Playable from level 1 to 40, PVM

Original Version

This build began with my desire to create a dual-wielding warrior who focuses on offense to a very large degree. Originally, I wanted him to be dex-based, using light, accurate attacks to bleed an enemy to death very quickly. My first horrible attempt at that concept was the Twinblade build, which was not only impracticable, but impossible to create. I got some expert advice from folks here (thanks!) and started over. In experimenting with how to fix the Twinblade, I realized that, in the NWN setup, the dex-based idea conflicted with the original offensive/defensive mix I envisioned. Then, exploring a suggestion from grizzled_dwarflord and looking at Mithdradates’s Pillager build, I rebuilt him as a str-based fighter/wm. This came MUCH closer to what I’d originally intended. In fact, in reviewing the build, I realized that I’d gone too far… there was no way that build would survive any combat involving an enemy caster or a large group of enemy melee types (though it was awesome in the AoC). So I backed off of the 100% offensive f/wm (who had 53AB while dual-wielding, but zero defensive capacity… I’ll post it if anyone wants to see it), and I threw in a Bard level based on responses to Kaliban99’s Two-Fisted Weaponmaster build as well as great input from several sources in response to the original version of this build. Along the way, the build acquired a bit of personality. Thus, I give you:


The Humming Hurricane of Horror
Fighter 11/Weapon Master 28/Bard 1
Human, Any non-lawful alignment

The Humming Hurricane of Horror (aka “Triple H” or “huhh?”) is a member of a distant and very solitary society of fighters. Their training regimen ignores all external considerations to focus on mastery of their unique two-weapon fighting style, which uses short, heavy blades to literally hack apart enemies. They are further characterized by their mysterious and disturbing tendency to hum merrily while thus dismembering their opponents. A long-forgotten bard watching a Hurricane fight a group of his enemies (from well outside his splatter range) gave the society its ‘public’ name; no one has ever been able to determine what the Hurricanes call themselves.

Starting Stats:
Strength 16
Dexterity 15
Constitution 14
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 8
Charisma 8

Progression:
1 ) Fighter 1 – Dodge, Weapon Proficiency: Exotic, Weapon Focus (Kukri)
2 ) Fighter 2 – Mobility
3 ) Fighter 3 – Expertise
4 ) Fighter 4 – Weapon Specialization (Kukri)
5 ) Fighter 5
6 ) Fighter 6 – Whirlwind Attack, Spring Attack
7 ) Fighter 7
8 ) Fighter 8 – Two-Weapon Fighting
9 ) Fighter 9 – Ambidexterity
10) Fighter 10 – Power Attack
11) Weapon Master 1
12) Weapon Master 2 – Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
13) Weapon Master 3
14) Weapon Master 4
15) Weapon Master 5 – Improved Critical (Kukri)
16) Weapon Master 6
17) Weapon Master 7
18) Weapon Master 8 - Cleave
19) Weapon Master 9
20) Weapon Master 10
21) Weapon Master 11 – Great Cleave
22) Weapon Master 12
23) Weapon Master 13 –Epic Weapon Focus (Kukri)
24) Fighter 11 – Epic Weapon Specialization (Kukri)
25) Weapon Master 14
26) Weapon Master 15
27) Weapon Master 16 – Great Strength 1, Epic Prowess
28) Weapon Master 17
29) Weapon Master 18
30) Weapon Master 19 – Great Strength 2, Overwhelming Critical
31) Weapon Master 20
32) Weapon Master 21
33) Weapon Master 22 – Great Strength 3, Armor Skin
34) Weapon Master 23
35) Weapon Master 24
36) Weapon Master 25 – Great Strength 4, Epic Toughness 1
37) Weapon Master 26
38) Bard 1
39) Weapon Master 27 – Toughness
40) Weapon Master 28 – Epic Toughness 2

Final Stats:
Strength 30
Dexterity 15
Constitution 14
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 8
Charisma 8

Final Skills (Modified)
Perform 4 (3)
Discipline 43 (45)
Intimidate 4 (3)
UMD 41 (40)
Tumble 40 (42)
Spellcraft 38 (40)
Heal 43 (42)

Final Saves (vs. Spells):
Fortitude 22 (30)
Reflex 22 (30)
Will 15 (23)

BAB (plain kukri, dual-wielding): 49
Base AC: 22
Max HP: 556

Damage Bonus per-hit: 16
Crit Threat Range (plain kukri): 13-20
Crit Multiplier: x3
Crit Dmg Bonus: 2d6
Avg Dmg per round (plain kukri): 217

This build has a TON of offensive melee power, but retains moderate saves (except will), moderate AC, and good hp. Bard Song adds another +1 AB and dmg once per day. UMD lets him buff himself and use a variety of magical toys. He’ll need resistance/immunity buffs and/or gear to take on magic-heavy opponents, and killing crit-immune creatures will take longer than most. But other than that, he should mow through most anything you might throw at him.

Alternatives
If you don’t like the Heal skill or it’s not usable on your PW, you can put in any other skill you like.

If you’d like to be able to use Bard cantrips, you can sacrifice 2 points of Constitution to get 10 Charisma.

Great Strength feats can be swapped out (in pairs) for many other feats you may prefer, including Knockdown/Imp. Knockdown, Blind Fight, Epic Will, etc.

If Devastating Critical is allowed in your environment, Epic Toughness 2 can be traded for Dev Crit.

Kukris can be traded for Short Swords to gain one feat at the cost of about 5% dmg per round.

.... .... .... ....
griphook ..Build Corrected

Edited By Bromium on 02/28/08 19:29

SovranSpecific,

Sorry to bring bad news...but I have to tell you, your general feats are off a level after level 24. You've got them every three levels starting at 26, but it should it be starting at 27.

And WM gets bonus feats at WM 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, and 28.

Looks like it's just a typo. Maybe if you PM griphook with the corrected version he'll fix it for you.

Awesome AB though!

Kaliban.
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"Where there is life, there is hope." - Grover LOL, that figures. Hopefully griphook will be willing to help me hide my shame.

Edited By SovranSpecific on 08/03/05 02:38

Also, Cleave and Great Cleave are pre-requisites for Overwhelming Critical, so you can't actually take that feat.

Steve Also, you can't take Mobility before you take Dodge.
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Ariel, Ookla, RIDE! See, this is what happens when you think you can modify a legal build "just a little bit" without re-testing it in a leveler mod. I'll fix it again. Time for some good old-fashioned number crunching. The choice in this build comes down to
1) 50 AB, 17 dmg bonus, no overwhelming critical
2) 49 AB, 16 dmg bonus, with overwhelming critical

With a kukri at 17dmg bonus and no OCrit, you get an average of 222 damage per round, or 117 damage per round against crit-immune targets, assuming no misses.

With a kukri at 16dmg bonus and with OCrit, you get an average of 230 damage per round, or 111 damage per round against crit-immune targets, assuming no misses.

So, first, is 8 dmg/rnd vs. crit-able targets worth losing 6 dmg/rnd vs. crit-immune targets?


Then, it gets more interesting when you consider the Two-Bladed Sword option.

With a TBS at 17dmg bonus and no OCrit, you get an average of 219 damage per round, or 129 damage per round against crit-immune targets, assuming no misses.

With a TBS at 16dmg bonus and with OCrit, you get an average of 224 damage per round, or 123 damage per round against crit-immune targets, assuming no misses.

So it boils down to this (if I can get it to look right):
________Kuk16__Kuk17__TBS16__TBS17
crit______230____222____224____219
non-crit__111____117____123____129

So if you take the route that maximizes crit damage, you're looking at 230 d/r for the kukri and 224 d/r for the TBS. The corresponding non-crit dmg is 111 for the kukri and 123 for the TBS. So, again, is 6 crit damage worth losing 12 non-crit damage? If not, then TBS is a better choice than kukri.

Obviously, the answer depends on what you're fighting. For portions of the OC or PWs with lots of undead and crit-immune bosses, the TBS is probably better. If you're in an area with few crit-immune targets, then Kukris are worth it. What do you think? Any errors in my logic here?

BTW, the short sword is completely inferior to either TBS or Kukri. Which is pretty much what you guys all told me. Build corrected....Third time lucky, huh Sovran