Help with a Fighter build

[Erazamus]

Hi, I am coming back to the game with some previous experience but not much play past level 5. I will mostly be duoing content with a melee battle cleric (2/18 fighter/cleric) and am looking to build a character that is able to take the hits for us but can also dish out passable dps. I am not new to DnD or to MMO's and would like to be able to do the hardest content we can. We are both F2P players.

This is my first attempt at a build, which I based off some others I found on the forums. My aim was to use a bastard sword for the glancing blows, heavy armor and tower shield and to have a bit better saves by using force of personality. THF feats are there because if I understand correctly the bastard gets the bonuses from them when wielding it one handed? Enhancements I'm not to sure on which are worth it or not. Also not sure how useful the dragon marks are.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.09.02
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Oouf Crushkill
Level 20 Lawful Good Human Male
(20 Fighter) 
Hit Points: 396
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 20\20\25\30\30
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 9
Will: 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    24
Dexterity            15                    17
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence         12                    13
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma             12                    13

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 3
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 3
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               4                    14.5
Bluff                 1                     1
Concentration         2                     3
Diplomacy             1                     1
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                1                     1
Heal                 -1                    -1
Hide                  2                     3
Intimidate            5                    34
Jump                  6                    30
Listen               -1                    -1
Move Silently         2                     3
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                1                     1
Search                1                     1
Spot                 -1                    -1
Swim                  2                     7
Tumble                2.5                   6
Use Magic Device      2.5                   9.5

Level 1 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword
Feat: (Selected) Least Dragonmark of Sentinel
Feat: (Human Bonus) Toughness
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Human Versatility I
Enhancement: Fighter Item Defense I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I


Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Shield Mastery
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I


Level 3 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Mastery I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I


Level 4 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Two Handed Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II


Level 5 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I


Level 6 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II


Level 7 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II


Level 8 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II


Level 9 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Force of Personality
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost III
Enhancement: Fighter Armored Agility I


Level 10 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Combat Expertise
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Mastery II


Level 11 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Human Versatility II
Enhancement: Fighter Item Defense II


Level 12 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Two Handed Fighting
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 13 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery III


Level 14 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Two Handed Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost III
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness III


Level 15 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Lesser Dragonmark of Sentinel
Enhancement: Human Versatility III


Level 16 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Bastard Sword Specialization I


Level 17 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Mastery III


Level 18 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Dragonmark of Sentinel
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons


Level 19 (Fighter)


Level 20 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Shield Bash
Enhancement: Fighter Weapon Alacrity
Enhancement: Extra Dragonmark Use I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender I
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender II
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender III
Enhancement: Fighter Tower Shield Mastery I
Enhancement: Improved Intimidate I
Enhancement: Improved Intimidate II

Thanks in advance for any helpful criticism and suggestions!

[unbongwah]

I'd say you're spreading your stat pts too thin for a 28-pt build. Why so much DEX if you're THF? Drop it for more STR. Have a look at my Sentinel Squire. You may wish to consider adding some paladin lvls for more survivability (higher saves etc.).

[PestWulf]

Hey there,

You might also want to consider a Dwarf as your race and utilize Dwarven Axes instead of Bastard Swords. Both benefit from glancing blows when wielding a shield, but the dwarf has a couple dps advantages over it's human counterpart. It also gets bonus DR with a shield, dex to armor allotments that stack with the fighter versions as well as ability DC increases for Stunning Blow, Sunder, etc that stack with the fighter versions.

I made a build similar to this one I dubbed a Dwarven Dreadnaught. hehe. It's just a regular fighter really, but I emphasized durability. Started with a 16 STR and 20 CON with all level ups put in STR also took 5 toughness feats. This is a 32 point build I did, so you would only have 2 extra points instead of 6. I put my 6 points in INT so I could nab some extra skills. I'd probably do the same if I only had 2 points as well. Alternatively they could go into WIS to help with will saves.

With normal gear (no GS or anything, it comes out to around 600hp..I did add minos legens which is very easily obtained solo, but I quoted 600 hp in case you don't have orchard)


HP Calculations
Heroic Bonus 20
20 lvls of Fighter 200
20 Base CON 100
6 CON Item 60
Dwarven CON 2 40 (mistake, this should be 20)
5 Toughness Feats 110
Fighter Toughness 4 40
Racial Toughness 4 40
Greater False Life Item 30
Minos Legens 22
Total: 642 (adjusted down to 622)

Although being a fighter with a shield naturally can lead to a great AC build, I chose to go with Kensai Dwarven Axe instead and forsake the higher AC that can be gained from Dex and Defender lines. The shield is for the damage mitigation mainly. I was finding that spending the AP's on Toughness, Kensai and all the other goodies that it didn't really leave me a lot of room to buy into Dex to armor augments. So I gave up the super high AC and just went for a decent AC and aimed for the straight 25% mitigation from the tower shield (improved via the two feats).

For offense, you get to start with the Dwarven Axe, and you have your dwarven Axe damage enhancements which apply to any axe. So in cases when you don't need damage mitigation you can swap in a Great Axe without losing any of the augments. This gains you the 1.5 STR bonus to damage as well..something you don't get with the dwarven axe or bastard sword, though the THF line applies to them for glancing blow damage.

I took the Kensai pre-reqs and the THF line and threw in the Shield bash, Imp shield mastery, Stunning blow and IC: Slash.

So the Kensai helps with bringing the DPS up, while the shield enhancements and the high hitpoints allow for a large tank for your cleric friend to work off of. With the changes to Great Cleave though, I would likely drop a Toughness feat and pick it up as well since it won't interrupt your glancing blows.

For your build though in a duo, I don't know that the Sentinel buys you much. Your friend is going to be 18 Cleric, which means he'll have the full shield of faith bonus to buff you with, as well as resist energy and protection from energy. If you want the dragonmarks you may want to think about switching to the first level of Passage instead. Expeditious Retreat is a wonderful thing.

In your build you are maximizing AC it looks like but not picking up the Defender line until level 20? I would think you would want that line sooner rather than later? Not sure what your thoughts are on delaying it? If you are thinking that it will take you that long to get the DEX you need to benefit from the armor enhancements, you might want to consider dropping the Fighter armor masteries in favor of getting the defender line earlier. You can pick the masteries up as you need them since they only provide 1 extra AC each *IF* you have the Dex to make use of it. The Defender line gives you these ac bumps as well, plus they allow other bonuses. So I would value them over the masteries.

EDIT: I would also add that you might as well not put points into UMD if you are ending up with a 9.5 at 20. I think you are going to be really unhappy without either Spot or Listen (I prefer spot) or both. I have found that Listen tends to let me "see" mobs farther away than spot does, but I like spot because I find it easier to watch them move around than with the little red flashes.

For skills, depending on how many you get, I would choose in this order
Intimidate
Balance
Spot or Listen
Jump (remember this caps at 40 and if you get a lvl 9 mage buff you're at 30 + STR)

Others may vary, but I like these. If I only had a 10 INT I'd probably split my points between balance and Spot.