D&D 5E Fighter12 just gained a level. What next?

[Barendd Nobeard]

I've got about four hours to decide how to level up my fighter. This is for RPGA LG.

Dwarf, Ftr12, specializing in scythe.

He's got the 5 standard weapon feats (Wpn Focus through Greater Weapon Spec, and Improved Critical) for the scythe. Plus, Power Attack, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved Toughness, Dodge, Titan Fighting, and Close-Quarters Fighting.

Stats are 20 / 15 / 20 / 11 / 12 / 6 (that includes magic items).

I'm wondering if I should continue in Fighter, or take something else. With mandatory retirement at 16th level in LG, the only thing he can get from Fighter levels is another feat when he hits 14th level. I'm kind of sick of feats (12 levels of Fighter will do that), so there's no real incentive to stay pure Fighter.

TIA for any thoughts / suggestions.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I've got about four hours to decide how to level up my fighter. This is for RPGA LG.

Dwarf, Ftr12, specializing in scythe.

He's got the 5 standard weapon feats (Wpn Focus through Greater Weapon Spec, and Improved Critical) for the scythe. Plus, Power Attack, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved Toughness, Dodge, Titan Fighting, and Close-Quarters Fighting.

Stats are 20 / 15 / 20 / 11 / 12 / 6 (that includes magic items).

I'm wondering if I should continue in Fighter, or take something else. With mandatory retirement at 16th level in LG, the only thing he can get from Fighter levels is another feat when he hits 14th level. I'm kind of sick of feats (12 levels of Fighter will do that), so there's no real incentive to stay pure Fighter.

TIA for any thoughts / suggestions.

I suggest consulting a qualified D&D doctor - sick of feats is unusual in D&D and might be harmful.

Personally, I don't think there aren't any good Fighter (only) PrCs, but others might be able to point something nice out. (I fear that you will need a few feats to get to any PrC).

If you stay Fighter, Mobility and Spring Attack might be interesting. Some of the PHB II feats (are they allowed in LG?) could be nice.

Multiclassing might be an option:
Barbarian is a nice choice, making the next feat pick easy: Extra Rage. You get more skill points and HP, plus you can Rage. Uncanny Dodge is nice-to-have.
You could chose Ranger to gain a few ranks in useful skills, especially Spot and Listen. The same can be said for Rogue (Sneak Attack with a Scythe sounds fun(ny)).
Paladin might be nice if your alignment would fit (and if you had a better charisma).

Spellcaster classes at this point are probably to late, and your ability scores don't really fit any class.

 

[Quartz]

How about a level of Barbarian? Simply for the Rage ability. +4 CON will give you +26HP at 13th level. Or Bard for the Singing? Paladin (if you're LG) will get you some useful abilities over the next few levels.

 

[Quartz]

Doh! Forgot about the 6 CHA. Not really Paladin material, alas.

 

[RangerWickett]

I don't think you qualify for Dwarven Defender, but maybe you could figure out a build to help you do that. You need, what, Endurance? Don't rangers get that?

Otherwise, yeah, in Living Greyhawk barbarian's about your only useful option. Maybe cleric, especially if you take something that provides the Travel domain to help avoid death by hold person. Travel and luck is good. I think that's Fhlarganan or however it's spelled.

 

[FalcWP]

Nothing at all wrong with a few levels of Barbarian or Rogue. Ranger probably wouldn't give you all that much - neither of the combat styles really works with a scythe, which means you would get Track and Endurance, and some skill points. I can't think of any Prestige Classes that you qualify for off the top of my head.

Just as a comparison:

3 levels of Fighter (Levels 13, 14, and 15) get you +3 BAB, one feat, +1 to all your saves, and an average of 16.5 HP (plus your Con mod and Improved Toughness. And 6 skill points.

3 levels of Rogue would get you +2 BAB, +2d6 Sneak Attack, Trap Sense +1, Evasion, +3 to your Reflex saves, 24 skill points, and 10.5 HP.

3 levels of Barbarian would get you +3 BAB, Rage 1/day, Fast Movement, Trap Sense +1, and Uncanny Dodge. Plus the 12 skill points and 19.5 HP. Oh, and +3 to Fort saves.

So, either Rogue or Barbarian is going to give you much more than a single level of Fighter at this point. Keep in mind that Evasion and Fast Movement only apply in certain types of armor (light or none for evasion, medium, light, or none for fast movement), which reduces the usefulness a bit.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I'll take them one at a time.

I suggest consulting a qualified D&D doctor - sick of feats is unusual in D&D and might be harmful.

I think the sickness is caused, in part, by the lack of higher level fighter feats.

If you stay Fighter, Mobility and Spring Attack might be interesting. Some of the PHB II feats (are they allowed in LG?) could be nice.

Not allowed yet, so I'm not going to hold my breath. Too bad, because some of the new fighter feats would be fun to take. I hadn't thought of going for Spring Attack, but that's a good idea. (A home game character just got it, and it makes the combats a lot less stressful when you don't have to stand right next to the bad guy.)

Multiclassing might be an option:
Barbarian is a nice choice, making the next feat pick easy: Extra Rage. You get more skill points and HP, plus you can Rage. Uncanny Dodge is nice-to-have.
You could chose Ranger to gain a few ranks in useful skills, especially Spot and Listen. The same can be said for Rogue (Sneak Attack with a Scythe sounds fun(ny)).
Paladin might be nice if your alignment would fit (and if you had a better charisma).

Paladn is out for alignment (N) and deity (I'm a public follower of Obad-Hai stuck with all the skank (i.e., Ehlonna) worshippers in Highfolk). I was thinking maybe Ranger for Track or Barbarian for the Rage.

Spellcaster classes at this point are probably to late, and your ability scores don't really fit any class.

Yeah, I ruled them all out (except for Cleric) a while ago. Druid would be great flavor-wise, but that whole metal weapons/armor thing was a deal-breaker. And while cleric is nice, at 13th level having just one level of cleric doesn't really provide much assistance

How about a level of Barbarian? Simply for the Rage ability. +4 CON will give you +26HP at 13th level.

I was leaning Barbarian before I posted this topic. The only hesitation, is that this character has an item (a doll!) that lets him Rage (with no AC penalty). It's a charged item with only ten charges, but he's never used it in over a year. So, the main benefit to Barbarian (Rage) he can get with this item. Still, Barbarian looks like a pretty good choice.

I don't think you qualify for Dwarven Defender, but maybe you could figure out a build to help you do that. You need, what, Endurance? Don't rangers get that?

Rangers don't get Endurance until 3rd level, and I'd also need Toughness (since Improved Toughness does not qualify). And I'd have to switch alignments. Too bad, because two levels of DD would get Uncanny Dodge, which is nice (and being a "Defender" fits the character's background quite well).

This is my first LG character (five years old), so I did no advance planning and just let him grow "organically" as he gained levels. My other LG characters are a bit more planned out to avoid this sort of situation ("there's nothing cool to take because I don't qualify for Prc X or Feat Y").

Otherwise, yeah, in Living Greyhawk barbarian's about your only useful option. Maybe cleric, especially if you take something that provides the Travel domain to help avoid death by hold person. Travel and luck is good. I think that's Fhlarganan or however it's spelled.

While it would be legal under LG rules to switch deities, this character really doesn't have a reason to switch to Fharlagn. One of his (many) deaths was due to Evards, so the Travel domain is quite attractive--but not attractive enough to ditch his god and pick another.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Nothing at all wrong with a few levels of Barbarian or Rogue. Ranger probably wouldn't give you all that much - neither of the combat styles really works with a scythe, which means you would get Track and Endurance, and some skill points. I can't think of any Prestige Classes that you qualify for off the top of my head.

Just as a comparison:

3 levels of Fighter (Levels 13, 14, and 15) get you +3 BAB, one feat, +1 to all your saves, and an average of 16.5 HP (plus your Con mod and Improved Toughness. And 6 skill points.

3 levels of Rogue would get you +2 BAB, +2d6 Sneak Attack, Trap Sense +1, Evasion, +3 to your Reflex saves, 24 skill points, and 10.5 HP.

3 levels of Barbarian would get you +3 BAB, Rage 1/day, Fast Movement, Trap Sense +1, and Uncanny Dodge. Plus the 12 skill points and 19.5 HP. Oh, and +3 to Fort saves.

So, either Rogue or Barbarian is going to give you much more than a single level of Fighter at this point. Keep in mind that Evasion and Fast Movement only apply in certain types of armor (light or none for evasion, medium, light, or none for fast movement), which reduces the usefulness a bit.

Thanks for the input. His armor is mithral full plate, so Evasion is a no-go. Which is too bad, because your BAB/Saves analysis had just about sold me on Rogue levels. Thankfully, the armor counts as medium so I can still get the fast movement if I take Barbarian. Which is what I'm leaning towards now, I think. The extra movement will help a lot--whether charging an enemy or running away!

 

[Joshua Randall]

You can probably qualify for one of the Tactical feats in Complete Warrior: Combat Brute or Shock Trooper. I forget which is which, but the one that lets you bull rush people into their friends and then forces trip checks is nice.

Which is the feat that gives you +4 to confirm crits? Power Critical? Something like that might be nice for your scythe.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

You can probably qualify for one of the Tactical feats in Complete Warrior: Combat Brute or Shock Trooper. I forget which is which, but the one that lets you bull rush people into their friends and then forces trip checks is nice.

Which is the feat that gives you +4 to confirm crits? Power Critical? Something like that might be nice for your scythe.

I'll check those feats out when I get home. I think I may have looked at them a while back, but I'm old and senile now and had forgotten about them.

Power Critical is o.k., except that I have rarely gotten a critical with the scythe in the last year. 3.5 made it difficult to increase the crit range, since Keen Edge does not stack with Imp. Crit. any more.


Thanks for the suggestions!