THF Kensei for New Players (U33)

[unbongwah]

EDIT (04/12/20): I've updated this build based on the U45 combat changes. Strikethrough + higher damage modifier means taking the THF feats ASAP is important. Also I bumped up base DEX so we can grab Precision early on and add Spring Attack later, which is somewhat more useful than it was, at least to a build which otherwise doesn't get any charge attack. Stand Fast (level 12 Stalwart Defender) now provides fear & knockdown immunity.

THF F2P Kensei (U45)
Fighter 20
True Neutral Human


Stats
               28pt     Level Up
               ----     --------
Strength        17       4: STR
Dexterity       13       8: STR
Constitution    16      12: STR
Intelligence     8      16: STR
Wisdom           8      20: STR
Charisma         8      24: STR
                        28: STR

Skills
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
         ------------------------------------------------------------
Intim     2  2     2     2     2     2     2     2     2     2     2  22
UMD       2     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     11
Tumble    1                                                            1
         ------------------------------------------------------------
          8  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2


Feats

 1        : Power Attack
 1 Human  : Cleave
 1 Fighter: Two Handed Fighting
 2 Fighter: Precision
 3        : Least Dragonmark: Passage
 4 Fighter: Great Cleave
 6        : Weapon Focus: Slashing
 6 Fighter: Improved Two Handed Fighting
 8 Fighter: Improved Critical: Slashing
 9        : Weapon Specialization: Slashing
10 Fighter: Stunning Blow
12        : Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing
12 Fighter: Greater Two Handed Fighting
14 Fighter: Heavy Armor Champion
15        : Dodge
16 Fighter: Tactical Supremacy
18        : Mobility
18 Fighter: Spring Attack
20 Fighter: Tactical Mastery OR Heavy Armor Master OR Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing
21 Epic   : Overwhelming Critical
24 Epic   : Bulwark of Defense
26 Destiny: Perfect Two Handed Fighting
27 Epic   : Epic Damage Reduction
28 Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
29 Destiny: Dire Charge
30 Epic   : Epic Fortitude OR Blinding Speed
30 Legend : Scion of: Arborea


Enhancements (80 AP)

Kensei (41 AP)
Kensei Focus: Heavy Blades, Spiritual Bond, Strike With No Thought, Power Surge, One Cut, Alacrity
Extra Action Boost III, Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades, Action Boost: Haste Boost III
Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades, Ascetic Training: Conditioning III
Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades, Shattering Strike: Shattering Strike I, Strength
Opportunity Attack, Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades, Liquid Courage, Strike at the Heart, Strength
A Good Death: Melee, Weapon Master, One With The Blade, Deadly Strike: Deadly Strike, Keen Edge

Stalwart Defender (27 AP)
Toughness, Stalwart Defense, Overbalance, Stand Fast
Item Defense III, Improved Stalwart Defense: Durable Defense III
Improved Stalwart Defense: Resilient Defense III, Instinctive Defense III
Greater Stalwart Defense: Strong Defense III, Strength
Swift Defense, Greater Stalwart Defense: Hardy Defense III, Strength

Human (12 AP)
Damage Boost
Dragonmark Focus: Orien II, Improved Recovery
Lesser Dragonmark: Dimension Door, Great Weapon Aptitude III
Improved Recovery

Leveling Guide
Ken0 Kensei Focus: Heavy Blades; Ken1 Action Boost: Haste Boost I, II, III
Ken1 Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades; SD0 Toughness; SD1 Item Defense I
SD1 Improved Stalwart Defense: Durable Defense I, II, III; SD0 Stalwart Defense
Ken0 Spiritual Bond; Hum0 Damage Boost; Hum1 Improved Recovery
Ken1 Extra Action Boost I, II
Ken0 Strike With No Thought; Ken2 Ascetic Training: Conditioning I; Hum1 Dragonmark Focus: Orien I, II
Hum2 Lesser Dragonmark: Dimension Door; Ken1 Extra Action Boost III
Ken2 Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades; Ken3 Strength
Ken3 Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades; Ken4 Opportunity Attack
Ken4 Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades; Ken4 Strike at the Heart
Ken4 Liquid Courage; Ken3 Shattering Strike: Shattering Strike I; (Bank 2 AP)
Ken0 Power Surge; Ken5 One With The Blade; Ken5 Keen Edge; Ken5 Weapon Master; Ken5 A Good Death: Melee; Ken5 Deadly Strike: Deadly Strike
Hum2 Great Weapon Aptitude I, II, III; SD2 Improved Stalwart Defense: Resilient Defense I
SD2 Improved Stalwart Defense: Resilient Defense II, III; SD2 Instinctive Defense I; SD3 Greater Stalwart Defense: Tenacious Defense I
SD3 Greater Stalwart Defense: Tenacious Defense II, III; Hum3 Improved Recovery
SD3 Strength; SD2 Instinctive Defense II, III
SD1 Item Defense II, III; SD0 Overbalance; SD0 Stand Fast
Ken0 One Cut; SD4 Swift Defense; SD4 Strength
SD4 Greater Stalwart Defense: Strong Defense I, II, III; Ken2 Ascetic Training: Conditioning II
Ken4 Strength; Ken2 Ascetic Training: Conditioning III; Ken0 Alacrity
Reset Stalwart Defender
Stalwart Defender: Toughness, Stalwart Defense, Overbalance, Stand Fast
Item Defense III, Improved Stalwart Defense: Durable Defense III
Improved Stalwart Defense: Resilient Defense III, Instinctive Defense III
Greater Stalwart Defense: Strong Defense III, Strength
Swift Defense, Greater Stalwart Defense: Hardy Defense III, Strength



Destiny (24 AP)

Legendary Dreadnought
Legendary Tactics III, Extra Action Boost III
Momentum Swing III, Imp. Power Attack, Damage Boost III
Lay Waste
Volcano's Edge
Advancing Blows, Devastating Critical
Master's Blitz

Specced for Heavy Blades (falchions, greatswords); switching to greataxes is merely a matter of swapping Enhancements and adding Headman's Chop in Dreadnought. In heroics, take Tenacious Defense from tier-3 Stalwart Defender for +25% HPs; after level 21, you'll use Epic Defensive Fighting and should switch to Hardy Defense (+6 CON).

Kept the Dragonmark of Passage because glowing tattoos are cool. And also Dimension Door is a quality-of-life improvement for certain quests. But you can drop the DM feat and redo Enhancements(41 Kensei / 31 SD / 8 human) so you can take Defensive Sweep (level 18 Stalwart Defender). This is now a passive bonus: +15% Exceptional bonus to Armor Class , +50% Threat, and +25 PRR. While you're at it, maybe move Spring Attack up sooner by delaying Precision and the Weapon Focus/Specialization line.

What's that? You've Favor-unlocked 32-point builds and have acquired a couple of +2 tomes so you're ready for an upgrade using your free Heart of Wood? And you want Improved Trip too? Well okay!

THF Kensei (U45)
Fighter 20
True Neutral Human


Stats
               32pt     Tome     Level Up
               ----     ----     --------
Strength        18                4: STR
Dexterity       11       +2       8: STR
Constitution    16               12: STR
Intelligence    11       +2      16: STR
Wisdom           8               20: STR
Charisma         8               24: STR
                                 28: STR

Skills
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
         ------------------------------------------------------------
Intim     3  2     2     2     2     2     2     2     2     2     2  23
Search    1  1  1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     11
UMD       2     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     11
Balance            1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1   9
Jump      1                                                            1
Tumble    1                                                            1
         ------------------------------------------------------------
         12  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4


Feats

 1        : Power Attack
 1 Human  : Cleave
 1 Fighter: Two Handed Fighting
 2 Fighter: Combat Expertise
 3        : Improved Trip
 4 Fighter: Great Cleave
 6        : Stunning Blow
 6 Fighter: Improved Two Handed Fighting
 8 Fighter: Improved Critical: Slashing
 9        : Weapon Focus: Slashing
10 Fighter: Weapon Specialization: Slashing
12        : Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing
12 Fighter: Greater Two Handed Fighting
14 Fighter: Precision
15        : Dodge
16 Fighter: Tactical Supremacy
18        : Mobility
18 Fighter: Spring Attack
20 Fighter: Whirlwind Attack OR Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing
21 Epic   : Overwhelming Critical
24 Epic   : Bulwark of Defense OR Tactical Mastery
26 Destiny: Perfect Two Handed Fighting
27 Epic   : Epic Damage Reduction OR Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing
28 Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
29 Destiny: Dire Charge
30 Epic   : Epic Fortitude OR Blinding Speed
30 Legend : Scion of: Arborea OR Astral Plane


Enhancements (80 AP)

Kensei (41 AP)
Kensei Focus: Heavy Blades, Spiritual Bond, Strike With No Thought, Power Surge, One Cut, Alacrity
Extra Action Boost III, Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades, Action Boost: Haste Boost III
Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades, Ascetic Training: Conditioning III
Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades, Shattering Strike: Shattering Strike I, Strength
Opportunity Attack, Weapon Group Specialization: Heavy Blades, Liquid Courage, Strike at the Heart, Strength
A Good Death: Melee, Weapon Master, One With The Blade, Deadly Strike: Deadly Strike, Keen Edge

Stalwart Defender (31 AP)
Toughness, Stalwart Defense, Overbalance, Stand Fast, Defensive Sweep
Improved Stalwart Defense: Durable Defense III, Stalwart Defensive Mastery III
Improved Stalwart Defense: Resilient Defense III, Instinctive Defense III
Greater Stalwart Defense: Strong Defense III, Strength
Swift Defense, Greater Stalwart Defense: Hardy Defense III, Reinforced Defense: Reinforced Armor III, Strength

Human (8 AP)
Damage Boost, Strength
Improved Recovery
Great Weapon Aptitude III


Destiny (24 AP)

Legendary Dreadnought
Legendary Tactics III, Extra Action Boost III
Momentum Swing III, Imp. Combat Expertise, Imp. Power Attack, Damage Boost III
Lay Waste
(none)
Advancing Blows, Devastating Critical
Master's Blitz

Whirlwind Attack is still...not great with weapons. But you have all the pre-req feats anyway so why not? You can always swap it out later for something else.