A Real Meanie (Fighter 12 / Weapon Master 25 / Bard 3)

[unifiedworld]

Another entry into my double axe series. This one uses bard instead of rogue and it’s for the min-maxers, the people who can’t stand to take less than 20 full BAB pre-epic class levels in a build that can afford to! (joking, of course)

Again, built for Swordflight, where you have a very high-level bard companion, bard song is not invested in since there is no point when your companion can buff you for 10 turns at a time with a much better bard song. Also, those points go toward buffing Spellcraft instead. But if you want to use this build outside of Swordflight, investing 10 points into Perform is highly recommended, for an extra bard song buff of +1AB +2damage +1will +1fortitude (4 points at level 22, 3 at level 32 and 3 more at level 39) and you probably won’t need crafting skills so you can take the points out of there, I guess.

This has higher AB with a double axe than the other two builds: 48AB. Again, a double major in the dwarven waraxe for a 50AB option with extra AC (and perhaps elemental protections) thanks to the shield.

Epic Will is taken to raise the low Will saving throw. 30 modified ranks of Spellcraft (that will be boosted by our companions’ bard song, of course) improve saves vs. spells.

An interesting option is to max Taunt instead of Spot. To each their own. Swordflight is not a module you can wander around without any detection but UMD enables sequencers with True Seeing so if buffs are carefully managed, spot can be skipped. (Of course, dispelling can always happen, too, so having actual points in Spot doesn’t hurt!) But this build has a high AB already so I doubt Taunt is as important as Spot. Additionally, some things can only be found/seen with a high enough Spot skill…..

I’m not sure which of these first three builds I have posted I will try first or if I will manage to take any one of them to level 40 in actuality. There aren’t many builds out there with a focus on double axes so I figure it doesn’t hurt if I share some of my ideas here.

All the best!!!!

P.S. It occurs to me that, without an investment in bard song, perhaps 1 level of bard is sufficient and 2 more fighter levels can be taken instead for an extra feat. When playing in Swordflight, the Spellcraft skill has many useful applications other than its customary ones so I don’t mind investing three levels into bard but others (min-maxers perhaps?) might prefer a single level in bard.

Fighter(12), Weapon Master(25), Bard(3), Human

STR: 16 (30)
DEX: 15
CON: 14
WIS: 8
INT: 14
CHA: 8

Human: (Quick to Master)
01: Fighter(1): Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity, Weapon Proficiency Exotic
02: Fighter(2): Weapon Focus: Double Axe
03: Fighter(3): Dodge
04: Fighter(4): STR+1, Weapon Specialization: Double Axe, (STR=17)
05: Fighter(5)
06: Fighter(6): Mobility, Expertise
07: Fighter(7)
08: Fighter(8): STR+1, Spring Attack, (STR=18)
09: Fighter(9): Whirlwind Attack
10: Weapon Master(1): Weapon of Choice: Double Axe
11: Weapon Master(2)
12: Weapon Master(3): STR+1, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, (STR=19)
13: Weapon Master(4)
14: Weapon Master(5)
15: Weapon Master(6): Knockdown
16: Weapon Master(7): STR+1, (STR=20)
17: Fighter(10): Weapon Focus: Dwarven Waraxe
18: Weapon Master(8): Blind Fight
19: Weapon Master(9)
20: Weapon Master(10): STR+1, (STR=21)
21: Weapon Master(11): Epic Will
22: Bard(1)
23: Weapon Master(12)
24: Weapon Master(13): STR+1, Great Strength I, Weapon of Choice: Dwarven Waraxe, (STR=23)
25: Weapon Master(14)
26: Weapon Master(15)
27: Weapon Master(16): Great Strength II, Epic Weapon Focus: Double Axe, (STR=24)
28: Weapon Master(17): STR+1, (STR=25)
29: Weapon Master(18)
30: Fighter(11): Weapon Specialization: Dwarven Waraxe
31: Weapon Master(19): Epic Weapon Focus: Dwarven Waraxe
32: Bard(2): STR+1, (STR=26)
33: Fighter(12): Epic Weapon Specialization: Double Axe, Epic Weapon Specialization: Dwarven Waraxe
34: Weapon Master(20)
35: Weapon Master(21)
36: Weapon Master(22): STR+1, Great Strength III, Armor Skin, (STR=28)
37: Weapon Master(23)
38: Weapon Master(24)
39: Bard(3): Great Strength IV, (STR=29)
40: Weapon Master(25): STR+1, Epic Prowess, (STR=30)

Hitpoints: 468
Skillpoints: 221
Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 22/19/22
Saving Throw bonuses: Spells: +6
BAB: 30
AB (max, naked): 50 (melee), 33 (ranged)
AC (naked/mundane items only): 22/32
Spell Casting:
Alignment Changes: 0

Craft Armor 7(9), Craft Weapon 7(9), Disable Trap 1(3), Discipline 43(53), Intimidate 4(3), Open Lock 1(3), Spellcraft 28(30), Spot 43(42), Tumble 40(42), UMD 41(40)

01: Craft Armor(4), Craft Weapon(4), Disable Trap(1), Discipline(4), Intimidate(2), Open Lock(1),
02: Discipline(1), Save(4),
03: Discipline(1), Intimidate(1), Save(6),
04: Discipline(1), Save(10),
05: Discipline(1), Intimidate(1), Save(12),
06: Discipline(1), Save(16),
07: Discipline(1), Save(20),
08: Discipline(1), Save(24),
09: Discipline(1), Save(28),
10: Discipline(1), Spot(13), Save(19),
11: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(22),
12: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(25),
13: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(28),
14: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(31),
15: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(34),
16: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(37),
17: Discipline(1), Save(41),
18: Discipline(1), Spot(2), Save(43),
19: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(46),
20: Discipline(1), Save(50),
21: Discipline(1), Save(54),
22: Discipline(1), Spellcraft(13), Tumble(25), UMD(22),
23: Discipline(1), Spot(4),
24: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(3),
25: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(6),
26: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(9),
27: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(12),
28: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(15),
29: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(18),
30: Craft Armor(3), Craft Weapon(3), Discipline(1), Save(16),
31: Discipline(1), Spot(2), Save(18),
32: Spellcraft(5), Tumble(10), UMD(10),
33: Discipline(2), Save(3),
34: Discipline(1), Spot(3), Save(4),
35: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(7),
36: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(10),
37: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(13),
38: Discipline(1), Save(17),
39: Spellcraft(10), Tumble(5), UMD(9),
40: Discipline(2), Spot(3),

[unifiedworld]

I put together a version with only one bard level. This version would be hell to play but maybe it’s OK? I don’t know. I would have to try it to know for sure.

This gets +2 strength but loses Epic Will. Spellcraft is 5 higher but UMD is 5 lower (adjust to taste). Crafting skills are lowered:

Fighter(14), Weapon Master(25), Bard(1), Human

STR: 16 (32)
DEX: 15
CON: 14
WIS: 8
INT: 14
CHA: 8

Human: (Quick to Master)
01: Fighter(1): Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity, Weapon Proficiency Exotic
02: Fighter(2): Weapon Focus: Double Axe
03: Fighter(3): Dodge
04: Fighter(4): STR+1, Weapon Specialization: Double Axe, (STR=17)
05: Fighter(5)
06: Fighter(6): Mobility, Expertise
07: Fighter(7)
08: Fighter(8): STR+1, Spring Attack, (STR=18)
09: Fighter(9): Whirlwind Attack
10: Weapon Master(1): Weapon of Choice: Double Axe
11: Weapon Master(2)
12: Weapon Master(3): STR+1, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, (STR=19)
13: Weapon Master(4)
14: Weapon Master(5)
15: Weapon Master(6): Knockdown
16: Weapon Master(7): STR+1, (STR=20)
17: Fighter(10): Weapon Focus: Dwarven Waraxe
18: Weapon Master(8): Blind Fight
19: Weapon Master(9)
20: Weapon Master(10): STR+1, (STR=21)
21: Weapon Master(11): Great Strength I, (STR=22)
22: Weapon Master(12)
23: Weapon Master(13): Weapon of Choice: Dwarven Waraxe
24: Weapon Master(14): STR+1, Great Strength II, (STR=24)
25: Weapon Master(15)
26: Weapon Master(16): Epic Weapon Focus: Double Axe
27: Fighter(11): Great Strength III, (STR=25)
28: Fighter(12): STR+1, Epic Weapon Specialization: Double Axe, (STR=26)
29: Weapon Master(17)
30: Weapon Master(18): Great Strength IV, (STR=27)
31: Weapon Master(19): Epic Weapon Focus: Dwarven Waraxe
32: Fighter(13): STR+1, (STR=28)
33: Fighter(14): Weapon Specialization: Dwarven Waraxe, Epic Weapon Specialization: Dwarven Waraxe
34: Weapon Master(20)
35: Weapon Master(21)
36: Weapon Master(22): STR+1, Great Strength V, Armor Skin, (STR=30)
37: Weapon Master(23)
38: Weapon Master(24)
39: Bard(1): Great Strength VI, (STR=31)
40: Weapon Master(25): STR+1, Epic Prowess, (STR=32)

Hitpoints: 476
Skillpoints: 217
Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 22/15/22
Saving Throw bonuses: Spells: +7
BAB: 30
AB (max, naked): 51 (melee), 33 (ranged)
AC (naked/mundane items only): 22/32
Spell Casting:
Alignment Changes: 0

Craft Armor 5(7), Craft Weapon 5(7), Disable Trap 1(3), Discipline 43(54), Intimidate 4(3), Open Lock 1(3), Spellcraft 33(35), Spot 43(42), Tumble 40(42), UMD 36(35)

01: Craft Armor(4), Craft Weapon(4), Disable Trap(1), Discipline(4), Intimidate(2), Open Lock(1),
02: Craft Armor(1), Craft Weapon(1), Discipline(1), Save(2),
03: Discipline(1), Intimidate(1), Save(4),
04: Discipline(1), Save(8),
05: Discipline(1), Intimidate(1), Save(10),
06: Discipline(1), Save(14),
07: Discipline(1), Save(18),
08: Discipline(1), Save(22),
09: Discipline(1), Save(26),
10: Discipline(1), Spot(13), Save(17),
11: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(20),
12: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(23),
13: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(26),
14: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(29),
15: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(32),
16: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(35),
17: Discipline(1), Save(39),
18: Discipline(1), Spot(2), Save(41),
19: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(44),
20: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(47),
21: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(50),
22: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(53),
23: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(56),
24: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(59),
25: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(62),
26: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(65),
27: Discipline(1), Save(69),
28: Discipline(1), Save(73),
29: Discipline(1), Spot(3), Save(74),
30: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(77),
31: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(80),
32: Discipline(1), Save(84),
33: Discipline(1), Save(88),
34: Discipline(1), Spot(3), Save(89),
35: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(92),
36: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(95),
37: Discipline(1), Spot(1), Save(98),
38: Discipline(1), Save(102),
39: Spellcraft(33), Tumble(40), UMD(36),
40: Discipline(2), Spot(3),

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