{3.5} sword master

[Bloodymango]

what would be the ulitmate dmg build around a basterd sword. all fighter for all teh weapon feats

[Greenish]

You want the highest damage with single-classed fighter with bastard swords?

Hmm, getting Pounce for a pure fighter is a bit tricky, but one could try to argue for Psionic Tattoo of Psionic Lion's Charge working by RAW. Then just standard charger stuff should work okay.

[Mayhem]

Well you could go the shield based two-weapon fighting route with agile shield fighter, or you could use the bastard sword two-handed and do the standard power attack cheese.

[Bloodymango]

also no tomb of battle

[MeeposFire]

Well you could go the shield based two-weapon fighting route with agile shield fighter, or you could use the bastard sword two-handed and do the standard power attack cheese.

considering he i asking for damage power attack is the way to go holding it with two hands.

[AslanCross]

Since you don't have Tome of Battle, you're best going two-handed with the Bastard Sword. Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Shock Trooper for charging. If you're stuck with straight fighter, you can spend feats on Weapon Focus, Weapon Spec, Melee Weapon Mastery (slashing) and eventually Weapon Supremacy.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Can you switch from a bastard sword to a greatsword?

[Hida Reju]

Well with those restrictions you have very little past some charge feats to use. Leap attack + Power attack + Shock Trooper + Valorous weapon + Cleave + Great Cleave = if its within range and has less than your power attack mod x4 +str mod x2 in hit points it vaporizes.

Shock Trooper is the key for max power attack for no to hit penalty. Just understand you are going to get hit a lot. Hence the next area to focus on.

I would increase your attacks with either Karmic Strike or Rolibar's Gambit and Combat reflexes + Hold the line. Also you can increase your attack bonus on attacks of opportunity by 4 with a feat but the name escapes me.

Hold the line + Karmic strike is a sick melee combo you get an attack as they charge you and you get another one if they hit. Also with max power attack you should out damage most things of equal lvl.

Pounce would be awesome but other than playing odd races or a barbarian dip its hard to get on a fighter.

[Boci]

Can you switch from a bastard sword to a greatsword?

The difference is fairly minimal, just 1.5 less damage.

[Greenish]

Does it have to be all fighter, all the time? A level of barbarian, maybe one of exotic weapon master, would really help.

[Gavinfoxx]

what would be the ulitmate dmg build around a basterd sword. all fighter for all teh weapon feats

How about this:

Why don't you tell us the sources you have access to, and what you are trying to achieve, and we'll tell you the best way to do it?

Like, "Deal lots of damage in melee via martial prowess with a big sword of some kind"

and then you list the sources you have, and we'll tell you how best to do it?

[Hiro Protagonest]

The difference is fairly minimal, just 1.5 less damage.

1.5 less damage, sure, but bastard sword also costs a feat.

[MeeposFire]

1.5 less damage, sure, but bastard sword also costs a feat.

Not if you are fighting two handed. bastard sword is a two handed martial weapon.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Not if you are fighting two handed. bastard sword is a two handed martial weapon.

Oh yeah, forgot. And bastard sword is cheaper.

[MeeposFire]

It is more of a fluff thing at this point. The damage difference is eventually so small that it is not a big deal which you choose (bastard swords have a small benefit that if you can't use one hand you can wield it in one hand for the standard -4 prof penalty rather than not being able to wield it at all while the greatsword does slightly more damage. Choices).

[Bloodymango]

i ahve access to all books. i just dont like the stuff out of tome of battle

[Doc Roc]

Does it have to be single classed? Does it have to be fighter?

[Gavinfoxx]

i ahve access to all books. i just dont like the stuff out of tome of battle

Why is that? The Iron Heart Warblade arguably more closely simulates real world martial arts with a hand and a half sword than the Fighter does!

[Doc Roc]

Why is that? The Iron Heart Warblade arguably more closely simulates real world martial arts with a hand and a half sword than the Fighter does!

The customer is always right, unless he or she wants a monk.

[AslanCross]

Why is that? The Iron Heart Warblade arguably more closely simulates real world martial arts with a hand and a half sword than the Fighter does!

As true as this is, just let him play what he wants. :smallsigh:

[Boci]

As true as this is, just let him play what he wants. :smallsigh:

Or PM them/direct them to the existing ToB thread to explain to them why they are wrong debate and better understand their position.

[AslanCross]

Or PM them/direct them to the existing ToB thread to explain to them why they are wrong debate and better understand their position.

If his reason is "I just don't like it," it's a debate on aesthetics, and as such won't go anywhere without exploding into another reason that anti-ToB people will use to say that ToB sucks.

[Greenish]

I can let someone play a straight fighter, but I can't call such a character a "swordmaster". :smallamused:

But hey, you can actually squeeze some damage even from TWF bastard swords if you want to. Weirder things have happened.

[Amphetryon]

I'd really, strongly recommend Fighter 12/Ronin 8 to you, given your stated books and preferences for a heavy Fighter focus with a Bastard Sword. Bonzai Charge is fun and useful for your concept, and Ronin requires Bastard Sword.

[Mayhem]

considering he i asking for damage power attack is the way to go holding it with two hands.
Yep, but with shield charge and shield slam from CW he gets a free trip attempt and daze attempt on a charge. Very feat intensive though.

That would ofcourse then have nothing to do with bastard sword.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I'd really, strongly recommend Fighter 12/Ronin 8 to you, given your stated books and preferences for a heavy Fighter focus with a Bastard Sword. Bonzai Charge is fun and useful for your concept, and Ronin requires Bastard Sword.

Yeah, ronin is one of my favorite prestige classes, if only for bonzai charge.

[Greenish]

Bonzai charge is a charge that's artificially prevented from reaching it's normal size, right?

[Thurbane]

Or PM them/direct them to the existing ToB thread to explain to them why they are wrong debate and better understand their position.
...or, you know:

As true as this is, just let him play what he wants. :smallsigh:
This is a big part of the beef some people have with ToB - more than any other supplement, splatbook or alternate system, many people feel that others need to justify why they don't use it. My usual list of exclusions in build requests includes no ToB, MoI, psionics, FR or Eberron specific, or Dragon Mag. You know the only one that ever gets questioned regularly? You guessed it... :smallfrown:

[Greenish]

My usual list of exclusions in build requests includes no ToB, MoI, psionics, FR or Eberron specific, or Dragon Mag. You know the only one that ever gets questioned regularly?Why no psionics, they're awesome, and much better balanced than vancian casting.

MoI gets a pass since people seem to find it hard to understand. :smalltongue:

[Hiro Protagonest]

Bonzai charge is a charge that's artificially prevented from reaching it's normal size, right?

What? I don't remember exactly, and I'm too lazy to go upstairs and get the book, but I think, in addition to the normal charge bonuses and penalties, you can subtract a number from your AC, and add that to your damage if you hit.

[Greenish]

What?Bonsai (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsai) charge. :smalltongue:

[Cog]

I suddenly want to play a warforged scout with the Ironwood Body feat.

[Doc Roc]

What? I don't remember exactly, and I'm too lazy to go upstairs and get the book, but I think, in addition to the normal charge bonuses and penalties, you can subtract a number from your AC, and add that to your damage if you hit.

That would be bonsai charge, actually, I believe, found in the little know Armed & Excellent Gardening source book.

Edit: Fightered.


Does it need to be single-classed, m'droog? If not, I can make you a mighty scary non-magical swordmaster.

[danzibr]

i ahve access to all books. i just dont like the stuff out of tome of battle

You'd rather go Fighter over Warblade?

[Thurbane]

Why no psionics, they're awesome, and much better balanced than vancian casting.
Yeah, I've heard that before. I never used psionics right from AD&D 1E for pretty much one reason - they feel too "sci-fi" for my flavor of D&D games. I know the mechanics behind them has vastly improved since then.

Oh, and I actually like Vancian casting, so there's that too.

MoI gets a pass since people seem to find it hard to understand. :smalltongue:
Pretty much why my group doesn't use it. About half of my group is very "part time", and would have no time and/or interest in learning a new sub-system. Quite a lot of our games are pretty much core only for similar reasons.

You'd rather go Fighter over Warblade?
Yes, I think he's made that abundantly clear. Just because he enjoys a different class or style of game than you doesn't make him "wrong".

...anyway, sorry to derail from OP.

[Bang!]

I was kind of getting a kick out of trying to piece together all 10 levels of Raumathari Battlemage with an Exotic Weapons Master dip to get something resembling a decent build, but then I realized what the second sentencey thing of the OP meant, and it kinda lost its fun. :smallfrown:

Throw Anything (Bastard Sword) + Sword Golf Bag would be pretty sweet, but the appropriate Fighter answer is probably going to be a pretty standard Charge + Bull Rush + AoO thing. :/

[Boci]

...or, you know:

This is a big part of the beef some people have with ToB - more than any other supplement, splatbook or alternate system, many people feel that others need to justify why they don't use it.

I do it because I have seen people who like ToB after having it explained in a different manner to them. People are free to ignore me if they do not feel like it though.

Edit: Also, whilst ToB fandom is no doubt partially responsible for it being the number one book you are asked to explain why you do not allow it, it is also the most popular book on your banned list, which also plays a part.