character optimization

[fulong]

I'm starting out as level 1, but I would like a character who's low level and can deal a lot of damage/nova. What build would be most suitable for it? I am only restricted to core and midnight.

[Luiniel Blades]

Could you give a little more information about what your character build parameters are? Point buy and how many, Heroic build, or 4d6 roll? I'm also assuming Pathfinder

I'm assuming you're not going to be an Orc.

Steel Blooded, Dornish Barbarian Level 1.

Strength: 18Base +2 racial = 20 +5

Bab: +1

Rage: +4 strength/+4 Con

Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Mage-Craft

Spells: 0th:
1st: Channel Might, the next successful attack deals maximum damage + your caster Level damage.

Dornish Bastard Sword:
Base Two Handed : 1+5+1= +7 Attack
Damage: 1d10+7

Power Attack: 1+5+1-1= +6
Damage: 1d10+10

Raging: 1+7+1= +9 Attack
Damage: 1d10+10

(Raging, Power Attack): 1+7+1-1= +8 attack
Damage: 1d10+13

Using Confer Power ensures 24 damage should you hit.
If you're going for accuracy then switch out Cleave for Weapon Focus- Bastard Sword and add +1 to hit on all the numbers above.

[fulong]

3.5e core actually.

[Luiniel Blades]

Hmm, okay then. That doesn't really change much for 1st level since you can only take a penalty on attacks equal to your Base attack Bonus except that now you can only get a +2 on damage for two handing instead of a +3. As you increase in levels this has the chance to get rather absurd on bonus damage a lot faster than Pathfinders Power Attack. But that's for the future.

If anyone else can think of a better power build for 1st level by all means show me up. And yes, I do realize a Great sword, Vardatch, and battle axe will have higher base damage dice at 2d6, or 1d12 but I was trying to stay a little bit in with the culture of Dorns.

I suppose you could always be an Erenlander choosing to boost strength and gain another feat while losing out on the +1 to hit with Two Handed weapons and not being restricted by culture but I can't really think of any other 1st level feats to boost damage output.

Wait, scratch that...

If you were willing to be a Giant-blooded Heroic Path, Barbarian, Erenlander, mounted cavalry unit you could murder people.

Feats: Mounted Combat, Ride by attack, Spirited Charge.

Utilizing a large sized Dornish Horse Spear:
Raging Mounted Charge: 1 Bab +7 Strength, +2 Charge, +1 high Ground = +11 Attack
Triple Damage if you hit. 6d8+30 Damage.

That's the most damage I can think of you doing as a 1st level character. A lot harder to pull off but if you can...

[fulong]

Hm I think someone is making a charger in my group. I am thinking about making a tripper build possibly.

[Luiniel Blades]

Well you asked for a damage output machine, do or don't use it as you see fit.

I remember in my Midnight group we had a Dorn and a Dwarf Fighter/Barbarian duo who would charge Orcish shield walls in unison. The first one, often the Dwarf, would charge in to sunder the middle shield of the Orcs and then the Dorn would come barreling through with a cleaving attack that occasionally dropped one or two Orcs and then the remainder of the parties melee would come through and and fight the Orcs.

The point I'm making is that more than one charger is not a bad thing in Midnight.