PEACH: a stealthy E6 Scout/SwordSage Build

[Stegyre]

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.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Snag Wep Finesse as early as possible. Missing is no fun.

Scout 2 is kind of a useless level. Uncanny Dodge is nice, but you may be better served by dipping something else. Perhaps Warblade.

Also, is there a reason you didn't take Imp Skirmish?

[Darrin]

Snag Wep Finesse as early as possible. Missing is no fun.


And no fun taking it without Shadow Blade.



Scout 2 is kind of a useless level. Uncanny Dodge is nice, but you may be better served by dipping something else. Perhaps Warblade.


You also miss your 3rd level stance at Swordsage 5. Assassin's Stance could add 2d6 sneak attack on top of your skirmish damage, although Dance of the Spider is really, really useful - spiderclimb at will.

If you really need to pick up Uncanny Dodge, you can do it with via a feat with Shape Soulmeld: Impulse Boots. I know it's mixing in another magic system, but you could handwave it as part of his "Hidden Talent". I forget exactly how E6 works... you continue to get feats after 6th level, yes?



Also, is there a reason you didn't take Imp Skirmish?

I'm still wincing from the Skill Focus, but I guess I can understand it from the standpoint of E6. Are you really firm on taking Skill Focus, or can you replace it with skill bonus magic items? A Tunic of Steady Spellcasting gives a +5 competence bonus to all Concentration checks for only 2500 GP.

For feats, I'd recommend:

1) Shadow Blade
3) Weapon Finesse
6) Adaptive Style

You can pick up TWF with Gloves of the Balanced Hand (MIC, 8000 GP).

[Stegyre]

Thanks for the comments!


Scout 2 is kind of a useless level. Uncanny Dodge is nice, but you may be better served by dipping something else.
Scout 2 is indisputably for uncanny dodge. This is a character emphasizing dex and wis, both of which give an AC bonus -- a bonus that's lost whenever he's flatfooted. I'm openly seeking the advice of those who know better, but at dex 16 wis 14, that's 5 AC -- seems worthwhile to me.


Perhaps Warblade.
I've considered that, but I'm really not crazy about having to keep track of two different sets of maneuvers and recovery (even if the Warblade recovery mechanic is the best)


Also, is there a reason you didn't take Imp Skirmish?
Failure to meet the prerequisites? My source says it requires a skirmish ability of +2d6/+1AC, which is Scout 5. The maneuvers from SwordSage are far more valuable than that.

[Stegyre]

You also miss your 3rd level stance at Swordsage 5. Assassin's Stance could add 2d6 sneak attack on top of your skirmish damage, although Dance of the Spider is really, really useful - spiderclimb at will.).
I don't need SS 5 for a new stance: I can take Martial Stance to gain new stances. There are many useful and good stances, but I figure I've got the main ones that I want. Spider climb, when I'm going to get a short-range teleport maneuver? Meh.

(Mind you, both, I'm not trying to argue; I'm trying to find flaws in my reasoning.)


If you really need to pick up Uncanny Dodge, you can do it with via a feat with Shape Soulmeld: Impulse Boots.
Something I'm completely unfamiliar with. What's the source, and I'll try to read up. :smallsmile:


I forget exactly how E6 works... you continue to get feats after 6th level, yes?
Yes. Basically, after 6th level, every 5,000 XP you trade in for a new trait. (I'm working on some house rules to give some additional options, but that's vanilla E6.)


I'm still wincing from the Skill Focus, but I guess I can understand it from the standpoint of E6. Are you really firm on taking Skill Focus, or can you replace it with skill bonus magic items? A Tunic of Steady Spellcasting gives a +5 competence bonus to all Concentration checks for only 2500 GP.
Perhaps I can downgrade skill focus, but generally I'm aiming for a character that isn't too item-dependent. For my build, it looks like a better option would be Blade Meditation (Diamond Mind): +2 on concentration checks +1 on damage with Diamond Mind strikes actually gives him exactly the same result on his Insightful Strike as Skill Focus does. Long-term, Skill Focus still makes sense: this is a character for whom concentration is a very important skill, both offensively and defensively. I don't see how I lose by taking as much Concentration boosting as possible, from any and all stacking sources.


For feats, I'd recommend:

1) Shadow Blade
3) Weapon Finesse
6) Adaptive Style
Hidden Talent may only be taken at 1st level, and it's essential to character concept, although I'll readily concede it's "weak." (I'm not looking for complete optimization but optimization within the constraints of the intended character.) It <b>does</b> give me an additional +2 to call upon for any roll.

I cannot take Shadow Blade until I have a SwordSage level (so I have a prerequisite Shadow Hand maneuver). Starting as SwordSage rather than Scout would cost me 8 skill points: not an insurmountable cost, but if I'm going to dip a high-skill class, I might as well maximize it by making a first-level dip.

Especially because this build has some rather lousy saves (+1 fort / +7 ref / +4 will), I really want to be able to replenish the maneuvers he uses in place of them as quickly as possible, which is why I want Adaptive Style pretty much from as soon as it has a use. With those Diamond Mind maneuvers, he basically goes from a character who probably fails a save to a player that cannot fail (if he expends his psi focus) or is very likely to succeed (if he doesn't.

Maybe:
1. Hidden Talent
3. Adaptive Style
6. Weapon Finesse (hitting > damage at these levels, yes?)
Shadow Hand
. . . TBD


You can pick up TWF with Gloves of the Balanced Hand (MIC, 8000 GP).
Still want to avoid item dependency

[Darrin]

Something I'm completely unfamiliar with. What's the source, and I'll try to read up. :smallsmile:


Magic of Incarnum. It can be a little hard to wrap your head around at first, but if all you want is Uncanny Dodge, then you only need to spend one feat (Shape Soulmeld) to pick it up. Once per day in the morning, you spend an hour shaping your soulmelds, which are a little like magic items you make out of your own "soul energy". Once shaped, they are permanent until dispelled or unshaped (you just shape them again the next morning).

If you pick up Uncanny Dodge via Impulse Boots, then you could do something like:

1) Scout 1, Feat: Hidden Talent
2) Fighter/Swashbuckler 1, Bonus Feat: Weapon Finesse
3) Swordsage 1, Feat: Shape Soulmeld (Impulse Boots)
4) Swordsage 2
5) Swordsage 3
6) Swordsage 4, Feat: Adaptive Style



Hidden Talent may only be taken at 1st level, and it's essential to character concept, although I'll readily concede it's "weak." (I'm not looking for complete optimization but optimization within the constraints of the intended character.) It <b>does</b> give me an additional +2 to call upon for any roll.

Maybe:
1. Hidden Talent
3. Adaptive Style
6. Weapon Finesse (hitting > damage at these levels, yes?)
Shadow Hand
. . . TBD


Ack, I forgot about Hidden Talent. Ok, those feats look fine. Shadow Blade, Skill Focus, Blade Meditation, Martial Stance... those can all be taken as feats after 6th level.



Still want to avoid item dependency

Eh... your concept is solid, and it's hard to screw up a Swordsage. I was mostly thinking of the items as frosting on the cake.