TOPIC: Optimizing a Fighter for Nightmare Difficulty

<br />It's too bad the rods don't stack. I think smak would have a +14 to HP.<br />

<br /><br />i don't see a problem here. 

<br />With just under 4 months until GenCon, (Yes the countdown is in effect), I started planning out my character for a couple of Nightmare runs. I just wanted some opinions as to what the ideal Fighter looks like going into these runs. If money/token availability was no object what would you pick? <br /><br />This is what I am currently rocking:<br /><br />Above the Head: Ioun Stone - Iridescent Spindle   (Do not require air)<br />Above the Head: Ioun Stone - Faceted Amber       (-2 Damage from ranged attacks and spells)<br />Above the Head: Ioun Stone - Lavender Ellipsoid    (Immune to Undead touch attacks)<br />Above the Head: Ioun Stone - Violet Prism            (Absorb 1 spell of 3rd level or less)<br /><br />Head: Dragonscale Helm   (+2 AC, -1 Fire Damage)<br />Neck: Necklace of the Oak (+2 to Strength)<br />Armor: Dragonscale Armor (+8 AC, -1 Fire Damage)<br />Back: +2 Cloak of Resistance (+2 to all Saves)<br />Waist: Girdle of Hill Giant Strength (+3 Strength)<br />Wrists: +2 Bracers of Defense (+2 AC)<br />Hands: Gauntlets of Ogre Power (+2 Strength)<br />[glow=red,2,300]Mainhand: +2 Dread Sword (When Jeff sends out PURP token creation award tokens)[/glow]Offhand: Dragonscale Shield (+3 AC, -1 Fire Damage)<br />Feet: Boots of Free Movement (Immune to Slow, entanglement, etc.)<br /><br />Ring 1: ?<br />Ring 2: ?<br /><br />Random Ranged Weapon: Repeating Heavy Crossbow (Just because)<br /><br />-Just some random questions:<br /><br />Is the Celestial Girdle better then the Girdle of Hill Giant Strength? The bonus to hit and damage from the Celestial is better<br /><br />Is the Plate of Absorption Better then the Dragonscale Armor? Same Armor bonus, but Absorption gets -1 to all melee damage where the Dragonscale is -1 to fire, this does however break up the Dragonscale set for me, removing the -10 bonus for having all 3 Dragonscale Items<br /><br />+2 Torc to AC, or Necklace?<br /><br />What are the best rings for a fighter to have?<br /><br />Is anyone selling a Questor's Charm, slotless is nice, and I haven't seen one for sale.<br /><br />Discuss.<br /><br /><br />

<br /><br />What is this?  Never heard of the +2 dread sword  -- or the Questor's charm? 

Both of them are new ultra rares for 2009.  The +2 Dread Sword is the best weapon that a fighter can have.  One of the great things about the Questor's charm is that it's slotless.<br /><br />Kim

For your ranged weapon, maybe switch to the +1 Mighty Longbow.  I think the crossbow costs you a round to switch it for another weapon.  Plus you'll get your strength bonus to damage with the longbow.

What does the Questor's Charm do?<br />

Questor's gives +1 to all saves.

...and it does not take a slot...consider it in a pocket or belt pouch!

It also lets you reroll a "1" on a savings throw roll. 

That has to be the BIGGIE there Bro!<br /><br />If a player can get +10 ish to a certain save category...and have the charm - they are essentially immune to that save.<br /><br />Let's say it is a DC 15 roll needed...well knock off 10 for the bonus stuff...so now you only fail on a 1 2 3 4 (and the charm takes out the 1!)  WHOO HOO!  Only a 15% save throw fail!

You know, Bro, I don't have one of the Charms and hadn't really planned on getting one, but maybe I will have to pick one up.  That extra +1 on saves is big - the +2 from the Cloak of Resistance has been a difference maker many times, and an additional +1 is even better.  Plus, like you said, allowing a reroll on a "1" will save your bacon one out of 20 roles. 

Edit: updated my equipment.<br /><br />Looks like this thread has some dust on it... <br /><br />Just to make things a little more interesting, I'll toss on my stats out there with DS's as we're in the same group. I still have a bit of shopping to do, but I'll get there by August. I think we'd both welcome any thoughts on our characters' equipment and/or party strategies.<br /><br />Paladin - items of note:<br /><br />Extra: Questor's Charm of Luck<br />Extra: Violet Prism Ioun Stone<br />Extra: Faceted Amber Ioun Stone<br />Extra: Iridescent Spindle Ioun Stone<br /><br />Head: Dragonscale Helm<br />Neck: Torc of Natural Armor<br />Shoulders: +2 Cloak of Resistance<br />Body: Plate Armor of Absorption<br />Bracers: Celestial Bracers<br />Hands: Gauntlets of Ogre Power<br />Ring 1: Ring of Protection +1<br />Ring 2: Ring of Iron Will<br />Belt: Belt of Retrieval w/ Potions of Bull's Strength<br />Feet: Boots of Sure Footing<br />Offhand: +1 Tower Shield<br />Main-hand: +2 Hammer of Thunderbolts<br />Range: +1 Long Bow<br />Backup Weapon: +2 Holy Great Sword<br /><br />You can see my strategy is defense. My AC is 30 with several damage reduction items and my saves are 9,9,11. My to-hit is +5 and my damage bonus is +3.<br /><br />My strategy was to Cover (thereby taking -2 to to-hit) another party member most of the time thereby allowing them to concentrate on a to-hit/damage equipment setup and overall reducing the amount of healing needed because some classes aren't able to attain this high of AC, period. Thoughts welcome on which party member this would work best with. Well these are my initial thoughts anyways.<br /><br />Thoughts welcomed.<br />- M.<br />

Try swapping out the +1 Cloak of Protection for a Cloak of the Phalanx.  It still provides +1 to saves, but also gives immunity to Fear.