The End is Nigh: Iaijutsu Bard is almost done. I've got some questions.

[Snowbluff]

So I got into a level 5 gestalt game so I can use that Bard build from earlier.

16, 17, 10 12 14 12 are my stats before modification and

Matteo Orpheus, Innistrad Executioner. Unseelie Fey Phrenic Silverbrow Human
Bard5 on the first side//see below for other side

H: Power Attack
F: Skill Knowledge (Iai)
F: Quickdraw
1: Weapon Focus (Katana)
3: Item Familiar

Spells:
Inspirational Boost (Bard1)
Swift Invisibility (Bard1)
Bladeweave (Bard2)
Whirling Blade (Bard2)

Weapon: I'll be using a cursed sword. It'll be modified for use as a Greatsword, I think. That way I can execute with it. It'll be my item familiar, with ranks assigned into Iai. I'll be spending some of my gold to add +1 and possibly keen.

Does anyone have the pricing for permanent kaorti resin?

Other side stuff:
Now, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to proceed. I wish to stack my BAB so it's six at level 6 to enter Iaijutsu master. I need Power Attack and Improved Init.
Marshall is being considered. Incarnate is being considered, but I'm not sure what to do with it. Maybe I'll do half fey instead of phrenic.

Battledancer1/(PhrenicLA2)/ Invisible Fist Monk2 (with a feat style option) is what I'm leaning towards right now.

What do you guys think? What should I do with my other side? Any suggestions for other spells?

[Red Fel]

Does anyone have the pricing for permanent kaorti resin?

Let's see. Kaorti resin weapons (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031014a) are masterwork weapons of their given type. So we're starting with the cost of a masterwork greatsword. A greatsword is 50 gp base, +300 for masterwork quality. So we're starting at 350 gp. Now, according to this article (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031014a), "Kaorti resin typically lasts only about 500 days, so a kaorti item maker must strengthen it with extra material excreted from its own body to fashion a truly permanent item; this process costs the kaorti experience points equal to 50% of the market price for a masterwork item of the appropriate type." In other words, you also have to pay the xp cost to the kaorti craftsman. 50% of the masterwork cost of the item is 175 gp, so it costs the kaorti 175 xp. The conversion rate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm) of gp to xp is 5 gp per xp, so that 175 xp costs you an additional 875 gp, added to your 350 gp for a masterwork greatsword. That puts you at 1225 gp for a masterwork kaorti resin sword that won't vanish in 500 days. That's before modifications for enhancements.

I'm pretty sure you need EWP for a kaorti resin weapon, though.

[sideswipe]

on the second side take a 2 level dip in swordsage at level 4 and 5 for sapphire nightmare blade, its great for when your only going to be making one attack that round anyway, and makes them flat footed.
also for Cloak of Deception. making you invisible for a swift action, therefore a full attack on flat footed.
also it staggers base attack so that at level 5 you get +1 to base attack when a bard would not.

i suggest 6th level dip assassin to get the spell distract assailant for flat footed.

first 3 levels..... hey fighter 2 could give a couple more feats, so that weapon focus katana and power attack are both fighter feats, you could use your human feat and 1st level feat for better ones.

and 3rd level.... factotum if you have enough int, for a small bonus to attack rolls a few times an encounter.
if not then marshal for charisma motivation.

so bard 5//fighter 2/factotum or marshal 1/swordsage 2/

but since you have your heart set on this
Battledancer1/(PhrenicLA2)/ Invisible Fist Monk2
then i must let you know that you have to have phenric as your first levels.
so you are actually phenric2/ battledancer 1/ monk 2

you dont have +1 base attack per level then. which is why i say drop phenric.
if you want phenric you will have to wait till level 7 to take iaijitsu master.

[Snowbluff]

Yeah, I can EWP it or I can master's touch it. Thanks for the calculation! ^^

I have to have an HD before I can apply a template. That's my reasoning. :smalltongue:

[sideswipe]

I have to have an HD before I can apply a template. That's my reasoning. :smalltongue:

well RAW the phenric template actually takes up both sides of a gestalt. as a gestalt is not 2 characters on one chassis its each time you can level up as a single class you may instead take two classes. its a common houserule (that i also use) that its only one side.

when you create a character with a level adjustment from a template that is inherited like phenric you add HD and class levels after the template.
for example a half dragon fighter at level 20 is not
fighter 1/ half dragon 2 /fighter 17 as that says that he was once a non half dragon half dragon.

same with your phenric creature who was phenric from birth. your build says he was once not phenric at level one but then spontaneously became phenric.

think of it along the same lines as a child human half fey, it does not gain its first adult level or HD technically until it is 15. so you apply the template before the first level always.

[Snowbluff]

Logically sound, but I have 1 HD as a human dude, right? It gets replaced when I level? (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm) Gestalt says you start with the two classes at one level, so combined with the ruling of LA only applying once (not uncommon, but I agree it's weird), this is what I think happens.

So as a baby I was Humanoid1/PhrenicLA2. Once I leveled, I replaced my first Hit die with the abilities of the 2 classes I've selected... This makes no sense. I might drop the LA for simplicity. New goal is finding SR...

EDIT: Is there a way for me to get Ascetic Mage as a bonus feat for using swordsage? The other option is warblade for song of the white raven.

[geekintheground]

on the second side take a 2 level dip in swordsage at level 4 and 5 for sapphire nightmare blade, its great for when your only going to be making one attack that round anyway, and makes them flat footed.
also for Cloak of Deception. making you invisible for a swift action, therefore a full attack on flat footed.
also it staggers base attack so that at level 5 you get +1 to base attack when a bard would not.

i suggest 6th level dip assassin to get the spell distract assailant for flat footed.

first 3 levels..... hey fighter 2 could give a couple more feats, so that weapon focus katana and power attack are both fighter feats, you could use your human feat and 1st level feat for better ones.

and 3rd level.... factotum if you have enough int, for a small bonus to attack rolls a few times an encounter.
if not then marshal for charisma motivation.

so bard 5//fighter 2/factotum or marshal 1/swordsage 2/

but since you have your heart set on this
Battledancer1/(PhrenicLA2)/ Invisible Fist Monk2
then i must let you know that you have to have phenric as your first levels.
so you are actually phenric2/ battledancer 1/ monk 2

you dont have +1 base attack per level then. which is why i say drop phenric.
if you want phenric you will have to wait till level 7 to take iaijitsu master.

if youre gonna dip fighter 2 and focus on iaijutsu, you should take the hit and run ACF from DotU. bonus to initiative and +dex to dmg vs flat footed foes, and all you lose are heavy armor and tower sheilds. nothing in that section of the book suggests you have to be a drow to take any of the ACFs there (except some of the names, but hit and run doesnt have that problem)

[Snowbluff]

I've considered Drow Fighter. It's a win/loss. More damage, less option for invisibility.

Considering Telthor. Need an option for fast healing.

EDIT: Considering DrowFighter1/Binder4. Taking an aura of Sadness as a vestige, for more penalties.

New Stub for that build

Bard5//DrowFighter1/Binder4

1) Quickdraw
3) Item Familiar
F) Skill Knowledge: Iaijutsu Focus
F) Improve Initiative
FIGHT) Weapon Focus (Katana)
BINDER) Improve Binding
HUMAN) Power Attack

I'll bind Malphas as my main vestige. Sudden Strike + Invisibility + scouting birds (ravens).

[Waker]

How about a bit more Swordsage opposite your Bard? Then you could go this route.

Originally Posted by Crasical
There's a spell called Undersong in a book called Champions of Ruin which lets you substitute a Perform check for any Concentrate check you'd make in the next minute/caster level. A ring of Undersong costs only 8k gold.
The Complete Warrior has a special Perform variant called Weapon Drill, where you show off your mastery of a weapon for a bit, adding half your BAB and getting an untyped +2 for each of a list of martial-type feats you might have.
The Diamond Mind Maneuvers Action before Thought, Mind over Body, and Moment of Perfect Mind let you make Concentrate checks instead of Reflex, Fort, or Will saves.
Diamond, Ruby, and Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Insightful strike and Greater Insightful Strike all use Concentrate checks to attack things.


Take an Adamantine weapon for flavor. You can now cut just about everything. Mind control magic? Cut it. Poison? Cut it. Fireball? Cut it. Go wild. Parry lightning. If it allows a save, cut it.
Even if your BAB isn't that great, you could still hit the enemy by just having a high Perform check.

[Snowbluff]

I know about that. I'd rather go WB over SW, depending. Then again, Ascetic Mage...

[Waker]

Not sure why I didn't say Swordsage or Warblade, since they both get Diamond Mind. Unless your DM approves Ascetic Mage working for Swordsage, I'd say take Warblade. You might not get as many maneuvers, but you still get a better HD, BAB, Fort and Refl (Int+) and so on. The feats are definitely a nice boon.