Unarmed Swordsage Help Please

[Ortesk]

Hey everyone, I have a new campaign coming up in a few weeks and was wondering how to build an Unarmed Swordsage. DM has ruled i get Wisdom bonus in no armor, and IUS for free like a standard monk. I have Five Flaws, And a homebrew race. Also we roll d20 for stats, accepting 16-20 for stats, so far i rolled 20/20/20/19/18/17. Please note i do not want it optimized, ive had to throw out 2 characters (werebear grappler and an unoptimized charger) because group said i was overpowering and shadowing the group. My group is very casual dnd players, and dont optimize at all. Also i want to go Shadow Sun Ninja, since we will have a necropolitan in the group which means in time unlimited healing out of combat. Also a side note, DM ruled that if i go twf unarmed style i do full strength damage on both fists and i take no penalty. thank you for the help :)

[Ortesk]

*Bump because i need help lmao*

[Namfuak]

Well, if you don't want something particularly optimized, you're pretty much set taking shadow hand and tiger claw maneuvers and going into Shadow Sun Ninja. Superior Unarmed Strike (ToB) is a feat you'll want, considering your stats you aren't going to be hurting for anything so looking around at feats that grant +stat to x could be useful. A list can be found here:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732

For good measure, here's a swordsage handbook:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=259783

[holywhippet]

Depending on how your AC looks, you might want to look into a monk belt. Or some means of having mage armor cast on you. That wisdom bonus to AC will only take you so far.

[Ortesk]

Well, if you don't want something particularly optimized, you're pretty much set taking shadow hand and tiger claw maneuvers and going into Shadow Sun Ninja. Superior Unarmed Strike (ToB) is a feat you'll want, considering your stats you aren't going to be hurting for anything so looking around at feats that grant +stat to x could be useful. A list can be found here:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732

For good measure, here's a swordsage handbook:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=259783

Awesome! thanks, im playing a race with a hit to con and a big (four) boost to charisma, and add's charisma on ac (he says dont optimize and almsot begs me to by giving me such powerful abilities) so i definately want to make use of my charisma where i can, so much appreciated mate

[Ortesk]

Depending on how your AC looks, you might want to look into a monk belt. Or some means of having mage armor cast on you. That wisdom bonus to AC will only take you so far.

at level 1 (a level sooner), Hes given me wisdom to ac on the order i can not just buy light armor prof. and get a chain shirt. i have a 20 dex, 22 charisma, and 20 wisdom, so im sitting on a 26 ac for right now. i considered vow of poverty but dont want to be exalted

[holywhippet]

Awesome! thanks, im playing a race with a hit to con and a big (four) boost to charisma, and add's charisma on ac (he says dont optimize and almsot begs me to by giving me such powerful abilities) so i definately want to make use of my charisma where i can, so much appreciated mate

Yeah, I'm getting mixed messages from your DM. Don't optimize and having stats from 16-20 are kind of mutually exclusive.

[Ortesk]

Yeah, I'm getting mixed messages from your DM. Don't optimize and having stats from 16-20 are kind of mutually exclusive.

My dm is basically saying "You personally dont optimize" My current campaign is a dwarf fighter who at level 17 hits at a +23 (max), a warforged monk, a half celestial fighter archer, a succubus (my devoted defender passes the will saves), a human barbarian who doesnt have power attack, an aasimar cleric who is a heal bot, a halfling sorceror who goes boom alot, and my devoted defender who kind of gets griped at for having a high ac, even though all i can really do is goad people.....ya my group, god love them, doesnt optimize. i see his point, group needs all the help he can give to live, but so far i've been nerf hammered twice for being to good. (an orc charger, who didnt use leap attack or valerous weapon, was called OP)

[Xerlith]

I feel obliged to say that you can very well compliment your group if you pick up some Bard (preferably Divine variant, for, well, mostly flavor, but not necessarily), swap one of your Swordsage disciplines for White Raven (Stone Dragon, I'm looking at you)...
And argue that Song of the White Raven should apply to all your initiator levels. Then proceed to make your party awesome with Inspire Courage and/or Dragonfire Inspiration. The dwarf, the monk, the archer and the barb should love you for that.
Everyone in the party has fun, you contribute without overshadowing and being un-optimized.
And come on, how cool is it, punching people so that other people get inspired?

On a sidenote, it seems that I'm proposing that option a lot.

[Ortesk]

I feel obliged to say that you can very well compliment your group if you pick up some Bard (preferably Divine variant, for, well, mostly flavor, but not necessarily), swap one of your Swordsage disciplines for White Raven (Stone Dragon, I'm looking at you)...
And argue that Song of the White Raven should apply to all your initiator levels. Then proceed to make your party awesome with Inspire Courage and/or Dragonfire Inspiration. The dwarf, the monk, the archer and the barb should love you for that.
Everyone in the party has fun, you contribute without overshadowing and being un-optimized.
And come on, how cool is it, punching people so that other people get inspired?

On a sidenote, it seems that I'm proposing that option a lot.

I'll look into it thanks man. But this is for my next campaign, current cast im playing a Devoted Defender and just kind of deflect swords lol. Next campaign only has 1 person so far who has decided what to play, He has chosen a control Crusader (i nudged him to pick up Goliath/Half Minotaur where he can buy LA off with something like bloodline levels at 3 and 6, and he has typical crack down feats)