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Base Warpriest

Not two warpriests will be the same die to the differences of each Deity’s favored weapons, theme and domains(Blessings for Warpriests). However, due to Sacred Weapon, Warpriests open up combat styles that are usually seen as less viable due to higher weapon damage. This build is a good example of this.

Class

Warpriest 20

Deity

Besmara, the Pirate Queen

Blessings

Trickery, Weather

Race

We are going for Human, and we will put our floating +2 in Wisdom.

Ability Scores

Distribute equally between Dexterity and Wisdom

15Point-Buy

Str 10/Dex 16/Con 10/Int 10/Wis 16/Cha 10

20Point-Buy

Str 10/Dex 16/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 16/Cha 10

25Point-Buy

Str 10/Dex 17/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 17/Cha 10

Traits

Reactionary make us go first and we want to go first, Wisdom in the Flesh to add wisdom instead of strength to climb(useful as a sailor)

Favored Class Bonus

So this is where you usually hear me say something about HP being vital and whatnot. Except you can prepare cure spells and use a Wand of Cure Light Wounds without Use Magic Devices as it is on your spell list, so while still very much so useful, we can actually look elsewhere. Skills then? Nope. The Human’s Alternate Favored Class Bonus which gives you 1/6th of a new combat feat. Ayup. You read that right. Each 6 levels you gain a free feat, meaning one additional feat at lvl 6, 12 and 18. Also, they count as the bonus feats you already gain as a Warpriest so you can bypass certain prerequisites(namely BAB and count as fighter of same level for em which is crazy good)

Skills

Swim, Profession(Sailor), Climb

Feats by Level

1-Weapon Finesse

Human Bonus-Fencing Grace Bonus

1-Weapon Focus(Rapier)

3-Piranha Strike

Bonus 3-Dirty Fighting

5-Dodge

FCB 6-Weapon Specialization(Rapier)

Bonus 6-Vital Strike

7-Mobility

9-Spring Attack

Bonus 9-Greater Weapon Focus(Rapier)

11-Improved Trip

FCB 12-Greater Weapon Specialization(Rapier)

Bonus 12-Improved Vital Strike

13-Channel Smite

15-Whirlwind Attack

Bonus 15-Combat Casting

17-Improved Initiative

FCB 18-Greater Vital Strike

Bonus 18-Improved Critical(Rapier)

19-Toughness

We get the full Weapon Focus Fighter chain feat for the Rapier which is really good, with Weapon Finesse and Fencing Grace we attack and damage with Dexterity, Piranha Strike lets us deal even more damage, turning our damage output with the rapier in combination with Sacred Weapon easily comparable with a Two-Handed fighter specialist, Dirty Fighting is great both thematically and unlocks Improved Trip which is a fantastic combat maneuver, we get great mobility and combat presence via Spring Attack and Whirlwind Attack, as we are extremely mobile, and we can combine Spring Attack with the Vital Strike and Channel Smite feats for truly amazing damage without sacrificing mobility!

Equipment

A Rapier, a Chain Shirt and a (un?)holy Symbol of Besmara. And a tricorn because we are literally a warpriest of the goddess of piracy, common!

Final Thoughts on the Build

We have full access to the cleric spell list up to 6th level spells which is really, really good. And with Fervor we can cast these spells as a Swift Action. This lets us cast a spell and Spring+Vital Strike each turn which is downright insane, making us extremely mobile, good at spellslinging/buffing/healing/debuffing and still do significant damage.

At level 20, our Vital Strike+Channel Smite, pre-buff and with no magic items, deals some 15d6+20 damage with a crit range of 15-20. And we get to move before and after the attack to avoid getting stuck in melee with something that will subsequently try to eat our face(with good reason with that kind of damage).

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