Looking for advice on my build.

[doxen1990]

My friend will be DM'ing an adventure soon and I'm looking for suggestions to improve my character. We are starting out at level 5 with only 5k gold. I already purchased a few things. This is what I have so far.

Class: 3 Swashbuckler/ 2 Duskblade
Race: Tiefling
Stats:
Str 16
DEX 18
CON 16
INT 20
WIS 14
CHA 11
Equipment:
- Elven Courtblade
- +1 Mithral Chain Shirt
Feats:
- Power Attack
- EWP: Elven Courtblade
Spells:
lvl 0 spell
- Acid Splash
- Disrupt Undead
- Ray of Frost
- Touch of Fatigue
lvl 1 spell
- Chill Touch
- Shocking Grasp
- True Strike

I have yet to purchase gear and any other magic items. I currently have only 2285 gold left to spend.

P.S. My friend wants us to have a phobia as well. If you like to add in that a suggestion for that I'd appreciate it.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Don't make your chain shirt mithral, you only have an 18 Dex so you're basically just spending 1,000 gp to eliminate a -1 armor check penalty.

Get a Healing Belt, Anklet of Translocation, and an Amber Amulet of Vermin (Giant Wasp) from Magic Item Compendium. The first two are self explanatory, the amulet can summon a giant wasp which you can use as a flying mount for its duration, useful for reaching a high spot or getting close enough to attack a flying opponent.

[Gwendol]

You probably want to get the alternate class feature Arcane Stunt (CM, p. 32): Lose Grace to gain the effects of blur, expeditious retreat, feather fall, jump, or spider climb a few times a day.

[keeper2161]

So if he continued in duskblade would he get the level 11 and level 20 spell-like abilities or only if it's a pure swashbuckler?

[doxen1990]

I forgot to mention I got a masterwork buckler. Should I keep it or for go it?

[Gwendol]

There is no way of stacking levels of duskblade and swashbuckler that I know of, so the answer would be no. On the other hand, getting access to even just one swift-action SLA is likely better than grace +1.

[keeper2161]

It doesn't say it has to be swashbuckler just 11 level.

"At 11th level, you can
choose a second spell-like
ability from the list above,
and the benefit gained from
both of these spell-like abilities lasts
for 2 rounds. At 20th level, you can choose a third spell-like
ability, and the benefit of each one lasts for 3 rounds"

EDIT: This a case of poorly worded?

EDIT: Or just assumed?

[Ellowryn]

Might also want to swap Str and Dex, as the 18 Dex is only giving you minor defensive benefits while that additional +1 Str mod will give you better to hit and +2 to damage which is still useful at these early levels.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I forgot to mention I got a masterwork buckler. Should I keep it or for go it?

You'll be taking a -1 penalty on your attack rolls for wearing a buckler while fighting with a two-handed weapon, and you can't gain its AC bonus in any round that you use the arm it's worn on to help wield a weapon. Definitely get rid of it.


Might also want to swap Str and Dex, as the 18 Dex is only giving you minor defensive benefits while that additional +1 Str mod will give you better to hit and +2 to damage which is still useful at these early levels.

Swashbuckler gets Weapon Finesse for free, and the Elven Courtblade can be used with Weapon Finesse.

[keeper2161]

The elven courtblade benefits from weapon finesse so he could be going that route.

EDIT: Aw I got ninja'ed

[doxen1990]

So I got rid of the Mithral shirt and got a masterwork chain shirt. I bought all of Biffoniacus_Furiou's recommended items and still have 1435 gold. Any other suggestions to buy

EDIT: 1600 gold now that I got rid of the buckler.

[Ellowryn]

Ah, forgot about that free Weapon Finesse. Now he just needs a way to get Dex to damage and he will be golden.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

So I got rid of the Mithral shirt and got a masterwork chain shirt. I bought all of Biffoniacus_Furiou's recommended items and still have 1435 gold. Any other suggestions to buy?

Upgrade your armor to +1 for 1,000 gp.

Get your sword with a Wand Chamber from Dungeonscape, 100 gp.

Maybe get a partially charged wand of a 1st level spell to put in that Wand Chamber. Divide the wand's cost by 50 to determine its cost-per-charge, then multiply that by the number of charges it starts with for its price. For example, a 1st level wand at a caster level of one is 750 gp fully charged, or it's 15 gp per charge otherwise.

[Gwendol]

It doesn't say it has to be swashbuckler just 11 level.

"At 11th level, you can
choose a second spell-like
ability from the list above,
and the benefit gained from
both of these spell-like abilities lasts
for 2 rounds. At 20th level, you can choose a third spell-like
ability, and the benefit of each one lasts for 3 rounds"

EDIT: This a case of poorly worded?

EDIT: Or just assumed?

The example given is for an 11th level swashbuckler, which seems to imply a need to advance as swashbuckler. As a DM that is how I would rule.

[Darrin]

You'll be taking a -1 penalty on your attack rolls for wearing a buckler while fighting with a two-handed weapon, and you can't gain its AC bonus in any round that you use the arm it's worn on to help wield a weapon. Definitely get rid of it.


Use a Dwarven Buckler Axe (A&EG/Races of Stone) instead. +1 shield bonus, can be enchanted as a shield, but no -1 penalty on attack rolls. If you don't attack with it as a weapon, you don't need to take EWP for it.

[SciChronic]

I'm surprised no one has suggested changing to lesser teifling yet.