Author Topic: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)  (Read 4361 times)

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Nachofan99

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11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« on: July 21, 2009, 07:09:56 PM »
Just what the post says, I need an 11th level fighter build that is Core Only.

The unfortunate part is that I am Away From Book until hours before the session on Saturday.

Now, normally, I like to bring a build to the forums and have it picked at, but I just don't have my books with me.

I am assuming I am going to want Polearm Gamble, and be an Elf so that my daily's and encounters are not going to miss.  Beyond that, I just don't know. I am vastly open to suggestions on everything except I do want to be a fighter in a defender role primarily.

This is going to be a 1 off session so I want to be brutally powerfully if I can be, and short of theoretical optimization we're an "Everything goes" kind of group.

If there are links on BG to already made 11th level Core Only fighter builds, I'd be all eyes for them as well, but the ones I found had quite a bit of non-core.

Thank you for reading, and extra thank you if any builds come down.

lotofsnow

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Re: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2009, 08:33:16 PM »
By, Core you mean Player's Handbook only? Technically, in 4e, it is all "core".

Here's a PHB-only Elf Polearm Fighter build. If you get to level 12, you qualify for Heavy Blade Opportunity, which allows you to use an At-Will power with Polearm Gamble... provided you continue to use a Glaive. Elf is rough as it doesn't provide a Strength bonus, restricting the build to a starting 18. PHB-only is much more rough.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 11
Elf, Fighter, Pit Fighter
Fighter Talents: Two-handed Weapon Talent

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 21, Con 15, Dex 15, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 9.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 13, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8.


AC: 25 Fort: 25 Reflex: 20 Will: 20
HP: 100 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 25

TRAINED SKILLS
Heal +12, Endurance +12, Athletics +15, Intimidate +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +7, Arcana +5, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering +7, History +5, Insight +7, Nature +9, Perception +9, Religion +5, Stealth +7, Streetwise +4, Thievery +7

FEATS
Level 1: Elven Precision
Level 2: Quick Draw
Level 4: Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)
Level 6: Student of Battle
Level 8: Toughness
Level 10: Blade Opportunist
Level 11: Polearm Gamble

POWERS
Fighter at-will 1: Cleave
Fighter at-will 1: Reaping Strike
Fighter encounter 1: Passing Attack
Fighter daily 1: Villain's Menace
Fighter utility 2: Boundless Endurance
Fighter encounter 3: Sweeping Blow
Fighter daily 5: Rain of Steel
Fighter utility 6: Unbreakable
Fighter encounter 7: Come and Get It
Fighter daily 9: Thicket of Blades
Fighter utility 10: Stalwart Guard

ITEMS
Vicious Glaive +3, Adventurer's Kit, Black Iron Scale Armor +2, Amulet of Protection +3
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Nachofan99

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Re: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2009, 10:08:18 PM »
Yes Snow, I mean PHB only, sorry.

Am I right in assuming that elf is a good race for this build?

The feats are all what I was thinking more or less (from what I remember, obviously Blade Opportunist/Polearm Gamble and Elven Precision).

And once again, as you said, PHB only is rough.  I found a ton of great builds but NOT phb only.

Thanks again!

lotofsnow

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Re: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2009, 11:33:17 PM »
Well, ideally one would take a race with +Strength and + either Dex, Wis, or Con just to shrug off some of the attribute cost. There's nothing wrong with an 18 starting Strength in this build, but it is just already pretty MAD. However, nothing like that exists in the PHB, so you work with what you have. Thematically, elf works fine though, and + in 2 out of 3 secondary stats works well, too.

If you feel you aren't hitting enough, you could rearrange the feats to take greatspear proficiency. However, you'll lose all the Heavy Blade deliciousness that comes with the glaive. Spears get better feat help in other books, too.

The Warlord feat I put in there just for a bit of healing in a pinch. It could easily be replaced with either Cleric or Hunter multiclass.

You might want to petition your DM to allow Weapon Expertise/Implement Expertise. They are essentially fixes to incorrect attack vs. defense scaling inherent in the game. Some DMs even give them out for free (not mine). You could replace Student of Battle with that feat. I would.
« Last Edit: July 21, 2009, 11:37:01 PM by lotofsnow »

awaken DM golem

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Re: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2009, 06:20:45 PM »
"Core" , heh , is a mutable term edition by edition. And yeah, in 4e it's a bigger thing. Still PHB + DMG + MM("1") = what will be recognized as the starting point of any 4e d&d adventure. Close enough.

Most of the early handbooks, back on gleemax, are basically "core" until after the AV book shows up.

I'm partial to Swordmaster PP. The recharging is stupid proof.
One thread on gleemax CO explored the charge based ability, and the Charge based ability requires a look-up in the faq / errata on wizards.com

Rain Of Blows power works great. Technically is was errata'd, but if your DM can't find it  ;) ?!
I'm contradicting myself between the Charge ability, and RoB.

Snow's build works good (2nd).
Can you talk your DM into letting you become a Lich?
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Nachofan99

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Re: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2009, 07:52:46 PM »
Alright, I spent some time checking everything out via a really long phone call.  Very good build.  I have a few questions:

1) Why no Combat Reflexes feat?  (I assume the answer is that there is errata making it a feat bonus instead of an untyped bonus, but I know not.)
2) Why Pit Fighter instead of Kensei?  I don't know if it's just me, but +1 to hit and another potential re-roll seems to be a heck of a lot better than +1 AC and a +5 damage bonus to attacks for 1 turn.   It's obvious that "All Bets are Off" is better than "Masterstroke" but neither of them are super special.  Am I missing something there?  Again, it's clear that going all the way to 30, Pit Fighter scales much more favorably than Kensei, but this should just be a 1 off.

All in all very solid build and much appreciated.   If only we were 12th and I could have Heavy Blade Opportunist...

Dan2

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Re: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2009, 08:02:58 PM »
I'm afb for now, but IIRC Pit Fighter gives you a +Wis mod to damage on all attacks.

lotofsnow

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Re: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2009, 01:11:24 AM »
Combat Reflexes could be switched in for Student of Battle. Both CR and Blade Opportunity are unnamed bonuses, so they do stack.

I picked Pit Fighter for the +1 AC and the bonus damage when using an action point. Also, All Bets Are Off does decent damage and, if you connect with the Secondary Attack, imposes a status effect. I'm rather partial to status effects, but Kensei is a solid option. Honestly, I considered it at first.

To awaken DM golem: I didn't consider Swordmaster for this character due to the fact that its primary 11th level feature doesn't apply to heavy blades that are also polearms. Also, he likely would not get to the recharge feature since the OP indicated the session is just a one-off. Rain of Blows is a good power, but, since the character doesn't wield a weapon that can access its Secondary Attack, I ignored it.

awaken DM golem

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Re: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2009, 05:03:43 PM »
OP - "one off"

Snow - oops, missed that. Yeah so go with Snow.

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"Rain of Blows is a good power ... "
Hey but they errata'd it, it ~must have been too powerful; and then they're not advertising the errata. Strange.

I figure Swordmaster will get more play, as the inevitability of recharge (regain) starts to creep into gleemax CO.
Personally, any 4e recharge mechanic feels a little psi-recharge-y to me, so I like it. But that's just me.
I'd rather do something good, again ; than do something nova, and then go home and whimper.

Nachofan99

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Re: 11th level fighter build (Core Only)
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2009, 09:56:41 PM »
Just a tiny write up aftermath.

I missed on 2 attacks total over the 5 hour session: Natural 1 re-rolled via Elven Accuracy into a 2.  All other attacks hit.

Polearm Gamble: Only accounted for a few hits, as we happened to be fighting many large monsters with reach.  Additionally, the first few encounters were all outdoors and not in a dungeon setting as I expected.  In a much more relatively cramped dungeon setting the build performs much better.

Overall: Solid build, incredibly enjoyable.  Hitting everything, every time, incredibly good.

Thanks again snow.