Tomahawkling, for kicks

[Xleniki]

WARNING: This is a halfling throwing axe build. I know these pop up every once in a while, but they never seem to get much feedback, so I thought I'd build my own.

Build goals:
1. Make a competent throwing axe build, noticeable dps (keeping in mind that throwing axes...not the best DPS weapons).
2. As this is not a completely min-maxed build, make it moderately self-sufficient such as to be less of a drain on a party--parties will not be looking to have you in them, but having you there should not be a penalty.
3. Make it fun.

Choices:
1. Dragonmarks. These go a long way to make you self sufficient, and the free feats from taking 18 levels of fighter help ease what would otherwise be pretty heavy feat requirements.
2. One level of wizard. This gives us access to the metamagics as well as one for free--Empower and Maximize DO work on dragonmarks with no drawback, as they have no SP cost. Also, gives us Shield/Expedious Retreat without clickies. Minor, but helpful.
3. One level of rogue. UMD. Dwarven Throwers are amazing, but the race restriction means we need UMD to use them. Also, scrolls. Always useful.
4. Eighteen levels of fighter. Kensai.
5. Sneak attack/diplo. Not really a question; for a ranged character, you don't want aggro anyway, so may as well use the fact that you'll be avoiding aggro to increase damage.

This build was made with no tomes/gear. As far as I can tell (still new at designing builds), this is situated in a place where +2 tomes would help, but not make us hit any crucial milestones, so I left them out. This may be incorrect. I have no experience planning gear, either, so help with that would be appreciated. Enhancements are planned at the Kensai milestones, as those I want to make sure to hit those as soon as possible. The clump at 6 is because I momentarily forgot about my two splash levels. If you are leveling this, you should take the whatever enhancements from the next clump I have listed, but none from beyond that or you may find yourself without Kensai requirements when you need them. Or you could just plan for enhancement respecs and get what's useful at the time, but I don't like planning that way.


I am looking for advice for the build. As I said, I'm new at designing builds (part of the reason this, my first 'real' build, is not heavily min/max oriented), and I would appreciate anyone pointing out something I missed. Also, it looks like it'll be a bit of a pain to level without a group, but then again, aren't most sneak-attack-inclined builds?


And now, without further ado, the build:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.5.1
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 Neutral Good Halfling Male
(18 Fighter \ 1 Rogue \ 1 Wizard) 
Hit Points: 292
Spell Points: 140 
BAB: 18\18\23\28\28
Fortitude: 14
Reflex: 12
Will: 8

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             16                    24
Dexterity            14                    14
Constitution         14                    14
Intelligence         12                    12
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma             10                    10

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               6                     6
Bluff                 4                     9
Concentration         2                     5
Diplomacy             4                    16
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                4                     4
Heal                 -1                     1
Hide                  6                    10
Intimidate            0                     3
Jump                  7                    14
Listen               -1                     1
Move Silently         6                     8
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                1                     1
Search                1                     1
Spot                 -1                    -1
Swim                  3                     7
Tumble                6                     6
Use Magic Device      4                    23

Level 1 (Rogue)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Bluff (+4)
Skill: Diplomacy (+4)
Skill: Haggle (+4)
Skill: Hide (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Move Silently (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+4)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Least Dragonmark of Healing
Feat: (Automatic) Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Halfling Agility
Feat: (Automatic) Halfling Bravery
Feat: (Automatic) Halfling Keen Ears
Feat: (Automatic) Halfling Luck
Feat: (Automatic) Halfling Size Bonus
Feat: (Automatic) Halfling Thrown Weapon Focus
Feat: (Automatic) Heroic Durability
Feat: (Automatic) Light Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Rapier
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortsword
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortbow
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Trapfinding


Level 2 (Wizard)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Maximize Spell
Feat: (Automatic) Dismiss Charm
Feat: (Automatic) Inscribe Scroll
Feat: (Automatic) Magical Training


Level 3 (Fighter)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Brutal Throw
Feat: (Selected) Empower Spell
Feat: (Automatic) Defensive Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Heavy Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency (ALL)
Feat: (Automatic) Medium Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Shield Proficiency (General)
Feat: (Automatic) Sunder
Feat: (Automatic) Tower Shield Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Trip


Level 4 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Thrown Weapons


Level 5 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 6 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Lesser Dragonmark of Healing
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Thrown Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II
Enhancement: Extra Dragonmark Use I
Enhancement: Extra Dragonmark Use II
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II
Enhancement: Halfling Cunning I
Enhancement: Halfling Cunning II
Enhancement: Halfling Guile I
Enhancement: Halfling Thrown Weapon Attack I
Enhancement: Halfling Thrown Weapon Damage I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I


Level 7 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 8 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Quick Draw
Enhancement: Kensei Throwing Axe Mastery I
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II


Level 9 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Dragonmark of Healing


Level 10 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Point Blank Shot


Level 11 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 12 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Focus: Thrown Weapons
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 13 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 14 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Thrown Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost III
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost IV
Enhancement: Extra Dragonmark Use III
Enhancement: Extra Dragonmark Use IV
Enhancement: Kensei Throwing Axe Mastery II
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei II
Enhancement: Fighter Throwing Axe Specialization I
Enhancement: Halfling Thrown Weapon Damage II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I


Level 15 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Thrown Weapons


Level 16 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Rapid Shot


Level 17 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 18 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Precise Shot
Feat: (Selected) Superior Weapon Focus: Thrown Weapons


Level 19 (Fighter)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 20 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Power Critical
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost III
Enhancement: Kensei Throwing Axe Mastery III
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy III
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei III
Enhancement: Fighter Throwing Axe Specialization II
Enhancement: Halfling Guile II
Enhancement: Halfling Luck (Reflex) I
Enhancement: Halfling Thrown Weapon Attack II
Enhancement: Fighter Strength III

[sigtrent]

Pretty decent for what your goals are...

Critiques

1. Never take power critical, its the most useless feat that people seem to think is useful. Its junk. The only character its good on is one that has a hard time hitting anything... and that is just a bad character to begin with.

2. It would be great to get improved precise shot in the build, but your dex just doesn't allow it. Its not required by any means, but it sure is fun to use!

3. The brutal throw approach works here, but you are swimming up stream with it a bit. Halflings get cheap dex and you could just use that to drive accuracy and save the feat for something else. I might not go the full 16 str, but as I said, not a bad choice.

The choices you outline all look good to me. It looks very playable. A raid group or epic may not have that much use for you though. But not every build has to be a raid monster and not every raid needs to be jam packed with awesome to succeed.

[Xleniki]

So if I were to go for dex instead of strength, drop brutal throw and get enough halfling Dex enhancements to pick up Improved Precise Shot, what would I be losing? Also, is there another fighter bonus you would recommend instead of power crit? While I was pressed to get the feats I wanted by the level I wanted due to dragonmarks, by the time I got to 20 there wasn't much left that stuck out to me. Maybe just try to shift things and pick up another toughness?

Also, thinking of dropping CHA back to 8 to pick up another 2 points in INT so I can get diplo higher--half a rank each level doesn't seem like it'll do much and I'll be relying on others' intimidate more than my own diplo.

[unbongwah]

Stat enhs don't count towards feat pre-reqs; lvl-ups & tomes do. If you started with base DEX 17 and took a +2 DEX tome, you'd be fine for Imp Prec Shot.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

My Halfling thrower is actually named Tomahawk.

[sigtrent]

So if I were to go for dex instead of strength, drop brutal throw and get enough halfling Dex enhancements to pick up Improved Precise Shot, what would I be losing? Also, is there another fighter bonus you would recommend instead of power crit? While I was pressed to get the feats I wanted by the level I wanted due to dragonmarks, by the time I got to 20 there wasn't much left that stuck out to me. Maybe just try to shift things and pick up another toughness?

You need 19 dex before enhancements. So thats 17 and a +2 tome or 18 and a +1 or just start at 19 dex.

If you go for 18 and a +1 (lets say you go with a level up)

Starting STR would go to 14 and starting dex to 18 (and you have two build points left over for Int or Cha. One of your str bumps goes to dex. Lets say you drop fighter str 3 for dex 1 and dex 2.

Dex is up to 21 pre item and str is down to 20 pre item. You had a Str of 24 before. thats a loss of +2 attack and damage to be able to take IPS instead of brutal throw. when it is working IPS will more than make that up with all the essentially extra attacks. But of course it does nothing on a single target and IPS takes some finesse to use targeting a creature in the back of a pack.

You could drop cunning and guile instead of Str 3 and with a +1 tome that lowers the sacrifice to +1 damage. Gule/Cunning isn't likely to do much good on a thrower. The rage of effect is super short and you need to not have agro. When you don't have agro things are likely running away from you and you won't be in range.

[Xleniki]

I think that may be more than I want to give up for Improved Precise shot, which, yes, would be nice, but I think I'd rather have the benefits of brutal throw/high strength than some conditional and moderately difficult to use extra attacks. I dropped Power Crit, moved back SWF:Throwing a couple of levels into the 20 FBF slot for another toughness in the normal feat slot, because I don't know what else to take there. 2 build points in CHA dropped for 2 points in INT so I can keep Diplomacy maxed alongside UMD. Cunning/Guile could be tossed without too much heartache; suggestions on what to get instead as far as enhancements? Haven't looked at that much...