Iconic + Fighter PL build

[svinja]

What would be a good build to farm 3 iconic (bf or pdk) + fighter PLs? This is on a well equipped and tomed character. Doge builds are out of the question. What I am currently leaning towards:

Split: 9Ftr/9Wlk/2Pal

Feats (heroic): PA, Cleave, GCleave, 3xTHF, IC: Slashing, Adamantine Body

That's 8, so 4 more feats (5 if PDK). Probably take Quicken, Empower, Maximize if I'm going to use the bursts (not sure about that). I guess Toughness (if taking Epic Toughness at 24).

Enhancements: mostly Enlightened Spirit (T5) and Stalwart Defender, just take haste boost and maybe extra boosts from Kensai. I lose 1 crit range, boo-hoo. Take the racial damage boost (a big difference in AP here)

For PDK, go CHA based and take Divine Might.
For BF, same or perhaps go STR based and don't take Divine Might as BF is more AP-starved due to having to spend 16 points to get damage boost.

Gets me some nice light damage on melee hits, Jump, Nightshield, DDoor, Invisibility, Displacement (I have clickies but still nice), Aura (although weak), Shining Through, good PRR, ok saves.

This build is very tough but I think it is a bit low on the DPS. I tested it in my standard way by going into elite Disciples of Shar once I made a new BF character and leveled it to 15 (4Ftr/9Wlk/2Pal). It was basically invulnerable but I wasn't too impressed with the DPS. Clearing the mobs might start to slow down too much eventually.

What do you guys think? Any better ideas (no dogs)?

[unbongwah]

TR templates are about figuring out which classes / PrEs are most front-loaded and configuring yourself to exploit those bonuses, IMHO. I posted a repeater template: rog 6 / rgr or arty 6 / <TR class> 8; disable traps for XP, zerg / kite, shoot mobs, take their stuff - rinse, repeat. Another option is Swashbuckler: e.g., ftr 12 / bard 6 / rog 2.

[svinja]

Yeah forgot to mention repeaters are out of the question same as doges. I like the bard idea though, I am going to try it out, thanks. I have never actually played a character with any bard levels.

[unbongwah]

Forum search is still borked for me. But there's an old Swashbuckler build called Jack Dancer you might want to look up; IIRC, it's ftr 12 (Power Surge + Gtr Weapon Specialization) / bard 6 / FvS 2 (for Div Might + Wall of Steel + Smite Weakness). Although if you have Harper, you could swap FvS for rog and take Know the Angles instead of Div Might; that way you get trap skills + Evasion instead. Harper also offers stat consolidation, insofar as INT becomes your to-hit, dmg, and Reflex saves (w/Insightful Reflexes); plus going INT-based means more skill pts, of course.

[the_one_dwarfforged]

9/9/2 reminds me of how people used to do barbarian just to get it over with. im fairly certain that if you just build a fighter, not some multiclass intended to ignore the class, it will be more effective.

also the whole frontloading = better for trs doesnt mean as much for iconics, since most of your time will be with a full build.

if doing bf, id go 12/6/2 ftr/mnk/pal.

if doing pdk, id do pure fighter.

thf or swf are imo the best choices for levelling purposes.

[svinja]

Thanks guys.

As for a pure fighter, I did that to 28 recently on another character; I wasn't impressed with the leveling efficiency.

I tried the bard that was suggested, the single target DPS was WAY higher than on my 9/9/2. I liked it, however this build was very squishy (on a fresh off the boat 15 PDK - might not be on my decked out main). I was getting my ass handed to me in E Disciples of Shar in the first fight in front of the cave.

I think I might go for this:

PDK 8 fighter (probably 7) / 6 bard / 6 warlock (probably 7 for either ddoor or dark discorporation for running through traps)

At level 15, this is 3F/6B/6W, pact is GOO, feats are Extend + SWF/melee stuff

Enhancements (at 15, ignoring filler points):

PDK: Damage boost, CHA to attack/damage 3
SD: PRR and stance 6
ES: Shining Through, Displacement, various light damage / spell power, PRR and MRR stuff, Brilliance, 2 CHA 34
SB: Swashbuckling, Dodge, Deflect Arrows, Dashing Scoundrel, 2 Doublestrike boost 13

The core enhancements can all be afforded at 15. The build feels extremely strong at this level. Offensively, Swashbuckling with the core enhancements (unfortunately, no Expose Weakness and Thread the Needle) Defensively, Shining Through, virtually permanent displacement, 62/60 PRR/MRR in light armor at level 15. Saves are the weak spot but this is true for any bard build. 24 AP is "free" at 20 for more bard stuff, haste boost, extra boosts, whatever.

I have some more epic lives planned before I go farm fighter lives but right now it seems pretty nice. I guess it is hard for me to see anything more than the bare minimum of fighter levels needed to get the PL as worth taking.