(3.5) Creating Captain Falcon

[Codenpeg]

Whilst playing some Super Smash Brothers Brawl the other day with a friend I was momentarily paralyzed in a fit of laughter caused by a fun idea. This also left my friend rather uncomfortable and concerned about my mental well being, thankfully he waited for me to explain before calling for the men in white coats to assist me back to my living space. So I ask you playgrounders, what build would get me closer to the Captain? What item/abilities will add fire (Or some other element) to my punches and kicks?

What I'm thinking of is an unarmed swordsage. But I've never made a ToB character, I'm looking through the book right now but any feat/maneuver suggestions?

[Darth Stabber]

He definately strikes me as a warblade (and boy does that hurt). Seriously he should probably focus on the iron heart discipline. If you want to keep all the fire based stuff, make him a swordsage focused on desert wind.

Power attack is a neccessity (how else do you explain falcon punch).

[Codenpeg]

Why does he seem like a warblade instead?

Anyways looking at the maneuvers (zomg wall of text) and I definitely agree that desert will be filling the fire quota.

Is there any way to counter the low amount of maneuvers readied at early levels? Spending a full round to recover one seems... wasteful.

[Cog]

There's the Adaptive Style feat. The other two initiators have far better recovery methods.

[VirOath]

Actually I'll argue that Adaptive Style gives the Sword Sage the best method of recovery. Yeah, a full round action to get back all of your moves, but it lets you change which ones you have readied.

Since the swordsage has the largest variety of moves known, he really gets to capitalize on them.

But Desert Wind and Setting Sun. Fire and Knock Around. And add in the Unarmed Variant for more Falconess.

If any PF stuff is allowed, get the Cestus to allow yourself a weapon that will let you use the weapon damage, or your unarmed strike damage, and allow either to be bludgeoning or piercing damage.

[Darth Stabber]

Full BAB and d12HD, vs. 3/4BAB and d8HD. Which sounds more like Captain Falcon?
Desert wind does provide fire damage, but Iron Heart in general sound more Captain Falcony. Besides I can hear the screams of "FACON SUUUUURRRRGE" to cure any status effect. Also since warblade gets all his maneuvers back when he A)full attacks (as opposed to a manuever), or B) spends a standard action to flourish. Option B provides you with the perfect opportunity to taunt "show me your moves".

[VirOath]

Captain Falcon isn't a tank character, he is a knock around and damage character. Punch, Kick, and Flip all throw the opponent up.

And Captain Falcon is an unarmed strike user.

[Codenpeg]

Full BAB and d12HD, vs. 3/4BAB and d8HD. Which sounds more like Captain Falcon?
Desert wind does provide fire damage, but Iron Heart in general sound more Captain Falcony. Besides I can hear the screams of "FACON SUUUUURRRRGE" to cure any status effect. Also since warblade gets all his maneuvers back when he A)full attacks (as opposed to a manuever), or B) spends a standard action to flourish. Option B provides you with the perfect opportunity to taunt "show me your moves".

Hrm that sounds interesting as well. I've read somewhere that there are a few good swordsage/warblade builds? Because the initiate levels stacks between the classes, something like that might work and allowing for show boating and fiery death. The twinking doesn't hurt, a bit of whipped cream.

[Draz74]

Yeah. He's more Swordsage than Warblade IMO.

[Codenpeg]

Actually one other question: Does the unarmed adaptation for swordsage give you Improved Unarmed Strike?

From what google tells me, no you don't get Imp. Unarmed Strike with the monk damage. On the other hand, Falcon was a bounty hunter, so doing nonlethal damage would work out.

[The Cat Goddess]

Actually one other question: Does the unarmed adaptation for swordsage give you Improved Unarmed Strike?

From what google tells me, no you don't get Imp. Unarmed Strike with the monk damage. On the other hand, Falcon was a bounty hunter, so doing nonlethal damage would work out.

In this case, Google is wrong and stupid.

The very idea that the class that is meant to replace Monk wouldn't do lethal damage with their fists is silly in the extreme.

[VirOath]

In this case, Google is wrong and stupid.

The very idea that the class that is meant to replace Monk wouldn't do lethal damage with their fists is silly in the extreme.

But! The Monk Improved Unarmed Strike lets you pick when you attack whether it will do subdue damage or lethal damage. So Swordsage should do the same.

[The Cat Goddess]

But! The Monk Improved Unarmed Strike lets you pick when you attack whether it will do subdue damage or lethal damage. So Swordsage should do the same.

If I recall the text correctly (and I'm sure someone will come along and say so)...

An Unarmed Swordsage does Unarmed damage as a Monk of the same level. Thus, they would be able to do lethal or non-lethal because that's "damage as a Monk of the same level".

[Coidzor]

Why does he seem like a warblade instead?

Well, the characterization of his taunts and the way people seem to generally treat him as a moderate gloryhound is pretty much right up the alley of the warblade fluff.

[Codenpeg]

Excellent, thanks for the confirmation on the unarmed strike bit. I got another question, how much would a helmet that grants blind-fight cost? I hate the feat but its needed for Master of Nine and would be a cool item for the Captain. There's the Blindfold of True Darkness in MIC for 9000gp, but that only grants blindsight not the Blind-Fight feat.

Edit: Ah there's the Corsair's Eyepath. Okay its worth 3000gp, grants either blind-fight or see invisible. How much would it cost to remove the see invisible portion and make the blind-fight permanent?

[Zaq]

Unarmed Swordsage is the way to go, but you need to dip one level in Monk to take Overwhelming Strike (PHB2). It lets you make a single giant attack as a full-round action. Turn on Burning Brand (or whatever) beforehand. You know where this is going.

[Prime32]

Unarmed Swordsage is the way to go, but you need to dip one level in Monk to take Overwhelming Strike (PHB2). It lets you make a single giant attack as a full-round action. Turn on Burning Brand (or whatever) beforehand. You know where this is going.I think you mean Decisive Strike. Overwhelming Strike is an option for fighters (at 6th level or something).

Falcon could also have some Tiger Claw maneuvers for DAT KNEE. Falcon Kick is searing charge.

Maybe some paladin levels as well.

[Seffbasilisk]

If you start your race as Goliath and have a DM with some lee-way, you can take Awesome Blow. Mix that with Searing Charge (Desert Wind), Power Attacking for full (so long as you make it a single attack, so that it counts as a two-handed blow a-la kirk-hammer), and it looks like a Falcon Punch to me.

[Darth Stabber]

By Fluff, Swordsages are calm and wise masters of ancient martial arts. Warblades are brash, glory-hounding bravos. I maintain Warblade.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Why not do Warblade and Swordsage? Wasn't ToB made for dipping?

[Darth Stabber]

Actually if you were swordsage6/warblade6 your initiator level would be 9 for each class.

[Cog]

Shooting for Master of Nine might be a good way to handle that. You'll get your IL up a little over 3/4 in both your classes, and get a good bunch of maneuvers to spread around and top up both your progressions.

[Draz74]

By Fluff, Swordsages are calm and wise masters of ancient martial arts. Warblades are brash, glory-hounding bravos. I maintain Warblade.

And do you let Class dictate all of your other characters' personalities too? Every Barbarian is ignorant and angry, every Wizard is antisocial and absent-minded but extremely scholarly? Every Rogue is a sniveling cutpurse? Every Paladin has no personality quirks or weaknesses whatsoever?

Sounds terribly boring to me. There's a reason people chant the mantra, "Fluff is mutable."

(Barbarian rage can be fluffed as all sorts of interesting martial arts. Rogues can have just about any personality. I'm quite fond of my Wizard who was an athletic archaeologist and my Paladin who was a sarcastic, morose alcoholic. And I see absolutely no reason why a Swordsage couldn't be a showy racecar driver.)

[Doktor Per]

Just remember that every single Super Smash Bros based build has to include dungeoncrasher. If you can't launch a dude, it's not good enough.