Good pathfinder swordsman builds?

[Kingscourt]

Hey guys, I'm starting up a new campaign soon with some brand new D&D players and one of them has expressed interest in being a 'lone swordsman'. Now I know plain fighter isn't very viable, but does anyone know any somewhat decent builds or ways to make him feel like he's contributing?

[Lord_Gareth]

Hey guys, I'm starting up a new campaign soon with some brand new D&D players and one of them has expressed interest in being a 'lone swordsman'. Now I know plain fighter isn't very viable, but does anyone know any somewhat decent builds or ways to make him feel like he's contributing?

Easy answer? Encourage him to find a new concept. Pathfinder invented new ways to be cruel and unusual to melee.

Slightly less easy answer: consider directing him towards Magus or Inquisitor. Alternately, you can check out Tome of Battle - the Warblade class (which is available for free, and legally, online through WotC's web release) is great for a 'swordsman' vibe, as is Swordsage. If you deem it appropriate for your game you can port it to Pathfinder with a minimum of fuss and bother.

[Averis Vol]

If you aren't against porting in 3.5 material, you could start him off as a Ferocious Whirling frenzy Barbarian. If he doesnt want to TWF or THF I Offer over T.G. Oskars Swashbuckler (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12554733&postcount=1) rogue variant; It gives some good viability to a single sword style.

something like Ferocious Whirling Frenzy barbarian 2/Swashbuckling Rogue 7/ barbarian+6/Free hand Fighter 6

Take the Quick reflexes rage power for AoO fun and knockback to move the enemy like the pawns they are, pump dex/int with a good con and maybe decent strength or CHA (for a fear lock build).

arrange feats to taste, I suggest something that works with a high dex/int chassis. The builds a little scattered but I'm sure you can pluck something out of it, well, if you dont mind porting in 3,5 stuff, if so, sorry mate. Pathfinders a ba--worse system to be melee in.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Gareth nailed it pretty well. If you do want to use PF material, a Fighter actually isn't terrible anymore. At least for sheer to hit and damage numbers. Greater Weapon Focus and Specialization + Weapon Training + the gloves of dueling item means a Fighter at all but the earliest levels actually has better numbers than a raging barbarian. If he goes Fighter and it's available, go Lore Warden archetype, it's basically "Fighter, but better."

While it does other things much better, a Synthesist Summoner is basically better at doing melee than the actual melee classes, and being a swordsman is no different. Take the quad form for pounce evolution, and from there...just pick evolutions you like. If you mess up, you can re-do all of them next level up, so it's very beginner-friendly in that way. Just choose feats carefully...

A Dawnflower Dervish Bard, while it uses a scimitar 1-handed and thus can't do high damage, is a solid melee archetype/class. You get dex to hit and damage right at 1st level, so pump the hell out of that stat. You get a self-only inspire courage at double the bonus, which keeps your to hit on par or better than a full BAB class. And you have full bard spellcasting to back you up. It costs 4 feats, but Crane Wing is totally worth it for the class.

Magus is a decent warrior as well, with lots of offensive and buff spells that he can cast while full attacking. Being able to crit with a spell on the weapon using its threat range (ie, 15-20 by ~5th level when "keen" becomes an arcana choice, if you're smart and pick an 18-20 weapon) is pretty devastating. Check out the Frigid Touch spell, which is nasty on a crit. Other good spells include Bladed Dash (to move w/o provoking + attack once + full attack) and Arcane Mark (combined w/ spellstrike, being an infinite use cantrip means you can basically "sword flurry" all day long). Shocking Grasp, with Intensified Spell feat (increase max dice dap for damage by 5 caster levels) and possibly empower spell is your work-horse attack spell.
Note that a magus also benefits heavily from the same dervish dance feat as the DD Bard above gets at 1st level, since he's required to have a free hand and fight w/ a 1H sword anyway. Doing so lets you ignore strength and have a less multiple ability dependent build (since w/o it, you need str, dex, int, and con), and is widely considered the most effective way to build a magus.

[ThiagoMartell]

A player of mine is planning on a Ninja/Fighter (Weapon Master) build to join our game and it looks like it will be quite effective. Fighter for all the passive bonuses, TWF + Offensive Defense.

[Lord_Gareth]

A player of mine is planning on a Ninja/Fighter (Weapon Master) build to join our game and it looks like it will be quite effective. Fighter for all the passive bonuses, TWF + Offensive Defense.

Forgive me if PF content added something I'm not aware of (eminently possible, of course) but how is this player intending on solving the problem of having to choose between moving and killing?

[ThiagoMartell]

Forgive me if PF content added something I'm not aware of (eminently possible, of course) but how is this player intending on solving the problem of having to choose between moving and killing?
Ninja has vanishing trick, which is swift action invisibility. His plan is to turn it on, approach the target and attack. Once Offensive Defense kicks in, he can just stand there and fight the dude 1x1 until he wins, then he uses vanishing trick again and moves onto the next target. I haven't seen the final build, but he was trying to decide between used some kind of attack of opportunity + trip or taking the Step Up line to prevent opponents from walking away.
PF has plenty of options for that kind of thing, such as Vital Strike and Step Up. IMHO, it's a lot more interesting tactically than everyone being able to move and full-attack.