Lockdown Builds and Size Increases

[ColossusCrusher]

So I started thinking about how to best get a lockdown build going - obviously there's Crusader, Wolf Totem Barb 2 and so on in there, maybe a Spiked Chain, etc. But what's tripping me up (:smalltongue:) is the contradiction between trippers loving size increases for enhanced reach and trip modifiers and the Dex penalties you get for going up in size which interfere with Combat Reflexes.

So, Playground, how exactly do you deal with that contradiction? Do you just dump Charisma even though Crusaders love it or suck it up and buy that annoying +Dex item? Or am I missing something here entirely?

[Seerow]

Crusaders don't really get a whole lot out of charisma. A bonus to will saves (not even all save like a Paladin!) and a small number of smites per day? You'll definitely get more mileage out of higher dex. In fact I've seen several optimized lockdown builds that eschew strength entirely, going dex primary to get as many AoOs as possible.

[ColossusCrusher]

So for example, a 32 point buy would look like 16/14/16/10/10/10? Enlarge Person would drop Dex down to 12, which would still allow two AoOs, but an item of Expansion augmented for two increases would still bring Dex down to 10. From what I'm seeing it looks like I'd want to get a Dex-booster once size increases start getting used more frequently.

[Rebel7284]

Why not 16/16/16/10/8/8 ?

Also, there are some gloves in MIC that give two extra AOOs as I recall.

Of course you need a bit more wisdom if you add psychic warrior for expansion.