3.5 Build Help: Drow Dual Wield Shadowpounce

[Omen Rune]

Hello,

I need to make a Drow for a 3.5 Menzoberranzan game and I've decided that he will use two claw bracers (they aren't the best thing ever, but they are very cool and leave hands free). I'd like him to be capable in melee, but, other than that, he can be anything except a cleric. Can you help me please? I've searched for builds, but haven't found any that would fit. I'll be starting at 7th level, but need advice for all levels if possible.

Edit: Since starting this post I've changed some things. I'm using spiked gauntlets to save a feat, cleric levels involving mask, lolth, or shar's domains would be acceptable, and I'm trying to build towards a shadowpounce character, or character who is focused on darkness and shadow abilities.

[Darrin]

Can you help me please?

TWF OffHandbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?279079).

If you want to TWF with the claw bracers, BardBlade with Dragonfire Inspiration gets the best damage output. After that, Swift Hunter is pretty solid, although a bit more complicated to put together. Daring Outlaw isn't quite so impressive, but simpler to put together and still pretty decent.

The level adjustment will hurt no matter what you build. Is Savage Progression Drow (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a), Lesser Drow, or Half-Drow available?

[Omen Rune]

I think so, though I'd rather not play a half-drow.

I found this build and it looks really interesting, but i'm not sure if it would work with claw bracers or not, and I don't really know what it would look like at lvl 7. Using poison, shadowy-ness, and sneak attack damage in melee seems really cool. I'll check out the builds you are recommending.
Fang of Lolth/Iajutsu Master
http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1904131

[Omen Rune]

I'm now looking into shadowpounce and/or poison builds... looking for some way to make this character viable...

[Darrin]

I'm now looking into shadowpounce and/or poison builds... looking for some way to make this character viable...

There are only two ways to get Shadow Pounce: Telflammar Shadowlord 4 and Crinti Shadow Marauder 5. Due to skill requirements, you can't get into the first before ECL 7, and the second before ECL 5, so even at the earliest, not counting Level Adjustment, puts it at ECL 10.

Hmm... EWP sucks up too many feats to make Bardblade or Daring Outlaw work all that well. How about:

Race: Savage Progression Drow (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) or Lesser Drow.
1) Scout 1. Feat: Combat Reflexes.
2) Ranger 1. Bonus: Track.
3) Ranger 2. Feat: EWP Claw Bracer. Bonus: TWF.
4) Cloistered Cleric 1. Travel Devotion, Knowledge Devotion, Magic Domain.
5) Scout 2.
6) Scout 3. Feat: Swift Hunter.
7) Barbarian 1. Spirit Lion Totem -> Pounce.

[Omen Rune]

What I'm thinking is that I'll use spiked gauntlets and role-play them as having wolverine style blades attached as opposed to spikes. Saves me a feat that would be spent on flavor and have zero benefit. I know the shadow pounce would be several levels away, but I'm very interested in playing a shadow pounce style character. I can't hit the TSL prestige class until 8, I'm already low on feats going that route... but I'm wondering if a shadowdancer dip could be worth it. It would cost me taking combat reflexes, which is pretty meh. I'm basically looking at everything shadow related right now, including templates, because in the underdark it is ridiculously powerful and I think it's cool. So where I'm at now is making a viable character who already has some shadowy stuff going on, but is on the fast track to shadow pouncing, eventually 3 times per round.

I'd like to hit TSL at 8. I know Sword Saint can give me 2d6 sneak attack with assassin's stance pretty early, or i could do 3 rogue levels. I could get feats from rogue variant (poison rogue variant would be funner though), fighter, or psychic warrior. The challenging part is getting dimension door or shadow jump. Most people take the Shadow Walker template to do this, but I'm wondering if that's the only route I can go. I can be a secret Mask worshiper if I must and that would explain the whole TSL thing. That raises my effective level by 1 and will make grabbing those 4 levels of TSL I need take longer unless I am allowed to buy it off at some point. I'm also curious if extra charisma and a darkness spell-like ability is worth being a fancy drow and taking more xp penalties.

I looked at the Shade template and, though it is crazy expensive, it pairs well with the darkness at will and with the underdark in general. Probably way too expensive to justify, but a possibility for a game that isn't going to last a really long time.

Theres several more darkness related templates, like dark and shadow creature. They can give bonuses to saving throws, dex, hide, and those sorts of things.

The one advantage i can see of going shadowdancer over shadow walker is that I could potentially get myself down to a +0 level adjustment right out of the gate, which could be nice for getting 4 levels of TSL as fast as possible, but that build isn't really used, and I'm guessing it's because it isn't as good or as fast to build as the shadow walker route.

[Omen Rune]

Sorry for another double post.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?279079-3-5-The-TWF-OffHandbook

So, in the Quadrapounce build, the issue I'm having is that, even without EWP, I'm a feat behind. The build isn't explained very well level by level, so I'm not sure if this can be fixed or not. I'm a Drow instead of a Human, is the gist of it. Now, it doesn't look to me like I could give up rogue sneak attack for feats and still hit TSL at 8. I could do Ftr4/SS3... I can't just drop one level of rogue and take another in sword saint without incurring exp penalties for multi-classing. And the most troublesome part is, since I don't don't have a good breakdown of the build level by level, then I really don't know what I can change without breaking it.

Maybe I will be allowed to use flaws. I just learned about them.

[Darrin]

So, in the Quadrapounce build, the issue I'm having is that, even without EWP, I'm a feat behind. The build isn't explained very well level by level, so I'm not sure if this can be fixed or not. I'm a Drow instead of a Human, is the gist of it.

Replace Telflammar Shadowlord (requires 3 feats) with Crinti Shadow Marauder (requires 2 feats). Also, Crinti Shadow Marauder has a racial requirement: drow. You can also get into it earlier.

Consider:

Race: Savage Progression Drow or Lesser Drow.
1) Totemist 1. Feat: TWF.
2) Totemist 2.
3) Psychic Warrior 1. Feat: Stealthy. Bonus: EWP Claw Bracers.
4) Psychic Warrior 2. Mantled Warrior ACF (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070214a): Freedom (dimension hop).
5) Swordsage 1.
6) Swordsage 2. Feat: Mounted Combat. Shadow Jaunt.
7) Crinti Shadow Marauder 1.

This gives you three teleports a round: dimension hop (swift), Shadow Jaunt (standard), and Blink Shirt (move). Shadow Pounce kicks in at ECL 11.

If you'd rather wait for Shadow Stride, we can swap Fighter 2 or Feat Rogue 2 instead of Totemist, and swap in Warblade 1 for the two Swordsage levels and get in a level earlier:

1) Feat Rogue 1. Feat: TWF. Bonus: Mounted Combat.
2) Feat Rogue 2. Bonus: EWP Claw Bracers.
3) Psychic Warrior 1. Feat: Stealthy. Bonus: Weapon Focus Claw Bracers.
4) Psychic Warrior 2. Mantled Warrior ACF (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070214a): Freedom (dimension hop).
5) Warblade 1.
6) Crinti Shadow Marauder 1. Martial Study: Shadow Jaunt.
7) Crinti Shadow Marauder 2.
etc.

Yes, Martial Study to pick up Shadow Jaunt/Shadow Stride will cost you some feats, but it also gives you the Warblade recovery mechanic, allowing you to reliably Shadow Pounce every other round. You could stick with the Swordsage levels, but then you need to spend a feat on Adaptive Style to recover your maneuvers.

[ShurikVch]

Note: Shade template have Savage Progression in Dragon #322
By taking one level of it, and then entering Uncanny Trickster (or Legacy Champion) you may cut LA down to +2 (or even +1)