Help me optimize my fear-based Dread build

[EisenKreutzer]

I am not an optimizer by any stretch of the imagination, but I have trid to atleast make this concept work. It might not be the best way to build this character, and the concept itself might not be the most optimal way of doing a fear stacking character, but I have tried my best to follow my idea to it's logical conclusion.

The idea here is to combine the Dread and Antipaladin auras to inflict enemies with a whopping -8 versus Fear effects. In addition, I use Cornugon Smash and other feats with Unchained Skill unlocks to stack fear on enemies, as well as limited manifesting to augment and reinforce this concept.

I built the character up to level 15, because realistically most campaigns end around that point.

I went human for race. The build ended up as:
Dread 11/Antipaladin 3/Thug Rogue 1
Antipaladin 3 / Dread 12

For this version, I took 3 Antipaladin levels first, then twelve levels of Dread for a 15 levels total build.

Here is the Feat progression I ended up with this time:

Lvl 1: Bludgeoner and Enforcer
Lvl 3: Power Attack
Lvl 5: Signature Skill (Intimidate)
Lvl 7: Cornugon Smash, retrain Enforcer for Weapon Focus
Lvl 8: Bonus Feat: Disciple of Fear, retrain Bludgeoner for Dazzling Display
Lvl 9: Disheartening Display
Lvl 11: Shatter Defences
Lvl 12: Bonus Feat: Touch of Terror
Lvl 13: Hurtful
Lvl 15: Penetrating Fear

I chose the following Terrors, in order: Overwhelming Fear, Mindlock, Sickening Fear, Haunting Steps, Ranged Mindlock and Soul-chilling Fear.

I chose the following powers:
0 - Unearthly Terror, Telepathic Lash
1 - Defensive Precognition, Untochable Aura, Mind Thrust
2 - Moan of the Sorrowful Dead, True Terror, Id Insinuation
3 - Mind over the Immaterial, Sanguine Displacement, Caustic Transfusion
4 - Fear Cascade, Deadly Fear, Sensory Cascade

This version of the build loses the Rogue dip and a couple of Feats, most notably Violent Display which synergized with the Rogue dip. The manifesting is slightly better with one extra Dread level, and the fear auras come online much earlier this time.

How does this build hold up to Playground scrutiny?

[Novawurmson]

What does Thug rogue really do for your build? Just the +1 round to Intimidate?

I almost feel like you'd be best starting 3 levels of Antipaladin or 3 levels of Dread to make a rush for 1 aura that penetrates fear effects.

[EisenKreutzer]

What does Thug rogue really do for your build? Just the +1 round to Intimidate?

I almost feel like you'd be best starting 3 levels of Antipaladin or 3 levels of Dread to make a rush for 1 aura that penetrates fear effects.

Thug Rogue is for the +1 round and escalating fear, and sets up Violent Display later on with Sneak Attack. It might be a poor choice. Do you have any suggestions? Perhaps Rake Rogue might be better?

Rushing three levels of Dread or Antipaladin for the first aura miht be a good idea. Perhaps Dread first, to get the most out of manifestation early on?

[Novawurmson]

I'm pretty sure the Unchained skill unlock is better than Thug Rogue is all.

Dread 3 vs. Antipaladin 3 is tough. Antipaladin would be tougher (d10 HD+heavy armor+Cha to saving throws) and a bit more accurate (full BAB). Dread has a lot more skills (6+Int vs. 2+Int)+powers, but I think with how melee focused and feat-locked your build is, Antipaladin is the better start.

[EisenKreutzer]

Dropping Rogue will increase my BAB by 1, which is always welcome. And you are right, Unchained unlocks are strictly better than Frighten. I guess Antipaladin is the better choice for the first three levels, since the build is very melee focused.

What about the Feats? Is there anything I could change for the better in my Feat selection?

I just noticed my entire Feat selection is messed up because I failed to read the class features properly. I'll go back to the drawing board on this one.

[EisenKreutzer]

I have updated the build, and it is hopefully a little bit better now.

I am loving the Dread! It might not be the most powerful psionic class, but it is oozing flavour and has some really fun options available. Tinkering with this build has been fun so far!

[Novawurmson]

One thing you might want to run by any GM before playing this is whether the fear auras stack. They have different names (and thus should stack by RAW), but they are almost word for word equivalent (I was actually the person who suggested giving the Dread the Antipaladin's aura back during the playtest :smalltongue:). Personally, I'd allow it - three levels of manifesting and dread class features is pretty painful, so you're definitely giving up a lot to get a lot.

Oh, also: The trait Psionic Knack is pretty great for this build.

[EisenKreutzer]

One thing you might want to run by any GM before playing this is whether the fear auras stack. They have different names (and thus should stack by RAW), but they are almost word for word equivalent (I was actually the person who suggested giving the Dread the Antipaladin's aura back during the playtest :smalltongue:). Personally, I'd allow it - three levels of manifesting and dread class features is pretty painful, so you're definitely giving up a lot to get a lot.

Oh, also: The trait Psionic Knack is pretty great for this build.

The penalties are untyped, so they should stack just fine. Also, unlike bonuses, penalties practically always stack unless specifically noted otherwise.
I will definitely look at Psionic Knack!

[EisenKreutzer]

I'm uncertain about the Feats Shatter Defences and Hurtful. I don't really feel they add much to the build.

Does anyone have any ideas for replacements for them?

[meschlum]

I'm uncertain about the Feats Shatter Defences and Hurtful. I don't really feel they add much to the build.

Does anyone have any ideas for replacements for them?

The Damnation (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/damnation-feats) feats are quite helpful for Intimidate if you take at least two (Souless Gaze is one), and Fiendskin is nice for combat types as well (energy resistance to immunity is good). The other two are less useful for the benefits they grant directly, but upgrade your Intimidate nicely and give energy immunity, so they are useful anyway.

[Novawurmson]

Eh, I'm not convinced the Damnation feats are right for this build, even if I like them in general. He's already got stacking fear conditions from the skill unlock, and he's already got free-action Intimidate from Enforcer.

Have you considered Martial Training? Black Seraph and Eternal Guardian are both keyed off of Intimidate (and Black Seraph is very "EEEEEVIL" which works well with Antipaladin.

Expanded Knowledge is great for any manifester.

[EisenKreutzer]

Eh, I'm not convinced the Damnation feats are right for this build, even if I like them in general. He's already got stacking fear conditions from the skill unlock, and he's already got free-action Intimidate from Enforcer.

Have you considered Martial Training? Black Seraph and Eternal Guardian are both keyed off of Intimidate (and Black Seraph is very "EEEEEVIL" which works well with Antipaladin.

Expanded Knowledge is great for any manifester.

I did consider Martial Training, but I'm unsure how deep into the disciplines I am going to be able to dig, since the build is rather Feat heavy.

Also, I retrained both Enforcer and Bludgeoner fairly early in my build to be able to access Dazzling Display and it's Feat Chain. Was that a mistake? If I don't retrain, I could potentially get those Feats later, but having both seemed unnesseccary to me.

Expanded Knowledge is a real contended for atleast one of the Feat slots I'm unsure about. I'll do some research to see what powers might help the build.

[Novawurmson]

Oh, yeah, you're going the Cornugon Smash route. Either is a free action Intimidate that can be used as part of a full attack - I think the retraining is a handy way to always have a method available.

[EisenKreutzer]

Oh, yeah, you're going the Cornugon Smash route. Either is a free action Intimidate that can be used as part of a full attack - I think the retraining is a handy way to always have a method available.

I used retraining because the build is Feat intensive and I didn't have a lot of slots to work with. To my eyes Cornugon Smash looked like the superior option, while the Enforcer/Bludgeoner combo would serve me well for the first few levels until Cornugon Smash and the Display line became available.