How to get a reliable flanking partner by myself (gear based preferably)

[Dusk Eclipse]

Ok I'm making an ECL 12 swordage for a game; and well after running a few rough damage calculations, my output will plummet if I can' warantee a Sneak attack, now on most groups one can usually get flank buddies in your party mates... that is not the case with my group so I need someway to get a reliable flanking partner.

Wild cohort is out due my current selection of feats so yeah...

[The Dark Fiddler]

There's a level 1 desert wind boost in Tome of Battle, distracting ember if I remember correctly, that give you a flanking partner in a small fire elemental for a round. If you do choose to go this route, you could also grab shadow blade for dex to damage and assassin's stance (3rd level stance) for an extra 2d6 sneak attack.

Edit: Oh, you're already going swordsage. Good. Isn't there also a stance that lets you count as being in all spaces you threaten for purposes of flanking, letting you flank somebody by yourself, hypothetically? Island of Blades?

[Dusk Eclipse]

The problem with Distracting Ember (the maneuver you are thinking of) is that it eats up my swift action wich I would use for other boosts (for example Burning Blade would give me 1d6+11 damage per hit... and it is only a level boost).

My set up includes Assassin's stance + craven + shadow blade already, and most of the damage comes from Sneak attack and craven.

Edit: Using Island of blades would mean no assassin stance so no sneak attack. Thanks for the idea either way.

[Ernir]

Amber Amulet of Vermin, from the Magic Item Compendium?

Are there any casters in your group? Summons work wonders for this.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I always forget about the bugs... good idea.

The game hasn't started yet (not till june in any case); so I don't know the party composition yet (though I think someone said he wanted to play a blasty psion) so I am not sure if summons will be available... perhaps I can talk him into getting Astral Construct in his power list.

[Jarveiyan]

Leadership should help you get a flanking partner(their gear may not be to good specks, however you can change that over time).

[Greenish]

Leadership should help you get a flanking partnerHe said he doesn't have free feats.

I suggest MW biscuits of Handle Animal and a few warbeasts.

[Dusk Eclipse]

He said he doesn't have free feats.

I suggest MW biscuits of Handle Animal and a few warbeasts.
hmmm do Swordsges get Handle animal? (afb right now) I might be able to shift stats a bit and increase Int, (40 point pb is great.)

[blazingshadow]

can mounts help you flank? if so then get a ring of summon mount.

[Dusk Eclipse]

can mounts help you flank? if so then get a ring of summon mount.

If they threaten in melee thay can flank; and apparently a light horse can use hooves as weapons.

[Greenish]

hmmm do Swordsges get Handle animal? (afb right now) I might be able to shift stats a bit and increase Int, (40 point pb is great.)They don't, but telling an animal to do something it's trained for is DC 10. Warbeast gives you a boost to that check, as will MW tools.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Warbeasts starts sounding more awesome the more I think about it...hmm what would be a good animal to train...maybe a magebred warbeast (Eberron game by the way).

[Greenish]

Magebred is more expensive, though (doubles the cost).

Warbeast Dire Tiger is 1375 gp. Warbeast elephant is just 1000 gp. Think big.

[Edit]: Though I was wrong, Magebred is the one that gives a bonus to Handle Animal (or rather, decreases the DC).

[NineThePuma]

Warbeast Housecat. Designate it your Wild Cohort next time you have a free feat for goodies.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I might go with the Dire Tiger, elephants are too big for stealth, besides a tiger seems more in line with a Hobgoblin... or perhaps a Fleshraker :smallamused:

[Greenish]

I might go with the Dire Tiger, elephants are too big for stealth, besides a tiger seems more in line with a Hobgoblin... or perhaps a Fleshraker :smallamused:Darguun cavalry actually does ride tigers, it's in Forge of War, if my memory holds.

There's even a bunch of hobgoblins who all ride a Huge Dire Tiger.

[Qwertystop]

There's a low level spell in SpC that summons a floating dagger made of magic, which chases a selected enemy, attacks it on your turn, and flanks.

I think its 2nd level, which means an unlimited-use item is...
10,000 gp
If you want it to be thematic, have it cast out of your weapon. This would add the cost of the weapon, which has a minimum of Masterwork. This is all from the SRD magic item creation tables.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Awesome, now my DM can't say no (at least on flavour grounds)

[Greenish]

If you gave your Tiger Martial Study (any shadow hand) and Martial Stance (Island of Blades), you could flank with it while riding it. :smallwink:

[Dusk Eclipse]

If you gave your Tiger Martial Study (any shadow hand) and Martial Stance (Island of Blades), you could flank with it while riding it. :smallwink:

:smalleek:...:smallsmile:... :smallamused: not a bad idea, not at all

[Qwertystop]

found the spell I was mentioning, it's actually Persistent Blade, a 1st level spell.
That would be 5,000 gp for unlimited use.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I will check the spell when I get to my books, thanks.

[mabriss lethe]

There are a handful of maneuvers that treat a target as flatfooted for the purpose of the maneuver. Tiger Claw has at least one or two. Death from above, I know for sure. Shadow Garrote forces a fort save or be flat-footed, though that's probably only going to be useful if you can generate extra actions somehow. I think most of them are in Shadow Hand, Tiger Claw, and Setting Sun, so look around and see what works.

there's a hexblade spell (afb, so I don't recall the name of it) that forces a will save vs. being flanked. Phantom Threat maybe?

[Dusk Eclipse]

I don't have UMD as a skill so if I wanted spells I would need to get them in wondrous item form..so yeah.

Thanks for the idea in any case.

[Coidzor]

Swordsages have any half-decent UMD or are you high enough level to hit a 20 with half-ranks? Otherwise dip an arcane casting class and get an eternal wand or two of Hound of Doom and get a critter with your HP and BAB.

[Veyr]

If you're going to dip, dip Cleric and nab the Magic Domain to get access to a lot of Wands, plus Turn Undead (and therefore the option of Divine Feats), Orisons, 1st level spells (Enlarge Person?), and another Domain (you can get lots of cool things as Domain Granted Powers).

[Dusk Eclipse]

I don't really plan on dipping more (this guy got a pair of levels in ranger for TWF and pounce, I got to an agreement with my DM), nor getting cc UMD rank, I want this guy to be as mundane as posible (for a swordsage..which is still more mystical than other meleers).

Right now buying a warbeast sounds like a good idea, and I kinda like it, so I'll stick to that.

[Coidzor]

I don't really plan on dipping more (this guy got a pair of levels in ranger for TWF and pounce, I got to an agreement with my DM), nor getting cc UMD rank, I want this guy to be as mundane as posible (for a swordsage..which is still more mystical than other meleers).

What dark promises were made to secure pounce on a Ranger chassis? :smallconfused:

You're playing a swordsage that you want to be as mundane as possible... and don't think you might perhaps need to re-evaluate your position here? :smallconfused:

[Cog]

What dark promises were made to secure pounce on a Ranger chassis? :smallconfused:
It's a little-known ACF called "Spellcasting". :smallwink:

Specifically, it's the Lion's Charge spell.

Edit: ...Or not.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Dark promises? nah just got a really cool DM, he was ok with letting me have pounce on the condition that if I became too powerful (for his tastes/preferences) he could ask me to trade something or take it as a feat.

And perhaps mundane as possible was a bad choice of words; I just don't want to rely on wands and stuff like that, just a personal preference for this time.

[NineThePuma]

You wanna be self sufficient?

[Denomar]

Well. It's not an item. But Craft Soulmeld: Lesser Soulspark could probably do the trick.

[Greenish]

Well. It's not an item. But Craft Soulmeld: Lesser Soulspark could probably do the trick.Shape Soulmeld. Of course, if he had feats, he could've taken Leadership or Wild Cohort for flanking.

[Veyr]

Swordsages can be reasonably mundane if you just avoid Desert Wind and Shadow Hand, and work out some kind of ACF for that Detect Magic ability that they get. Or PrC out or something.