Warblade Critfisher 3.5

[Teapot Salty]

Hey guys, so on this guide: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176968
Critfisher builds are mentioned a lot, and I'm wondering how you could go about this. Duel wielding Kukris doesn't seem like the best approach, some I'm wondering how wrong I am. And as always, go nuts.

[Juntao112]

Kukris are fine... if you take Lightning Maces.

[EugeneVoid]

Disciple of Dispater
Factotum 8
Legacy Champion to get IL back to 17

Some options

[TroubleBrewing]

Hey guys, so on this guide: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176968
Critfisher builds are mentioned a lot, and I'm wondering how you could go about this. Duel wielding Kukris doesn't seem like the best approach, some I'm wondering how wrong I am. And as always, go nuts.

Aptitude Kukris + Lightning Maces + Improved Critical + Disciple of Dispater is the usual approach, I think. The math is sketchy, but I think it threatens crits on 6-20. Maybe 12-20. Math is hard.

With Lightning Maces, you end up at NI attacks, or at least an arbitrarily large number before you combo out.

[(Un)Inspired]

Unlike when you pee, Blood in the Water is great for a crit fisher build.

[TroubleBrewing]

Unlike when you pee, Blood in the Water is great for a crit fisher build.

I spewed apple juice on my computer. I hope you're happy.

[(Un)Inspired]

I spewed apple juice on my computer. I hope you're happy.

Yup, that makes me pretty happy.

[Techwarrior]

I spewed apple juice on my computer. I hope you're happy.

Meh, apple juice is pretty tame to be spewing onto your computer. I've found alcohol tends to screw up a monitor much faster.

Anyway, Disciple of Dispater is 3.0, and as such is subject to review by your DM. Since they nixed Improved Critical and Keen stacking, your DM might rule something similar (or might do so anyway).

For a crit-fisher, you want a lot of static bonus damage that gets multiplied on critical hits. Craven is one good option, and you should be pumping your Strength (or whatever stat gives you bonus damage) regardless. The Collision property is great for this, and there's plenty of other ways to get static bonuses. Some TWF builds benefit from the Weapon Focus line (especially Weapon Mastery) for this reason.

Warblade gets mentioned a lot in such builds because they're one of the best geared classes towards the Two Weapon Fighting style, which can as much as double your critical chances. Warblades gain access to the Tiger Claw discipline along with a decent recovery method, which has such TWF gems as Wolf Fang Strike, Sudden Leap, Blood in the Water, Pouncing Charge (much more important to TWF than THF), and Dancing/Raging Mongoose. They also select Fighter feats at level -2, and can swap their weapon feats to the new Shiny and Stabby TM weapons your DM drops for you.

As a crit fisher, a 2 (or 3) level dip into Bloodclaw Master can also be beneficial, giving full Strength to your off-hand weapon, reducing the TWF penalties further, and gaining some valuable maneuvers Known (and Readied at 3).

Kukris are generally considered the best option for the above reasons. Kukri is naturally a Tiger Claw weapon, granting the full benefits of BcM to your weapons. Kukris are also considered Light, which grants reduced penalties for Two Weapon Fighting, and they have a natural threat range of 18-20.

[Harrow]

RAI, DoD doesn't work in 3.5, and whether it works by RAW is... debatable.

However, there is a 7th level Barbarian ACF that increases your threat range by 1 in place of DR and a teamwork benefit that does the same after your first crit against any given opponent. This means that you threaten a critical on 11-20 with +1 Keen Kaorti Resin Kukris, and without your DM really having any argument against it (it works by the rules and isn't overpowered). Take, say, Crusader or Fighter for your 8th level then start in on Warblade at 9. You get +4 Initiator level from your not-warblade levels, so you immediately get up to 3rd level maneuvers. Personally, I suggest Blood in the Water (duh), Iron Heart Surge, and the Diamond Mind save replacers. At higher levels, the mentioned Dancing Mongoose and Pouncing Charge.

I mentioned Fighter earlier because feats are your friends. Two weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting. Improved Critical if you want to replace the Keen enhancement on your weapons. Combat Expertise/Improved Trip/Knockdown is great when combined with TWF. Khyber's Fury, Reckless Rage, Extra Rage, Mad Foam Rager, Intimidating Rage, and Extend Rage could all make those 7 Barbarian levels pull their weight.

Warblade isn't essential to a critfishing build, but I would say a good critfishing build would benefit from anywhere from 1-12 levels in it. Kukris are Kukris, the only reason to *not* use them are if your DM allows the pre-errata, 3.0 bladed gauntlet (threat range 17-20) or if you want to use Lightning Maces without Aptitude cheese.

[Anlashok]

RAI, DoD doesn't work in 3.5, and whether it works by RAW is... debatable.

I though the RAI was that we were to assume anything they didn't update for 3.5 was stuff they deemed unnecessary to update it and therefore still fair game?

[Feint's End]

This means that you threaten a critical on 11-20 with +1 Keen Kaorti Resin Kukris, and without your DM really having any argument against it (it works by the rules and isn't overpowered).

Now if only Kaorti Resin would be priced somewhere and given ways to aquire without DM fiat ....

[RagnaroksChosen]

If psionics are allowed there is also Psychic weapons master

https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040827d


Improved Critical: The psychic weapon master gains the Improved Critical feat for free. If she already possesses this feat, add an additional +2 to her weapon of choice's threat range for critical hits.

Prerequisites are a bitch but it will increase it by 2 and its 3.5

[BowStreetRunner]

For a crit-fisher, you want a lot of static bonus damage that gets multiplied on critical hits.

Weapon Specialization, Melee Weapon Mastery, and Knowledge Devotion are all feats that a crit-fishing warblade can employ to raise their damage bonus.