Feat Progression

[Clericzilla]

Sooo I saw in another thread that Phalanx Fighting was a horrible feat (which I agree to some extent) but I wanted to make a mystical/magical Roman Warrior (Turtle Formation!).

However I need a few more feats and I'm sure I'm missing something but what I have so far is a Dex/Con based Fighter. So far the Dex is a +7 mod with level up and a +6 item. His primary items are a short sword, leather armor, and heavy shield.

1: Combat Reflexes (8 AoO/Round)
1: Phalanx Fighting (Primary Feat)
Flaw: Shape Soulmeld (Planar Ward) (No getting mind controlled)
Flaw: Weapon Focus Short Sword (Short Sword is the staple weapon of this concept).
Fighter1:Weapon Finesse (Dex to Attack)
Fighter2: Blind Fight (decent feat.. Needed for a lovely trio of feats)
3:Mage Slayer (love it)
Fighter4: Pierce Magical Protection (love it)
6: Pierce Magical Concealment (love it)
Fighter6: Martial Study(Shadow Jaunt... Fun)
Fighter8: Martial Stance (Island of Blades works well with my concept)
9: Shadow Blade Feat (Dex to damage... Need more be said?)
Fighter 10: Elusive Dance (Romans would defend against the enemy in front of them and attack the one to right of the person in front of them.. This will allow the Fighter to not provoke as he moves to attack someone else).

This isn't the most optimized choices of course but I like the concept. However what I need is to fill out the feats until level 15. The ideas I had so far was...

12: Shape Soulmeld (bluesteel bracers +2 init ... for a +15 initiative before items) or Shape Soulmeld Threefold Mask of the Chimera (never being flanked)
Fighter 12: Weapon Specialization(?)
Fighter 14: Greater Weapon Focus
15: Greater Weapon Specialization or Improved Critical

Other ideas was the feat that allows 1/day refresh as long as you have maneuvers, other martial study/stance feats, or perhaps a Binder feat...

These seem like the choices to take but I was wondering if there are any other exotic/unknown feats I could take instead.

Also in a low to mid optimized game with no one above tier 3, how do you think this build would play. This guy would set up flanks for the Rogue and to be a meat shield. Elusive Dance, Ranks in Tumble, and Shadow Jaunt will allow a ton of maneuverability.

[ArcturusV]

You know... if you REALLY wanted to hammer in the theme you might want to ask your DM if you could use a couple of 3rd party feats for it, which fit theme.

The ones I'm thinking of are:

Close-Order Fighting.
Prereq: Base Attack bonus +3
Benefit: If two adjacent characters with this feat are fighting, the one on the left gets 1/4 cover.

Improved Close-Order Fighting.
Prereq: Base Attack Bonus +12, Close-Order Fighting.
Benefit: As Close-Order Fighting by both characters get 1/2 cover.

And a class feature:

Maximize Cover.
16th Level.
Benefit: When fighting from at least 1/4 cover, you gain benefits as if fighting from one category of cover higher.


Unlike a lot of 3rd party stuff it's not horrendously broken. I've allowed it as a DM in my own games though no one wanted to take it. Mostly because I'd get one fighter who wants it... but no one else wants to play a fighter much less be chained to each other like that.

[andromax]

Take a look at Allied Defense (http://dndtools.eu/feats/shining-south--25/allied-defense--62/) feat from Shining South. It's bad ass. I'm pretty sure King Leonidas had it.

[Zman]

How about...Robilar's Gambit (http://dndtools.eu/feats/players-handbook-ii--80/robilars-gambit--2465/)?

And I don't think you'll go wrong with Imoroved Critical.

[Clericzilla]

Take a look at Allied Defense (http://dndtools.eu/feats/shining-south--25/allied-defense--62/) feat from Shining South. It's bad ass. I'm pretty sure King Leonidas had it.

I could see that being exploited really well.

Actually that with Phalanx Fighting... Hmm you could make a freaking wall of HP that is almost unable to be hit.

Throw in the third party stuff and that is one scary block of HP.

[Clericzilla]

How about...Robilar's Gambit (http://dndtools.eu/feats/players-handbook-ii--80/robilars-gambit--2465/)?

And I don't think you'll go wrong with Imoroved Critical.

Hmm wow something that Paizo actually buffed in melee.... barbarian gets this at level 12 as "Come and Get Me" but gets to attack before the person provoking the AoO. The Barbarian tends to kill the target with a "full attack" outside of their turn. I guess pigs do fly....

I actually like this feat, this would up the damage per round a bit.... And with Combat Reflexes (8 AoO/round).... Hmmm

I'm not sure if there is a feat or not... But I may be thinking of 3.0 prestige class... Isn't there an ability or feat in 3.5 that lets you take the attack of another adjacent creature? I think there is a 3.0 bodyguard PrC that does this... Hmmm...

Thanks so far ya'll, improved critical and robilar's gambit seem to be high in the running. I can't use 3rd party stuff no matter how good the balance is (sadly).

Edit: Also the character will have a 12 Int and won't be able to use the feat from the shining south.

[Zman]

Glad I could help. Nothing like full attacking on their turn, then full attacking on your turn. The more attacks they dish out the better.

[andromax]

Edit: Also the character will have a 12 Int and won't be able to use the feat from the shining south.
An item with +1 int is what, 1k?

[HunterOfJello]

I would drop Weapon Focus (Short Sword) since your attack is going to be plenty high enough anyway. I'd also consider switching to Psychic Warrior. It's the Fighter's slightly less sturdy, but far more effective younger brother.


There are also some fun Shield feats that are worth looking at. The two that come to mind are Shield Specialization (heavy shield) which will give you +1 AC with that shield type and Shield Ward which allows you to add your shield armor bonus to your touch AC and gives you the same bonus on opposed rolls against bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, and trip. If you have just a basic +1 Heavy Shield and those two feats, then you've already gained +4 to touch AC and +4 to rolls to protect you from each of those types of attacks.

Note: both of these feats are from the PHB2

[Clericzilla]

An item with +1 int is what, 1k?

Like with power attack (outside shock trooper in 3.5 and reckless abandon in PF) I hate lowering my to hit ratio. I don't want to just stand there fighting defensively, I want to be some sort of threat.

Also with the items I bought.. I have 132.21 gp left haha

[Flickerdart]

Dutiful Guardian from DotU is pretty neat - as an immediate action, you can exchange places with a previously designated character within 10 feet that's been attacked, and take the blow for them.

[Clericzilla]

I would drop Weapon Focus (Short Sword) since your attack is going to be plenty high enough anyway. I'd also consider switching to Psychic Warrior. It's the Fighter's slightly less sturdy, but far more effective younger brother.


There are also some fun Shield feats that are worth looking at. The two that come to mind are Shield Specialization (heavy shield) which will give you +1 AC with that shield type and Shield Ward which allows you to add your shield armor bonus to your touch AC and gives you the same bonus on opposed rolls against bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, and trip. If you have just a basic +1 Heavy Shield and those two feats, then you've already gained +4 to touch AC and +4 to rolls to protect you from each of those types of attacks.

Note: both of these feats are from the PHB2

Well I'm already Dex based so touch AC isn't to shabby. Though with boosting the shield it will help the flat footed AC (wearing leather armor or something like that).

I think I found the four feats...

Shield Specialization
Shield Ward
Improved Critical (short sword stabby stabby doom)
Robilar's Gambit

Niice...

[Clericzilla]

I would drop Weapon Focus (Short Sword) since your attack is going to be plenty high enough anyway. I'd also consider switching to Psychic Warrior. It's the Fighter's slightly less sturdy, but far more effective younger brother.


I could see Psychic Warrior making a good base class for this build ... But it would turn out a ton differently.



Dutiful Guardian from DotU is pretty neat - as an immediate action, you can exchange places with a previously designated character within 10 feet that's been attacked, and take the blow for them.

Interesting, I'll need to find that and check it out. This could get fun...

[Eugenides]

Dutiful Guardian from DotU is pretty neat - as an immediate action, you can exchange places with a previously designated character within 10 feet that's been attacked, and take the blow for them.

Hm. I don't know anything about this, but would this combo with Robilar's? Could you make a build that focuses on AoO tripping people that attack you OR your allies?

[Flickerdart]

Hm. I don't know anything about this, but would this combo with Robilar's? Could you make a build that focuses on AoO tripping people that attack you OR your allies?
Sure. Karmic Strike is a lower-level alternative.