A Worthy Knight (Felltower Character Build)

When I sit down to use precious time to play an RPG rather than stress out over my RPG business, I am not looking to drag in a stack of rulebooks and play a complicated character.

I’m looking to hit stuff really hard in the face.

After out colossal frack-up and TPK with Felltower, we’re gearing up for a “felltower adjacent” game, and while many of my brethren are looking at clerics, wizards, and maybe even a martial artist … again, I’mma gonna hit stuff hard in the face.

So, I’m going to avoid the Holy Warrior route I took last time. Good character, but I feel like we need someone who does tremendous damage. “One shot, one kill” sort of output.

On the other hand, I do love me some shields. So let’s look at the options.

Shield-and…

If we’re looking at a one-handed weapon, let’s see the options.

• Mace has the best boost to swing damage (and what else is there, really?) but cutting is really the answer to almost every problem here.
• Axe/Throwing Axe is sw+2, which cutting effectively makes (1.5×sw)+3. So the old shield-and-axe guy isn’t too bad. If I can dump enough into ST to get (striking) ST 17, with Weapon Master we’re looking at a constant damage output of 3d+1+6, for 3d+7 cut. I can also throw the thing; or I can festoon myself with hatchets and “only” do swing, but it’s 3d-1 cut out to -6 penalty, which is respectable. So axe is an old fave for a reason. Dwarven is +4; Fine is +9 CF; so x14 cost on a $50 weapon is $700, which means I will need a bit of points-for-cash, but that’s what knights do.
• Ah, a longsword in one hand. Interesting. VERY expensive, though. I don’t have to worry about the Parry score, but Reach 2 with thrust isn’t bad.
• Of course, with a bastard sword (and the errata 0U out, I think) Reach 2 sw+1 is even better, and Reach 2 thrust for when you need to stab the eye. A Wait, with a thrust to the eye or vitals at Reach 2, then step to Reach 1 (or don’t) and cut to the leg as a Rapid Strike at only -3 is going to be pretty amazing. Actually, bastard sword has a much easier time with eyes, vitals, and such. ST 17 puts me at 1.5×ST for both weapons, but that doesn’t really matter. No dagger or double-daggers here. So I lose a point of damage on the axe, but pick up reach. And the weapons are much more expensive. Still: 3d+6 cut to Reach 2? Also, has the advantage that I can use a seax (long knife) at Skill-2 to get Reach C when I need it. 3d-2 cut is a heck of a close-range equalizer. Also, if I set aside 30 points for Weapon Master (knightly weapons), “anything used with Broadsword” skill counts, so that quickly becomes 3d+4 cut in close combat. AND better rapid strikes.
• Flail is always worth considering, because while it’s basically mace-on-a-chain, it’s inexpensive, you can dwarven it to parry with, and the huge defensive penalties (-4 to parry, -2 to block, and fencing weapons need not apply to parry at all). It’s one of those things where “flail to the head” is such a bell-ringer, it might be worth considering putting some points in there, because those Parry/Block penalties are the equivalent of always throwing a -8 or -4 to skill Deceptive attack on nearly every blow. That’s a lot of defensive mitigation. Worth thinking about.
• Spear is the only one-handed weapon that really remains here. But it’s thrust-only and a regular spear is not even a bit better than a bastard sword. Same Reach and impaling damage, 0U parry that is NOT errata. heavy spear is at least thr+4 imp, but then again loses out on swing damage, which is just stupid if you have weapon master. It also lacks not just C, but 1 as well, and we got an object lesson in “don’t let the bad guys into C” in the last fight.

So if I go shield and something, shield and bastard sword seems to be it.

Two-Handed Weapons

A much shorter list.

• We start with the polearms. The dueling halberd and glaive for a presumably high-ST character is “halberd.” The glaive is for getting the cool swing cut with low ST: naginata. The only other competitor will be the full-size Ditka (regular halberd), which does add +4 to the swing damage over the bastard sword for 3d+10 cut as a primary mode. The thrust mode gives you Reach 1 … but you’ll need an entirely new skill for in close. Still, a Reach 2 alpha strike, then step BACK to Reach 3 for a second shot – including a 3d+9 impaling attack, is brutal. That threatens a HP 12 person with a KO even through significant armor: 50% of the time you can punch through DR 13 (!) and still have enough injury left over to bring a fit, strong human to KO status. That’s a lot, but you need a lot to give up your block. Also, it IS really long, and in tight situations where you’re dealing with the equivalent of Bulk penalties, a halberd is -6 (2x Reach being a good measure).
• Even in two hands, the spears don’t add enough. If you use them with Staff skill … you still don’t get the +2 Parry (which is wrong, but the rules). Not worth giving up shield and swing damage. A sucker’s play unless you have a formation of them. Maybe even then.
• Great Axe doesn’t give you anything over a a dueling halberd. Long axe is lower ST but same deal. The rest of those are for folks who can’t switch a dueling halberd around to the other side (you get sw+4 cut, sw+3 imp in one weapon). Only the warhammer does a bit more imp damage, but you’re giving up versatility against things that resist imp.
• Bastard sword in two hands gives up block in exchange for a point more damage in either mode; if you could pull half-swording, you’d allow the +2 Parry (that’s what my golem-armor swordsman from Nordlond Bestiary does), but at lower damage, and thrust-only for cut (tip slash) and stab, but with extra precision on targeting chinks. Not enough to make it stand on its own, but combined with all of the other coolness with this, it’s yet another “all in favor.”

So, really, the only thing coming close would be the halberd, but shield-and-bastard-sword just has so much going for it.

Knightly Requirements

That brings me to what I need.

• Weapon Master (Knightly Weapons) for 30 points. That’s a chunk of change right there.
• ST and Striking ST equal to 17. ST 15 and Striking ST 2 looks like the right “out of the gate” play, assuming I can’t eke out ST 17 right away. I might be able to, but the 250-point template would eat up all of my discretionary points with ST +3 and Weapon Master (Knightly) right there. I will probably build up from Delvers to Grow though, so we’ll see. That will mean I give up standard knightly stuff elsewhere.
• I’m going to only need Broadsword and Shield in terms of primary skills. Again, with the core template I can probably throw down Broadsword-20 and Shield-16. That’s a respectable Block with a DB 2 shield (14), though not super-spectacular.
• I did not have a ranged weapon last time. That was not excellent. The right one here might either be crossbow (because of Acc 4 and 1d+6 imp) or throwing axe (3d-1 cut, but only Acc 1 and much shorter range). An atlatl with a javelin is pretty cool (3d imp to 30 yards)…but a plain-old heavy sling goes to 45 yards, will do 3d+1 cr. I can use a heavy sling in one hand with ST 12+, and that’s just cost of entry. It’s respectable damage and inexpensive to own and arm.
• I will need a close-combat weapon, but a seax defaulting to Broadsword-2 gives an 18 in CC, which is plenty good delivering WM-boosted swing cutting damage.
• I need to stay in the fight too, but armor is expensive. I may emphasize mobility on this one until I can afford a big score of protection. Speed and Move.
• Oh, I kinda wanted to play up the half-orc thing too, as a joke with Peter about “orc-orc-orc.” On the other hand, a half-ogre Knight walks out of the gate at ST 18 … which is tempting.

What do I maybe NOT need that’s on the template?

• Born War-Leader is on the template. Based on how we have been playing … only Tactics really gets frequent use. And it’s got Born War-Leader 2 on the template. I feel like I might be able to use 5 or 10 of those points elsewhere, and more efficiently. Like Striking ST 2.

Let’s Get Delving

So now we need to fire up GSC and Delvers to Grow.

I wound up starting with the 187 point Master Strong Delver/Knight, throwing on half-ogre, and going to town from there, as it were.

So: Thor Hálfskepna (half-beast, which also translates to demigod in Icelandic, so…)

• That had me at my target ST 17 right out of the gate, so victory there.
• I upgraded the minimalist Weapon Master to (Knightly Weapons), meeting that requirement.
• I tossed in Striking ST 2 because I’m allowed to; ST 17/Striking ST 19 is brutal, and base thr/swing of 2d-1 and 3d+1 means weapon master now gives +4 to thrusting stuff. Still +6 to swing.
• 58-lb basic lift isn’t anything to whine about.
• My main sword skills in one hand are at 20 thanks to weapon bond; 3d+8 cutting in one hand ain’t all bad. Shield 16 and Enhanced Block 1 results in Block 15, which is nice.
• I may have overdid the DR here; I gave heavy mail on the torso, heavy leather sleeves and legs, heavy leather boots, segmented plate helm. I think I’d do better with about 10 lbs less weight. Let’s try for regular mail, light leather sleeves and legs. Yah, there we go. Still respectable DR but down to no encumbrance, Move 7. I think I still have $500 left over for “stuff I forgot,” or maybe a single point to drop somewhere that I ooped on.
• Oh, I need a seax. Heh. And a sling; the heavy sling is cool, but at 1 lb per stone I think I’ll pass. 10 lead stones, though? That’s cool…3d pi to 100 yards. My skill isn’t that good, but I can drop points there.

So he’s an ugly clod, but he’s a hard-hitting ugly clod. At range, he can ring folks’ bell with a few seconds aim to 10-15 yard about half the time. 3d piercing is no joke; against humanoids they’ll at least have to take cover or risk a serious think if it hits.

Someone steps into Reach 2, they’re looking at 3d+8 cut or 2d+5 imp; that imp attack could easily be vitals giving up to 36 injury. On a cleave, it’s more like 27 injury, which ought to make an impression.

At Reach 1 I lose the imp, but retain the cut. If I fast-draw my long knife (14), I still have a 3d cut swing attack … hmm. That may need the Weapon Master bonus, but I think strict rules say no (it’s Shortsword not Broadsword). Still, 3d cut is as hard as a regular joe hits at ST 15 with an axe (2d+3)…

And I can keep that 3d in close combat.

His defenses are good: Block-15, or 16 with a retreat against missiles or big stuff. Parry 14 core, +2 for shield, +1 with a retreat, for Parry-17 if I’m willing to fade. Weapon Master (Knightly) definitely lowers my repeated Parry penalty to -2; since Shield is included in Knightly weapons, if Vic allows multiple blocks, it’s -3 each for that, which could be important.

Also, his DR isn’t bad (6/4 on the body, 8 on the head, and 3 elsewhere except for DR 1 on the eyes), and in combat he’s at None for encumbrance, so while his Step is still 1, his Move is 7. Finally I’m quick. A respectable Dodge 11 also.

So Thor here is formidable. Don’t ask him to calculate the tip at dinner, though.

Human Instead?

The half-ogre template carries a lot of weight in the build, and Felltower doesn’t allow them. So if I have to get rid of that, I can still get most of what I want, but need to nix Striking ST 2, the half-ogre disads, boost IQ back to 10, etc. I still need all five quirk points for cash, but I’m also Move 7 still.