Essence_of_War
2012-10-26, 10:27 AM
I was sketching out a build for a mid-level, dex-based, gestalt martial artist and wanted to solicit some advice/feedback.
Available Sources
- All WotC sources approved if used responsibly.
- Game is level 9 gestalt, w/ LA taking up only 1 side.
- Not sure if it's fractional or regular BAB/saves yet.
- No multiclass penalties, but use common sense. Dips are fine, but
- 32 PB
My first build:
Githzerai LA 2/UnarmedSwordsage1/ Incarnate 2/UASS 2-5 // PsyWar (mantled) 9
Trying to maximize the PP/feats/powers from the psychic warrior so shift it to one side on its own.
Feats look like:
1 - OPEN
1flaw - OPEN
1flaw - Shape Soulmeld:Mauling Gauntlets
1psywar - Link Power?
2psywar - ACF Trade for Mantled Warrior: Freedom Mantle
3 - Shadow Blade
5psywar - OPEN
6 - Bonus Essentia
8psywar - Sun School?
9 - Open Chakra: Hands
Pump my unarmed strike damage through mauling gauntlets and dex-to-damage from shadow blade. Use maneuvers, and use psychic warrior powers for buffs/teleportation. Link Power + Dimension Hop + Sun School seems like it would be pretty sweet to layer on top of std action maneuvers.
I have a few open feats, but at least one of them needs to be weapon finesse for my unarmed strikes. Either PsyWar 5, or a flaw since by strict reading of flaws they need only be taken at the time of character creation, not necessarily at 1st level. Combat Expertise + Improved Trip is an option w/ maybe Knockdown later? Potentially Improved Grapple + Scorpion's Grasp? My only issue would be whether or not they'd synergize with my mauling gauntlets since (presumably) I'd make trips as dex-checks not str checks, and my grapple modifier isn't going to be assisted by size modifiers, or by str.
A second, simpler, build:
Githzerai Unarmed Swordsage7 // LA 2/Lawful Incarnate 7
1 - Shape Soulmeld: Mauling Gauntlets
1flaw - Weapon Finesse
1flaw - Shadow Blade
3 -
6 - Bonus Essentia
9 -
I probably want to get Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (maybe at 3?), and Double Chakra at 9.
This same sort stuff w/ gauntlets. Passive Buffs/ Skill Monkey'ing on the Incarnum side, but lots of std action maneuvers on the swordsage side.
Typing all of this out, I'm no longer impressed with trying to squeeze more damage out of a dex-based swordsage w/ mauling gauntlets. Unless I'm also making str based trips/bull-rushes/grapple checks it just doesn't feel like it's good use of resources. If I want to play games with mauling gauntlets, it seems like what I really want to do is be a half-giant psychic warrior // incarnate/something and do a proper str based build to take advantage of powerful build and expansion.
Any observations/advice/feedback would be appreciated :smallsmile:
Available Sources
- All WotC sources approved if used responsibly.
- Game is level 9 gestalt, w/ LA taking up only 1 side.
- Not sure if it's fractional or regular BAB/saves yet.
- No multiclass penalties, but use common sense. Dips are fine, but
- 32 PB
My first build:
Githzerai LA 2/UnarmedSwordsage1/ Incarnate 2/UASS 2-5 // PsyWar (mantled) 9
Trying to maximize the PP/feats/powers from the psychic warrior so shift it to one side on its own.
Feats look like:
1 - OPEN
1flaw - OPEN
1flaw - Shape Soulmeld:Mauling Gauntlets
1psywar - Link Power?
2psywar - ACF Trade for Mantled Warrior: Freedom Mantle
3 - Shadow Blade
5psywar - OPEN
6 - Bonus Essentia
8psywar - Sun School?
9 - Open Chakra: Hands
Pump my unarmed strike damage through mauling gauntlets and dex-to-damage from shadow blade. Use maneuvers, and use psychic warrior powers for buffs/teleportation. Link Power + Dimension Hop + Sun School seems like it would be pretty sweet to layer on top of std action maneuvers.
I have a few open feats, but at least one of them needs to be weapon finesse for my unarmed strikes. Either PsyWar 5, or a flaw since by strict reading of flaws they need only be taken at the time of character creation, not necessarily at 1st level. Combat Expertise + Improved Trip is an option w/ maybe Knockdown later? Potentially Improved Grapple + Scorpion's Grasp? My only issue would be whether or not they'd synergize with my mauling gauntlets since (presumably) I'd make trips as dex-checks not str checks, and my grapple modifier isn't going to be assisted by size modifiers, or by str.
A second, simpler, build:
Githzerai Unarmed Swordsage7 // LA 2/Lawful Incarnate 7
1 - Shape Soulmeld: Mauling Gauntlets
1flaw - Weapon Finesse
1flaw - Shadow Blade
3 -
6 - Bonus Essentia
9 -
I probably want to get Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (maybe at 3?), and Double Chakra at 9.
This same sort stuff w/ gauntlets. Passive Buffs/ Skill Monkey'ing on the Incarnum side, but lots of std action maneuvers on the swordsage side.
Typing all of this out, I'm no longer impressed with trying to squeeze more damage out of a dex-based swordsage w/ mauling gauntlets. Unless I'm also making str based trips/bull-rushes/grapple checks it just doesn't feel like it's good use of resources. If I want to play games with mauling gauntlets, it seems like what I really want to do is be a half-giant psychic warrior // incarnate/something and do a proper str based build to take advantage of powerful build and expansion.
Any observations/advice/feedback would be appreciated :smallsmile: