Please help me optimise an unarmed Swordsage

[Mystral]

Hi thar

on next Saturday, I'll be playing an unarmed Swordsage for the first Time. He is mainly focused on Sundering and Use Magic Device (A class skill for him because of a feat). I'm still not satisfied with him, though, mainly because of his lousy armor class, which could prove an achilles heel if he can't buff himself with a wand. If anyone of you could provide assistance, I have some internets to give out as prizes.

(Sorry if there is any german in the text, I wrote him down in a mashup of english and german and will try to translate everything)

Race: Human
Klasse: Monk 1/Swordmage 7
Gesinnung: Lawfull Evil

Attributes:

St: 18 [20]
Dex: 10
Con: 14 [16]
Int: 10
Wis: 14
Cha: 14

HP: 56 [64]
AC: 17 = 10 + 2 (Wis) + 5 (Mithral Chainshirt)
BAB: +4
Angriff:
Unbewaffnet (+1 Gauntlets of Ogre Power): +11 (+4 (BAB) + 5 (Stärke) + 1 (Weaponfocus) + 1 (Enhanchment))
Schaden: 1d10 + 8 (5 (Stärke) + 2 (Insightfull Strike) + 1 (Magie))
Ranged Touch attack: +4 (+4 (BAB))

Feats:

1: Trained Skill: Use Magic Device
Flaw: Adaptive Style
Mensch: Stone Power
Monk: Stunning Fist
Monk: Improved Unarmed Strike
3: Improved Sunder
6: Quick Draw

Flaw: Inattentive

Class Abilities:

Swordmage 7: Quick to Act +2
Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus): Stone Dragon
Discipline Focus (Defensive Stance): Stone Dragon
Discipline Focus (Insightfull Strikes): Stone Dragon
Sense Magic
Monk 1: Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike, AC Bonus

Skills:
Balance: 8
Climb 5
Concentration 11
Hide 7
Intimidate 5
Jump 5
Move Silently 7
Sense Motive 11
Swim 5
Use Magic Device: 11

Maneuvers: 12: 5/3/3/1
1: Saphire Nightmare Blade, Burning Blade, Mighty Throw, Moment of Perfect Mind, Shadow Blade Technique
2: Cloak of Deception, Mountain Hammer, Baffling Defense
3: Mind over Body, Stone Dragons Fury, Fan the Flames
4: Bonesplitting strike

Stances:

Stonefoot Stance
Roots of the Mountain
Assasin's Stance


Ausrüstung:

+1 Mithral Chainshirt: 3000
+ Crystal of Adaption: 500 (Endure Elements)
+1 Gauntlets of Ogre Power: 6000
Face: Third Eye Magician: 2500 (+5 für Use Magic Device)
Throat: Heartseeking Amulett of Health +2: 7000
Tunic of Steady Spellcasting: 2500
Zauberstäbe:
Grade 1: (15 GP/Charge)
2* Wand of Vigor, 25 Charges: 750
Wand of Blood Wind, 5 Charges: 75
Wand of Enlarge Person, 5 Charges: 75
Wand of Detect Secret Doors, 5 Charges: 75
Wand of Accelerated Movement, 5 Charges: 75
Wand of Fist of stone, 10 Charges: 150
Wand of Hide from Undead, 5 Charges: 75
Grade 2: (90/Charge)
Wand of See Invisibility, 5 Charges: 450
Wand of Mirror Image, 10 Charges: 900
Wand of Balancing Lorecall, 5 Charges: 450
Various Adventuring Stuff: 200 GP
225 Gold

[Yuki Akuma]

Get rid of that useless level of Monk, for a start. Just use the Unarmed Swordsage variant, which... gives you Improved Unarmed Strike and the Monk's unarmed strike progression. All you lose is Flurry of Blows, which you'll never use because you're a Swordsage.

You lose the ability to wear armour but Monks can't wear armour anyway. You lose literally nothing and gain a level of Swordsage. :smalltongue:

[Darrin]

Klasse: Monk 1/Swordmage 7


I also recommend dropping the Monk level for Unarmed Swordsage 8. If you really want flurry, just take Snap Kick, which also works on standard attacks/strikes.



AC: 17 = 10 + 2 (Wis) + 5 (Mithral Chainshirt)


Add a masterwork Dastana (175 GP, A&EG/Oriental Adventures) and Chahar-Aina (225 GP, Oriental Adventures) for an additional +2 AC.



Feats:
1: Trained Skill: Use Magic Device
Flaw: Adaptive Style
Mensch: Stone Power
Monk: Stunning Fist
Monk: Improved Unarmed Strike
3: Improved Sunder
6: Quick Draw


I'd drop Quickdraw. You can buy a Least Crystal of Return for 300 GP. Snap Kick could go there, if you like. Shape Soulmeld: Vitality Belt (+4 morale bonus on Con-based checks) or Mage's Spectacles (+4 insight bonus on UMD) would also work well. If you'd rather improve your AC, the Wormtail Belt soulmeld can give you a +2 natural armor bonus. Switch your race to Azurin for 1 point of essentia and increase it to +3.



+1 Gauntlets of Ogre Power: 6000


The Gauntlets should only cost 4000 GP (your mithral chainshirt looks a little expensive, too). You can use the extra 2000 GP to buy a Ring of Protection +1, or add a +1 deflection bonus to your chainshirt or a +1 natural armor bonus to your Tunic of Steady Spellcasting (MIC, Adding Common Item Effects).

[Master_Rahl22]

I'm pretty sure the Unarmed Swordsage variant gives up armor proficiency in exchange for the unarmed damage progression. A mithral chainshirt doesn't have any ACP, but some DMs won't like that you're using armor you're not proficient with regardless of the lack of mechanical penalties.

I'm of two minds about the Monk level. I like to take 2 levels of Monk for the free feats that ignore prereqs when I build an unarmed swordsage. You don't need Stunning Fist, but I like to make them Passive Way (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#passiveWay) variants to get a free Improved Trip.

You'll want a Necklace of Natural Attacks for enchanting your unarmed strike, and the Shape Soulmeld feats mentioned are very nice for supplementing your abilities.

[LordBlades]

I'm pretty sure the Unarmed Swordsage variant gives up armor proficiency in exchange for the unarmed damage progression. A mithral chainshirt doesn't have any ACP, but some DMs won't like that you're using armor you're not proficient with regardless of the lack of mechanical penalties.



I'm AFB ATM, but doesn't unarmed swordsage switch wis to AC from light armor to unarmored only. So technically there is a mechanical penalty.

[Kylarra]

I'm AFB ATM, but doesn't unarmed swordsage switch wis to AC from light armor to unarmored only. So technically there is a mechanical penalty.Not technically. It only mentions losing the proficiency, not switching over the bonus.

[Mystral]

Alright, maybe I should clear up some questions:

The Unarmed Swordsage Variant from the TOB doesn't give improved unarmed strike. At least, it is never mentioned there.

I took Quick Draw to get to my wands faster. Weapon Crystals won't help with that. That said, I see how it isn't optimal and will exchange it.

The Gauntlets of Ogre Strength are enchanted like a weapon. (thus, +1) That's why they cost 2000 Gold more.

Snap Kick can't be taken on level 6 because it has a BAB requisite of +6, which I attain at level 9.

That being said, I've considered my concept and decided that it doesn't work. I conversed with the GM, who gives me Improved Unarmed Strike for free, and am now looking at the following, secondary concept:

Race: Strongheart Halfling
Class: Swordsage 8
Lawfull Neutral

Attributes:

St: 8
Dex: 20 [22]
Kon: 14 [16]
Int: 10
Wis: 14
Cha: 14

HP: 56 [64]
AC: 25 = 10 + 2 (Wis) + 5 (Mithral Chainshirt + 6 (Dex) + 1 (Amulett) + 1 (Size)
BAB: +5
Attack:
Unarmed (+1 Gauntlets of Dexterty): +13 (+5 (GAB) + 6 (Stärke) + 1 (Waffenfocus) + 1 (Magie))
Schaden: 1d10 (+2 mit Shadow Hand, +8 in Shadow Hand Stance)
Berührungsangriff auf Entfernung: +10 (+5 (GAB) + 5 (Dex))

Talente:

1: Trained Skill: Use Magic Device
Flaw: Adaptive Style
Race: Shadow Blade
3: Weapon Finess
6: Quick Draw (???)

Flaw: Inattentive

Class Abilities:

Swordmage 8: Quick to Act +2
Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus): Shadow Hand
Discipline Focus (Defensive Stance): Shadow Hand
Discipline Focus (Insightfull Strikes): Shadow Hand
Sense Magic

Skills:
Balance: 8
Climb 5
Concentration 11
Hide 7
Intimidate 5
Jump 5
Move Silently 7
Sense Motive 11
Swim 5
Use Magic Device: 11

Maneuvers: 13: 4/3/3/3
1: Saphire Nightmare Blade, Burning Blade, Counter Charge, Shadow Blade Technique
2: Cloak of Deception, Mountain Hammer, Shadow Jaunt
3: Mind over Body, Insightfull Strike, Zephyr Dance
4: Searing Charge, Ruby Nightmare Blade, Bonesplitting Strike

Stances:

Child of Darkness
Step of the Wind
Assasins Stance


Ausrüstung:

+1 Mithral Chainshirt: 3000
+ Crystal of Adaption: 500 (Endure Elements)
+1 Gauntlets of Dexterty: 6000
Face: Third Eye Magician: 2500 (+5 für Use Magic Device)
Throat: Amulett of Health +2 and Natural Armor +1: 6000
Feet: Sandals of Sprinting and Springing
Ring of Four Winds: 2000
Zauberstäbe:
Grad 1: (15 GP/Charge)
2* Wand of Vigor, 25 Charges: 750
Wand of Blood Wind, 5 Charges: 75
Wand of Disguise Self, 5 Charges: 75
Wand of Detect Secret Doors, 5 Charges: 75
Wand of Accelerated Movement, 5 Charges: 75
Wand of Fist of stone, 10 Charges: 150
Wand of Hide from Undead, 5 Charges: 75
Grad 2: (90/Charge)
Wand of See Invisibility, 5 Charges: 450
Wand of Mirror Image, 10 Charges: 900
Wand of Balancing Lorecall, 5 Charges: 450
Diverse Abenteurerausrüstung: 200 GP
525 Gold

[Douglas]

Alright, maybe I should clear up some questions:

The Unarmed Swordsage Variant from the TOB doesn't give improved unarmed strike. At least, it is never mentioned there.
It gives the Monk class feature "Unarmed Strike". Said class feature states in its first sentence that you get Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.

[Mystral]

Oh? Well, fine by me.

[Yuki Akuma]

Does Quick Draw even let you draw wands quickly?

[Waker]

Use the Wand Bracer from Dungeonscape and you don't need quick draw for your wands.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Actually, dipping into Rogue might be a very handy thing for you. Specifically, dipping Rogue1 at your first level nets you:

+1d6 sneak attack. Since you are going heavy into Shadow Hand anyways, this is never a bad thing.

More skill points. 8+int rather than 6+int, and has a larger skill selection

Trapfinding. Because search is on the Swordsage class skill list.

And, perhaps most importantly, it lets you take Craven off the bat, which is a flat damage increase to all sneak attack damage equal to character level.

And, of course, for a stance, use Island of Blades, so you can almost always get into sneak attacking position.

Don't forget Pouncing Strike when you get high enough.

In other advice: how the hell did you generate those craptastic stats? CHA is a dump stat for a Swordsage. Your CHA is higher than your DEX (which should, in point of fact, be the HIGHEST stat on your sheet, if you are planning on using Shadow Blade feat). Fixing this increases your AC. With a Dex of 18, you get a +5 to your AC. With a +1 Mithral Chain Shirt (easily affordable at around 2k and some change), you now have an AC of 19. Pick up Gloves of Dexterity rather than Gauntlets of Strength (which is your other main dump stat, since with Shadow Blade + Weapon Finesse, you literally do not use Strength for ANYTHING), to increase AC to 20.

For more AC boosting, have the party divine caster drop a Magic Vestments on you for extra boosting to your armor's enhancement bonus.

[MeeposFire]

I'm AFB ATM, but doesn't unarmed swordsage switch wis to AC from light armor to unarmored only. So technically there is a mechanical penalty.

Let us have full disclosure here, the variant does not have much description at all and so it really would depend on what the DM decides. However if you were to not change that feature you could wear various armors without penalty.

Char-aina is medium armor so don't you lose your wisdom bonus to AC for wearing it?

I like picking up the heavy arms graft and a battlefist for my swordsage though I tend to play in Eberron.

Also you could just use lowly gauntlet. it is cheap and easy to find and you will have no problem with getting that in the game (since necklace of natural attacks in savage species which is on relatively less accepted side and Eberron books are not always allowed outside of Eberron games, a pity).

Being that you have no flurry and you have simple weapon proficiency you can use a gauntlet and you will have no penalties and you will still deal your full unarmed strike damage with enchantments.

[Mystral]

I raised Charisma because I wanted to go heavy UMD, and also because I want to play a charismatic swordsage (think: wise kung fu master).

There are already 2 rogues in the party, and if I take a dip in rogue, I can't take snap kick at level 9.

I'm allready using enchanted gauntlets. Note the +1 on my gauntlets. It means that they are enchanted as a +1 weapon.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I raised Charisma because I wanted to go heavy UMD, and also because I want to play a charismatic swordsage (think: wise kung fu master).

There are already 2 rogues in the party, and if I take a dip in rogue, I can't take snap kick at level 9.

I'm allready using enchanted gauntlets. Note the +1 on my gauntlets. It means that they are enchanted as a +1 weapon.

Okay, let me try to explain things to you this way instead:

The one level dip in rogue roughly doubles your damage output, and with Craven, you will find returning investments due to the flat bonus based on character level. This FAR exceeds the damage you will be dealing with a Snap Kick, since it can't be a maneuver.

UMD is, largely, a trap for you. Dipping Rogue, and grabbing Able Learner, will net you a BUNCH of skills you no longer have to worry about being cross-class, rather than one. The only wands you really need to be using are Gravestrike and Golemstrike. And depending on the campaign, you'll hardly get any use out of the latter anyways.

Shadow Blade, as your character currently stands, is a huge, massive trap for you, as your Str greatly exceeds your Dex. Shadow Blade lets you add your Dex mod to damage, of which you have NONE. Therefore, no reason to bother with it. Either get some dex, or ditch the feat.

Honestly, your equipment list looks like you tried to read Giacomo's Monk guide. Five or ten charges is not gonna do you a hell of a lot of good, they require standard actions to use in most cases, which blows the hell out of your action economy, and you've got much better alternatives available to you.

For example:

Wand of Blood Wind. Completely obviated by Pouncing Strike, which lets you actually get off a full attack on a charge

Wand of Enlarge Person. For a fraction of the cost you've spent on all these partially-charged wands, you could just get this permancied on yourself. Or, yanno, just pick up Improved Unarmed Strike feat and get all the benefit out of it, except the reach advantage.

Wand of Mirror Image. This is probably the most intelligent choice here, other than screwing over your action economy, but you forgot one thing: you're a swordsage. You already have 'you can't hit me' combos. If you are going to focus on Str rather than Dex, you don't need Shadow Blade or any of the shadow-hand-related feats. Then you go into Setting Sun for two very handy things. 1) Baffling Defense (sense motive in response to an attack to generate auto-miss), + 2) Shifting Defense (Stance: lets you take a 5' step whenever you are missed). Congratulations, you swing at me, I make you miss, and shift 5' away so you can't continue swinging at me. You blew your whole round action, have a nice day.

[navar100]

Definitely drop monk.

Consider multiclassing warblade a bit. The d12 hit points help as well as full BAB. Pick up some maneuvers in Iron Heart.

Since you're stressing Charisma a bit, crusader instead is nice too. Two levels gives you Charisma modifier bonus to Will. Crusader's Strike and Martial Spirit stance are good for self healing.

Master of Nine is an excellent prestige class if you don't mind going into a prestige class.