Help me with my shadow pouncer

[Eleriel]

Greetings, fellow giants!

I've been reading the forum for a long time, this is my first post and i would really appreciate the help with my following build.
Additional info:
The starting level will be 10, so after 10 is completely open and it is just an assumption of synergy.

What i need help with is mainly with the feats, since the focus is shadow pouncing with sneak attack (or any tip on something i'm clearing missing out)

1 Rogue TWF, Craven, Mounted Combat, Stealthy
2
3 Feat?
4 Swashbuckler - Free Weapon Finesse
5 Swordsage
6 Crinti Shadow Marauder - Shadow Blade
7
8
9 Feat - Stagerring Strike
10
11 Wizard
12 Ajurant Champion - Improved TWF or Martial Study for Assassin Stance
13
14
15
16
17 Unseen Seer
18
19
20

Well, that's it.
Thank you guys!

[Eleriel]

I just forgot to mention that i chose Rogue instead of the Fighter Variant for the Precision Strike at level 3.

[Deadline]

Knowing what classes you are taking would help, because some feats are more valuable for some classes.

Edit: Wait, I misread your chart. I see the classes now.

[Gildedragon]

Well you can get weapon finesse by using Feycrafted weapons, most of the shadow blade discipline weapons are light so that's taken care of...
So you cut one level of rogue and get 3 in swordsage, and thus get assassin's stance

[Darrin]

I just forgot to mention that i chose Rogue instead of the Fighter Variant for the Precision Strike at level 3.

I think I'd move Swordsage up to 3rd level, and you could take Shadow Blade there at 3rd. You lose Shadow Jaunt, though... so maybe take Martial Study at 6th for that. Hmm.

Ideally, to pull off the "Shadow Pounce Trifecta", you need a teleport effect for three different action types: Standard, Move, and Swift. Shadow Jaunt takes a standard. You can get the move action teleport via Totemist 2 dip with the Blink Shirt soulmeld, or with Martial Study around ECL 18ish. Easiest way to get a swift action teleport is picking up the dimension hop power, usually with the Hidden Talent feat, Ardent dip, Mantled PsyWar, or Mantled Wilder. I've also seen the flicker mystery (Tome of Magic) used.

If you take Hidden Talent at 1st, then move Mounted Combat up to 3rd.

[Eleriel]

Thank you all for the replies.



I think I'd move Swordsage up to 3rd level, and you could take Shadow Blade there at 3rd. You lose Shadow Jaunt, though... so maybe take Martial Study at 6th for that. Hmm.

Ideally, to pull off the "Shadow Pounce Trifecta", you need a teleport effect for three different action types: Standard, Move, and Swift. Shadow Jaunt takes a standard. You can get the move action teleport via Totemist 2 dip with the Blink Shirt soulmeld, or with Martial Study around ECL 18ish. Easiest way to get a swift action teleport is picking up the dimension hop power, usually with the Hidden Talent feat, Ardent dip, Mantled PsyWar, or Mantled Wilder. I've also seen the flicker mystery (Tome of Magic) used.

If you take Hidden Talent at 1st, then move Mounted Combat up to 3rd.

Well, i dont know if that would be playable until level 10. Do you think so?
After that, i can get the reserve feat for the teleport in a standard action, also the wizard abrupt jaunt will give me free teleports some times a day until later levels.

[Eleriel]

Well you can get weapon finesse by using Feycrafted weapons, most of the shadow blade discipline weapons are light so that's taken care of...
So you cut one level of rogue and get 3 in swordsage, and thus get assassin's stance

I would miss ACF penetrating strike, and this is vital to the build.

[Gildedragon]

I would miss ACF penetrating strike, and this is vital to the build.

Fairnuff then slip in 2 swordsage lvls after rogue 3. Regardless swashbuckler is kinda redundant if you're taking it for weapon finesse

[Dagroth]

For your move-action teleport, a level of Totemist with Blink-Shirt will do. If you don't bind it, you can teleport 10' as a Standard action. If you bind it to your Totem Chakra (need 2 levels of Totemist), you can teleport 10' as a Move action. If you invest 2 points of Essentia, you can teleport up to 30' each time.

Note that this is unlimited teleporting. You can teleport instead of walking everywhere.

[Eleriel]

For your move-action teleport, a level of Totemist with Blink-Shirt will do. If you don't bind it, you can teleport 10' as a Standard action. If you bind it to your Totem Chakra (need 2 levels of Totemist), you can teleport 10' as a Move action. If you invest 2 points of Essentia, you can teleport up to 30' each time.

Note that this is unlimited teleporting. You can teleport instead of walking everywhere.

That's a really nice feature, but i find it hard to fit in the first 10 levels, but i will surely consider it past 10.
I was planning on the wizard for the reserve feat dimensional jaunt.

Or are you telling me to drop swordsage and go for totemist, like rogue 3, totemist 2, Crinti 5?

thank you

[Dagroth]

That's a really nice feature, but i find it hard to fit in the first 10 levels, but i will surely consider it past 10.
I was planning on the wizard for the reserve feat dimensional jaunt.

Or are you telling me to drop swordsage and go for totemist, like rogue 3, totemist 2, Crinti 5?

thank you

Swordsage has some nice features, no doubt... but the more I learn about Incarnum, the more I like it for dip-class stuff.

If you're taking Swordsage specifically to get the teleport maneuvers... Totemist is a better option.

Rogue-1, Totemist-1, Rogue-2, Totemist-2, Swordsage-1, Crinti-5, Swordsage-2 gets you Wis to AC at 11, gives you Assassin's Stance, unlimited teleporting as a move action, Evasion & some other soulmeld. Then grab the Abrupt Jaunt Wizard... because who needs BAB, right? :smallconfused:

Then you get Wizard-2, Wizard-3, Totemist-3, Souldcaster-6

Or instead, after Wizard-1 you get Umbral Disciple-8

Heck, you could even skip Swordsage-2 & Wizard-1 and go straight Umbral Disciple-10. It certainly fits the "shadow marauder" style.

[Eleriel]

Swordsage has some nice features, no doubt... but the more I learn about Incarnum, the more I like it for dip-class stuff.

If you're taking Swordsage specifically to get the teleport maneuvers... Totemist is a better option.

Rogue-1, Totemist-1, Rogue-2, Totemist-2, Swordsage-1, Crinti-5, Swordsage-2 gets you Wis to AC at 11, gives you Assassin's Stance, unlimited teleporting as a move action, Evasion & some other soulmeld. Then grab the Abrupt Jaunt Wizard... because who needs BAB, right? :smallconfused:

Then you get Wizard-2, Wizard-3, Totemist-3, Souldcaster-6

Or instead, after Wizard-1 you get Umbral Disciple-8

Heck, you could even skip Swordsage-2 & Wizard-1 and go straight Umbral Disciple-10. It certainly fits the "shadow marauder" style.

That takes away for the main focus that is hitting a full round action with sneak attack.
But i will look into magic of incarnum a little further :D

[Dagroth]

That takes away for the main focus that is hitting a full round action with sneak attack.
But i will look into magic of incarnum a little further :D

I do see your point, which is why I kept a level of Swordsage at 5. You can get Shadow Jaunt. Then, with your second level of Swordsage at 11 you get a second Stance which can be Assassin's Stance for +2d6 Sneak Attack.

And Umbral Disciple gives Sneak Attack. :smallwink:

The downside of Umbral Disciple is that it doesn't give more soul melds or open chakras... but it does give a couple of nifty abilities to use your Essentia with.