Swordsage concept help: Assassin w/grappling

[Talya]

i figure not many people are looking at my other thread here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202337) due to not knowing who Xenia Onatopp is. This thread is much more generic.

I'm trying to build an assassin type character, good in unarmed fighting, but not neglecting weapons. Most importantly, she has to be a very good grappler. Note that doesn't mean she'll always grapple - it might be what she goes to against a lone mark.

Someone had suggested "reaping mauler," but by the time you get it, its abilities are rather weak, and they don't scale upward.

She's gotta be human, but this is forgotten realms and the Jotunbrud feat is available (counts as large size if beneficial for opposed checks like grapple/bullrush/trip.) No flaws available. 40 point buy, but i can't dump charisma. (14 probable, 12 minimum).

I'm torn whether to go pure unarmed swordsage or not. There are some nice warblade maneuvers for grapplers, and the lack of full BAB does really hurt the swordsage.

Clever Wrestling is probably a good feat for her, too.

I'm just not sure how to go about this. The only swordsage I've ever played with was a goliath ranger/swordsage archer using Fax Celestis' homebrew "Falling Star" archery discipline, and I've never done anything with grappling other than avoid it altogether.

[WinWin]

Not directly relevant. Some fear optimization may be of use at low levels. This assumes that the -2 to attack rolls/checks applies to grappling checks.

[Talya]

Not directly relevant. Some fear optimization may be of use at low levels. This assumes that the -2 to attack rolls/checks applies to grappling checks.

I really didn't understand any of this. What -2 to attack rolls/checks? Fear optimization? You mean feat?

I forgot to mention, we get a regional feat for free. Jotunbrud, while not marked as regional, obviously is one, and so i get it for free.

[Urpriest]

I really didn't understand any of this. What -2 to attack rolls/checks? Fear optimization? You mean feat?

I forgot to mention, we get a regional feat for free. Jotunbrud, while not marked as regional, obviously is one, and so i get it for free.

All WinWin means is that you might want to go for some abilities that cause fear in your opponents, whether through Intimidate or something else. -2 to attack rolls/checks comes from Shaken, the first stage of fear.

[WinWin]

Sorry, was writing in shorthand.

Fear optimization, or simply, optimizing the use of fear effects, or skills like intimidate.

The shaken, frightened and panicked conditions impose a penaly of -2 to attacks, checks and saving throws, with other penalties, such as dropping weapons, being forced to run away or cower(do nothing).

There are a few methods of optimizing fear in order to take advantage of the debuff. Some of them involve the use of regional feats (already taken), others involve the barbarian Rage ability, others involve the use of the feat Imperious Command (standard Intimidate/demoralise, but last for 2 rounds). Most of the benefits come from prestige classes.

Detailed fairly extensivelyhere (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3809.0).

May or may not be of use to your concept.

[Talya]

Hmm. Not sure.

I just realized clever wrestling doesn't work, it's only for escaping a grapple. :(

[Big Fau]

Yeah, Reaping Mauler is really bad for a Grapple build.


Totemist, on the other hand, can get obscene grapple checks and constrict.

There's also a Maug graft in the Fiend Folio that gives a psuedo-Constrict that stacks with normal constrict.

[Hirax]

Hm, here's a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197409) where I compiled assassin ideas. It's not geared to unarmed strikes, but it could be adapted that way if you presume that unarmed swordsage gets improved unarmed strike, and you ditch a couple of the sneak attack boosting feats for improved grapple and jotunbrand. Plus you'll have a human feat to work with.

[Talya]

Oh, as i stated, I'm getting Jotunbrud for free...