E6 Shield Threat!

[Mikka]

This seems to create a very dua-licious character who can vary between a deadly offensive and a very protective lock-down-like style.

Defensively he uses thicket of blades or iron guards glare stance, taking -2 to hit from expertise to get +4 ac and +1d6 damage (daring defence).

When/if people ignore him he switches to punishing stance (and will do some 3d6+ damage), Inlidl school will give +2-3 to hit and he'll be able to power attack. Nothing says he can't attack with his shield even if he gives up the bonus, so thats both his Broadblade (funky short sword) and shield that attacks with the +2d6 damage and 2++ to hit.

Alternatively you can take 2 levels of Knight instead of fighter, slowing down your feats (Unless of course you can take flaws) but giving you +1 shield that would otherwise be unattainable.

Fighter -(Tower shield -> Extreme Shield)Shield Spec, Expertise, Weapon Finesse
Fighter - Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Broadblade
Crusader -(Iron guards glare, Shieldblock) Daring Defence
Warblade -(Punishing stance)
Crusader
Crusader -(Thicket of blades, Defensive rebuke) Inlindl School

He has loads of feats to take after level 6 , depending on which direction he wants to go but they're all very useful to him: Shield Ward, Agile Shield Fighter/Two-Weapon Fighting-> Improved two-Weapon fighting, Improved Trip, Extra Granted Maneuver, Stone power/Power Attack, Snap Kick, Mage Slayer

It could also be interested to do this as a Dextery build with the Strongheart halfling, taking granted maneuver or replacing warblade with swordsage-> to gain shadowblade which will probably be better than punishing stance.

Thoughts, feedback anyone?

Person man where are you? <3

[Greenish]

Doesn't fighting defensively with a broadblade short sword gives shield bonus to AC?

[Mikka]

. . **** serioulsy!? thought it just added AC the way expertise adds AC

[Greenish]

. . **** serioulsy!? thought it just added AC the way expertise adds ACI might be wrong, been a while.

[Edit]: Yeah, my bad, it's dodge bonus.

[Keld Denar]

Crusader IL is only 4 at level 6 (2/2 + 1 + 1/2 + 2 = 4.5 rounded down to 4), and thus doesn't qualify for 3rd level manevuers. Also, Crusader 2 gets a stance, Crusader 3 does not unless you are paying a feat. Irregardless, you don't have the IL to have that stance. You'd have to swap either 1 Fighter level, or your 1 Warblade level. In E6, you need at least 4 levels of a single martial class in order to qualify for 3rd level manevuers.

If he's right about Broadblade, swap out EWP for the Spinning Sword (Secrets of Sarlona). Its a 1d8 x2 one handed spiked chain. This lets you keep your shield but gives you reach, and reach is important for lockdown.

[Mikka]

Initiator level is 2x 1/2 = 1 from 2 fighter levels, + 1 from warblade, +3 from crusader = 5.

[Greenish]

Initiator level is 2x 1/2 = 1 from 2 fighter levels, + 1 from warblade, +3 from crusader = 5. Initiator classes only count as full IL for themselves. A crusader 2/warblade 4 would have crusader IL 4 and warblade IL 5, for example.

[Edit]: ToB pg. 39: multiclass characters.

[Mikka]

Take the crusader level then and Damnit. . so. . spend a feat to get. . punishing stance? . . not really worth it is it?

[Greenish]

Take the crusader level then and Damnit. . so. . spend a feat to get. . punishing stance? . . not really worth it is it?Nope, but it's only 1d6 (and you'd need two feats, since you have to have a maneuver from the school before you can pick up a stance with the feat).

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Broadblade Shortsword adds a Dodge bonus when you're fighting defensively or using Combat Expertise for at least -2. However, the bonus it grants is only +1 as per errata (http://wizards.com/dnd/files/CompleteAdventurer_Errata08022005.zip). I guess the benefit of wielding more than one of them was too great and they changed it.

[Keld Denar]

Also, if you ARE gonna take the time and effort to wield a shield, consider using it to impose status conditions. Shield Charge lets you trip people you hit with your shield while charging (Imp Trip synergy!) and Shield Slam can stun people. Against a tripped person, your AC is effectively 4 points higher (due to their -4 penalty on attacks), and stunned people don't deal ANY damage, the best kind of defense. PHBII for both, IIRC.

[Mikka]

Hard to press in there : P but i suppose in E6 you'll get there eventually.

Got any suggestions for an alternative class and/or feat build?



Broadblade Shortsword adds a Dodge bonus when you're fighting defensively or using Combat Expertise for at least -2. However, the bonus it grants is only +1 as per errata (http://wizards.com/dnd/files/CompleteAdventurer_Errata08022005.zip). I guess the benefit of wielding more than one of them was too great and they changed it.

I think any reasonable DM would stand by the old rules, as long as you don't use multiple BroadBlades, it gives a decent bonus under special circumstances, but +1 just isn't worth it.

[Person_Man]

My 2cp:

Although efficient at low levels, levels of Fighter are a horrible long term strategy in an E6 game. Fighters have 1 class feature: Bonus feats. Feats are the 1 thing you get loads of in an E6 game. Thus you do not need or want levels of Fighter. Instead, consider Totemist 2 (Totem Chakra), Binder 1 or 2 (vestige), Swordsage 2 (Wis to AC, Skills, a few more stances/maneuvers), Hexblade 2 (Arcane Resistance), Cleric 1 (Turn Undead, 2 domains, Cleric spell trigger items), Marshal 1 (Cha to whatever), Barbarian 1 (Pounce), or Rogue 2 (Skills, Sneak Attack, Evasion).
Dumping all of your feats into minor bonuses to AC isn't very efficient. A better combo is heavy use of Steely Resolve 10 + decent Constitution + decent AC + Damage Reduction + Stone Power + healing Divine Spirit maneuvers/stances.
If you are going to go with a shield centric build, then I agree with Keld's advice on Shield Slam (a Daze effect) and Spinning Sword (one handed reach). If you're not, then you should just Animate the thing and use a more standard 2 handed reach weapon.
If you're going to use Inlindl School in an E6 game, then the most efficient way to buff it is getting Turn Undead and Divine Shield feat (Cha to Shield bonus).