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Dusk Eclipse
2010-04-28, 07:57 PM
I am applying for a high level gestalt game, and I am planning on going full swordsage on one side.

Either way I am completely at loss on how to select good manoubers, also the switch mechanic

So can anybody help me?

Edit ^^U forgot to say level.... it is 15

demidracolich
2010-04-28, 08:10 PM
Switch mechanic is swap one manuveur out for a manuveur of the highest level you can use at that level or lower at 4th and every even level after.
Also, what level is it and what disciplines are you thinking about focusing on?

Dusk Eclipse
2010-04-28, 08:12 PM
Level 15, I am planning on focusing primary in Shadow Hand, Tiger Claw and Diamond Mind... with some sprinkles of setting sun

Eldariel
2010-04-28, 09:38 PM
Level 15, I am planning on focusing primary in Shadow Hand, Tiger Claw and Diamond Mind... with some sprinkles of setting sun

What combat strategy and what other side of Gestalt are you going with? If you have access to Pounce, maneuvers that count as charges like Bounding Assault, white raven/devoted spirit charges and such are especially valuable; in your case, particularly Bounding Assault.

Also, you'll definitely want at least one maneuver that makes hitting easy; Emerald Razor is very key and I'd probably also pack some Shadow Hand ranged touch attack stuff like Shadow Garrote. Few elusive ones, probably containing at least Shadow Blink and Quicksilver Motion (slightly different uses so I tend to pick both eventually), if you TWF add various two-handed things from Tiger Claw such as Dancing Mongoose, Raging Mongoose and possibly Girallon Windmill Fleshrip. Sudden Leap is also good.

Then some defensive maneuvers like maybe some of the blinding/miss chance stuff from Shadow Hand and one Big Strike-kinda maneuver (probably best Nightmare Blade you can get or a Tiger Claw Jump attack depending on which skills you plan on focusing) you use when restricted to only one attack, and Moment of Alacrity is probably a good call.


Also, definitely pick up Adaptive Style and at least dip some Setting Sun; you have so many maneuvers you can't prepare all that could be useful at once so being able to switch to the appropriate ones for the battle is very useful, and Adaptive Style also allows you to recover all your maneuvers with one full-round action which just kicks Swordsage recovery's ass so hard. And yeah, Setting Sun counters like Scorpion Parry, Fool's Strike, Counter Charge and so on are amazing even if you don't plan on the tripping stuff. Even if not going for them, you may still want Mountain Hammer from Stone Dragon (aka. "can opener"; ignoring hardness means it goes through anything - just trade the prereq away and switch to it when needing to go through something) and Zephyr Dance from Desert Wind.

Both also have few, easy prerequisites that you can just trade away once you've picked the maneuvers (as you still have 1 maneuver of both schools, you'll be able to use them; basically, once chosen, a maneuver qualifies for itself if it only requires one maneuver of the school). And both schools have some low-level stances worth considering: Specifically Flame's Blessing (the benefits are obvious) and Roots of the Mountain (again; if someone focuses on combat maneuvers).

Dusk Eclipse
2010-04-28, 10:14 PM
My other side is la + 3/rogue 4/tellflamar shadow lord 4/blood claw master 3.

Thinking on a shadow pouncing startegy, so raging/dancing moongoose are given but appart fron that I am not sure

Thanks for the great advice

Eldariel
2010-04-28, 10:19 PM
My other side is la + 3/rogue 4/tellflamar shadow lord 4/blood claw master 3.

Thinking on a shadow pouncing startegy, so raging/dancing moongoose are given but appart fron that I am not sure

Thanks for the great advice

Pick all the Shadow X maneuvers then. Any of them qualifies meaning you can do up to 3 full attacks per turn. Yeah, it's scary.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-04-28, 10:21 PM
That is a great idea (though I should probably save that for big battles)

Eldariel
2010-04-28, 10:36 PM
Actually, the best is probably Raging Mongoose -> Shadow Stride -> Shadow Jaunt. This gets you two massive full attacks (+8 full BAB attacks in a turn tends to beat one full attack any day). Next turn, you Shadow Blink to Full Attack and then Adaptive Style to recover it all. This way you won't miss a beat.

demidracolich
2010-04-29, 07:03 PM
Also get cloak of deception, it gives you greater invisibility until the end of the round.
Of course as long as you are using a shadow hand favoured weapon, take shadow blade as a feat.

The Cat Goddess
2010-04-29, 07:15 PM
My other side is la + 3/rogue 4/tellflamar shadow lord 4/blood claw master 3.

Thinking on a shadow pouncing startegy, so raging/dancing moongoose are given but appart fron that I am not sure

Thanks for the great advice

How do you qualify for Tellflamar Shadow Lord? Your Race LA?

Dusk Eclipse
2010-04-29, 08:25 PM
How do you qualify for Tellflamar Shadow Lord? Your Race LA?

Shadowwalker template gives the dimension door as a SLA. and rogue levels plus a flaw or two for the feats.