Single class Warblade into Master of Nine-level 1-9 only. (3.5)

[Marlowe]

I was looking at feedback on the Master of Nine PrC from Tome of Battle and became a little interested that everything I found was based on the assumption that only a Swordsage could qualify for it, so I threw this together using a straight Warblade.

Race has to be Human if without flaws. Non-Human races would need at least one flaw.



LEVEL
FEATS
MANEUVERS
STANCES


1
Martial Study (Burning Blade)-(Human bonus), Power Attack OR Weapon Finesse.
Moment of Perfect Mind (DM), Steel Wind (IH), Steely Strike (IH)
Punishing Stance (IH)


2
xx
Wolf Fang Strike (TC)
xx


3
Desert Wind Dodge
Mountain Hammer (SD)
xx


4
xx
Exchange Steely Strike for Emerald Razor (DM)
Leading the Attack (WR)


5
Improved Initiative (Warblade bonus)
Insightful Strike
xx


6
Adaptive Style
xx
xx


7
xx
White Raven Strike (WR) OR White Raven Tactics (WR)
xx


8
xx
Exchange Steel Wind for Wall of Blades (not required. Could be done earlier)
xx


9
Improved Unarmed Strike, Blind-Fight (Warblade bonus)
Mithral Tornado OR Iron Heart Surge
xx



So, that's all the required feats. And maneuvers from 6 different disciplines. The requirement of 10 ranks in four Discipline skills is easily met. The character is now free to enter Master of Nine at level 10.

The order of feats and the precise maneuvers could be tweaked quite a bit--I would have liked to have Leaping Dragon Stance and Sudden Leap in there. It would be much easier and more elegant to wait until level 14.

So, comments please. Is there anything wrong with this, and if not why is Master of Nine considered a Swordsage-only club?

EDIT: Thank you Karnith.

[Saintheart]

Maybe it's just the skill ranks. Swordsages pull 6+Int skill points per level and Warblades are 4+Int. Even the fluff text says Warblades and Swordsages are the easiest entry paths.

[Marlowe]

Warblades are INT-based. Swordsages are WIS-based. It's trivial to have the same or possibly even more Skill points per level on a Warblade as on a Swordsage, although the Swordsage has a broader skill list.

It's certainly extremely easy for a Warblade to have 10 ranks in 4 of Concentration, Jump, Tumble, Balance, Diplomacy, and Intimidate (It doesn't even say that the Discipline skill has to match the maneuvers you have) by level 9, possibly Sense Motive or Hide with a different Martial study.

It could be that Master of Nine simply appeals less to Warblade because of its lower BAB and Hit Dice, but my usual experience with Warblades is that by the level it would be possible to PrC out you're generally doing pretty well in those areas, while the low number of maneuvers known and readied is starting to hurt.

[Mr Adventurer]

with Warblades is that by the level it would be possible to PrC out you're generally doing pretty well in those areas, while the low number of maneuvers known and readied is starting to hurt.

Can confirm.

[Karnith]

Just as an FYI, Adaptive Style is not a Warblade bonus feat, so you can't take it at level 5. You would need to switch it with Improved Initiative in your feat progression for this to work.

Warblade has always been my favored entry into Mo9, albeit generally with at least one dip to get the pre-reqs out of the way as quickly as possible.

[Marlowe]

You're correct. I'll edit that.

And thanks for saying you like to get in as a Warblade. I saw so many swordsage-based builds for Mo9 and flat comments like; "You have to be a Swordsage to qualify" I was starting to wonder if I was reading something wrong.