Sword Sage

[Razaele]

Me and my buddies are about to start up a new campaign, and I was thinking of starting a Sword Sage. Any tips on what Maneuvers, Stances, Feats I should get, or can anyone suggest a really good build for a Sword Sage?

[Zephyros]

Due to having access to 7/9 disciplines of the book the Swordsage is the most diverse of the classes, even single classed... So MOAR INFO>>>>


It really depends on your style of play... Right now I am toying with the Idea of a bully Swordsage... Razorclaw Shifter Sage with stats priorities as STR/CON/WIS/whatever/CHA focusing on Stone Dragon and Tiger Claw entering Bloodclaw Master and going into Weretouched Master to continue Swordsage afterwards... But most probably this isn't the style u want

[AslanCross]

Swordsage can do a lot of things. You can go straightforward glass cannon with Stone Dragon, TWF-crazy with Tiger Claw, sneaky with Shadow Hand, or do a lot of skirmishing with Desert Wind. You can do judo with Setting Sun or do some awesome mind over matter with Diamond Mind.

Given the sheer amount of maneuvers you can learn, "specializing" isn't even necessary. You can mix and match as you please.

(EDIT: O_O Wow, someone who's actually from the Philippines! >_< Been looking around for players from this part of the world.)

[Razaele]

@Zephyros- Sorry, I'm kinda new to the game and I forgot to give specifics again. Anyway, I was thinking of going for a really offensive build. Something that is good at killing really tough bosses, but can also handle large amounts of weaker enemies.

@AslanCross- Whoa. You're from the Philippines too? Sweet! Mabuhay!

[Epinephrine]

I enjoy the sword sage, but it is certainly an odd class. Ostensibly a combat class, but with 3/4 BAB, having more readied maneuvers than other classes but the worst recharge mechanism, etc.

My current swordsage is a sneaky mobility-based combatant, as I'm sure many are. Shadow Hand, Desert Wind (but modified for cold instead of fire - arctic wind, really), Tiger Claw and Setting Sun. High wisdom, low strength.

Depending on your playstyle though, you could be a brute in combat, like the Stone Dragon/Tiger Claw strength guy described above. You could even be a formidable grappler/throws type, using Stone Dragon to get onstriction and Setting Sun to hurl your enemies. Two handed weapon and the diamond mind strikes that deliver double or quadruple damage suit a heavy hitter, while Desert Wind boosts and Tiger Claw two wepon fighting suit a TWF.

Picking your disciplines to match your attributes makes sense though - not much point in using Str based DCs with low strength, after all.

Edit:
Take Adaptive Style. It means you can actually recharge your maneuvers in a somewhat reaasonable way.
You want to be a melee threat, you may want to go either with TWF and a Tiger Claw/Desert Wind style, getting multiple attacks and boosts on them, or with a 2H weapon and some of the big damage strikes - stuff from Diamond Mind and Stone Dragon.

If you do end up with Stone Dragon, the DR granting strikes are a lot better than they first seem. I thought they were stupid until I saw them in action, and was impressed by the amount of damage they soaked.

Really, tell us what you picture doing though. Leaping power attacker? Stand your ground, control with reach? Two weapon cuisinart?

[Douglas]

Whatever else you do, take Adaptive Style. You can use it to change your recharge mechanism from a full round action for one maneuver to a full round action for all maneuvers.

[AslanCross]

All of the Tome of Battle classes do really well at offense. It all really depends how you would like to deal that damage. For maximum damage output, it's generally recommended you take a two-handed weapon such as a greatsword. Stone Dragon works well with that. Alternatively, you could go with a Greataxe and Improved Unarmed Strike, so you could use Tiger Claw's Wolf Fang Strike.

Any idea as to what level you'll be playing?