It's the last FBF of the year! It's been a helluva ride and I hope you all have enjoyed it. I'm actually curious to know what everybody's favorite build was. As always, this build is conceptualized entirely in a vacuum, with choices made in my best attempt to fit the character. These choice may not hold up in a campaign with different themes and should be adjusted accordingly.
If you prefer watching over reading, check out the YouTube video on him.
Let's get into the build for Jax, Grandmaster at Arms from League of Legends!
JAX, GRANDMASTER AT ARMS
CHARACTER Saijax Cail-Rynx Kohari Icath'un
SOURCE League of Legends
BUILD GOALS
o Jax is a melee skirmisher champion from League of Legends, a class of character who are defined by situational defensive tools so they can take part in extended fights, letting them inflict extreme damage
o His passive generates stacks of Relentless Assault, which grants increasing attack speed. It also includes Grandmaster at Angling, which allows him to fish to briefly generate gold and ability power
o Leap Strike is a simple activated ability that causes Jax to dash to a target’s location, damaging enemies
o Empower does exactly what it says on the tin and adds extra damage to Jax’s next attack
o Counter Strike causes Jax to enter a defensive stance, blocking basic attacks for a period. He can reactivate Counter Strike to damage and stun nearby enemies
o His eponymous final ability, Grandmaster-at-Arms, passively empowers his attacks and he can activate it to damage nearby enemies, gaining increased defenses for each enemy hit
o Jax is an ancient figure and the sole survivor of Icathia, his home destroyed when the Void they had been manipulating turned on them
o Before its fall, Jax was a member of the Kohari, a band of legendary warriors and one of the best among them
o He wields a brazier-staff, the ‘Last Light of Icathia,’ and travels the world in search of warriors to one day defeat the Void
LEVEL 1
Ancestry & Heritage: Farsight Goloma
o Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Strength, +Wisdom
o Ancestry Feat: Pierce the Darkness
Background: Martial Disciple
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity
o Skill Increase: Athletics (trained), Warfare Lore (trained)
o Background Feat: Quick Jump
Class & Subclass: Fighter
o Class Ability Boost: +Strength
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (trained), Intimidation (trained), Occultism (trained), Survival (trained)
o Class Feat: Vicious Swing
Details
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Charisma (Str +4, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +1)
Largely in an attempt to branch out and use other ancestries while also referencing Jax’s inhuman physiology, including his seeming multitude of eyes, Jax will be built as a goloma with the farsight heritage and Pierce the Darkness ancestry feat allowing him to fight in unfriendly environs. His martial disciple background is indicative of the training he underwent as a member Kohari, favoring Athletics and the Quick Jump from it for his Leap Strike. As the ‘Grandmaster of Arms,’ fighter feels like an obvious choice as Jax’s class and provides him with Vicious Swing, which is a mundane to represent his Empower though the concept will be further explored through other feats.
LEVEL 2
o Class Feat: Monk Dedication
o Skill Feat: Titan Wrestler
o Skill Increase: Performance (trained)
o Gear: psychopomp mask
LEVEL 3
o General Feat: Ancestral Paragon – Watchful Gaze
o Skill Increase: Athletics (expert)
o Gear: +1 bo staff, cloak of feline rest, psychopomp mask
LEVEL 4
o Class Feat: Basic Kata – Monastic Weaponry
o Skill Feat: Powerful Leap
o Gear: bracers of missile deflection, +1 bo staff, necklace of knives, psychopomp mask
LEVEL 5
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str +4.5, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +1)
o Ancestry Feat: Catch the Details
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (expert), Society (trained)
o Weapon Mastery Group: Club (master)
o Gear: +1 striking bo staff, bracers of missile deflection, bracelet of dashing, necklace of knives, cloak of feline rest, psychopomp mask
This block’s class feats are probably not the most exciting with Monk Dedication only granting him training in Performance, since he certainly likes putting on a show, and the powerful fist feature. This then gives him access to Monastic Weaponry through a Basic Kata, but he presently can’t make much use out of this feat due to the lack of other feats and features for it to benefit from. This helps facilitate the use of his bo staff, a weapon that works nicely for Jax particularly with its parry trait allowing him to block attacks, a tiny nod to his Counter Strike. Using Ancestral Paragon to take Watchful Gaze from his ancestry feats is another facet of this, since Counter Strike protects him from all directions and this allows him to see in all directions and avoid being flanked. The violet invaders Void are vast, supporting the use of Titan Wrestler from among his skill feats. He also gets some use out of Powerful Leap, considering his Leap Strike. Honestly, he takes Catch the Details for his next ancestry feat due to a lack of other good options.
LEVEL 6
o Class Feat: Advanced Kata – Ki Strike
o Skill Feat: Say That Again!
o Gear: +1 studded leather, +1 striking bo staff, lifting belt, bracers of missile deflection, Jack’s tattered cape, necklace of knives
LEVEL 7
o General Feat: Toughness
o Skill Increase: Athletics (master)
o Gear: lesser grub gloves, +1 studded leather, tactician’s helm, +1 striking bo staff, bracers of missile deflection, bracelet of dashing
LEVEL 8
o Class Feat: Staff Acrobat Dedication
o Skill Feat: Wall Jump
o Gear: boots of bounding, hauling weapon rune, lesser grub gloves, +1 studded leather, +1 striking bo staff, lifting belt
LEVEL 9
o Ancestry Feat: Constant Gaze
o Skill Increase: Survival (expert)
o Gear: +1 resilient studded leather, boots of bounding, fearless sash, lesser grub gloves, tactician’s helm, +1 striking bo staff
LEVEL 10
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +5, Dex +3, Con +3, Int +0, Wis +3, Cha +2)
o Class Feat: Monk’s Flurry
o Skill Feat: That’s Not Natural!
o Gear: bravery baldric (haste), +1 resilient studded leather, flaming weapon rune, boots of bounding, lesser grub gloves, +1 striking bo staff
This block is where the build honestly really starts coming online – starting with Ki Strike, which he can use to represent Empower, charging up his staff for a heavier hit. This leads into Monk’s Flurry, which gives him the Flurry of Blows action. He wants this to represent the increasing attack speed granted by this Relentless Assault passive, potentially allowing him to pack four attacks into a round. This still probably isn’t a good idea even with the fighter’s increased attack bonus, but it is an option. He also takes Staff Acrobat Dedication, which provides a slew of basic benefits with the best of them probably being his ability to Shove and Trip even when wielding his staff. During this block, Jax also gains access to his Combat Flexibility class feature, which is likely best used for Sudden Leap to help represent his Leap Strike. Looking at skill feats, Jax starts with Say That Again! in this block to reference his gung-ho attitude and habit of challenging others. That’s Not Natural is intended to aid Jax in his fight against the Void though he actually only ever benefits from it when he isn’t rolling Perception for initiative because fighters gain Battlefield Surveyor, which provides a +2 circumstance bonus to Perception checks for initiative. While it doesn’t grant health directly, Jax’s ultimate does make him considerably harder to take down, which is aided by Toughness. Finally, Constant Gaze builds out of Watchful Gaze, meaning that creatures of his level or lower cannot flank him, befitting his readiness with Counter Strike.
LEVEL 11
o General Feat: Kip Up
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (master)
o Gear: +2 striking bo staff, armbands of athleticism, bravery baldric (haste), +1 resilient studded leather, boots of bounding, fearless sash
LEVEL 12
o Class Feat: Staff Sweep
o Skill Feat: Rapid Mantel
o Gear: +2 resilient studded leather, +2 striking bo staff, daredevil boots, bravery baldric (haste), flaming weapon rune, moderate armory bracelet
LEVEL 13
o Ancestry Feat: Defensive Instincts
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (expert)
o Weapon Legend: Club
o Gear: +2 greater striking bo staff, +2 resilient studded leather, bravery baldric (stoneskin), daredevil boots, armbands of athleticism, greater bracers of missile deflection
LEVEL 14
o Class Feat: Pivot Strike
o Skill Feat: Terrifying Resistance
o Gear: hellfire boots, +2 greater striking bo staff, moderate grub gloves, +2 resilient studded leather, daredevil boots, greater demon mask
LEVEL 15
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +5.5, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +1, Wis +3, Cha +3)
o General Feat: Fleet
o Skill Increase: Athletics (legendary), Stealth (trained)
o Gear: +2 greater resilient studded leather, bag of holding (type IV), hellfire boots, +2 greater striking bo staff, bravery baldric (stoneskin), mask of uncanny breath
An issue in representing Jax’s Counter Strike ability is the lack of stuns available to martial characters in Pathfinder Second Edition. Instead, he will have to rely on maneuvers such as Trip to simulate these effects and can target multiple characters with these maneuvers through Staff Sweep from his staff acrobat archetype. There’s also Pivot Strike, which allows Jax to Leap and then make a Strike – as well as a Shove or Trip, which isn’t as important for his Leap Strike. This block also features the improved flexibility class feature, the best of which I think would be Furious Focus – this would potentially let him nail an enemy with Power Attack and then still only be on his second multiple attack penalty for the first swing of a Flurry of Bos. He picks up a very physical set of skill feats this block with Kip Up and Rapid Mantel, but he then takes up Terrifying Resistance as a way of representing the increased defenses from his Grandmaster-at-Arms. At first, Defensive Instincts might appear a little redundant considering the parry trait on his staff, but can be useful when needed to Step out of a flank that can actually affect him. Fleet adds some much-needed speed to his build.
LEVEL 16
o Class Feat: Whirlwind Strike
o Skill Feat: Cloud Jump
o Gear: greater flaming weapon rune, +2 greater resilient studded leather, greater boots of bounding, bag of holding (type IV), +2 greater striking bo staff, moderate grub gloves
LEVEL 17
o Ancestry Feat: True Gaze
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (master)
o Gear: +3 greater striking bo staff, greater flaming weapon rune, major armory bracelet, +2 greater resilient studded leather, bag of holding (type IV), hellfire boots
LEVEL 18
o Class Feat: Cut From the Air
o Skill Feat: Cat Fall
o Gear: bracers of hammers, +3 greater striking bo staff, speed weapon rune, greater flaming weapon rune, +2 greater resilient studded leather, greater boots of bounding
LEVEL 19
o General Feat: Fast recovery
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (legendary)
o Gear: +3 greater resilient studded leather, bracers of hammers, dread blindfold, +3 greater striking bo staff, greater flaming weapon rune, major armory bracelet
LEVEL 20
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +6, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +1, Wis +4, Cha +4)
o Class Feat: Weapon Supremacy
o Skill Feat: Water Sprint
o Gear: +3 major striking bo staff, +3 greater resilient leather, sandals of the stag, dread blindfold, major crown of the fire eater, major armory bracelet
Whirlwind Strikes serves to reflect that area damage that Jax deals with Counter Strike and Grandmaster-at-Arms and Cut From the Air helps to represent his ability to deny attacks with Counter Strike. Finally, Weapon Supremacy helps further capture his Relentless Assault, between it and Monk’s Flurry potentially allowing him to potentially unleash five Strikes in a single round or do a Whirlwind Strike and get another Strike on top of it. Cloud Jump allows him to leap great distances, Water Sprint is just cool, and Cat Fall allows him to make grand entrances without any serious repercussions.
FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTIONS: Jax is one of those builds that benefits greatly from a free archetype, allowing him to take his Monk Dedication and Staff Acrobat Dedication without having to sacrifice his fighter feats. Given the flame carried in his staff, I would suggest taking Elemental Fist from his monk archetype and then maybe some other ki spells just so that he has more focus points. There’s also Stunning Fist to actually give him a way to stun enemies ala Counter Strike though his DC for this is going to seriously lag behind between using the monk class DC and having that incapacitation trait. Perfection’s Path is also a solid choice, allowing him to potentially increase his Will to master to represent the increased defenses of his Grandmaster-at-Arms. From within the Staff Acrobat archetype, he can grab Whirlwind Stance, which is just an insane flat +2 bonus to AC as long as he remains in the stance. With extra fighter feats, I would take Cut From the Air and then lead into Smash From the Air since Grandmaster-at-Arms also increases his magic resistance. Quick Reversal is a fun way to catch the multi-hit effects of Counter Strike and then with his ability to upend foes, he gets some use out of Advantageous Assault. If you want to represent his Legends of Runeterra card, United Assault works well with the power-up effect of his leveled-up card.
BUILD CONCLUSION
Jax, Grandmaster at Arms is a farsight goloma fighter with the martial disciple background, representing his rank as one of the Kohari of Icathia. Reaching into the monk archetype gives him access to Monastic Weaponry and Flurry of Blows with his staff and between that and Weapon Supremacy, he achieves the attack speed of his Relentless Assault. He represents Grandmaster at Angling with a tiny investment in Survival, which he also uses to gain That’s Not Natural, aiding in his fight against the Void, his hated foe. He can use combat flexibility for Sudden Leap or Pivot Strike as his Leap Strike, allowing him to get into the mix. The initial aspect of Counter Strike actually has a few means of accomplishing it – Watchful Gaze into Constant Gaze, Cut From the Air, and even the parry trait of his favored bo staff. For the area stun, his best bet is likely to be Staff Sweep allowing him to simultaneously Trip two enemies, a compromise on the stunned condition enforced by the translation into Pathfinder Second Edition. Jax’s AC increasing abilities such as Watchful Gaze can also serve to represent his Grandmaster-at-Arms though for the magic resistance, he is regrettably limited to Terrifying Resistance. As for the actual damage component of it, he relies on Whirlwind Strike, which benefits heavily from the reach trait of his bo staff that stands in for the Last Light of Icathia.
A boisterous, brolic bruiser from the bottom of his blue being, this burly battler barges into brouhahas, bludgeoning and bashing baddies with a blessed, burning beacon.
Lemme know what you think and what other builds you would like to see!
If you want to join in on the discussion of these builds and the ones I do for monsters or just hang out with a bunch of fellow TTRPG nerds, check out the Discord server. We also have a Twitter where we try to post teasers for the blog. Next Friday there won't be anything - I'm finally going on vacation for the holidays and won't be back until the 15th of January with a new Monster Monday.
Have a fantastic Friday and a happy new year!