[3.5] Questions about the swiftblade

[ErrantX]

So, I asked in SonofZeal's PrC tier thread, but got no response.

What do people think about the Swiftblade prestige class that is on the WotC website? What tier would it be? Strengths, weaknesses, build suggestions using it? I was considering using it to make some sort of lightning damaged based sorcerer gish using Tome of Battle as well.

Any help from the Playground?

-X

[Keld Denar]

Swiftblade is AWESOME. Generally considered by the CharOp forums as one of the only 6/10 casting PrCs that is at all worthwhile, its freakin awesome. A popular 4 level, 7 level, or 10 level investment, its solid in many different ways, including granting 3.0ish haste with extra standard actions. All in all, its a pretty interesting and flavorful PrC with real consideration to balance. It does give up a bit more than it gains, in terms of raw power, but it more than makes up for it with its own little perks. I'd rate it at about a +1 for PrCs. Its good, better than a 0, but not quite a +2.

[arguskos]

Now I want to play an elf Sorc 6/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 4. That would be some flavors of awesome.

As for it's power level, I think Keld has the right of it. Swiftblade seems to be pretty damn good. It's not +2 powerful, but it's close, IMO.

I never thought I'd say it, but yay for 6/10 casting!

[Pharaoh's Fist]

So, I asked in SonofZeal's PrC tier thread, but got no response.

What do people think about the Swiftblade prestige class that is on the WotC website? What tier would it be? Strengths, weaknesses, build suggestions using it? I was considering using it to make some sort of lightning damaged based sorcerer gish using Tome of Battle as well.

Any help from the Playground?

-X

Dragonfire Inspiration Bard 9/Spellsword1/Swiftblade 10

Now I want to play an elf Sorc 6/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 4. That would be some flavors of awesome.

Paladin2/Sorcerer4/Spellsword1/Abjurant Champion4/Swiftlbade10

Or Battle Sorcerer6/Swiftblade10/Abjurant Champion4

[Keld Denar]

See, I'd go with the web enhancement kobold with Rapid Strike and Imp Rapid Strike and use Greater Rite of Passage to make up 1 level of casting. Then just Arcane Strike and frenzily attack people with your claw/claw/claw/claw/claw/claw/claw/bite routine.

Play him out like a little yippy pit bull on a short leash that's been fed amphetamines non-stop for the last 9 months. Stop shredding people long enough to hump the elf's leg furiously before returning to the shredding!

[ex cathedra]

Swiftblade's are amazing; I'm playing one now. As terrific as the 10 level ability is, I'm not sure if it's worth losing the extra spells. Which is why I went Wizard 6/Swiftblade 9/Abjurant Champion 5.

[BenTheJester]

Does any (playable) race give Haste as a SLA?

[arguskos]

Paladin2/Sorcerer2/Swiftlbade10/Abjurant Champion5/Spellsword1

How, exactly, does this qualify? I don't see how you have haste at level 4, unless you are taking the classes in a very strange order.

[Kosjsjach]

Does any (playable) race give Haste as a SLA?

I don't think this would help you, even if there was such a race.

As per the Swiftblade requirements, you "must have spent the entire previous level using all 3rd level spell slots to exclusively cast haste."
So even if you can cast haste as a SLA, it's not actually eating up a spell slot, and so doesn't quality RAW.

[Keld Denar]

How, exactly, does this qualify? I don't see how you have haste at level 4, unless you are taking the classes in a very strange order.

If you used Loredrake shananigans, you could qualify for Spellsword at level 5, I think, and Abjurant Champion from there leading into Swiftblade and then back into Abjurant Champion.

Other than that, I'm lost...

Does any (playable) race give Haste as a SLA?

If you were Necropolitan (Libris Mortis) and then Evolved (again, Libris Mortis), you could gain Haste 1/day as a SLA for +1 LA and the loss of a level.

I think there's also some shananigans concerning Trapsmith who gets Haste as a 1st level spell. I don't recall all the details, but its laid out in the Swiftblade Handbook over on Gleemax.

[BenTheJester]

I don't think this would help you, even if there was such a race.

As per the Swiftblade requirements, you "must have spent the entire previous level using all 3rd level spell slots to exclusively cast haste."
So even if you can cast haste as a SLA, it's not actually eating up a spell slot, and so doesn't quality RAW.

Not for the requirement, but many of the swiftblade's abilities kick in when he uses Haste, so getting Haste as an at-will(forgot to mention that in my previous post) SLA would be incredible

[Pharaoh's Fist]

How, exactly, does this qualify? I don't see how you have haste at level 4, unless you are taking the classes in a very strange order.

Sorry, that doesn't work. I'll rewrite it

[ErrantX]

Sorry, that doesn't work. I'll rewrite it

I love paladin so I'd love to see what build you come up with.

I'd also like to see if someone could work some warblade or swordsage into a Swiftblade build.

-X

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Did it. Check up.

[ErrantX]

How does this look for a Swiftblade build?

Swordsage (unarmed variant) 2 / Sorcerer 6 / Spellthief 1 / Sorcerer +1 / Swiftblade 10

Take Dodge and Adaptive Style at 1st, Mobility at 3rd, Ascetic Mage (or my homebrew Arcane Sage) at 6th level, Master Spellthief at 9th level, Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) at 12th, Quicken Spell at 15th, and Superior Unarmed Strike at 18th.

Thoughts?

-X

[Harperfan7]

Scout/Transmuter/Swiftblade are my all-time favorite classes/class combination.