Swift/Fast Swordsman, how to?

[Dusk Eclipse]

I've been working on a TWF build using DSP material and I'm happy with it, the core of the concept is a swift warrior, who beats his opponents before they can even react. Right now I'm doing it through a combination of huge number of attacks per round, and a hefty dose of AoO/counter attacks; I'd like to know what other options exists. There are the obvious things like haste, Improved Initiative, having high dex, high movement speed, etc. but I'm pretty sure there is more. Feel free to throw in anything you can think off, but non-spell/powers options are preferred, since I'd like to keep the build as a non-caster, though that isn't set in stone.

[Callin]

Vanguard Commander Warlord using a Light Spiked Shield and whatever Close mainhand. Two Weapon Fighting and take the Thrashing Dragon Style line of Feats (current playtest feats, very cool if you have not looked into them). Also pick up Riven Hourglass (also playtest) for Time Skitter (boost) to get Haste for Initiating Mod in rounds. Riven Hourglass also has some swift action attacks.

When you initiate a Strike or Counter you get a free Shield Bash. When intitiating a Single Attack Strike you get your off hand attack. As a Full Round Action you can attack every enemy around you with your main hand and every off hand weapon you have in hand. As in extra arms.

I am sure others can give you more and better advice

[Dusk Eclipse]

I'm actually working on a base of Dervish Defender using Thrashing Dragon (strikes) and Mithral Current (Counters) alongside the Thrashing Dragon Style feat chain; on the other hand I never paid much attention to Riven Hourglass, so I'll check it out.

[Extra Anchovies]

If you want mobility, you want the Harbinger. Grim News is a great way to move around in combat. +Int to attack and damage helps with TWF, too. Bleak Emissary would work particularly well.

Ninja'd by OP. I guess you're going Dervish Defender. Ah well.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I wasn't really looking for mobility specifically, but now that you mention I don't really need to go farther than DD 4 (for Dervish Defence), which would enable Panther Style Shenanigans, if I go bleak emissary, but didn't Harbinger lost Int to damage in the latest version? I'm pretty sure Accursed Will was nerfed recently.

Another problem with harbinger is that he doesn't get native access to either TD or MC, which would tie down my discipline swaps. Still it is a cool option that I hadn't really considered.

[Extra Anchovies]

I wasn't really looking for mobility specifically, but now that you mention I don't really need to go farther than DD 4 (for Dervish Defence), which would enable Panther Style Shenanigans, if I go bleak emissary, but didn't Harbinger lost Int to damage in the latest version? I'm pretty sure Accursed Will was nerfed recently.

They still get Int to damage at level 10 unless the doc in the OP of the PoW:E playtest thread is outdated.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Not sure really, the Harbinger doc has Int to damage at level 10, but it also has that giant warning at the top so I don't know. Furthermore the earliest I would get that part of Accursed will is at level 14, so it wouldn't be really relevant for most of the character's life. (Assuming I went DD 4/ BE 16 of course)

[Extra Anchovies]

Not sure really, the Harbinger doc has Int to damage at level 10, but it also has that giant warning at the top so I don't know. Furthermore the earliest I would get that part of Accursed will is at level 14, so it wouldn't be really relevant for most of the character's life. (Assuming I went DD 4/ BE 16 of course)

Well, +Int (and even +1/2 Int) to attack helps offset the Piranha Strike penalty, so even a dip may be worth it. I'd go with three levels so you can get Grim News 1/encounter.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Ewww an odd-numbered dip in an initiating build (:smalltongue: joking... mostly), I agree that 1/2 int to hit isn't bad by any stretch, but besides that there is little to gain from a non-archetype Harbinger, and if I went Bleak Emissary I would need to go at least 6 levels in order to get permanent Panther Style which is needed since the character would love to combine Panther Claw with counters and Thrashing Dragon Pounce. I'd also love to eventually include Panther Parry, but the Wis 15 pre-req is sort of painful.

Grim News is a neat ability, but without more than 3 Harbinger Levels Tactical Rush is pretty much the same.

Now don't get me wrong, these are all awesome idea, but it is getting increasingly difficult to use them all at the same time.