Building a effective fencer in Fantasy Craft

[Zdan]

As I recently got Fantasy Craft and started skimming through it and making character ideas I came across the fencing feats. Then I decided it would be cool to step out of my element and make a nimble, fencing type of character - full of panache, style but still deadly in combat.

The question is - how to do it? I have seen any feat that would allow to substitute my Str bonus to attack rolls for a Dex one. This is totally crucial in this case - if not one would have to go for a Str based character to actually hit stuff. Other than that I need advice on how to make this type of char a effective combatant. Any suggestions?

[ArawnNox]

Weapons with the finesse quality let you use your dex for damage bonus, rather than str. What you're looking for is a trick in the adventure companion, who's name escapes me at the moment. Really, though, I wouldn't gimp your strength score anyway, as it still has important applications to the character type (Athletics, anyone?)
The fencing feats are an obvious start, but I would also look at the mobility feats or charging feats to really capitalize on your ability to move around the battlefield.

[Zdan]

Weapons with the finesse quality let you use your dex for damage bonus, rather than str. What you're looking for is a trick in the adventure companion, who's name escapes me at the moment. Really, though, I wouldn't gimp your strength score anyway, as it still has important applications to the character type (Athletics, anyone?)
The fencing feats are an obvious start, but I would also look at the mobility feats or charging feats to really capitalize on your ability to move around the battlefield.

So there is such a feature. Very cool. And the charging and mobility feats are in the Adventurer's Companion too correct? I need to get that book. As for the strength score - ironically that would mean the best fencer would be an orc - because of his dex and str bonuses.

[Golden Dragon]

So there is such a feature. Very cool. And the charging and mobility feats are in the Adventurer's Companion too correct? I need to get that book. As for the strength score - ironically that would mean the best fencer would be an orc - because of his dex and str bonuses.

The Charging and Mobility chains are in the core book; the former are Basic Combat feats, the latter Covert.

The Adventure Companion would be useful for another fencing chain (Sword-Circle Basics et seq.) and the Martial Artist class, which at high levels would allow the use of multiple tricks on a single attack.

You can make a very good fencer from the Core Book. The Adventure Companion just allows a few more tweaks to turn it up to 11.

[Krensky]

The question is - how to do it? I have seen any feat that would allow to substitute my Str bonus to attack rolls for a Dex one. This is totally crucial in this case - if not one would have to go for a Str based character to actually hit stuff. Other than that I need advice on how to make this type of char a effective combatant. Any suggestions?

It's crucial in D&D, not in Fantasy Craft. Typical NPC defense doesn't rise as fast as PC BAB.

Assuming you want combat to be the focus, but still be cool other places, try this:

Take the quick array of three 14s and three 12s. Put the 14s in Str, Int, and Cha.
Take Agile Fencer as your origin. Take Whirling Strike in place of the second Parry.
Take Acrobatics and Prestidigitation (for Bluff) as Origin skills.
Take Fencing Mastery as your feat.
Take Soldier as your class, being sure to take fortes in Edged and Unarmed.
Take Fencing Supremacy for Fight On!

Note this is really simplistic and not made with any consideration regarding expert class.

[pawsplay]

I would consider whether I wanted to play a straight up Soldier or Burglar, or whether I wanted to go into Edgemaster, Gallant, or Swashbuckler as early as possible. There are a lot of ways to play this one, and do it well. What kinds of things would you find it appealing to do in combat and out?

[ArawnNox]

I would consider whether I wanted to play a straight up Soldier or Burglar, or whether I wanted to go into Edgemaster, Gallant, or Swashbuckler as early as possible. There are a lot of ways to play this one, and do it well. What kinds of things would you find it appealing to do in combat and out?

This is quite true. My current character on in the Play by Post boards started as a Martial Artist going the agile fencer route, but it ended up not fitting the character, so I've changed the base class to a Sage, of all things, and am focusing on getting the Sword Circle feats, and moving into Swashbuckler to fill out the Fencing feats.

[Krensky]

There's a whole lot of ways to build an effective fencer, not all of which focus on a Dex heavy build.

Like I said, my example was extremely simple.

[pawsplay]

Assassin/Swashbuckler is purely nasty against special characters.

[Sletchman]

There's a whole lot of ways to build an effective fencer, not all of which focus on a Dex heavy build.

So true - my own home games have seen a straight Soldier [Dex heavy], an Burglar / Swashbuckler, and an Assassin / Gallant.  All were quite different at the table [two appeared in the same game with no one feeling like a sad duplicate] and all very effective fencers.

Zdan needs to figure out a more comprehensive picture of what they want the character to do, because effective fencer will be a small aspect of the character - and hopefully leave the mindset of "your stats must be this tall to ride" behind, because this is totally not the case in FC.

Also, since no one mentioned it: reread Orcs Zdan - they don't get a Dex bonus.  This doesn't make them bad fencers though, nor is Pech the best possible race due to their Dex bonus.

[ArawnNox]

Expanding on Sletchman's post and only mildly off-topic.
Just because the racial abilities make them sound like they'd only be good in one area (combat in the case of Orcs) doesn't mean you can't push them in another direction. I could totally take an Orc, toss on the Lord specialty, take the Courtier class and have a frightening orc war-leader. I'd just take other feats as I level to round-out the concept.

So, don't look at stats when designing a character. Come up with a full concept first, then make the stats fit the concept, as opposed to the concept fitting the stats. FC is the only d20 game I've encountered where there really isn't a "wrong" way to build a character.

[glimmerrat]

I'm quite partial to Soldier/Edgemaster, especially the Edgemaster's ability to use multiple tricks on the same attack.

[aegis]

I agree. For all melee weapon specialists, the Edgemaster is a first choice. The fact that he relies heavily on Charisma just makes it an even better fit for fencers, spadassins, and other hussards. And as others said, you can rely on Dexterity, but Strength is not a dump stat as it could be in D&D: 12 is a minimum for melee combatants.

[Psion]

Assassin/Swashbuckler is purely nasty against special characters.

There's one of those in my game.

[Dace]

Is there anything that lets you substitute your Dex Modifier for attack rolls? The finesse quality substitutes it for damage but I think I missed one that lets you use dex instead of str.