Swordsage Blaster?

[Were-Sandwich]

ToB says that a Swordsage could function as a blaster. I'm curious as to how you would go about this. The only ways I could think would be the Desert Wind AoE maneuvers, but there aren't enough to be able to use them consistently. How would you go about doing it?

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

I think a few pretty neat Shadow Hand manuevers let you have blaster type manuevers, plus a few others like the Mountain Hammers.

[Were-Sandwich]

Yeah, but they require you to make successful melee attacks. I was thinking more of the 'stand at back of party and nuke things' type of blaster.

[Fax Celestis]

I think they were referring to the Swordsage-Sorceror variant.

[Were-Sandwich]

No, in the 'party role'section, or somewhere near there. Im AFB at the minute, o can't be more specific.

[Fax Celestis]

I am too, so no help there. I'd say, really, the only "blaster" stuff would be Desert Wind and a few Shadow Hand and Setting Sun maneuvers.

Mmm...Ballista Throw.

[Khantalas]

Mmm...Ballista Throw.

Fighter-doken!

Boat-doken!

Me-doken!

[Yuki Akuma]

Setting Sun has a maneuver that lets you throw enemies as projectiles... it does quite a bit of damage.

Then there's Fan the Flames, and... that's really all I can think of as ranged maneuvers go.

[Fax Celestis]

There's also Hatchling Flame, Wyrm's Flame, Ring of Fire...

Heh, in this month's contest, I've got a creature with a speed of 90. Ring of Fire mixed with this is terrifying: 180' of movement, and if it completes a ring, 10d6 fire to everyone inside.

That's a damn big ring.

[Thomas]

There's also Hatchling Flame, Wyrm's Flame, Ring of Fire...

Heh, in this month's contest, I've got a creature with a speed of 90. Ring of Fire mixed with this is terrifying: 180' of movement, and if it completes a ring, 10d6 fire to everyone inside.

That's a damn big ring.

If the circumference is 180 feet, the radius is ~28 feet. It's not that big. 50% bigger than a fireball.

[Viscount Einstrauss]

Swordsage is a remarkably versatile class. It's got great skillage, an okay BAB, lots of good maneuvers and stances, some nifty weapon-based class features, etc. Plus, there's absolutely no MAD. You can play it an a thousand different ways and still be a useful team player, even when the casters are starting to get into their groove.

Now, I like Crusader and Warblade too. But unless we're talking about a gestalt game or for flavor, I'd say swordsage is by far the single best non-caster class in the game.

[Shisumo]

A 10th level swordsage could fill 6 of his/her 8 readied manuevers with ranged touches, bursts, cones, or lines of damage - that's a decent set of blaster effects, I'd think.

[axraelshelm]

I'm sorry but which book is the sword sage from? I don't reconize the class.

[Fax Celestis]

I'm sorry but which book is the sword sage from? I don't reconize the class.

The Tome of Battle.

[Fizban]

Kinda off topic, but has anyone tried making the changes needed to use that sorcerer swordsage variant suggestion? I'd love to see an arcanist using the maneuver set up, but I've no idea how to go about balancing the problem spells.

[Bears With Lasers]

Swordsage-as-blaster refers to the "arcane spells of certain schools instead of maneuvers" variant of the Swordsage, mentioned under "Adaptations".

It's probably not a good idea. Spells are much more powerful than maneuvers. It'd be Way Too Good.