I need some help with my Swiftblade build

[DarkSonic1337]

I'm currently in a campaign that's planned to go into epic levels and my DM has asked that we all create a couple of backup characters in case our first ones die.

I haven't had much experience with Gish characters (only ones I've played are Duskblade and PF Magus), and I want some advice on how to build a nice swiftblade.

I'd preffer to go with sorcerer casting. I was planning on a metamagic specialist sorcerer as the base (no kobold cheese allowed though :smallannoyed:). Wizard casting is....a lot to handle.

I've checked out the Swiftblade handbook http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6280.0, but I have some questions.

1. Is the two weapon fighting tree worth it on a swiftblade? They do have a nice source of bonus damage (arcane strike!) and can full attack often to take advantage of the itterative attacks, but it's just so damn feat intensive.

1a. If I DO go twf, should I focus on Dex over str in general, or just get enough dex to fill the feat prereqs? (we're planning on going to epic level btw)

2.Practiced spellcaster...worth the feat? I am gonna lose 4 caster levels afterall.

3. Skills. Our particular campaign is having every character start of fairly isolated rather than everyone being in a party from the start. Is there a spell I should pick up to help me make some out of combat skill checks (enough to get by on most things)?


4. All 3.5 material is open EXCEPT PSIONICS (though we can still take non psionic feats from the books). Dragon Magazine is allowed. Any advice on how to best take advantage of this (preferably not expensive suggestions, as my playgroup tends to play very low wealth campaigns.)


5. Ideas for the last 4 levels before epic? I was thinking of going Sorcerer 6/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant champion 4



Do note that also playing custom templates LOOSELY following the savage species book. I get to have a total of +10 added to my ability scores divided as I choose (with no more than +6 in a particular stat, and no more than -2 on a particular stat). In addition we get one bonus feat at level 1. This is all before adding on a race. My particular template will also grant martial weapon proficiency.


My rolled stats are 17, 15, 14, 13, 12, 12

Any help would be much appreciated

[Iferus]

First thing to decide is: are you a fighter with some magic or a mage that can fight?

If you are a fighter, you could consider playing a sorcerer with a level of scout to get the martial weapon proficiency, and since you're way behind on caster level anyway, just continue being some fighter (prestige) class. Get full attacks with skirmish damage, and use spells to boost your fighting prowess.

If you are a mage, you will not want to take all 10 levels. Losing four caster levels and using a trick or subpar race to get martial weapon proficiency is probably not worth it.

Look through te build section in the handbook and figure out what you want to be.

As for your questions: TWF is only worth it if you can HIT. This is dependent on your stats and build. If you go TWF, I would advise investing the feat in Weapon Finesse to free up attribute requirements. Also: dex focus gives a sky-high initiative.

Practiced spellcaster may be worth it. Depends on your spell selection. Will the difference between ten and fourteen rounds of haste matter? Not much. But you other spells might greatly benefit from this.

[Larkas]

If you are a mage, you will not want to take all 10 levels. Losing four caster levels and using a trick or subpar race to get martial weapon proficiency is probably not worth it.

Alternatively, you want to go in as a Wizard and take at most 9 levels in Swiftblade.

[DarkSonic1337]

First thing to decide is: are you a fighter with some magic or a mage that can fight?

If you are a fighter, you could consider playing a sorcerer with a level of scout to get the martial weapon proficiency, and since you're way behind on caster level anyway, just continue being some fighter (prestige) class. Get full attacks with skirmish damage, and use spells to boost your fighting prowess.

If you are a mage, you will not want to take all 10 levels. Losing four caster levels and using a trick or subpar race to get martial weapon proficiency is probably not worth it.


As for your questions: TWF is only worth it if you can HIT. This is dependent on your stats and build. If you go TWF, I would advise investing the feat in Weapon Finesse to free up attribute requirements. Also: dex focus gives a sky-high initiative.

Practiced spellcaster may be worth it. Depends on your spell selection. Will the difference between ten and fourteen rounds of haste matter? Not much. But you other spells might greatly benefit from this.


Well, I would like to get 7th level spells to get arcane spellsurge (maybe even 8th level at lvl 20 for greater arcane fusion), but I can live without 9th level spells.

Speaking of which I do have an epic level question. If I were to advance swiftblade into epic levels would it still apply the "+1 level to arcane casting class" until my sorcerer casting hit level 20? Could I perhaps pick a different prestige class that advances casting to get my sorcerer casting to 20 instead?

Martial weapon proficiency is gonna be a non issue in my particular case because my DM is giving it to me basically for free.