Warblade Build?

[Black_Zawisza]

I'm trying to plan out my feats, stances, and maneuvers in later levels. I wield a greatsword and I want to specialize in Power Attacking, bull rushing, and charging. I'm currently level 3.

STR: 18
DEX: 17
CON: 16
INT: 14
WIS: 10
CHA: 10

AC: 18 (10 + Armor +4, Buckler +1, DEX +3)

Feats:
Level 1: Power Attack
Level 3: Improved Bush Rush
Level 5: Leap Attack
Level 6: Shock Trooper
Level 9:
Level 9: (second feat)
Level 12:
Level 13:
Level 15:
Level 17:
Level 18:

Stances:
Level 1: Leading the Charge
Level 5: Leaping Dragon Stance

Maneuvers:
(note: my DM is allowing me to learn maneuvers and stances whenever I like after I meet the prerequisites)
Level 1: Moment of Perfect Mind
Level 2: Claw at the Moon
Level 3: Emerald Razor, Wall of Blades
Level 5: White Raven Tactics, Iron Heart Surge
Level 7:
Level 9:
Level 11:
Level 13:
Level 15:
Level 17:
Level 19:

Thanks for any help you can give! =D

[Awnetu]

I don't think power attacking works well with maneuvers, and I guess you can build charge, though I would use a 1 level dip in Barbarian for the Spirit Totem (Lion) from Complete Champion, so that you have pounce. And you can use the Whirling Frenzy ACF for rage, which changes rage to boost Strength/AC/Reflex Saves and grants an extra attack for just a -2 to all attacks during the round while raging, also you gain evasion during rages.

Have you considered using your feats to build more support and defensively in conjunction with what Warblade already does for you?

You may also wanna explore a template option, something that makes you large would be useful in a build that works with Bull Rush as well. Maybe a Half-Minotaur template knocked up to a +3 or so to be reasonable?

Steadfast Determination looks like a decent feat for you to take, con to will and no longer autofail on 1s.

Protected Destiny/Heroic Destiny are great feats as well, allowing rerolls and the ability to increase the roll you made. But you have to be human.

You definitely want Charging Minotaur, which is a Stone Dragon Maneuver, and works on charging. Mountain Hammer is also a great maneuver for you, overcome hardness and DR.

Just curious how are you using a shield with a greatsword? Animated shield or somesuch?

Look at the Twisted Charge skill trick, 5 ranks in tumble, 5 in balance, and you will be able to make one turn during a charge.

Action Before Thought, does the same as moment of clear mind, but for reflex saves.

Mind Over Body finishes the set, with concentration check for Fort saves.

Lightning Recovery on top of that, so you failed on your charge? Not really, use this maneuver and suddenly you get to reroll the attack AND get an additional +2 on the attack roll.

Boulder Roll for more Bull Rush goodies.


Also Improved Bush Rush? sounds like a BoEF feat in a charger build ;).

[Draz74]

I don't think power attacking works well with maneuvers,

Depends on the maneuvers. Power Attack is awesome with Emerald Razor, and pretty decent with Rabid Wolf/Bear Strike.

and I guess you can build charge, though I would use a 1 level dip in Barbarian for the Spirit Totem (Lion) from Complete Champion, so that you have pounce. And you can use the Whirling Frenzy ACF for rage, which changes rage to boost Strength/AC/Reflex Saves and grants an extra attack for just a -2 to all attacks during the round while raging, also you gain evasion during rages.

There's no question that a Barbarian dip makes a Warblade charger stronger, but if you don't want to do this because of your character concept or because it's considered cheesy in your group, Warblade can still do well as a charger without Barbarian help. Note that if you combine pounce (from a different source, like Barbarian, rather than the Pouncing Charge maneuver) with White Raven strikes that add damage on a charge, it can definitely get very cheesy very fast.

You definitely want Charging Minotaur, which is a Stone Dragon Maneuver, and works on charging.

This is win. Take this maneuver and never trade it out!

Look at the Twisted Charge skill trick, 5 ranks in tumble, 5 in balance, and you will be able to make one turn during a charge.

This is also an especially insightful suggestion.

[Greenish]

Charging Minotaur is handy for not provoking AoO when you charge, but a normal charge will do more damage even before the charger feats.

[Runestar]

Not to mention that PA damage is multiplied for maneuvers such as diamond blade nightmare.

[Saintheart]

It's not ToB, but if you're building the UberCharger, Combat Brute (CW) gives you something to do in the round after the initial charge and/or bullrush. Especially the Advancing Blows tactic, which given you're focusing towards bullrushing sounds like it might be up your alley -- although most of the focus goes on Momentum Swing because of what it does to Power Attack in the round after the charge.

Having said that, it very weirdly has Improved Sunder as the prerequisite, which you're less than likely to use, rather than Improved Bullrush, and requires a BAB of +6. Take a look at it and maybe ask your DM if you can substitute Improved Bullrush as the prereq for Improved Sunder, because it's a pretty nice tactical feat otherwise. (Probably he won't allow it because Shock Trooper is Combat Brute's twin brother, but you never know.)

If the answer's no and you have to sacrifice something to get it, I would -- hear me out -- seriously consider ditching Leap Attack for it in preference to Improved Sunder as a prereq to picking up Combat Brute. Reason being that Leap Attack improves PA, it's true, but if you're going two-handed you're going to be pulling in double PA damage anyway. Leap Attack will raise that from x2 to x3 IIRC -- not bad, but it's only for the charge attack, whereas Combat Brute tends to focus on the attacks after the initial charge hits. And if you pick up an adamantium two-handed weapon, you might actually start sundering stuff anyway. :)

Deferring, of course, to wiser heads around here.

[Awnetu]

There's no question that a Barbarian dip makes a Warblade charger stronger, but if you don't want to do this because of your character concept or because it's considered cheesy in your group, Warblade can still do well as a charger without Barbarian help. Note that if you combine pounce (from a different source, like Barbarian, rather than the Pouncing Charge maneuver) with White Raven strikes that add damage on a charge, it can definitely get very cheesy very fast.

Eh, up to him then, just thought I'd throw it in because it is really helpful on charger builds.

@runestar Ouch... just... ouch... *has images of Warblade/Frenzied Berserkers power attacking.

[Runestar]

@runestar Ouch... just... ouch... *has images of Warblade/Frenzied Berserkers power attacking.

At least you can't combine it with shock trooper...

Though a 1 lv dip could be quite useful. Wall of blades gives you a bit of defense considering your AC will well be negative.