Classic Build #1 - Dwavern fighter - Jay edition.

Jay’s Classic Builds for Drev.

Build #1 – The Dwarvern Fighter

Can you build a classic fantasy archetype for DRev to act as a bridge between what you may be familiar with and what is the available in our system?   This will be the experiment for today's blog.   First what is a classic archetype for say D&D?  Well for me that's a little hard to define (since I tend to play weird things), but it's typically a common combination of race and class, often in an optimized fashion.  So where to start?  Well, let us try something easy: a dwarf fighter.

We'll do the first ten levels to start the process.

Your cool title/quote:  Dwarven Tank/Giant Killer “you better believe it, good things come in small packages”

Race: Dwarf

Class/Path:  Combatant/Soldier

Your Role:  You are tough and specialized in taking down things bigger than you and cleaving down enemies.   Out of combat you are physically fit and skilled in military knowledge and tactics.   

Ability Array (including dwarf starting adjustment): Str 15, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 13

Ability Increases over time:  At level 4 increase Str by +2(17); level 8, Con by +2 (18); level 12, Con +2 (20);  level 16, Str +2 (19);  level 20, Con +2 (22)

Skills:   Focus on Athletics, Acrobatics, Battlecraft, Perception and Sense Motive.  You can also utilize Treat Injury to act as a backup healer for the party.  Ride or Use Vehicle could be helpful to get around the battlefield quickly.  

Level 1 (including racial):    Talents:  Stability (Dwarven racial talent), Battlefield Etiquette, Battlefield Analysis (Soldier talent2).   Feat:  Toughness

Level 2:  Feat: Power Attack

Level 3:   Talent: Combat Know How (soldier talent)

Level 4:  Feat: Cleave (power attack feat tree)

Level 5:  Talents: Anti-Giant Training (Fleet racial talent), Any Cover (Fleet racial talent).

Level 6:  Feat:  Great Cleave (power attack feat tree)

Level 7:  Talent:  Armor Specialization (Combatant general talent)

Level 8:  Feat:  Unfettered Power Attack (power attack feat tree)

Level 9:   Power Attack Achievement (DRev Book of Adventure).  Talent:  Heavy Armor Proficiency feat (Army Brass Soldier talent), Armor Specialization (Combatant general talent)

Level 10: Feat:  Robust

Recommended Equipment:

>>Level 1:  Standard Adventurer's Kit, Greataxe and Patchwork Armor (58 GB left over for other essentials).

>>Level 2: Ranged weapons could include a couple of throwing axes, a sling or similar easy to use weapon. 

>>Other weapon options:  A battleaxe and shield is also a great combo for this character.  Lowers your damage output a little bit, but will grant you some extra AC from the shield. 

>>Weapon Improvement: An Adamantium Greataxe could be taken as early as level 5.  

>>Armor Improvement:  On the armor side, take heavy armor by level 9.  A good choice is Mithral Lobster Armor.    

>>Other Magical Equipment: A Fetish of Speed and Fetish of Winking are important to obtain to ensure your mobility.

>>Modern weapon considerations could include hi-tech ones, such as a chainsaw to take the place of your greataxe.  Derringers and shotguns are also a good fit for a dwarf and assist you in situations where range might be an issue for you.

Playing your character (talent and feat breakdown)

The Battlefield Etiquette talent tree for the soldier is taken early on because its bonuses have greater effect at lower levels (completing the chain of talents by level 3), allowing you to provide bonuses to assist other characters in a light leadership role, even outside of combat. 

As you become tougher and better equipped your objective is to get in close to large enemies, utilizing Anti-Giant Training to take them down.  With Any Cover, you can make it harder for large enemies to hit you just by standing next to them or even gain defensive bonuses standing next to larger sized allies.  Meanwhile Cleave and Great Cleave means you can start decimating larger and larger groups of weaker enemies.  Gaining the Power Attack achievement before level 10 is great way to sure up against ever increasing larger groups of monsters and cleave enemies who provoke opportunity.

You will need lots of hit points since you will be in the thick of battle quite often.  Toughness has its greatest benefit at level 1; while Robust is taken at level 10 with the intent of perusing the Toughness feat achievement at higher levels. Additional benefits might also be gained from the Combatant talents of Hard to Kill and Remain Conscious since they can stack with many of these feats.

AC becomes more important at higher levels against heavy hitting monsters, so gaining Heavy Armor proficiency and Armor Specialization can boost your survivability during the mid-levels of 7 and 9. Future considerations beyond level 10 could include maximizing the Armor Specialization and even taking the Power Armor proficiency for a more modern feel.  If you are pursuing a more direct way of protecting fellow allies, you may consider the Soldier’s Tactical Aid talent tree instead of Armor specialization.  This is an agony of choice between choosing either your personal or your allies’ protection.

Out of combat you will have good bonuses in fairly small set of skills suited for a military officer and your ability to identify enemies is second to none.  But you tend to be bit gruff around the edges and may need a diplomatic envoy if you are taking the primary leadership position.

Your greatest weakness is speed.  While armor does not slow you down, as a dwarf you lack the ability to cover larger battlefields without some assistance.  You may have to rely on items to boost your speed.  You will also have to collaborate with other party members in either getting you close to enemies or drawing enemies close to you.  While in your full regalia of armor and weapons’ sneaking around is nearly impossible for you.  So you usually default to standing guard for other party members trying to enter secured areas.

DRev Background Ideas

Roll or Pick one

1:  You are from Steelgrove.  You serve as part of the Unified Guild Defense Team.  You now travel on a great mission to protect trade routes or even another party member who is a great guild asset.

2: You are from the Fiend Marches.  You serve as member of a collections agency party sent by a powerful demon corporation.

3: You are from the Drejlands.  You were raised as a slave in underground gladiator league.  You have escaped your bondage and to seek justice for other slaves that continue to suffer under the thumb of your former masters.

4: You are from Caladornia.  You fight alongside the sentinels of the realm, serving as part of the vanguard against the evils of the world that threatening it.

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