UA Swordsage or Dwarven Bloodstorm Blade??

[McClintock]

As the title suggestion I am trying to build a character for an upcoming game. I want to either play an Unarmed Swordsage or a dwarven Bloodstorm blade whom uses hammers and axes.

Opinions?

[Keld Denar]

Both are good. Swordsages are cool and skill based. The UA variant is decent, but you'd probably be better off keeping the armor and picking up IUAS and SUAS instead.

[McClintock]

which race would you chose for the swordsage?

is there a better to choose or worse dwarven race not to select?

[Keld Denar]

For Swordsage, there are lots of good choices. Human and Strongheart Halfling are always good choices. Whisper Gnome is also a decent choice if you want to focus on the hide skill and Shadow Hand swag. Goliaths have Powerful Build, which means that they can do some fun stuff with Setting Sun. Elans and Synads have a PP pool, so they can become psionically focused which is fun in combination with Diamond Mind maneuvers (since you can expend your focus to "take 15" on a Concentration check).

[McClintock]

I was thinking about halfling or whisper gnome before i posted this, so I am glad to see that I was on the right track. I shall have to look into the elan & synads.

Thanks for the suggestions

[Lateral]

The UA variant is decent, but you'd probably be better off keeping the armor and picking up IUAS and SUAS instead.

Actually, since all you lose is proficiency in light armor and not bonus AC in light armor, it's better to go Unarmed Swordsage and just take Armor Proficiency (Light) if you really want that armor- it's one less feat and better unarmed damage.

[Fax Celestis]

The other good part about Synads is their Multitask ability: it's like dual boost, except sooner! Once a day, initially, but Enhanced Synad Multitask lets you do it twice a day.

[Dusk Eclipse]

When goin UA Swordage I prefer to dip in either rogue (for constant craven and a boost to skill points) or another Initiator class, it paves up a bit the stance progression and gets you proficiency in armour without burning a feat.

[Keld Denar]

Actually, I completely forgot...just wear Mithril Chain Shirt. It has no ACP, and thus there are no penalties for being non-proficient.

[Lateral]

The other good part about Synads is their Multitask ability: it's like dual boost, except sooner! Once a day, initially, but Enhanced Synad Multitask lets you do it twice a day.

Mental actions only. You can't do anything maneuver-related anyway; it's really not that useful unless you use a lot of purely mental actions.

[Fax Celestis]

And boosts aren't purely mental?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Nope all maneuvers include some sort of movement, hence why you can't use them while immobilized

[Fax Celestis]

Pg. 38 says you have to "be able to move", not that initiating a maneuver requires movement.

It's nitpicky, but technically it works. And honestly, a 1 or 2 a day dual-boost isn't going to break anything.

[marcielle]

I like Lesser Planetouched Ice Paragenasi. Artic template. This gives you 6 Con and 2 Wis for 2 Dex and 4 Cha. Really nice if you are using a THW. Would be pretty awesome to specialize in Desert Wind and call it Rimefire.
And as I understand it, a boost isn't in fact a movement in itself but an alteration to your current movement patterns so Synad should work fine.

A dip in Warblade gets you the beautiful White Raven Tactics. A power abusable by any build ever.