how do i cut things?

[The Rabbler]

I will soon be starting a new campaign and I'm starting to get tired of THW Warblades, so I thought I'd open the floor to the playground and see what you guys could come up with.

Rules:

Melee focused (unless a SPRINKLE of casting ability will make a huge difference)
any book or web enhancement, though homebrew is greatly discouraged.
any sort of weapon (though TWF is preferred)
Ideally would be a fairly-effective skillmonkey (but focusing on killing stuff)

and that's pretty much it. baisically what I'm looking for is a glass cannon with some fair survivability and outside-combat utility. a plexiglass cannon, if you will.

ability scores are: 18, 18, 16, 15, 14, 14. (I rolled amazingly)

[TheMadLinguist]

An iaijutsu factotum sounds right up your alley.

[Lycanthromancer]

I will soon be starting a new campaign and I'm starting to get tired of THW Warblades, so I thought I'd open the floor to the playground and see what you guys could come up with.

Rules:

Melee focused (unless a SPRINKLE of casting ability will make a huge difference)
any book or web enhancement, though homebrew is greatly discouraged.
any sort of weapon (though TWF is preferred)
Ideally would be a fairly-effective skillmonkey (but focusing on killing stuff)

and that's pretty much it. baisically what I'm looking for is a glass cannon with some fair survivability and outside-combat utility. a plexiglass cannon, if you will.

ability scores are: 18, 18, 16, 15, 14, 14. (I rolled amazingly)

Dragonborn dwarf totemist/dragonfire adept, focusing primarily on Con, followed by Str.

Natural weapons > TWF any day.

[Pluto]

Riposte Scout is pretty neat.
Especially with a Daring Outlaw-styled Swashbuckler/R. Scout multiclass feat.

Sword-and-Board Psychic Warrior are also good times.

[Telonius]

Couple builds for you. First is Saph's Horizon Tripper. A very elegant build, lots of options.

And, an couple old builds by yours truly. This one was for an NPC I called the "Dread Pirate Mara." Nasty little halfling pirate, spoilered for length. (Apparently the original fell victim to the forum purge). Used TWF and lots of sneak attack dice.

Spoiler

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Halfling

Starting Stats:

Str (12-2) 10
Dex (12+2) 14
Con 10
Int 18
Wis 10
Cha 12
Rogue1 Quick Draw (1st level feat), Sneak 1d6

Jump 4, Balance 4, Bluff 4, Intimidate 4, Profession (Sailor) 4, Tumble 4, Sleight of Hand 4, Appraise 4, Use Rope 4, Swim 4
Rogue1/Swashbuckler(CWar) 1 Weapon Finesse, Extreme Leap skill trick (from skills)

Balance 5, Bluff 5, Jump 5, Tumble 5, Profession (Sailor) 5, Intimidate 5, Extreme Leap Skill trick (CSco)
Rog2/Sws1 Evasion (Rogue), Tumbling Crawl Skill Trick (from skills), Freerunner (CSco) (3rd Level Feat) = Nimble Charge skill trick

Tumbling Crawl skill trick, Appraise 6, Profession 6, Intimidate 6
Rog2/Sws2 Grace +1, +1 Dex

Profession 7
Rog3/Sws2 Sneak 2d6, Hidden Blade skill trick

Profession 8, Bluff 8, Intimidate 8, Appraise 8, Hidden Blade skill trick
Rog3/Sws3 Insightful Strike (Sws), Daring Outlaw (6th level feat) = +3d6 sneak, +1 Dodge to AC
Rog4/Sws3 Uncanny Dodge, Sneak +4d6
Rog4/Sws3/Dread Pirate(CAdv)1 Two-Weapon Fighting, +1 Dex
Rog4/Sws3/DrP1/Scarlet Corsair(Stormwrack)1 Improved Feint (Corsair), Improved TWF (9th level feat)
Rog4/Sws3/DrP1/ScC2 Sneak +5d6
Rog4/Sws3/DrP1/ScC3 Corsair's Feint

Key Equipment: +1 Keen rapier, +1 Keen kukri, +2 Mithral chain, Gloves of Dex +4, Three-Cornered Hat, Spyglass, Parrot

So, at 11th level, that will amount to:

Str 10
Dex 16 (+4 gloves) = 20
Con 10
Int 18
Wis 10
Cha 12

+10 BAB
Fort +6, Ref +14, Will +6
Single Attack: 10 +5(dex) +1 (small) +1 (magic) = +17
Full attack: 15/15/10/10, d4+4 on the rapier, d3+4 on the Kukri, both at 15-20x2.
Sneak +5d6
AC = 10 + 5 (dex) +2 (magic) +4 (Mithral Chain) + 1 (Dodge) +1 (Size) = 23


Hidden Blade, Quick Draw, and Corsair's Feint will help the character get as many sneak attacks as possible. Nimble Charge and Extreme Leap will help the character navigate a pitching ship, or a barroom brawl. Relatively high (for a Rogue-ish combatant) attack bonuses help him connect. Insightful Strike puts his intelligence to use.

And, a Dervish build.

Spoiler

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Ranger 1 - Dodge (first level feat), Power Attack (Human)
Ranger 2 - Two-Weapon Fighting (Ranger combat style feat)
Rgr2/Fighter1 - Mobility (third level feat), Combat Expertise (Fighter Feat)
Rgr2/Ftr2 - Weapon Focus (Scimitar) (Fighter Feat)
Rgr2/Ftr3
Rgr2/Ftr4 - Resounding Blow (Fighter Feat; BoED), Improved TWF (normal 6th level)
Rgr2/Ftr4/Dervish1 - Slashing Blades (Dervish); Dervish Dance 1/day, +1 to blade attacks/damage; +1 AC (Dervish)
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der2 - Fast Movement +5 (Dervish)
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der3 - Spring Attack (Dervish); Dervish Dance 2/day, +2 to blade attacks/damage
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der4 - Improved Critical (normal 9th level feat)
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der4/Tempest1 - Tempest Defense +1
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der4/Tmp2 - Ambidexterity (Penalties to TWF lessened by 1); Two-Weapon Rend (normal 12th level feat; PHB2)
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der4/Tmp3 - Tempest Defense +2, Two-Weapon Versatility
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der4/Tmp4 - Ambidexterity (Penalties to TWF lessened by 1)
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der5/Tmp4 - Fast Movement +10 (Dervish), Dervish Dance 3/day, Greater TWF (normal 15th-level feat).
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der6/Tmp4 - Improved Reaction (Dervish)
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der7/Tmp4 - Elaborate Parry (Dervish), Dervish Dance 4/day
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der8/Tmp4 - Fast Movement +15 (Dervish), Leap Attack (normal 18th level; CAdv)
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der9/Tmp4 - Tireless Dance (Dervish), Dervish Dance 5/day
Rgr2/Ftr4/Der10/Tmp4 - A Thousand Cuts (Dervish)

Skill requirements: For Dervish, Tumble and Perform.
Key equipment: Scimitars, Mithral Breastplate (counts as light armor).
Suggested stats: Str 17, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 10. I would prioritize Con over Dex, since your AC will be a bit low no matter what you do.

Tempest is from Complete Adventurer, and Dervish is from Complete Warrior. This should be decently powerful even at early levels, but it really kicks in at level 12 when you get Ambidexterity. You'll be doing Two-weapon attacks at almost no penalty then, and at no penalty from level 14 on.

Also, there's nothing wrong with a simple Rogue/Swashbuckler multiclass using Daring Outlaw. Craven does wonders for your damage.

[The Rabbler]

An iaijutsu factotum sounds right up your alley.

and which book would that be in? I have yet to actually read through the factotum class, though I keep hearing that it's awesome.

[Sinfire Titan]

and which book would that be in? I have yet to actually read through the factotum class, though I keep hearing that it's awesome.

Dungeonscape. And yes, it is good.

Iaijutsu Focus is in Oriental Adventures.

[The Rabbler]

now, if this campaign were to become gestalt, are there any other, much better builds that might become possible? or would I simply combine two of the builds already suggested?

[Telonius]

To explain a bit further, iajutsu's spiel is that with a high enough "Iajutsu focus" check you can deal lots of extra damage. Normally only a couple classes from Oriental Adventures get the skill as a class skill. But since Factotum has all skills as class skills ... I think you can see where that's going.

[Sinfire Titan]

now, if this campaign were to become gestalt, are there any other, much better builds that might become possible? or would I simply combine two of the builds already suggested?

Incarnate+Factotum=Win.

Warblade+Factotum=Win.

Wizard+Factotum=GOD.

Artificer+Factotum=Headache.

[TheMadLinguist]

Yeah, warblade + factotum is great. You can get some silly effects from spellthief/factotum due to how the wording of "steal spell-like ability" works, but other than unlimited uses of a handful of spells per day, there's not much else going for it.

[Telonius]

now, if this campaign were to become gestalt, are there any other, much better builds that might become possible? or would I simply combine two of the builds already suggested?

The thing with Gestalt is that you typically want the two classes to support each other - to be strong where the other is weak. You'll often see things like Wizard//Monk, or Knight//Cleric. The general rule is that you shouldn't have two melee classes on either side of the gestalt if you can help it, unless one of them gives you bunches of extra damage or some other very big advantage.

For the person you're outlining, it really depends on what you see him as wanting to do. You said that a smattering of spellcasting is okay. Are we talking Paladin, or Duskblade, or Artificer? Warlock is another possibility for Gestalt, since it'll give you a bunch of always-on goodies, plus great stuff for Use Magic Device.

[Draz74]

Rules:

Melee focused (unless a SPRINKLE of casting ability will make a huge difference)
any book or web enhancement, though homebrew is greatly discouraged.
any sort of weapon (though TWF is preferred)
Ideally would be a fairly-effective skillmonkey (but focusing on killing stuff)

and that's pretty much it. baisically what I'm looking for is a glass cannon with some fair survivability and outside-combat utility. a plexiglass cannon, if you will.

ability scores are: 18, 18, 16, 15, 14, 14. (I rolled amazingly)

Sounds to me like what you're requesting is simply a pure Swordsage. Maybe the classic dual-Kukri-wielding, Blood in the Water type.

With 18 Dex/Wis, 16 Str, 15 Cha (for Imperious Command), 14 Int/Con, you'll be awesome.

[The Rabbler]

well, I'd like this character to be as little-magically focused as possible (not including items of course). Baisically, I want him/her to kill stuff by cutting it up and doing it efficiently while also being able to throw his/her weight around outside combat.

that said, I'd prefer that this character not directly use magic (of the damaging kind) in combat unless it'd be to compliment the slicing-and-dicing. I remember looking for it, but I don't remember any feat that would let a warlock channel an eldritch blast through a weapon. something like and the incantations that would make me love the warlock to no end. as for the duskblade, it seems like all it does is throw out spells, despite them being from weapons. and artificers are too casty for my tastes.

[The Rabbler]

Sounds to me like what you're requesting is simply a pure Swordsage. Maybe the classic dual-Kukri-wielding, Blood in the Water type.

With 18 Dex/Wis, 16 Str, 15 Cha (for Imperious Command), 14 Int/Con, you'll be awesome.

eh. swordsages are fun, but I've been playing martial adept characters for a while now and I thought I'd take a break. I'm sorry if that wasn't very clear in the OP.

also, my group is starting to catch on to the fact that all of my awesome characters use the ToB almost primarily and they're starting to question it's particular brand of cheese.

[Doc Roc]

Artificer//Factotum
+ Knowledge Devotion
+ Minor Schemas
+ Font of Inspiration
Bucket of win.


Int 18
Cha 18
Con 16
Dex 15
Wis 14
Str 14
There is a psi-artificer's substitution, but it's either hilariously good or hilariously bad and I just cannot remember which.

[Divide by Zero]

also, my group is starting to catch on to the fact that all of my awesome characters use the ToB almost primarily and they're starting to question it's particular brand of cheese.

If they think ToB is cheesy, you should try introducing them to God an optimized wizard.

[The Rabbler]

If they think ToB is cheesy, you should try introducing them to God an optimized wizard.

it's funny, but I'm probably the only one of the party that hasn't played some sort of caster in a campaign that we've had together (in general, I find that casters just do things way too easily). One of these campaigns, though, I'll sit down and actually learn how to play a wizard. then I'll make one and let everyone else do the work against helpless buckets of XP while I sit back and think about what in the multiverse I'd most like changed.

[Doc Roc]

Why wait? On a good day, an artificer can out-class a 'zard. On a bad day, they're not particularly dissimilar in power. The crucial thing to remember is that unlike a zard, you can turn anyone you want into a world-rending arcane engine.

[The Rabbler]

Artificer//Factotum
+ Knowledge Devotion
+ Minor Schemas
+ Font of Inspiration
Bucket of win.


Int 18
Cha 18
Con 16
Dex 15
Wis 14
Str 14
There is a psi-artificer's substitution, but it's either hilariously good or hilariously bad and I just cannot remember which.

though I like the idea and I'll have to try it out eventually, This is too much casting and not enough shredding for the character I'm looking for.

Thanks for the idea though, I'll be sure to look into this.

[Divide by Zero]

I made an artificer/warforged juggernaut once. It was surprisingly powerful, and loads of fun.

[Doc Roc]

Hmmm, okay.

Let's see. Do you really, genuinely want to cause tremendous pain?
How do you feel about eagles?

[The Rabbler]

Why wait? On a good day, an artificer can out-class a 'zard. On a bad day, they're not particularly dissimilar in power. The crucial thing to remember is that unlike a zard, you can turn anyone you want into a world-rending arcane engine.

just you wait. eventually I'll get over melee and I'll start making caster after caster after caster. In general, I limit myself to melee because I know that I like to grab the spotlight and it's challenging making a brawler that can stand up to a mean BBEG caster and an evil DM. especially when this DM harbors a particular fondness for necromancers and spells that amount to a big fat "nope."

[The Rabbler]

Hmmm, okay.

Let's see. Do you really, genuinely want to cause tremendous pain?
How do you feel about eagles?

I'm listening...

[Doc Roc]

So there's a feat called Battle Jump, are you familiar with it?

[The Rabbler]

So there's a feat called Battle Jump, are you familiar with it?

vaguely. I don't remember it being all that interesting.

[Doc Roc]

It lets you charge when you fall.
Combined with pounce from the lion totem barbarian in comp champ, and you have an instant winner.

We're going to use the conservative interpretation so that we can't get 6+ full attacks a turn.

Go read Battle Jump, from Unapproachable East, then we'll talk a bit more.

[arguskos]

It lets you charge when you fall.
Combined with pounce from the lion totem barbarian in comp champ, and you have an instant winner.

We're going to use the conservative interpretation so that we can't get 6+ full attacks a turn.

Go read Battle Jump, from Unapproachable East, then we'll talk a bit more.

While I love Battle Jump like the next fellow, there is the issue many DMs will take with it of the prereqs, being all highly specific and if waived, it can be taken by anyone. It's poorly written in this respect.

[Doc Roc]

Correct me if I am wrong, but according to modern sources, we can be from a region merely by speccing some points into know-local, neh?

[arguskos]

Correct me if I am wrong, but according to modern sources, we can be from a region merely by speccing some points into know-local, neh?

Actually, as was pointed out recently, that no longer applies. It was overridden in Player's Guide to Faerun, or so it was said.

EDIT: Yep! Pg 33 of PGtF removes the skill point entry rule.

The region system in this book limits each character to one
and only one regional feat that must be selected at 1st level. This
rule replaces the one on page 28 of the FORGOTTEN REALMS
Campaign Setting that allows a character to learn another
regional feat for each 2 ranks in Knowledge (local) she has.
The regional feats presented herein are designed with the intent
that a character has access to only one. Allowing a character to
choose more than one may unbalance the system.