Eurytos: Viable Epic Melee/Ranged Hybrid

[Progen]

Weapon Specs : +2 damage pre req = the same focus
Weapon Focus: +1 to hit with weapon

So basically I see the feat list as:

Weapon Focus: Slashing (For Kensei + the specializations)
Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing (for kensei 2)

Weapon Focus: Ranged (for Arcane Archer)

Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing

Weapon Specialization: Ranged


Point Blank Shot (I assume this is for later tiers of elven AA..confirmation)? (Also prereq for precise shot i guess)
Precise Shot
Improved Precise Shot (Is this group of feats all for this?) What's the difference between this and plain precise shot?) This also says req dex 19... is that just the base dex + tomes?

2 favored enemies (Undead and evil outsider probably)

Improved Critical: Slashing
Improved Critical: Ranged

Toughness

Power Attack

Mental Toughness (For Arcane Archer)

Two Handed Fighting
Improved Two Handed Fighting
Greater Two Handed Fighting

And those last 3 feats would be swapped out for gtwf and two additional ones. So the question is what to take with them. Keeping in mind the main goal is to be balanced... using weighted mauls with high str stunning blow would be great.

I'm not perfectly clear on what quickdraw does though so if someone could clarify would appreciate that.

Also as previously said by Eurytos, since the weapon focus is already there for ranged, could get the longbow spec for another +2 damage which seems nice.

Also as stated before there's the question of khopesh and how useful those would be.

Any opinions?

[Progen]

Ok, so going with the 1-6 ranger 7-8 monk 9-20 fighter, going with the last feats being quickdraw and stunning blow. For non stunnable mobs will go with scimitar's along with the elven enhancements for them... will probably work out the AP at somepoint. With the fighter tactics and kensei and high str stunning blow looks like it will land with weighted even in epic.

Also decided to end up going to be a scimitar kensei, as I like the enormous crit range and racial enhancements. Stunning blow should still be high enough for non epic, and for epic I can switch to a pair of weighted warhammers losing only a bit of damage and to -hit. Crit range doesn't matter either because I'd be going for the stun.

So feat order will be:
1 ranger: favored enemy :undead + Stunning blow
3 ranger weapon focus: ranged
5 ranger: favored enemy :evil outsider
6 ranger: mental toughness
7 monk: toughness
8 monk: Power Attack
9 fighter: Greater Two weapon fighting + improved crit slashing
10 fighter: Improved crit ranged
12 fighter: point blank shot + weapon focus : slashing
14 fighter: precise shot
15 fighter: improved precise shot + weapon spec : slashing (need +1 dex tome by now)
16 fighter: greater weapon focus : slashing
18 fighter:quick draw + weapon spec : ranged
20 fighter:greater weapon spec : slashing (had to be after 12 levels of fighter)

So how's it look? Will work on enhancements later, but it seems like I can just carry a pair of 5%weighted weapons whenever I want to use them and in the meantime scimitars with racial enhancements seem like the next best choice and very close to khopesh. doing the whole critical multiplier thing ... khopesh would be range 4 x 3 mult = 12 and scimitar would be range 6 x 2mult = 12 so it might actually be better without access to the crit range increase you get with the third tier of weapon mastery.

Depending on what quick draw does (will test it out on a random lvl 1 toon later) I might switch it with stunning blow or something else. If it just reduces boost time I will probably just leave it there.

Also stats would be

STR: 16 (10 pts)
DEX: 18 (10 pts)
CON: 12 (6 pts)
INT: 8
WIS: 10 (2 pts)
CHA: 8

It has to be lawful for the monk, but should I be good or neutral? Apparently endgame being neutral is better for litiny, but it that the only bonus? With the amount of Crit's I would be getting maybe bloodstone would be better?

[unbongwah]

You can't take GTWF at lvl 9: requires BAB 11. So take Point Blank Shot instead and take GTWF at lvl 12. Actually, I would take PBS before Mental Toughness, but it's not a big deal either way. Also, you listed 2 feats at lvl 15, but unless I'm miscounting, that will be fighter 7 - you won't get a bonus feat. EDIT: I would push up Precise & Imp Prec Shot and take spec:ranged before GWF Slash, but that's my personal preference.

If you plan on taking a +2 DEX tome, I might lean DEX 17 / WIS 12 initially; or DEX 17 / CON 14 / WIS 8 - less AC, more HPs. Without Combat Expertise, I'm not sure this would be a truly high-AC build anyway, even with your WIS bonus.

BTW, dumb kensai Q: can you take more than one kensai weapon mastery, presuming you have the necessary weapon specializations? It looks like that's what you're going for.

[Progen]

Yeah I took wis only for the will save. Your right, So switch the GTWF and point-blank shot. However I'm keeping dex at 18 so I only need a +1 dex tome, and by delaying improved precise shot, I only need that tome by 15.

Your right about the extra feat too, guess I accidentally put that in there. I guess I'd get rid of either quickdraw or weapon spec: ranged. I still want to test exactly what it is quickdraw does.

Also short answer is no, nothing stopping you from taking both of them up to tier 2 (Highest you can get to with only 12 levels of fighter). However the longer answer is that you need a ton of stuff for each weapon, like the greater weapon spec which requires the greater weapon focus which means that it just takes up too many feats really.

At least that's what I get from the compendium.

[Eurytos]

You cannot take 2 kensai mastery weapons, but you can take 2 fighter specialization weapons (only +1 damage.)

The build looks fine. I would suggest rapiers would that set up (with elven rapier enhancements, it will outdps khopesh) and have weighted warhammers to swap in for stuns (although this is only necessary for epic if anything.)

[elyssaria]

Nice, build!

I love that it has a different approach and some new "thinkings".

And I do agree with Eyr and Golden regarding the choice to use TWF until you got the Epic SoS.

Cheers!

/Khierra

[Progen]

Elves get scimitars + falchions and drow got shortswords and rapiers I thought. So does anyone know exactly what quick draw does yet? I've been busy all week and haven't had time to test it out.

[Shade]

Epic SoS Damage Bonus 4d6+
30 Strength (21x1.5)
5 Power Attack

--------------------------
+58 Damage Self Buffed
edit: Getting +64 Self buffed with str listed above and no berserker set, I must be wrong on calculation somehow

Power attack gives double the benefit to Two handed Weapons. So +10 damage in this case. (+16 for a warforged ftr with enhance, +22 for a WF Barbarian)
Also 21 str bonus x1.5 = 31.50, you list 30.. It's either 31 or 32. The game rounds up sometimes and down sometimes, depends on the total value i think? I think it would round up in this case.

[unbongwah]

I would suggest rapiers would that set up (with elven rapier enhancements, it will outdps khopesh)

Rapiers & scimitars have the same crit range; is there some reason to prefer rapiers?

One thing I like about the elven Valenar enhs is they apply to scimitars & falchions; so I can switch to a falchion + PA if I'm fighting something with high DR which I just can't beat with my dual scimmys (e.g., iron golems).

[Progen]

Yeah that's part of the reason I'm thinking of going Lawful Good, as it gives me access to metalline of pure good weapons before I craft min 2s, so I will almost always be able to break DR.

[Eurytos]

Rapiers & scimitars have the same crit range; is there some reason to prefer rapiers?

One thing I like about the elven Valenar enhs is they apply to scimitars & falchions; so I can switch to a falchion + PA if I'm fighting something with high DR which I just can't beat with my dual scimmys (e.g., iron golems).

Banishing rapiers are really the main reason why I prefer rapiers. Scimi/Falchion is fine too. Personal preference.

[Goldeneye]

Same base damage/same crit.

IMO: 2 Main differences:
Rapiers can be Finessed - if you ever wanted to TR or LR into a dex-build.
Slashing / Piercing benefit different weapons. Ex: Imp Crit pierce would benefit puncturing / banishing... etc