Kensai/Defender Hybrid or Gunboat Redux

[GunboatDiplomat]

I originally designed Gunboat as a self healing evasion intimitank (See here) but have since come to the conclusion that except in a very few situations the dps sacrificed isn’t worth the defensive gain.

So I am now lesser reincarnating towards dps while keeping some tanking ability. To do this I take advantage of both kensai and Defender of Siberys enhancement lines along with the low level paladin dps abilities/spells. Evasion, high saves, self healing through heal scrolls (100%) and paladin clickies make this a very nice build for nearly any melee situation, party or solo. I just hate having to drink haste pots when theres no wizzie around…

I don’t do the final reincarnation until next week and theres a little bit of crafting left but I’m nearly there. Some figures may be off as I can’t access the build from work.

Name: Gunboat Diplomat
Class: Fighter12/Rogue2/Paladin6
Race: Drow
Allignment: Lawful Good

Base Stats:
Str 16 +5(level) +3(Fighter) +2(tome) +6(item)= 32/44 (rage pot, madstone, power surge)
Dex 14 +3(tome) +6(item) +1 (Rogue) = 24
Con 12 +2(tome) +6(item) = 20
Int 12 +2(tome) = 14
Wis 8 +3(tome) =11
Cha 16 +3(tome) +1(paladin) +6(item) = 26

Feats(7):
Toughness
Combat Expertise
Improved Trip
Power attack
Skill focus - umd
Force of Personality
Two Weapon Fighting

Combat Feats(7)
Improved Two weapon Fighting
Greater Two weapon Fighting
Improved Critical Piercing
Weapon focus – Piercing
Greater weapon focus - piercing
Weapon Spec - Piercing
Greater Weapon spec – piercing

Improved Trip isn’t crucial but tactically I find it very useful.
Force of personality I love because in addition to giving me a very high will save it effectively frees up two item slots – one for wisdom and one for a resistance item.
I don’t really need skill focus umd anymore so will probably swap it out for another toughness feat.
I haven’t chosen khopesh as rapiers are nearly as good for drow and I have a nice collection of them including one mineral II whcih I'm not about to throw away.


Main hand Self buffed damage per hit:
Min II Rapier - 9.5
Strength – 17
Weapon spec – 4
Kensai – 2
Drow – 2
Power attack – 5
Divine Power – 2
Divine Might – 2
Holy – 7
Sneak attack – 6.5
Average normal hit – 57
AverageCritical hit – 100.5

Which isn’t bad although I can’t keep all the buffs up all the time, especially power surges (7 mins). On the other hand I haven’t factored in Divine sacrifice, 4 x exalted smite I and fighters haste boost I.

Final AC Breakdown (Intimitank mode)
10 Base
8 DT Leather
7 Dexterity (Tower shield mastery 3)
2 Paladin
2 Chaosgarde
5 Protection
9 Mithral Tower Shield
2 Alchemical Bonus
3 Bark Potion
5 Combat Expertise
2 dodge (Defender Siberys)
1 Haste
4 Green Steel Weapon
----------------
60 Self buffed

+2 Rangers Barkskin
+3 Paladin
+2 Recitation
+4 Bard song
----------------
71 Party buffed

Not amazing but fine for most raids.

Final AC Breakdown (Two weapon mode)
Considerably lower, fiftyish if I bother to use a shield wand and/or combat expertise.

Hit Points
20 Base
10 Gianthold Feat
180 Fighter/Paladin
12 Rogue
100 Con
23 Toughness
40 fighters Toughness IV
20 Racial Toughness
20 Minos Helm
30 Greater False Life Belt
45 Green Steel item
----------------
500 Total HP

I can get it higher with rage pots/madstone/defensive stance. Evasion and high saves helps in this regard too as does the +30% healing benefit from leviks and DT armour.

Saves with GH
Fort – 34/38 (with resistance item)
Reflex – 32/36 (with resistance item)
Will – 30/34 (with resistance item)

High charisma, paladin levels and force of personality feat ensure I have higher mean saves than nearly any other build. So much so in fact that I can get away with not using a resistance item at all 95% of the time.

Important Skills:
UMD: 22 +8 (cha) +3 (skill focus) +6 (GS ) +4 (GH) +2 (head) = 45
Intimidate: 22 +8 (cha) +13 (item) +6 (GS) +4 (GH) +2 (head) +2 (kensai)= 57, more with bard song/+15 item.
Open lock: enough to do most chests/doors
Search/disable device: a bridge too far for this build

Curent Item Slots
Headgear - Minos helm
Goggles – GS Goggles, +45 hp, Stoneskin, earthgrab
Necklace – Cartouche (soon to be replaced by GS +6 cha skills/sp item)
Trinket – Head of Good fortune/Silver flame trinket
Cloak - +5 protection
Belt - Greater False Life/+6con
Ring – spare
Ring - Striding 30%/intimidate 13/resistance 4
Gloves – +6 Str/+13 open lock
Bracers – Chaosgarde/Leviks Bracers
Boots - +6 Dex/Feather Fall/Madstone
Armour: DT Leather with +6 charisma/10% healing
Shield: Leviks Defender

Enhancements – theres enough for kensai and Defender of Siberys and most of the enhancements I need including the Drow rapier enhancements which are needed for the rapier to be able to come close to Khopesh dps. The low level paladin enhancements; divine might, divine sacrifice, exalted smite, add significantly to my dps are also very cheap to buy.

[Kawiki]

Your AC seems really low fully buffed. It's more likely going to be 68 as there are not too many pallies running around with a full aura.

The main problem I see is, which raid needs an intimitank? While intim is very useful I don't really see a point in the old fashioned intim/shield block tank method.

[GunboatDiplomat]

Your AC seems really low fully buffed. It's more likely going to be 68 as there are not too many pallies running around with a full aura.

The main problem I see is, which raid needs an intimitank? While intim is very useful I don't really see a point in the old fashioned intim/shield block tank method.

Shield blocking has its uses. In particular its a handy way to prevent oneself getting tripped while nailing down bosses in shroud part 2 or the hound. And general damage mitigation when the clerics busy. Especially when you don't have an uber ac.

Speaking of which, 60-68 ac is really low? According to what measure? Ranger/monk? stalwart Defender? Well sure, buts its good enough to fill an intimitank role for most quests and most raids. Which isn't that often as you say.