Swordsages + Adaptive Style

[Quietus]

How useful is this feat for an unarmed strike variant swordsage? It looks like it'd be useful, but if you change your readied maneuvers as a swordsage, they don't all automatically recharge, do they? Would you then need to take another full-round action to replenish those maneuvers, or do you automatically get all of them available to you once more?

[Fax Celestis]

As part of readying your maneuvers, they are refreshed. This question was asked to the Sage, and answered here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20060828a).

[Arbitrarity]

Which everyone on CO boards logically thought. Fear the awesomeness of the swordsage!

[Yuki Akuma]

Adaptive Style: Natural Spell for swordsages.

[Rachel Lorelei]

Other martial adepts can spend a feat take it, but Adaptive Style is actually a Swordsage class feature; they get it instead of their first-level feat.

[Fax Celestis]

Adaptive Style: Natural Spell for swordsages.

Except, y'know, not horribly broken.

[Quietus]

... Wow. That's just ... silly-awesome.

Another question : If I'm looking at making some sort of acrobatic monk/ninja-like swordsage (I only started looking at ToB last night, still trying to figure out what they're capable of), what would be a good second character to pair him up with? A friend of mine and I have been invited to basically bend a game over and break it wide open, and we're allowed any book to do it. I did ask this in another thread down the page a bit, but I've got a slightly better idea what I'm talking about up here. :smallbiggrin:

[Arbitrarity]

If you can use any book to break a game, use serpent kingdoms, maybe fiendish codex, complete arcane, and... I think that's it :smallwink:

Swordsages aren't Broken. They're like good monks.

[Quietus]

If you can use any book to break a game, use serpent kingdoms, maybe fiendish codex, complete arcane, and... I think that's it :smallwink:

Swordsages aren't Broken. They're like good monks.

Yeah, the swordsage isn't to break the game, it's because I've never been allowed to play one before.

[Fax Celestis]

Rogue 2/Warblade 3/Assassin 2/Jade Phoenix Mage 10/X 3 is fun.

Want to go Swordsage though? Hm. Well, Swordsage 20 is nice.

[Rachel Lorelei]

Rogue 2/Warblade 3/Assassin 2/Jade Phoenix Mage 10/X 3 is fun.

Want to go Swordsage though? Hm. Well, Swordsage 20 is nice.

I enjoy a level or two of Psychic Warrior in my Swordsage. It nets Weapon Finesse at second level (if you take Psychic Warrior 1 then), and lets you take Psionic Meditation with the second bonus feat, allowing you to expend psionic focus to "take 15" on Diamond Mind maneuver concentration checks. (Thanks to these boards for that idea, actually; I saw that somewhere on here quite some time ago, before I was posting.)
You also get five power points or so and two powers, one of which can be Force Screen, manifested in the first round of combat for an easy +4 to AC, and you can use Dorjes to boot.

[Person_Man]

... Wow. That's just ... silly-awesome.

Another question : If I'm looking at making some sort of acrobatic monk/ninja-like swordsage (I only started looking at ToB last night, still trying to figure out what they're capable of), what would be a good second character to pair him up with? A friend of mine and I have been invited to basically bend a game over and break it wide open, and we're allowed any book to do it. I did ask this in another thread down the page a bit, but I've got a slightly better idea what I'm talking about up here. :smallbiggrin:



Nanobots (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=458721). Human Swordsage 10/Exemplar X. Invest in UMD and buy a Wand of Animate Objects (11 bots per casting, or use Animate Dead, or Invisible Servants, or whatever). Summon a bunch of minions. Use the Exemplar Lend Talent ability to give them bonuses to their Skill Checks. Have each of them Ready and action to Aid Another on whatever Skill you want (or your attack bonus, if you're worried about your To-Hit). Gain X*2 bonus to any Skill check, where X is the number of servants you have. Works great with any Maneuver that is reliant upon a Skill, such as Greater Insightful Strike.

[Arbitrarity]

Not the Nanobots! Nooo!

[Fax Celestis]

Another one I've been kicking around: Swordsage 2/Wildshape Ranger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger) 9/Swordsage +X.

Perhaps Unarmed Swordsage 2/Monk 2/Hunter Druid (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid) 5/Fist of the Forest 3/Bloodclaw Master 5/Master of Nine 5?

[Quietus]

Another one I've been kicking around: Swordsage 2/Wildshape Ranger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger) 9/Swordsage +X.

Perhaps Unarmed Swordsage 2/Monk 2/Hunter Druid (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid) 5/Fist of the Forest 3/Bloodclaw Master 5/Master of Nine 5?

Okay, I'm not familiar with the last three on that hunter druid, but ... holy crap, wis to AC three times? That's... well, that's gross and awesome. I love it!

::Edit:: By dropping the Druid bit, I could even then go and pick up cha to saves three times through Paladin of Tyranny/Hexblade/Blackguard... but I'd like to stay away from Evil here.

[Fax Celestis]

It'd be Wis-to-AC 3 times, Con-to-AC, no penalties on TWF, Flurry, and unarmed strike damage of 2d8 (more with appropriate feats).

[Rachel Lorelei]

Wis to AC three times? Monk and Swordsage WIS-to-AC don't stack; I doubt that the Hunter Druid's "as Monk" WIS-to-AC stacks with them either.

[Fax Celestis]

Wis to AC three times? Monk and Swordsage WIS-to-AC don't stack; I doubt that the Hunter Druid's "as Monk" WIS-to-AC stacks with them either.

He's looking for "gamebreaking". I think this would qualify under the 'poorly worded and probably not legal' clause.

[Rachel Lorelei]

If it's not legal, does it actually qualify? I mean, if you don't care about the rules, just write down "Win (Ex)" in your Special Abilities.

[Fax Celestis]

True.

Well, there's less-dubious builds to be had.

[Quietus]

What I'm actually aiming to do is find one step under Pun-Pun type things, then scale it back from there so that I actually have to ACCOMPLISH something as opposed to going "+200 to my win skill, thanks Nanobots!", and follow that by taking a five foot step to the next group of nanobots who'll give me the necessary +200 to my Flashing Teeth skill so I can blind everyone with a cheesy smile.

The nanobots are a fun idea, I could see most DMs saying you can't get aid on things like Concentration checks though. I could also see the DM for this particular game declaring that the wis-to-ac doesn't stack like that. Kind of a shame, even just Wisx2 to AC would be plenty for me, and the nanobots seem like a blast as long as you don't get ridiculously silly with them. Just having a few around should be plenty.

But yeah... I'm trying to fall somewhere in the power range of Pun Pun->Win Button->me->Well Optimized->Normal->etc.

You know, maybe I'll look back and see about that spellthief/etc build you suggested for my assassin before, Fax. Seemed a little much then for that particular character, but with a bit of tweaking, I could probably make it good-aligned and have a blast with it in this game.

[Merlin the Tuna]

Swordsage and Monk Wis-to-AC abilities explicitly don't stack, as the Swordsage one functions only in light armor, and the Monk one only while armorless. It's likely just a bizarre typo (like the Swordsage's 6x skills at 1st level, or the Duskblade's proficiency with martial but not simple weapons), but eh, them's the books. <Shrugs> Change 'em as y'like.

[Rachel Lorelei]

CustServ, at least, has clarified that, yes, Swordsages do get their AC bonus when unarmored, and, no, it doesn't stack with the monk's AC bonus.

[Yuki Akuma]

CustServ, at least, has clarified that, yes, Swordsages do get their AC bonus when unarmored, and, no, it doesn't stack with the monk's AC bonus.

So, naturally, one must assume that they only get it in light armour and it does stack. CustServ being made up of dirty rotten liars, and all. :smallwink:

[Quietus]

So, naturally, one must assume that they only get it in light armour and it does stack. CustServ being made up of dirty rotten liars, and all. :smallwink:

Clearly, I need to find a way to wear light armor and no armor AT THE SAME TIME.

I wonder if I could use that epic feat to get a second body slot, leave that unadorned and say it's unarmored, while in my first slot I wear a chain shirt, so I'm considered to be wearing armor?

[Fax Celestis]

Clearly, I need to find a way to wear light armor and no armor AT THE SAME TIME.

I wonder if I could use that epic feat to get a second body slot, leave that unadorned and say it's unarmored, while in my first slot I wear a chain shirt, so I'm considered to be wearing armor?

NOW you're cookin' with gas.

[Tokiko Mima]

Clearly, I need to find a way to wear light armor and no armor AT THE SAME TIME.

I wonder if I could use that epic feat to get a second body slot, leave that unadorned and say it's unarmored, while in my first slot I wear a chain shirt, so I'm considered to be wearing armor?

:smallbiggrin:

Or how about Monk clothing made with Anti-Mithril metal threads, so the armor catagory takes a step heavier?

[Lapak]

Clearly, I need to find a way to wear light armor and no armor AT THE SAME TIME.Just remove your common sense chip!

> TAKE TEA
No Tea: Dropped
> TAKE NO TEA
Taken.
>INVENTORY

You are carrying:
tea
no tea

[ZeroNumerous]

:smallbiggrin:

Or how about Monk clothing made with Anti-Mithril metal threads, so the armor catagory takes a step heavier?

Adamantine Monk's Clothes!

Alternatively: Thistledown Cloak. +0 AC bonus.

"It's not armor! Atleast not until I get it enchanted."

[Fax Celestis]

Adamantine Monk's Clothes!

...is that a chain mail bikini?

[ZeroNumerous]

...is that a chain mail bikini?

Nah, Adamantine Monks Clothes only offer a +Awesome bonus to AC versus the +Charisma bonus provided by chaimmail bikinis.

[Thrawn183]

...is that a chain mail bikini?

It worked for Xena, and just think how many dudes she killed.

[Quietus]

It worked for Xena, and just think how many dudes she killed.

Anyone can mass-murder mooks if they're the DMs girlfriend. Extra points if you LARP and have a hot friend.

Yes, I'd say this thread has officially changed topics. Fun!

[Matthew]

It worked for Xena, and just think how many dudes she killed.

Bah! Her DM barely ever bothered to challenge her. I'm pretty sure that was not a rules focused campaign and that Xena was some sort of Epic Level War Blade.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Uh, dude... the chakram that psycho tossed about? Epic warblade/bloodstorm blade. :smalltongue:

[Matthew]

Yeah, that sounds about right. That Chakram must have been some sort of Legacy Weapon as well...

[Hadrian_Emrys]

That would be freaking awesome to stat out. :smallbiggrin:

[Matthew]

Well, get to it, then. Definitely a legitimate Home brew target.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

I've already got my plate filled with home brew junk. The con based caster alone is kicking my brain pan around like soccer player on crack.

[Matthew]

Hah, I can well imagine. Maybe I will put statting out Xena and Gabrielle on my 'to do' list. There are bound to be examples out there already. While I am at it, I might as well add all the Characters to my list... I wonder if Hercules should have a level or two of Paladin, he definitley fits the 'Philosophy is more important than Deity' criteria.

Statting out Joxar would be fun, as well.