[3.5e] Creating the World's Ultimate Swordsman

[PhantasyPen]

Theorycrafting time. I'm getting ready to stat up legendary NPC's for my campaign setting. These are meant to be the characters that are equivalent to legendary culture heroes like Gilgamesh, Heracles, Cuchulain, or Arjuna. The first of these I'm trying out for is "History's Strongest Swordsman."

I don't exactly expect this character to be able to do everything, in fact I only want him to be able to do one thing: swing a sword for the maximum possible result.

The only restrictions/guidelines I currently have myself under are:


Elite Array
ECL 30
Must use a weapon from the Heavy Blade or Light Blade weapon groups as their primary attack.
Any special "tricks" the character uses must relate back to swordsmanship in some way.


Now there are numerous ways to approach this concept, and the first methods that pop into my head are Warblade with a focus on Diamond Mind/Iron Heart, or maybe even a Fighter with an absolute mess of PrC's added on. Any combos or even whole builds people would like to suggest to help narrow things down would be appreciated.

[Biggus]

If un-updated 3.0 material is allowable, maybe the Weapon Master prestige class from Sword and Fist? There was an epic progression written for it in the Epic Insights column too. Perhaps Fighter 4/
Lion Totem Barbarian 1/ some prestige class 5/ Weapon Master 20?

[PoeticallyPsyco]

EDIT: Whoops, saw "theorycrafting" and interpreted it as "maximum optimization". Sorry if that wasn't the case.

I'm going to suggest the "Idiot Crusader (http://bg-archive.minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=8218.0)" build as a starting point; a build that auto-refreshes 10 of its maneuvers at the end of each round. All nine 9th level maneuvers, plus White Raven Tactics for arguably infinite turns per round (though I'd have them loop back around to the top of the initiative order for the next turn once they hit Initiative = 0 for the sake of sanity).

Pick a sword of your choice for the Weapon Focus (X) and you're off to the races. Another free feat at 18th level can be used to further specialize. The explanation also notes that the level of Eternal Blade can be replaced with something else, freeing you to take a race other than Elf, such as Human for an additional bonus feat.

EDIT the SECOND: You can't actually have all nine 9th level maneuvers in the auto-refreshing pool; only two. Still very good, obviously.

[Hellpyre]

This sounds like it could go a lot of fun ways. I'd recommend something like the old Jack B. Quick (http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=6944.0) build, topped off with with Idiot Crusader -> Master of Nine. If you dip around and play with the 30 levels some, you should be able to manage with just about any 9 manueveurs you'd like refreshing every round.

[Heavenblade]

Remember that at that ECL you can take Improved combat reflexes to just keep responding to anything that happens in your range, which means that you dont have an upper limit to how many AoOs you can get...and the jack B quick is based on these AoOs...do your math :smallwink:

[Anthrowhale]

The Rapier of Puncturing (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#rapierofPuncturing) allows a swordsman to make touch attacks for constitution damage. With EL30 wealth and quickdraw, you can blow through any high level opponent vulnerable to constitution damage quickly.

Infinite Exceptional Deflection also seems interesting if you can afford the feats.

[Sleven]

The ultimate swordsman is actually a swordwoman.

Cleric 4/Ordained Champion 3/Sword Dancer 8/Anything 5/Sword Dancer +10 (epic progression available on the WotC web archives)

With this build, you're so damn good with a sword you can:
- Make your sword sing and dance, making both you and it better at sword'ing
- Make your sword fight on its own (and even defend you on its own)
- Fight with a sword of your own while directing the other sword to attack with the same skill and proficiency you have with swords (it gets the dancing property)
- Channel divine power through your sword that can smite anything
- Channel spells through your sword
- Spontaneously cast spells that call a bunch of swords to attack your enemies and defend you from enemies (Blade Barrier, Spiritual Weapon, etc.)
- Craft your own sword and enchant it (the PrC gives you Craft Magic Arms & Armor for swords only)
- When you don't have a sword, you can conjure up a sword with your will/mind/belief in the sword GOD and attack with it so skillfully it's a touch attack while applying all your relevant sword feats to it (Moon Blade)
- Add extra free enchantments to your sword just by spending time with it
- Get a base attack bonus that actually scales 1 for 1 with your epic progression (Divine Power), but still have +17 BAB without it pre-epic
- Channel the divine spirit of a creature also obsessed with swords to add its knowledge of swordsmanship to your own (Channel Celestial: Sword Archon)
- etc... a lot of etc.

Relevant feats:
Power Attack, Awesome Smite, more sword stuff. First level feat could even be something like Aereni Focus (Iaijutsu Focus) or Academy Graduate for Iaijutsu Focus and whatever else.

You'll have so many swords and sword abilities the only thing you could possibly do to make yourself more of a swordmaster is turn yourself into a sword (which is also possible). The 5 levels are pretty open to things like Iaijutsu Master or whatever else makes you feel more swordmaster-y. The gender is also just a fluff requirement for the PrC, so if you're sexist you can change it.

[Sinner's Garden]

I feel like if you're going to fluff spells as sword tricks, a spontaneous variant might be more appropriate.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Assuming LA buyoff (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm) is permitted...

Taurmongous, The Great Bull of [place of origin]
Half-Giant (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicRaces.htm#halfGiants), Primordial Giant, Half-Minotaur. This is a large size bull-headed giant with powerful build, so he counts as huge size.
Str 40 (15 base, +10 race/size, +5 inherent, +6 enhancement, +4 levels)
Dex 17 (8 base, -2 race/size, +5 inherent, +6 enhancement)
Con 30 (13 base, +6 race/size, +5 inherent, +6 enhancement)
Int 28 (14 base, +2 race/size, +5 inherent, +6 enhancement, +1 levels)
Wis 24 (12 base, +5 inherent, +6 enhancement, +1 levels)
Cha 26 (10 base, +4 race/size, +5 inherent, +6 enhancement, +1 levels)
Natural Armor +9 base (+4 race/size, +5 inherent)
Speed 40 ft. base (+10 class, -10 armor)

Fighter 2/ Psion 4/ Slayer (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm) 9/ Psychic Weapon Master (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040827d) 10/ Epic Psychic Weapon Master 5

Track (B), Dodge (F1), Mobility (1), Power Attack (F2), Psionic Dodge (3), Psionic Weapon (P1), Practiced Manifester: Psion (6), Cleave (9), Weapon Focus: Falchion (12), Improved Critical: Falchion (15), Combat Reflexes (18), Great Cleave (21), Overwhelming Critical: Falchion (24), Devastating Critical: Falchion (27), Epic Manifesting (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/psionicPowers.htm) (30)
Two Flaws (if available): Add Psicrystal Affinity and Expanded Knowledge: Schism, shuffle the feats around as needed.

[Some cool, fitting sword name] (bonded weapon) Huge Deep Crystal (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/specialMaterials.htm#crystalDeep) Falchion +6; Mage Slayer (+1), Wrathful Healing (+3), Binding (+1), Speed (+3), Spell Storing (+1, works on psionic powers with magic/psionics transparency). Base damage 3d6, critical 11-20/x2 +1d6 damage, plus Devastating Critical Fort DC 40.

Be sure to include all the necessary magic item effects his psionic powers won't cover. Augmented Inertial Armor plus a Monk's Belt plus augmented Force Screen, etc. should give him the best AC. He'll have used Reality Revision to add a +5 inherent bonus to each of his ability scores and to his natural armor (if permitted). I think Kineticist would be the best discipline to use, given the power of Fiery Discorporation and Energy Missile.

I really don't like the lack of feats caused by Psychic Weapon Master, but it's a very fitting class for this type of character, Psion manifesting is spectacular, and Slayer's immunities are absurd. For action economy he'll have Temporal Acceleration, Anticipatory Strike, and Schism, and can use Control Body on himself and Solicit Psicrystal so his psicrystal spends its actions every turn to control his physical actions (still using his own BAB and ability modifiers, but Int instead of Str for attack and damage rolls, and Int instead of Dex for AC), and he can spend his actions every round manifesting powers. However, he'll typically prefer to control his own physical actions due to his high Str, and just use Schism (manifest during Temporal Acceleration) for spamming powers as needed.

I'd really liked to have included Extend Power and Persistent Power, but with the +2 threat range from Psychic Weapon Master and the doubled threat range from Improved Critical, you just can't pass up on Devastating Critical on an 11-20 threat range. Note that Fortification effects don't grant immunity to critical hits, just a chance to negate the extra damage from critical hits, so Devastating Critical should still work against it. If you don't go this route, he doesn't need Great Cleave or Overwhelming/Devastating Critical, so that's three epic feats he can spend elsewhere.

Don't forget about absurd custom epic powers, particularly those that buff him with an instantaneous duration.

[Biggus]

[Some cool, fitting sword name] (bonded weapon) Huge Deep Crystal (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/specialMaterials.htm#crystalDeep) Falchion +6; Mage Slayer (+1), Wrathful Healing (+3), Binding (+1), Speed (+3), Spell Storing (+1, works on psionic powers with magic/psionics transparency). Base damage 3d6, critical 11-20/x2 +1d6 damage, plus Devastating Critical Fort DC 40.


I was thinking Falchion + Devastating Critical when I suggested Weapin Master. How are you getting crits on 11-20 though?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I was thinking Falchion + Devastating Critical when I suggested Weapin Master. How are you getting crits on 11-20 though?

Psychic Weapon Master: If you already have Improved Critical, your weapon's threat range increases by +2.

Main 3.5 FAQ: You can apply your own effects in the most beneficial order.

Improved Critical: Doubles the weapon's current threat range.

Falchion is 18-20 (three numbers) by default. Psychic Weapon master increases that to five numbers for 16-20. Improved Critical doubles that to ten numbers for 11-20.

[Sleven]

I feel like if you're going to fluff spells as sword tricks, a spontaneous variant might be more appropriate.

It's not fluff, they are sword tricks and sword abilities. And look at their list of examples (Gilgamesh, Heracles, Cuchulain, or Arjuna). Most of them have some sort of divine connection or other mythical heritage. I think a cleric of a sword god is right on the nose.

Also, if you read the abilities of the classes in the build, they all give you the ability to spontaneously cast any of the spells I gave as examples. Even the cleric has a spontaneous domain ACF if you need more.

[Sinner's Garden]

I mean, you can substitute sword drills for prayer time (appropriate for a sword cleric, and a fluff decision with no mechanical impact), but if you sit down and pray for an hour to the gods and just favor the sword-themed spells, but actually switch out to completely unrelated things when you have a problem a sword can't solve rather than solving all your problems with sword, then I don't feel you really qualify as the ultimate swordsman so much as somebody who happens to be fond of them.

[Biggus]

Psychic Weapon Master: If you already have Improved Critical, your weapon's threat range increases by +2.

Main 3.5 FAQ: You can apply your own effects in the most beneficial order.

Improved Critical: Doubles the weapon's current threat range.

Falchion is 18-20 (three numbers) by default. Psychic Weapon master increases that to five numbers for 16-20. Improved Critical doubles that to ten numbers for 11-20.

The actual wording of the PWM ability is "If she already possesses this feat, add an additional +2 to her weapon of choice's threat range for critical hits". The "additional" makes it sound pretty clearly to me like it's added after the IC feat, but there is some ambiguity there.

The wording of the FAQ is "As a general guideline, whenever the rules don’t stipulate an order of operations for special effects (such as spells or special abilities), you should apply them in the order that’s most beneficial to the creature", so whether it applies in a specific case is definitely in "ask your DM" territory.

Even so, Devastating Critical with a crit range of 13-20 and 5 attacks per round is definitely still worth it.