[3.5] Swordsage lvl 6 feat

[DrGonzo]

Hey guys,

Quick question. What's a good feat to take at SS lvl 6? I've already got:

-Two weapon fighting
-Adaptive style
-Shadow blade
-Weapon Finesse

Any suggestions on what next? I'm thinking improved TWF or gloom razor at 9, but don´t really know what to do at 6..

Thanks in advance!

[Dusk Eclipse]

Assuming you are going to spend all your time in combat in assassin stance and your DM allows it, you could get Craven (Champions of Ruin IIRC) to add more damage to your attacks or Staggering Strike (Complete Scoundrel or Adventurer I think) to add a good de-buff.

I say if your DM allows it because they both need sneak attack and some DM don't count Assassin's Stance to cover pre-requisites.

[Morbis Meh]

Improved Initiative: always going first is a good thing
Combat reflexes may be nice of you're using a pure dex build

[Dusk Eclipse]

I feel Improved Initiative is a bit of a waste for a swordsage as they already get a good increase to initiative from their class features.

[stack]

Extra readied maneuver never hurts if you can't find something better.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I feel Improved Initiative is a bit of a waste for a swordsage as they already get a good increase to initiative from their class features.

But this is just all the more reason to take it! Get all the initiative boosters! Except Duelist. Stay far away from Duelist.

[Dusk Eclipse]

It is more of a personal preference; I prefer to use my feats to get new abilities, which reminds me, martial study is never a bad feat, and if you can get Wall of blades (I don't remember if it has a maneuver pre-requisite) is is quite nice IMO.

[Person_Man]

Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Staggering Strike, or Extra Readied Maneuver are all good ideas. Additional options:

Acheron Flurry: You can spend a Standard Action to restrict your enemy to a single Move or Standard action on his next turn. No To-Hit roll, no Save, it just happens. There are various little restrictions on this, but it’s a great way to prevent a boss enemy from making a full attack or Summoning while your friends pummel him. Requires Improved Unarmed Strike and 15 Wis and Dex, so it's custom made for a Monk or Unarmed Swordsage. Planar Handbook pg 37.
Combat Acrobat: If you make a DC 20 Balance check to negate being knocked Prone, and/or a DC 15 check to ignore up to 4 squares of difficult terrain. PHBII pg 76.
Darkstalker: Enemies with Blindsight, Blindsesne, Tremorsense, or Scent, must still make a Spot check to find you when you Hide. Lords of Madness pg 179.
Tomb Tainted Soul: You are healed by negative energy and harmed by positive. Now your allies can dump Uttercold or Enervated spells in the middle of combat to heal you and harm (non-undead) enemies, and if you head into Shadow Sun Ninja you get infinite healing. Libris Mortis pg 31.
Arcane Schooling: You’re treated as having one level of one arcane class for the purpose of activating spell trigger items (like wands). Hello buff spells, good bye UMD! Player’s Guide to Faerun pg 33.
Shape Soulmeld (Claws of the Wyrm): Gives you two claw attacks (basically adding 2 attacks if you're an Unarmed build). Magic of Incarnum and Dragon Magic.
Shape Soulmeld (Airstep Sandals): Lets you Fly as a Move Action. Useful if you focus on Standard Action maneuvers, especially when combined with the Flyby Attack feat. Magic of Incarnum

[DrGonzo]

I'll take improved initiative. Being first is great. Other suggestions were good too, but need sneak attack as a class feature, or BAB +6, which I don't have, as a SS.

Thanks guys!

[candycorn]

Shape Soulmeld (Claws of the Wyrm): Gives you two claw attacks (basically adding 2 attacks if you're an Unarmed build). Magic of Incarnum and Dragon Magic.
Addendum: You need the dragonblood subtype to shape this soulmeld.

Shape Soulmeld (Airstep Sandals): Lets you Fly as a Move Action. Useful if you focus on Standard Action maneuvers, especially when combined with the Flyby Attack feat. Magic of Incarnum

Flyby attack? With a fly speed of 10-20? Not QUITE my ideal way to utilize that feat.

[Keld Denar]

Quick Recovery from Lords of Madness is a pretty decent filler feat. No prerequisites and allows you to spend a move action to make a save to negate a handful of crappy negative conditions. It even works against conditions that don't normally allow a save like the daze effect from Blasphemy. Great if your DM delights in a lot of save or suck effects, since it gives you a second shot, and also covers your butt in a nearly unique way against no save just suck effects. It's generally useful for characters who fight Illithid and other Aberrations, but it also works nicely vs some undead and most outsiders.

[Draz74]

I'd go with Darkstalker, if you have good Hide and Move Silently skills. I think it will make more of a difference than Improved Initiative.

Staggering Strike is awesome, but you're right that you won't be able to take it until Level 9.