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  1. #1
    Founder Hamlin's Avatar
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    Jan 2006
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    307

    Default THF vs tactical melee feats

    I am currently playing a thief acrobat with the legendary dreadnaught ED and having an absolute blast with it. However, I've been tossing around an idea that might make him even better. I had never played a legendary dreadnaught before and I didn't realize how much it rewards you for using action boosts and melee feats. I'm thinking about using my free lesser resurrection and swapping out my THF feats (full line) and picking up more melee feats (stunning blow, improved trip, etc). It also seems like you build up to master's blitz by successfully using tactical feats.

    So I'm thinking about keeping cleave and great cleave, but ditching the THF feats. I already have Combat Expertise because it was a prerequisite for Improved Feint. I would definitely pick up Stunning Blow and Improved Trip. 3rd one is up in the air. Is hamstring or Slicing Blow worth it? Might also take skill focus UMD to make my heal scrolls more successful.

    The one thing I'm not sure of right now is the DCs of those combat feats. According to the description, master's blitz depends on SUCCESSFUL feats being performed. I have no personal experience with that, but I know some of you do. Here's a very conservative breakdown of the DC that I could achieve with Stunning Blow:

    Base +10
    Strength +15 (running 40 str with ship buffs right now)
    Spare Hand +5 (need to grind challenges to obtain this, but not unrealistic)
    Fighter enhancement +2
    Legendary Tactics +6

    So I could achieve a 38 stunning blow DC, 48 with a stunning +10 item. Is that high enough in the epic levels? I know that I can conceivably get my STR higher. I can get a STR +8 item. Rage spell, and I'm sure there's other temporary boosts to STR too. But I want to be conservative. Is 38 DC high enough to pull off stunning blow somewhat consistently in epics? Are there any other ways to boost those DCs that I'm not considering?

    THF (3 feats) vs more tactical melee feats...which would you choose?

  2. #2
    Community Member -Zyxas-'s Avatar
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    Dec 2009
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    268

    Default

    38, even 48, is terrible for epics. Maybe some epic normals or EH squishy monsters (certain casters and rogues), but epic hard or elite, especially in Forgotten Realms and Gianthold, require higher (especially with Stunning Blow, which doesn't get a possible second attempt like Stunning Fist). Your trip DC would be equally underwhelming. Some people like Tendon Slice to make it easier to control where the enemies are, but it's not needed. You might like it. I haven't tried it. I am sure slicing blow is worse for you than just a THF feat or even more toughnesses.

    You can charge blitz by hitting the air with your cleaves, basic trip and basic sunder granted at level 1 or 2, and Momentum Swing and Lay Waste from Dreadnought even though they are not feats. You can look up videos of high-level melees soloing, and they will probably charge blitz this way before officially starting the quest. You don't "need" extra tactics that won't work well.

    Do whatever you want though. Experiment. Figure out what you like and what works. Just stating my experiences and readings.
    DISCLAIMER: Forums are a place of help - and of opposition... I'm not attempting to spark hostility. I state my opinions because I think they are useful. It is the reader's choice whether to adopt my opinions. I want to show people different reasoning and options so they can enjoy the game more fully. Usually this leads to walls of text. Sorry.

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