Stegyre
2009-08-13, 04:56 PM
This is intended as an unarmed combat stealth character, mildly psionic (maneuver, stance and supernatural-type feat abilities are all explained as a combination of psionics, ki, and special training). Since it's E6, there are only six class levels to work with, but excess feats.
Level & feat progression
1. Scout (feat: Hidden Talent - Precognition)
2. Scout - uncanny dodge class ability (this is a manifestation of the character's precognitive ability)
3. SwordSage: unarmed combat variant (feat: Adaptive Style, of course)
4. SwordSage
5. SwordSage
6. Swordsage (feat: Skill Focus - Concentration)
Additional Feats
(approximately in order, help graciously accepted in deciding appropriate prioritizing)
Vital Recovery (very much want some sort of self-healing ability)
Superior Unarmed Strike
Weapon Finesse (he's a dex fighter, not a strength fighter; working to reduce MAD)
Martial Study (IH: Steel Wind)
Martial Study (IH: Iron Heart Surge - this of course, is the real reason for both Martial Study feats)
Shadow Blade
Blade Meditation (SH)
additional Martial Study feats for extra maneuvers (see below)
Psionic Body
Psionic Talent (to taste; in conjunction with Psionic Body, each instance of Psionic Talent is adding more hit points)
Attribute priorities: Dexterity, Wisdom, Intelligence & Constitution, Charisma & Strength.
Skill priorities: Concentration, Hide, Move Silently, Autohypnosis (cc), Listen, Spot, Tumble, Perform (cc - for roleplay reasons), possibly UMD or UPD (cc).
Stances: Child of Shadow (SH), Step of the Wind (SS)
Maneuvers:
1st level
Moment of Perfect Mind (DM)
Sapphire Nightmare Blade (DM)
Wolf Fang Strike (TC)
(room for two more)
2nd level
Action Before Thought (DM)
Cloak of Deception (SH)
Shadow Jaunt (SH) (will require an additional Martial Study feat)
Mountain Hammer (SD) (will require an additional Martial Study feat)
3rd level
Mind Over Body (DM)
Insightful Strike (DM) (gained by retraining a 1st level maneuver at SS level 4)
Plan: in combat, this character's alpha strike is the Insightful Strike. Expending psionic focus gives an automatic 15 concentration check (no roll), with maxed concentration skill level (9) plus skill focus (3), that means an effective concentration level of 12, for 27 points of damage. (I thought I could add Focused Skill User on top of that, but I guess I cannot simultaneously expend a focus and gain another benefit for being focused.) How does that compare? I'm not well-versed enough to know. He's not intended to be a party's main damage dealer but to be able to do something significant when needed.
Regular attacks are unarmed strikes that, once SUS is obtained will do 1d10 (effective monk level 8), +1d6 while skirmishing (constantly), and additional damage or attacks from lesser maneuvers.
For saving throws, he would try to apply the same mechanic: activating the appropriate DM feat to substitute a concentration check for the saving roll and expending his psionic focus, giving him a guaranteed "roll" of 27 on any saving roll (as long as they did not come so fast and furiously that he could not regain his focus and maneuvers).
Unless on rough terrain, he fights from Child of Shadow stance and where useful either to get into position for a striker-attack or to avoid and evade combat, he can use Cloak of Deception and Shadow Jaunt, along with his hide skill.
Level & feat progression
1. Scout (feat: Hidden Talent - Precognition)
2. Scout - uncanny dodge class ability (this is a manifestation of the character's precognitive ability)
3. SwordSage: unarmed combat variant (feat: Adaptive Style, of course)
4. SwordSage
5. SwordSage
6. Swordsage (feat: Skill Focus - Concentration)
Additional Feats
(approximately in order, help graciously accepted in deciding appropriate prioritizing)
Vital Recovery (very much want some sort of self-healing ability)
Superior Unarmed Strike
Weapon Finesse (he's a dex fighter, not a strength fighter; working to reduce MAD)
Martial Study (IH: Steel Wind)
Martial Study (IH: Iron Heart Surge - this of course, is the real reason for both Martial Study feats)
Shadow Blade
Blade Meditation (SH)
additional Martial Study feats for extra maneuvers (see below)
Psionic Body
Psionic Talent (to taste; in conjunction with Psionic Body, each instance of Psionic Talent is adding more hit points)
Attribute priorities: Dexterity, Wisdom, Intelligence & Constitution, Charisma & Strength.
Skill priorities: Concentration, Hide, Move Silently, Autohypnosis (cc), Listen, Spot, Tumble, Perform (cc - for roleplay reasons), possibly UMD or UPD (cc).
Stances: Child of Shadow (SH), Step of the Wind (SS)
Maneuvers:
1st level
Moment of Perfect Mind (DM)
Sapphire Nightmare Blade (DM)
Wolf Fang Strike (TC)
(room for two more)
2nd level
Action Before Thought (DM)
Cloak of Deception (SH)
Shadow Jaunt (SH) (will require an additional Martial Study feat)
Mountain Hammer (SD) (will require an additional Martial Study feat)
3rd level
Mind Over Body (DM)
Insightful Strike (DM) (gained by retraining a 1st level maneuver at SS level 4)
Plan: in combat, this character's alpha strike is the Insightful Strike. Expending psionic focus gives an automatic 15 concentration check (no roll), with maxed concentration skill level (9) plus skill focus (3), that means an effective concentration level of 12, for 27 points of damage. (I thought I could add Focused Skill User on top of that, but I guess I cannot simultaneously expend a focus and gain another benefit for being focused.) How does that compare? I'm not well-versed enough to know. He's not intended to be a party's main damage dealer but to be able to do something significant when needed.
Regular attacks are unarmed strikes that, once SUS is obtained will do 1d10 (effective monk level 8), +1d6 while skirmishing (constantly), and additional damage or attacks from lesser maneuvers.
For saving throws, he would try to apply the same mechanic: activating the appropriate DM feat to substitute a concentration check for the saving roll and expending his psionic focus, giving him a guaranteed "roll" of 27 on any saving roll (as long as they did not come so fast and furiously that he could not regain his focus and maneuvers).
Unless on rough terrain, he fights from Child of Shadow stance and where useful either to get into position for a striker-attack or to avoid and evade combat, he can use Cloak of Deception and Shadow Jaunt, along with his hide skill.