Is stalwart defender a good idea for leveling now?

[sumnz]

I usually run hard and elite, and find myself turning off power attack and missing more even with a lighter offhand weapon when duel wielding (dwarf with dwarven axe and battleaxe/hand axe) Although mabye battleaxe isnt a light offhand? Anyway I find myself switching to just the dwarf axe and shield alot, and wishing my ac was higher and my intimidate was good, since partys now bring the dps in spades most times, but cant always shake the agro.

If I switch to stalwart, thinking:

16 str
15 dex
16 con
11 int
8 wis
8 or 10 chr not sure what i have left over points wise

Will I be totally dependent on groups to do anything, can I still go out and solo some quests and explorers. mabye with a cleric hireling? Should I take the 2h fighting line and cleave? I know very little about sword and board style and would apreciate feedback.

[Nysrock]

Depends on what level you are currently at. At low levels even if you take TWF it is best to just use a 2hander for most quests.

[scottmike0]

I usually run hard and elite, and find myself turning off power attack and missing more even with a lighter offhand weapon when duel wielding (dwarf with dwarven axe and battleaxe/hand axe) Although mabye battleaxe isnt a light offhand? Anyway I find myself switching to just the dwarf axe and shield alot, and wishing my ac was higher and my intimidate was good, since partys now bring the dps in spades most times, but cant always shake the agro.

If I switch to stalwart, thinking:

16 str
15 dex
16 con
11 int
8 wis
8 or 10 chr not sure what i have left over points wise

Will I be totally dependent on groups to do anything, can I still go out and solo some quests and explorers. mabye with a cleric hireling? Should I take the 2h fighting line and cleave? I know very little about sword and board style and would apreciate feedback.

depending what class u will be, with that build it looks more of a fighter to me. but i wonder how a stalwart kensai would work
stalwart(ac) kensai(8 powersurge) or... stalwart(tempest)monk or... stalwart(fighter)/bard/ barb or ranger

[sumnz]

Currently 9th level, guess I could try a 2h

[Nysrock]

Just FYI too: A battleaxe is not a light weapon. The only light axe weapon is the handaxe.

Other things to try: Get the highest str item you can, use sunder, use a destruction weapon in off hand, use a higher + weapon.

[sumnz]

dunno if I can find a destruction weapon at my level but Ill try. I guess I can hotbar sunder.

[Aelonwy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but you cannot be a stalwart/kensai they are both fighter PrE's and you can only have one PrE per class. Did you mean paladin Defender of Siberys + Kensai?

[Gildane]

i believe you are correct that you cannot be both kensai and SD as they are both PREs for fighter class. Also on my main who is SD, i was able to solo almost any quest easily(it just took forever). I might need a healer hireling but i normally left him sitting in a safe spot and summoned to top off my health if i got hit with a nasty spell. This was a while back before they upgraded SD too.

[joaofalcao]

Let me take this opportunity to ask: is SD3 hate bug still up?

I havent been able to test it due to the lag monster.

[SensaiRyu]

Correct me if I'm wrong but you cannot be a stalwart/kensai they are both fighter PrE's and you can only have one PrE per class. Did you mean paladin Defender of Siberys + Kensai?

i believe you are correct that you cannot be both kensai and SD as they are both PREs for fighter class. [...]

Ye... he's confusing terms.

SD gives you +6 to str/con now. Kensai gives you +8 str and +1 crit threat range with your signature weapon.

S&B damage is always going to be a little under par compared to a greatsword or a pair of khops.

I use a S&B as nice dmg sink and boss tanking but for trash I use a greatsword for the extra dmg.

I tanked in tempest spine and other bosses on my way to lvl 20.

Let me take this opportunity to ask: is SD3 hate bug still up?

I'd like to know the definitive answer to this also. I need to run a VOD to see if I can keep aggro 100%.

[Edit] Yep it's fixed.