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Behold_the_Void
2007-04-16, 07:04 PM
So I'm putting together a character for an evil Faerun campaign, and am now turning my mind to the build. This is a semi-optimization thread, so I'm not looking for the best possible solution. Also, this is a Tome of Battle class, so we'll be talking maneuvers and such.

So first, the concept:

The character is a Neutral Evil wandering swordsman-style Swordsage. He travels around looking for worthy foes to defeat in battle and improve his own abilities. I'm coming into the campaign around level 9. He worships Kossuth, following the ideal that the strong survive and the weak are consumed.

He travels around in cloak and straw hat. He carries a wooden staff with him that actually conceals two short swords (likely shaped as ninja-to). When he meets a worthy opponent, he draws the swords and gives them an honorable defeat, likely either burying or burning their bodies (probably burning, offering them to his diety). Those who he defeats with his staff are left to the crows. The staff concept has been OKed by my DM, so no problems there since it's not completely in-keeping with RAW.

He's also intended to be highly acrobatic, with ranks in tumble and jump. He is also skilled in bare-hand combat, and can attack with his fists and feet interchangeably with his staff.

My current Feat Progression is looking like this:
Shadow Blade (1)
Improved Unarmed Strike (Hu)
Weapon Finesse (3)
Two-Weapon Fighting (6)
Snap Kick (9)

I'll likely pick up either Improved Two-Weapon Fighting or Superior Unarmed Strike at level 12, either way I'm likely going to come in wearing a Monk's Belt (side question: how does that stack with Superior Unarmed Strike?).

Stance-wise, I'll only be taking Shadow Hand stances so I can get my Dexterity to damage. When fighting with his staff, he severely disadvantages himself, due to the staff being non-finesse-able, unenchanted, and not being a Shadow Hand weapon to receive the benefits of his dexterity to damage (hence the "unworthy foe" bit).

The major question I'm looking at is how I'm going to do his maneuvers. Shadow Hand is obviously a given, he's a trick fighter with a lot of sneaky and precise moves that Shadow Hand works well with. I'm also thinking Setting Sun for some of the counters and the throw chain.

Tiger Claw will likely happen because I like the jump-and-stab and pounce style, which fits with the Two-Weapon Fighting build that I'm using to emphasize his ability to use both swords and his body as a deadly weapon, as well as to use the staff's double-weapon properties to make even his weak style impressive-looking.

I'm considering either Diamond Mind or Desert Wind (possibly even a bit of both). Desert Wind, especially, has the whole Fire aspect going on which would work with the Kossuth worship.

Major questions here are what maneuvers would work best with this concept, as well as some later feats that might help it out and equipment/enchantment options I might want to look into. I'm not looking for nor needing a heavy optimization for this group, but I do want him to be reasonably effective inside the concept.

I have access to most books, and if I don't my DM likely does, so suggestions from all over the board are welcome. However, please leave obviously cheesy/broken ideas out of it. I'm not trying to break the game.

storybookknight
2007-04-16, 07:09 PM
Some of the TWF boosts from Desert Wind are thematically very shiny, and I highly recommend them, as they're sources of extra damage. While getting your dex to damage is nice, I recommend picking stances that enhance TWF fighting power, rather than something more extraneous.

Bears With Lasers
2007-04-16, 07:12 PM
I'd skip Snap Kick in favor of, say, ITWF. You will want Tiger Claw and Burning Blade, probably some Diamond Mind (i.e. Mind Over Body). Desert Wind boosts that set your swords on fire are both effective and in keeping with the Kossuth-worship. You'll want to do things like Burning Blade + Wolf Fang Strike, and at higher levels Pouncing Charge + Dancing Mongoose.

Behold_the_Void
2007-04-16, 08:05 PM
The reason I'm currently considering Snap Kick is that he can use it without making a full attack, which gives him some versatility where he can pull off a kick with his strike. It serves thematically to reinforce the idea of him using martial arts and his weapon while attacking, even when he's doing a quick strike. ITWF still gives that as an option, but he can't do it as consistently, especially since I expect he'll be moving around a lot.

Also, with my Tumbling ability, Shadow Hand's Assassin Stance for Sneak Attack will probably be used a lot. There are some other nice Shadow Hand stances that work for me too.

Bears With Lasers
2007-04-16, 08:13 PM
For times when you won't be able to make a full attack, pick up a couple of standard-action strikes, like Insightful Strike. They come in handy that way.

Child of Shadow is one of the best Shadow Hand stances for when you move. If you take the Gloom Razor tactical feat at 12, it goes very well with Child of Shadow. That's what I'd recommend--ITWF at 9, Gloom Razor at 12.

Behold_the_Void
2007-04-17, 01:55 AM
Gloom Razor is rather good, I was planning on grabbing it at some point. 12 sounds like a good time to do it, and I'll see about the ITWF, I can see where its useful. I do like Snap Kick's "use with maneuvers" though, but an extra attack with the short swords is nothing to sneeze at, especially as they're easier to enchant.

Any other must-have maneuvers? I have a good idea of what I'm looking at, but more suggestions are always welcome.