AoO

[Stormcrow]

For reasons I don't overly want to get into I made an enormous oversight with a build that is now in play and I need a way to boost the number of AoO I can make in a round. I have 10 dex so the normal feat wont work. Any magic items to help me out here?

[RTGoodman]

Well, you always get your one AoO per round. If by "the normal feat" you mean Combat Reflexes, all you need is an item that boosts your Dex (Gloves of Dexterity or something like that). The higher your Dex bonus, the more AoOs per round.

[Damionte]

Wait 12 levels so you can qualify for the feat, or find some magic that boosts it. or forget about attacks of opportunities.

That's kinda neat. I've never seen anyone boop up a build like that before. You roptomisation card has been revoked.

[Stormcrow]

Wait 12 levels so you can qualify for the feat, or find some magic that boosts it. or forget about attacks of opportunities.

That's kinda neat. I've never seen anyone boop up a build like that before. You roptomisation card has been revoked.

I don't optomise. I'd just never played a character with a reach weapon before and didn't realise how handy AoO were going to be. I play flavour over power anyday.

[Roog]

I don't optomise. I'd just never played a character with a reach weapon before and didn't realise how handy AoO were going to be. I play flavour over power anyday.

Ask your GM if you can change the construction of your character, and talk about what might be possible.

[Stormcrow]

Ask your GM if you can change the construction of your character, and talk about what might be possible.


He told me the only thing he'll consider is a completely new character nothing like my current character so I figure I'll just run with it. I'm a duskblade with a glaive....

[Inyssius Tor]

Not to be that guy who pops in just to say "play a wizard, they're better," or "he's a moron, never talk to him again," but...

Your DM sucks! You make one minor mistake, completely invisible in-game, that totally neuters your build, and he gives you two options: play a useless character, or play a different character (that you presumably don't want to play, given that you want to play this one).

[Dhavaer]

I'm a duskblade with a glaive....

Really? Huh, I'm about to start playing as a glaive-wielding Duskblade. Guess there's only so many good class/weapon combinations.

[Draz74]

You can see if you can research a spell that's just like the Psionic Power Prowess (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/prowess.htm). Or see if you can buy a custom psionic item that gives you use-activated Prowess (just make sure it doesn't take a standard action to activate the Item!).

[TSGames]

I play flavour over power anyday.
The two are not mutually exclusive or even opposed to each other.

[Elana]

Not to be that guy who pops in just to say "play a wizard, they're better," or "he's a moron, never talk to him again," but...

Your DM sucks! You make one minor mistake, completely invisible in-game, that totally neuters your build, and he gives you two options: play a useless character, or play a different character (that you presumably don't want to play, given that you want to play this one).

You are leaning a lot out of the window with that.
For all we know he could be the best storyteller in the world.
And he puts in the demands because he actually value things like continuity.

The game is about having fun, not about being the most powerfull killing machine there is.
(Granted from the player point of view it doesn't hurt to be capable of such things)

[Kurald Galain]

Get yourself polymorphed into something with higher dex.

[bigbaddragon]

Steadfast Boots (Magic Item Compendium page 138)
Price: 1400gp
+4 bonus on checks to avoid being tripped, bull rushed or overrun. As long as you carry a two handed weapon, you are treated as if you had readied that weapon against any creature that charges you (and thus it deals double damage if your attack is successful), even if the weapon can't normally be set against a charge.

This would help if you're charged at a lot. Also Bracers of Opportunity (MIC 81) allow you to make extra AoO even if you have already reached your max number of AoOs for that round. This functions two times per day but the item is really cheap (2300 gp) and it wouldn't be a problem to get several of these.

[KIDS]

Stormcrow, check out the Sword & Fist book. It might not be directly usable in your situation but one of the weapons ther, Manti, allows a proficient user to make one extra AoO per round, stackable with other effects which increase number of AoOs.

[Hranat]

Really? Huh, I'm about to start playing as a glaive-wielding Duskblade. Guess there's only so many good class/weapon combinations.

Can't the Duskblade use Ranseurs or Guisarmes? Those are a lot better... you can trip someone with an AoO right?

[Swooper]

Stormcrow, check out the Sword & Fist book. It might not be directly usable in your situation but one of the weapons ther, Manti, allows a proficient user to make one extra AoO per round, stackable with other effects which increase number of AoOs.
That's 3.0, therefore not neccisarily (I hate spelling that word) useable, depending on the DM. Also, he's trying to use a glaive as stated above.

[Dhavaer]

Can't the Duskblade use Ranseurs or Guisarmes? Those are a lot better... you can trip someone with an AoO right?

You can trip someone with an AoO, but they don't get as much damage and tripping isn't based of BAB. Tripping is best left to those who specialise in it.

[Tweekinator]

I don't optomise.

You realize that optimizing is exactly what you're asking for help with right now, don't you?

Without knowing anything else about your character besides "duskblade with a glaive who has 10 Dex and wants more AoOs", it's kind of hard to help you.

You can still be decently effective without all kinds of AoOs as a duskblade with a glaive.

[Inyssius Tor]

I don't really see how more information than "I'm a duskblade with 10 dex, who wants additional AoOs while wielding a glaive" is necessary, if all Stormcrow wants is additional AoOs.
:smallconfused: He didn't ask for anything else, so it seems like giving him information on how trip attacks work (for instance) is about as relevant as TLN's Guide To Being Batman.

... not to be an on-topic-nazi or anything, since there doesn't appear to be any way to gain the requested ability...

[Tweekinator]

Because level or race has absolutely no bearing on anything like this at all. :smallconfused:

[skywalker]

There is actually a big advantage to knowing his level, race and other stats, to know how much he can spend, how high his INT and STR b/c he might have some stat bumps to spend, how many feats he can take, etc.

I actually did the exact same thing, I have a duskblade 7 with 10 DEX who fights with a glaive. It's really not the end of the world. My character has been more effective than any other I've played with or been in a party with(the guy who plays magic users is the anti-optimizer).

Why do you want the extra AoO's, and can you give us more info?

[Shhalahr Windrider]

The game is about having fun, not about being the most powerfull killing machine there is.
Ah, but there's the rub. If a player doesn't find it fun to play a particular character—even if it's just for a small reason like not being able to take a particular feat—the DM should provide some option to rectify the situation. Does the DM have to let the player directly rebuild a character already in play*? Not necessarily. There are other methods. Particularly if magic items are involved.

The point is that if we take as given s (1) the goal of D&D is to have fun and (2) the DM's job is to facilitate the goal of D&D, then a DM whose rulings prevent group members from having fun is acting as a bad DM.

So, I suppose the real question is, "Is Stormcrow not having any fun?"

[hr]* Of course, there are also rules for rebuilding ability scores within the game—see PH2—so there's even a good systematic, supposedly fair way of doing that.

[Saph]

Really? Huh, I'm about to start playing as a glaive-wielding Duskblade. Guess there's only so many good class/weapon combinations.

Weird. I just independently drew up a glaive-wielding Duskblade a few days ago for a campaign that'll start in a week and a half.

Maybe we should make a club or something. :P

- Saph

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Maybe we should make a club or something. :P
What? Replace the glaives? Clubs don't even have reach.

[Fixer]

Weird. I just independently drew up a glaive-wielding Duskblade a few days ago for a campaign that'll start in a week and a half.

Maybe we should make a club or something. :P

- Saph

What is its dex?

[Saph]

What? Replace the glaives?

A Glaive-Club. To replace the Glaive-Guisarme. :P

- Saph

[Indon]

You realize that optimizing is exactly what you're asking for help with right now, don't you?


He said he doesn't optimize. That's our job!

I'm pretty sure taking Combat Reflexes gives you a second AOO even if you don't have a positive dex mod, but I have no book access so don't take my word on that.

[Arbitrarity]

Nope. Actually, it wuld be interesting if it did, and you could take it more than once, and benefits stack, but then CO boards would go to town.

[Saph]

What is its dex?

14.

Anyway, my suggestion would be: Take Combat Reflexes, buy some Gloves of Dexterity +2, and a set of Bracers of Opportunity (from the Magic Item Compendium). That'll give you two AoO's per round, with a +2 attack bonus on each one, and a third AoO twice per day. That should be enough unless you're fighting absolute swarms of enemies. This costs a total of 6,300 gold, which is within the budget of most characters of 5th-level and up.

If you're lower-level than that, then I can't think of anything other than simply suiciding your character and cloning him with a higher dex.

Edit: Extra option - if you're 5th-level or higher, for your Duskblade spell take either cat's grace or animalistic power. This'll boost your dex, allowing more AoO's with Combat Reflexes.

- Saph

[Person_Man]

Do you want to be an effective Duskblade, or do you want to play a Trip build?

Not all Duskblades need to be Trip builds. And most Trip builds generally do better as a Knight, or a Fighter at low levels, or a Barbarian with the right variants.

[Tweekinator]

If you want to take some levels in Pyschic Warrior (unlikely) there is a 2nd level power that gives you 1 additional AoO for the round.

And in the Magic Item Compendium there is an item that gives you 2 additional AoOs per day and another that gives the Combat Reflexes feat.


Thanks to the folks at the CharOP boards for these solutions.

[bigbaddragon]

Btw Stormcrow, can you tell us which level is your duskblade? It would help us help you.

EDIT: And how much money you have at your disposal?

[Keld Denar]

Combat Reflexes requires a dex of 13 to aquire, however, due to everyone's favorite FAQ entry (the one about STR and PA) you can qualify for a feat using a semi-temporary buff such as a permanent magic item. Therefore, depending on your level and wealth, I'd recommend aquiring either a +4 dex item (gloves most likely) OR ataining +2 gloves AND reaching a level divisible by 4 for a stat bump THEN taking combat reflexes at earliest opportunity.

The only problem with this would be if you character were in an antimagic field or similarly disjoined, or if your character were parted with his/her magic items (capture, destruction, bartered away, etc). Then you would be stuck with a useless feat until you could find some way to later raise your dex to 13+ (such as reaquiring said magic items, or adding a couple levels of dragon disciple or other class that raises attributes).

I'm 99% sure you have to have the ability score in the first place in order to take the feat, though, so you can't grab combat reflexes and have it lie dormant until you spontaniously feel yourself becoming more dexterous. You would have to get the stats, then take the feat at the next available opportunity.

[Arbitrarity]

Nooo... it's just useless with less than 12 dex.


Check it out:

Combat Reflexes [General]
Benefit
You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity equal to your Dexterity bonus.

With this feat, you may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.

Normal
A character without this feat can make only one attack of opportunity per round and can’t make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.

Special
The Combat Reflexes feat does not allow a rogue to use her opportunist ability more than once per round.

A fighter may select Combat Reflexes as one of his fighter bonus feats.

A monk may select Combat Reflexes as a bonus feat at 2nd level.

[bigbaddragon]

Combat Reflexes requires a dex of 13 to aquire

Just checked, Combat Reflexes has no requirements, and I also noticed something for the first time (and I looked so many times at it) : it allows you to make AoOs while flat-footed. I guess its that example with goblins that always makes me skip further reading.

So the conclusion is that you should take combat reflexes and get yourself dex boosting item or get Cat'sGrace-ed. Another spell that raises your dex is Divine Agility from Spell Compendium, its a 5th level cleric spell that lasts round per level and it gives +10 enhancement bonus to dexterity.

[Dhavaer]

14.

Really? Mine too! Yay twins!

[Stormcrow]

Man I am sorry. I did not mean to start a war over here.

To explain my past statements;

When I said I don't optimise and that I play flavour over power I did realise that these things aren't mutually inclusive. What I was trying to get across is that I don't want to be superman I just didn't realise when I build the character just how many Attacks of Opurtunity were going to be provoked attacking him and I want to take advantage of that _in_ character.

To answer the various questions;

My character is level 7.
My character is Skint broke.
My character is human.
My character's name is Faruk ay Hakiim el Hassan.
My character is from Calimshan in the Forgotten Realms.
My character is traveling with a crafting transmuter. Who I can _nicely_ ask to make me discounted Items.

[Leon]

Weird. I just independently drew up a glaive-wielding Duskblade a few days ago for a campaign that'll start in a week and a half.

Maybe we should make a club or something. :P

- Saph

Can Druids with Glaives join too

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Just checked, Combat Reflexes has no requirements, and I also noticed something for the first time (and I looked so many times at it) : it allows you to make AoOs while flat-footed. I guess its that example with goblins that always makes me skip further reading.
Blaargh!

I knew that, too! I just forgot about it while reading this thread! Yeah, you don't need Dex to take the feat. You just need Dex to get the full use of the feat. You could have a 6 Dex and still take Combat Reflexes, gaining the ability to make AoOs while flat-footed. You'd just need to raise your Dex to 12 or more to get the additional AoOs per round.

Yeah. Totally blanked on that one! :smalltongue:

[Dhavaer]

My character is Skint broke.

Seeing 'Skint' capitalised immediately made me think "what's a Skint? Isn't that one of the Incarnum races?". :smallwink:

[skywalker]

Seeing 'Skint' capitalised immediately made me think "what's a Skint? Isn't that one of the Incarnum races?". :smallwink:

I thought the EXACT same thing.

A glaive-guisarme? I point you in the direction of the "halberd," good sirs(yes, I know it doesn't have reach, but it SHOULD. Also, any DB worth his stylishness would never use one.) I say we make a club for glaive-wielding duskblades.

[Damionte]

Man I am sorry. I did not mean to start a war over here.

To explain my past statements;

When I said I don't optimise and that I play flavour over power I did realise that these things aren't mutually inclusive. What I was trying to get across is that I don't want to be superman I just didn't realise when I build the character just how many Attacks of Opurtunity were going to be provoked attacking him and I want to take advantage of that _in_ character.

To answer the various questions;

My character is level 7.
My character is Skint broke.
My character is human.
My character's name is Faruk ay Hakiim el Hassan.
My character is from Calimshan in the Forgotten Realms.
My character is traveling with a crafting transmuter. Who I can _nicely_ ask to make me discounted Items.


Then the answers are already in the thread. You're currently already 7 so you missed the chance to pick up combat reflexes at 6. So either take a couple levels of fighter, or wait till you get to 9th level to pick it up.

In the meantime start putting your extra abiity score points from lvl 8 & 12 into Dex. Boom you've got more attacks of opportunity. Think long term.

[Tweekinator]

You could try asking your crafting transmuter to make you the bracers of opportunity. Their market price is 2,300 gold and they should help until you can get the Combat Reflexes feat and boost your Dex. If your DM allows custom items, you may want to look into getting an item of the psionic power Prowess (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/prowess.htm) which would grant you potentially unlimited AoOs in a round, depending on how many uses it has.