need to pick out feats for a swiftblade

[Nosta]

so here are the feats I have for my sorcerer/swiftblade barbarian


1 Dodge
H mobility
3 Improved Initiative
6 combat expertise
9 whirlwind attack
flaw arcane strike
flaw versatile spell caster
Bonus spring attack

i'd like to know if I should switch anything out and in that case, for what

[Troacctid]

In gestalt? Swiftblade, and it's not close. Since you can take Sorcerer levels on the other side on the levels where you'd normally drop a level of casting, it's effectively full casting, and the class abilities are head and shoulders above Abjurant Champion's.

[MisterKaws]

In gestalt? Swiftblade, and it's not close. Since you can take Sorcerer levels on the other side on the levels where you'd normally drop a level of casting, it's effectively full casting, and the class abilities are head and shoulders above Abjurant Champion's.

I'd reconsider going barbarian if I were you. Rage allows no casting, and rage mage sucks hard. If you just want a nice second half for your gish, try either Warblade for the maneuver cheese, or duskblade, for 9TH LEVEL TOUCH SPELLS ON EVERY DAMN HIT.

About the PrC, get something that aids your spellcasting, not a gish class, you're already getting all you need for a gish from the other side of the gestalt, so go incantatrix or something.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I'd reconsider going barbarian if I were you. Rage allows no casting, and rage mage sucks hard. If you just want a nice second half for your gish, try either Warblade for the maneuver cheese, or duskblade, for 9TH LEVEL TOUCH SPELLS ON EVERY DAMN HIT.
+1 to this. Barbarian has a good chassis, but you wind up with severe gestalt anti-synergy: your main class feature on one side (Rage) completely shuts down you main class feature on the other (spells). Something like Ranger would have a similar wilderness flavor without that issue.


About the PrC, get something that aids your spellcasting, not a gish class, you're already getting all you need for a gish from the other side of the gestalt, so go incantatrix or something.
Swiftblade gives fantastic class features, though-- 50% miss chance against attacks and spells, a big bonus to initiative, freedom of movement, extra standard actions, friggin' time stop. Something like Knight Phantom wouldn't be worth it, but Swiftblade-- or, yes, Abjurant Champion-- certainly has the features to work.

[Hiro Quester]

Combat casting is good. And a prerequisite for abjurant champion if you are going that route.

[Requiem_Jeer]

Improved Trip and Elusive Target would be good picks (drop improved initiative for combat expertise, Elusive Target at 6)

You can move through threatened areas with a +4 AC bonus due to mobility, and you get a free non-AoO trip attempt if they miss you. And your dodge target has extra problems against you.

I'm not actually sure Whirlwind attack is a good plan, especially when you can sub Wolf Berserker for Combat Expertise as Improved Trip's prerequisite and get an extra +4 on trip rolls.

[geekintheground]

Combat casting is good. And a prerequisite for abjurant champion if you are going that route.

pretty sure combat casting is pretty widely accepted as a bad feat, only to be taken if necessary (mostly for abjurant champion), which i know you mentioned but it sounds like you'd recommend it even if not going AC, though i apologize if im wrong. SF (concentration) is better, its only +1 less, and applies more often.

[Hiro Quester]

pretty sure combat casting is pretty widely accepted as a bad feat, only to be taken if necessary (mostly for abjurant champion), which i know you mentioned but it sounds like you'd recommend it even if not going AC, though i apologize if im wrong. SF (concentration) is better, its only +1 less, and applies more often.

Full disclosure: I have never played with it. I often play bards, where melodic casting is vital. I think of combat casting as equivalent. But looking again, it really isn't as good.

But it is a prerequisite for abjurant champion. And for progressing casting and full BAB, plus free extend spell on abjurations, even one level of abjurant champ is quite useful.

Speaking of which, extend spell is an excellent feat if you are going to be self-buffing for melee.

[Troacctid]

I would definitely switch out Whirlwind Attack, as it's generally underwhelming and doesn't particularly synergize with anything you're doing. A better feat if you're looking to enhance your melee abilities would be Minor Shapeshift, which can give you a damage boost, an extra attack, or temporary hit points as a swift action, usable at will. It's a superb feat for a gish.

You can do better than Combat Expertise and Improved Initiative.


Improved Trip and Elusive Target would be good picks (drop improved initiative for combat expertise, Elusive Target at 6)
I like this. Barbarian is on the other side of the gestalt, so you can actually get Improved Trip as a bonus feat, without the need for Combat Expertise: just use the wolf totem (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ) variant.


But it is a prerequisite for abjurant champion. And for progressing casting and full BAB, plus free extend spell on abjurations, even one level of abjurant champ is quite useful.
This is gestalt. He's already full casting and full BAB for all 20 levels. Abjurant Champion doesn't represent a chassis upgrade. And as a Sorcerer, there's a pretty good chance he doesn't even know any abjuration spells in the first place--certainly none that care about being extended. The class is just not good in this context. Honestly, it's just not that good in gestalt games in general, IMO, unless you actually care about abjurations. There are almost always better options.


Speaking of which, extend spell is an excellent feat if you are going to be self-buffing for melee.
Haste is already a free action and lasts the whole combat. Not much point wasting a higher-level spell slot to extend it.


Improved Trip and Elusive Target would be good picks (drop improved initiative for combat expertise, Elusive Target at 6)
I like this. Barbarian is on the other side of the gestalt, so you can actually get Improved Trip as a bonus feat, without the need for Combat Expertise: just use the wolf totem (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ) variant.

[Rebel7284]

Consider going Spelldancer for a level. You need Endurance and Combat Casting, but free metamagic is pretty amazing for a gish.

1 Dodge
H Endurance
3 Combat Casting
6 Extend Spell
9 Persistent Spell
Armor of Mobility: Mobility
flaw arcane strike
flaw versatile spell caster
Bonus spring attack