Character Build assist/comment

[Greyen]

I would post this in the character build thread but I think I am looking for guidance/critique from the masses more than an actual build.

So I like the concept of the Heavy Poleaxe from Complete Warrior. I built a 6th fighter around it with out going for complete cheese. I am looking at going into Exotic Wep master for a couple of levels and then Kensai. Here is the Feats I have so far.

Ex. Wep Prof: Heavy Poleaxe
Wep Focus: Heavy Poleaxe (Req. for PrC's)
Combat Reflexes
Combat Expertise (Kensai Req.)
Power Attack
Cleave
Short Haft
Quick Draw (not necessary but I hate being caught off guard and getting whacked and not being able to get my own whacks in in a surprise situation)

Comments, ideas, criticism? I am just looking to keep this guy on par with the rest of the party as he advances with out going for total cheese like a spike chain, or a pinball (Shock Trooper/Leap attack combo)

[Annarrkkii]

Hmmm... Well, from a purely optimizing standpoint, Short Haft isn't really worth it. You can just use armor spikes to threaten adjacent squares without burning a feat. They only cost 50 gp or so, more if you want to magic them, and they help with grappling.

Stand Still, a non-Psionic feat from the XPH, lets you turn an AoO into a high-DC Reflex save, which the target has to either pass or remain standing in the square he tried to leave. This is excellent for stopping advancing targets with your reach weapon, and for keeping injured foes from fleeing your reach. Since you already have Combat Expertise, Improved Trip is likewise a good plan, since it functions in much the same way, with a little bit more risk and a chance to hit your foe as well as stop him. Unfortunately, I don't the think the Heavy Poleaxe is a tripping weapon, so that idea is out.

Hmmm... Kensai is a solid class. But be careful. You might not want to stick with it all the way through, because it will lose you 3 points of BAB. 8th level is the farthest I would take it. Make sure you have ranks in Concentration, even though it's cross-class, because you will want it for ki surge. +4 to hit and +6 or more damage per round? Yes Please!

Exotic Weapon Master lacks any useful weapon tricks for those who aren't wielding truly exotic weapons, but it does offer a few tricks. Take Exotic Trip and Improved Trip (the feat, that is), and you can trip away with your poleaxe. Exotic Reach, despite the promising name, is meh. Its primary benefit is letting you attack around your allies or enemies to enemies in the next rank, but they still get cover bonuses to AC. It is useful, however, as it lets you stay a battlefield control factor even when flanked or surrounded. Other than those... Show Off, as with most other feats/abilities that only make a foe "shaken, is really not worth the standard action. Stunning Blow would require more WIS than you want to be bothered with, and two feats that will be useless until you get the trick. Exotic Sunder might be okay—you wouldn't even need to get Improved Sunder, as long as you always sundered only against foes at the edge of your reach. Throw Exotic Weapon is just a cool way to disarm yourself. Don't go for it.

[Greyen]

ExoWepMas - Was only looking at the trip, reach and sunder tricks since you only get 3 anywho.

As For Kensai - I may only take 6-8 levels in it anyway the capstone ability Warlord just isn't worth much even though the +10 wep for nearly free is.

Going to have to research Stand Still.

[Annarrkkii]

Stand Still (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#standStill). It's a way solid feat. Worth picking up for those among you who are tactically minded.

As with any AoO monster, Kharmic Strike might be worth looking into.