[PF] Tanker Fighter Build, Help Needed ^^'

[Magister-kekko]

Morning everyone! So and so, I recently started a new pathfinder campaign as a player, and after a long line of casters, I wanted to play with a martial character again (missed it so much). I am surely going to be the group's tanker and... I really need to optimize this build since I am the only experienced player and will need to be the one that solves troubles in most cases, especially combat.

I am playing a Hengeyokai Inu batsu (purely for flavor purpose, but it isn't a bad race at all) fighter wielding a nodachi, with the alternative racial trait kami-friend (I have westernized him by calling the race a cynocephalus and the sword a romphaia). I am going with the pure fighter advancement, trading armor training 2 for master armourer and armor training 3 for armor specialization, and weapon training 2 for warrior spirit. Still don't know if taking additional advanced training.

As for feats, my general idea is:
Lv 1 power attack
Bf 1 weapon focus
Bf 2 Dodge OR toughness
Lv 3 Combat reflexes OR cleave
Bf 4 weapon specialization
Lv 5 Cut from the air
Bf 6 Savage critical OR furious focus OR mobility
Lv 7 Combat patrol OR disruptive OR improved sunder
Bf 8 Greater weapon focus
Lv 9 Improved critical OR authority
Bf 10 Smash from the air
Lv 11 Stand still OR spellbreaker OR greater sunder
Bf 12 Teleport tactician OR greater cleave OR sundering strike
Lv 13 Greater weapon specialization
Bf 14 Critical focus OR spellcut OR strike back
Lv 15 Sprightly armor OR difficult swings OR poise bearing
Bf 16 Secured armor OR devastating assault OR imposing bearing
Lv 17 Cushioning Armor OR ricochet attack
Bf 18 ?
Lv 19 ?
Bf 20 ?

As you can see, it's a bit clustered and confusing, since I am undecided about which way I want this character to go. If you have any idea how to straighten it, tips and so on, please feel free to tell me. Thank you so much. :D

P. S. Almost forgot; English isn't my first language so if some of this doesn't make sense, point it out to me ^^'

[Florian]

Yeah, looks a bit weird and lacking any real focus.

As you don't have any mechanical tanking class features in PF, beyond pure incentive tanking, most of the passive abilities are bogus and should be reserved for NPC Cohorts, as the loss of actions hurt everyone in the party.

I suggest that you take a look at the Viking archetype. Beyond shifting the focus over from armor to shield (which is a very strong thing, considering Shield Mastery), Rage Powers are easily worth 2 or 3 combat feats each, even if you don't advance Rage.

Your basic setup should be quite DEX-based, with going for the whole of the Shield Bash and Two-Weapon Fighting line, with Going Shield Slam and Shield Master. Viking allows you to go the whole Witch-Killer line and add Spell Sunder as well as Eater of Magic. Understand how the whole Shield-based loop works, Kurald Galain has written a bit on this topic and I'm too lazy to repeat it.

[Kurald Galain]

Ok, but you haven't actually specified what you want your character to do, nor have you told us what level you'll be starting at.

If by "tank" you mean the ability to protect your allies, then a good feat chain is Combat Reflexes + Bodyguard, and Cut + Smash from the Air.
If instead you mean battlefield control, then you really want a reach weapon + Combat Reflexes + Greater Trip (meaning free OAs for the whole party).
If you want high damage, then power attack + improved critical is the way to go.

Generally speaking you want to avoid feats that just give +1 or +2 to something; on the one hand they're boring, and on the other hand the fighter in particular doesn't need these numerical boosts. So forget about e.g. weapon focus and dodge, unless you need them as prerequisite for something. Feats like Step Up, Lunge, and Blind-Fight are much better choices. I'm not sure why you've chosen the Sunder line (of all things), if you want to sunder things just take a reach weapon plus power attack and call it a day.