Critique of First ToB Character

[Master Thrower]

In response to possibly being able to play my first ToB character I just want some help on build advice. (I know UASS is weaker then normal swordsage, but I wanna go easy for my first time)

Human Unarmed Sword Sage 7

Str- 13
Dex-15
Con-16
Int-12
Wis-18
Cha-8

Discipline Focus (setting sun, WF- unarmed strike)
Discipline Focus (setting sun, wis-damage on strikes)



Maneuvers Known-
1st Level-
Desert Wind- Burning Blade, Distracting Ember
Diamond Mind-Moment of Perfect Mind
Shadow Hand- Shadow Blade Technique,
Setting Sun- Mighty Throw, Counter Charge


2nd Level-
Desert Wind-
Diamond Mind-
Shadow Hand- Shadow Jaunt
Setting Sun- Baffling Defense

3rd Level
Desert Wind-
Diamond Mind- Mind Over Body,
Shadow Hand-
Setting Sun- Clever Positioning

4th Level
Desert Wind-
Diamond Mind-
Shadow Hand- Hand Of Death
Setting Sun- Comet Throw

Maneuvers Readied- 6
1st- Burning Blade, Distracting Ember
2nd- Shadow Jaunt, Baffling Defense
3rd- Mind Over Body, Clever Positioning
4th- Comet Throw, Hand Of Death

Stances Known- 3
1st Level-
Setting Sun- Step of the WInd
Shadow Hand- Island of Blades, child of shadows


Feats-
1. IUS (Bonus), Adaptive style, X
3. X
6. X

tl;dr- Some help with feats, as well as maneuver help. Also did I do stance progression correctly?

[Boci]

Some points:

1. The manoeuvres distribution is wrong. You get 1 per level, plus the ability to swap out a lower level one for a higher level one at every even numbered level past 2. So the number of manoeuvres you know should look as following (assuming you always go for the highest level manoeuvres available):
1st level: 5
2nd level: 3
3rd level: 3
4th level: 1

2. One of your stances can be of level 3. It’s best to take advantage of this.

3. Feat wise weapon finesse is always a good idea if you have a higher dex, or if Book of Exalted Deeds is allowed there's an alternative feat for wisdom, if unarmed strikes count as simple weapons, which I'm pretty sure they do.

[Hunter Noventa]

If you shift things a bit to make use of Shadow Hand stances, you can use the shadow blade feat to add your dex to damage in melee rather than strength, which is a great combo overall.

Also, you'll want to pick up Superior Unarmed Strike at some point, unless your DM is giving you an unarmed damage progression with Unarmed Swordsage. And really, if you're going with unarmed as a variant, your DM should give you IUS for free.

[Greenish]

Also, you'll want to pick up Superior Unarmed Strike at some point, unless your DM is giving you an unarmed damage progression with Unarmed Swordsage. And really, if you're going with unarmed as a variant, your DM should give you IUS for free.You're either confused about the variant, or confusing me. Unarmed swordsage gets the monk damage progression in every interpretation of the variant I've seen, and he does have IUS as a bonus feat, like it says right there in OP.

[Master Thrower]

Some points:

1. The manoeuvres distribution is wrong. You get 1 per level, plus the ability to swap out a lower level one for a higher level one at every even numbered level past 2. So the number of manoeuvres you know should look as following (assuming you always go for the highest level manoeuvres available):
1st level: 5
2nd level: 3
3rd level: 3
4th level: 1

2. One of your stances can be of level 3. It’s best to take advantage of this.

3. Feat wise weapon finesse is always a good idea if you have a higher dex, or if Book of Exalted Deeds is allowed there's an alternative feat for wisdom, if unarmed strikes count as simple weapons, which I'm pretty sure they do.

Ok thank you I knew I got something wrong. Suggestions on what to pick up for my second and third level manuevers?

[Black_Zawisza]

Ok thank you I knew I got something wrong. Suggestions on what to pick up for my second and third level manuevers?
Cloak of Deception (Shadow Hand 2) is great, especially in combination with Shadow Jaunt (which you already have). Want to quickly escape a sticky situation? Cloak of Deception as a swift action, Shadow Jaunt 50 feet away as a standard action, and move around the corner and out of sight as a move action.

EDIT: Cloak of Deception is effectively one-round greater invisibility, too, so you can combine it with Assassin's Stance (Shadow Hand 3) for some sneak attack damage.

[Darrin]

Ok thank you I knew I got something wrong. Suggestions on what to pick up for my second and third level manuevers?

Mountain Hammer = punch your fist through adamantine doors. Or anything else. Great for bypassing DR, and also comes in handy for all your dungeon redecorating needs.

I'd get rid of Hand of Death. It can only be used against flat-footed opponents, and it does absolutely nothing (not even unarmed damage) if the target makes its Fort save.

3rd level maneuvers I'd consider:

Death Mark (Desert Wind): Yeah, it's fire damage with a Ref save for half, but it's also a good way to clear out low-level mooks. You'll have to ask the DM to clarify how to determine the center of the blast.

Fan the Flames (Desert Wind): Adds a ranged touch attack to your unarmed repertoire. (Note: If you don't shout "Hadouken" every time you use this, you're doing it wrong.)

Shadow Garrote (Shadow Hand): The only other ranged touch attack in ToB, and somewhat more reliable untyped 5d6 damage (as opposed to fire damage), but with the caveat that it's usless against nonliving creatures (mostly constructs and undead).

[Wings of Peace]

Take a look at the Shadow Blade feat and see if it piques your interests. At higher levels the damage won't matter so much but in the other thread you opened it sounded like you were worried about applying to much op.

[Hunter Noventa]

You're either confused about the variant, or confusing me. Unarmed swordsage gets the monk damage progression in every interpretation of the variant I've seen, and he does have IUS as a bonus feat, like it says right there in OP.

From what I remember, the variant is only a suggested idea, and it's up to DM interpretation. I misread the OP too I guess. I just know that Unarmed Swordsage isn't fully defined as an ACF, just that it's more defined than say, Arcane Swordsage.

You're going to have some problems with DR and the like, even with maneuvers that overcome it. Especially if you're not getting the Ki Strike bonuses like a monk, and everything has DR/Magic to start with. An amulet of mighty fists is one option, albeit a pretty overpriced one. There's also the Shards of Granite feat i think, though you'll already be pretty feat starved.

[Darrin]

You're going to have some problems with DR and the like, even with maneuvers that overcome it. Especially if you're not getting the Ki Strike bonuses like a monk, and everything has DR/Magic to start with. An amulet of mighty fists is one option, albeit a pretty overpriced one. There's also the Shards of Granite feat i think, though you'll already be pretty feat starved.

Wyrmfang Amulet (1350 GP, MIC) is cheaper. Dragonfang Gauntlets (8610 GP, MIC) and Scorpion Kama (6302 GP, MIC) would also work, and can be enchanted with weapon enhancements. Bless weapon is available as an oil for only 100 GP (DMG). Ring of Adamantine Touch (6000 GP, MIC) takes care of adamantine, and silver can be bypassed with either Silversheen (DMG) or some alchemical items. The toughest DR to crack is cold iron, but it doesn't come up often enough to be anything more than a fairly rare inconvenience.

[DoctorGlock]

3. Feat wise weapon finesse is always a good idea if you have a higher dex, or if Book of Exalted Deeds is allowed there's an alternative feat for wisdom, if unarmed strikes count as simple weapons, which I'm pretty sure they do.

Insightful Strike specifically mentions UAS, no need to interpret simple weapons clause

Possibly consider a level dip in Shiba Protector (oriental adventures) for Wis to attack and damage which stacks with insightful strike. pump wis and get 2x wis to attack sounds like winning to me.