Unarmed Swordsage Questions

[Talbot]

I really want to play one, but...

1) How do they deal with damage reduction? It says they get a "Monk's Unarmed Strike progression" or whatever, but does that include Ki-Strike? Even if it does, they're kinda boned if they multiclass, aren't they?

2) If you used Kung-Fu Genius on a Monk and multiclassed with Unarmed Swordsage, would you get both Int and Wis to AC? Technically, they're different abilities to begin with (US doesn't give you the extra ACs every few levels), and it's now keyed off two separate sources. Nevermind that Swordsages, but RAW, don't get their bonus unarmored.

3) Less specifically, but in general, when a class gives you a specific bonus feat, and you already have it, the rule is that you get to choose a different feat, yes?

4) If you multiclass Swordsage and, say, Warblade, but take a different number of levels from each, and then go into Master of Nine... are there any rules governing which maneuvers learned from Mo9 you can prepare each way?

5) If you get evasion from two different classes, does it combine to make "Improved Evasion", ala Uncanny Dodge, or does it just stay boring normal evasion?

[Reynard]

I really want to play one, but...

1) How do they deal with damage reduction? It says they get a "Monk's Unarmed Strike progression" or whatever, but does that include Ki-Strike? Even if it does, they're kinda boned if they multiclass, aren't they?

2) If you used Kung-Fu Genius on a Monk and multiclassed with Unarmed Swordsage, would you get both Int and Wis to AC? Technically, they're different abilities to begin with (US doesn't give you the extra ACs every few levels), and it's now keyed off two separate sources. Nevermind that Swordsages, but RAW, don't get their bonus unarmored.

3) Less specifically, but in general, when a class gives you a specific bonus feat, and you already have it, the rule is that you get to choose a different feat, yes?

4) If you multiclass Swordsage and, say, Warblade, but take a different number of levels from each, and then go into Master of Nine... are there any rules governing which maneuvers learned from Mo9 you can prepare each way?

5) If you get evasion from two different classes, does it combine to make "Improved Evasion", ala Uncanny Dodge, or does it just stay boring normal evasion?

1: Stone Dragon strikes.

2: No. The "source" is the class ability "AC Bonus". This doesn't stack.

3: Nope, you'll have to ask your DM.

4: I think you have to choose which class's Maneuvers you boost.

5: Only if it says in the description that you do.

[MeeposFire]

I really want to play one, but...

1) How do they deal with damage reduction? It says they get a "Monk's Unarmed Strike progression" or whatever, but does that include Ki-Strike? Even if it does, they're kinda boned if they multiclass, aren't they?

2) If you used Kung-Fu Genius on a Monk and multiclassed with Unarmed Swordsage, would you get both Int and Wis to AC? Technically, they're different abilities to begin with (US doesn't give you the extra ACs every few levels), and it's now keyed off two separate sources. Nevermind that Swordsages, but RAW, don't get their bonus unarmored.

3) Less specifically, but in general, when a class gives you a specific bonus feat, and you already have it, the rule is that you get to choose a different feat, yes?

4) If you multiclass Swordsage and, say, Warblade, but take a different number of levels from each, and then go into Master of Nine... are there any rules governing which maneuvers learned from Mo9 you can prepare each way?

5) If you get evasion from two different classes, does it combine to make "Improved Evasion", ala Uncanny Dodge, or does it just stay boring normal evasion?

1) You need to use items just like everybody else.

Options

A) gauntlets-you have prof with them and you take no penalties with using them as you are not a monk. On the bad side it is debatable whether you deal your improved unarmed damage with them ask your DM (if you do it here prepare for an epic thread full of arguments that ends up being "ask your DM to see how it works").

B) Battlefist-requires the heavy arms graft from faiths of eberron. Cons are that you would have to allow eberron material which means ask your DM

C) utilize a necklace of natural attacks which is in savage species. Takes the neck slot.

D) In addition to these you can find rings that beat adamantine, gloves that beat magic and silver, and I am sure there is something out there that beats cold iron.

[Draz74]

You have a lot of questions that are either fuzzy (based on the incomplete description of Unarmed Swordsage in the book) or where RAW is quite different from what most DMs will do.

1) How do they deal with damage reduction? It says they get a "Monk's Unarmed Strike progression" or whatever, but does that include Ki-Strike? Even if it does, they're kinda boned if they multiclass, aren't they?

It doesn't really say, does it? Most people seem to think you get whatever the Monk description says under the heading "Unarmed Strike," which would not include Ki Strike features. But yes, Stone Dragon strikes are your friends.

As for multiclassing, if I were the DM I would make a minor houserule to Superior Unarmed Strike to let it count all of your levels towards your unarmed strike damage.

2) If you used Kung-Fu Genius on a Monk and multiclassed with Unarmed Swordsage, would you get both Int and Wis to AC? Technically, they're different abilities to begin with (US doesn't give you the extra ACs every few levels), and it's now keyed off two separate sources. Nevermind that Swordsages, but RAW, don't get their bonus unarmored.

Again, ask your DM. Especially since you already are making a houserule when you change the Swordsage no-armor thing.

3) Less specifically, but in general, when a class gives you a specific bonus feat, and you already have it, the rule is that you get to choose a different feat, yes?

In general, no. But a lot of DMs will allow it.

4) If you multiclass Swordsage and, say, Warblade, but take a different number of levels from each, and then go into Master of Nine... are there any rules governing which maneuvers learned from Mo9 you can prepare each way?

You can only learn a maneuver as part of a class that has a high enough Initiator Level for it. I have some builds that are Swordsage 1 / Fighter 1 / Warblade 9 / Master of Nine, for example. In that case, the Warblade initiator level is quite a bit higher than the Swordsage initiator level, and thus, Master of Nine can't add some of its higher-level maneuvers to the Swordsage progression.

5) If you get evasion from two different classes, does it combine to make "Improved Evasion", ala Uncanny Dodge, or does it just stay boring normal evasion?

By RAW, it stays boring normal Evasion, usually. (I think there are a couple PrCs that specify otherwise.)

Note that there are some Alternate Class Features that let Monks trade out their Evasion for something else.