Pathfinder Builds: "Non-Lethal Fast Dirty Tricksman" Fighter, Dervish Of Dawn, Dirty Fighter; Orc

Self-Interested Preface: This is the better character I made for dirty tricks! It's an Orc using the Orc fighter archetype Dirty Fighter and the fighter archetype Dervish Of Dawn, which, though similar to the several archetypes that force light-armor-and-scimitar use, doesn't actually make you do either. For this character, I'm gonna write it out a little different since it has so many abilities that interact and synergize with each other- I'll give a brief synopsis here, then copy over its archetype abilities by level with personal notes in red.

First off, it's a tanky, damage-dealing, medium-to-heavy armored orc melee fighter with really good close-range disabler abilities, surprising mobility, and reasonable Will. Most of its feats and fighter bonus feats go toward improving its offensive capabilities, with the exception of Iron Will (level 1), Toughness (level 3), Improved Iron Will (level 11) and a couple at levels 13 and 14 that let this character deflect ranged attacks and rays with attacks of opportunity. Most stat increases go toward CON for higher hitpoints- I felt like 20 was a good enough place to stop for base STR. An especially useful capability this character has is Orc Ferocity, a racial ability that lets it stay conscious at negative hitpoints, bolstered by Ferocious Action which lets it take an extra point of damage per round to avoid being staggered. There's a feat called Wild Ferocity which is pretty great that was not added to this build- it would give this character sort of a favored terrain in which it could ignore the extra point of damage incurred every round using ferocity. The way it's worded, however, makes it look like it wouldn't have any effect from level 5 forward, so instead this character opts for an extra CMB trait bonus.

Compared to my Fetchling swashbuckler build, this one's a little less versatile and with weaker defenses, but a lot better at what it's meant to do. A chart below the build denotes its dirty trick CMB and capabilities by level, and as I've noted in red under each archetype ability directly below this preface, it gets pretty nuts. This character's meant to shut down bosses and casters on its turns- with a kind-of pounce at level 11, multiple dirty tricks per round at level 9 and per hit at level 13, it does a lot more than straight damage and tanking (both of which it does pretty well).

Finally, this character has a couple weapon-centric feats which are modular- the weapon needs to be two-handed, but the two I've put down as a placeholder have the following stats:
Greatsword - 2d6 slashing - critical threat/modifier 19-20/x2
Nodachi - 1d10 slashing or piercing - critical threat/modifier 18-20/x2
They're both two-handed martial weapons, but the nodachi has brace (if you want it) and more physical-damage-type versatility [in the case of (blank) or (blank), a character uses the best one] and a better critical threat range, potentially multiplying 1-10 damage by 2 15% of the time, opposed to multiplying 2-12 damage 10% of the time. Improved Critical at level 8 doubles that critical threat range, bringing the nodachi to a 30% critical threat chance and the greatsword to a 20% critical threat chance. I'd go with the nodachi if possible, but if it, an "eastern weapon", is not easily available, it might be worse for your campaign.

The last thing I want to mention is that the archetypes remove all weapon and armor training, which have both expanded in a pretty cool way since I made this build. The feat Martial Focus qualifies it for Weapon Mastery feats as if it had fighter weapon training anyway, and Difficult Swings is pretty great (creates difficult terrain in all adjacent squares, which can't be 5-foot-stepped from, and doesn't have to affect allies). Cut From The Air and Smash From The Air are the other weapon mastery feats, which allow attacks of opportunity to deflect ranged attacks and rays. The rest of the weapon mastery feats are honestly pretty shitty and niche.

This build created in February of 2016.

Sidestep (Ex)

At 2nd level, a dirty fighter learns how to evade his enemies when they react to his combat maneuvers. He gains a +1 dodge bonus to his AC against attacks of opportunity provoked by him while attempting a combat maneuver. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd level. Neat that it's a dodge bonus, but not necessary for the primary focus of this build from level 3 forward.

Burst of Speed (Ex)

At 3rd level, a dervish takes only a –1 penalty to her AC after charging. This is great for a level 3 ability. Compare it with the abysmal Charge Of The Righteous, which is creature-specific and costs a feat.

Maneuver Training (Ex)

At 5th level, a dirty fighter becomes a master of dirty tricks. He gains a +2 bonus on dirty trick combat maneuver checks and +2 to his CMD when he is the target of a dirty trick combat maneuver. Stacks with everything else that makes this build! I'll make a short chart below.

Desert Stride (Ex)

At 7th level, a dervish can move through 10 feet of difficult terrain each round as if it were normal terrain. This benefit stacks with the benefits provided by the Acrobatic Steps and Nimble Moves feats. This ability is amazing for this land-movement-only melee fighter. Means it doesn't have to waste its boot slot on Boots Of Feather Step.

Burst of Speed (Ex)

At 7th level, the dervish can charge with no penalty. Great to improve mobility through charging with the only downside being open to attacks of opportunity.

Speedy Tricks (Ex)

At 9th level, a dirty fighter has perfected how to quickly perform dirty tricks. He can make a dirty trick combat maneuver as an attack instead of a standard action. This is where it gets fucking ridiculous. Only one level after Quick Dirty Trick and Savage Dirty Trick become available (to everyone and barbarians, respectively), this character gets it as part of the archetype and the most important difference is that this character could do it over and fucking over, without the caveat that the maneuver be its highest attack bonus attack or that it only be once per round. Speedy Tricks is the most important ability in this build, because at level 12, with Dirty Trick Master, this character can shut down just about anything it can hit.

Rapid Attack (Ex)

At 11th level, a dervish can combine a full attack with a single move. She must forgo the attack at her highest bonus but may take the remaining attacks at any point during her movement. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. Pounce! Kind of! Close enough! With Haste on, you still get three attacks, and that's still more than enough to dirty trick someone stupid. Next level's Dirty Trick Master, which lets this character turn a dirty trick sickening into a dirty trick nauseating, and with Speedy Tricks and Rapid Attack, that's a single round, plus an attack left over for damage.

Double Tricks (Ex)

At 13th level, when a dirty fighter performs a combat maneuver, he may apply two different conditions to his target instead of one. Each penalty condition requires a separate action to remove. Combined with Dirty Trick Master, that's a one-hit nauseate at level 13!

Lightning Strike (Ex)

At 15th level, as part of a full attack, a dervish can make one additional attack. This attack is at the dervish’s highest base attack bonus, but each attack in the round (including the extra one) takes a –2 penalty. Fucking crazy.

Double Tricks (Ex)

At 17th level, when a dirty fighter performs a combat maneuver, he may apply three different conditions to his target instead of two. Each penalty condition requires a separate action to remove. Fucking. Crazy.

Fighter (Dervish Of Dawn, Dirty Fighter), Level 20

Race: Orc, +4 STR, -2 INT, -2 WIS, -2 CHA (+1 Hit Point/+1 Skill Point/+2 CON for determining death)

Racial Traits

Feral (lose racial Common and Orc languages, +1 attack and damage when below 0 hit points)

Orc Ferocity (do not fall unconscious under 0 hit points; is still staggered at 0 and below and loses 1 hit point per round as normal)

Dayrunner (-2 to ranged attack rolls, does not have light sensitivity)

Darkvision 60’

Character Traits/Drawbacks

Drawback: (Detriment, Circumstance)

Faith: Indomitable Faith (+1 to Will saves)

Race: Bred For War (+1 CMB, +1 to Intimidate, is at least 6’ tall)

Religion: (Sarenrae) Blade Of Mercy (Do not take -4 for attacking with slashing weapons as non-lethal, +1 non-lethal damage when attacking with slashing weapons as non-lethal)

Class Skills: Climb, Craft (Any), Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (Dungeoneering), Knowledge (Engineering), Profession (Any), Ride, Survival, and Swim.

Known Languages: Common

1: Fighter (Dervish Of Dawn, Dirty Fighter) 1, +1 Hit Point

BAB: +1

Base Saves: +4/+1/+3

New Feats: Simple and Martial Weapon Proficiencies, Light, Medium and Heavy Armor Proficiencies, Shield and Tower Shield Proficiency, [Fighter 1^st] Power Attack, [1^st Level Feat] Furious Focus, [Anti-Hero] Iron Will

Skills(2): Climb/Swim, Linguistics (Common)

2: Fighter (Dervish Of Dawn, Dirty Fighter) 2, +1 Hit Point

BAB: +2

Base Saves: +5/+1/+3

New Feats: Sidestep 1, [Fighter 2^nd] Dirty Fighting

Skills(2): Survival, Swim/Climb

3: Fighter (Dervish Of Dawn, Dirty Fighter) 3, +1 Hit Point

BAB: +3

Base Saves: +5/+2/+4

New Feats: Burst Of Speed (3^rd), [3^rd Level Feat] Toughness

Skills(2): Knowledge (Dungeoneering), Knowledge (Engineering)

4: Fighter (Dervish Of Dawn, Dirty Fighter) 4, +1 Hit Point

BAB: +4

Increased Ability Score: CON +1 (15)

Base Saves: +6/+2/+4

New Feats: [Fighter 4^th] Improved Dirty Trick