OP Lv. 2 Fighter build

[Sorc]

Can this build work?

Fighter Lv. 2
Race Human

Feats at Lv. 1 human: wep. Prof. Spiked chain. fighter: combat expertise. Lv. 1: imp. Trip

Feats at Lv. 2 fighter: knock-down

Does this let him attack, deal over 10 damage, make a trip attempt, and use his free attack from imp. Trip to attack again?

Thanks!

[eggynack]

It does allow you to do that, but that is not a particularly overpowered thing.

[Juntao112]

I will note that in the 3.0 book Sword and Fist, where Knock-Down first originated, there was errata saying that you do not get an attack after the trip attempt. Whether that applies to the 3.5 version found on the SRD is anyone's guess.

[Kantolin]

You can improve that build by being a half-orc (Or full orc, or alternate full orc) and simply using a guisarme. Or, alternately, remaining human, using a guisarme, and spending the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat on something like power attack instead.

The amount of times you cannot 5ft step and attack are relatively slim, so it may be better to start jogging down a tree.

[Sorc]

You can improve that build by being a half-orc (Or full orc, or alternate full orc) and simply using a guisarme. Or, alternately, remaining human, using a guisarme, and spending the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat on something like power attack instead.

The amount of times you cannot 5ft step and attack are relatively slim, so it may be better to start jogging down a tree.

I like spiked chains. They're fun and cool. Also, I couldn't be Orc/half Orc, because of human bonus feat

[eggynack]

I like spiked chains. They're fun and cool.
They are pretty nifty. The feat cost means that guisarmes are probably better, but it's a slim margin. In any case, I'd adjust the build some in favor of barbarian. Basically, you take two levels of barbarian, taking wolf totem (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ), whirling frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ), and spirit lion totem from complete champion, granting you prerequisiteless trip, pounce, and a version of rage that grants an extra attack at full BAB. That's when you toss on the fighter dip, filling in feat gaps. The reason for this is mostly because you don't need to take combat expertise, so that's a free feat right there, as well as some more beneficial stat allocation, and because pounce and whirling frenzy are really sweet, the former more at late levels, and the latter more at early levels. You do have to take knock-down later, which is annoying, but the build is still probably better in most conceivable ways.

[Sorc]

They are pretty nifty. The feat cost means that guisarmes are probably better, but it's a slim margin. In any case, I'd adjust the build some in favor of barbarian. Basically, you take two levels of barbarian, taking wolf totem (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ), whirling frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ), and spirit lion totem from complete champion, granting you prerequisiteless trip, pounce, and a version of rage that grants an extra attack at full BAB. That's when you toss on the fighter dip, filling in feat gaps. The reason for this is mostly because you don't need to take combat expertise, so that's a free feat right there, as well as some more beneficial stat allocation, and because pounce and whirling frenzy are really sweet, the former more at late levels, and the latter more at early levels. You do have to take knock-down later, which is annoying, but the build is still probably better in most conceivable ways.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

But I kind of wanted to make him level 2
Does the barbarian make him a higher level?

[Spuddles]

I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

But I kind of wanted to make him level 2
Does the barbarian make him a higher level?

yep.

note that cleave and great cleave both proc off of knockdown, regardless of whether or not your foe drops below 0 HP.

this makes spiked chain far superior, as then you combine it with reach increases, like the psionic version of enlarge person (gets you two size categories at level 6), inhuman reach, and that vile reach feat. Put it on a half minotaur chassis and you´re looking at something like 60ft of reach. Congrats, you now have the battlefield control of a wizard.

[eggynack]

I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

But I kind of wanted to make him level 2
Does the barbarian make him a higher level?
Well, with that build, you just wouldn't have this particular combo at level two, likely holding off on knock-down until level three. However, whirling frenzy lets you get in a comparable number of attacks, and you can use those extra feats on stuff like combat reflexes and power attack. If you're just planning on playing this at level two, without ever leveling, then you'll presumably want the more compact version, but if you are going to level, then this progression would ensure a build that's more powerful across all levels. Also, more skill points and HP, which is neat.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Knock-Down (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#knockDown) cannot be taken as a Fighter bonus feat, so you can't take that at Fighter 2. You could take it at 1st level, and get EWP: Spiked Chain at 2nd, though.

You can use Knock-Down with any weapon to trip them, and lacking Combat Reflexes it's not really worth having the spiked chain. You could go with the Exoticist variant of Fighter, which doesn't get proficiency in martial weapons, but you get four exotic weapon proficiencies at 1st level instead. There are some other changes, such as a few class skills and the list of bonus feats you can gain from Fighter is more limited (doesn't include Improved Trip), but you can go something like the following:

Human Exoticist Fighter 2
Weapon proficiencies: Simple weapons, Spiked Chain, Greatbow (CW), Greathorn Minotaur Greathammer (MMIV), Kaorti Resin (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031014a) Falchion.

Level 1 Feats: Combat Expertise (Fighter), Improved Trip (1st), Knock-Down (Human)
Level 2 Feats: Combat Reflexes (Fighter)

[Sorc]

yep.

note that cleave and great cleave both proc off of knockdown, regardless of whether or not your foe drops below 0 HP.

this makes spiked chain far superior, as then you combine it with reach increases, like the psionic version of enlarge person (gets you two size categories at level 6), inhuman reach, and that vile reach feat. Put it on a half minotaur chassis and you´re looking at something like 60ft of reach. Congrats, you now have the battlefield control of a wizard.

Wow..... I had no idea... That's pretty powerful...

[Sorc]

Knock-Down (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#knockDown) cannot be taken as a Fighter bonus feat, so you can't take that at Fighter 2. You could take it at 1st level, and get EWP: Spiked Chain at 2nd, though.

You can use Knock-Down with any weapon to trip them, and lacking Combat Reflexes it's not really worth having the spiked chain. You could go with the Exoticist variant of Fighter, which doesn't get proficiency in martial weapons, but you get four exotic weapon proficiencies at 1st level instead. There are some other changes, such as a few class skills and the list of bonus feats you can gain from Fighter is more limited (doesn't include Improved Trip), but you can go something like the following:

Human Exoticist Fighter 2
Weapon proficiencies: Simple weapons, Spiked Chain, Greatbow (CW), Greathorn Minotaur Greathammer (MMIV), Kaorti Resin (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031014a) Falchion.

Level 1 Feats: Combat Expertise (Fighter), Improved Trip (1st), Knock-Down (Human)
Level 2 Feats: Combat Reflexes (Fighter)

Knock-down requires BAB +2, so this doesn't work

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Knock-down requires BAB +2, so this doesn't work

I guess I missed that part, so you can't get it until 3rd level unless you can take a flaw (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) at 2nd. Flaws must be taken when creating a character, so if you create your character at a level higher than 1st you can put your flaw feat(s) at any of the levels you start with.