One handed fighter help [3.5]

[Jak]

So, any ideas for a fighter who uses a bastard sword one-handed and has his off-hand free? I know it's not optimal, but it's something I would like to see work, as well as him actually having a reason to have a hand free.

In fact, it doesn't really even have to be a fighter, so long as it has a full BAB and melee focused. Utility, maneuvers, damage, either is fine.

Thanks in advance, guys =)

[Sir Chuckles]

Must it be a Bastard Sword?
I'd say that's step one to improving that concept.

[sleepyphoenixx]

There is no mechanical reason to use a bastard sword one-handed since you can switch your grip everytime you need your offhand free.
There is the Einhander feats in PHB2 but it sucks.
The diamond mind maneuvers Insightful Strike and Greater Insightful Strike do the same damage no matter what weapon you wield/how you wield it.

That's pretty much it as far as one-handed fighting goes iirc.
Is there a reason you can't just use two handed mechanics but fluff it as wielding the weapon one-handed?

[Shinken]

Get a Sunblade. A sunblade is a bastard sword that counts as a short sword for most purposes. While the DMG version is kinda expensive, Expedition to Castle Ravenloft has a 3000gp no frills version.
Take the Einhander feat. From PHB2, Einhander is a stye feat exactly for this kind of fighting style. It's nothing to write home about, but it is a reason to actually fight one-handed.
Consider TWF. There are several ways to use two-weapon fighting while one-handing a bastard sword. Improved Unarmed Strike is thematically apropriate (sword + kick or sword + punch is something you see very frequently in all media) and so are armor spikes. There are all kinds of hidden weapons (bladed boots, heavy sleeves) you could use as well. TWF is pretty bad without a source of bonus damage, so think this through.
Use Tome of Battle. Strikes deal good damage by themselves, two-hander or no.

[Gwendol]

Go Bard and get the snowflake wardance feat?

Other than that all I can say is that casting requires a free hand: use it for that. Go Duskblade (Full BAB+casting+channel spells through your sword). You'll still want to 2-hand the sword more often than not.

[Jak]

Get a Sunblade. A sunblade is a bastard sword that counts as a short sword for most purposes. While the DMG version is kinda expensive, Expedition to Castle Ravenloft has a 3000gp no frills version.
Take the Einhander feat. From PHB2, Einhander is a stye feat exactly for this kind of fighting style. It's nothing to write home about, but it is a reason to actually fight one-handed.
Consider TWF. There are several ways to use two-weapon fighting while one-handing a bastard sword. Improved Unarmed Strike is thematically apropriate (sword + kick or sword + punch is something you see very frequently in all media) and so are armor spikes. There are all kinds of hidden weapons (bladed boots, heavy sleeves) you could use as well. TWF is pretty bad without a source of bonus damage, so think this through.
Use Tome of Battle. Strikes deal good damage by themselves, two-hander or no.

3000gp sounds doable, that frees up a feat. Thanks.

Is Einhander really the only "one hand free" feat?

[evangaline]

Allow me to agree with the person above me, strikes do a lot of dmng even when you are not wielding the most effective weaponry. I recommend the warblade.
There is a very, very good guide on this site wich helped me a lot and I fully agree with his choice for manouvre's: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?193992-Elfin-s-Masters-of-the-Sword-A-Warblade-s-Handbook
Have fun!

[Jak]

Allow me to agree with the person above me, strikes do a lot of dmng even when you are not wielding the most effective weaponry. I recommend the warblade.
There is a very, very good guide on this site wich helped me a lot and I fully agree with his choice for manouvre's: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?193992-Elfin-s-Masters-of-the-Sword-A-Warblade-s-Handbook
Have fun!

Awesome, looks sweet. Thanks again =)

[HammeredWharf]

One thing you could do is taking Improved Disarm. It's not a great feat, but it's not completely useless and you get to keep the disarmed weapon, if you've got a free hand. I'd say it's better than Einhander in most cases.

[Telonius]

There's a Graceful Edge feat in Dungeon 128 that lets you treat a 1h slashing weapon as light (= finesse-able) and gives you a minor bump to AC when not holding anything in the off-hand. It would probably only be useful in a very limited number of circumstances; just so you know it's there.

[KorbeltheReader]

You could go TWF but go unarmed strike as your off-hand weapon.

[gorfnab]

Here is an Einhander build I came up with some time ago.

Human or Strongheart Halfling
1. Swashbuckler - Deadly Defense (CS), Combat Expertise, B: Weapon Finesse
2. Cobra Strike (UA) Decisive Strike (PHBII) Monk - B: Dodge
3. Cobra Strike (UA) Monk - Carmendine Monk (CoV), B: Mobility
4. Swashbuckler
5. Swashbuckler
6. Thief Acrobat - Combat Reflexes
7. Thief Acrobat
8. Thief Acrobat
9. Thief Acrobat - Einhander (PHBII)
10. Thief Acrobat or Warblade
11. Warblade or Duelist
12. Warblade or Duelist - Ironheart Aura (ToB)
13. Duelist
14. Duelist
15. Duelist - Robilar's Gambit (PHBII)
16. Duelist
17. Duelist
18. Duelist - Stormgaurd Warrior (ToB)
19. Duelist
20. Duelist

The Monk and Swashbuckler levels (levels 1 through 5) can be switched around to taste. I personally like Swash 1/ Monk 2/ Swash 2.

Levels 10 through 12 can be rearranged depending on your needs. The current setup gives you Improved Evasion and Uncanny Dodge at these levels. However if you don't need Improved Evasion take one less level of Thief Acrobat and move the first level of Warblade to level 10. If you don't need Uncanny Dodge don't take the 2nd level of Warblade and instead go into Duelist a level early. If you don't need either abilities take Warblade at level 10 and enter Duelist at level 11.

If flaws are available pick up EWP: Broadblade Shortsword (CAdv, pre-errata version if possible) or Versatile Unarmed Strike (PHBII) and Snap Kick (ToB) (may need to rearrange later feats). If traits are available pick up Cautious (UA).

Items:
Vest of Defense (MIC)
Bracers of Blocking (Dragon 322)
Broadblade Shortsword (CAdv) (pre-errata version if possible) or Rapier with the Defensive Surge (MIC) enhancement.

[AugustNights]

What is the expected benefit of Einhanding as a combat style?

[Azoth]

Fun tidbit for the Unawakend Sunblade from Expeditions to Castle Ravenloft using its ability to be treated as a shortsword qualifies it for Shadow Blade feat giving you full dex to it as well as full strength since it can simultaneously be treated as a bastard sword.

So a Swordsage 1 dip is good even at the cost of 1 BAB. Grab any shadowhand stance and stay in it. I am partial to Child of Shadow for non sneak attackers. 20% miss chance as long as you move during your turn.

For a +1 enchantment make it a Discipline (shadow hand) weapon for +3 to hit while in your stance and it makes up for the lost BAB.

[dextercorvia]

If you get a caster to cast Girallon's Blessing on you, you can Two hand a weapon, have a shield, and still have a free hand. Not sure if that is useful at all, but it is cool looking.

[Larkas]

If 3.P is open, Magus might be a reason to go Einhander. If you want full BAB, Magus 16/ Abjurant Champion 4 is very viable!