PF - Swordlord/Swordlord build advice

[Hytheter]

For those unaware "Swordlord" refers to both a Fighter Archetype and a similar Prestige Class. Two two have excellent synergy (one of their class abilities explicitly stacks) and work around a relatively unique concept - that of a 1 handed 1 weapon fighter. So I want to build one, and I'd like some help.

I'm thinking Fighter 5/Swordlord 3/Fighter 6-7/Swordlord 4-8/Fighter 8-12.
Pump DEX, have some INT. STR is important for lower levels too, though becomes mostly obselete later
For Feats:
1 Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Dueling Sword)
1F Weapon Finsesse
2F Weapon Focus (Dueling Sword)
3 Combat Expertise
4F Improved Disarm
5 Dazzling Display
6S Dueling Mastery (bonus feat, ambiguously ignores pre-requisites)
7 Lunge
8 None
9 Agile Maneuvers
9F ?
10 None
From then on ???
(Bolded are swordlord prerequisites)
I think the sweet spot is levels 10-15. From Level 15 you can Fight Defensively on a full round action with no penalty and at +4 AC, which is cool, and before that it's only -1. You can also use Combat Expertise at -2 or -1 (if you have the Threatening Defender trait) but gaining +4 AC.
You also get AC from Defensive Parry, which grants +3 AC at level 11 and +4 at 15. Dueling Mastery adds an extra +2. If you combine that all you get +14 AC at level 15 for a -1 penalty while Full Attacking, which I think is pretty cool. Not to mention that you should have high DEX to AC as well.
You can use all these AC boosts to fuel Lunge, giving you reach. You use to your DEX to hit, to do Damage AND to use Combat Maneuvers. I've decided to focus on disarm, since it complements class features.
Sadly Combat Expertise's penalty starts to get bigger at a faster rate than you can mitigate it from level 16 onwards...

So what do you think? What could be improved? What feats should I take after the halfway mark?

[Hytheter]

Ok, bumping this a little because I gave it some thought and came up with some specific directions I'd like feedback on.

1. Making use of the empty hand. Replacing Fighter 5-7 with 2 Levels in Monk, specifically Master of many styles, can get me Crane Style and Crane Wing. Style gives me a less situational but slightly inferior version of what Fighter 7 got me anyway. Wing gets me an awesome deflection ability. I also get something to do if I lose my weapon, and I can consider taking Deflect Arrows later too, or the pretty incredible Crane Riposte (though that will necessitate getting Dodge...).
All I lose from the two levels is a bonus feat and +1 BAB. I think I've talked myself into this one honestly. But there are other choices to make...

2. Combat Performance feats. I'm thinking since I've already got Dazzling Display, taking Heroic Display and Combat Performer couldn't hurt, giving me an occasional mass demoralization. I'm not sure how viable that is though.

3. Levels in duelist. It synergizes well thematically and mechanically (since dueling swords count as piercing for duelist abilities). Again requires Dodge though, and Mobility too. Is the class worth the feat tax?

[NightbringerGGZ]

So you could make a decent Swordlord build both with and without the Monk or Duelist levels. Really it's up to you to decide what class features you'd like to take the most advantage of.

Here's what I would plan on taking:
3 levels of Fighter (Aldori Swordlord) - bonus feats and Defensive Parry
3 levels of Monk (Master of Many Styles) - Crane Style & Crane Wing, Stunning Fist and Improved Unarmed Strike
4 levels of Aldori Swordlord (Prc) - Improve your Defensive Parry, Dueling Mastery, Deft Strike, Display Weapon Prowess and Adaptive Tactics

Fighter 1 > Monk 2 > Fighter 2 > Swordlord > Monk 1 > Swordlord 3

Plan on not wearing armor, buying an Amulet of Might Fists (Agile) for 4k and a Monk's Robe for 13k as well as boosting up your sword with modifiers.

The Monk's Robe will give you an extra Stunning First per day and you count as a level 8 Monk for the purpose of determining unarmed strike damage and monk AC bonuses.

Pick up Combat Reflexes and Panther Style, since you can use two combat styles simultaneously. This will allow you to (intentionally) provoke Attacks of Opportunity but counter attack against your enemies when you do so. It also gives you a good reason to pick up Dodge & Mobility so that you can qualify for the Duelist Class if you like to.

By the way, the Bruising Intellect trait lets you use Intimidate for Intimidate checks instead of Charisma. Since you're looking at a bit of a MAD build this will allow you dump your Charisma. If you can start at a higher level, dump your Strength too.

[Hytheter]

Intimidate for Intimidate

You mean Intellegence? :P Yeah that looks useful.

Third level in Monk isn't something I'd considered, but with the Monk's robe it could be useful indeed. It also lets me take monastic legacy if I so choose, though I don't think I will.

I had considered another style too, although the one I had in mind was Snake Style. Snake FanggGives me attacks of opportunity when they miss, while Crane Riposte gives me one when they hit, giving me lots of potential attacks. Panther Style could be better though, If I want to move a lot. It does require some Wis investment though, though that does mesh with monk. And as you said, with Mobility it makes a nice entry into duelist; the third level there with the complete panther style line lets me make a retalitory strike, and the opponents attack will be at -10. Might be best to go Duelist before taking panther style though, since 4th level gets Combat Reflexes as a bonus feat.

That was a very helpful post! Gives me a lot to consider...

[grarrrg]

If you follow the Dazzling Display > Intimidate route:

Half-Orc is a solid race, comes with +2 (racial) to Intimidate, option to trade Ferocity for a Bite attack.

Hobgoblins have +2 DEX, +2 CON and can trade their Stealth bonus in for +4 (racial) to Intimidate.

If you go Human, and have a couple of spare feats (AND 13 CHA), then Intimidating Confidence (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/arg-feats/intimidating-confidence-human) could be quite handy. Critical Hits entitle you to Free Intimidate checks. If you have Dazzling Display, you can Intimidate everything in your threatened area instead!

A dip in Thug Rogue (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/rogue/archetypes/paizo---rogue-archetypes/thug) for 1 level will extend the duration of any Shaken condition by 1 round (and give you +1d6 Sneak Attack), with an option to make it Frightened instead.

[Hytheter]

Interesting options. Not sure I will go that route though, it's probably better suited to a build of its own (which I would like to explore. A half-orc combat performer... ooh I like the sound of that).
It would be more tempting if the swordlord's Display Weapon Prowess worked on feats other than Dazzling Display, but as is I think I'll focus on other areas and have Dazzling Display as just a backup move I can utilise when needed.

In other news, I'm thinking about my sword. What enhancements should I put on it? Which material?

One ability that I know I'll take is Dueling. It sounds like its made for this class, and it is. +4 Initiative and +2 to disarm with a Weapon Finesse weapon.
Better yet, it's price is in GP rather than enhancement bonus, so it doesn't count towards my enhancement limit.

Then I can be a Swordlord/Swordlord with a Dueling Dueling sword. :P

[grarrrg]

One ability that I know I'll take is Dueling. It sounds like its made for this class, and it is. +4 Initiative and +2 to disarm with a Weapon Finesse weapon.
Better yet, it's price is in GP rather than enhancement bonus, so it doesn't count towards my enhancement limit.

Keen.

Also, just noticed that Swordlord (the archetype) only trades away the first Weapon Training.
I encourage you to (at some point) get at least 9 levels of Fighter.
Add Gloves of Dueling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/e-g/gloves-of-dueling), and get a sweet extra +2 to-hit and +2 Damage!

Hmmm... Take the Dueling Cloak Adept (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/combat-traits/dueling-cloak-adept) trait (more for fun than actual use).

With the Trait and the gloves you can now Duel while you're Dueling with your Dueling Dueling Sword (of Dueling).

[Hylas]

With the Trait and the gloves you can now Duel while you're Dueling with your Dueling Dueling Sword (of Dueling).

It's time to d-d-d-d-duel!

I'm actually doing something very similar for myself in a Kingmaker game. Except I'm using Maneuver Master instead of MoMS, and picked up Dirty Trick as a bonus feat. Crane Style comes up much later, but a free maneuver on a full attack is pretty nice (I'm level 3 at the moment). Either MM or MoMS are good for the monk levels, with MoMS being much better early-game. The Sword Scion trait will give you a nice attack bonus at all levels. I'm also using the Lore Warden archetype as I liked the bonuses better.

I worked Power Attack into my build as well because it gives a much needed damage boost at lower levels. You can keep both hands on your sword until you get crane style for one or two extra points of damage. With low STR you need every bit of extra damage output, and power attack helps even after you get DEX to damage.

[Hytheter]

I worked Power Attack into my build as well because it gives a much needed damage boost at lower levels. You can keep both hands on your sword until you get crane style for one or two extra points of damage. With low STR you need every bit of extra damage output, and power attack helps even after you get DEX to damage.

That's a good point actually, I was worried about my early game power level. I might consider taking it as an early Fighter feat and then retraining it later (using the Fighter feat retraining class feature).


Keen.

Also, just noticed that Swordlord (the archetype) only trades away the first Weapon Training.
I encourage you to (at some point) get at least 9 levels of Fighter.
Add Gloves of Dueling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/e-g/gloves-of-dueling), and get a sweet extra +2 to-hit and +2 Damage!
Ooh nice catch. If I can also get a Sash of the War Champion the boost kicks in a bit earlier too. It boosts Bravery too, which isn't bad I guess.
I can also pick Monk Weapon Group for later Weapon Trainings, since I have unarmed capability.

Right now I'm thinking the plan will be some permutation of Monk 3/Swordlord 4/Fighter X (not in that order obviously).
For Equipment, I'll go for as many of the following as possible: Monk's Robe, Dueling Gloves, Sash of the War Champion, Bracer's of Armor*, Headband of Inspired Wisdom**, Belt of Incredible Dexterity***, Amulet of Might Fists*.
*But which enhancements? Agile is good for the Amulet for starters, but the more the merrier... And I've no idea on the armor. My AC will be high anyway, so some effects would be nice.
** For Monk AC. Could also be a headband of Mental Prowess to get extra skill points, but its not really necessary
*** A Belt of Physical Might would be better for Con, but only if possible

Wow that's... quite a list actually. Shoulders, Head, Eyes, Feet and Rings currently unaccounted for.

As for the weapon, a +X Keen Dueling Dueling Sword sounds nice. Any other notable abilities for when I can afford them?

[grarrrg]

Ooh nice catch. If I can also get a Sash of the War Champion the boost kicks in a bit earlier too. It boosts Bravery too, which isn't bad I guess.

Sash of the War Champion boosts Armor Training, and Bravery.
Swordlord archetype trades away ALL Armor Training.
Using it with Bravery will only boost you up a +1 Will vs Fear.

I'd skip it.

Rest looks pretty good though.

[Hytheter]

Sash of the War Champion boosts Armor Training, and Bravery.
Swordlord archetype trades away ALL Armor Training.
Using it with Bravery will only boost you up a +1 Will vs Fear.

I'd skip it.

Rest looks pretty good though.

Oh dang you're right, I thought it said Weapon Training.
That means I need at least 9 Fighter levels to get the most of Dueling Gloves, since I trade by Weapon Fighting 1 away too...