NEVERWINTER NIGHTS 2: MASK OF THE BETRAYER - FIGHTER FAQ
By: HamsterSensei
18/10/2007
Version 1.2
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
I. Introduction
II. Races
III. Stat distribution
IV. Skills
V. Feats
VI. Multi-classing
VII. Sample Builds
VIII. Contact Info
IX. Version History
X. Credits
XI. Permissions and Copyright
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I. INTRODUCTION
The following contains an assortment of considerations and tips for
building epic level fighter characters in NWN2: MotB. The addition of
Epic levels in the expansion opens up many new avenues of opportunity,
and the addition of new feats and incredibly high BABs significantly
alters the balances of previous builds. Although much of the following
will likely be self-evident to many experienced RPG-gamers, I hope that
it may be of interest and use to some.
Playing MotB as a fighter-based character is at once one of the most
straightforward and enjoyable experiences. Your companions are good
supporters who will complement your frontline strength well, and there
is a natural satisfaction to playing the role of the protagonist who
faces enemies head on, steel against steel. Having said that, with the
flexibility and diversity of fighter-based builds possible, playing a
fighter-based character is not necessarily the simplest or most
routine. Gone are the days when all a fighter had to do was put on the
heaviest armour, march to the frontline and swing repeatedly until
everything evil was vanquished. Epic characters can, and should, do
more than that.
When playing a fighter-based character, the first choice facing you is
what kind of fighter to opt for. The fighter is such a basic role that
almost all classes can use fighter-levels as a minor multi-class, but
that is not our concern here. At the same time, the fighter will rarely
stand to gain from focusing exclusively on fighter-levels, as most of
the benefits of taking fighter levels are gained with the 12th fighter
level, after which there is a steep curve of diminishing returns. The
first question to ask therefore, is what kind of fighter to play, which
in effect means which multi-classes to select!
Three basic strategies suggest themselves, and will form the basis of
the discussions of this guide:
Build A. Strength-based fighter using two-handed weapons
Build B. Balanced fighter using dual-wield
Build C. Dexterity-based fighter using missile weapons (i.e. longbow)
As we go through each of the sections of this guide, I will discuss
these three types of builds in turn.
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II. RACES
The first choice we face is which race to pick. A couple of special
builds will face particular constraints (e.g. Dwarven Defender), but we
will leave aside these and focus on fighters more generally.
Multi-classing is an important concern here, so it is worth bearing in
mind, because of the XP-penalties accrued by multi-classing outside of
favoured classes. Remember, though, that prestige classes do not count
in this respect, so you need worry only about base classes. That means
that any race with fighter as a favoured class is a definite advantage,
as is (of course) the human ability to take any class as a favoured
class. Other classes that will often be used as multi-classes include
Bard, Wizard, Sorcerer, and Cleric, so these can also be important,
depending on which direction we want to go.
Secondly, it’s worth looking at stat bonuses and penalties. It is
generally safe for fighters to ignore penalties to wisdom and charisma,
while penalties to intelligence, dexterity and constitution can be
important dependent on the build. Any fighter will prefer a bonus to
strength and should avoid penalties.
Finally, some races come with handy racial abilities which can be both
fun to play with and useful, although in most cases they are not
crucial enough to alter a decision based on the two other concerns.
What races suit our builds then?
RACES FOR BUILD A:
Earth Genasi: +2 Str, +2 Con, -2 Wis, -2 Cha, which are all but ideal
stats, and favoured class fighter. Nice but not crucial perks include
darkvision and acid resistance 5. Merge with stone is irrelevant (it
absorbs a staggering 20 points of damage…). At only +1 level
adjustment, this is a very good choice for a build A fighter.
Wood Elf: +2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Con, -2 Int, slightly less ideal as
constitution and intelligence are more important than wisdom and
charisma, but still a good stat distribution. Favoured class is ranger,
which is no help, but with no level adjustment this is still a good
choice for a build A fighter.
Half-Orc: +2 Str, -2 Int, -2 Cha, which is pretty good. It would have
been nice to get an even balance of points (2 positive vs. 4 negative
means less points overall) and favoured class is barbarian, but at
least you get darkvision in return and no level adjustment.
Honourable mention also goes to Human and Shield Dwarf, although
neither is as suited as the races above.
RACES FOR BUILD B:
Air Genasi: +2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Cha. It would have been great to
have a bonus to strength instead of intelligence, but still a good
distribution. In addition, the favoured class is fighter, and they get
both Darkvision and Electricity resistance 5 as perks for +1 level
adjustment.
Drow: +2 Dex, +2 Int, +2 Cha, -2 Con – snatch the points from charisma
and put them in strength, bump dexterity and keep constitution at 12.
Favoured class is wizard, which is not ideal, but Drow do get the
incredibly useful Spell Resistance to make up for it. Level adjustment
is +2, which is painful, but still within reason.
Wood Elf: +2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Con, -2 Int. Wood Elf becomes even
stronger as a build B type warrior, because the +2 Dex help you bump
dexterity. Favoured class of Ranger can make for interesting Ranger-
based dual-wielders, but they do not concern us here.
Tiefling: +2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Cha. Favoured class is rogue, which is why
it ranks lower than Air Genasi, but you do get the same perks with
darkvision and infernal resistance for the same +1 level adjustment.
Honourable mention to Wild Elf and Moon Elf for the dexterity bonus,
and to Human for the extra feat, which dual-wielders need more than
build A fighters. Finally, don’t underestimate the atypical Shield
Dwarf build – dual-wielding Dwarven Waraxes is fun!
RACES FOR BUILD C:
Drow: +2 Dex, +2 Int, +2 Cha, -2 Con – Drow are a natural first, as the
high intelligence and favoured class wizard combines well with multi-
classing to Arcane Archer (AA). In addition, Drow get the incredibly
useful Spell Resistance. Level adjustment is +2, which is painful, but
still within reason.
Air Genasi: +2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Cha. Air Genasi are a close
second, mainly because they cannot become AA (restricted to elves/half-
elves). However, with the favoured class as fighter, the field is wide
open, e.g. to Rogue combinations, and they still get both darkvision
and Electricity resistance 5 as perks for +1 level adjustment.
Wood Elf: +2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Con, -2 Int, slightly less ideal as
constitution and intelligence are more important than wisdom and
charisma, but still a good stat distribution. Favoured class is ranger,
which is no help in this case, although you could make interesting and
similar Ranger-based builds with a Wood Elf.
Honourable mention to Tiefling, Human and the other Elves, all of which
can also be used. In addition, a build C fighter is one of the few
roles I think Halflings could be useful in. In that case, go with
Strongheart Halfling for the extra feat.
==========
III. STAT DISTRIBUTION
Depending on your style of play you may want to concentrate or spread
out your stats. In the OC, it is often more enjoyable to be a jack-of-
all-trades, to get the most from the game. In the following I will
adopt the opposite approach: we want to concentrate stats for maximum
efficiency and specialization. This means focusing on the relevant
stats and lowering irrelevant stats. This is more viable in MotB
because your companions can make up for your lack of abilities, even
during conversations, etc. Needless to say, in multiplayer, spreading
out is even less relevant.
When assigning stats it is worth keeping stat progression during the
game in mind: You will get 7 stat upgrades (levels 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24
and 28), but you can also raise stats with the Epic feats. In the end,
only even numbers matter in most cases (although most feats require odd
numbers), so aim for that.
STATS FOR BUILD A:
A fighter using a two-handed weapon lives by his strength, so your
overall goal is to get this as high as possible. Any leftover points
should go first to constitution for the hit points, and secondly to
intelligence. You will not need more than 12 dexterity, as you will
want to wear full plate (although Mithral full plate allows Dex 16 +3).
This is well within range of regular magic stat modifiers, so keeping
Dex at 8 or 10 is fine.
Example: Earth Genasi Fighter A
Str 20 +5 (16 points)
Dex 8 -1 (0 points)
Con 18 +4 (10 points)
Int 14 +2 (6 points)
Wis 6 -2 (0 points)
Cha 6 -2 (0 points)
Strength will be raised all 7 points to 27, and may receive even more
points from Epic Feats. Intelligence is 14 for the extra skill points,
some of which will go into Spellcraft to off-set the wisdom penalty to
will-saves.
Alternatively, if you aim to include Weapon Master (WM) you will need
to raise dexterity to 13 for Dodge, lowering strength and constitution
accordingly.
Example: Earth Genasi Fighter A w. WM
Str 19 +4 (13 points)
Dex 13 +1 (5 points)
Con 17 +3 (8 points)
Int 14 +2 (6 points)
Wis 6 -2 (0 points)
Cha 6 -2 (0 points)
STATS FOR BUILD B:
A dual-wielding fighter needs very high dexterity, as well as strength,
and so will have to lower constitution in return. Your end goal is
dexterity 25 for Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, combined with however
much strength you can manage. On top of that you will probably want to
include Weapon Master (WM) in your build, although there are viable
dual-wielders without, which makes min. 13 intelligence mandatory. This
makes lowering charisma and wisdom even more of a necessity.
Example: Air Genasi Fighter B
Str 16 +3 (10 points)
Dex 19 +4 (13 points)
Con 13 +1 (5 points)
Int 14 +2 (4 points)
Wis 6 -2 (0 points)
Cha 6 -2 (0 points)
Dexterity is set to 19 as the highest practical score. It will receive
the first 6 ability score upgrades to get to 25 and Perfect Two-Weapon
Fighting, the last point (and preferably one or more Epic feats) going
to increase strength. Constitution has received a spare point as there
are plenty of constitution bonus items that give odd-numbered bonuses
(e.g. Boots of Hardiness +3, which takes constitution to 16 +3).
Alternatively, you could drop WM from your build, and focus even more
on strength.
Example: Wood Elf Fighter B without WM
Str 19 +5 (13 points)
Dex 19 +4 (13 points)
Con 10 +0 (4 points)
Int 10 +0 (2 points)
Wis 8 -1 (0 points)
Cha 8 -1 (0 points)
STATS FOR BUILD C:
Fighters using missile weapons require high dexterity, to the exclusion
of all else, with constitution and intelligence as secondary and
tertiary stats. Strength can be kept low, as the various Girdles of
Giant Strength will usually be sufficient to take advantage of any
Mighty property of your bow. Intelligence is also kept high to take
advantage of any wizard levels included for Arcane Archer (AA),
although remember that AA is restricted to elves.
Example: Drow Fighter C
Str 10 +0 (2 points)
Dex 20 +5 (16 points)
Con 14 +2 (10 points)
Int 14 +2 (4 points)
Wis 8 -1 (0 points)
Cha 10 +0 (0 points)
All 7 points from ability score upgrades will go into dexterity, to
bring it to 27 +8. Not much alternative here, as far as I can tell. You
could drop intelligence and constitution slightly to bump strength, to
make the build more versatile (i.e. close combat suited), but it is
probably better to outsource that role altogether.
==========
IV. SKILLS
A number of skills can be important, but they tend to be the same for
all three builds, so we will simply look at the most important skills,
the moderately important skills and the least important, under those
three groupings.
THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGHTER BUILD SKILLS:
Tumbling: Free AC bonus! What is not to like? Put at least 10 ranks
into it, and if your multi-classing opens it up as a class skill then
keep pumping it up to 30 ranks for +3 AC. In addition, the ability to
avoid attacks of opportunity is useful if your build does not include
Spring Attack (e.g. for WM).
Spellcraft: Bonus to all Saves vs. spells, which is pretty much every
save worth worrying about. 5 ranks equals +1, which is one of the
reasons why it is much more efficient to invest in intelligence and
spend points here, even as a cross-class skill, than to keep wisdom
high.
PARTIALLY USEFUL SKILLS:
Diplomacy/Bluff/Intimidate: Useful in the OC, of course, for
roleplaying purposes.
Appraisal: It never hurts to get things cheaper when you shop. Also
useful in some situations for roleplaying in the OC.
Lore: Useful for roleplaying purposes, and a pre-requisite of Red
Dragon Disciple, which is a strong Prestige Class option.
Concentration: Potentially useful in some multi-classing builds.
Heal: Potentially useful in some modules/campaigns/etc. where resting
is restricted.
Spot/Listen: Potentially useful, for detecting hidden enemies.
Perform: If you can get it, e.g. by multi-classing to Bard, then even
low levels of Perform will give useful aura bonuses.
Use Magic Device: If you can get it, then it opens up the use of
scrolls, wands, etc. with just a few ranks.
SKILLS TO AVOID:
Parry: Not useful, unless you plan to do a Duelist build, which falls
outside the scope of this guide. With the proper Duelist build, it can
be deadly.
Taunt: No. Just no…
Craft Weapon/Armour/anything…: Get your slaves/employees/companions to
do this, instead of wasting valuable skill points yourself.
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V. FEATS
Getting the right feats, and not getting the wrong ones because you
level up in the wrong order, is the essence of designing a proper
build. You want to make sure that the feats you really need become
available to you as soon as possible, but on the other hand you do not
want to be stuck picking a feat you do not really need because the ones
you want are not on the list yet. Let’s look at the feats that are
essential for each of the three builds, and the minimum requirements to
get them.
GOOD FEATS FOR ALL FIGHTERS INCLUDE:
Luck of Heroes: +1 AC & +1 Save (only at level 1)
Blind Fight: To actually hit all the concealed enemies (note: included
in RDD builds)
Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Epic Weapon focus: bonus to Hit
(level 1, Fighter level 8 and level 21)
Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon specialization, Epic Weapon
Specialization (Fighter level 4, Fighter level 12 and level 21)
LESS IMPORTANT, BUT USEFUL FEATS INCLUDE:
Armour Skin: +1 AC. Not as useful as Luck of Heroes, but a decent pick
if you can afford it. (Level 21)
Dodge: Particularly if aiming at WM. (Dex 13)
Epic Resilience: no auto-fail for Saves on a natural 1. The ability to
avoid failing a saving throw on a natural 1 is great. Unfortunately,
the requirements of this feat are so high as to make it a very late-
comer, at which point there may be more important feats to take, and at
epic levels opponents who throw spells could easily have DCs high
enough to make you fail on a 1 even with this feat. (Epic Toughness)
Epic Prowess: +1 to Hit. Less important than it might look, but worth
including if you have a spare feat. (level 21)
Power Critical: When you can hit someone, you can usually also hit them
again. More useful than Improved Critical though.
Toughness, Epic Toughness: Not nearly as useful as you would think –
maximum 30HP, or about half of an average enemy attack when you’re epic
level - although if you have the extra feat handy… (Note: Toughness is
included in FB builds)
FEATS THAT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY AVOID:
Improved Critical: You are going to use a Keen weapon instead. If
nothing else, get a Scabbard of Keen Edges and cast it yourself.
Improved Initiative: Very few fights are resolved over who rolls the
highest initiative.
Monkey Grip: Using a Tower Shield with a Halberd is fun, but if you
want to use a shield then you will make better use of a feat by taking
Exotic Weapon Proficiency and using Bastard Sword or Dwarven Waraxe.
Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Generally not worth it – Scimitars are
better than Bastard Sword/Katana against foes that take crits, and only
marginally worse against foes that do not (1-6 vs. 1-10). This small
difference can be important in the early levels, but becomes
insignificant at epic levels.
Improved Parry: See Parry skill.
Mobility, Spring Attack: Take Tumble skill instead. Only take them if
needed as requirements for WM.
Combat Expertise, Feint, Disarm, Whirlwind attack, Called Shot: Not
worth it. You will rarely, if ever, want to use them. Combat Expertise
is the most useful if you have to select one. (Most require Int 13)
Skills and Saves Feats (All): You will never want to pick a Skills and
Saves feat, except perhaps to meet the requirements of a prestige
class. If you have to select one, then Able Learner is probably the
most useful, allowing you to purchase non-class skills cheaper.
Expose Weakness: No. Even if you somehow managed to get Evasion, this
is not worth it. With e.g. Dex 30 +10 you are sacrificing 4 to 6
attacks to deal 50 damage over 5 rounds and get +3 to hit. If it worked
like Ki Damage or Smite Evil, then perhaps.
Overwhelming Critical: The slight bonus (typically +3.5 or 7 to
critical damage) is not worth it.
Great Constitution: Epic Toughness is better – it corresponds roughly
to two feats of Great Constitution, so what is there to doubt?
FEATS FOR FIGHTER A:
Power Attack, Improved Power Attack: These work well for strong two-
handed weapon-wielders, i.e. fighter A. Essential for any build
including Frenzied Berserker (FB)!
Cleave, Great Cleave: With less attacks than a dual-wielder, it helps
to get free attacks from Cleave and Great Cleave. (Str 13, Power
Attack)
Great Strength: Yes. As many as possible. But make sure to end up with
an even number.
In addition, consider that Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat
Expertise and Whirlwind Attack are all required for WM.
FEATS FOR FIGHTER B:
Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two-Weapon
Fighting, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting: Mandatory for dual-wielders.
(Dex 13; BAB +6, Dex 15; BAB 11, Dex 19; level 21, Dex 25)
Great Strength: Yes. As many as possible. But make sure to end up with
an even number.
Two-Weapon Defence, Improved Two-Weapon Defence: Bonus to AC while
dual-wielding is useful, but should be weighed against e.g. Luck of
Heroes and Armour Skin, which are similar but better. (Dex 15; BAB +6,
Dex 17)
In addition, consider that Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat
Expertise and Whirlwind Attack are all required for WM. (Dex 13 & Int
13)
FEATS FOR FIGHTER C:
Great Dexterity: Yes. As many as possible. But make sure to end up with
an even number.
Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Improved Rapid Shot: Mandatory for
Fighter C. (Dex 13)
Mobility: Much more useful here, to avoid attacks of opportunity when
firing in close combat
Improved Critical: There are no keen bows…
Manyshot: Less useful than Rapid Shot, but required for Improved Rapid
Shot.
Weapon Finesse: In case you want to fight with a Rapier. But then, why
would you want that?
One Shot: Probably not worth it - from the description I get the
impression that it works similar to Expose Weakness, i.e. as a full
attack action, although I have not tested it. If it worked like Ki
Damage or Smite Evil, then it would be incredible! But better than
Manyshot if you have spare feats. (level 21, Dex 27)
==========
VI. MULTI-CLASSING
With 30 levels to play with, and the ability to select up to four
classes, multi-classing is where all the rave is these days. As a
class, fighters do not benefit much from progressing beyond level 12,
where they can select Greater Weapon Specialization, and after which
you typically end up having to pick several feats you do not need,
simply because you have already taken everything you do need. Thus, the
most obvious choice is to multi-class.
There are plenty of different routes to take, but some lend themselves
more easily to a strong build than others. Let us look at a few.
ARCANE ARCHER:
AA is for Fighter C what WM is for Fighter B. With high BAB but
moderate HP (8/lv) and good skill points (4/lv) it is a strong class to
round off your capabilities, added to which its unique bonuses are
almost mandatory for an archer.
Requirements: Take 1 level of Wizard, including the rat, rabbit or
Weasel familiar for a bonus to saves.
Bonuses: +5 to all arrows at AA lv9; various secondary abilities.
BLACKGUARD:
Blackguard is normally a great way for Rogue-based builds to increase
their fighting skills, as well as for evil characters in general to
play an anti-paladin. But why bother with it as a more classic fighter?
The single, and very persuasive, reason is the Epic Divine Might feat.
While traditional Divine Might was rarely worth it for fighters,
requiring that they boost charisma when they could get better value
with strength, the doubling (!) of the length and bonus of Epic Divine
Might makes it a viable option. Especially because it means that you
get to add +8 dam from your charisma boosting magic item, on top of the
+4 to +9 dam from the strength-enhancer that most fighters will wear.
A good-aligned version is also possible with Paladin instead of
Blackguard, although you will often have to work your way around the
alignment requirements of Paladin (Lawful), as they conflict with e.g.
FB and Bard (non-lawful) through roleplaying to achieve the requisite
alignment losses and gains. Using Paladin will also force you to spend
an extra level to obtain Divine Shield. As the only class ruled out by
an alignment requirement of Evil is Paladin, the choice seems
obvious…Go Blackguard!
Requirements: 5 Hide, Power Attack, Cleave
Bonuses: Epic Divine Might: +2 x Cha to dam(!), Divine Shield, Save
bonuses and +1d6 Sneak Attack as perks.
FRENZIED BERSERKER:
A powerhouse…A powerhouse gone mad! With 12 HP/lv this is already a
good choice, and the special feats are a wonder for Fighter A, bumping
two-handed weapon damage into the extreme.
Requirements: Nothing beyond the recommended feats for Fighter A.
Bonuses: Toughness, Supreme Cleave and Enhanced Power Attack at lv5.
Frenzy is useless, as it does not stack with magic bonuses and you will
be wearing equipment which works better than the frenzy (and doesn’t
deal damage to you every round…). You could also go all the way to lv10
for Supreme Power Attack, but 5 levels for +4 dam are probably not
worth it.
RED DRAGON DISCIPLE:
Taking your strength waaaaaay beyond normal, RDD is a fantastic choice
for both Fighter A and B.
Requirements: Lore 8, and 1 Bard level. Take Perform 3-5 (depending on
Cha), so you can activate Inspire Courage for +1 to Hit and Dam.
Bonuses: +8 Str, +2 Con, +2 Int, +2 Cha, +4 AC at lv10. Perks include a
firebreath attack, the Blindfighting feat, darkvision, and immunities
to sleep, paralysis, fear and fire!
RDD is an incredibly powerful prestige class, and with 30 levels you
have got plenty of room to fit it in. In fact, it is so powerful that
it is hard to see how either Fighter A or B can build better without
it. If you plan to include it, remember that this can affect your
starting stats, because you can lower e.g. Int by 2 and pick it up at
RDD lv9. This makes it easier to meet the requirements of e.g. WM…Note
also that you should try to get to RDD lv9 as fast as possible, as the
+2 Int will give you an extra skill point for every level thereafter,
i.e. potentially +16 skill points (Fighter 4, Bard 1, RDD 9) at level
30.
WEAPON MASTER:
Weapon Master will make your critical damage sky-rocket, which is great
against enemies that take crits, and practically useless against
enemies that do not. The OC is full of enemies that do not, which in
combination with its extremely high requirements makes it less of an
obvious choice than it otherwise would be, but it remains a powerful
option for both Fighter A and B.
Requirements: Intimidate 4, and practically every bloody feat in the
game…
Bonuses: +1 Crit multiplier, +2 Crit range, +1 to hit and Ki Damage
(which is less useful at higher levels where most of your damage tends
to be static bonuses, rather than dice rolls).
CLASSES THAT YOU PROBABLY SHOULD NOT WORRY ABOUT:
Most builds that include other Base classes are better conceived as
e.g. Cleric builds with Fighter levels (for the BAB and feats), than as
Fighters. These do not concern us here, but let us look at other
potential prestige classes:
Blackguard / Divine Champion: Both of these get bonuses from charisma,
and thus tend to require more specialized builds that emphasize this
stat.
Duelist: Similar in many ways to Fighter C, but requires a very
different approach.
Dwarven Defender: A very strong choice for Dwarves, but also requires a
more specialized approach, somewhere between Figher A and B.
Eldritch Knight: Better for Wizard-based builds.
Harper Agent: High requirements and very little bonuses to saves. Pass
it over.
Neverwinter Nine: Better suited to Rogues, for the +2d6 Sneak attack at
lv3, but not very interesting for anyone.
Shadowdancer: Very good for a fighter/rogue type build similar to
Fighter B, with a couple of levels in Rogue to help meet the
requirements, and all 10 levels of Shadowdancer combined with e.g.
Fighter 10 and WM 7, or Fighter 12 Invisible Blade 5. But requires a
more specialized approach.
==========
VII. SAMPLE BUILDS
FIGHTER A: EARTH GENASI
Fighter 14, Bard 1, Red Dragon Disciple 10, Frenzied Berserker 5
This is an extremely solid build, with an easy and enjoyable
progression. All of the main abilities are in place by level 20, after
which it is simply a matter of picking up epic feats with the fighter
levels to improve on the existing abilities. Strength enhancing magic
items, full-plate armour and as vicious a Greatsword as possible will
complete the picture, but anything giving Dex +4 is also a good
addition. Variations with Greataxe as Weapon Focus are equally viable.
Level 1: Level 30: Key stats:
Str 20 +5 38 +14 HP: 536
Dex 8 -1 8 -1 Un-armoured AC: 18
Con 18 +4 20 +5 BAB: 26 = 6 att./rnd.
Int 14 +2 16 +3 AB: +40, Damage: 2-12 +47
Wis 6 -2 6 -1 (w. non-magic Greatsword using Imp. Power att.)
Cha 6 -2 8 -1 Fort 26, Reflex 10, Will 13
Notable skills: Tumble 30, Spellcraft 30, Appraisal 15 (30 optional
skill points)
Progression:
1: Fighter – Luck of Heroes, Weapon Focus: Greatsword
2: Fighter 2 – Power Attack
3: Fighter 3 – Cleave
4: Fighter 4 – Weapon Specialization: Greatsword, +1 Str
5: Bard 1 – Perform 4 for Inspire Courage, Increase Lore to 8
6: RDD 1 – Great Cleave
7: RDD 2
8: RDD 3 - +1 Str
9: RDD 4 – Improved Power Attack
10: RDD 5 – (Blindfight)
11: RDD 6
12: RDD 7 – Power Critical: Greatsword (optional), +1 Str
13: RDD 8
14: RDD 9
15: RDD 10 – Combat Expertise (optional)
16: FB 1 – (Toughness), +1 Str
17: FB 2
18: FB 3 – Improved Combat Expertise (optional)
19: FB 4
20: FB 5 - +1 Str
21: Fighter 5 – Armour Skin
22: Fighter 6 – Epic Prowess
23: Fighter 7 – Great Strength I
24: Fighter 8 – Greater Weapon Focus, +1 Str
25: Fighter 9 – Epic Weapon Focus
26: Fighter 10 – Epic Toughness
27: Fighter 11 – Great Strength II
28: Fighter 12 – Greater Weapon Specialization, +1 Str
29: Fighter 13 – Great Strength III
30: Fighter 14 – Epic Weapon Specialization
FIGHTER A: AASIMAR DIVINE MIGHT VARIANT
Fighter 16, Blackguard 4, Frenzied Berserker 10
(Thanks to Kitano for bringing this build to my attention)
The Aasimar build here is a variation on Fighter A that uses the
extremely powerful Epic Divine Might feat to dramatically increase both
offensive and defensive abilities. In addition, it is a fun and
thoroughly evil build that will give you a good excuse to try taking
the route of maximum mayhem.
You could also hold FB after the first 5 levels (lv 14), and either
develop a fourth class or take more Fighter levels.
Strength, constitution and charisma enhancing magic items, full-plate
armour and as vicious a Greatsword as possible will complete the
picture, but anything giving Dex +4 is also a good addition. Variations
with Greataxe as Weapon Focus are equally viable.
Level 1: Level 30: Key stats:
Str 18 +4 24 +7 HP: 320
Dex 8 -1 8 -1 Un-armoured AC: 11
Con 9 -1 9 -1 BAB: 30 = 6 att./rnd.
Int 10 +0 16 +3 AB: +36, Damage: 2-12 +40
Wis 10 +0 6 -1 (w. non-magic Greatsword using Imp. Power att.)
Cha 19 +4 24 +7 Fort 28, Reflex 16, Will 17
Notable skills: Tumble 10, Spellcraft 10, Appraisal 8 (16 optional
skill points)
NB. Note that buffing with Epic Divine Might and Divine Shield will
raise damage by +14 and AC by +7, for an un-equipped character, and by
+22 dam and +11 AC for a character using +8 Cha enhancing items. This
makes it competitive with the Earth Genasi build: The Aasimar has less
HP and a lower AB, but does more damage and has higher AC.
Progression:
1: Fighter – Luck of Heroes, Weapon Focus: Greatsword
2: Fighter 2 – Power Attack
3: Fighter 3 – Cleave
4: Fighter 4 – Weapon Specialization: Greatsword, +1 Str
5: Fighter 5
6: Fighter 6 – Great Cleave
7: FB 1 – (Toughness)
8: FB 2 - +1 Str, Hide to 5
9: FB 3 - Improved Power Attack
10: BG 1
11: BG 2
12: BG 3 – Divine Might, +1 Str
13: FB 4
14: FB 5
15: BG 4 – Divine Shield
16: FB 6 – +1 Cha
17: FB 7
18: FB 8 – Blindfight
19: FB 9
20: FB 10 - +1 Cha
21: Fighter 7 – Epic Divine Might
22: Fighter 8 – Greater Weapon Focus
23: Fighter 9 – Great Strength I
24: Fighter 10 – Epic Weapon Focus, +1 Cha
25: Fighter 11 – Great Charisma I
26: Fighter 12 – Greater Weapon Specialization
27: Fighter 13 – Great Strength II
28: Fighter 14 – Epic Weapon Specialization, +1 Cha
29: Fighter 15 – Great Strength III
30: Fighter 16 – Epic Prowess (Armor Skin optional alternative)
FIGHTER B: AIR GENASI
Fighter 12, Bard 1, Red Dragon Disciple 10, Weapon Master 7
The trickiest thing about this build is getting in the Weapon Master
requirements, while reserving as many Fighter levels as possible, and
still getting Epic Weapon Specialization. To do the latter, it is
necessary to hold either WM 7 or RDD 10. The latter turns out to be
preferable, despite the high bonuses, because RDD has Spellcraft as
class skill.
This makes for a more uneven progression, which may prove more
challenging, but which is devastating when complete. Put 2 high-quality
scimitars in the hands of this guy (or gal), and he (or she) is
basically ready to go (or…no, wait…). Most armour will inhibit almost
as much as aid, so a good alternative is Bracers of Dexterity combined
with some kind of robe or clothing. Girdles of Giant Strength and
anything with a constitution bonus are also high on the list. Finally,
a Ring of Improved Evasion will work extremely well, due to the high
Reflex Save.
Level 1: Level 30: Key stats:
Str 18 +4 28 +9 HP: 316
Dex 19 +4 25 +7 Un-armoured AC: 27 (while dual-wielding)
Con 9 -1 11 +0 BAB: 26 = 12 att./rnd.(!)
Int 12 +1 14 +2 AB: +40, Damage: 1-6 +15
Wis 6 -2 6 -2 (w. non-magic Scimitars)
Cha 6 -2 8 -1 Fort 18, Reflex 22, Will 14
Notable skills: Tumble 30, Spellcraft 30, Appraisal 4 (8 optional skill
points)
NB. If you feel you are running low on HP with this build, it is
perfectly possible to lower initial strength to 16 and use some of the
6 points to raise constitution.
Progression:
1: Fighter – Luck of Heroes, Weapon Focus: Scimitar
2: Fighter 2 – 2-Weapon Fighting
3: Fighter 3 – Dodge
4: Fighter 4 – Weapon Specialization: Scimitar, +1 Dex
5: Bard 1 – Perform 4 for Inspire Courage, Lore 8
6: RDD 1 – Mobility
7: RDD 2
8: RDD 3 - +1 Dex
9: RDD 4 – Spring Attack
10: RDD 5 – (Blindfight)
11: RDD 6
12: RDD 7 – Improved 2-weapon Fighting, +1 Dex
13: RDD 8
14: RDD 9
15: Fighter 5 – Combat Expertise
16: Fighter 6 – Whirlwind Attack, +1 Dex, Intimidation 4
17: WM 1
18: WM 2 – Greater 2-Weapon Fighting
19: WM 3
20: WM 4 - +1 Dex
21: WM 5 – Armour Skin
22: WM 6
23: WM 7 – 2-Weapon Defence
24: Fighter 7 - +1 Dex
25: Fighter 8 – Greater Weapon focus, Perfect 2-Weapon Fighting
26: Fighter 9
27: Fighter 10 – Epic Weapon Focus, Great Strength I
28: Fighter 11 - +1 Str
29: Fighter 12 – Greater Weapon Specialization, Epic Weapon
Specialization
30: RDD 10
FIGHTER B: DROW DIVINE MIGHT VARIANT
Fighter 15, Bard 1, Red Dragon Disciple 10, Blackguard 4
Making a dual-wielding fighter capable of using Epic Divine Might is
just barely possible, if you build with a Drow and take RDD. The end
bonuses will be slightly lower than for a fighter A, but with 12
attacks instead of 6 the average output of Epic Divine Might will be
substantially higher. As is, damage will be increased by Epic Divine
Might to 1-6 +25, but with a +8 Cha enhancer, it will be 1-6 +33, with
non-magic scimitars! On the other hand overall defence will be lower
than the Fighter A version, as it is difficult to fit Divine Shield
into the build. Even so this Drow champion of Lolth is a dangerous
fighter indeed!
As with above, high-quality scimitars are the highest priority – AB is
pretty low for a fighter, so base enhancements will be important to
increase to hit. Most armour will inhibit almost as much as aid, so a
good alternative is Bracers of Dexterity combined with some kind of
robe or clothing. Girdles of Giant Strength and anything with a
constitution bonus are also high on the list. Finally, a Ring of
Improved Evasion will work extremely well, due to the high Reflex Save.
Level 1: Level 30: Key stats:
Str 14 +2 22 +6 HP: 376
Dex 18 +4 25 +7 Un-armoured AC: 28 (while dual-wielding)
Con 12 +1 14 +2 BAB: 26 = 12 att./rnd.(!)
Int 10 +0 12 +1 AB: +35, Damage: 1-6 +13
Wis 8 -1 8 -1 (w. non-magic Scimitars)
Cha 18 +4 22 +6 Fort 28, Reflex 24, Will 20
Notable skills: Tumble 30, Spellcraft 5 (note: Tumble was prioritized
over Spellcraft due to the high inherent SR of Drow)
Progression:
1: Fighter – Luck of Heroes, Weapon Focus: Scimitar
2: Fighter 2 – Power Attack
3: Fighter 3 – Cleave
4: Fighter 4 – Weapon Specialization: Scimitar, +1 Dex
5: Bard 1 – Perform 3 for Inspire Courage, Lore 8, Hide 5
6: RDD 1 – 2-weapon Fighting
7: RDD 2
8: RDD 3 - +1 Dex
9: RDD 4 – Improved 2-weapon Fighting
10: RDD 5 – (Blindfight)
11: RDD 6
12: RDD 7 – 2-weapon Defense (optional), +1 Dex
13: RDD 8
14: RDD 9
15: RDD 10 – Improved 2-weapon Defense (optional)
16: BG 1 – +1 Dex
17: BG 2
18: BG 3 – Divine Might
19: Fighter 5
20: Fighter 6 - Greater 2-Weapon Fighting, +1 Cha
21: Fighter 7 – Epic Divine Might
22: Fighter 8 - Greater Weapon focus
23: Fighter 9 – Greater Dexterity
24: Fighter 10 - Epic Weapon Focus, +1 Dex
25: Fighter 11 – Greater Dexterity II
26: Fighter 12 - Greater Weapon Specialization
27: Fighter 13 – Perfect 2-weapon Fighting
28: Fighter 14 - Epic Weapon Specialization, +1 Cha
29: Fighter 15 – Epic Prowess
30: Fighter 16 - Armour Skin
FIGHTER C: DROW
Fighter 20, Wizard 1, Arcane Archer 9
This is a build supremely focused on archery. More versatile and
ultimately more powerful builds may be possible by adding more Wizard
levels, or even throwing in a different prestige class (e.g.
Shadowdancer for Uncanny Dodge). But this basis should work well for
most. With the monumental dexterity most armour is out of the question,
so look for good magical robes or clothing to supplement the abilities.
Additionally, any Longbow with high damage is welcome, while to hit
bonuses are less important as they are not really needed. Strength
enhancement may be needed, depending on whether the weapon of choice
has Mighty or not. Also note that Spellcraft is a lot less important,
making it possible to pick up some other skills, as the natural SR of
the Drow will ward off almost anything. On the other hand, immunity to
Fear or Mind-influences could be important, due to the low Will Save.
Level 1: Level 30: Key stats:
Str 10 +0 10 +0 HP: 396
Dex 20 +5 28 +9 Un-armoured AC: 22
Con 14 +2 14 +2 BAB: 29 = 7 att./rnd. (with Imp. Rapid Shot)
Int 14 +2 14 +2 AB: +47, Damage: 1-8 +11
Wis 8 -1 8 -1 (w. non-magic longbow and non-magic arrows)
Cha 10 +0 10 +0 Fort 20, Reflex 21, Will 10
Notable skills: Appraisal 15, Spellcraft 10, Spot 20, Tumble 10, Use
Magic Device 15 (80 optional skill-points)
Progression:
1: Fighter – Luck of Heroes, Weapon Focus: Longbow
2: Wizard 1 – Rabbit familiar (+1 all saves)
3: Fighter 2 – Point Blank Shot, Dodge
4: Fighter 3 - +1 Dex
5: Fighter 4 – Weapon Specialization: Longbow
6: Fighter 5 – Rapid Shot
7: Fighter 6 - Manyshot
8: AA 1 - +1 Dex
9: AA 2 – Improved Critical: Longbow
10: AA 3
11: AA 4
12: AA 5 – Improved Rapid Shot, +1 Dex
13: AA 6
14: AA 7
15: AA 8 – Mobility
16: AA 9 - +1 Dex
17: Fighter 7
18: Fighter 8 – Greater Weapon Focus: Longbow, Blindfight
19: Fighter 9
20: Fighter 10 - Power Critical: Longbow, +1 Dex
21: Fighter 11 – Armor Skin
22: Fighter 12 - Greater Weapon Specialization
23: Fighter 13 – Epic Weapon Focus
24: Fighter 14 – Epic Weapon Specialization, +1 Dex
25: Fighter 15 – Greater Dexterity I
26: Fighter 16 – Epic Prowess
27: Fighter 17 – One Shot
28: Fighter 18 – Weapon Finesse, +1 Dex
29: Fighter 19 – Toughness
30: Fighter 20 – Epic Toughness
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VIII. CONTACT INFO.
You can mail comments, critique and helpful suggestions to:
[email protected]
Be sure to include “MotB Fighter FAQ” in the subject, or you risk
getting sorted as junk-mail.
==========
IX. VERSION HISTORY
1.1 – corrected some typos and miscalculations. Added information from
Kitano on Epic Divine Might oriented builds, and two BG-based examples.
1.0 – first version uploaded to GameFaqs on October 13 2007.
==========
X. CREDITS
I have shamelessly let myself be inspired by (i.e. stolen from) a
number of FAQs, mostly posted on GameFaqs.com.
Mad props to Dan Simpson for writing superior FAQs for almost every
great RPG on the market. We miss you Dan, where are you?
Credits also to G Admiral Thrawn who has a useful Fighter FAQ for
Neverwinter Nights and Captain KO who has a useful Fighter FAQ for
Neverwinter Nights 2.
Thanks to Kitano for pointing out the advantages of Epic Divine Might
and how to take advantage of them with Paladin or BG.
Thanks to Shawn Xu for pointing out an error in the Fighter B: Air
Genasi build.
==========
XI. PERMISSIONS AND COPYRIGHT
This Document is Copyright 2007 by HamsterSensei
Neverwinter Nights 2 is Copyright 2006 by Atari/Obsidian
Mask of the Betrayer is Copyright 2007 by Atari/Obsidian
This FAQ may be posted on any site so long as NOTHING IS CHANGED and
you EMAIL ME telling me that you are posting it. You may not charge
for, or in any way profit from this FAQ.
