[Maximum weapon base damage?] build, optimization, melee, Vital Strike

[Seppo87]

I'm toying with the idea of a character with the following feats:

Power Attack
Vital Strike chain
Cleave, Great Cleave, Goblin Cleaver
Weapon Trick (to combine Cleave and Vital Strike)

Probably Improved Cleaving Finish

Maybe Stunning Assault
Maybe Devastating Strike
Maybe Furious Focus


I want the character to be able to

-become as big as possible to threaten a large area
-use a manifactured weapon
-achieve the highest possible base weapon damage, so that multiplying it with vital strike gives a good return
-be able to do all of this without needing buffs from other players or npcs

I know this is probably a bad idea as it's not going to be any good, but I really like the image and I would like to make it viable and see it in action with respectable efficiency.

What would be your choice of class(es), feats, traits, equipment? (no 3rd party)

I was thinking about Titan Fighter 1, Warpriest 19, with a Greatsword.
But I'm no Pathfinder expert, so I'm not sure if better options exist (I mean, they definitely do! right?)

For anyone familiar with 3.5, I'm basically trying to recreate a War Hulk: A big character that with a single sweeping blow hits multiple enemies dealing massive damage.

[Krazzman]

Some pointers:
Look at Oni-Spawn (Hungerseed) Tieflings. They have a Racial Trait called Superior Clutch. Giving them +1 trait bonus on damage rolls when using weapons intended for creatures of a larger size.

Just one measly point of damage but Tiefling (especially Oni Spawn) brings some other nice things on the table.

[Seppo87]

Probably Human or Dwarf is better?
Dwarf qualifies for Goblin Cleaver that is essential for the build to work, human can qualify with Racial Heritage and he gets 1/6 combat feats from Warpries (assuming we're going warpriest) which is a net gain of 2 feats.
With 2 more feats you can get much more than a +1 to damage

What about weapon damage?
Huge Greatsword = maximum? (titan fighter + growing large with a spell)

[Florian]

Best basis should be Fighter (Titan Mauler) VMC Sorcerer (Orc Bloodline) based on an Oni Spawn picking up Focus Weapon to have the Warpriest damage dice progression.

[Seppo87]

I found the Impact enhancement:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons/magic-weapon-special-abilities/impact
This takes the weapon damage to Gargantuan (large PC, Huge sword, gargantuan damage)
This is a good start, but...
Colossal would be even better.


Any ways to become Huge rather than Large while retaining full BaB (or at least virtual bab as per warpriest) ?? :smallredface:


----


picking up Focus Weapon to have the Warpriest damage dice progression.
Cool, didn't know that. Great advice.

Gargantuan 2d8 should become 6d8 base damage (avg. 27) x3 on every opponent (81) just from base weapon damage. This is not bad actually!

[StreamOfTheSky]

Unless things have changed dramatically in the past year or two, the best route to go for Vital Strike is actually a natural weapon. A summoner's eidolon, a wild shaped druid (Behemoth Hippo being the best form to use), or a druid's animal companion. Use Improved Natural Attack, size increases (enlarge person on a druid or eidolon -- it works due to share spells' wording -- or animal growth on a companion; increase the eidolon to huge w/ points, etc...), and the strong jaw spell (another two size increases).

The weapon size increases start off gradual but then toward then end start shooting up +4d6 each increase. You want to get to that magical land.

There was also some feat in Ult. Combat I think, that let a Barbarian do maximum Vital Strike damage if he ends his rage while doing so. Since you need 4 levels of full BAB dips to get Greater VS (if going the wildshape druid or synthesist summoner routes), a barb dip is thus a no-brainer.

EDIT: Here it is. So, you want fatigue immunity, or just have a wand of lesser restoration ready, perhaps with an ally/minion.


Furious Finish

You channel all of your rage into one massive blow to crush your enemy.

Prerequisites: Rage class feature, Vital Strike, base attack bonus +6.

Benefit: While raging, when you use the Vital Strike feat, you can choose not to roll your damage dice and instead deal damage equal to the maximum roll possible on those damage dice. If you do, your rage immediately ends, and you are fatigued (even if you would not normally be).

[Alex12]

Have a Ranger buddy (or levels in Ranger, I guess) to cast Lead Blades (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/l/lead-blades) on you.

If Path of War were permitted, I'd point you toward the Primal Fury discipline, particularly Primal Warrior Stance, to increase effective weapon size by 2 categories. In fact, I'm noting that anyway in case someone stumbles on this thread later on looking for advice.

[Seppo87]

In 3.5 I would assume Impact and Lead Blades to stack.

Pathfinder seems to be designed to avoid stacking so I'm in doubt. Are there any reasons why the two effects wouldn't stack?

[Alex12]

In 3.5 I would assume Impact and Lead Blades to stack.

Pathfinder seems to be designed to avoid stacking so I'm in doubt. Are there any reasons why the two effects wouldn't stack?

You could make the argument that, since Impact requires Lead Blades to create, that it wouldn't stack any more than 2 castings of Lead Blades would. But, unlike with size increases, I'm unaware of any rule that says effective size increases don't stack.

[Seppo87]

You could make the argument that, since Impact requires Lead Blades to create, that it wouldn't stack any more than 2 castings of Lead Blades would. But, unlike with size increases, I'm unaware of any rule that says effective size increases don't stack.
I checked FAQs. As I suspected, they don't stack.
As expected of Pathfinder, I'm getting used to its design philosophy.
The times of Greater Mighty Wallop + Mighty Wallop to get to Colossal+ are long over

[stack]

I like Spheres of Power for this, using alteration for the size change talent and light for the encompassing light talent. Warder (Path of War) 1, Thaumaturge X to hit the break points faster. Not available at many tables though.