Best general-purpose exotic weapon, plus combat style advice

[Extra Anchovies]

I'm building a heavily Champion-focused Medium for an upcoming game, and one of the things that the Champion spirit grants is proficiency with one exotic weapon (which can be changed each time I channel the spirit for the day). I won't have the BAB for combat maneuvers (Medium is average BAB, but champion makes up for that with a bonus to attack rolls that starts at one and scales to 6 at 20th level). Any recommendations for which one I should start with? Right now I'm looking at the Fauchard, or the Falcata if I go the TWF route. There aren't really any exotic ranged weapons that look more useful than a composite bow, so I'll be using my martial weapon proficiency for that.

Advice on what combat style I should go for would also be nice; I'm stuck between TWF (enabled by either Deadly Agility or Prodigious Two-Weapon Fighting, for Dex-based or Str-based TWF respectively), THF, and archery. I start with average BAB and get somewhere between +1 and +7 to hit and +3 and +15 to non-spell damage depending on my level. At 6th level I can make an extra attack at my highest attack bonus; this stacks with haste and TWF, but not with flurry of blows or spell combat. At 11th level I can move as a swift action and then make a full attack, but I give up the extra attack for that round. At 17th level I gain any two combat feats, and I use class level instead of BAB for qualifying for and determining the effects of combat feats (and can access combat feats restricted to any one other martial class).

[Sayt]

Falcatas and Fauchard are both go-to. Estoc's aren't bad, it's basically a finesse, one hand falchion, and are strictly better than Rhoka.

[Extra Anchovies]

Falcatas and Fauchard are both go-to. Estoc's aren't bad, it's basically a finesse, one hand falchion, and are strictly better than Rhoka.

Strictly better except for the price tag, you mean! :smalltongue: I'm starting at level 1 (also human, for the record), so that 50 gp is gonna be expensive. I'll keep them in mind, but Falcatas might be better anyways. Assuming all crits are confirmed, a Falcata deals an average of 23 hits' worth of damage per 20 attacks (triple damage on two attacks out of twenty, minus one for natural 1s = net of plus four hits per twenty attacks), while an Estoc deals 22 hits per 20 attacks (double damage on three attacks out of twenty, minus one for natural 1s = net of plus 2). Once I get Improved Critical or Keen weapons, Falcata deals 27 per 20 and Estoc deals 25 per 20.

ETA: Of course, the above math is for raw damage. Effects that apply on critical hits (critical feats, burst weapons, etc) give the Estoc a boost, but I don't think I'll have the feats for critical focus and its follow-ups (or at least I won't unless I go THF, in which case I'm running Fauchard for the reach), and I'm not a fan of spending WBL on things that only apply some of the time, determined randomly.

[Sayt]

Okay, Yeah, Estoc is more expensive, but no more so than a greatsword.

But Falcatas are pretty damn good.

Also, I'm not sure, but did you account the .5 higher damage per hit from the Estoc's 2d4?

By my math, if each weapon has no flat mod to damage, but hits on everything but a one (which is improbable, but makes for simpler math), the estoc does 105 damage over 20 attacks, including three confirmed criticals and one miss.

By comparison, the Falcata does 99 damage, with two confirmed triplecrits and one miss.

So, the Estoc does slowly draw ahead with a slightly higher average damage, however with keen or imp.crit the six point lead halves to 3 points.

But we're talking less then ten points damage difference in the long run with comparable styles, so really it's down to a matter of taste.

[Ilorin Lorati]

I won't have the BAB for combat maneuvers (Medium is average BAB, but champion makes up for that with a bonus to attack rolls that starts at one and scales to 6 at 20th level).

Attack bonuses apply to CMB. Combat Maneuvers may not scale well, but it's not because you're 3/4 BAB when you're in Champion spirit.


When you attempt to perform a combat maneuver, make an attack roll and add your CMB in place of your normal attack bonus. Add any bonuses you currently have on attack rolls due to spells, feats, and other effects. These bonuses must be applicable to the weapon or attack used to perform the maneuver. The DC of this maneuver is your target's Combat Maneuver Defense. Combat maneuvers are attack rolls, so you must roll for concealment and take any other penalties that would normally apply to an attack roll.

In fact, if you wanted to go that route you may be able to take Magus VMC and get the arcana that lets them use their full level for CMB on a maneuver.

[Extra Anchovies]

Attack bonuses apply to CMB. Combat Maneuvers may not scale well, but it's not because you're 3/4 BAB when you're in Champion spirit.

Thanks for catching that! I'd probably pick up Improved Trip but I don't have the Int for Combat Expertise :smallannoyed:


In fact, if you wanted to go that route you may be able to take Magus VMC and get the arcana that lets them use their full level for CMB on a maneuver.

Oooh, that's a nice combo. I'll definitely keep it in mind.

Geez, the Medium really is a good martial class. I'm pretty impressed with this.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Magus VMC would be really good on a Medium now that I think about it, as long as you have the feat space. Between the Arcane Pool, Arcanas, and Spellstrike, there's something every Spirit can use from it.

The only catch is that you're relatively limited in your arcane pool because you're Charisma-based, not Int-based, so you may want to limit your choices to things that don't require Pool points and save them for your weapon enhancements.


Broad Study finds new and quite powerful life using the Medium list to spellstrike.
Familiar is just strong in general.
Quickened Magic is limited in number of uses but strong in power
Maneuver Mastery, of course, if you want to go with a Maneuver focus.




Thanks for catching that! I'd probably pick up Improved Trip but I don't have the Int for Combat Expertise :smallannoyed:

Can't take DSP's Martial Power? It was intended to replace the need for both Combat Expertise and Int 13. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?399647-Dreamscarred-Press-Announces-Path-of-War-Expanded-(new-thread)&p=18971032&highlight=Martial+Power#post18971032)

[stack]

Using the stamina system? That would get around combat expertise as well, I understand.

[Extra Anchovies]

Magus VMC would be really good on a Medium now that I think about it, as long as you have the feat space. Between the Arcane Pool, Arcanas, and Spellstrike, there's something every Spirit can use from it.

The only catch is that you're relatively limited in your arcane pool because you're Charisma-based, not Int-based, so you may want to limit your choices to things that don't require Pool points and save them for your weapon enhancements.

Yeah, that does look really nice. I'll definitely consider it. The only feats that I know I want are Power Attack, Spirit Focus (Champion), and Combat Reflexes, and I'm human, so I can definitely afford VMC. Which two of the three feats should I start with, and which one should wait until level 5? Ability scores are Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12.

I might ask for Cha-based Arcane Pool, but it's only one extra point so that might not matter.

I don't think I'll take Broad Study, because I'm good enough at fighting as is (my 1st-level damage is an impressive 1d10+10, and it only goes up from there). My spells are going to be geared towards utility or hours/level buffs. Spellstrike will be a bit of a wash because of it, but the arcana will be nice and I'm not exactly feat-starved.

Familiar is definitely a good one, I'll probably take that at some point.

I'm not really seeing any other appealing arcana, though. Maneuver Mastery will only really help if I have Improved [Maneuver], which I can't get.

Maybe I should do VMC Wizard? I get the familiar, plus a school's 1st-level powers, a cantrip at-will (probably not worth a feat, but a familiar is worth two feats anyways), an arcane discovery (Time Stutter and True Name both look great), and the 8th-level school power.

Can't take DSP's Martial Power? It was intended to replace the need for both Combat Expertise and Int 13. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?399647-Dreamscarred-Press-Announces-Path-of-War-Expanded-(new-thread)&p=18971032&highlight=Martial+Power#post18971032)

Yeah, I don't have access to PoW. My DM was reluctant to allow Deadly Agility when I asked if that one could be made available (I was considering TWF for a bit), so I don't want to push my luck by asking for something else from the book.


Using the stamina system? That would get around combat expertise as well, I understand.

Sorry, I don't see how. Also, I don't really have any feats planned that greatly benefit from Combat Stamina. Might pick up Improved Critical, though, in which case Combat Stamina would be totally worth it for the effective 12-20 threat range.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Yeah, that does look really nice. I'll definitely consider it. The only feats that I know I want are Power Attack, Spirit Focus (Champion), and Combat Reflexes, and I'm human, so I can definitely afford VMC. Which two of the three feats should I start with, and which one should wait until level 5? Ability scores are Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12.

I assume you're going to try and get 16 Cha through a headband? I'd personally put Spirit Focus (Champion) at lower priority than the other two, but that may simply be because I hate simple bonuses.




I'm not really seeing any other appealing arcana, though. Maneuver Mastery will only really help if I have Improved [Maneuver], which I can't get.

Prescient Attack (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/magus-arcana/paizo---magus-arcana/prescient-attack-su) would be good at higher levels, especially if you want to use Trickster pretty often.


Sorry, I don't see how. Also, I don't really have any feats planned that greatly benefit from Combat Stamina. Might pick up Improved Critical, though, in which case Combat Stamina would be totally worth it for the effective 12-20 threat range.

This is the Combat Expertise Stamina ability:


Combat Expertise (Combat): You can select this feat even if you don't meet the ability score prerequisite (Intelligence 13). You gain the benefit of this feat only as long as you have at least 1 stamina point in your stamina pool. If you spend stamina points to raise an attack roll using the Combat Stamina feat's benefits, ignore an amount of your Combat Expertise penalty equal to the number of stamina points you spent.