Mixing Scarlet Corsair, Hexblade & similar things for a melee debuffer build.

[Red_Dog]

Hello everyone, following my recent fixation on Hexblade (not sure why I'm having it for so long) I am trying to move an "Archtype Character" that is essentially a mean slick ominous intimidating opponent. I am trying to optimize as much as I can without going overboard with ludicrous tricks(too obscure uses of RAW). I would say, all core & supplements are on the table. No settings per say and no dragon magazine. I am shooting for lvl6, lvl10-12 and lvl15 optimizations. Also assume no Flaws. Flaws are nice but I always found them cheap for quite a few builds.

This is what I have so far=>
Human
Hexblade +2/Fighter[Drow & Sneak attack] +1/Hexblade +2[ACF]/Scarlet Corsair +5/... [perhaps one lvl Swashbuckler dip in an early level for finesse]
Feats: 3 first feats are not set in stone. Than Imperious Command and Staggering Strike.

Feats would define a combat style. I was thinking either
Two-Weapon+Finesse+???(Stand Still perhaps? or Improved Buckle Defense?)
Or Expertise+Stand Still+Combat Reflex wielding Guisarme?

So main idea is not to loose BAB at least until lvl11-12. Be a primary/secondary debbuffer while doing "ok dmg(20-50 range?)". I won't try to compete with say a fighter/barbarian at all, but doing no dmg is also seemed weak. So there are the reqs... They are rather steep when put all together... I have been thinking over this idea for past few days, and finally decided to ask for help to sort things out ^^.

To continue the build I though Maybe to try getting into Invisible Blade? Granted, requirements are rather harsh and need to be adjusted at least for sense sake, and even than its likely to be 3 feats. Also, this class semi-replaces a need in Corsair and restricts the character in weapon choices. Not that the choice are bad, but still.
I gave Ghost-face killer another look(again) and to get the very annoying requirement is too much trouble. Plus it suggests to pursue Shock trooper chain.
Ravager looked ok, but it suggest an attitude & Combat Brute route that needs MORE feats.
Avenging executioner also looked cool, but that one looses BAB and has difficult reqs.
I even looked over Mind Spy(at least full BAB and ok-ish mechanic to get charisma as Attack and AC bonuses), but saw no way to get blasted "read thoughts".
Warchanter was another idea. That is ONE class I will willingly loose 1 BAB to enroll for. However, perhaps this is a wrong build for it.
Of course there is always pragmatic as always Abjuration Champion. I would have lvl 1 spells by lvl5, and with one extra level of Hexblade, I can get Combat Casting no problem.

So... I hope someone have fresh ideas because I am somewhat out of any right now, and this has been bothering me for quite some time ^^

Thanks in advance guys!

[Manateee]

The problem with a lot of those is that they rely on saves that are going to be really low by the time you can access them, not to mention the immunities to mind effects that become increasingly popular in the early teen levels.

I'm tempted to say Binder/Knight of the Sacred Seal, starting as soon as you get Mass Staredown.

It has charisma synergy, it adds some flexibility and mobility, and as soon as you get Focalor, you get another stacking fear aura to toss around.

[Amphetryon]

Consider Heroes of Horror's Dread Witch, to gain the ability to debuff things otherwise immune to Fear and similar.

[sonofzeal]

Scarlet Corsair is a personal favorite of mine - not because it's that great (it isn't), but because Frightening Lunge has some nasty potential if you allow it to stack with itself on a single attack. If you can sacrifice 2d6 damage to make them Shaken (no save), can you sacrifice 4d6 to do it twice and make them Frightened, or 6d6 for Panicked?

If yes, then.... ehehehhehehehahAHHAHAHAHAHHAHHHAHAHHahahh....... :belkar: :belkar: :belkar:

[Red_Dog]

Thanks for responses guys ^^

=>sonofzeal
As far as RAW goes, I don't think that's how it works. It would be pretty nifty if that is the way it worked though ^^

=>Amphetryon
I actually though about that for a bit, or maybe Nightmare spinner? The issue is that Witch needs spells that Hexblade doesn't even have on the list as far as I know, spinner needs 3rd lvl spells. By the time I get those the game is over heh ^^. Also both of them have horrid BAB. After lvl11-2 maybe that's a shot?

=>Manateee
I need to look thru ToM I guess if its on the table. Binder is rather good class that mixes pretty well with.. well anything ^^. Maybe something from Shadowcaster's line is good there too... I need to look ToM more. I mean I know about Focalor and how sweet the aura is.

Also as far as saves, Corsairs 30ft aura for Intimidation is pretty damn relevant actually as Stacking Intimidation bonuses is pretty easy & Imperious Command is pretty great. Of course that is if mind-effecting is not being nulled... Which is why my chief concern was getting more "tricks up my sleeve". Low-ish save are not a Biggest concern as it is a debuffing build(cursespewing blades, pre-folded nets, poisons and Aboleth mucus included ^^).

So yeah tbh, I was trying to sweep books for more tricks like Focalor's aura or Staggering Strike [potentially one of the best reason o even have sneak attack].

I mean any tricks will help that anyone remembers as long as it is not of peasant railgun territory ^^

==========================================>
Other things I was thinking about was Bard dip for Evangelist but that roflstomps my BAB, and again more mind effecting.

Than of course there is Divine Crusader, which IMO not such a horrid class. It does loose BAB which is very very bad for a paladin look-a-like[I also have though of black guard, but that class is rather feat hungry].

Warlock-ish variants are also a potential idea. However I never saw a good build. Granted I myself never tried to build a front line combat worthy warlock.

So I guess in conclusion, any other tricks besides class help[which is still rather needed] would be appreciated as it seems my ideas escaped my skull today ^^ Thanks for all the replies again!

[sonofzeal]

=>sonofzeal
As far as RAW goes, I don't think that's how it works. It would be pretty nifty if that is the way it worked though ^^
!
Still, the no-save infinite-duration of it is kind of nuts. Seriously, something there never got copy-edited. Even without stacking on a single attack, as-written two or three hits can put an enemy out of commission. Permanently

Fear immunity stops it, and many things are immune to mind-affecting (and all Fear effects are automatically mind-affecting), but it's still brutal.