For Dwarf Eyes Only!

[Elric VIII]

I'm going to put together a Runesmith Gish (pretty standard build of Fighter 1/Wizard 4/Runesmith 5/Abjurant Champion 5/Other Stuff 5)and I would like to spice it up with some Dwarf-specific goodies, since I have never really played a Dwarf before.

I'm going to start with some form of large hammer as my weapon to later use Mighty Wallop, so if there's a racial proficiency weapon of the giant-freaking-hammer variety that would be nice. Aside from that anything you can suggest could be useful. So, what Dwarfy goodness is there for me?

[Jon_Dahl]

When I saw the title, I was expecting this picture to be in the OP:
http://www.gamereactor.se/media/forum/se/5443426_40.jpg
However, I was gravely disappointed.

[Malak'ai]

Well a maul is a martial weapon so you won't need to waste a feat to be able to use it. Get yourself some Strongarm Bracers and a large maul, get Enlarge Person cast on you and BAM! You're doing 3d8+Str+Bonus+Ability+what ever Mighty Wallop does.

EDIT: There's also the Minotaur Hammer or what ever it's called as well, though I don't know what book (or Dragon Mag) it's in.

[HunterOfJello]

I would carefully consider whether you actually want to toss away a level in Fighter or not.

Cleric 1 can give you heavy armor proficiency, spells, turn undead, and domains. Faiths & Pantheons lists Moradin as having both the Protection and Dwarf domains. The Dwarf domain gives the Great Fortitude feat and the Protection Domain power can be traded out for Protection Devotion feat, which is a nice Immediate Action to gain +2 AC (+1 for every 4 character levels) for yourself and all your allies for a solid minute.

Crusader 1 can give you the Full BAB, heavy armor proficiency, and more skill points on that first level. This also includes some nice first level class skills including Balance (which you'll want 5 ranks in), Diplomacy, and Intimidate. They also get a delayed damage pool of 5, which could come in handy at times. More importantly, you can keep a Bolstering Voice stance on yourself (and all your allies in a 60ft radius) that gives +2 morale bonus to Will saves and +4 morale bonus to will saves against fear effects. Of course, all of this is not to mention the handful of basic low-level strikes that a Crusader gets, which are standard actions and each always a better choice to use than a standard action to just do a basic melee attack. Why just hit someone, when you can hit them and heal yourself or give yourself DR 5 for a around at the same time?

~

Your build looks good, but I think you could benefits from a slight change in that first dip. There are so many great 1 level melee dips that you could benefit from that it makes me cringe to just see that level of Fighter in there when Combat Casting isn't even a Fighter feat.


EDIT: There's also the Minotaur Hammer or what ever it's called as well, though I don't know what book (or Dragon Mag) it's in.

1. Don't forget that there's both Mighty Wallop and Greater Mighty Wallop!

2. Greathorn Minotaurs can be found in MM IV. They use an Exotic Weapon called a Greathammer that has the technical stats of "1d12, 19-20/x4 Bludgeoning" for a medium sized character. However, that has been recognized as a typo and should be just 20/x4 damage on crits.

3. My preferred maul-type weapon in the Maquahuitl from MM IV pg 88. It's a greatclub that has had teeth and claws embelished into it so that when it hits something it does both Bludgeoning and Piercing damage. The stats for it are 1d10, x2, 10lb, B&P.

[Elric VIII]

When I saw the title, I was expecting this picture to be in the OP:
http://www.gamereactor.se/media/forum/se/5443426_40.jpg
However, I was gravely disappointed.

More disturbing than the picture itself is how readily available it was to you.


Well a maul is a martial weapon so you won't need to waste a feat to be able to use it. Get yourself some Strongarm Bracers and a large maul, get Enlarge Person cast on you and BAM! You're doing 3d8+Str+Bonus+Ability+what ever Mighty Wallop does.

EDIT: There's also the Minotaur Hammer or what ever it's called as well, though I don't know what book (or Dragon Mag) it's in.

Actually, regardless of the original size of the weapon Greater Mighty Wallop caps at colossal. Although Strongarm Bracers are good before I hit the CL cap.


I would carefully consider whether you actually want to toss away a level in Fighter or not.

Cleric 1 can give you heavy armor proficiency, spells, turn undead, and domains. Faiths & Pantheons lists Moradin as having both the Protection and Dwarf domains. The Dwarf domain gives the Great Fortitude feat and the Protection Domain power can be traded out for Protection Devotion feat, which is a nice Immediate Action to gain +2 AC (+1 for every 4 character levels) for yourself and all your allies for a solid minute.

Crusader 1 can give you the Full BAB, heavy armor proficiency, and more skill points on that first level. This also includes some nice first level class skills including Balance (which you'll want 5 ranks in), Diplomacy, and Intimidate. They also get a delayed damage pool of 5, which could come in handy at times. More importantly, you can keep a Bolstering Voice stance on yourself (and all your allies in a 60ft radius) that gives +2 morale bonus to Will saves and +4 morale bonus to will saves against fear effects. Of course, all of this is not to mention the handful of basic low-level strikes that a Crusader gets, which are standard actions and each always a better choice to use than a standard action to just do a basic melee attack. Why just hit someone, when you can hit them and heal yourself or give yourself DR 5 for a around at the same time?

~

Your build looks good, but I think you could benefits from a slight change in that first dip. There are so many great 1 level melee dips that you could benefit from that it makes me cringe to just see that level of Fighter in there when Combat Casting isn't even a Fighter feat.

Yeah, I know the basics of gish building, but thank you. I just threw in Fighter to give a cursory idea of the initial build. I'm still considering Crusader for Thicket of Blades + Enlarge Person + Lucerne Hammer (reach and bludgeoning) for some Standstill action. Also, while Combat Casting isn't a fighter feat, Improved Initiative and Power attack are. Imp. Initiative is standard Wizard fare, but I can't trade away Scribe Scroll with Runesmith and a gish without PA is a gimped Wizard in a full plate.




1. Don't forget that there's both Mighty Wallop and Greater Mighty Wallop!

2. Greathorn Minotaurs can be found in MM IV. They use an Exotic Weapon called a Greathammer that has the technical stats of "1d12, 19-20/x4 Bludgeoning" for a medium sized character. However, that has been recognized as a typo and should be just 20/x4 damage on crits.

3. My preferred maul-type weapon in the Maquahuitl from MM IV pg 88. It's a greatclub that has had teeth and claws embelished into it so that when it hits something it does both Bludgeoning and Piercing damage. The stats for it are 1d10, x2, 10lb, B&P.

I do plan to use GMW, that's why I'm opting for a hammer over an axe. As for the Greathammer, I don't want to waste a feat on EWP, so that's why I'm looking for racial proficiencies. If that fails I will probably go with a Warmace (1d12, martial if using 2 hands) or Lucerne Hammer (reach hammer).

So, while I do appreciate the advice, I'm just looking for Dwarf stuff, not necessarily optimized builds (because I think I can handle that on my own at this point). But thank you.

[Malak'ai]

The 3d8 I quoted before was for a Huge maul.