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Lateral
2010-09-19, 06:08 PM
How to build it? I have access to SRD and a few esoteric tidbits of other books. What I'm going for is a guy who fights with a rapier, has at least Improved Feint, Improved Disarm, and Weapon Finesse, and uses Sneak Attack or Sudden Strike (sneak attack w/o flanking). Doesn't have to be rogue. Ideas?

Swashbuckler is non-SRD and I can't find it anywhere on the 'nets. Could work, tho, if I had it.

The Manly Man
2010-09-19, 06:11 PM
Daring Outlaw feat from Complete Scoundrel. Allows swashbuckler & rogue levels to stack for sneak attack.

Take 2-3 levels of rogue, and the rest as swashbuckler (Complete Warrior). Add whatever feats you want.

It's not a strong build, but it's functional and fun.

Ravens_cry
2010-09-19, 06:23 PM
Going pure SRD, I want to try the Thug Sneak attack Fighter. Full BAB means more sneak attack, more often, and you get some skills and better ones then a usual Fighter. Is it a strong build? Probably not, but it satisfies my Swashbuckling needs.

HunterOfJello
2010-09-19, 06:33 PM
Grab Dungeonscape and play a Factotum.

Factotum with Combat Expertise, Improved Trip and Improved Disarm

Rest of the feats could go into Font of Inspiration (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606)

~

Make Int the highest stat and once you get Brains over Brawn at third level you'll be able to add your Int modifier to all str and dex checks including skills based on Strength and Dexterity. (Which means an Int bonus to Trip and Disarm attempts, along with Initiative and all sorts of other stuff too)

Lateral
2010-09-19, 07:19 PM
Going pure SRD, I want to try the Thug Sneak attack Fighter. Full BAB means more sneak attack, more often, and you get some skills and better ones then a usual Fighter. Is it a strong build? Probably not, but it satisfies my Swashbuckling needs.

That's PERFECT, if I can convince my DM to let me replace Knowledge (local) with Knowledge (nobility and royalty), since our campaign is a Dumas-style court intrigue. I'll take two levels of Rogue for Trapfinding and Evasion. Also: Can I use precise strike to get a bonus on a disarm?

Chambers
2010-09-19, 08:21 PM
If your DM allows homebrew check out the Rogue in my signature. [Insightful Strike as a class ability.]

Lateral
2010-09-20, 06:17 PM
My DM allows homebrew, but not base classes and only ones he finds balanced. Also, it's a low-magic campaign- no wizards, no clerics, only adepts and bards.

Edit: Again, I don't have CAdv or ToB. I only have stuff I can find online.

Draz74
2010-09-20, 07:32 PM
Glad if Thug Fighter works perfectly for you, but you can also reverse-engineer everything important about the actual Swashbuckler class from Complete Warrior by reading this article (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20050714a) on the WotC website.

Also, if you by chance have access to some Tome of Battle stuff (like if your DM will allow you to buy the magic items that give you maneuvers (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20061225a) on a 1/encounter basis), then you might decide that it's not worth spending a feat on Improved Disarm. You can use Disarming Strike (Level 2 Iron heart maneuver) instead. But meh, if you're going to be fighting mostly low-magic humanoids, Improved Disarm might still be worth it.

Also, if you're going to be fighting mostly low-magic humanoids, then the feat Knowledge Devotion (from Complete Champion) would be awesome, if you give your character maximum ranks in Knowledge (local) and he has high Intelligence. As a side bonus, this feat gives you one other Knowledge skill as a bonus class skill ... so if your DM doesn't want to houserule the Thug Fighter, but will allow this feat, then you can use this feat to give your Thug Fighter Knowledge (nobility and royalty).


Make Int the highest stat and once you get Brains over Brawn at third level you'll be able to add your Int modifier to all str and dex checks including skills based on Strength and Dexterity. (Which means an Int bonus to Trip and Disarm attempts, along with Initiative and all sorts of other stuff too)

Trip and Initiative, yes. Disarm, no. It's not a Strength or Dexterity check, nor a skill check. Factotum gets no special advantage with it.