Steve wrote: ↑Thu Aug 26, 2021 5:01 amEDM Fighter 12 / Paladin 4 / Anointed Knight 4 / CoC 10. Or Fighter 8 / Paladin 4 / Divine Champion 6 / CoC 10. No need to overthink it.
Yes you do. No Paladins of Corellon Larethian as people have said. So, you can go for a very similar EDM build, with the addition of the Divine Shield, and the ability to use all Clerical scrolls without resorting to UMD... by using the following build:
Fighter 12/Cleric 3 [Domains: Good (Fear Immunity), War (Free Weapon Focus Longsword)]/Divine Champion 5/Champion of Corellon Larethian 10. It doesn't really matter which of the allowed elven subraces you choose from, but the ones with +2 to dexterity tend to be better. You do not have to go all in on Dexterity, you just pump it up high enough to get the most out of the armor of your choice.
So let us have a look at the AB:
29 (BAB)
+ 4 (Weapon Enchantment Bonus)
+ 4 (Epic Weapon Focus)
+ 2 (Melee Weapon Mastery)
+ 1 (Epic Prowess)
+ 7 (Strength modifier, base 21 with +3 from Belt of Growth)
+ 2 (Wrath of Corellon)
+ 3 (Divine Wrath)
= 52 (Which pumps up to 60 with AB bonus from that Scroll of Divine Power, 61 when you consider the strength increase as well, which you can do without a single point spent in UMD -- you just need the scroll, etc.)
As for the Damage:
1d8 (Long Sword)
+ 4 (Weapon Enchantment Bonus)
+ 4 (Epic Weapon Specialziaztion)
+ 2 (Melee Weapon Mastery)
+ 7 (Strength Modifier)
+ 4 (Dexterity modifier +3 Item, Wood Elf with Starting ability scores of: STR 16, DEX 15, Con 9, INT 13, WIS 8, CHA 16)
+ 3 (Divine Wrath)
+ 2d6 (Corellon's Wrath)
+ 14 (Epic Divine MIght)
= 49.5~
And as for that AC:
10 (Base)
+ 8 (Mithral Full Plate)
+ 3 (Dexterity from Mithral Full Plate)
+ 4 (Armor Enchantment from Bracers)
+ 4 (Deflection Enchantment from Ring/Hat/Cloak)
+ 4 (Dodge Enchantment from Boots)
+ 4 (Tower Shield)
+ 4 (Shield Enchantment from shield or Wand)
+ 3 (Superior Defense)
+ 1 (Tumble 10 ranks, +3 if you spend a feat for it)
+ 6 (Improved Combat Expertise)
+ 7 (Divine Shield)
= 58
Now, when it comes to playing an EDM build, you will not have these numbers up 24/7, but you do not always need to, which allows you to meet the demand at your own leisure.
KOPOJIbPAKOB wrote: ↑Thu Aug 26, 2021 10:08 amIt seems that the only remaining niche for the class is slow and chunky Fighter with shield + sword.
Because that is literally the whole concept of the PRC, an elven Knight:
The above imagine is from that source book, Races of the Wild, which introduced the whole PRC in the first place.
KOPOJIbPAKOB wrote: ↑Thu Aug 26, 2021 10:08 amFor all other builds Dervish would simply do CoC's job better. Swash synergy was removed, the class requirements won't let you build a proper Dex tank with Epic dodge + Uncanny dodge. I like the concept, just a shame it was overnerfed so hard. And just to think some people were suggesting to nerf it harder.
As it stands, you get that Superior Defense AC bonus even in light armor... So nothing stops you from creating a build such as: "Fighter 8/Dervish 7/Tempest 5/Champion of Corellon Larethian 10" -- which would get +7 points of AC from its PRCs. (2 from Tempest, +2 from Dervish, and +3 from Champion of Corellon Larethian.) The PRC requirements overlap, etc. The +4 Damage and AB from Dervish dance applies to both hands, and if you go for Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, it still short of the maximum dexterity damage cap that Champion of Corellon Larethian has.
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And when it comes to restricting the Superiod Defense to Medium and Heavy Armor, because it says so in the PnP source material, Mithral Banded Mails and Full Plates have an Armor Check Penalty of just -3 -- which is just one point highter than what a low level rogue might suffer when wearing a chain shirt. In otherwords, full Dexterity, stealth based Champions of Corellon Larethian can still sneak about. They are just wearing a lore appropriate armor while doing so.