Intelligent Fighter

[Vraun]

Hey guys, I'm interested in making an intelligent melee character, it doesn't need to be fully optimized as I am more interested in the role-playing aspect of it. Physical ability is good and all, but your best weapon in a fight is your wit. I mostly am looking for suggestions to flesh out the character. My first inclination is to use warblade as a base class but if you have better suggestions I'm flexible. I'm looking for things that might hep in combat such as the Knowledge devotion feat which gives combat bonuses based on knowledge skills. No homebrew please, anything 3.5 is ok and I might be able to use 3.0 material at DM discretion. Thanks in advance for suggestions! :)

[Malroth]

I'd go Bardic sage 4 with knowledge devotion and able learner before going into Warblade and taking song of the white raven. You'll have a ton of skill points, and your INT would directly benefit your combat ability.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Warblade doesn't use as much Int as people think, but it's an excellent melee-er that can use the stat, so...
Swashbuckler 3 gives you Int-to-damage, which is lovely. Dipping Rogue and taking Daring Outlaw makes a pretty solid character-- full BAB, d10 HD, 4+Int skill points, and full sneak attack.
Factotum 3 is a great dip; gives you all skills as class skills, Int as a bonus to all Str and Dex checks, and Int to attack/damage/saves/AC 3/encounter. I wouldn't do a whole lot more, though; the class kinda hurts for things to do in a fight.
Faerie Mysteries Initiate is a Dragon magazine feat that lets you use Int for hit points.
Dipping Monk and taking Carmendine Monk or Kung-Fu Genius can get you Int-to-AC while unarmored.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

The Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising contains an intelligent pure fighter build which is particularly good at getting multiple attacks as long as they keep hitting. No idea if it's all rules legal or practical in real play though.

[Thurbane]

Beguiler 6/Swashbuckler 3/Swiftblade 10/Warblade 1 (not necessarily in that order)...

The later you take Warblade, the higher level maneuvers you'll get from your boosted IL.

Also, might want to take a look here: [3.x] X stat to Y bonus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?125732)

[Hackulator]

If you'd be down for throwing instead of melee (still pretty close range right?) Swashbuckler + Master Thrower can be very effective with a high int character.

[barakaka]

Eidolon might be something interesting. You've got the same sort of BAB and feat progression as a fighter, but you're a ghost with entirely different abilities than just "I hit the troglodite". It's from Ghostwalk Campaign Option.

There's also an alchemical/poison route. Stuff like Alchemist's Mineral Acid to burn through stone walls, or an Auran Mask to get past noxious fumes. An Alchemy Blade and Bloodspike, Tempo could help in combat. My sig has a bunch of stuff on this subject, but there's more on the alchemy blade that I don't believe is in there.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

For pure 3.5 I'd recommend Factotum 3/Swashbuckler 3/Warblade 14 personally. Maybe Knowledge Devotion?

You get Int to nearly everything related to combat and movement, maneuvers, and a smattering of useful roguish tricks and defenses.

[Anxe]

A basic feint build using Invisible Blade might accomplish what you want. You're always using your wits to gain an advantage through Feint. Just describe your actions with more detail than "I feint."
"I jerk right around the pillar and grab it with my left hand. I then yank myself back with my left hand." (Roll dice) "The giant fell for my misdirection and I stab him in the solar plexus as he finds himself offbalance."

It's not top tier optimization, but its definitely fun. Couple it with the Fighter variant that gets sneak attack instead of feats or go for the Spring Attack chain of feats and bounce around everywhere feinting everyone.

[3.5DMonk]

I spent a lot of time thinking about this for a gestalt 3.5 character I'm using in a game I'm dming. Generally speaking any combination of these classes is great;
swashbuckler - complete warrior (min lvl 3)
Wizard
Assassin - dms guide (uses int for spells)
Invisible blade - complete warrior (int for ac)
Duelist - dms guide (int for ac)
Bladesinger - complete warrior
Fighter for weapon spec
Reaping mauler in case your weaponless
Master thrower for mid range.
For non gestalt with no arcane i personally like the idea of a swashbuckler3/fighter12/invisible blade5/duelist 10 where you've specialized in daggers or rapier (possibly kukri or scimitar) if your dm is cool allows you to use the duelist precise strike with a slashing weapon) and if the weapon you specialize with isn't a dagger spend the 2kgp per weapon to get the throwing enchantment so your character goes around throwing rapiers or scimitars from twenty feet away without penalty (far shot) and you do 3d6 plus strength plus int with a crit of 15- 20 at level thirty, then focus on wondrous items that increase int and allow for extra dimensional carrying capacity so you do extra damage and don't run out of space to hold your weapons. You'd do as much if not more damage then a strength based melee guy with a two handed weapon but you'd be unique and he'd just be another stupid juiced up half orc

[gorfnab]

Here is an Int based fighter type build I came up with some time ago.

Human or Strongheart Halfling
1. Swashbuckler - Deadly Defense (CS), Combat Expertise, B: Weapon Finesse
2. Cobra Strike (UA) Decisive Strike (PHBII) Monk - B: Dodge
3. Cobra Strike (UA) Monk - Carmendine Monk (CoV), B: Mobility
4. Swashbuckler
5. Swashbuckler
6. Thief Acrobat - Combat Reflexes
7. Thief Acrobat
8. Thief Acrobat
9. Thief Acrobat - Einhander (PHBII)
10. Thief Acrobat or Warblade
11. Warblade or Duelist
12. Warblade or Duelist - Ironheart Aura (ToB)
13. Duelist
14. Duelist
15. Duelist - Robilar's Gambit (PHBII)
16. Duelist
17. Duelist
18. Duelist - Stormgaurd Warrior (ToB)
19. Duelist
20. Duelist

Levels 10 through 12 can be rearranged depending on your needs. The current setup gives you Improved Evasion and Uncanny Dodge at these levels. However if you don't need Improved Evasion take one less level of Thief Acrobat and move the first level of Warblade to level 10. If you don't need Uncanny Dodge don't take the 2nd level of Warblade and instead go into Duelist a level early. If you don't need either abilities take Warblade at level 10 and enter Duelist at level 11.

If flaws are available pick up EWP: Broadblade Shortsword (CAdv, pre-errata version if possible) and Versatile Unarmed Strike (PHBII). If traits are available pick up Cautious (UA).

Items:
Vest of Defense (MIC)
Bracers of Blocking (Dragon 322)
Broadblade Shortsword (CAdv) (pre-errata version if possible) or Rapier with the Defensive Surge (MIC) enhancement.

[Flickerdart]

Swashbuckler sucks unless you're going to boost INT as your primary stat, and even then it's not very good (precision damage, not multiplied when two-handing - yuck!). Factotum is a great choice because you can cast thunderlance in a pinch, adding INT to hit and damage. You can also go with a caster build and persist it.

Psion is also a good option - control body plus solicit psicrystal allows you to fight using your INT for STR and AC.

Carmendine Monk lets you base AC and stunning DC off INT. Monk can also be combined with psion using the feat Tashalatora - psion levels will progress your AC bonus, unarmed damage, and flurry. Psions multiclass fairly well due to power augmentation mechanics, so something like Factotum 3/Monk 1/Psion X is fairly decent. Take Practiced Manifester to fill the gap in your ML. There are some surprising synergies here, like the power dimension hop plus the Sun School feat granting you a poor man's shadow pounce.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

With Factotum and Warblade you will have Int as at least your secondary stat, so Int-to-Damage is good