Dimenion Leap Bullrush build

[Tesla_pasta]

I'm working on an idea for a mobile melee build for an upcoming game using Dungeoncrasher Fighter and the Blade of Orien prestige class.

We'll start at 3rd level, and we'll play at least to 10th level (though we may keep our characters and play higher level after this campaign is complete). We're supposed to stick to Core + Completes + Ebberon, anything else we need to run by the DM for approval (they okay'd the ACFs listed already).

Here's the skeleton of the build I'm trying to work out:

Human Fighter 6 / Blade of Orien X

Starting stats 16/14/14/10/10/14 (32 point-buy)

Feats at level 6: Least Dragonmark of Passage, Dragonmark prodigy, Quicken Dragonmark, Lesser Dragonmark, Power Attack, Improved Bullrush

Alternative Class Features: Dungeoncrasher Fighter, Skilled City Dweller (ride->tumble)

depending on how far the campaign goes I'll also pick up Greater Dragonmark and Shocktrooper or sunder+combat brute. Level up stat points into strength.

skill points will go to tumble and diplomacy and probably some cross class Use Magic Device

The base idea is using the extra mobility from the mark of passage/blade of orien to jump around the battlefield and get in good positions for bullrushes.

I know I can enter Blade of Orien a level earlier with a level in Dragonmark Heir, but i don't think it's worth losing the extra dungeoncrasher damage and point of BaB


Build questions-

Am I missing and obvious synergies with either the Dungeoncrasher part or the dragonmark part? Is there a better way to achieve this same effect (mobile fighter with good damage and some battlefield control elements)? Is quicken dragonmark good or is that feat better spent elsewhere? Is it worth putting points into charisma if none of my dragonmarks have saving throws outside of the Blade of Orien throw? if we end up going all the way to 20th level, what should my last 4 levels be in?

Gear questions-

I've never played past 4th level in 3.5 so I have no idea what I should be aiming for gearwise. Is platemail is the best AC option? If I wear plate, should I point my points in Dexterity somewhere else? My Will save is trash, what should I do about that? What kind of magic items/weapon enhancements should I be aiming for? What is my job as a fighter in higher level play when the casters start to become demigods? If i'm bullrushing half the time, should I go sword+board instead of a greatsword?

[Troacctid]

If you can get a quicken channeling rod (it's not super expensive), you could use that instead of taking the feat. Then you could take Dragonmark Mastery instead, which gives you the ability to basically do an Abrupt Jaunt (at the cost of an action point). Alternatively, Action Surge and Jungle Veteran are pretty good in a campaign with action points.

As a fighter, you're going to rely on items a lot to stay relevant, but that's fine. Especially since you're getting flight from your greater dragonmark, which saves a nice chunk of money. Bull rushing is a lot of fun because it lets you do a lot of tactical alley-oop maneuvers with spells. Like, the caster puts up a blade barrier, and you knock them into it, that sort of thing. And if your party has more melee dorks, then you get to grant them AoOs, since pushing someone with a bull rush causes them to provoke. In order to enable this stuff, you want to get items that boost your Strength checks, like slippers of the setting sun, torc of the titans, armbands of might, and brute gauntlets, as well as the obvious enhancement bonus. (Most of the good stuff is in MIC, so hopefully that's allowed.) If you have enough dough, you could spend 40k on one of those undead grafts from LM that grants a +4 inherent bonus, but that's probably not feasible until at least like level 15. Anything that boosts your size category is also probably going to be good, so if you have a wizard buddy, see if you can get them to prepare greater enlarge person (SC), which is a really nice all-day buff. You could also buy enlarge person with permanency (and I recommend enhancing it with a gorgon horn from CC) if that's more your speed.

[Gruftzwerg]

Imho is you want mobility as charging fighter I would recommend to have a look at Drunken Master's Stagger ability. You need a 2 lvl dip into DM to get it. It allows for any number of direction changes while charging. Further you can bypass all provoked AoO by a single Tumble DC15 roll. This allows for charging in every situation. Even if you enemy is directly in your face (run back and forth or make a looping if you can fly). Get a "valorous" slash or piercing weapon and access to fly for a 3x dmg multiplier (for your entire dmg not just Power Attack!) all the time.

And if you for later lvls I would recommend 2-4 lvl into Bloodstorm Blade (tome of battle book if you can get it pass your DM) to become a ranged ubercharger.

If you want to see example builds, have a look at my Hammerdin of Moradin and ShurikeNado builds.
Both make use of Drunken Master and Bloodstorm Blade for maximum mobility and safety as ubercharger.

[Tesla_pasta]

If you can get a quicken channeling rod (it's not super expensive), you could use that instead of taking the feat (...)


Oh, nice pick. If I can get my hands on one I'd retrain Quicken. maybe for Improved Sunder so I can also pick up Combat Brute later (I've been recommended Brute/Shock trooper by many sources)



(...) Bull rushing is a lot of fun because it lets you do a lot of tactical alley-oop maneuvers with spells. Like, the caster puts up a blade barrier, and you knock them into it, that sort of thing. And if your party has more melee dorks, then you get to grant them AoOs, since pushing someone with a bull rush causes them to provoke. In order to enable this stuff, you want to get items that boost your Strength checks, like slippers of the setting sun, torc of the titans, armbands of might, and brute gauntlets, as well as the obvious enhancement bonus.
(...)
Anything that boosts your size category is also probably going to be good, so if you have a wizard buddy, see if you can get them to prepare greater enlarge person (SC), which is a really nice all-day buff..

I have no idea how our magic item shopping is gonna work but I'll prioritize Str boosts and Str check boosts for sure! I hadn't considered increasing my size, but that makes a lot of sense. Even at lower levels I can be using potions of enlarge.


Imho is you want mobility as charging fighter I would recommend to have a look at Drunken Master's Stagger ability. You need a 2 lvl dip into DM to get it. It allows for any number of direction changes while charging. Further you can bypass all provoked AoO by a single Tumble DC15 roll. This allows for charging in every situation. Even if you enemy is directly in your face (...)


cool idea but it takes 3 feats to get into Drunken Master, only one of which is any good for the rest of the build. I'm already strapped for feats between dragonmarks and Dungeoncrasher.




And if you for later lvls I would recommend 2-4 lvl into Bloodstorm Blade (tome of battle book if you can get it pass your DM) to become a ranged ubercharger.

If you want to see example builds, have a look at my Hammerdin of Moradin and ShurikeNado builds.
Both make use of Drunken Master and Bloodstorm Blade for maximum mobility and safety as ubercharger.

A hammer throwing master sounds awesome but it doesn't really come online until past level 10 and I have no idea if our campaign will go that far. Part of the appeal of this build is that I can already do the core gimmick of teleport+bullrush at level 3. Thanks for the suggestion, though! I'll keep that Hammer of Moradin idea in my back pocket for another PC.