Cetus: The Supreme Bladeforged Fighter

[Choopak]

Ho great Cetus, i humbly ask for your guidance in my quest to perfection.
I took the first step: I am now a Bladeforged, reborn into the perfect race.
Now, thanks to my Lord Cetus, my path is clear, fighter12/ monk6/ pally2.
But, alas, i'm only a lowly follower with 2 past life (pally and fighter), therefore missing the Master's gear/ and completionist.
So here comes the hard choices: drop the range option... please Master don't see it as blasphemy, i'm aware of the power of manyshot, but i'm flawed...
That leave me with 8 feats to choose from... Share your wisdom i beg... so i shall redeem myself...

The Disciple

Starting Stats: Strength: 18, Dexterity: 10 (no need to put more since no manyshot), Constitution: 16, Intelligence: 8, Wisdom: 6 (no more zen archery), Charisma: 16
Feats

12 Fighter = 7 Feats. Bladeforged = 7 feats. 6 Monk = 3 Feats. Epic feats = 3 Feats. 7 + 7 + 3 + 3 = 20 Feats.
Add 2 Destiny feats + Paladin Deity + Monk light/dark path = 24 total feat decisions.

Ranged: no need anymore...

1. Toughness (taken as Level 2 Monk Class feat)
2. Force of Personality
3. Master of Form (i took monk levels earlier in class progression)
4. Grand Master of Form
5. Sap
6. GTHF
7. Magical Training

Melee:

8. Power Attack (taken as Level 1 Monk class feat)
9. Two Handed Fighting (taken as Level 6 Monk Class feat)
10. Improved Two Handed Fighting
11. Stunning Blow
12. Weapon focus: Slashing
13. Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing
14. Weapon Specialization: Slashing
15. Improved Critical: Slashing
16. Cleave
17. Great Cleave
18. Overwhelming Critical

Other:

20. Epic Toughness
21. Epic Damage Reduction
22. Paladin: Follower of the Silver Flame
23. Monk: Light Path
24. Level 26: Perfect Two handed fighting
25. Level 28: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting - 5% doublestrike for main hand weapon

Being inferior, i changed the enhancements and put 11 AP into StD tree to get stance and +15PRR (ending with +25PRR) while i loose Sting of the Ninja i feel the extra PRR (and +3 saves) are a nice trade off.

I praise the Mighty Cetus to forgive my heresy and bless me with is wisdom...

[Nightmanis]

Ho great Cetus, i humbly ask for your guidance in my quest to perfection.
I took the first step: I am now a Bladeforged, reborn into the perfect race.
Now, thanks to my Lord Cetus, my path is clear, fighter12/ monk6/ pally2.
But, alas, i'm only a lowly follower with 2 past life (pally and fighter), therefore missing the Master's gear/ and completionist.
So here comes the hard choices: drop the range option... please Master don't see it as blasphemy, i'm aware of the power of manyshot, but i'm flawed...
That leave me with 8 feats to choose from... Share your wisdom i beg... so i shall redeem myself...

The Disciple

Starting Stats: Strength: 18, Dexterity: 10 (no need to put more since no manyshot), Constitution: 16, Intelligence: 8, Wisdom: 6 (no more zen archery), Charisma: 16
Feats

12 Fighter = 7 Feats. Bladeforged = 7 feats. 6 Monk = 3 Feats. Epic feats = 3 Feats. 7 + 7 + 3 + 3 = 20 Feats.
Add 2 Destiny feats + Paladin Deity + Monk light/dark path = 24 total feat decisions.

Ranged: no need anymore...

1. Toughness (taken as Level 2 Monk Class feat)
2. Force of Personality
3. Master of Form (i took monk levels earlier in class progression)
4. Grand Master of Form
5. Sap
6. GTHF
7. Magical Training

Melee:

8. Power Attack (taken as Level 1 Monk class feat)
9. Two Handed Fighting (taken as Level 6 Monk Class feat)
10. Improved Two Handed Fighting
11. Stunning Blow
12. Weapon focus: Slashing
13. Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing
14. Weapon Specialization: Slashing
15. Improved Critical: Slashing
16. Cleave
17. Great Cleave
18. Overwhelming Critical

Other:

20. Epic Toughness
21. Epic Damage Reduction
22. Paladin: Follower of the Silver Flame
23. Monk: Light Path
24. Level 26: Perfect Two handed fighting
25. Level 28: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting - 5% doublestrike for main hand weapon

Being inferior, i changed the enhancements and put 11 AP into StD tree to get stance and +15PRR (ending with +25PRR) while i loose Sting of the Ninja i feel the extra PRR (and +3 saves) are a nice trade off.

I praise the Mighty Cetus to forgive my heresy and bless me with is wisdom...

Stance doesn't work without a shield. Now go to the church and confess your sins.

[Choopak]

Stance doesn't work without a shield. Now go to the church and confess your sins.

Infidel!!!

Yes they do, and stack with earth stance...

[Nightmanis]

Infidel!!!

Yes they do, and stack with earth stance...

orly now. When did that become a thing?

[Choopak]

orly now. When did that become a thing?

They higher stance require a shield, but not the entry ones... hehe enjoy the double wammy!

[Takllin]

orly now. When did that become a thing?

Yeah there are two sets of stances. One which gives 25 PRR, 3 saves and 75 threat you can use with anything. The bonus to STR CON and HP stance needs sword and board.

[Relenthe]

Do you regularly scroll tensers on this build? I would imagine twice the time between reconstructs would not be worth the buff.

[Cetus]

Ho great Cetus, i humbly ask for your guidance in my quest to perfection.
I took the first step: I am now a Bladeforged, reborn into the perfect race.
Now, thanks to my Lord Cetus, my path is clear, fighter12/ monk6/ pally2.
But, alas, i'm only a lowly follower with 2 past life (pally and fighter), therefore missing the Master's gear/ and completionist.
So here comes the hard choices: drop the range option... please Master don't see it as blasphemy, i'm aware of the power of manyshot, but i'm flawed...
That leave me with 8 feats to choose from... Share your wisdom i beg... so i shall redeem myself...

The Disciple

Starting Stats: Strength: 18, Dexterity: 10 (no need to put more since no manyshot), Constitution: 16, Intelligence: 8, Wisdom: 6 (no more zen archery), Charisma: 16
Feats

12 Fighter = 7 Feats. Bladeforged = 7 feats. 6 Monk = 3 Feats. Epic feats = 3 Feats. 7 + 7 + 3 + 3 = 20 Feats.
Add 2 Destiny feats + Paladin Deity + Monk light/dark path = 24 total feat decisions.

Ranged: no need anymore...

1. Toughness (taken as Level 2 Monk Class feat)
2. Force of Personality
3. Master of Form (i took monk levels earlier in class progression)
4. Grand Master of Form
5. Sap
6. GTHF
7. Magical Training

Melee:

8. Power Attack (taken as Level 1 Monk class feat)
9. Two Handed Fighting (taken as Level 6 Monk Class feat)
10. Improved Two Handed Fighting
11. Stunning Blow
12. Weapon focus: Slashing
13. Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing
14. Weapon Specialization: Slashing
15. Improved Critical: Slashing
16. Cleave
17. Great Cleave
18. Overwhelming Critical

Other:

20. Epic Toughness
21. Epic Damage Reduction
22. Paladin: Follower of the Silver Flame
23. Monk: Light Path
24. Level 26: Perfect Two handed fighting
25. Level 28: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting - 5% doublestrike for main hand weapon

Being inferior, i changed the enhancements and put 11 AP into StD tree to get stance and +15PRR (ending with +25PRR) while i loose Sting of the Ninja i feel the extra PRR (and +3 saves) are a nice trade off.

I praise the Mighty Cetus to forgive my heresy and bless me with is wisdom...

Well, if you drop ranged - then just pick up more DPS feats for melee. You said that you have a pally past life, so that's an option. Greater Weapon spec for +2 damage, GTHF, power critical, even precision for high fortification targets, improved sunder helps your stunning blow DC.

I wouldn't take grandmaster of forms, its kinda meh for a feat slot. Instead, try to fit in epic reflexes if you can so that you never fail your reflex save.

Now, stop molesting that 11 month old.

[Takllin]

Do you regularly scroll tensers on this build? I would imagine twice the time between reconstructs would not be worth the buff.

Tensers does not effect the CD of Bladeforged Reconstruct.

[JOTMON]

Still Looking to get:
Ogre Power 11 of False Life 50 Belt

Not a belt but still pretty...

[Choopak]

Well, if you drop ranged - then just pick up more DPS feats for melee. You said that you have a pally past life, so that's an option. Greater Weapon spec for +2 damage, GTHF, power critical, even precision for high fortification targets, improved sunder helps your stunning blow DC.

I wouldn't take grandmaster of forms, its kinda meh for a feat slot. Instead, try to fit in epic reflexes if you can so that you never fail your reflex save.

Now, stop molesting that 11 month old.

Thanks for input, i did pick up some DPS feat and a couple utilities... But i'll take a closer look (i overlooked GWspec, and some others)
Good call on grand master of form, will pick Epic reflexes.

[Cetus]

Not a belt but still pretty...

ok, that's nice

[mikarddo]

Out of ignorance. Do you find the 375ish SP enough to fuel the reconstruct SLA?

[Cetus]

Out of ignorance. Do you find the 375ish SP enough to fuel the reconstruct SLA?

Yup, I also carry a bauble and its fine. Occasionally I run into pots if there are sticky situations, but its a tiny price to pay throughout the long run.

[Wizza]

Yup, I also carry a bauble and its fine. I run into pots because I always die, but its a tiny price to pay throughout the long run.

ftfy

[DanteEnFuego]

og

fixed

Glad to help. Any chance you can share a level/class progression? My main is a completionist x2 Arti, x3 Wiz/FvS/Sorc. Looking for some melee fun. If no eSoS, second choice?

Big props for the great build...

[redspecter23]

Glad to help. Any chance you can share a level/class progression? My main is a completionist x2 Arti, x3 Wiz/FvS/Sorc. Looking for some melee fun. If no eSoS, second choice?

Big props for the great build...

If no ESoS, give some consideration to Sireth and tier 5 Henshin Mystic. It's not as powerful as ESoS but it at least comes reasonably close with 13-20 crits at x3 multiplier as a base. Having a 25% doublestrike short term buff and level draining attacks adds some utility to make up for the lack of direct dps. Sireth instead of ESoS opens up many other options for base class over fighter as well as it's centered normally.

[Cetus]

If no ESoS, give some consideration to Sireth and tier 5 Henshin Mystic. It's not as powerful as ESoS but it at least comes reasonably close with 13-20 crits at x3 multiplier as a base. Having a 25% doublestrike short term buff and level draining attacks adds some utility to make up for the lack of direct dps. Sireth instead of ESoS opens up many other options for base class over fighter as well as it's centered normally.

I tried sireth a while ago with the original human version - it does more dps on paper, but when I played with it I found it very difficult to be efficient. That extra doublestrike attack is unreliable because it doesn't proc if you don't connect or miss a mob. I just didn't find it doing more dps in practice, too much time trying to do it rather than just doing it.

Maybe someone else will find more utility out of it, but the esos still reigns supreme for now for me.

[redspecter23]

I tried sireth a while ago with the original human version - it does more dps on paper, but when I played with it I found it very difficult to be efficient. That extra doublestrike attack is unreliable because it doesn't proc if you don't connect or miss a mob. I just didn't find it doing more dps in practice, too much time trying to do it rather than just doing it.

Maybe someone else will find more utility out of it, but the esos still reigns supreme for now for me.

Agreed, the ESoS is better and the build is built around having it. I was just responding to someone looking for an alternative. I'm guessing he doesn't have it yet. In that situation, I'm thinking Sireth to be a better alternative than Cleaver, but I haven't crunched the numbers. If I remember correctly, there was some issue with quarterstaves not proccing glancing blows on cleaves, reducing overall dps compared to traditional two handers. This might be the cause for a dps loss but would be dependent on feats and playstyle.

I'm playing a ranger variant right now 12ranger/6monk/2paladin which is performing well with the Sireth setup. ESoS wouldn't work with that particular centered build at all anyway... also I still need to get one

[Sokól]

I tried sireth a while ago with the original human version - it does more dps on paper, but when I played with it I found it very difficult to be efficient. That extra doublestrike attack is unreliable because it doesn't proc if you don't connect or miss a mob. I just didn't find it doing more dps in practice, too much time trying to do it rather than just doing it.

Maybe someone else will find more utility out of it, but the esos still reigns supreme for now for me.

This was my conclution also and the cleaver is just slow...