How do Revenant Blades deal damage before Legendary Force come online?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Question in the title. It is common knowledge that the best way to make TWF viable is to either stack bonus sources of damage or deliver rider effects; but Revenant blade offers neither. The handbook doesn't cover this (and to be honest it is more of a build compilation than a handbook).

Thanks in advance.

[Greenish]

Like other characters - two-handing.

[FMArthur]

Yeah, pretty much. Since you'll probably be using TWF to multiply the benefits of a two-hander style, starting off by just improving your two-hander style isn't a bad route.

It's easier to just use the LA +1 diopsid race to THF while you TWF instead of waiting so long and spending the time in Revenant Blade. Diopsids with Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting (pretty much the only good use of the feat) can wield a two-handed weapon and a one-handed weapon simultaneously, using two hands for each for all the benefits of two-handedness. The weapons are wielded a size category larger as well. There, you're done. ECL 2.

[gorfnab]

Scout (for skirmish) + Barbarian (Whirling Frenzy + Pounce)

[Greenish]

Scout (for skirmish) + Barbarian (Whirling Frenzy + Pounce)Scout delays entry, though, not having full BAB.

If you have decent Str, pick imp. critical and maybe even weapon specialization from floating feats, you could make do with TWFing, too, unless your campaign assumes higher damage.

Otherwise, well, your feats work for a falchion.

[Godskook]

Barbarian 1/Ranger 1/Scout 4/Ranger +1/Revenant Blade 5/Ranger +8

(Start scout if you'd rather have the skill points)

Feats:
1.Exotic WP
F.Weapon Focus
F.Power Attack
3.Bladebearer
6.Swift Hunter
S.Improved Skirmish
R.TWF
9.Imp.Bull Rush
12.Shock Trooper
15.Leap Attack
R.ITWF
18.Free

With only one missing point of BAB, power attack is going to be just fine, you get TWF without needing dex, allowing you to dump it if you want, and you can substitute a ToB dip late-game for any number of useful things.

You'd use a greatsword through the early levels, and combined with your primary Str, you won't need anything else until Skirmish starts coming online. Between pounce and skirmish, you're easily ready to start using the double scimitar at lvl 7, once you've matured skirmish and gotten TWF. You hit the capstone two levels 'late' compared to what is possible, but you've had enough skirmish to rival the party's rogue till now, so its worth the wait to be effective along the way.

And best of all, you've got enough skill points to do the Rogue's job as party skillmonkey.

[Greenish]

Why are you taking EWP?

[Torq]

Why are you taking EWP?

^This. The pre-req feat lets you treat the double scimitar as a martial weapon so EWP isn't needed.

Also, rather than a greatsword, I like the idea of a falchion thematically. It also doesn't hurt too much mechanically.

[Godskook]

Why are you taking EWP?

Sue me, I missed one sentence in all that. :smallredface:

Edit:

And new version:

Half-Elf
Barbarian 1/Ranger 1/Scout 4/Ranger +1/Revenant Blade 5/Fighter 1/Ranger +7

(Start scout if you'd rather have the skill points)

Feats:
1.Human Heritage
Fl.Weapon Focus
Fl.Able Learner
3.Bladebearer
6.Swift Hunter
S(6).Improved Skirmish
R(7).TWF
9.Power Attack
12.Imp.Bull Rush
F(13).Shock Trooper
15.Leap Attack
R(17).ITWF
18.Free

Notes:
1.Half Elf + those two feats means you get to keep your priority skills up, allowing you to play the skill monkey role better than before.

2.With swift hunters, certain cut-offs are much better than others. Ranger 10 has no class features, and reaching 14 effective Scout/Ranger gains us nothing for FE or Skirmish. Better to dip Fighter for Shock Trooper.

3.There's a sidebar in Races of Destiny that makes Human Heritage unneccessary. Ask your DM if he'd allow it. If he does, push the shock trooper progression back up and skip fighter.