Single Strike + Improved Sunder Optimization

[Albanymusicfund]

Hello frens,

I was brainstorming a character and for a challenge I wanted to make a decently optimized high-level fighter. As an extra challenge, I did not want to multiclass and was only tentatively considering prestige-classing. I was going to use Zhentarim Fighter substitution levels, the Raptoran race, Armor of God (complete champion), Overpowering Attack (PH2), Elusive Attack (PH2), Improved Sunder, and Robilar's Gambit.

The general idea of this build is to make a single strike (ideally to sunder enemy's weapon) and then take advantage of the enemy's attacks to use the bonuses gained from making only a single strike with all the Attacks of Opportunity gained from Robilar's Gambit. My attacks of opportunity would cancel the enemy's attacks because I would be using Improved Sunder to attack his weapon and thus (if I connect) canceling his attacks.

I was looking for magical items/feats/PRCs that would be helpful in assisting this character concept. I imagine that the Belt of Battle would be helpful to get a move action in addition to a full attack, but besides that I was not sure what would be useful/beneficial to this single strike playstyle.

Any help would be appreciated! Thank you in advance!

P.S. I can't really optimize PA due to an inability to charge because it doesn't count as a full attack action if I remember.

[Thurbane]

Firstly, prepare for the barrage of comments telling you that Sundering is playing the game wrong. :smalltongue:

Secondly, from a gear perspective, an adamantine great hammer can do wonders for sundering, when you can afford it.

If you can meet the reqs, maybe grab some sunder based manoeuvres using Fighter bonus feats. There's a few that allow you to ignore hardness (Mountain Hammer, etc.). Actually, scratch that, you're using a full round action to attack, so strikes probably won't work.

Combat Brute will allow you to use Sundering Cleave, which means each time you successfully destroy a weapon or shield, you get an bonus attack against the wielder.

[Darg]

Elusive Attack and Overpowering Attack are mutually exclusive. You can only ever do one or the other. If you are wanting to up your AC and rely on AoOs, I would recommend using a buckler and Active Shield Defense feat from PHBII. Add in Deft opportunist at the least for an easy +4 to your AoOs.

If you were human or a fighter/monk favored class race, you could go 1 level Monk and take the Decisive Strike ACF (it works in armor and the monk level would boost your armor of god ACF). Take the superior unarmed strike feat from ToB and the improved natural attack feat and your UAS will do 2d6 damage. A monk's belt increases it to 2d8 while enlarge person increases it to 3d8. The reason I say this is so that you don't have to rely on an ACF that comes online 16 levels later to get the double damage. Combat Reflexes, Deft Opportunist, Two Weapon Fighting (+Gloves of the balanced Hand), Double Hit, Robilar's Gambit. 2 levels in monk gives more saves, combat reflexes, and evasion.

[RNightstalker]

Firstly, prepare for the barrage of comments telling you that Sundering is playing the game wrong. :smalltongue:


1B-prepare for the barrage of comments telling you that playing a fighter is all wrong too lol

[Saintheart]

Can I make one suggestion in the interests of adding one more trick to the bag: Stormguard Warrior. It seems like it would synergise with this concept, albeit in reverse. You forego the AoOs that are granted via Robilar's Gambit, using them to pick up a +4 to attack and damage for each attack you refrained from against the same opponent. (Channel the Storm) This optimises your single, weapon-smashing strike in the next turn since Sunder requires attack rolls. Admittedly Stormguard Warrior's going to practically require a level in Warblade and a feat slot for Ironheart Aura, but it gives you proficiency in the required weapons and it doesn't demand that you use an Iron Heart weapon when you're using the feat's benefits. This gives you an extra option if you try and Sunder via an AoO on Robilar's Gambit but it doesn't connect; figuring you need to hit harder, for the opponent's remaining attacks, you forego the AoOs and just power up your next strike in the following round.

Karmic Strike might be worth considering at lower levels for retraining to Robilar's Gambit, maybe.


EDIT: Other random stuff: the Shatterspike, from Sunless Citadel if you can't get a goliath greathammer. Only costs 4,300 gp or so. If you have Improved Sunder already, it grants another +4 to the opposed roll when sundering weapons, and it does 1d8+4+STR to the target weapon.

Also, Strength Devotion feat (CC): 1/day as swift action, bypass hardness for 1 minute.

The Bind Vestige feat gives you access to Aym, who has Ruinous Attack: double damage to objects.

Helm of Battle (Magic Item Compendium) +2 on attack roll during sunder attempt 3/day; 2000 gp

Sundering special ability (Magic Item Compendium) allows to attack as if you have the Improved Sunder feat, and deals +1d6 damage at sunder attempt; +1 bonus. Stick this on an adamantine weapon.

Doomstrike special ability (Champions of Ruin) - basically duplicates Sundering Cleave as a weapon quality - after successfully sundering an enemy's weapon, the wielder of a doomstrike weapon can cleave into the enemy, as though using the Cleave feat; +1 bonus

[Albanymusicfund]

Can I make one suggestion in the interests of adding one more trick to the bag: Stormguard Warrior. It seems like it would synergise with this concept, albeit in reverse. You forego the AoOs that are granted via Robilar's Gambit, using them to pick up a +4 to attack and damage for each attack you refrained from against the same opponent. (Channel the Storm) This optimises your single, weapon-smashing strike in the next turn since Sunder requires attack rolls. Admittedly Stormguard Warrior's going to practically require a level in Warblade and a feat slot for Ironheart Aura, but it gives you proficiency in the required weapons and it doesn't demand that you use an Iron Heart weapon when you're using the feat's benefits. This gives you an extra option if you try and Sunder via an AoO on Robilar's Gambit but it doesn't connect; figuring you need to hit harder, for the opponent's remaining attacks, you forego the AoOs and just power up your next strike in the following round.

Karmic Strike might be worth considering at lower levels for retraining to Robilar's Gambit, maybe.


EDIT: Other random stuff: the Shatterspike, from Sunless Citadel if you can't get a goliath greathammer. Only costs 4,300 gp or so. If you have Improved Sunder already, it grants another +4 to the opposed roll when sundering weapons, and it does 1d8+4+STR to the target weapon.

Also, Strength Devotion feat (CC): 1/day as swift action, bypass hardness for 1 minute.

The Bind Vestige feat gives you access to Aym, who has Ruinous Attack: double damage to objects.

Helm of Battle (Magic Item Compendium) +2 on attack roll during sunder attempt 3/day; 2000 gp

Sundering special ability (Magic Item Compendium) allows to attack as if you have the Improved Sunder feat, and deals +1d6 damage at sunder attempt; +1 bonus. Stick this on an adamantine weapon.

Doomstrike special ability (Champions of Ruin) - basically duplicates Sundering Cleave as a weapon quality - after successfully sundering an enemy's weapon, the wielder of a doomstrike weapon can cleave into the enemy, as though using the Cleave feat; +1 bonus

Thank you for the advice Mr. Saintheart. I also wanted to let you know I am a huge fan and love the stuff you put out on this site!

[Saintheart]

Thank you for the advice Mr. Saintheart. I also wanted to let you know I am a huge fan and love the stuff you put out on this site!

Thanks man, appreciated!

[Thurbane]

EDIT: Other random stuff: the Shatterspike, from Sunless Citadel if you can't get a goliath greathammer. Only costs 4,300 gp or so. If you have Improved Sunder already, it grants another +4 to the opposed roll when sundering weapons, and it does 1d8+4+STR to the target weapon.

Just FYI, Shatterspike is in core 3.5: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#shatterspike

[ShurikVch]

Let me quote my own reply to one Sunder-related thread:

Classes:
Cleric with Token of Destruction (Dragon #327) - +1 Sacred bonus on the attack roll of a Sunder; token is not a magic item, costs 100 gp, and may be used as a Holy/Unholy Symbol
Monk - Sacred Path of Moradin fighting style (Dragon #346) - When making a Sunder action with a Warhammer, you receive a bonus to the damage equal to ½ Monk level.
Rogue - Rapid Demolitionist - Dwarf Rogue sub. level 5 (Dragon #338): +3d6 damage to Constructs and objects; Saboteur special ability (Dragon #326) - When striking an object or making a Sunder action, you ignore an amount of the object's Hardness equal to half your Rogue level. Also, you can Sneak Attack Constructs.
Exotic Weapon Master - Exotic Sunder stunt - do +1d6 damage when attempting to Sunder with an Exotic Weapon.
Paragnostic Initiate (Complete Champion) - +2 damage to inanimate objects and Constructs
Feats:
Cobalt Power (Magic of Incarnum) - "... insight bonus on attack rolls or ability checks made to succeed on a ... sunder attack equal to the invested essentia."
Combat Engineer (Dragon #334) - +2 on attack and damage when making a sunder attack
Deadly Concussion (Dragon #333) - in case of successful sunder of armor or shield with bludgeoning weapon, you deal an amount of damage to your opponent equal to the amount of damage you dealt to destroy his armor or shield.
Fragile Construct (Complete Champion) - [Reserve] feat; by touch attack, target's DR and hardness are reduced by number equal to level of highest-level spell from Destruction domain available to cast
Great Sunder (Psionics Handbook) - When you strike at an opponent's weapon, you ignore half of the weapon's total hardness (round down). You can also sense the stress points in any hard construction, such as wooden doors or stone walls, and can ignore half of the object's total hardness (round down) when attacking that object.
Initiate of Kord (Dragon #342) - +4 size modifier on Sunder attempt; adds to spell list Champion of Kord (4th-level spell, gives +CL - up to +10 - sacred bonus on sunder attempts, and lasts minute/level)
Ranged Sunder (Complete Warrior) - you may try to sunder from range (up to 30'); slashing or bludgeoning weapon will do full damage (piercing is still just 50%)
Spells:

Bebilith Blessing (Drow of the Underdark) - The target can sunder objects with its claw attacks as if it had the Improved Sunder feat.
Brumal Stiffening (Frostburn) - The targeted weapon becomes brittle, reducing its hardness by 5 for the duration of the spell, thereby increasing the effectiveness of sunder attempts against the weapon.
Wood Rot (Spell Compendium) - In combat, you can use the spell to attempt to sunder any wooden or wooden-hafted weapon; the weapon or its wooden portion is destroyed on a successful melee touch attack.
Stone Dragon's Fury maneuver - +4d6 damage against Constructs or objects (including held or carried objects!)

Items:
Breaking Blade (Arms and Equipment Guide) +2 halberd with metal haft (hardness 15 and 20 hp); when attacking simple and martial reach weapons, it deals double damage; 18310 gp
Doomstrike special ability (Champions of Ruin) after successfully sundering an enemy's weapon, the wielder of a doomstrike weapon can cleave into the enemy, as though using the Cleave feat; +1 bonus
Gauntlets of the Siegebreaker (Dragon #334) +2 enhancement to Str; at sunder attack, the attack ignores hardness and deals 2d4 points of damage to objects; CL 15 knock 3/day; 11000 gp
Necklace of the Marauding Beast - Rampaging Boar Necklace (Arms and Equipment Guide) wearer gets Improved Sunder feat, +1 Con, and +1 round of Rage duration; 12440 gp
Weaponeater (Arms and Equipment Guide) +3 club which can cause stricken metal weapon to make Fort 16 save or crumble to dust; after 50 uses of rusting ability, a weaponeater crumbles to dust itself; 58300 gp