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Lucas Pitta
2010-02-13, 07:48 PM
I always loved making characters that use two weapons, the latest one being a half-orc that uses two bastard swords. The character has the following levels and feats: 7 barbarian. 3 fighter. 1 Tempest (complete adventurer). Weapon focus (bastard sword), two-weapon fighting, improved two-weapon fighting, oversized two-weapon fighting, mobility, dodge and spring attack (these last three are pre-requisites for tempest).

Thing is, after i take the last level of tempest, I've got no more ideas, hence the thread :smallbiggrin:

Pluto
2010-02-13, 07:56 PM
IThing is, after i take the last level of tempest, I've got no more ideas, hence the thread :smallbiggrin:

Could you post some details of the character, the character's build and the sources you have available? Otherwise we're kind of shooting in the dark.

Since it looks like you've been playing this build for a while and it presumably is well suited for your group's style, I think you should check out Complete Warrior's Dervish. It is a fun little class for a two-weapon fighter that doesn't change the nature of the game too dramatically.

Other classes you can jump into that seem like they would be well-suited to this character are the Tome of Battle's Swordsage, Warblade and Bloodclaw Master. I'm just a little concerned that they might be a bit overpowered in your game.

Os1ris09
2010-02-13, 08:03 PM
We can't help unless you give us a little more. Also you kinda nerfed yourself honestly because the only decent class combo that I have seen for TWF is a ranger/Scout/Dervish build with Swift hunter as a feat that let them take advantage of all the movement that would be going on.

ericgrau
2010-02-13, 08:05 PM
Yes, more details would be nice. No, he didn't screw himself. Barring shock trooper cheese, the disadvantage of TWF vs. THF is too small to even notice.

That said depending on the optimization level of your group and what other books are available a 4th level of fighter could be nice for weapon specialization. Bonus effects per hit are nice for TWF builds, including bonus damage. After that you're stuck again on interesting options.

Lucas Pitta
2010-02-13, 08:06 PM
well, first let me say that Forgotten and Eberon are not the setting I play, It's a home-brew setting and we don't use there books. Second, the players stats are: 21/17/21/12/13/12, He has a masterwork bastard sword and a normal one, an animated heavy steel shield, two rings of protection (+1, +3) a +2 breastplate, amulet of health (+2) and gloves of strengh (+2), all atribute bonuses are included.

And also, the reason i picked oversized two-weapon fighting is because allows my player to use a normal sized weapon in his off hand as a light one, so the penalties for this build are -2/-2, at tempest level 2 it becomes -1/-1, at tempest 5 -0/-0

Pluto
2010-02-13, 08:10 PM
well, first let me say that Forgotten and Eberon are not the setting I play, It's a home-brew setting and we don't use there books.

So every book that is not setting-specific is fair game?

Egiam
2010-02-13, 08:12 PM
This should be in the RPG section.

I dunno if anyone has mentioned it, but the 15 DEX requirement for TWF might be an issue...

Lucas Pitta
2010-02-13, 08:14 PM
It's 17 dex, and every non-setting book is ok.
Any ideas fellers? :smallwink:

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-13, 08:25 PM
A Tome of Battle class with Tiger Claw maneuvers, perhaps with Setting Sun and Shadow Hand (or White Raven) for some variety.

Pluto
2010-02-13, 09:27 PM
It's 17 dex, and every non-setting book is ok.
Any ideas fellers? :smallwink:

The biggest difficulty of TWF is actually fighting with two weapons.
Every round a character has to move, he typically reduces himself to one attack that round.
The build you laid out doesn't sound like it can overcome this difficulty.
(I'm assuming that you'd have mentioned the Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian variant if the character were using it.)

These are classes that help overcome that difficulty:

Dervish from Complete Warrior makes two weapon fighting more feasible by allowing movement while full round attacking.
Tome of Battle classes with Tiger Claw access (Swordsage, Warblade, Bloodclaw Master) supply several methods of moving and attacking in one action. They are very friendly to late-build multiclassing.
If the character worships a deity with Travel in its portfolio, a Cleric level can give 4 uses of Travel Devotion (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Travel_Devotion) per day.
The character's mental ability scores look a bit low for most spell-oriented methods, but you might be able to manage with Psychic Warrior (Expanded Psionics Handbook). At worst, it will give a few extra feats.


To increase damage potential, these classes can help:
The Frenzied Berserker from Complete Warrior can give each of a TWFer's attack the same return on Power Attack as most fighters who weild swords two-handed. It also increases rage and sometimes makes a character flip out and try to kill his party. Fun times.
Since you already have the prerequisite feats, Dread Commando (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20050407b&page=6) from Heroes of Battle can be useful. It gives full BA, 3d6 Sudden Strike in 5 levels (depending on your party's style, this could vary from a reliable damage source to something that never sees the light of day), it reduces armor penalties and, most importantly for the group (but not necessarily this character), it adds its class level to each of its allies' Initiatives.
The Scout base class from Complete Adventurer rewards movement with damage bonuses. If you can find a way to reliably move and attack, this tacks several d6s to each attack and expands the character to be more flexible when it comes to actions other than "smashing the other guy." The Riposte (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) variant from the Cityscape web enhancement doesn't require movement, potentially making it more reliable (but also requiring a bit more attention on the player's part).
Totemist 2/Totem Rager can increase combat abilities quite a bit and also add a lot of out-of-combat flexibility to your character. If you are unfamiliar with the Magic of Incarnum book, it can be a bit daunting to learn, but it's kind of a nifty system and like Tome of Battle, it is very friendly to late-build multiclasses.


...I hope that gives you a start. Other classes may also be applicable, depending on the peculiarities of the character (Occult Slayer, Hellreaver, etc.)

Os1ris09
2010-02-13, 10:19 PM
Yes, more details would be nice. No, he didn't screw himself. Barring shock trooper cheese, the disadvantage of TWF vs. THF is too small to even notice.

That said depending on the optimization level of your group and what other books are available a 4th level of fighter could be nice for weapon specialization. Bonus effects per hit are nice for TWF builds, including bonus damage. After that you're stuck again on interesting options.

Well tempest doesn't allow the most beneficial traits for TWF except it decreases the minus's to hit. If he sticks with BAB per LVL then he doesn't need to worry about the penalties IMO. However, that being said I think the Scout or Dervish way is the best to optimize this particular build. He already has fast movement from Barbarian (IDK if the fast movement will stack with dervish or scout though) and has FTR going for him. Honestly I would go to Fighter 4 to get Weapon Specialization for Bastard Sword.


well, first let me say that Forgotten and Eberon are not the setting I play, It's a home-brew setting and we don't use there books. Second, the players stats are: 21/17/21/12/13/12, He has a masterwork bastard sword and a normal one, an animated heavy steel shield, two rings of protection (+1, +3) a +2 breastplate, amulet of health (+2) and gloves of strengh (+2), all atribute bonuses are included.

And also, the reason i picked oversized two-weapon fighting is because allows my player to use a normal sized weapon in his off hand as a light one, so the penalties for this build are -2/-2, at tempest level 2 it becomes -1/-1, at tempest 5 -0/-0

Ok well if these are the reasons I can work with it. Make sure to get enchantments like Prismatic Burst, Sacred Scabard or scabard of keen edges and the like. Also for recommended feats get combat reflex's and Robilars gambit. Make some good out of those bonus's and high Dex (at least 19 so +5 AoO's). Also get acrobatic Strike for when you move (aka tumble and the such if you go dervish) you gain a +4 to HIT this can offset the penalties you will take with TWF.

AslanCross
2010-02-13, 10:34 PM
I second the Tome of Battle suggestions. As mentioned above, ToB classes are great for multiclassing and give you immediate returns.

Elfin
2010-02-13, 10:36 PM
While this is a pretty minor issue, why two Rings of Protection? Since the bonuses don't stack, it's probably worth selling the +1.

In any case, I second (edit-third, it seems, actually) Dervish and/or either Warblade or Swordsage, focusing on Tiger Claw. The latter especially is deliciously dippable; even a level or two will greatly improve your capability.

9mm
2010-02-13, 11:43 PM
General Advice I can give is FINISH TEMPEST through 4 before taking any more class levels in other stuff, you've payed the entry fee, get the ambexteriy, if you are using spring attack alot take the 5th level, if you aren't don't bother.
over all there are a few things you can do;

1) Robliars gambit + double hit: you'll be able to develop quite a few free swings due to a high dex required for TWF and double hit lets you use both those swords. Riposte Scout goes nicely with this

2) tacked on extra damage; things like abilty drain or level drain is particuly effective with TWF even more so if you follow advice number 1.

3) find ways to keep your full attack while on the move, several other posters have pointed at some ways; I'd personally recommend a belt of battle, Travel devotion (you don't have to be a cleric to take this, but you'll be limited to once a day), psywar/warblade levels, or finangling your Barbarian levels to count as having the Lion Spirit Totem AFC retroactivly. This is only nessary if you are constantly having to chase down your oppenents, if you don't this becomes less nessary.

at this stage in the game I would recommend against Dervish, as overlapping abilities abound with little to no benefit.

personally I'd go so the build in total looks like this Barb 7/fighter 3/tempest 4/fighter4/warblade 5, with the feats being Combat reflexs (12th), Roblairs (15th), double hit (fighter 4) and Two-weapon rend or travel devotion (18th). This is assuming of course, that you've already taken barb 7/fighter3/tempest 1. If you haven't you WILL take fighter 4 before tempest 1 so you can generate AoOs reliably with Robilers at 12th.

sofawall
2010-02-13, 11:50 PM
shock trooper cheese

I suspect you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

nyarlathotep
2010-02-14, 12:24 AM
Far better than Tempest is Bloodclaw Master as it allows you to apply full strength bonus to your offhand weapon and eliminates all TWF penalties in two levels.

9mm
2010-02-14, 12:41 AM
Far better than Tempest is Bloodclaw Master as it allows you to apply full strength bonus to your offhand weapon and eliminates all TWF penalties in two levels.

true, provided he wants to use only kukri, kamas, handaxes, daggers, unarmed strikes, or claws. He says he wants to use 2 Bastard swords; which makes tempest sadly better.

Os1ris09
2010-02-14, 12:44 AM
To counter-act above statement if he still uses over-sized TWF feat and the bloodclaw class he still eliminates all the Penalties.

9mm
2010-02-14, 01:02 AM
To counter-act above statement if he still uses over-sized TWF feat and the bloodclaw class he still eliminates all the Penalties.

considering the Bloodclaw class specificly calls for Tiger Claw weapons for Claws of the beast and superior twf... No, No he won't, unless he has an endless stream of tiger claw weapons to fuel pouncing strike, which is only helpful when he has to move as that only grants 2 attacks, 1 with each hand.

Os1ris09
2010-02-14, 01:07 AM
considering the Bloodclaw class specificly calls for Tiger Claw weapons for Claws of the beast and superior twf... No, No he won't, unless he has an endless stream of tiger claw weapons to fuel pouncing strike, which is only helpful when he has to move as that only grants 2 attacks, 1 with each hand; or by using an EXTREMELY liberal view of what the Aptitude weapon enhancement applies to.

touche sir. I forgot about that part :smallbiggrin:

Philistine
2010-02-14, 01:33 AM
Yes, more details would be nice. No, he didn't screw himself. Barring shock trooper cheese, the disadvantage of TWF vs. THF is too small to even notice.
... Except for the part where any movement beyond a 5' step completely negates TWF and its entire feat chain. If you actually want to play a mobile melee combatant, THF is significantly more effective than TWF even without Power Attack. Adding PA, and Shock Trooper "cheese," merely crushes TWF farther into the dirt.

Tackyhillbillu
2010-02-14, 05:10 AM
The biggest difficulty of TWF is actually fighting with two weapons.
Every round a character has to move, he typically reduces himself to one attack that round.
The build you laid out doesn't sound like it can overcome this difficulty.
(I'm assuming that you'd have mentioned the Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian variant if the character were using it.)

Not if you take the Feat Dual Strike. Complete Adventurer (108). Allows you to attack with both weapons as a standard.


... Except for the part where any movement beyond a 5' step completely negates TWF and its entire feat chain. If you actually want to play a mobile melee combatant, THF is significantly more effective than TWF even without Power Attack. Adding PA, and Shock Trooper "cheese," merely crushes TWF farther into the dirt.

This is true. If you want to have an effective TWF, you have to have some extra source of damage. Preferably Sneak Attack, because it is much more reliable then Sudden Strike, and doesn't require movement, like Skirmish.

But even so, a TWF Char is never going to beat the Ubercharger for damage.

Eldariel
2010-02-14, 05:21 AM
Not if you take the Feat Dual Strike. Complete Adventurer (108). Allows you to attack with both weapons as a standard.

Congratulations; you have spent two feats to be almost as good as the two-hander spending 0 feats to do the same (you have -2 to attacks). And you gotta invest two more feats if you want your full attack to keep up for as long as it can. Oh yeah, and you still suck at attacking+moving 'cause it denies you your iteratives and Haste-attacks and whatever. So meh.

Let's be clear about this, as written TWF is just way too feat intensive to be practical. Even where it's usable, it's more resource-intensive than necessary. Only Tiger Claw Adepts have any sort of leeway here as they get stuff like Dual Strike and Pouncing Charge for free enabling them to only waste 3 feats on the TWF chain. Compared to what you could be doing with those feats, that's just plain bad.

Tackyhillbillu
2010-02-14, 05:54 AM
Congratulations; you have spent two feats to be almost as good as the two-hander spending 0 feats to do the same (you have -2 to attacks). And you gotta invest two more feats if you want your full attack to keep up for as long as it can. Oh yeah, and you still suck at attacking+moving 'cause it denies you your iteratives and Haste-attacks and whatever. So meh.

Let's be clear about this, as written TWF is just way too feat intensive to be practical. Even where it's usable, it's more resource-intensive than necessary. Only Tiger Claw Adepts have any sort of leeway here as they get stuff like Dual Strike and Pouncing Charge for free enabling them to only waste 3 feats on the TWF chain. Compared to what you could be doing with those feats, that's just plain bad.

Not disagreeing with you. TWF is not optimal. It can be made to work, but it will never match more Optimized THF builds.

Of course, if you give a damn about Optimization, why the hell are you playing a Melee Character that is not a Druid?

Eldariel
2010-02-14, 06:14 AM
Of course, if you give a damn about Optimization, why the hell are you playing a Melee Character that is not a Druid?

Some people might give a damn about optimization and still want to hold back enough to not become a one-man party. Some people also might want to play specific concepts optimally and mundane badass in world of magic is fairly common one at that. In general, there are tons of reasons for why you'd do just that.

At that point, the difference between spending 4 feats on TWF or 0 (1) on THF is quite significant. Really, I don't see why TWF was so gimped; beyond it being "broken" in AD&D I guess. If it were one feat for all those benefits (and two attacks on a charge), I could see it a worthwhile option, but as it stands...


I mean, ways in which TWF is worse than THF:
1) You need exceedingly high Dex-scores to be able to pick up TWF feats at all. Increases MAD.
2) You need three feats for basic competence in TWF over your career. Huge waste of feats.
3) You only benefit of it at all while full attacking. Otherwise all your efforts were for naught.
4) After spending all these resources on TWF, you're still left with -2 to attacks compared to normal characters.
5) You need to enhance two weapons.
6) You can't Power Attack efficiently (unless you take -4 on all attacks, at which point 1-for-1 PA isn't very exciting anymore).
7) Bonus attacks like Haste still only give you one bonus attack. Compared to THF, they're plain less powerful for you.

Only real benefits (average damage is the same, you hit on average a bit more often but for less composite damage, etc.) is that you get to apply attack-based abilities more often, and both weapons' enhancements apply (but this is again balanced by the cost of having to enhance two separate weapons).

1-3 would be relatively easy to eliminate and the rest would balance out. Hell, eliminating 7 wouldn't hurt either. If you want to allow TWF that's on par with THF:
- TWF-feat grants you as many attacks off-hand as you'd normally do with your primary weapon.
- TWF-feat grants you with the ability to attack with two weapons on charge/AoO/standard action attack.
- You may use Finesse-weapons based off Dex without a feat.

There, now instead of requiring:
- Two-Weapon Fighting
- Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
- Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
- Weapon Finesse
- Dual Strike
- Double Hit

For TWF comparable to standard THF efficiency, you only need TWF-feat itself. Hell, it's actually better than all those combined (and still only about comparable to TWF). Then you're only dealing with MAD (you still use Str for damage), -2 to attacks, enhancement costs & lack of Power Attack. So meh.


EDIT: Oh yeah, I totally forgot to address the lack of non-exotic reach weapons usable for TWF and all that too. *sigh*

Os1ris09
2010-02-14, 12:49 PM
Some people might give a damn about optimization and still want to hold back enough to not become a one-man party. Some people also might want to play specific concepts optimally and mundane badass in world of magic is fairly common one at that. In general, there are tons of reasons for why you'd do just that.

At that point, the difference between spending 4 feats on TWF or 0 (1) on THF is quite significant. Really, I don't see why TWF was so gimped; beyond it being "broken" in AD&D I guess. If it were one feat for all those benefits (and two attacks on a charge), I could see it a worthwhile option, but as it stands...


I mean, ways in which TWF is worse than THF:
1) You need exceedingly high Dex-scores to be able to pick up TWF feats at all. Increases MAD.
2) You need three feats for basic competence in TWF over your career. Huge waste of feats.
3) You only benefit of it at all while full attacking. Otherwise all your efforts were for naught.
4) After spending all these resources on TWF, you're still left with -2 to attacks compared to normal characters.
5) You need to enhance two weapons.
6) You can't Power Attack efficiently (unless you take -4 on all attacks, at which point 1-for-1 PA isn't very exciting anymore).
7) Bonus attacks like Haste still only give you one bonus attack. Compared to THF, they're plain less powerful for you.

Only real benefits (average damage is the same, you hit on average a bit more often but for less composite damage, etc.) is that you get to apply attack-based abilities more often, and both weapons' enhancements apply (but this is again balanced by the cost of having to enhance two separate weapons).

1-3 would be relatively easy to eliminate and the rest would balance out. Hell, eliminating 7 wouldn't hurt either. If you want to allow TWF that's on par with THF:
- TWF-feat grants you as many attacks off-hand as you'd normally do with your primary weapon.
- TWF-feat grants you with the ability to attack with two weapons on charge/AoO/standard action attack.
- You may use Finesse-weapons based off Dex without a feat.

There, now instead of requiring:
- Two-Weapon Fighting
- Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
- Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
- Weapon Finesse
- Dual Strike
- Double Hit

For TWF comparable to standard THF efficiency, you only need TWF-feat itself. Hell, it's actually better than all those combined (and still only about comparable to TWF). Then you're only dealing with MAD (you still use Str for damage), -2 to attacks, enhancement costs & lack of Power Attack. So meh.


EDIT: Oh yeah, I totally forgot to address the lack of non-exotic reach weapons usable for TWF and all that too. *sigh*

Hey Eldarial its me again. I remember that you helped me build a Ranger/Scout/Dervish build that wasn't so feat intensive because Ranger granted me the TWF feats. Wouldn't you agree that:

1) Yes it's not as good as ubercharger but can still do some damage with the weapon enchantments you told me to get.
2) If you take dervish you can still move AND full attack
3) Robilar's Gambit and double hit give you your TWF AoO's

Here was my feat list for a lvl 30 Ranger 6/Scout4/Dervish 10/Scout 1/ Ftr 2/ Dervish 7 build

1st:Expeditious Dodge (1st Ranger)
Human: Able Learner (1st Ranger)
BF: Two weapon Fighting (2nd Ranger)
BF: Endurance (3rd Ranger)
3rd: Mobility (3rd Ranger)
BF: Improved Two Weapon fighting (6th Ranger)
6th: Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
9th: Combat Expertise (3rd Scout)
10th: Swift Hunter (4th Scout)
12th: Deadly Defense (2nd Dervish)
13th: Spring Attack (3rd Dervish)
15th: Improved Skirmish(5th Dervish)
18th: Acrobatic Strike (8th Dervish)
You could already take this earlier. It's a wonderful feat for a Dervish, effectively granting you constant +4 to all attacks. Even better if you can talk Power Attack for your character though.
21st: Dark Stalker(7th scout)
23rd: WF: Battle Axe (2nd FTR)
BF: Greater TWF
BF: Improved Trip
24th: High Sword-Low Axe (11th Dervish)
27th: Steadfast Determination

Eldariel
2010-02-14, 01:19 PM
Hey Eldarial its me again. I remember that you helped me build a Ranger/Scout/Dervish build that wasn't so feat intensive because Ranger granted me the TWF feats. Wouldn't you agree that:

1) Yes it's not as good as ubercharger but can still do some damage with the weapon enchantments you told me to get.
2) If you take dervish you can still move AND full attack
3) Robilar's Gambit and double hit give you your TWF AoO's

Yes, it can be decent, but it's still handicapped as I said. You're basically 5 feats behind equivalent two-handed build. Yes, with work you can still make the character decent damage dealer, but you've effectively wasted a ton of resources in doing so.

I'm not saying TWF-characters can never be decent damage dealers or any such; I'm just saying a TWF character needs to spend comparably more effort to the same level of efficiency as comparable THF character due to all the factors listed above (well, mostly the extreme feat tax TWF issues on a character).


Take your build. Remove Double Hit, GTWF, ITWF. Wouldn't you just love those feats? Imagine all you could do. If you were a Two-Hander, you could. As a Two-Weapon Fighter though, you're stuck taking those feats instead of the feats you'd want since you're being taxed for TWFing. It's just an unfair tax for TWFers.

Os1ris09
2010-02-14, 02:57 PM
Yes, it can be decent, but it's still handicapped as I said. You're basically 5 feats behind equivalent two-handed build. Yes, with work you can still make the character decent damage dealer, but you've effectively wasted a ton of resources in doing so.

I'm not saying TWF-characters can never be decent damage dealers or any such; I'm just saying a TWF character needs to spend comparably more effort to the same level of efficiency as comparable THF character due to all the factors listed above (well, mostly the extreme feat tax TWF issues on a character).


Take your build. Remove Double Hit, GTWF, ITWF. Wouldn't you just love those feats? Imagine all you could do. If you were a Two-Hander, you could. As a Two-Weapon Fighter though, you're stuck taking those feats instead of the feats you'd want since you're being taxed for TWFing. It's just an unfair tax for TWFers.

Yes I would love those feats back but it does give you the ability to do some things though. For instance I once got 2 crits with pris burst on the scimitars and got some amazing save or suck effects off. I mean ya those feats should be built into the TWF style but I think that if you take 2 lvls of fighter you can help offset some of the cost.

T.G. Oskar
2010-02-14, 04:52 PM
Pretty odd build... Tempest is nice, but you need to know what to do with it.

To cap: your build probably looks like this...

Barb 7/Fighter 3/Tempest 1 (Str Primary, Dex Secondary)
Feats
1: Two-Weapon Fighting
3: Dodge
6: Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting?
Fighter 1: Mobility
9: Imp. Two-Weapon Fighting
Fighter 2: Spring Attack
Flaw 1?: Weapon Focus (bastard sword)?
Flaw 2?: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword)?

I'm still wondering how you get an extra feat, so I assume flaw for default. Thus:
Weapon Focus as a feat is flawed. You won't take much benefit from Two-Weapon Versatility unless you do it with something that can use it properly. Sadly, Two-Weapon Versatility is lost on you, since you're using the same weapon on both hands, and going further gets lost even more.
Tempest, as recommended, should be taken for around 4 levels so you get Ambidexterity.
However, if you wish for 5th level, then it's equally nice to proceed further on the Spring Attack feat path with Bounding Assault and Rapid Blitz. If the idea was to take Ambidexterity, then it was better using other options (such as the aforementioned path of Tiger Claw and Superior Unarmed Strike).
You still need a way to make it useful through movement. How do you intend to move more than 5 feet and still make an attack? Barbarians have an alternate class feature (as mentioned, Spiritual Lion Totem) that sacrifices their fast movement for Pounce, which is mighty good if you're going that path. But...
Since you're a Barbarian, might as well go all the way. Frenzied Berserker, and take Power Attack down the path. That way, along with possibly Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, you'll get at least two out of seven hits with doubled PA damage, better if you know the tricks to work with that attack bonus (Shock Trooper). However, that requires more feats that you can work with (you have feats for level 12, 15 and 18, and you need 4 for that path), so it's effectively barred for you.

The best you can possibly do so far is go Tempest 4, take Combat Expertise on the way (if you have the requisite 13 Int) and go Dervish (it's the best way to save grace, except Dervish already grants you Spring Attack as a bonus feat at 3rd level), picking Greater Two-Weapon Fighting on the way, or go Tempest 5, pick Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Bounding Assault and Rapid Blitz, and go Exotic Weapon Master. Bastard sword isn't the proper choice, however.

A third choice, but that implies getting rid of one of your swords, is getting Tempest 4, Combat Expertise (if possible) then go Exotic Weapon Master and take Uncanny Blow. You fight with your armor and with your spikes. Take the rest on Power Attack and GTWF, and then Dervish PrC, and save some grace by fighting with spiked armor and applying some damage with the spikes; that's as best as I can see it can work, and you get a moderately decent benefit (use 2x your Strength, so you can benefit from Rage). You'll be wielding two weapons (bastard sword and spikes), take advantage of Dervish Dance + movement + having two slashing weapons, Uncanny Blow for Power Attack + 2x your Strength (which then combines into Rage), and then use your two rages per day on multiple strikes that can hit as hard as possible. You still need to get a way to maximize Power Attack without Shock Trooper, though.

The problem with the build is that it bypassed all good thresholds (Barb 7's Damage Reduction isn't so awesome, you should never finish Fighter in odd levels, you took Tempest before Dervish which would have saved you a feat and get you decent abilities on the meanwhile, and you took Weapon Focus which isn't very powerful in the long term), so it's hard to work something good at this level. Armor spikes should allow you to keep your effort with Two-Weapon Fighting, but you'll be really best suited with Power Attack and THF. Intelligence may be the one thing that kills this option, and I presume you ditched Int for your physical scores, which really dents your chances, but if you at least can gather 13 Int before 15th level, you can save some grace somehow.

Darrin
2010-02-14, 07:19 PM
You might want to consider a PrC from Dragon #299, "Orc Blademaster". It's a 3.0 PrC, and it's not exactly a really good PrC, but it's got some nice flavor and is orc-only. The capstone ability is also kinda nice: Whirlwind Attack x2 (two attacks on every target you threaten). Prereqs and details on the first two levels can be found on Crystalkeep.

Other than that... pick up Fighter 4, then maybe finish off with a little Duskblade or Duskblade + Abjurant Champion.

Hellreaver (Fiendish Codex II) could also be quite fun to finish off with. Swift-action to auto-heal 10 points of damage to yourself or any good-aligned creature within 20'.