Help with a Fighter build

[Red Rubber Band]

Need some help with a Fighter/Beastmaster build. Main idea is a dude walks around with his animal companion and it holds all his weapons that are enchanted for different types of enemies. He is also rather intimidating. Idea inspired/stolen from the picture below which appeared somewhere on these forums not too long ago.

http://i.imgur.com/qsCKO.jpg

Following relevant houserules are in play. They are not set so if you have any better options/ideas...

Fighters gain Int + 4 skill points per level
Their bonus feats can be used as any feat
Weapon Focus line of feats is upgraded automatically whenever you meet the requirements
Weapon Specialisation line of feats is upgraded automatically whenever you meet the requirements
Two-Weapon Fighting line of feats is upgraded automatically whenever you meet the requirements
Intimidate can run off Strength
Skills are like everyone has Able Learner, but if you work it into your backstory it's not considered cross class


Half Orc, LN with the Quick trait and Shaky flaw.
STR 16, DEX 14, CON 16, INT10, WIS 12, CHA 8 (after racial mods, 32pt buy)
Ability score bonus at level 4 goes to DEX (to hit 15 for dual wielding), probably STR for others.

(B) Bonus Fighter feat, (Z) Zhentarim feat, (F) Flaw


Level
Class
BAB
Fort
Reflex
Will
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Fighter 1
1
2
0
0
Handle Animal 4 (+4); Survival 4 (+4); Intimidate 4 (+4)
Menacing Demeanour (1); Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword* (B); Dreadful Wrath (F)
Bonus Feat (B)


2nd
Fighter 2
2
3
0
0
Handle Animal 5 (+1); Intimidate 5 (+1); Survival 4
What do?
Bonus Feat (B)


3rd
Fighter 3 (Zhentarim)
3
3
1
1
Handle Animal 6 (+1); Intimidate 6 (+1); Survival 4
Skill Focus: Handle Animal (3); Skill Focus: Intimidation (Z)
Bonus Feat (Z)


4th
Fighter 4
4
4
1
1
Handle Animal 7 (+1); Intimidate 7 (+1); Survival 4
Weapon Specialisation: Bastard Sword* (B)
Bonus Feat (B)


5th
Fighter 5 (Zhentarim)
5
4
1
1
Handle Animal 8 (+1); Intimidate 8 (+1); Survival 4
Extended Intimidation (Z)
Bonus Feat (Z)


6th
Beastmaster 1
6/1
6
3
1
Handle Animal 8; Intimidate 8; Survival 4
Natural Bond (6)
Animal Companion; Wild Empathy


7th
Fighter 6
7/2
7
4
2
Handle Animal 8; Intimidate 8; Survival 4
Melee Weapon Mastery (B)
Bonus Feat (B)


8th
Fighter 7
8/3
7
4
2
Handle Animal 8; Intimidate 8; Survival 4




9th
Fighter 8
9/4
8
4
2
Handle Animal 8; Intimidate 8; Survival 4
Imperious Command (B); Natural Bond (9); Greater Weapon Specialisation (houserule auto upgrade)
Bonus Feat (B)


10th
Fighter 9 (Zhentarim)
10/5
8
5
3
Handle Animal 8; Intimidate 8; Survival 4
Swift Demoralisation (Z)
Bonus Feat (Z)


11th
Fighter 10
11/6/1
9
5
3
Handle Animal 8; Intimidate 8; Survival 4
Two-Weapon Fighting* (B)
Bonus Faet (B)



The guy is planned to be a recurring character in an upcoming campaign. First appearance will be him at level 6. Then at increments. Hopefully the party doesn't kill him on sight :smalltongue: He doesn't have much in the way of defense... but that's what WBL is for, right?

Thoughts? Advice? Where to from here? Can Natural Bond stack like that? I'd rather stay away from ToB. I don't understand it properly yet.

I was thinking taking him to Abjurant Champion and back Beastmaster later. But I think that's trying to throw too much in at once.

* Still unsure whether to go TWF or THF. While I want to remain true to the idea I have for him... he needs to be able to become a bit of a legend in his own right. To make a name for himself at early-mid levels.
If TWF I can swap to Long Sword (or take EWP for Bastard Sword). If THF, Bastard Sword it is.

[Zombulian]

Believe it or not there was already a thread on here trying to make builds to match the (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?373686-ArtOp-III-Rhino-Ronin)picture that you posted. So it may give some ideas.

[Red Rubber Band]

Believe it or not there was already a thread on here trying to make builds to match the (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?373686-ArtOp-III-Rhino-Ronin)picture that you posted. So it may give some ideas.

Thanks :smallsmile:

However, after looking through that thread it doesn't seem to be hugely helpful to me now. It would have been for ideas to start with, and I'm interested in Bloodstorm Blade as a possibility, but I think now it's mainly the build I currently have that I'm after feedback on.

Appreciate the link though!

[Red Rubber Band]

Bump for ease of mind and possible closure :smalltongue:

Can anyone help with this? Thoughts, suggestions, or even answering the Natural Bond question would be helpful.

[eggynack]

I'm pretty sure that the ability to take a feat multiple times is a thing that has to be explicitly stated in order for it to be true. Thus, no, natural bond does not stack like that.

[Red Rubber Band]

I'm pretty sure that the ability to take a feat multiple times is a thing that has to be explicitly stated in order for it to be true. Thus, no, natural bond does not stack like that.

Ah, of course. Thank you. I totally forgot about that. :smalleek:

Are there other ways, Chief Druid Knower, to increase the level of his animal companion?

Edit: To clarify the above: Something that boosts it up a couple of levels instead of sitting in Beastmaster/Druid.

[Extra Anchovies]

Ah, of course. Thank you. I totally forgot about that. :smalleek:

Are there other ways, Chief Druid Knower, to increase the level of his animal companion?

Well, Beastmaster has full BAB and animal companion progression. Ask your DM if you could maybe trade away the further animal companions for other goodies (bonus feats?).

Alternately, ditch the rhino, take levels in Beast Heart Adept (again full BAB), and ride a frakking Wyvern. Or a Chimera. Or a Manticore. Or any of the other beyond-cool things on that list. It's one of my favorite PrCs, because you can get a pet girallon. Multiple girallon, if you want.

[MilesTiden]

It's one of my favorite PrCs, because you can get a pet girallon. Multiple girallon, if you want.

... Giralli? :smallbiggrin: (Also, +1 to Beast Heart Adept: always great fun)

[Troacctid]

You can always buff up an animal companion by taking Share Soulmeld with some levels in meldshaping classes.

[OldTrees1]

From the what I see the companion is only as per a 7th level druid(4 for BeastMaster Class level +3 and then +3 from Natural Bond.)

On the other hand a Wild Cohort + Natural Bond is an animal companion as per a druid of your character level.

[Red Rubber Band]

Well, Beastmaster has full BAB and animal companion progression. Ask your DM if you could maybe trade away the further animal companions for other goodies (bonus feats?).

Alternately, ditch the rhino, take levels in Beast Heart Adept (again full BAB), and ride a frakking Wyvern. Or a Chimera. Or a Manticore. Or any of the other beyond-cool things on that list. It's one of my favorite PrCs, because you can get a pet girallon. Multiple girallon, if you want.

I was playing around with Beastmaster levels over Fighter, but the bonus feats from Fighter work with the progression of the character as he grows/levels.
Though trading away class features for feats could work... thank you.

The thing is, if it's something this character can do, it has to be something everyone can do. That should be fine though, trading out class features for feats shouldn't be problem. I mean, Fighter.

(I'll be the DM for this campaign whenever it eventuates and am currently experimenting with house rules. I also want players to be able to see how I create the characters rather than DM hand-wavium their abilities.)

I'm kind of attached to the Rhino because of the picture. Buuuut... those would be pretty awesome pets to have. I'll just have to watch the levels though. I only wanted him to be in there for a few levels and then fade into obscurity for possible later plots. And because things are so much sweeter once they're gone.

Edit:

From the what I see the companion is only as per a 7th level druid(4 for BeastMaster Class level +3 and then +3 from Natural Bond.)

On the other hand a Wild Cohort + Natural Bond is an animal companion as per a druid of your character level.

Oh rearry... I totally overlooked Wild Cohort. I shall revisit that. Thanks.

[Extra Anchovies]

... Giralli? :smallbiggrin: (Also, +1 to Beast Heart Adept: always great fun)

I don't know, I've always thought of it as being pluralized similarly to "moose". My favorite thing about that class is its ability to let you act out jokes that begin with "a chuul, an otyugh, and a girallon walk into an inn..."

[Sith_Happens]

You have the intimidation part down, but where's his damage coming from? Assuming you want him to hit things onscreen, which I suppose isn't necessarily the case.

[Red Rubber Band]

You have the intimidation part down, but where's his damage coming from? Assuming you want him to hit things onscreen, which I suppose isn't necessarily the case.

This is the part of the build I hadn't gotten to yet. I wanted to fit in the growth of the character throughout his cameos, add in the intimidation of being in his presence (brought about by his deeds), and now finally with the remaining parts I want to look at damage.

The weapon focus and specialisation feats auto upgrade, and his second level bonus feat will probably go to Power Attack, but what else can I do?
I'd like to try keep most of what has been written down, but it's not all set in stone.

It takes me forever to make characters, so little changes will be better received :smalltongue:

[Sith_Happens]

Now that I think about it, why are you giving him TWF? The lack of EWP for the bastard sword presumably means he's two-handing it, which leaves armor spikes and unarmed strikes as possible offhand choices.

[Red Rubber Band]

Now that I think about it, why are you giving him TWF? The lack of EWP for the bastard sword presumably means he's two-handing it, which leaves armor spikes and unarmed strikes as possible offhand choices.

Whoops.

I was playing around with the idea of making him a TWF, but as it wasn't concrete I didn't change the weapons to Long Swords.

I'll put in a note regarding that.

Edit: I'm not sure what EWP has to do with anything. Bastard Swords are martial weapons aren't they?

[Sith_Happens]

Edit: I'm not sure what EWP has to do with anything. Bastard Swords are martial weapons aren't they?

Only if you're wielding them with both hands.


A bastard sword is too large to use in one hand without special training; thus, it is an exotic weapon. A character can use a bastard sword two-handed as a martial weapon.

[Red Rubber Band]

Only if you're wielding them with both hands.

Oooh. Thank you for pointing that out.