Initiator Level for late-level multiclassing.

[IdleMuse]

I'm currently building a Knight 5/Deepwarden 2/Dwarven Defender 8, and am considering taking the last 5 levels in Warblade. If I do so, my initiator level is (7.5+5) = 12, correct? Does this mean that although I only will know 6 Manuevers and 2 Stances (as a Warblade 5), they can be of up to 6th level because of my pervious levels in non Martial Adept classes?

Thanks.

[The Glyphstone]

Not quite, because you won't take all 5 levels simultaneously. You'll take your first Warblade level with an IL of 7.5+1, rounding down to 8th. Your 3 starting maneuvers and 1 stance could be anything up to 4th level, meeting other prerequisites.

Warblade 2 would be IL9th, a new maneuver of up to 5th level, and being able to swap out one lower-level maneuver for one of higher level.

Warblade 3 would be IL10th, learning a new maneuver of up to 5th level.

Warblde 4 would be IL11th, learning a new stance of up to 6th level, and being able to swap out one lower-level maneuver for one of higher level.

Warblade 5 would be IL12th, learning a new maneuver of up to 6th level.


EDIT: Okay, I re-read the multiclassing rules, and it rounds down? Weird. So yeah, you've pretty much got it, though you won't be able to have all 6th level's - you'll end up with 3 4th's and 2 5ths, only 2 of which can be exchanged without Retraining rules.

[IdleMuse]

Okay, that's fine, that's how I thought it worked anyway, (aside from the rounding down/up ) so no problem here, good to get some clarification.

Thanks a lot!

[The Glyphstone]

Note that I screwed up and had to edit - you do round down, in defiance of normal D&D math (which is to obey normal rules of math unless stated otherwise, such as rounding .5 up to the next largest number).

[Mongoose87]

Have you considered using Deepstone Sentinel in place of Dwarven Defender? It has similar flavor, and will work wit your Warblade levels.

[The Glyphstone]

Have you considered using Deepstone Sentinel in place of Dwarven Defender? It has similar flavor, and will work wit your Warblade levels.

....this +1. Dwarven Defener is, really, an NPC prestige class in fancy clothes - it's moderately decent at its extensively narrow specialization (holding ground in a narrow corridor) - but said situations are quite rare in the average game. Deepstone Sentinel has much of the same flavor and ability, but advances maneuvers and has the benefit of being able to create terrain favorable to its abilities, unlike the the Defender being dependent on what's already there.

Knight 5/Deepwarden 2/Dwarven Defender 3/Deepstone Sentinel 5. Or just an extra 3 levels of Knight, or +1 Knight/+2 Fighter, since DD3 just gets you uncanny dodge.

[Starbuck_II]

Not quite, because you won't take all 5 levels simultaneously. You'll take your first Warblade level with an IL of 7.5+1, rounding down to 8th. Your 3 starting maneuvers and 1 stance could be anything up to 4th level, meeting other prerequisites.


EDIT: Okay, I re-read the multiclassing rules, and it rounds down? Weird. So yeah, you've pretty much got it, though you won't be able to have all 6th level's - you'll end up with 3 4th's and 2 5ths, only 2 of which can be exchanged without Retraining rules.

Nope. 1st level stance must be 1st. You don't get a choice of higher till 2nd level (or higher choice).

RAW: Even a epic character who gains 1 level in Warblade can't choose higher than 1st level stance at 1st level Warblade.

[IdleMuse]

Have you considered using Deepstone Sentinel in place of Dwarven Defender? It has similar flavor, and will work wit your Warblade levels.

It's a pretty nice PrC, but part of this build is about combining the Deepwarden's Con->AC ability with the extra Con gained from Defensive Stance. Not an amazing trick, for +2AC, but it's a pretty SAD tank build with horrendous hit points (20 levels of d12 + maxed CON + Toughness, since it's a prereq for DD. Probably +Imp. Toughness as well.). Gimmicks for the win.

EDIT to fast replies; thanks for the tip on the Stance level.

[The Glyphstone]

Nope. 1st level stance must be 1st. You don't get a choice of higher till 2nd level (or higher choice).

RAW: Even a epic character who gains 1 level in Warblade can't choose higher than 1st level stance at 1st level Warblade.

I stand corrected.

It's a pretty nice PrC, but part of this build is about combining the Deepwarden's Con->AC ability with the extra Con gained from Defensive Stance. Not an amazing trick, for +2AC, but it's a pretty SAD tank build with horrendous hit points (20 levels of d12 + maxed CON + Toughness, since it's a prereq for DD. Probably +Imp. Toughness as well.)

Well, I guess with Knight you've got a decent shot at it. It'd only be an extra 38 HP total (8 from upgrading d10's to d12's, 30 from 15 HD and +4 Con in defensive stance.

Defensive Stance doesn't improve with levels though, unlike Rage or similar abilities. You're limited to Knight's Challenge to ensure that enemies pay attention to you - DD3/Deepstone Sentinel 5 would still give you 2 Defensive Stances per day (down from 4), but the ability to use Dragon's Tooth and generate mostly-impassable terrain with a bit of work could be invaluable for further control. This also means you only lose a grand total of 5 HP, before you take Improved Toughness and still end up with a net positive.