Kensei/Vanguard build

[Ballrus]

Retired.

[Captain_Wizbang]

Nice. +1

[Kodwraith]

More vanguard, less kensei:

Has your feat list changed? I'm playing basically this as a Aasimar or fighter life (I cant decide which) and wanted to go with Bsword + shield + THF. That way I can fall back to falchion when I just need to mow stuff down. The 41/39 split seems a good idea too.

[LawLessk]

Hello.
First build on forums.
Someone in game asked about my build, so here i am.
Attention: i'm not a pro builder!

I'm a casual player that like S&B fighter. Not uber, not powergamer, almost always PUG (lvl 85 3-man guild, all casuals and old's)

I have triple heroic completionist, 3x doublestrike, 1x colors and 1x fast healing and +7 tomes.

Working on racials atm (doing dragonborn PL's), 20 reaper points, play mostly r1-3 on heroics (solo-PUG) and epics EE-R1. Able to play in epic r4 with party (CC, hjeals me! etc - tested).

(Thanks Ellisdee for charbuilder)

New Build
Fighter 20
Chaotic Good Purple Dragon Knight


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . 32pt. . .34pt . . 36pt. . .Tome. . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . --------
Strength. . . . 18. . . .18 . . . 18. . . .18 . . . +7 . . . 4: STR
Dexterity . . . .8. . . .12 . . . .8. . . .10 . . . +7 . . . 8: STR
Constitution. . 16. . . .16 . . . 18. . . .18 . . . +7 . . .12: STR
Intelligence. . 10. . . .10 . . . 10. . . .10 . . . +7 . . .16: STR
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . +7 . . .20: STR
Charisma. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . +7 . . .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. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 2. 1. 1. 1. 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Jump. . . 4. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Balance . . .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .1 .1 .1 .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .11
UMD . . . 2. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. . .11
Heal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .½ .½ .½ .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1½. 8
Tumble. . 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .12. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6


Feats

.1. . . . : Two Handed Fighting
.1 PDK. . : Power Attack
.1 Fighter: Cleave
.2 Fighter: Stunning Blow
.3. . . . : Weapon Focus: Slashing
.4 Fighter: Great Cleave
.6. . . . : Exotic Weapon: Bastard Sword
.6 Fighter: Shield Mastery
.8 Fighter: Improved Critical: Slashing
.9. . . . : Improved Two Handed Fighting
10 Fighter: Weapon Specialization: Slashing
12. . . . : Improved Shield Mastery
12 Fighter: Greater Two Handed Fighting
14 Fighter: Improved Shield Bash
15. . . . : Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing
16 Fighter: Precision
18. . . . : Tactical Supremacy
18 Fighter: Tactical Mastery
20 Fighter: Dodge
21 Epic . : Overwhelming Critical
24 Epic . : Mobility
26 Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
27 Epic . : Blinding Speed
28 Destiny: Perfect Two Handed Fighting
29 Destiny: Dire Charge
30 Epic . : Completionist
30 Legend : Scion of: Arborea


Enhancements (80 AP)

Kensei (43 AP)

• Kensei Focus: Heavy Blades, Spiritual Bond, Strike with No Thought, Power Surge, One Cut, Alacrity
  1. Extra Action Boost III, Weapon Group Specialization, Exotic Weapon Mastery, Haste Boost III
  2. Tactics III, Weapon Group Specialization
  3. Weapon Group Specialization, Strength
  4. Opportunity Attack, Weapon Group Specialization, Strike at the Heart, Strength
  5. A Good Death: Melee, Weapon Master, One with the Blade, Keen Edge

Vanguard (23 AP)

• To the Fore!, Shield Combat I, Vicious Shield I, Shield Combat II
  1. Shield Specialization, Armor Training II
  2. Brutality III, Stunning Shield III, Missile Shield III
  3. Fatal Bulwark, Strength
  4. Strength

Stalwart Defender (14 AP)

• Toughness, Stalwart Defense, Overbalance
  1. Durable Defense III, Stalwart Defensive Mastery II
  2. Instinctive Defense III
  3. Tenacious Defense III

Destiny (24 AP)

Legendary Dreadnought

1. Legendary Tactics III, Extra Action Boost III, Strength
2. Strength
3. Critical Damage II, Strength
4. Strength
5. Advancing Blows, Devastating Critical, Strength
6. Master's Blitz

Twists of Fate (27 fate points)

1. Sense Weakness (Tier 4 Fury)
2. Legendary Shield Mastery (Tier 2 Sentinel)
3. Rejuvenation Cocoon (Tier 1 Primal)
4. Primal Scream (Tier 1 Fury)
5. Brace for Impact (Tier 1 Sentinel)

Why Power attack and bswd?
I like cleaves and bswd! And i know khopeshes are better etc, etc...
Feel free to swap feats.

Gear:
Attention!!! I'm casual, lazy and i HATE slave lords chain!!!

heroics: CC and old named gear.

Lvl 20: same.

Lvl 23-28: CC gear.

Googles: deadly, seeker, ins. seeker, master gift.
Head: wis, resistance, ins wis, sapphire heavy fort.
Neck: ins heal, ins wizardry, ins spell res, topaz of power 150.
Trinket: stunning, vertigo, ins magic sheltering.
Cloak: intimidate, spell saves, ins cha, topaz blindness immunity.
Belt: Str, ins str, doublestrike, topaz striding.
Ring 1: Con, ins con, false life, sapphire spell agility.
Ring 2: Devotion, ins heal, healing lore (whatever here).
Gloves: healing amp, melee alacrity, ins devotion, topaz fear immunity.
Boots: Dex, ins dex, jump, topaz FF OR dodge, ins dodge, parrying, Topaz FF.
Bracer: protection, sheltering, ins phisical sheltering, topaz deathblock.
Armor: Whisperchain.
Shield: Talon, Wall of wood, Tireless aid...
Weapon: Wave of despair (heroic), epic chimera, drow bswd, nightmare (upgraded, with prowess 5 piece, my only sentient atm), epic spinal tap, tier 2 TF, lgs 1khp, leg wave of despair.

Lvl 29:

Googles: CC seeker, accuracy, ins seeker, master gift.
Head: Leg soujourner cowl, sapphire defense.
Neck: leg ward inscribed pendant, topaz fear immunity.
Trinket: CC dodge, ins str +6, TS.
Cloak, light armor (draconic S gem) and belt (topaz of power 250): silent avenger set.
Ring 1: leg ring of prowess.
Ring 2: Slave lord 17 cha, 14 res, 7 umd, 4 quality str. Yeahh, i got it!!
Boots: flightfoot greaves, topaz FF.
Gloves: Molten silver.
Bracer: leg bracer fallen hero, golem hearth.
Shield: leg best defense.
Weapon: morninglord, nightmother, leg wave of despair, epic spinal, etc.

Dont't remember final stats, saves etc,
(str around 80-90, melee power 190(?), saves around 60, dodge 22, hp 1900 iirc, doublestrike 97, shield bash 81%, prr near 200, mrr 100(?), shield stunning 129, dire charge 119, trip and stunning blow 89(?)).
It's been awhile since i played this build. Need adapt to dragonborn last racial.

Appreciate any help, critics and comments.

Hows the dps on this build? I would love a high dps vanguard build.

[LawLessk]

Aasimar version possible? How will this change the build?

[axel15810]

Nice build. May use this to try and resurrect my long since abandoned warforged fighter alt.

[Ballrus]

Nice. +1

Thanks.

Has your feat list changed? I'm playing basically this as a Aasimar or fighter life (I cant decide which) and wanted to go with Bsword + shield + THF. That way I can fall back to falchion when I just need to mow stuff down. The 41/39 split seems a good idea too.

Works with TH weapons, but Vanguard Attack speed is the thing here. Update 45 AP split: 43/31/6.

Hows the dps on this build? I would love a high dps vanguard build.

Update 45: Good! Not top, but for sure better with Strikethrough.

Aasimar version possible? How will this change the build?

Yes. Better self heal.

Nice build. May use this to try and resurrect my long since abandoned warforged fighter alt.

Thanks.

[Nickodeamous]

Hi there,

I need to knock out 2 more fighter lives. I play a monk 100% of the time, so just looking to get the DC boost from the fighter past life along with the PRR from PDK. I messed up and thought i could just play a 12 fighter 8 monk since i dont have any fighter gear at all. Id like to try this on my next life. What gear should i be hoarding/acquiring. I dont plan to actually fatm at all, just whatever i pick up as i go from 15 to 30. My plan right now is to go 15 to 30, the epic to 20, back up to 30, then TR into PDK X 2.

Thanks,
Nico

[Ballrus]

Hi there,

I need to knock out 2 more fighter lives. I play a monk 100% of the time, so just looking to get the DC boost from the fighter past life along with the PRR from PDK. I messed up and thought i could just play a 12 fighter 8 monk since i dont have any fighter gear at all. Id like to try this on my next life. What gear should i be hoarding/acquiring. I dont plan to actually fatm at all, just whatever i pick up as i go from 15 to 30. My plan right now is to go 15 to 30, the epic to 20, back up to 30, then TR into PDK X 2.

Thanks,
Nico

To be honest, Monk wont combine with Vanguard.
I'm not very "Monky" to comment on Monk gear.
Maybe THF tier 5 Centered Kensei with Monk stuff?

But, again, monk isn't for me.

Sorry.

[Nickodeamous]

To be honest, Monk wont combine with Vanguard.
I'm not very "Monky" to comment on Monk gear.
Maybe THF tier 5 Centered Kensei with Monk stuff?

But, again, monk isn't for me.

Sorry.

Thanks for the response. I was actually asking what gear i should be hoarding as i leveled with that horrible 12 fighter 8 monk combo. I want to go 20 fighter but i dont know what to pick up and keep as i go through that current life. Should i be picking up heavy armor, two handed swords, str gear? That kinda stuff

Thanks again!!

Nico

[Ballrus]

Thanks for the response. I was actually asking what gear i should be hoarding as i leveled with that horrible 12 fighter 8 monk combo. I want to go 20 fighter but i dont know what to pick up and keep as i go through that current life. Should i be picking up heavy armor, two handed swords, str gear? That kinda stuff

Thanks again!!

Nico

12 fighter/8 Monk... Same gear except shield/heavy armor (go pajamas instead?).
20 Fighter THF, use the same gear from Kensei/Vanguard, but w/o shields?
Levels 1-14, whatever; 15-23 i´m using Sharn+CC gear; 23-28 CC "Universal Melee Gear"; 29 Sharn.

[Captain_Wizbang]

20 Fighter THF, use the same gear from Kensei/Vanguard, but w/o shields?
Levels 1-14, whatever; 15-23 i´m using Sharn+CC gear; 23-28 CC "Universal Melee Gear"; 29 Sharn.

Using a combo of Ravenloft & Sharn gear from lvl 10 - 20. THF mainly, w/ a splash of shield proficiency for the few times I want to "turtle up".

Mainly a stun/trip build, the pure fighter/strength build w/ shield bash/rush/charge is a BLAST. (as long as you're out in front of casters )

I've found splashing 5 points into Falconry for + 1 to hit & confirm, animal favored enemy and bird attack (for trip really helps for single target cc)

You can also add 1 point in harper for +1 vs evil.