Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

http://nwn2db.com/build/?274773

I did this. I'm not sure it's in any way going to be effective and I can't seem to end on an odd number of strength

that's low STR for a basher, max. it to be effective later on. (Wis8,Cha6 gets you +2)

Ehhh, I know from experience that I hate playing low-Cha characters.

I'm not really getting much of a good feel for the character at the moment, so I may need to reconsider my approach. Back to the drawing board...

Stats:

Lower DEX to 14, increase STR to 16 and you now end on odd STR (25). You can use +4 DEX Bracers and Mithral Chain to maximize your AC (though it will be expensive...make a friend of someone with max appraise!

As Theodore stated, another option is to lower WIS and CHA though I would say you could just go 8 WIS and leave DEX at 15 if you want (DEX 3 bracers cost about 1/20th of what DEX 4 bracers cost...) 20K vs. 500K is a big deal... even if you do have someone with max appraise you're looking at ~200+ for the +4 ones. If you do want to max STR you could lower WIS to 8, CHA to 6, and DEX to 14 which gives you 7 points. 5 points puts STR to 17 starting, but to get to 18 you'll either have to lose a point of INT or CON. Thus IMO you're best off just losing the WIS OR the DEX to start STR at 16. IMO you'll be fine with 25 STR (28 w/ belt of growth).

Alternating Rogue and Fighter levels a bit more will allow you to not spend a feat on Able Learner, opening up that feat for Luck of Hero's if nothing else.

TWF reduces the Shield Bash -2 penalty, and Agile Shield Fighter also reduces by -2. If you are planning on Heavy Shield use, then you only need one of these (in the build).

So, if you free up one Feat there, I'd also offer you consider dropping Shield Charge, and going Knockdown and Improved Knockdown. There are MUCH more valuable in direct combat. If you do not know already, Charging is a good 1-time use thing—and you need to be clever in calculating the correct distance from your enemy to make the Charge actually work.

Imp. Knockdown is ALWAYS useful. They get up, you knock them down again. It saves you from lots of damage, in the long run. And your mates will love you for it (in group combat situations).

You could also very easily drop INT by 2 pts. No reason to have max Listen but only 15 pts in Spot. As well, drop Appraise down some points, Search by 1, Lore by 4, and you regain the lost 30 skill points to balance out that lower INT.

All that said, you basically have a build that will do absolutely fine on BGTSCC, with the use of good Gear acquired over time. Now, you just have to decide if the RP is really what you want!! The BIG, TOUGH DECISION!

Don't I need 13 int for Imp. Knockdown?

I might take the Wisdom hit - I'm pretty sure I can RP that one (I have negative Wisdom in real life, I'm certain!)

I will try to reassemble the NWNDB built once I'm not at work.

Doh! You're absolutely correct: INT 13 for Imp. Knockdown. So, keep INT and get IKD!!!

Steve wrote:I'd also offer you consider dropping Shield Charge

If you do not know already, Charging is a good 1-time use thing—and you need to be clever in calculating the correct distance from your enemy to make the Charge actually work.

Shield charge is a requirement for shield slam, so you have to keep it.

Charging was made foolproof You can no longer charge from too far away

Steve wrote:TWF reduces the Shield Bash -2 penalty, and Agile Shield Fighter also reduces by -2. If you are planning on Heavy Shield use, then you only need one of these (in the build.

Oh, there's this to consider too. Agile Shield Fighter has the prerequisite of Shield Specialisation, which is effectively a bonus +1AC, so it's a choice between two spare feats or one, by just dropping TWF.

What would you recommend?

Also, any particular weapon choices that work well, and that I could feasibly pull off a sneak attack with? For some reason, I don't see myself sneak attacking with a dwarven war axe.

Sneak Attack does not have any weapon requirements in 3.5. You would not so much be sneak attacking as bowling enemies over and then hacking them in the neck while they are down/stunned. Whatever weapon suits your flavor, but I see no issue with Dwarven Waraxe seeing as your sneak attacks are being landed by your shield technique.

I think it might be the warhammer then.

I guess Melee Mastery (Bludgeoning) doesn't affect shield attacks does it?

Vermilion wrote:I guess Melee Mastery (Bludgeoning) doesn't affect shield attacks does it?

It does not.

Agile SF is the better choice, getting more shield bash attacks in the upcoming SB changes. https://wiki.bgtscc.net/index.php?title=Shield_Bash

Theodore01 wrote:

Vermilion wrote:I guess Melee Mastery (Bludgeoning) doesn't affect shield attacks does it?

It does not.

Agile SF is the better choice, getting more shield bash attacks in the upcoming SB changes. https://wiki.bgtscc.net/index.php?title=Shield_Bash

Nice, thanks Theo!

I think I'm getting where I want to be, slowly but surely

Updated my build a bit, now getting those 3 shield attacks per round with a high shield slam DC and using mithral chain mail to keep evasion, can drop 2 great STR to get expose weakness if more cheese is deemed necessary.

Vermilion wrote:Ehhh, I know from experience that I hate playing low-Cha characters.

I'm not really getting much of a good feel for the character at the moment, so I may need to reconsider my approach. Back to the drawing board...

If you are not happy with low charisma, then you just need to invest in your preferred social skill, and get few skill bonuses from items. It is a no biggie. Rogue opens a lot of skills as class skills.