If your just dipping into swordsage

[Masakan]

how useful is adaptive style?

[OldTrees1]

Depends on what manuevers you are picking up and what else you have going for you.


If you are picking out of combat/utility manuevers then Adaptive Style is not useful to you.
If your combat style relies on the manuevers then Adaptive Style might be worth considering (but then so is Crusader and Warblade for their better recharge systems).

For example: If you are taking Swordsage for Mountain Hammer, Cloak of Deception, and Shadow Stride, then adaptive style is not very beneficial.

[Venger]

how useful is adaptive style?

It's extremely useful. it lets you change out all your readied maneuvers with just a fullround action instead of spending 5 whole minutes stretching out your hammies.

how many levels are you dipping, and what maneuvers are you taking? if it's stuff you're not planning to use more than 1/combat, or if it's primarily utility/out of combat stuff it's less important, but this is a handy feat for swapping around situational maneuvers.

[Masakan]

Ok let's give an example,
One only has a 2 level dip, but got things like mighty and devestating throw ad well as counter charge and baffling defense so yeah. with the rest being like w/e. So yeah those 4 pretty much exclusively

The other one has things like burning blade, cloak of deception, burning brand and windstride.

So who would need it?
And yeah basically a 1-2 level dip.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I wouldn't bother if I was just dipping swordsage for only a level or two. The ability to swap out and re-ready your maneuvers is nice but if you've only got half a dozen or so known and can ready most of them, the value of the feat drops pretty sharply.

Sudden recovery is about as valuable to a character with only a splash of swordsage.

In either case, it's something to fill a feat slot you don't need for something more imortant.

[OldTrees1]

Ok let's give an example,
One only has a 2 level dip, but got things like mighty and devestating throw ad well as counter charge and baffling defense so yeah. with the rest being like w/e. So yeah those 4 pretty much exclusively

The other one has things like burning blade, cloak of deception, burning brand and windstride.

So who would need it?
And yeah basically a 1-2 level dip.

The first has 2 standard action and 2 immediate action in combat manuevers. They could easily run through them in 2 turns and recharge the lot on turn 3. Sounds like a solid choice for Adaptive Style (assuming those throws are their primary attack strategy).

The second has 4 combat boosts. After 4 turns they would like a refresher. So another good choice for Adaptive Style (although less reliant than the first example). In all honesty this one would prefer a Warblade or Crusader's refresh mechanic but the desired maneuvers are not offered in those packages.

[BowStreetRunner]

You basically have two realistic options here.

Make sure the maneuvers you have over the number you are able to ready are not intended to be accessed during an unplanned encounter. Ready all of your other maneuvers. If you need the ones that are not readied you can spend five minutes, then another five when you are done with them to return to your normal configuration. Do not expect to ever use these excess maneuvers in any encounters that are not planned.
Pick up adaptive style. If you suddenly find yourself needing a maneuver that you did not ready, use a full round action to switch your readied maneuvers out.

[Masakan]

The first has 2 standard action and 2 immediate action in combat manuevers. They could easily run through them in 2 turns and recharge the lot on turn 3. Sounds like a solid choice for Adaptive Style (assuming those throws are their primary attack strategy).(Well it's one of them)

The second has 4 combat boosts. After 4 turns they would like a refresher. So another good choice for Adaptive Style (although less reliant than the first example). In all honesty this one would prefer a Warblade or Crusader's refresh mechanic but the desired maneuvers are not offered in those packages.
Yeah sadly I really like the flavor of desert wind, and I really want child of shadows for that nice blur effect.

[HunterOfJello]

Depends.

If you are going to use a single level in Swordsage for your primary method of fighting in combat then it could be worth it. It's a tough choice since it can be better to set your character up so that they don't have to spend an entire round of combat doing absolutely nothing just so they can perform at their normal efficiency.

Alternatively, if you're just grabbing Swordsage for boosts, counters, a mountain hammer, and stances then it would not be worth it. You can definitely get a lot of use out of Swordsage without Adaptive Style.

(You can also attempt to get your DM to allow the adaptive style recharge mechanic as the default for swordsages since lots of DMs do that anyway.)

[Masakan]

Depends.

If you are going to use a single level in Swordsage for your primary method of fighting in combat then it could be worth it. It's a tough choice since it can be better to set your character up so that they don't have to spend an entire round of combat doing absolutely nothing just so they can perform at their normal efficiency.

Alternatively, if you're just grabbing Swordsage for boosts, counters, a mountain hammer, and stances then it would not be worth it. You can definitely get a lot of use out of Swordsage without Adaptive Style.

(You can also attempt to get your DM to allow the adaptive style recharge mechanic as the default for swordsages since lots of DMs do that anyway.)

I tend to build under the assumption that my DM is a total tight ass, meaning real by the book no homebrew no dragon magazine