Pure Kensei Fighter Need Exotic Proficiency?

[Messsenger]

I was curious about making a pure fighter Kensei III Build using THW and was wondering if I "needed" to take the Exotic Weapon feat for a bastard sword with all the bonuses to hit the Kensei get? The plan is to specialize in a regular 2hander (not sure which yet) and to be able to switch to S&B with a bastard sword when defense is needed.

Do I need to feat to over come the negatives? Will I still get glancing blows without the feat?

What 2hander is recommended for this build, and alignment suggestions?

I'll be posting the build soon once I get a better idea of the "needs".

[Thondarr]

The question is... on a pure fighter, with all the xtra feats you get... why would you not take it?

tc,
Thondarr

[Nysrock]

I was curious about making a pure fighter Kensei III Build using THW and was wondering if I "needed" to take the Exotic Weapon feat for a bastard sword with all the bonuses to hit the Kensei get? The plan is to specialize in a regular 2hander (not sure which yet) and to be able to switch to S&B with a bastard sword when defense is needed.

Do I need to feat to over come the negatives? Will I still get glancing blows without the feat?

What 2hander is recommended for this build, and alignment suggestions?

I'll be posting the build soon once I get a better idea of the "needs".

If your looking for a good weapon to use for defense and glancing blows then just go Dwarf and use daxes.

[Messsenger]

The question is... on a pure fighter, with all the xtra feats you get... why would you not take it?

tc,
Thondarr

There are other feats I'd rather have if I can still hit without the proficiency. Using a Bastard Sword would be on the rare occasion that I need to S&B; most of the time I'd be DPSing with a Greatsword (unless there is a better weapon type I'm unaware of).

Here is the build . . . sorry if it's already been posted, didn't take the time to check .

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.09.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Headrush Endbringer
Level 20 True Neutral Human Female
(20 Fighter) 
Hit Points: 446
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 20\20\25\30\30
Fortitude: 18
Reflex: 10
Will: 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             17                    28
Dexterity            14                    16
Constitution         17                    20
Intelligence          8                    10
Wisdom                8                    10
Charisma              8                    10

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

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               4                    14.5
Bluff                -1                     3
Concentration         3                     8
Diplomacy            -1                     3
Disable Device       n/a                    n/a
Haggle               -1                     0
Heal                 -1                     0
Hide                  2                     3
Intimidate           -1                     3
Jump                  5                    32
Listen               -1                     0
Move Silently         2                     3
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                    n/a
Repair               -1                     0
Search               -1                     0
Spot                 -1                     0
Swim                  3                    12
Tumble                3                     8
Use Magic Device     n/a                    n/a

Level 1 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Power Attack
Feat: (Human Bonus) Toughness
Feat: (Human Bonus) Toughness


Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Cleave


Level 3 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons


Level 4 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Great Cleave


Level 5 (Fighter)


Level 6 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Two Handed Fighting
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons


Level 7 (Fighter)


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


Level 9 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 10 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons


Level 11 (Fighter)


Level 12 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Two Handed Fighting


Level 13 (Fighter)


Level 14 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Two Handed Fighting


Level 15 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Shield Mastery


Level 16 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Quick Draw


Level 17 (Fighter)


Level 18 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Luck of Heroes
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Superior Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons


Level 19 (Fighter)


Level 20 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Shield Mastery
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost III
Enhancement: Fighter Extra Action Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Extra Action Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost III
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost IV
Enhancement: Fighter Weapon Alacrity
Enhancement: Kensei Greatsword Mastery I
Enhancement: Kensei Greatsword Mastery II
Enhancement: Kensei Greatsword Mastery III
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Mastery I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy III
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei I
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei II
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei III
Enhancement: Fighter Greatsword Specialization I
Enhancement: Fighter Greatsword Specialization II
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I
Enhancement: Human Greater Adaptability Constitution I
Enhancement: Human Versatility I
Enhancement: Human Versatility II
Enhancement: Fighter Item Defense I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II
Enhancement: Fighter Strength III
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness III

The idea here is strong THF line for supplimenting Bastard Sword & Board when Defense is key . .also why Shield Mastery (too good to pass on). With all of the + to hit provided by Kensei path I shouldn't need Exotic Wep Prof BSword . . should I? If so, what feat should be replaced?

Tons of HP to make up for lacking AC; as it is a DPS build.

I'm not familiar with endgame gear so I modeled around Mithral Full Plate and Mithral Tower Shield. Taking Fighter Armor Mastery I enhancement evens out the Max Dex bonus between them to 4. (from what I gather)

With improvements to Cleave and Grt. Cleave I have a hard time not taking both. Aside from downing most caster mobs that much quicker (which are deadliest IMO) the cleaves seem to hit very effectively . . . . in most situations.

7 uses per rest of Power Surge and Fighter Haste IV, and a +3 Human Versatility (would have liked more) should supply some good damage with Quick Draw reducing the lag after boosting.

I'm not very happy with the saves . . . but I'm coming from playing a Paladin so . . .

Any suggestions and feedback is more than welcome since I'm still very new to DDO and want to make sure I have no regrets after investing time and tome into this character.

[Krinn83]

no proficiency = no glancing blows with bastard sword and shield, and that's why you want the feat.
Take the feat in lieu of a toughness, or go dwarf for free dwarven axe proficiency, increased health and saves vs spells and racial bonus to all axes.

[tgun]

Why would you need to switch to S&B? You wont have any kind of AC that matters. IF it's for the DR then you'll most likely be blocking and not swinging anyway. ANd since you dont have intimidate if you're not swinging you wont have aggro long which means you dont need the DR.

[CanuckWisdom]

He'll get Damage reduction in the form of shield mastery, which is significant (esp on a tower shield) even without good AC and without blocking. With blocking, if he pulls agro accidentally for example, it will do a lot.

[Messsenger]

no proficiency = no glancing blows with bastard sword and shield, and that's why you want the feat.
Take the feat in lieu of a toughness, or go dwarf for free dwarven axe proficiency, increased health and saves vs spells and racial bonus to all axes.

But not taking the Exotic Proficency I will not glancing blow with the BSword? Maybe Dwarf will be the way to go; have to look into the specifics and make some feat/ability adjustments.

[Messsenger]

He'll get Damage reduction in the form of shield mastery, which is significant (esp on a tower shield) even without good AC and without blocking. With blocking, if he pulls agro accidentally for example, it will do a lot.

Exactly! I'm fully aware that I'm not a TANK. There will be times when I'm going to take Physical damage on a scale where it will pay to have a Tower Shield and Mastery feat won't there? End game AOEs that are hard to avoid; or as mentioned, maybe getting aggro. Is there any chance that I could Intim aggro off a squish with such a low rank if they need a rescue? Better than the MT trying to save em or just letting the little fella die right?

[unbongwah]

But not taking the Exotic Proficency I will not glancing blow with the BSword? Maybe Dwarf will be the way to go; have to look into the specifics and make some feat/ability adjustments.

Human w/one extra feat who takes BSword prof vs dwarf w/free DAxe prof. - that's a wash.

Seriously, though, you can afford to give up one of your Toughness, or Luck of Heroes, or one or both Cleave feats for BSword.

[Krinn83]

Human w/one extra feat who takes BSword prof vs dwarf w/free DAxe prof. - that's a wash.

Seriously, though, you can afford to give up one of your Toughness, or Luck of Heroes, or one or both Cleave feats for BSword.

Dwarf also has greater CON and better saves vs spells. If he's concerned about hit points and saves, dwarf is a better choice.

[Messsenger]

Dwarf also has greater CON and better saves vs spells. If he's concerned about hit points and saves, dwarf is a better choice.

I started another thread here with the Dwarven version of the build included . . Still haven't updated the Human side to include the B. sword tho.

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=339811

Are the enhancements all good to go on these builds? I haven't heard any suggestions about those with all of the Bastard Sword hype.

[Krinn83]

You can change enhancements for free every 3 days at 20th level, so just toy with them and pick what you like until you find your best list

[Messsenger]

You can change enhancements for free every 3 days at 20th level, so just toy with them and pick what you like until you find your best list

You can swap enhancements every 3 days no matter what level you are . . the higher the level; the more expensive the switch. Think it's 100X the level in Plat. (1000 plat to switch enhancements at lvl 10).

Not positive tho . . .

[majikfreak]

My Pure kensei is a Dwarf... and he Kicks @$$ with his Axes... good luck...