Help me build a single-class Dervish

[pluizig]

So I'm starting in a new group soon, and we're all making new characters. I've been dying to try out the Dervish presige class, but there are a few problems.

- We're starting at a low level (I think 3), so the character must be fun to play even before it enters the PC
- Because of reasons listed above, I want to meet the requirements at a level that's lowest as possible.
- It's a *really* suboptimal group, build-wise, and proud of it. "Multiclassing is for munchkins."
- We haven't rolled for stats yet.

So I'm trying to make a singe class character that can become a Derwish as soon as possible, that must be fun to play at levels 3 and above.

Because I would have been Swashbuckler3/Fighter 2 if multiclassing were allowed, I'm thinking of a Fighter 5 or a Swashbuckler 6 (it needs to be 6 for the entry feats), but maybe I missed something.

The Swashbuckler would fight with rapiers or daggers until the PC, and walk around with a useless Weapon Focus (Scimitar) feat its entire sixth level (because Scimitars don't work with Weapon Finesse). On the other hand, the Fighter would have a lot less skills -even moreso because both perform and tumble are cross-class - and would use heavy or medium armor until the PC.

So what do you think? Are these characters playable at level 3,4,5,etc? Should I be another full BAB-class? Ranger for TWF maybe? I can use the core books and Complete series for base classes and feats.


Edit: for ability scores, let's use the elite array for now: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8. That would mean Improved TWF is out, but maybe I'll roll lucky. We'll see.

[ILM]

You may want to steal ideas from here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206576). Obviously I'm not suggesting you lift builds straight out, but look at how the classes and feats work together and see if there's something you like. :smallsmile:

[Eldariel]

"Multiclassing is for munchkins" is always hilarious since many of the strongest builds are single-classed (Druid 20, Wizard 20, etc.). That aside, go Fighter 6, I guess. You'll need the feats, Scout-entry just doesn't work without Ranger and Ranger doesn't get all that many feats compared to Fighter. Fighter also gets you Melee Weapon Mastery which isn't terrible.

I guess Ranger 6 would get you Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and you could trade your spellcasting for a bonus feat on level 4 with "Champion of the Wild"-ACF which would get you in. You need Strength-focus TWF for this to really work out; you have no other damage sources so Weapon Finesse won't cut it. Ranger could do it but with Fighter, you probably need a Dex bonus race like Wood Elf.

[Talya]

Dervish is really feat-heavy (and they're bad feats). You'll need to be human (or strongheart halfling, or some other race with a bonus feat.) I'm assuming if your group thinks multiclassing is munchkin, flaws are out. (I should point out that taking a prestige class is multiclassing, you munchkin, you. :smallbiggrin:)



Combat Expertise, Dodge, Mobility, Weapon Focus. BAB +5. Any class without bonus feats gets 2 feats by level 5. +1 more for human. So you need something with bonus feats. If you want to get in by 6, and will not multiclass, fighter 5 is the only obvious choice.

It's not a good choice, but it's the only one you've got.

(If a slight bit of multiclassing is allowed, Fighter 2/Swashbuckler 3 is far better, with bonus damage and weapon finesse for those newly-made-light-scimitars. In fact, being in the same book, I'd argue that fighter 2/swashbuckler 3 was the expected entry-method to the class.)

[Morph Bark]

Alternatively, Binder might also be an option. From what I know, Paimon's Dance of Death is highly similar to Dervish Dancing.