An Optimized Fighter

[dark_samuari]

In my awesome boredom I wanted to attempt to build an optimized build of a character class, starting off with the Fighter. While mechanically a simple class offering up no reason to stay in for more than 4 levels but through the use of variants you can possibly make the fighter mechanically stronger.

So I wanted to run this idea and build besides you all, looking for any tips or suggestions to improve this build into an optimized fighter.

An Optimized Fighter

An Optimized Fighter  
Male Goliath Fighter 10/Crusader 2/Avenging Executioner 5/Fighter 2
Size/Type: Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 14d10+42, 5d8+15 (170 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 12 (+0 armor, +2 Dex), 12 touch, 10 flat-footed  
Base Attack/Grapple: +17/+26
Attack: Spiked Chain +22 melee (2d4+7/x2)
Full Attack: Spiked Chain +22/+17/+12/+7 melee (2d4+7/x2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with spiked chain)
Special Attacks: Dungeon Crasher (8d6+3xStr), Furious Counterstrike (+1), Bloody Blade, Sudden Strike +3d6 and Dread Blade,  
Special Qualities: Powerful Build, Mountain Movement, Extended Intimidation, Swift Demoralization, Dungeon Crasher (+4 against traps and +10 to strength checks to break objects), Steely Resolve (5 hit points), Indomitable Soul, Rapid Intimidation, and Bloody Murder.    
Resistances: Acclimated
Maneuvers: Defensive Rebuke, Foehammer, Leading the Charge, Rallying Strike, Revitalizing Strike, Thicket of Blades and White Raven Tactics.    
Saves: Fort +15, Ref +10, Will +10
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +25, Craft (Trapmaking) +10, Gather Information +22, Hide +19, Intimidate +30, Knowledge (Local) +15, Move Silently +20, and Tumble +21
Skill Tricks: Never Outnumbered
Feats: Dreadful Wrath [1st], Skill Focus (Intimidation) [F3rd], Power Attack [3rd], Improved Bull Rush [F4th], Imperious Command [6th], Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Spiked Chain) [F8th], Knockback [9th], Shock Trooper [F10th], Urban Tracking [12th], Combat Expertise [15th], Improved Trip [18th] and Combat Reflexes [F12th]
Languages: Common, Dwarven, Giant and Gol-Kaa.
LA: +1
Challenge Rating: 19  
Variants Used: Dungeon Crasher, Skilled City-Dweller, Thug Fighter and Zhentarim Fighter.

Roles Represented
Gladiator: Controlling the battlefield extremely well through the use of the Dungeon Crasher technique and maneuvers, an optimized fighter can defend his most vulnerable ally, receive & give out combat healing and through the use of demoralization supremely weaken the surrounding enemies.
Scoundrel: Contributing out of combat through his knowledge of the streets, aptitude in urban tracking and skill in deception & intimidation, an optimized fighter knows how to survive the harsh world of the concrete jungle.
Commando: Possessing skill in hiding & moving silently an optimized fighter possess a strong ability to eliminate foes swiftly in addition to controlling his battlefield through traps and the use of the Dungeon Crasher technique.

Books used: Champions of Ruin, Cityscape, Complete Scoundrel, Complete Warrior, Drow of the Underdark, Dungeonscape, Player's Guide to Faerun, Races of Stone, Tome of Battle, and Unearthed Arcana.

So thoughts, suggestions towards improvements or additions would be very welcome.

[Kaelik]

If you are going to take levels in non Fighter classes why not just be a Fighter 2/Ranger 2/Barbarian 2/Crusader 2/Warblade 2/PrC X ect.

If you want to make an actual optimization of a fighter, you should probably stay fighter, anything else is better off with less fighter, and is really more of an optimized build.

[dark_samuari]

I see your stance but I'm positioning my perspective as one would say towards a wizard or sorcerer, if that makes any sort of sense...

The classic advice was to never take a fighter above 4th level, than with the induction of Dungeon Crasher & Zhentarim substitution levels it jumped up to possibly 10 levels. So I see that as the natural break-off point in regards to optimizing a 'fighter.'

[JohnOSevens]

As soon as you put in levels of a Tome of Cheese class, it's not Fighter optimization any more.

[Soda]

As soon as you put in levels of a Tome of Cheese class, it's not Fighter optimization any more.

I assume you meant Tome of Nicely Balanced. Unless a new book came out that I'm not aware of.

[dark_samuari]

As I see, levels in fighter dominate the build so it'd be conventionally considered a fighter build. 

[Negative Zero]

As soon as you put in levels of a Tome of Cheese class, it's not Fighter optimization any more.

I fail to see how Serpent Kingdoms is relevant.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Oooh!  Ooh!  I know this one!

Fighter 7/ Divine Crusader 3/Rainbow Servant 10/

Be sure to pick up southern magician/Alternative Source spell.

Ninth level casting off the cleric list.  Sure, your spells per day suck, but what do you expect, taking seven levels of fighter?  I'm a linguist¹, not a miracle worker.

Notable in that it works even if rainbow servant is ruled down to only 6/10s casting.


¹Lie.

[Anklebite]

isn't it just ninth level casting for one domain? sure, if you pick the anyspell one, you can get some stuff.... but quite limited spells known.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

isn't it just ninth level casting for one domain? sure, if you pick the anyspell one, you can get some stuff.... but quite limited spells known.

There's a reason for the rainbow servant 10.

[JaronK]

I fail to see how Serpent Kingdoms is relevant.

Okay, that got a snort out of me.

But seriously, if you're trying to optimize a base class and make it the best you can, you should keep it entirely in that class.  Otherwise, what's the challenge?

JaronK

[dark_samuari]

I fail to see how Serpent Kingdoms is relevant.

Okay, that got a snort out of me.

But seriously, if you're trying to optimize a base class and make it the best you can, you should keep it entirely in that class.  Otherwise, what's the challenge?

JaronK

I would say the challenge would be addressing & targeting the base classes strongest advantages and making them perhaps stronger. 

[Kaelik]

And the strongest advantage of the Fighter classes is having more feats than other classes. So having a bunch of other things that are better than feats is basically just signing the dotted line that says "all my fighter levels are pointless."

[dark_samuari]

And the strongest advantage of the Fighter classes is having more feats than other classes. So having a bunch of other things that are better than feats is basically just signing the dotted line that says "all my fighter levels are pointless."

I would argue the combination of Dungeon Crasher and Zhentarim substitution levels is their strongest advantage. 

[Endarire]

Locke Downe.

[lans]

Use ancestral relic to get an item of psychic reformation usable at will. Make it intelligent so you don't have to waste an action changing 17 feats around.

[Paradox]

@mad linguist, kaelk, and jaronk
Less bitching about title semantics, and more focusing on the spirit of the thread, aka the build.

@ dark_samurai - What's the purpose of the drow fighter sub, and what does it do? IIRC, it has something to do with demoralization, but I think I'm wrong.

[dark_samuari]

Use ancestral relic to get an item of psychic reformation usable at will. Make it intelligent so you don't have to waste an action changing 17 feats around.

Zhentarim sub. levels basically require you to be evil so there may be an alignment problem with this but baring that awesome idea.

@ dark_samurai - What's the purpose of the drow fighter sub, and what does it do? IIRC, it has something to do with demoralization, but I think I'm wrong.

The drow fighter sub grants us the ability to add the fighter's dex modifier to damage whenever they attack a flat-footed foe as well as +2 towards initiative. The basis for taking the ACF was that it costs you heavy armor and tower shields but you already lose medium & heavy armor & shields from the Thug ACF (so you're basically losing nothing, only gaining). And when you take those levels in crusader you regain medium armor & shield proficiencies. 

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Locke Downe.

Beat me to it.

There are a ton of feats, hundreds out there. And all sorts of build get by trying to get as many feats as possible. The fighter doesn't need to worry. Become godly in one thing, or less so in two or three. Hell, four, you have the feats to burn!

[Dictum Mortuum]

Use ancestral relic to get an item of psychic reformation usable at will. Make it intelligent so you don't have to waste an action changing 17 feats around.

Zhentarim sub. levels basically require you to be evil so there may be an alignment problem with this but baring that awesome idea.

@ dark_samurai - What's the purpose of the drow fighter sub, and what does it do? IIRC, it has something to do with demoralization, but I think I'm wrong.

The drow fighter sub grants us the ability to add the fighter's dex modifier to damage whenever they attack a flat-footed foe as well as +2 towards initiative. The basis for taking the ACF was that it costs you heavy armor and tower shields but you already lose medium & heavy armor & shields from the Thug ACF (so you're basically losing nothing, only gaining). And when you take those levels in crusader you regain medium armor & shield proficiencies. 

However, you are not actually a drow to take the sub levels :S