Building a martial powerhouse

[Jaded_PharmD]

So long story short, I am having to make a new character for my pathfinder game. The group already consists of 1 wizard, 1 oracle, 1 cleric, 2 magus, and 1 monk so I am looking to build a martial character since casting is pretty well covered. Our DM is the kind of guy to basically pit us against 1-2 super hard (albeit often boring) encounters a night with usually 2-3 mobs that have ridiculously high AC/CMD so I am trying to optimize a character that can hit like a truck but still fight on the front lines since we need someone who can take a beating and protect other players. I'm thinking paladin might fit the bill here since smite evil will pretty much ensure that I get a hefty bonus to hit/damage while still maintaining great ac/saves. Are there any other classes/archetypes that might fill this role better? Starting level will be 9, no 3rd party material.

[skypse]

Two handed fighter, Unchained Barbarian, Synthesist, Cavalier, Ranger, Gunslinger might be best since your attack rolls target touch AC, Warpriest, brawler, bloodrager... It really depends on what concept you like playing. Everything can be optimized to hit like a truck.

[Elricaltovilla]

What books do you have available to use? What are the rules for building the character? Are there any houserules we should be aware of? Do you have any particular focus you want to specialize in?

Judging by what you've given us about the party, the melee is going to be pretty full. Magus is a powerhouse with a lot of burst damage and a wide variety of build options. Monks are tricky but there are ways to make them viable fighters with archetypes and feats. Clerics and Oracles are buff monsters and can mix it up in melee as good as any magus or monk depending on their build and spell selection. Wizards also have a huge variety of things they can do.

[Extra Anchovies]

You've got a lot of people, so I'd recommend either a Bard (or Skald) if you want to buff your friends (Inspire Courage/Raging Song), or an Inquisitor if you want to benefit from them (Solo Tactics). Probably the former, because there are more unique Bard spells than there are Inquisitor spells.

[grarrrg]

Invulnerable Rager (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/archetypes/paizo---barbarian-archetypes/invulnerable-rager) Barbarian.

DR to take hits, Rage to make hits.

[Elricaltovilla]

Invulnerable Rager (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/archetypes/paizo---barbarian-archetypes/invulnerable-rager) Barbarian.

DR to take hits, Rage to make hits.

Alternatively, Abyssal Bloodline (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/bloodrager/paizo---bloodrager-bloodlines/abyssal) Bloodrager (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/bloodrager) for minor spellcasting, free enlarge person when you rage, and the highest possible strength bonus from a single class you can get. You can even tack on Primalist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/bloodrager/archetypes/paizo---bloodrager-archetypes/primalist) to trade out bloodrage powers you don't want for access to rage powers you do want. Like Pounce.

But really I'd look at a Bard or a Skald. Not only are you a competent combatant, and a great addition to the party that seems to be lacking in skills/skill points, your class specific damage boost applies to your allies as well, meaning they'll love you as much as you love you.

[Molosse]

So long story short, I am having to make a new character for my pathfinder game. The group already consists of 1 wizard, 1 oracle, 1 cleric, 2 magus, and 1 monk so I am looking to build a martial character since casting is pretty well covered. Our DM is the kind of guy to basically pit us against 1-2 super hard (albeit often boring) encounters a night with usually 2-3 mobs that have ridiculously high AC/CMD so I am trying to optimize a character that can hit like a truck but still fight on the front lines since we need someone who can take a beating and protect other players. I'm thinking paladin might fit the bill here since smite evil will pretty much ensure that I get a hefty bonus to hit/damage while still maintaining great ac/saves. Are there any other classes/archetypes that might fill this role better? Starting level will be 9, no 3rd party material.

A Honor Guard Cavalier with the Order of the Dragon seems to fit your bill mate.

Grab 12 Cha, Chain Challenge, Power Attack and Combat Reflexes as feats with Reactionary and Fools For Friends as traits, finally if possible think about grabbing one of the magic item banners to provide some additional benefits as well as the Ring of Tactical Precision to improve Aid Another and Teamwork feats while also passing on one of your Teamwork Feats to an ally.

With Chain Challenge and 12 Cha you'll have the equivalent of 6 Challenge's per day, or 3/6 per encounter in your current game which is more than enough to carry you through and, as an aside, OoDragon will give you and your allies +3 to hit your current Challenge target.

With the Honor Guard Archetype granting a boosted Bodyguard and Sworn Defense, along with the OoDragon granting additional bonus' to Aid Another actions, at your current level 9 you can grant any ally +1 AC while you engage in a challenge and an additional +6AC AC as an attack of opportunity if an adjacent ally is targeted by an enemy.

So what you have in the end is a Character with a full level mount, able to grab his/her level as +Damage against nearly every enemy you face every day all while keeping up with a decent HD, Full BaB and the passive and active bonus' I discussed above to, as you put it, protect your allies while dealing out a damn nasty amount of damage.

[Psyren]

Aand the highest possible strength bonus from a single class you can get.

I haven't done the math, but once you factor in alchemical bonuses this might be contestable.

[Elricaltovilla]

I haven't done the math, but once you factor in alchemical bonuses this might be contestable.

True Mutagen gives +8 to STR, DEX and CON at 20th level. Mighty Bloodrage gives +8 to STR, Demonic Bulk gives +2 size bonus (acts as enlarge person), and Abyssal bloodrage increase the Strength bonus by a total of +6 at 20th level. You're looking at a total increase of +16 strength just from bloodrage. It's not even a contest.

[Psyren]

True Mutagen gives +8 to STR, DEX and CON at 20th level. Mighty Bloodrage gives +8 to STR, Demonic Bulk gives +2 size bonus (acts as enlarge person), and Abyssal bloodrage increase the Strength bonus by a total of +6 at 20th level. You're looking at a total increase of +16 strength just from bloodrage. It's not even a contest.

Right, if you're only comparing them side by side - but the alchemist can also get morale bonuses to his ability scores AND can get that Abyssal ability if he wants. That murkies the waters a little.

On top of all that, the alchemist can shapeshift into very large forms for a hefty size bonus.

[Elricaltovilla]

Right, if you're only comparing them side by side - but the alchemist can also get morale bonuses to his ability scores AND can get that Abyssal ability if he wants. That murkies the waters a little.

On top of all that, the alchemist can shapeshift into very large forms for a hefty size bonus.

You specified alchemical bonuses, so that's what I compared abyssal bloodrage to. The bloodrager has spells to augment his ability scores as well, so we could really go back and forth on this for days.

How exactly does the alchemist get the abyssal ability? It only functions during a bloodrage.

[Molosse]

You specified alchemical bonuses, so that's what I compared abyssal bloodrage to. The bloodrager has spells to augment his ability scores as well, so we could really go back and forth on this for days.

How exactly does the alchemist get the abyssal ability? It only functions during a bloodrage.

Most likely:

I) Skill Focus -> Eldritch Heritage (Abyssal) -> Improved Eldritch Heritage (Abyssal)
Grab the level 9 power at level 11 and enjoy the scaling Str bonus, capping with +6Str at level 17.

or II) Abyssal Sorcerer VMC
Grab the level 9 power at level 15 and enjoy the same.

Either way:

True Mutagen + Abyssal Heritage + Ragechemist + Enlarge Person (?) = +18Str

[Psyren]

You specified alchemical bonuses, so that's what I compared abyssal bloodrage to.

My exact words were that you "factor them in" - i.e. they are one factor to consider when comparing the overall strength bonus of both classes. They are a bonus type that bloodragers don't get, whereas the rage bonus (morale) is accessible to alchemists, along with much larger size bonuses.

[Elricaltovilla]

Most likely:

I) Skill Focus -> Eldritch Heritage (Abyssal) -> Improved Eldritch Heritage (Abyssal)
Grab the level 9 power at level 11 and enjoy the scaling Str bonus, capping with +6Str at level 17.

or II) Abyssal Sorcerer VMC
Grab the level 9 power at level 15 and enjoy the same.

Neither of those are specific to the alchemist though, and the bloodrager could just as easily grab improved eldritch heritage or abyssal sorcerer VMC. I also think it's a bit disingenuous to call a variant multi-classing build a single classed build.

[Molosse]

Neither of those are specific to the alchemist though, and the bloodrager could just as easily grab improved eldritch heritage or abyssal sorcerer VMC. I also think it's a bit disingenuous to call a variant multi-classing build a single classed build.

That would be why I listed two options mate, the first being the non-VMC option.

Edit:/ Also you absolutely could grab the Sorcerer VMC for another instance of Abyysal Strength, that's hilarious "I'm doubly Demonic!".

[Elricaltovilla]

That would be why I listed two options mate, the first being the non-VMC option.

My point is that those don't actually improve the alchemist over the bloodrager by any significant amount. Abyssal Bloodrage is an untyped bonus to strength, meaning it stacks with base bloodrage and abyssal bloodline. A bloodrager with improved eldritch heritage would have +24 to strength at 20th level, putting them 6 points ahead of the alchemist again. Even if that wasn't the case, abyssal bloodline's increase is an inherent bonus, which you can get up to +5 via wish, meaning that even if the bloodrager didn't pick up eldritch heritage, the alchemist would only end up 1 point closer than he was at the start.

[Psyren]

It's not "untyped" - it increases the value of the morale bonus they get. The whole is still a morale bonus.

[Molosse]

My point is that those don't actually improve the alchemist over the bloodrager by any significant amount. Abyssal Bloodrage is an untyped bonus to strength, meaning it stacks with base bloodrage and abyssal bloodline. A bloodrager with improved eldritch heritage would have +24 to strength at 20th level, putting them 6 points ahead of the alchemist again. Even if that wasn't the case, abyssal bloodline's increase is an inherent bonus, which you can get up to +5 via wish, meaning that even if the bloodrager didn't pick up eldritch heritage, the alchemist would only end up 1 point closer than he was at the start.

Wasn't defending the notion that an Alchemist can gain more STR than a Bloodrager. Was simply explaining where the Alchemist got the Abyssal Bonus' from.

[Elricaltovilla]

Wasn't defending the notion that an Alchemist can gain more STR than a Bloodrager. Was simply explaining where the Alchemist got the Abyssal Bonus' from.

The abyssal sorcerer bloodline is not the same as the abyssal bloodrager bloodline though. They're two different things.

[Molosse]

The abyssal sorcerer bloodline is not the same as the abyssal bloodrager bloodline though. They're two different things.

Considering that there are two bloodlines for two classes that have similar names and downright similar properties but one gives the player the ability to use said bloodline at eventual full power with a feat line or a VMC and the other requires a full Level 20 investment to receive the strongest iteration of said power then it's more than likely he meant the former.

This however depends on me knowing Psyren's mind on the matter which I don't deign to do, nor is it overly relevant with the OP's question mate :).

My vote, therefore, remains on a OoDragon Honor Guard Cavalier.