A Fighter among Martial Adepts

**Kyrthain** · 2010-10-06, 07:30 AM (ISO 8601)

My friend's starting up a campaign from level one, an oddity among our group. We've all played plenty of dnd before, and the party is mostly comprised of martial adepts. (Specifically, homebrewed Sublime archer, Blademaster, focused on the Iron tortoise discipline, a Warlord focused around Army Of One and an Assassin)

All of these should be relatively well balanced with each other, but there is a new player who's interested, and who wants to play a fighter, preferably some sort of dual wielder.

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to make a simple to play character that fights with two weapons, that can keep up with martial adepts? It does not have to actually be a fighter, but certainly nothing as complicated as a caster or martial adept.

**Saintheart** · 2010-10-06, 07:49 AM (ISO 8601)

Rogue/Swashbuckler. Fighter BAB, rogue sneak attack damage. Shoehorn Telling Blow in there, give him the standard rapier/short sword combo, and you've got someone who's at least interesting if he starts rolling 15 or more on his dice.

**Chambers** · 2010-10-06, 07:56 AM (ISO 8601)

Scout/Fighter (Or Swashbuckler) into Tempest. The low levels he'll be a standard TWF, but once he gets Dual Strike (Complete Adventurer) he can move and attack once with each weapon. Retrain Dual Strike for Spring Attack at higher levels and take Bounding Assault, so he get Skirmish and Insightful Strike on both attacks during Bounding Assault.

The Scout gets him some Skirmish damage and good passive abilities that are both flavorful and useful. It'll help distinguish his character from the other characters without giving him a lot of things to remember to use.

**Kyrthain** · 2010-10-06, 08:01 AM (ISO 8601)

So for the scout build, he'd want to start as fighter, then go into scout when he can get dual strike? Or alternate Fighter/Scout at that point?

**Amphetryon** · 2010-10-06, 08:06 AM (ISO 8601)

TWF-Ranger 2/Whirling Frenzy Lion Totem Barbarian 2/Fighter 2/Tempest 5/Streetfighter 4. Use a Guisarme or other reach weapon and Armor Spikes. Both PrCs are in the same book (CAd), minimizing the amount of things he has to look up, once Whirling Frenzy + Lion Totem are clear to him, which shouldn't take too long to learn at all.

**Prime32** · 2010-10-06, 08:10 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Chambers

Scout/Fighter (Or Swashbuckler) into Tempest. The low levels he'll be a standard TWF, but once he gets Dual Strike (Complete Adventurer) he can move and attack once with each weapon. Retrain Dual Strike for Spring Attack at higher levels and take Bounding Assault, so he get Skirmish and Insightful Strike on both attacks during Bounding Assault.

The Scout gets him some Skirmish damage and good passive abilities that are both flavorful and useful. It'll help distinguish his character from the other characters without giving him a lot of things to remember to use.

If you're using scout, why not Swift Hunter?*
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boa...hp?topic=103.0

*Complete Scoundrel feat: ranger and scout levels stack for signature features.

**Kyrthain** · 2010-10-06, 08:12 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Amphetryon

TWF-Ranger 2/Whirling Frenzy Lion Totem Barbarian 2/Fighter 2/Tempest 5/Streetfighter 4. Use a Guisarme or other reach weapon and Armor Spikes. Both PrCs are in the same book (CAd), minimizing the amount of things he has to look up, once Whirling Frenzy + Lion Totem are clear to him, which shouldn't take too long to learn at all.

Not sure Guisarme/Armor spikes are exactly what he's looking for. He said he wants to be a guy who hits people with two swords. Sorry that I forgot to mention that

**Starbuck_II** · 2010-10-06, 08:23 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Kyrthain

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to make a simple to play character that fights with two weapons, that can keep up with martial adepts? It does not have to actually be a fighter, but certainly nothing as complicated as a caster or martial adept.

Is he planning on take Martial study for Maneuvers?

**Master_Rahl22** · 2010-10-06, 09:01 AM (ISO 8601)

I'm going to second the Swift Hunter suggestion. Throw in one level of Lion Totem Barbarian for Pounce, then he can charge and make all of his attacks with both weapons, adding Skirmish damage to all of them. He'll have some decent skills and Track for something to do out of combat, but he'll only have the one trick for in combat. Nice and simple, decently effective TWF build.

As an alternative, or even if you go with the Swift Hunter, he could spend a feat or two on Martial Study and pick up some Tiger Claw maneuvers. Having only one or two maneuvers to worry about would keep it simple and be a nice introduction to the cool stuff everybody else is using.

**Eldariel** · 2010-10-06, 10:08 AM (ISO 8601)

Straight Swift Hunter or Swift Hunter into Dervish [CWar] is the easiest. Though honestly, Warblade would probably be the best TWFer and quite simple far as it goes.

**Optimator** · 2010-10-06, 02:46 PM (ISO 8601)

For a new player I would recommend the Rogue/Swashbuckler with Daring Outlaw. It's simple but it'll work and also perform like the player envisions.

**Keld Denar** · 2010-10-06, 03:45 PM (ISO 8601)

Make his character for him, use the stats for Warblade, give him some nice Tiger Claw manevuers, and then write "Fighter" on top of the character sheet.

Done and done! *Tongue-in-cheek*

**DrGonzo** · 2010-10-06, 03:48 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Keld Denar

Make his character for him, use the stats for Warblade, give him some nice Tiger Claw manevuers, and then write "Fighter" on top of the character sheet.

Done and done! *Tongue-in-cheek*

Seconded! Be effective! *Tongue-in-cheek*

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