Feats to take with a scythe?

[Skygrassface]

Got a cat-folk Swashbuckler, planning on making him use a plethora of blades, but a scythe is his main weapon.

Any feats i should know about to get the most from the weapon?

[Esprit15]

Power Attack. Probably going to want to widen your crit range, but that's what Keen is for. Really depends on what you want to do. Carfolk Pounce is also a nice thing for them, so you can full attack while charging flat footed enemies.

[Skygrassface]

Yeah. I figured the dex/cha bonus plus the easily available pounce was worth the level adjustment. Power attack is always the one i underestimate/under-appreciate though. thanks for reminding me of its existence.

[Esprit15]

Are scythes a finesse weapon? Visually I could see it, but I think spiked chain is the only two hand weapon that is finesse.

[Skygrassface]

No, they're specialization weapons unfortunately.

[DedWards]

Got a cat-folk Swashbuckler, planning on making him use a plethora of blades, but a scythe is his main weapon.

Any feats i should know about to get the most from the weapon?

Scythe + Swashbuckler doesn't quite make sense to me. Don't Swashbuckler abilities work off Light / One-handed weapons? A Scythe is a two-handed weapon.

[animewatcha]

Technically light or any other weapon that can be used with weapon finesse ( spiked chain was as example ). So if you are willing to deal with something like a feycraft scythe ( 1d6 ) or something, it can be done with swashbuckler.

[Skygrassface]

Scythe + Swashbuckler doesn't quite make sense to me. Don't Swashbuckler abilities work off Light / One-handed weapons? A Scythe is a two-handed weapon.

I'm aware the issues, but I'm counting on combining the swashbucklers acrobatic charge with the cat-folk's pounce feat with a keen scythe.

[Skygrassface]

Technically light or any other weapon that can be used with weapon finesse ( spiked chain was as example ). So if you are willing to deal with something like a feycraft scythe ( 1d6 ) or something, it can be done with swashbuckler.

Thanks for the idea! I'm thinking of using the wield oversized weapon feat to make a normal scythe a light one.
then it'd work, right?

[zergling.exe]

Thanks for the idea! I'm thinking of using the wield oversized weapon feat to make a normal scythe a light one.
then it'd work, right?

One, that is an Epic feat, meaning 21+ class levels.
Two, you would have to wield a small scythe (to make it one-handed) for wield oversized weapon to make it light.
Three, eat the -4 penalty for an inappropriately sized weapon, since the feat would not negate the smaller weapon penalty, only reduce the larger weapon one.

At that point, you may as well just wield a sickle made of kaorti resin and call it a scythe. Or use a feycraft scythe as suggested.

[Skygrassface]

One, that is an Epic feat, meaning 21+ class levels.
Two, you would have to wield a small scythe (to make it one-handed) for wield oversized weapon to make it light.
Three, eat the -4 penalty for an inappropriately sized weapon, since the feat would not negate the smaller weapon penalty, only reduce the larger weapon one.

At that point, you may as well just wield a sickle made of kaorti resin and call it a scythe. Or use a feycraft scythe as suggested.

Thanks for showing me how flawed that idea was.

[zergling.exe]

Thanks for showing me how flawed that idea was.

Well the idea does work, but yes, I was pointing out the flaws for it. I realize now that I could have opened the post with 'Yes the idea works, but...' to not sound so critical of it. I apologize if I came off harsh with that post.

[Skygrassface]

Well the idea does work, but yes, I was pointing out the flaws for it. I realize now that I could have opened the post with 'Yes the idea works, but...' to not sound so critical of it. I apologize if I came off harsh with that post.

no worries. I seriously meant it. It's flawed if i don't spend money in getting a feycraft scythe. i'd have to put a ton more effort into it.

[Lokiron]

Consider the skill trick twisted charge (complete scoundrel) instead of using an unfit class for a single class feature.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Scythes are typically only used with certain types of 'crit fishing' builds that stack crit range bonuses to take maximum advantage of the 4x crit multiplier. This then gets pasted onto a typical Ubercharge build using Power Attack/Shock Trooper/Leap Attack, since all that damage gets quadrupled on a crit.

As mentioned, however, there are other ways of getting a 4x crit weapon without needing to jump through hoops to make a 2h weapon 'light'.

If you want a light 4x crit weapon, try the Light Pick. Granted, it only does 1d4 damage, but your damage dice with a build like that is just gravy. Your goal here is to stack damage bonuses and crit range, then start ripping things apart. Swashbuckler can work here, I guess, but it probably isn't going to have much in the way of synergy with the overall goal of 'stack damage bonuses and crit range boosts'.

[Skygrassface]

Man, you guys really know how to make me rethink my build. lol.

I'm mainly going with scythe because I never see it much compared to the other builds and it really appeals with me, I figured I could work it in with a dex melee class that isn't a maneuver class (Dm dislikes them, thinks they're OP). Maybe i'm wrong.

Regarding how i want to hit, I'd rather slice things to shreds, than cut everything in two if that makes sense. i'd like lots of attacks over one heavy one.

I'm not intending to use the scythe to build a death machine, but if it can get there with what i want in mind, then i'll take it.

Thought I had something feasible here. maybe i should get back to the drawing board.

[Ruethgar]

If you want flurry of misses, there is the Kensai ABC version of the fighter. It gets some serious flurry with two feats at a -3 for +1 attack and -6 for +2 more attacks with your chosen weapon. You also get what amounts to weapon focus and specialization for the weapon at level 1 and every five levels to offset that massive penalty to at least equal to the monk after 5 levels(though for flurry of misses builds I typically pick Ward Cestus for the Kensai since if can stack with monk flurry). Also note that technically tripping can trigger cleave and a scythe is a trip weapon if you wanted to slice a swath in front of you like a scythe should be able to do. Can't recall the feat, but there was a -4 AC, +2 Hit feat that pairs well with the Bodyguard special ability Clear the Way(if your DM allows them to be separate base classes, if he requires they be replacement, all the better since you can take other fighter ACF and get a slew more feats to shuffle/train away).

[Lokiron]

Man, you guys really know how to make me rethink my build. lol.

I'm mainly going with scythe because I never see it much compared to the other builds and it really appeals with me, I figured I could work it in with a dex melee class that isn't a maneuver class (Dm dislikes them, thinks they're OP). Maybe i'm wrong.

Regarding how i want to hit, I'd rather slice things to shreds, than cut everything in two if that makes sense. i'd like lots of attacks over one heavy one.

I'm not intending to use the scythe to build a death machine, but if it can get there with what i want in mind, then i'll take it.

Thought I had something feasible here. maybe i should get back to the drawing board.

You need strength. Any build that uses a great sword or axe can switch to scythe and not suck. Multiple attacks you say. Whirling frenzy barbarian I say.

[thoroughlyS]

So if you are willing to deal with something like a feycraft scythe ( 1d6 ) or something, it can be done with swashbuckler.
The feycraft weapon template can only be applied to light or one-handed weapons.

At that point, you may as well just wield a sickle made of kaorti resin and call it a scythe.
Kaorti Resin is a headache, especially when a kaorti ribbon sickle is just an average of +1 damage over a light pick for a fat stack of cash.

You need strength. Any build that uses a great sword or axe can switch to scythe and not suck. Multiple attacks you say. Whirling frenzy barbarian I say.
Seconded, but if Barbarian is the way you take your character, then you might consider just abandoning catfolk because of the lion spiritual totem ACF (http://alcyius.com/USRD/srd/classes/baseCore/barbarian.html#spiritual-totem)(CC p.45), a stronger and cheaper pounce. Or if your DM bans that (which some do for being "overpowered") you might consider the Snow Tiger Berserker feat (UE p.45) which is not great because it requires a light weapon... If that's the case, maybe just stick with catfolk.

[Troacctid]

Acrobatic Charge is actually completely useless, because the base rules for charging already allow you to make Jump and Tumble checks as part of movement during a charge (RC 27). You can also use the Nimble Charge and Twisted Charge skill tricks (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070105a&page=5) regardless of what class you choose.

What you should do instead is be a barbarian with the Streetfighter (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) variant.


At 7th level, the critical threat range of any charge attack he makes, or any attack he makes against a flat-footed foe, increases by 1. (Thus, a greataxe would threaten a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.) This ability stacks with the Improved Critical feat or the keen weapon enhancement.
At 10th level, the barbarian can make a single turn, up to 90 degrees, during a charge.
At 13th level, the barbarian can charge through squares occupied by his allies or by noncombatants.
At 16th level, the barbarian can move up to four times his speed when making a charge attack, rather than double.
At 19th level, the barbarian acquires a "cleaving charge." If he drops an opponent on a charge attack, and he has at least 10 feet of movement remaining, he can immediately make a new charge attack against a second foe. If he drops that foe and still has movement remaining, he can charge a third, and so on until he either fails to drop a foe, or runs out of movement. All the other standard rules for a charge attack still apply, including the fact that he must have at least 10 feet of distance to make the charge.

Now that's how you buff up a charge. Especially with a scythe—that increased crit range is gas.

[Skygrassface]

Acrobatic Charge is actually completely useless, because the base rules for charging already allow you to make Jump and Tumble checks as part of movement during a charge (RC 27). You can also use the Nimble Charge and Twisted Charge skill tricks (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070105a&page=5) regardless of what class you choose.

What you should do instead is be a barbarian with the Streetfighter (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) variant.

Now that's how you buff up a charge. Especially with a scythe—that increased crit range is gas.

Thanks a ton for that advice. I was sort of hesitant because we already have a barbarian in the party, i might consider this one though.

[Troacctid]

I mean, single-class barbarian is still pretty underpowered, but it's miles above swashbuckler, which is a candidate for the worst base class in the entire game. (Probably not the actual worst, all things considered, but it's in the bottom three.)