Half-Giant Mineral Warrior Fighter?

[jedikiller]

I need suggestions on how to optimize my fighter with the Half-Giant race with Mineral Warrior template (+2 LA). Stats of STR23, DEX13, CON24, INT8, WIS12, and CHA8. I also intend on wielding a giant size Fullblade with my powerful build ability.

[flappeercraft]

Take a 1 level dip in barbarian for rage and I would take some levels in Kensai for the extra damage. I would go the tripper route and have the Improved Trip and Knockdown feats which would be very good for someone with a hiogh strength score.

Edit: I would reccomend Frenzy rage variant

[tyckspoon]

Dungeoncrasher Fighter ACF (do extra damage when you bullrush enemies into solid objects/walls) + Knockback feat (get a free bullrush when you hit somebody with a Power Attack) seems like the obvious route to me. It capitalizes on your basic functions and strengths of, well, Strength, and gives significant extra rewards if there happens to be something behind your target (Ask your DM if 'down' is a valid direction to Bull Rush somebody and if the floor counts as a solid obstruction - your damage output is much more reliable if you can just full attack squash some poor bloodstain into the ground repeatedly.)

Note that as a Half-Giant you qualify for [Psionic] feats, some of which are pretty nifty. The Psionic Weapon - Deep Impact chain is probably the most obviously useful for a melee combatant; it works out to roughly 'make a Touch Attack 1/fight' (the action requirement/feat support needed to get more than one psionic focus a fight is a bit too much to justify just for that one trick, IMO.)

[jedikiller]

The campaign starts at level 10 and the la of 2 sets me to 8 class levels that I can use

[AnimeTheCat]

Give Totemist a whirl. You've got the con, strength, and other ability scores to be a powerhouse. Something like Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian 1/totemist 7 would get you a fullblade attack plus two claws and a bite with the right soulmelds.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

First of all, a Fullblade doesn't exist in 3.5. It's just a bastard sword made for a bigger creature and a misunderstanding of 3.0's weapon size rules. It's not worth wielding an oversized weapon in 3.5 because the -2 to attack rolls is better spent on Power Attacking. There's no benefit to getting a bastard sword compared to a greatsword with Powerful Build. If you want an amazing exotic weapon, get a Greathorn Minotaur Greathammer in MMIV p101, it deals 1d12 medium (3d6 large from powerful build) and has a natural 19-20/x2 crit.


A Half-Giant is +1 LA for +2 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con, powerful build, and not much else that's worth writing home about. A Goliath in Races of Stone is also +1 LA, but gets +4 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con, powerful build, and other minor abilities. Goliath would be better than Half-Giant for your base race on this character, Mineral Warrior is still decent.


For your build, I'd go Fighter 9/ Warblade 10/ Fighter 1. Use the Dungeoncrasher alternate class feature in Dungeonscape, the Zhentarim Soldier (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060327a) substitution levels (reflavored if necessary), and the free Dead Levels (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20061013a) class features. Take (Greater) Weapon Focus/Specialization and Melee Weapon Mastery, and at 20th level your Fighter 10 bonus feat can be used to get Weapon Supremacy in PH2.

[weckar]

It's not worth wielding an oversized weapon in 3.5 because the -2 to attack rolls is better spent on Power Attacking. Powerful build negates the -2, no? Regardless, it still depends on the weapon. It's generally worth it for one-handed weapons, but otherwise you tend to break even on anything that does more than increase die size (multiple similar or smaller dice).

[Twurps]

+1 to the Goliath suggestion. The same book has as nice ACF for Goliath barbarians. (mountain rage?) that lets you actually turn large during a rage. I don't think it interferes with any of the other rage ACF's, but it's been a while since I played one.

A dip in crusader for it's delayed damage pool can work very well with the DR you get from Mineral warrior. (Providing your DM rules the delayed damage is subject to DR again, you basically double your DR.)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Powerful build negates the -2, no? Regardless, it still depends on the weapon. It's generally worth it for one-handed weapons, but otherwise you tend to break even on anything that does more than increase die size (multiple similar or smaller dice).

A medium character with powerful build can use a large size weapon, but the point of the Fullblade was that it used 3.0's weapon size rules to allow a character to use one sized even bigger for higher base damage. In 3.0 inappropriately sized weapon had no penalty, but size determined whether it was light, one-handed, or two-handed. In 3.5, that's basically a medium character with powerful build using a huge bastard sword as a two-handed weapon. A large greatsword or greathorn minotaur greathammer is 3d6 (average 10.5), a huge bastard sword is 3d8 (average 13.5) at a -2 to hit. That's a -2 to hit for +3 damage on average, which is worse than taking a -2 to hit to gain +4 from power attacking two-handed.

[Metahuman1]

consider swapping to Goliath, and if possible, adding half minotaur. PARTICULARLY if you can use LA buy off to get rid of an LA and then get rid of the rest of the LA, and then get rid of Mineral Warrior LA. A particularly generous DM will let you do some/all of that before game starts. (Might even also let you refluff Loth touched to a different Deity to get the benefits with out having to be involved with Loth or Chaotic Evil.)



Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian. Use either Whirling Frenzy (Unearthed Arcana.), or if a Goliath and NOT a half Minotaur, consider Mountain Rage Sub Level for Goliaths. Go four levels in this, and consider at level 2 the Wolf Totem Barbarian from Unearthed Arcana. Take 2 Flaws at level 1 for bonus feats (Unearthed Arcana.) Also take the Trap Killer AFC at level 3 from Dungeonscape, and swap Ride out as a class skill for Tumble, via Cityscape. You'll want 2 cross class ranks in Spellcraft, 3 ranks in craft: weapon making, and an apprentice feat from Dungeon Master's Guide 2. Hunter. Spot and Survival are permanent class skills. Max out Spot, Listen, Hide, Move Silently, Survival, Tumble, Intimidate, whatever else floats your boat. Take also, if you can work it in, Nymph's Kiss, and Exotic Weapons Proficiency: Great Scimitar (Sandstorm. You can refluff it as a German Lang Messer or something if needed.), and weapons focus with the same weapon. Power Attack, Extra Rage, and Bulls Rush.

Now multiclass to fighter, use the cityscape variant mentioned, and Dungeoncrasher from Dungeonscape, and of course, Thug, also from Unearthed Arcana. If you got away with Half Minotaur, ask if you can take a different feat other than track at Thug Fighter 1. Otherwise, move along with it.

By level 6 you should have Improved Bulls Rush. Level 7, take 1 level of Exotic Weapons Master. Get the trick that, when you do a 2 handed swing with a 1 handed exotic weapon, let's you do x2 Str mod to damage.

Next, look up and pick the Dead Level Fighter rules.

Level 9 you get two feats. Make it Knockback and Rampaging Bulls Rush. Level 12 you get a feat, make it Endurance. Level 13 you get a feat, make it Steadfast Determination. Level 15 you get 2 feats, make them Improved Initiative, and Blind Fight. Level 17 you get a feat, make it Mage Slayer. Level 18 you get a feat, make it Pierce Magical Concealment. Level 19 you get your last feat, make it Pierce Magical Protections.



When you buy your sword, you should be able to use a large one. If you got away with Half Minotaur Goliath, you should be able to use a Huge one. Have it made of Katori Resin, and buy 2 Scabbards of Keen Edge's to use with it.


Every fight should now involve you Rage/Frenzying, you can full attack on a charge, with a weapon you get default x2 Str mod and 2-1 Power Attacking with on damage that has a 15-20 threat range and x4 critical damage multiplier. And your bulls Rush checks should be monstrous and do even more damage when you can put the enemy into a solid object. And yes, ask if down and the ground count.

You can also scout ahead for the party, and deal with traps for them. If your lucky, you can also be the scary one in social encounters. So you've got a bit of stuff to do outside of combat.

[Cyphrus]

LA +1/Fighter 6/Barbarian2/Warblade 1 - CR 10

Race - Goliath

F1 - Power Attack, Imp. Bullrush
F2 - Dungeoncrash pt. 1 (DScape)
F3 - Zent Soldier ACF (CoV), Knockback
F4 - Imp. Sunder
F5 - Zent Soldier ACF (CoV), Leap Attack
F6 - Dungeoncrash pt. 2 (DScape), Shock Trooper
B1 - Whirling Frenzy ACF (UA), Spirit Lion ACF (Pounce) (CC)
B2 - Wolf Totem ACF (Imp. Trip) (UA)
W1 - Combat Brute

This is a very effective leveling plan, if Done in this order you get a lot of fun toys in the form of combat otions, all you have to do is grab some form of twohander, strong suggestion to a tripping polearm with reach.

Also at your first level of warblade you have an initiator level of five, meaning you gain access to third level maneuvers, which includes Iron Heart Surge.

Small ideas to further improve this is to make use of the dead level fillers that was earlier suggested. Or if allowed LA buyoff.

Just keep leveling warblade the rest the game, and enjoy!

Sources - PHB, Unearthed Arcana, Races of Stone, Complete Warrior, Complete Champion,Champions of Valor, Tome of Battle

[Endarire]

If done correctly, 1 Warblade level can get you White Raven Tactics AND Iron Heart Surge. Make your stance Iron Heart or White Raven, take a maneuver as a prereq in the other discipline, and take WRT and IHS.