[3.5] Whirlwind Attack Optimization?

[OgresAreCute]

Does anyone know any meaningful ways to use whirlwind attack? I'm in particular looking for:

Ways to get it earlier/more easily
Ways to use it as a standard action

[Darrin]

Does anyone know any meaningful ways to use whirlwind attack? I'm in particular looking for:

Ways to get it earlier/more easily



Fighter 4 can get it at ECL 4 via Dragonborn of Bahamut:

Race: Human.
Skills: Put 1 rank in Ride.
1) Fighter 1. Feat: Dodge. Bonus: Mobility. Human: {Open}
2) Fighter 2. Bonus: Combat Expertise.
3) Fighter 3. Feat: Mounted Combat.
4) Fighter 4. Bonus: Ride-By Attack.

Pay 100 GP for the Rite of Rebirth. As per RotD p. 10, instead of losing your non-specific racial bonus feat, you can lose any other feat you have so long as it's not a prerequisite for another feat. Lose Tower Shield Proficiency, as per PHB p. 101: "Fighters automatically have Tower Shield Proficiency as a bonus feat." You also lose your bonus skill points from being human, make sure you lose all your ranks in Ride. You no longer qualify for Mounted Combat and Ride-By Attack, and can replace those two feats with something else that you currently qualify for: Spring Attack and Whirlwind Attack. You can also swap an existing feat for either Dragon Wings or Dragon Tail (you can lose Shield Proficiency or Heavy Armor Proficiency if you like).

Binder 5 (Tome of Magic) can bind Paimon, which can use Whirlwind Attack without all the prereq feats.

Warblade 5/Bloodstorm Blade 10 gets the "Blade Storm" ability, which is kinda like Whirlwind Attack for thrown weapons, but even better.

Ranger 10 or Something 5/Consecrated Harrier 10 can cast blade storm (Spell Compendium), which is essentially Whirlwind Attack + TWF. Master Specialist or Wyrm Wizard can also be used to add it to an existing spell list.




Ways to use it as a standard action


That's kinda tricky... you can use a Belt of Battle (12000 GP, MIC) to get a full-round action 1/day. Other than that, you're probably going to need to get greater celerity cast on you, maybe via Skull Talisman (Frostburn) or Greater Glyph Seal (4000 GP, MIC).

[Endarire]

Various Tome of Battle maneuvers (Mithral Tornado and Adamantine Hurricane) sorta act like Whirlwind Attack but are standard actions.

You can also take flaws to get 2 general feats at level 1.

[ShurikVch]

Weapon Master PrC (Sword and Fist): 9th-level CF Ki Whirlwind allow to use Whirlwind Attack as standard action (but no more than 1/round)

[Thurbane]

Binder 5 (Tome of Magic) can bind Paimon, which can use Whirlwind Attack without all the prereq feats.

You can get Paimon as early as Binder 3, using the Improved Binding feat.

[Rebel7284]

There are more ways to move as a swift action which could be effectively the same in this scenario.

[zlefin]

Does anyone know any meaningful ways to use whirlwind attack? I'm in particular looking for:

Ways to get it earlier/more easily
Ways to use it as a standard action


IIrc there is a way that focuses on stacking reach; I don't remember the full details, but it relies on spiked chain, enlarge, and maybe some other stuff I can't remember, to get a very large AoE for the whirlwind.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

War Hulk in the Miniatures Handbook gets to hit every opponent within reach with every attack it makes, so it can full attack with what amounts to whirlwind attack, and even hits everyone on an AoO.

[mabriss lethe]

I've had the best luck via optimizing reach and using it to deliver rider effects. Optimizing damage to the point where ww-attack is relevant is almost a lost cause. Position yourself where you can hit a lot of targets, then hit them all with a debuff.

[WhamBamSam]

Psychic Weapon Master (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040827d) 9 lets you make a Whirlwind Attack as a standard action.

[Segev]

If you can work with a caster, you can have an ally move and attack, possibly a charger, and then have the caster use Dimension Swap to switch you with the ally (who has gotten himself surrounded) to use Whirlwind Attack as your full round action. I believe Beguilers get dimension swap as a first or second level spell.

[Eldariel]

It's also a full attack action so it should work with Pounce.