Fine-Tuning a Fighter Build for a Heavily Home-Brewed Game

[BelligerentGnu]

So for the past while I've been working on optimizing a Minotaur Two-Handed Fighter for a very long campaign - characters will probably advance until at least level 16 before we finish. I'm using the Kobold Press Advanced Races Minotaur, Everyman Unchained Fighter, casters in the game are using Spheres of Power, and we have access to the Martial Training feat chain from Path of War (but not the classes).

I'm the only real heavy in my party; aside from myself, there's a swashbuckler, a (Legendary) rogue, a destruction-focused incanter, and a fey adept with a side of buff spells. The general concept I want is kind of a wrecking ball on two legs, charging across the battlefield and smashing foes around like ninepins, preventing them from closing on the squishies. To that end, I'm investing in the Primal Fury discipline from Path of War; I'm also investing in the Determination training chain (because it seems bonkers strong) and the Martial Spontaneity chain (ditto).

I've managed to come up with a build path that fits all that in, but I've had to sacrifice a number of Advanced Armor Training slots to do so, and I don't know if the trade-off is necessarily worth it - I'd like to fit in Armor Specialization and Armored Juggernaut if I can. I'm also really debating about which feats to take in the few slots I do have free. I've already used my level 4 feat swap to trade out furious focus for intimidating prowess - a change I'm happy with, but I'm not sure how best I can use my other feat swaps and/or the Extra Weapon Training/Extra Armor Training feats to my advantage. Lastly, I want to make sure my AC - especially touch AC - improves by a good margin, and quickly. Any advice or ideas would be much appreciated.

Relevant Info:

Spoiler: Applicable House Rules

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• Combat feats like Weapon Focus now apply to weapon groups instead of a specific weapon by default.
• Powerful Maneuvers Feat: Replaces Improved X feats. You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a bull rush, drag, overrun, grapple or sunder combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks with these combat maneuvers. Now a prerequisite for the relevant greater combat maneuver feats.
• Deft Maneuvers Feat: As above, but applying to all other combat maneuvers.
• Dodge is now combined with Mobility - You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC. This bonus increases to +4 against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened tile. A condition that makes you lose your Dex bonus to AC also makes you lose the benefits of this feat.
• Vital Strike chain: Now just a single feat, which advances at to x3 and x4 damage at +11 and +16 BAB
• Precise Shot replaces Point-Blank Shot as prerequisite for archery feats.
• Free Feats for everyone: Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Piranha Strike
• Background skills, No Alignment and Poison from Unchained

Spoiler: Racial Traits:

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• +4 Strength, −2 Dexterity, −2 Charisma
• Medium Size
• Base speed of 30 ft.
• Darkvision (60ft)
• Powerful Charge: Whenever a minotaur makes a gore attack on a charge, it deals double the normal dice of damage for the attack plus 1-1/2 its Strength bonus.
• Natural Cunning: Minotaurs are never caught flat-footed.
• Surveyor: Minotaurs gain a +1 racial bonus on Perception and Profession (sailor) checks.
• Loner: Minotaurs gain a +2 racial bonus on Survival checks, and Survival is always a class skill for them.
• Horns: Minotaurs have a natural gore attack with their horns. This is a primary attack that deals 1d4 points of damage for Medium minotaurs (or 1d6 for Large)

Spoiler: Current Equipment

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• +1 Greatsword
• Masterwork Agile Breastplate
• +2 Cloak of Resistance
• +1 Amulet of Natural Armor
• Mighty Composite Longbow (Str +5)
• Handy Haversack
• Misc. Adventuring Gear
  Total Equipment Budget: 12,096gp including above, old stuff can be readily traded in for new magical equipment.

Spoiler: Current Stats

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Level 4
22 Str
12 Dex
14 Con
12 Int
12 Wis
11 Cha

38 HP
18 AC
11 Touch AC

+8 Fort
+4 Ref
+6 Will

+10 Melee Attack
+5 Ranged
+10 CMB
21 CMD

Maxed skill points in climb, swim, perception, survival and intimidate.

Spoiler: Build

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F = Feat BF = Bonus Feat AWT = Advanced Weapon Training AAT = Advanced Armor Training PFM = Primal Fury Maneuver PFS= Primal Fury Stance

Bull Ring: Minotaur Racial Feat, allows you to wear a third magical ring.

It'd be nice to fit the Cut from/Smash from the Air feats in here as well.

1: F: Weapon Focus BF: Powerful Maneuvers WT: Heavy Blades
2: BF: Intimidating Prowess
3: F: Martial Training I

PFM: Primal Wrath PFM: Panthera on the Hunt

4: BF: Fighter's Tenacity
5: F: Martial Training II AWT: Versatile Training, Sense Motive + Perception (Shift perception skill ranks to heal or handle animal)

PFS: Running Hunter's Stance PFM: Devastating Rush PFM: Raging Hunter Pounce

6: BF: Determination
7: F: Dodge AAT: Spellwarding
8: BF: Vital Strike
9: F: Martial Training III AWT: Defensive Weapon Training

PFS: Primal Warrior Stance PFM: Frenzy Strike PFM: Primal Wrath -> Momentum Crash

10: BF: Greater Determination
11: F: Quick Draw AAT: Greater Martial Spontaneity
12: BF: Cornugon Smash
13: F: Martial Training IV AWT: True Determination

PFM: Momentum Crush PFM: Shrug It Off

14: BF: Extra Weapons Training: Warrior Spirit
15: F: Bull Ring AAT: True Martial Spontaneity
16: BF: Rapid Martial Spontaneity
17: F: Martial Training V AWT: Trained Initiative

PFM: Cornered Frenzy Strike PFM: Dizzying Blow

18: BF: Fighter's Reflexes?
19: F: Penetrating Strike
20: BF: Greater Penetrating Strike

[Geddy2112]

I would get cornagun smash into your build far earlier than level 12. You are focused on intimidate anyways and you will be able to use it all the time to debuff. Another feat you need is furious focus. In most combats there will usually be a round or two you have to charge/can't full attack anyways, so negating the penalty to power attack there is awesome. Even in rounds you can, getting power attack with full BAB on your first swing is awesome.

Climb and swim are not worth maxing out. With your class skill bonus and high strength, a single rank in each will be more than sufficient. At higher levels these skills are basically useless anyways. Dungeoneering covers some monsters and is worth a rank, perhaps more if nobody else in the party has it. Engineering rarely comes up but it is a class skill and a knowledge so probably worth one if you can spare it.