Fighter Build Questions

[Infernum]

I have this concept for a fighter that has specialized in two different weapons, making him a much more versatile character overall.

His Levels and stats are as such:

Fighter: lvl 5, hp: 10,10, 8, 6, 7: total: 56

Str:18
Dex:16
Con:16
Int:13
Wis:8
Cha:10

Feats: Improved Init., Weapon Focus: Halberd, Weapon focus Spiked Gauntlet, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Weapon Specialization Halberd.

At 6th he will get weapon spec: spiked gauntlet.

The idea behind this is to make him versatile with the ability to fight at a reach with a pole arm (as halberds are quite versatile weapons that I dont see used to often) and also punch you out in close quarters. Its a low to no magic campaign so he does'nt have and magic yet.

I was curious what people thought of this. I know ToB is "better" but i felt like playing a fighter...also I dont really care for ToB to much unless i get a crazy idea for a unique character concept i cant pull off with any of the PHB melee classes. I am not above adding ToB stuff to him, but i wanted some fighter for prosperity sake, also dont want to ad to much Umph to the party otherwise the DM might start throwing nasty things our way.

Any ideas to help make him better are welcome.

[sonofzeal]

Halberds aren't reach weapons

Also, Weapon Focus is pretty meh, unless you really need it for something else down the road.

[Pluto]

I have this concept for a fighter that has specialized in two different weapons, making him a much more versatile character overall.

More weapons don't make a character more versatile.
More options make a character more versatile.

Drop Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization. Find a way to increase the options you have in a given situation (Improved X feats or Rogue dips are probably safe bets).

[Temotei]

Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization absolutely suck compared to what you can get--especially with non-core books.

Make the fighter carry a composite bow.

Personally, I would switch the 10 in Charisma to Wisdom, but it doesn't matter that much.

Good feats can be found in plenty of books. I'd suggest Player's Handbook II for sure.

[Godskook]

Can I recommend a spiked chain?

Or, if you must go with a peculiar weapon style, try looking at the weapon style feats from CW(Or was it CC?). Lightning Maces, if you're careful not to break it, can still be quite nice, and there are a few others that I often hear mentioned as being decent too.

[Occasional Sage]

Can I recommend a spiked chain?

Or, if you must go with a peculiar weapon style, try looking at the weapon style feats from CW(Or was it CC?). Lightning Maces, if you're careful not to break it, can still be quite nice, and there are a few others that I often hear mentioned as being decent too.

I'd second the spiked chain, if you want to control maximum space. It lets you do the trip thing (and disarm, but don't spend the feat; too many things don't use manufactured weapons), gives you adjacent and reach, assuming that you drop the Focus/Specialization trapfeats you pick up two feats after the Exotic Proficiency. Spend one of those on Combat Reflexes to increase your AoO; with all of that coverage you'll get lots of them. Spend the other on Power Attack, since the chain is a two-handed weapon.

As people more in toward you, take the AoO as they move out of your 10' to trip them; with your high strength and bonus from Improved Trip you'll likely win. You get a free attack on them as they fall, again thanks to IT, against their prone AC. When they stand up again, you get another AoO. And you've got two more free attacks to go with that +3 Dex modifier. It gets even better if they can't stand on their action, in which case you liquidate your entire BAB for Power Attack: -5 to hit, +4 vs a prone target, with +10 damage.

Cleave would make a nice pick at 6th.

That's straight PH; once you start adding books, it gets prettier.

[Kaiyanwang]

A question: are flaws allowed?

[Infernum]

Ok, I see where your points come across on the feats, but I was really wanting to use the halberd or some sort of pole-arm, it fits the character I have in mind.

I will take a look in the PHB II for feats, any suggestions though on how to make a halberd wielder viable?

[Draz74]

I will take a look in the PHB II for feats, any suggestions though on how to make a halberd wielder viable?

I love the good ol' halberd. My first character who lasted more than a couple weeks was a halberd specialist.

However, in 3e it's hard to make it a really effective weapon. Without reach, it's pretty much just a greataxe that does one less damage in return for being able to switch to piercing damage, get set against a charge, or trip. Problem is, the greataxe is already slightly subpar compared to the greatsword; and tripping is a lot more useful on a reach weapon; and setting a weapon against a charge is usually a waste of your turn (unless you have Steadfast Boots, which allow you to do so regardless of the weapon you wield anyway).

Not that the halberd is a terrible weapon. You can just be straightforward and go around whacking people for 1d10+Power Attack damage, and you'll do fine. (As others have mentioned, though, Weapon Focus/Specialization don't help much.) Get Improved Trip and use it, and there will even be a reason why you have a halberd instead of a greataxe.

There is a halberd-specific Style feat in Complete Warrior, but it's pretty terrible. It pretty much lets you take three feats to treat the halberd as a double weapon.

If you have access to Tome of Battle, the halberd is also a White Raven-favored weapon. Not sure how much good that does you, though; most of the discipline weapon-specific abilities in the book are for Swordsages, and Swordsages don't get White Raven access.

All in all, the easiest way to be a good polearm specialist is to pick a different polearm instead of the halberd. One with reach. If you pick the guisarme, you can still trip people. If you pick the glaive, you'll do the same damage as with a halberd. If you pick the ranseur (and buy a locked gauntlet), you can disarm people pretty well without even bothering with the Improved Disarm feat. If you pick the lance, you can do the whole mounted charging thing.

[LichPrinceAlim]

I suggest Naginata and go with a better class than fighter. I adore OA, so for the sake of amusement, go Sohei and focus on melee. Personally, if I ran that, I'd ask the DM if I can use the Martial Paladin ACF in a tweak to Sohei, since sohei's spells blow

[Mongoose87]

I believe the Guisarme is a tripping-compatible polearm. Try that.

[ericgrau]

Among the types of feats he's getting, weapon focus and weapon specialization are the best there is. If he's getting better splatbook damage and hitting feats for an ubercharger, only then do they become subpar. I would reconsider getting them for the gauntlet, however. I assume most of the time you fight with the halberd/guisarme and 5 foot step back when possible. It's only under rare circumstances that you'll be cornered or grappled and forced to fight with the gauntlet, and rare circumstances are not worth a feat.

That also brings in a future issue: you'll want to spend most of your treasure enchanting the halberd or guisarme but not so much the gauntlet. Ways to get around this include boosting your attacks in other ways, like a belt of strength and boots of speed. You can also get a spell storing spiked gauntlet to get a cheap secondary weapon that's good for a single devastating attack when a poor monster thinks he finally has you cornered or grappled. Vampiric touch and inflict serious wounds are among my favorite targeted spells (has a "target:___" line) to use. [Empowered] shocking grasp may be okay at lower levels.

[Person_Man]

In general, feats that provide static bonuses and feats that provide abilities that can be cheaply purchased with magic items are quite weak. Take a look at the melee combo guide for better options.