Help with a Fighter build [Pathfinder]

[ErrantX]

So I've been puzzling out a build for the last week or so and I cannot come up with a solution I'm happy with.

So a player in my game that's about to start wants to play a character based off of two people from anime we both enjoy, the first being Octavia (http://tearstotiara.wikia.com/wiki/Octavia) from Tears to Tiara, and the second being Asuna (http://swordartonline.wikia.com/wiki/Asuna) from Sword Art Online. The gist is that they're both very fast, agile characters that use a single blade effectively and are lightly armored. Asuna uses a rapier and Octavia uses something like an Aldori dueling sword.

This being said, this is my restriction set: Base class only. Must use either a rapier or an Aldori dueling sword and nothing in the other hand/no shield. I can use anything from d20pfsrd.org, including the homebrewed multiclass archetypes there, but I cannot take two or more base classes or prestige class at all. Fighter seems to be best option, but I'm interested in what others here have to offer for this situation. I'm stumped!

-X

[Daftendirekt]

The gist is that they're both very fast, agile characters that use a single blade effectively and are lightly armored.

Magus might be a good fit, particularly if you go for a high-Dex build and just ignore the fact that you get medium and heavy armor later on. Or go Kensai (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo---magus-archetypes/kensai) and be completely unarmored, getting INT to AC as well.

[avr]

If you're focusing on a rapier or dueling sword, you're focusing on doing damage rather than tripping or similar. There are other combat maneuvers, some of which benefit from having a free hand, but they're not as generally applicable. Not every enemy even has a weapon which you can disarm for example, and spellcasters or toothy monsters will laugh at you for trying.

Doing damage means you need some source of bonus damage to stay competitive. Spells, powers, sneak attack, rage, flurry, etc ... none of which a fighter gets. And no, weapon training for +1 attack/damage every 5 or so levels is not competitive.

So: magus is perfect if you want to go the spell route. A psychic warrior with the Traceur or Martial Kineticist archetype might work for psionics. A ninja can stab someone with sneak attack pretty reliably. If you could narrow down what off those pages you linked was important to you for defining the character it'd be easier to help suggest options.

[Bhaakon]

What level?

I think a rogue with the Rake and Scout archetypes would fit your requirements and limitations. It takes a few levels to get going (level 9 with a straight Rogue, or level 7 with a three-level Fighter dip), but it's eventually capable of using the Shatter Defenses feat to get sneak attacks w/o flanking or invisibility (scouts charge for a free SA, Bravado's Blade to convert it into a +5 intimidate, and then Shatter Defenses to turn all your iterative + next round's attacks into potential sneak attacks, repeating Bravado's Blade as needed). If your goal is to be a quick, finesse-type warrior, it's one of the ways to maintain respectable damage output without relying on your friends for flanks.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Check out this bard archetype (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/dawnflower-dervish). Uses a single scimitar (just refluff it to be the appearance of the sword you want if it matters) w/ the other hand empty and dexterity for attack and damage. Has doubled inspire bonus, but self-only, as a battle dance. And uses charisma for spells, as normal. So makes for an awesome dashing, agile swordsman class.

You should try and build towards the Crane Wing feat to optimize the "1 handed style". In the short run, a single level dip of Unarmed Fighter or Master of Many Styles Monk will nab you 2 of the feats and make obtaining it easier. Long term... it's better to not multiclass out and just pay for all 4 feats yourself.

[TheIronGolem]

You didn't say whether 3rd-party base classes are allowed, but if they are then you may want to consider the Swashbuckler (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/adamant-entertainment/swashbuckler) from Tome of Secrets. It's basically a fighter/rogue hybrid with abilities geared towards dodging and critical hits. I use it myself for a character who has a similar concept. He uses an Aldori dueling sword as well, which is nice but does tend to leave one starved for feats.

[Xerxus]

The Aldori Dueling Sword is actually very similar to a scimitar, which would be an awesome option if you want to do a Kensai Magus. You would have two main ability scores - Int + Dex - with Con as your secondary and the rest being unimportant. The only feat you absolutely need is Dervish Dance from Inner Sea World Guide.

[Daftendirekt]

The Aldori Dueling Sword is actually very similar to a scimitar, which would be an awesome option if you want to do a Kensai Magus. You would have two main ability scores - Int + Dex - with Con as your secondary and the rest being unimportant. The only feat you absolutely need is Dervish Dance from Inner Sea World Guide.

Which only works with Scimitars, not Aldori Dueling Swords.

[Drelua]

I had an idea for a DEX-based Barbarian build a while ago that might fit for this. Basically, just be a Human Superstitious Urban Barbarian and use the aforementioned Dervish Dance feat for DEX to damage. Urban Barbarian lets you boost your DEX instead of STR and CON when raging, and superstitious gives you +1 Initiative and surprise round AC as well as enhancing your senses in various ways at higher levels; being a human let's you use your favoured class bonus to double these bonuses.

You'd be fairly DEX sad, so you should be able to get that pretty high, and since it's Pathfinder you should pretty much be able to rage whenever you're fighting. The build could really use some more detail though, I never really thought it all the way through.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Which only works with Scimitars, not Aldori Dueling Swords.

Right. Which is "very similar to" the Aldori Dueling Sword. An the OP stated the swords his anime character inspirations used were like an Aldori Dueling Sword, specifically, "Octavia uses something like an Aldori dueling sword." Unless the character was using a sword actually CALLED an aldori dueling sword, the OP's just approximating to begin with. So whatever, use a scimitar. Refluff it to look how you want. As long as it works the same mechanically, no one should care.

Similarly, the other character uses a rapier. A scimitar is mechanically identical to rapier except it does P instead of S damage. And Dervish Dance lets the scimitar count as a 1H piercing weapon for class features and feats (I guess just outright giving it a 2nd damage type would've been "overpowered" *sigh*), so the difference becomes even more negligible.

Anyway, the bard archetype gives you dervish dance at level 1 w/o pre-reqs, which saves you a feat on weapon finesse (DD gives dex to attack rolls anyway) and is 2 levels before anyone else can get it.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

How about this Swashbuckler class? It's 3rd party but it's balanced and works with what you want to build;
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/adamant-entertainment/swashbuckler

[Blyte]

I like the Kensai Magus with a flowing monk dip.

that gives Dex+Wis+Int to AC

you didn't mention the level, but at level 5 you can really whoop some butt

you can either dip 1 or 2 into flowing monk, and both are pretty darn viable.

so at 5 I'd suggest these feats

Feats:
1 Weapon Finesse
1 hum Combat Reflexes
1 mag1 Weapon Focus (Rapier)
2 mnk1 Improved Trip
3 Fury's Fall
5 Vicious Stomp
**5 mnk2 Agile Manuevers
take the trait that improves your caster level by 2 in magus (so long as you don't exceed your character level) and take magical lineage shield or shocking grasp... so you can later extend shields or intensify shocking grasps.

you want an agile rapier (or wakizashi) and an agile necklace of mighty fists ASAP.

edit: sorry I mean vicious stomp rather than elephant stomp.

[Duboris]

Well, being as they're both extremely agile fighters, considering.

I'd focus on low strength, high dexterity, and focus on being mobile.

Combat Reflexes, Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Fleet, Spring Attack, Mobility.

That sort of thing.