Harper Combat Instructor (6 ftr/ 5 HS/ 29 WM)

[simpetar]

This is an attempt to make a versatile STR tank who is able to deal some considerable damage at considerable speed and excel in uber criticals. Note that it is primarily based on open subby (because I am leveling him in HC and intend to post the build in open subby forum), secret, UR and BUR will surely provide better numbers. I can imagine the build with Kurai, Stinger, Salamander, Undying or whatever else comes to one´s mind.

Base race: Dwarf
Subrace: Derrzagon
Alignment: any non-evil

Level progression: 6 fighter 10 WM 5 HS 19 WM

Starting stats (Derrzagon) [lvl 60 buffed]
STR 16 (16) [52]
DEX 12 (14) [26]
CON 18 (18) [30]
INT 14 (16) [28]
WIS 8 (6) [18]
CHA 6 (4) [16]

Feats
feats marked with * are bonus feats and they should be taken ONLY as bonus feats

Pre-epic
1 Blooded, WF weapon of choice * (Blindfight for free)
2 Dodge *
3 Mobility
4 Expertise *
6 Spring Attack, Whirlwind *
7 Weapon of Choice *
9 Iron Will
12 Alertness
15 IC weapon of choice
17 Favored Enemy *
18 Toughness

- As far as the favorite enemy goes, it does not really matter which one you choose, because you will have only one and the bonuses do not improve for HS. I chose undead, they are mostly immune to crits and together with potions (negative energy from shop, death ward, shadow shield and greater restoration), this guy can prove useful in many pre-legendary undead areas (crypts, Gaobin, tower ruins, submerged crypts, Shadow Tomb etc.)

Epic
21 Power Attack, Epic Will *
24 Cleave, Armor Skin *
27 Great Cleave, EWF *
30 Great Fortitude, Overhelming Critical *
33 Epic Reflexes, Epic Prowess *
36 Great Strength I, Devastating Critical *
39 Great Strength II, Epic Toughness I *

Legendary
LSA Tumble
Legendary Will
Legendary Fortitude
LWF
Great Strength III and IV
free feat (I would chose ESF - UMD)

Skills
6 Lore
4 Search
8 Persuade
4 Intimidate
63 Discipline
31 UMD (cross class)
63 Parry
60 Tumble
35 Craft Armor

- remember to take 4 Intimidate at lvl 6 to unlock WM and 6 Lore, 4 Search, 8 Persuade, 4 Disc at 16 to unlock WM

Saves
Fort 63
Ref 60
Will 62

AB: 99 fully buffed @ 5 (7) attacks per round, criticals 16-20/x6 (with heavy pick)
- I decided to go with Club and hope to find a nice Light or Heavy Pick, since they both have x4 multiplier, but any weapon will do, it is really a matter of individual taste

AC: mid-120ish in URs and Pentavite, option to enter expertise mode

Pro´s
- nice AB
- critical hits will hurt
- up to 7 attacks per round
- UMD enough for scrolls
- harper potions
- about 7 minutes lasting critical immunity at lvl 60

Con´s
- not very high AC
- limited conceal options
- must rely on casters for weapon buffs
- limited in gear choice (all stats should be maxed, even CHA for UMD and INT for Craft Armor, your boots and shield are almost pre-set, low availability of CEP weapons)

Thoughts, comments and ideas are welcome! Question to DMs: are there going to be more CEP weapons in shops/ drops? Is it viable to specialize in them?

simpetar

[Yiazmat]

I'm fairly certain that both Overwhelming Crit and Devastating Crit do not stack with the WM crit bonuses. Could someone confirm that? (You'd still end up with 16-20/x5, which isn't even close to bad.)

If so, it opens up five feat slots, in early epic. The skills look good, saves are okay (with five extra feat slots, they'd be excellent), and with some real good gear and the proper buffs, AC could probably reach into mid 130's-early 140's.

And of course, like you said, a secret/UR/BUR subby would indeed make the numbers better

[Acaos]

Overwhelming Critical does not stack, but Devastating Critical does.

Acaos

[simpetar]

Thanks for clarification, corrected. Actually, at this moment (lvl 21) the dwarf deals 17-20/x5 and I am happy with it.

[simpetar]

WMs do no have many feat choices in epic levels, so if I gave up one crit multiplier, only three feats would free up (and the two WM bonus would go to Epic Toughness - 40 more HPs are not bad either).
What feats would be a good choice then? KD, Disarm, Improved Expertise, more Great Strength? Is 99 AB enough to KD/ disarm something in hells?

[Raj]

simpetar2 said:

Is 99 AB enough to KD/ disarm something in hells?

not really, but as you said this is a derrzagon HC build

[Ralkain]

acaos said:

Overwhelming Critical does not stack, but Devastating Critical does.

The bonus range from it doesn't stack, but I belive the massive critical bonus damage from it does (so its not an entirely wasted prerequisite feat).

[bort]

ralkain said:

acaos said:

Overwhelming Critical does not stack, but Devastating Critical does.

The bonus range from it doesn't stack, but I belive the massive critical bonus damage from it does (so its not an entirely wasted prerequisite feat).

Devastating Critical
- Now adds +1 to critical hit multiplier for the weapon chosen instead of the normal effect.

highergroundpoa.proboards3.com/index.cgi?board=info&action=display&n=1&thread=6668
And yes, that stacks.

[starlandra]

if you are taking blooded for tumble why not go 30 wm for the +2 ab?

[shaengarne]

A fighter level 5 cannot fulfill the requirements for harper scout (8 persuade which is a cross-class skill for fighter). And only a human based fighter meets the requirements for wm at fifth level (focusing in a martial/simple weapon). The harper bonus feat at level 5 wouldn't net you an epic bard feat, so no epic will and because of the level progression you'd loose one bab. The saves would be worse too, because 6 fighter, 4 harper, 10 wm = 9 fort, 13 reflex and 9 will. A char with 5 fighter, 5 harper, 10 wm would get 8 fort, 12 reflex and 8 will. You'd loose quite a lot for that one point of ab.

[simpetar]

Updated
- corrected feat progression (you qualify for Devastating Critical at lvl 36, not 33, changed with Epic Prowess)
- added small section about favorite enemies