Vague Avenger Vigilante Build Idea

[Foxman778]

I was reading up on the vigilante talents and saw Lethal Grace. And that got me thinking about the Elven Curve Blade and two-handing for 1.5 STR.

My question is, if using an Elven Curve Blade, Lethal Grace, and Avenger specialization, how would you build this?

[Foxman778]

To clarify, I'm looking for example stat arrangements, some low-level feats that would be good, and anything else you can think of.

[Serafina]

Start with 13 or 14 Strength. 13 is cheap, and can be raised to 14 with one ability score increase.
Play an Elf to get Elven Weapon Familiarity - or better, play a Half-Elf and grab the same as an alternate racial trait.

Take Weapon Finesse at level 1, then retrain it into Power Attack at level 2 when you take Lethal Grace.
Retrain Power Attack into something else at level 4 when you take Shield of Blades (Edit: don't, it doesn't work if you use Dex-to-hit).
Grab Unkillable at 6th level. Not only does it grant Diehard, but you can also take standard actions while disabled without losing HP. Later, it gets better and makes sure you outright won't die from HP-damage for one round, and at 18th-level you can even take actions normally while disabled.

Other than that? It's a standard two-handed build. You'll want Furious Focus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/furious-focus-combat), but you also have plenty of feats to spare. What else do you want to do with your Avenger?


As an alternative build, consider Vital Punishment. Vital Strike is usually pretty meh, but the option to use it on attacks of opportunity is pretty nice. High Dexterity fits decently enough with moving through enemy spaces, so you can go for a mobile build that way (especially if you take Shadows to increase your movement speed by 10/20 feet).
If so, look into a build that provokes attacks of opportunity (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mXdUdaJe4-LyieTN36lrj-psKxhCLx8bO9-T8cg-ugg/edit). It honestly works better with an Elven Branched Spear (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/weapons/weapon-descriptions/spear-elven-branched), but oh well (you'll be proficient with both though).
As a higher-level possibility, you can take Cleave, Great Cleave and Weapon Trick (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/weapon-trick-combat) (Two-Handed) along with Improved Vital Strike, it's a pretty neat trick against multiple enemies and you should have the feats to spare. Plus, Weapon Trick will also allow you to take 10 on Intimidate during combat.


Speaking of Intimidate, the Vigilante in general has some nice options for it, especially from level 11 onward.
First, Violent Display (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/violent-display-combat) works well with the high crit range of the curve blade. Dazzling Display is nice if you can use it as an immediate action (don't otherwise spend your actions on it).
Second, take Disheartening Display (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/disheartening-display-combat). It'll really kick in at 11th level when you have Frightening Appearance. At that point, you can make a bunch of enemies shaken and one of them feared during your opening round - then, if you land one crit, you follow with Disheartening Display and make the shaken enemies frightened, the frightened enemy panicked (as well as prolonging the durations, which is very good).



So, here's a build:
Vigilante Talents:
2: Lethal Grace 4: Signature Weapon 6: Unkillable 8: Combat Skill (Disheartening Display) 10: Shadows Speed 12: Mad Rush 14: ??? 16: ??? 18: ??? 20: ???
Feats:
1: Weapon Finesse 2: retrain into Power Attack 3: Cornugon Smash 5: Dazzling Display 7: Violent Display 9: Furious Focus 11: Hurtful 13: Critical Focus 15: Blinding Critical 17: ??? 19: ???
Skills:
Maxed Intimidiate
Maxed Stealth
whatever else you want
Ability Scores
Strength 13, Dexterity 14(16), Constitution 14, Charisma 14, higher as possible/wanted

That's a decent build.
You hit for decent damage (especially if you use some magic to also increase your Strength), with a pretty good chance for critical hits. You'll intimidate enemies at the same time from level 4 onward. From level 8 onward, those critical hits will result in an area-intimidate. From level 11 onward, if you manage that at the start of the combat most enemies will spend several rounds running way from you. At that point, you'll also gain swift-action attacks, though only if you don't use Dazzling Display instead (both eat swift-actions). At level 12, you'll have a 50 foot movement speed and pounce. At level 15, you'll blind enemies with critical hits
With the renown social talents, you'll eventually have a +8 bonus over whatever you get from charisma and skill ranks on Intimidate, so you'll basically succeed easily against most things that aren't immune (immunity will ruin your day though).

You can also play a friendly face decently enough, if you take Social Grace. You also have the skill points for it, so you're not useless in non-combat situations.

[Foxman778]

Doesn't Shield of Blades require you to use STR on attack rolls?

[Serafina]

Right, my bad.
Well, in that case, disregard it. The shield bonus would have been nice, but is hardly vital. Take something else in it's stead, including just Combat Skill to grab a feat you want.

Edited the build, basically it's the same with slightly different progression, and the loss of the shield bonus.

[Foxman778]

Alright thanks a bunch, this exactly what I asked for.