Help me build: Evil Tank... M@A?

[Half-Apple]

I got that JEGs module and tried and tried again, but clearly I had no idea what I was doing and so I just lost a lot of time (and patience).
I've tried Man-at-Arms + Blackguard, no idea why I couldn't get EDM or even just DM, so before I go crazy please someone help me to make this work!
The idea is clearly a super-tank really hard to hit.

The character should have the following req:

- Must be Banite
- Must be Aasimar or Human
- Must be Lawful Evil
- Must be a "Tank" with high AC (I mean, really high, like a wall)
- Must use a Tower Shield
- Must use Monkey Grip with an oversized weapon (I'd like Warmace, but even Schyte, Helberd or Spear are ok)

- Bonus: Blackguard or Warrior of Darkness or similar
- Bonus: If you can throw in UMD, Tumble, Intimidate and Heal at least (or whatever can be useful)
- Bonus: ICE
- Bonus: decent ST

Feel free to make changes if they fits better.
I am even interested in a Favored Soul if it helps.

[Bobthehero]

Just so happens I recently retired a MaA/Blackguard of Bane. The reason you couldn't take DM was probably because Blackguard doesn't qualify for DM until level 3. As such. You MUST take your 3rd and 4th levels of Blackguard on a level that gives you a feat (1-3-6-9 etc) to get DM and Divine Shield. I think last I tried, you might as well go 9 MaA, 3 Blackguard, 2 MaA, 1 Blackguard.

Build is 26MaA/4 Blackguard Human LE Banite

Str: 16
Dex: 9
Con: 13
Int: 14
Wis: 8
Cha: 16

Need +3 Con and Dex items. Don't bother with Mithral Plate, you get Heavy Armor optimization and it's greater version for free.

Your first two feats as a human take Luck of Heroes and Tower Shield. You'll have the Int for ICE. It might get a bit tight with feats because of needing to take both Tower Shield prof and Monkey Grip, but w/e (Note: quite the penalties to hit you're building up there, -10 total, with ICE).

AC wise you'll have 67 with Divine Shield on (60 with ICE alone, 54 with no extras at all. My own MaA had 52 and did more than fine), assuming +4 gear. Tumble is a MaA class skills, you'll have ICE, and 24 Str with a +3 item, alongside EDM.

[Half-Apple]

Wow, thank you Bob! May I ask you why you retired, wasn't fun to play that character?

Also, do you advice to not get Monkey Grip and go for a normal weapon? If yes, which one?

What kind of feat would I need? I see lots of new Shield feats, I'm confused.

Thanks!

[Bobthehero]

Oh his story was done at the moment, that's all. He was really fun to play.

As for monkey grip. It's just a lot of AB penalties, and it's links up well to your next question. If you can fit Shield Bash, Shield Charge and Shield Slam, do it, but that's another -2 to hit. I'd recommend: Tower Shield, Luck of Heroes, Power Atk, Cleave (Blackguard requirements), CE, ICE, DM, EDM (And its requirements), DS, KD, IKD, Armor Skin and Shield Mastery (Tower Shield) and then try and see if you can fit Shield Bash/Charge/Slam with all of this. Monkey grip might prevent you from having enough feats. Weapon choice is up to you, a Morningstar makes sense for a Banite, being Bane favored weapon.

[chad878262]

Oh his story was done at the moment, that's all. He was really fun to play.

As for monkey grip. It's just a lot of AB penalties, and it's links up well to your next question. If you can fit Shield Bash, Shield Charge and Shield Slam, do it, but that's another -2 to hit. I'd recommend: Tower Shield, Luck of Heroes, Power Atk, Cleave (Blackguard requirements), CE, ICE, DM, EDM (And its requirements), DS, KD, IKD, Armor Skin and Shield Mastery (Tower Shield) and then try and see if you can fit Shield Bash/Charge/Slam with all of this. Monkey grip might prevent you from having enough feats. Weapon choice is up to you, a Morningstar makes sense for a Banite, being Bane favored weapon.

M@A does get bonus feats every 5 levels, so not quite so many as a Fighter, but still a decent number. M@A 20 and 25 will be in epics so ideally you'd want to take epic feats with those. For pre-epic feats on a human it might look like:

1- LoH, Tower Shield
3 - Power Attack
5 (M@A) - Knockdown
6 - Cleave
9 - Shield Bash
10 (M@A) - Shield Charge
12 - Shield Slam
15 (BG3) - Divine Might
M@A15 - ICE
18 (BG4) - Divine Shield

In this case you do not get IKD, Tower Shield Specialization (I don't think there is such a thing as Shield Mastery). Personally I think this type of build will have enough AB to handle the -4 AB penalty (just don't use a two handed weapon so monkey grip is not required, or try the beast tower shield). Note also you can switch between a heavy shield and tower shield dependent upon if you need more AC or more AB. That said you can of course burn an epic feat or two if you really want shield specialization and/or IKD.

[Bobthehero]

You're missing CE in that breakdown, or am I blind? As for the feat name, it might be shield specialization, whichever gives you +1 AC with the relevant shield

Edit: Ran it through the test module. You'll be one feat short for Shield Specialization. Either take that or IKD, up to you. Or drop the Tshield proficiency feat, and use that freed up feat to go for Heavy Shield Specialization, you'll be 1 AC lower than the TShield build, but without that AB penalty. Forget that, you'll have just enough feats.

[chad878262]

yeah my bad, I guess ICE was supposed to be CE, maybe? Who knows, was just trying to throw it out there quick, but yeah, you'll need to make some decisions on offense and defense w/ a M@A build.

[Bobthehero]

Actually, I forgot to level the test build to 30, only reached 29 and I got the numbers confused, lol. You do have enough feats to fit everything.

[Half-Apple]

Thanks guys, I am almost there!
I don't understand why at the last feat at level 30 doesn't show up Epic Divine Shield... it's the last missing thing.

Aasimar

STR 16
DEX 9
COS 13
INT 14
WIS 10
CHA 18

Level 1 M@A - Luck of Heroes
Level 2 M@A
Level 3 M@A - Tower Shield Proficiency
Level 4 M@A - +1 STR
Level 5 M@A - Power Attack
Level 6 M@A - Cleave
Level 7 M@A
Level 8 M@A - +1 STR
Level 9 BLACKGUARD - Knockdown
Level 10 M@A
Level 11 M@A - Shield Bash
Level 12 BLACKGUARD - +1 STR, Combat Expertise
Level 13 M@A
Level 14 M@A
Level 15 BLACKGUARD - Divine Might
Level 16 M@A
Level 17 M@A
Level 18 BLACKGUARD - Divine Shield
Level 19 M@A - Shield Charge
Level 20 M@A - +1 STR
Level 21 M@A - Greater Charisma +1
Level 22 M@A
Level 23 M@A - Improved Combat Expertise
Level 24 M@A - +1 CHA, Shield Slam
Level 25 M@A - Armor Skin
Level 26 M@A
Level 27 M@A - Improved Knockdown, Shield Specialization: Tower
Level 28 M@A - +1 CHA
Level 29 M@A - Epic Divine Might
Level 30 M@A - ? ? ?

[Bobthehero]

No such things as Epic Divine Shield. Could pick up Blind Fight, that's always a good thing to have.

[Theodore01]

you really want the useful feats asap - thats Sslam.
MaA has his available bonus feats listed on the wiki !

[FallingStar]

How much do you care about holding aggro, or do you just want to be virtually unkillable?