need help with high tier swordmen

[Nosta]

so I want to go about building a very powerful swordmen. who can dish out large amounts of damage. I have a 2d6 c 16-20 x5 great sword in mind for the weapon. I want this person to be a mix of brute force and skill of blade but more brute force.

I was thinking of going down the Barbarian line grapping pounce maxing jump and getting leap attack but i'm not sure if there is something bette.

but then I was not sure if I should multi class with another melee class (there is no penalty)

now I must ask if the sword I want is possible
The sword is a + 3 Adamantine collision Laminated Mercurial Razor Sharp serrated great sword

[Kelb_Panthera]

Two things, how are you getting the extra threat range/ X1 crit mod into that? It's gotta be something to do with your build. Did you go with my suggestion of OA's weapon master?

Grappling goes against the ubercharger you're trying to setup here. Just drop that idea altogether. Leap attacking pouncers do a -lot- of damage on a charge. Are you sure your DM/Gaming group is prepared for that or should we expect to hear from your DM in a few days? In the latter case, drop pounce. One mighty attack can still make you feel like a badass without completely gimping encounters.

Barbarian's rage is pretty solid for any melee type but are you sure you don't want to use any of the options it cuts off? No using most of the mental skills or expertise?

I'd have to source most of those weapon modifiers to determine if that particular combo is legal. Looks like mostly PF or 3rd party stuff, except mercurial. On the enhancement side, though, collision is always nice for crit fishers but +2 of that +3 could probably be put to better use with special abilities. Something like (I want to say) screaming, perhaps? If damage is what you're after, +X enhancement bonus is one of the poorest ways to get there. We eat the +1 because we have to, not because we like it.

[Nosta]

Two things, how are you getting the extra threat range/ X1 crit mod into that? It's gotta be something to do with your build. Did you go with my suggestion of OA's weapon master?

Grappling goes against the ubercharger you're trying to setup here. Just drop that idea altogether. Leap attacking pouncers do a -lot- of damage on a charge. Are you sure your DM/Gaming group is prepared for that or should we expect to hear from your DM in a few days? In the latter case, drop pounce. One mighty attack can still make you feel like a badass without completely gimping encounters.

Barbarian's rage is pretty solid for any melee type but are you sure you don't want to use any of the options it cuts off? No using most of the mental skills or expertise?

I'd have to source most of those weapon modifiers to determine if that particular combo is legal. Looks like mostly PF or 3rd party stuff, except mercurial. On the enhancement side, though, collision is always nice for crit fishers but +2 of that +3 could probably be put to better use with special abilities. Something like (I want to say) screaming, perhaps? If damage is what you're after, +X enhancement bonus is one of the poorest ways to get there. We eat the +1 because we have to, not because we like it.


well i'm sure if my spell storing arrows of shivering touch did not piss of my gm i'm sure I can get away with a lot.

the other mods of the sword are from DRG M and some 3.0 book called mercenaries or something like that the +1 crit range is cause great sword (I forgot I was making keen) would be 17-20 serrated reduces the threat range by 1 so that be 16-20 or what it go 19-20 then 18-20 then keen for 15-20

[Pluto!]

What do you mean "High Tier"?

Are you just looking for a build that fights well with a sword or do you want a full/nearly full progression in artificer, caster or psion?

[Kelb_Panthera]

well i'm sure if my spell storing arrows of shivering touch did not piss of my gm i'm sure I can get away with a lot.

Then by all means, meat-cannon away.


the other mods of the sword are from DRG M and some 3.0 book called mercenaries or something like that the +1 crit range is cause great sword (I forgot I was making keen) would be 17-20 serrated reduces the threat range by 1 so that be 16-20 or what it go 19-20 then 18-20 then keen for 15-20

I'd say that keen should apply -after- the non-magical modifiers. Beyond that, I'd check the other modifiers to make sure there's no language to suggest exclusivity between them.

Might want to drop adamantine. It's a pretty uncommon bypasss for DR and you're more than powerful enough to carve up a wall without it if you need to. It's just not enough bang for the buck, savvy?

I seem to recall there being enhancments by the names of valorous and either wrathful or raging or something like that in a couple of FR sources. The former doubles weapon damage on a charge and the latter gives some bonus during a rage.

Edit: Incidently, this is -not- high tier. It's high-op for a fighting type; typical ubercharger fare; but high-tier would be some kind of gish build. Something in the typical wiz/fighter/spellsword/abjurant champion/eldritch knight with a good selection of combat buffs is high-tier.

[Nosta]

What do you mean "High Tier"?

Are you just looking for a build that fights well with a sword or do you want a full/nearly full progression in artificer, caster or psion?

very powerful swordmen.

ever hear of Hiko sojirou? I want a build like him

[Troacctid]

The best way to deal large amounts of damage in melee is to be either an ubercharger or a Warblade. Or both.

To do this while also being top-tier, you'll also want full spellcasting, or as near to it as possible. That points to a persistomancer Cleric or similar. But I suspect that's not really what you were asking.

I recommend going with a Warblade specced for charging. It's simple and extremely effective.

[Nosta]

Then by all means, meat-cannon away.



I'd say that keen should apply -after- the non-magical modifiers. Beyond that, I'd check the other modifiers to make sure there's no language to suggest exclusivity between them.

Might want to drop adamantine. It's a pretty uncommon bypasss for DR and you're more than powerful enough to carve up a wall without it if you need to. It's just not enough bang for the buck, savvy?

I seem to recall there being enhancments by the names of valorous and either wrathful or raging or something like that in a couple of FR sources. The former doubles weapon damage on a charge and the latter gives some bonus during a rage.

valorous sounds good but I think I want a build like Hiko sojirou from samurai X

[Kelb_Panthera]

Diamond mind warblade. Definitely. Scrap barbarian and go straight warblade with a focus on the diamond mind discipline unless ToB is off the table for some reason.

[Troacctid]

If you want samurai powers, then I'm going to double down on my Warblade suggestion. Diamond Mind maneuvers have a nice samurai flavor to them.

[Nosta]

Diamond mind warblade. Definitely. Scrap barbarian and go straight warblade with a focus on the diamond mind discipline unless ToB is off the table for some reason.

so for a level 10 Build I should go warblade and stick to Diamond mind
the point buy is 34 this basicly a back up pc as the chance of my character being killed soon is high.

my fluff is a young man who comes from a famous family of wizards but who he him self as not a drop of magical talent in him. so he has taken up learning the way of the blade to make up to it. and to prove to his father he can get on by with out being a all powerful wizard

[Sahleb]

Diamond mind warblade. Definitely. Scrap barbarian and go straight warblade with a focus on the diamond mind discipline unless ToB is off the table for some reason.

No reason not to take a level of barbarian and extra rage in there though.

[Kelb_Panthera]

No reason not to take a level of barbarian and extra rage in there though.

Depends how close to the Samurai X character he wants his to mirror. Nothing in the hiten-mitsurugi style or that character's characterization suggests rage at all. Maybe whirling frenzy barabarian?