at a variable rate. Power attack now trades a set amount based on your BAB (the penalty is equal to 1 plus 1 for every four points of BAB you have, and gives +2(3 for 2h) damage per point taken off accuracy. Whoops, Novawurmson covered that.


Furthermore, the Furious Focus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/furious-focus-combat) feat allows you to ignore the penalty to power attack on the first attack each round, which I heartily recommend.

Huh, I heard wrong about the exchange rate, but my advice still works. Even at 3:1 the binary nature of attacks coupled with the small sample size for attack rolls at low levels makes for dodgy survival odds if you're taking a penalty to attack. Still put it off until the feat slot at or after 4, unless it's prerequisite to something else you need.

[KnightOfV]

+3 damage at level 1 is awesome, don't care what haters say. Halfling size bonus even cancels the hit penalty, good choice. :smallbiggrin:

Samurai themed feat ideas-

Imp. Initiative- to represent 'combat awareness' and going first is never bad.
Cleave- for cutting down two guys in one strike. Great feat at low levels too.
Superstion Rage Power- reflavor it as 'ki' energy protecting you from magic when you battle rage.
Furious Focus- after level 4, it's just good, never miss your sword strikes
Quick Draw- represents the famous draw-and-strike thing samurai are famous for. Weak feat though.

All I got.

[Novawurmson]

Huh, I heard wrong about the exchange rate, but my advice still works. Even at 3:1 the binary nature of attacks coupled with the small sample size for attack rolls at low levels makes for dodgy survival odds if you're taking a penalty to attack. Still put it off until the feat slot at or after 4, unless it's prerequisite to something else you need.

From playing and DMing low-level PF games, Power Attack is almost always worth it, as soon as possible. The damage increase is essentially the same as +4 Str, at the cost one accuracy - that you can turn off and on. Remember that the Barbarian is already raging for a +4 to Str, which increases damage and accuracy.

A small greatsword/greataxe is a 1d10 damage roll, +3 damage from power attack, +3 damage from rage, +1 damage from having a Str of at least 13 for Power Attack, that's an average of 12.5 damage. Now let's look at some CR 1 encounters.

Lizardfolk - 11 HP
Wolf - 13 HP
Ghoul - 13 HP
Air/Earth/water elemental - 13 HP
Fire elemental - 11 HP
Gnoll - 11 HP

Three damage is often the breaking point for whether you one-shot something or two-shot something.