Mettle

[Illiterate Scribe]

Mettle, for anyone who doesn't know, is an ability which is to fortitude and will saves as evasion is to reflex ones. My question is, how to go about getting it? So far, this is what I found -

• Crusader 17th level - too difficult.
• Hexblade 3rd level - quite good, but a bit too much of a dip.
• Void Incarnate - epic prestige class, so no ...
• Ring of Mettle - as per the ring of evasion. Not quite RAW, and Ref is the least highly-valued save, but there are fewer Fort/Will (partial) saves about.

Any other ideas ? The cheaper levels-wise the better ...

[nerulean]

This list is fantastically useful for questions like this. It tells me:

Hexblade 3
Pious Templar 1, ecl 6, Complete divine
Vigilante 9, ecl 14, Complete Adventurer
Witch Slayer 2, ecl 7, Tome of Magic
Sohei
Crusader 13, Tome of Battle
Deneith Warden 5, ecl 9, Eberron: Dragonmarked
Master Specialist (abjuration) 7, ecl 10, Complete Mage - works for all saves, see text
Argent Fist 8, ecl 13, Faiths of Eberron
Hellreaver 4, ecl 9, Fiendish Codex II

Honorable Mention
Iron Mind 5, ecl 10, Races of Stone - "mettle of will" affects will saves only
Goliath Rogue 2 racial substitution level, ecl 3, Races of Stone - "mettle of mountains" affects Fort saves only, improves if later gain improved evasion

[Illiterate Scribe]

Thankyou, nerulean; your aid was made of awesome and win.

[nerulean]

A pleasure, sir.

[Person_Man]

FYI, while I love the idea of Mettle, I find that it's only used maybe once or twice in a campaign. There are just not a ton of Spells that are Will or Fort Saves that have effects if you fail the Save. Compared to Evasion, its a lot less useful.

Also, there's an item in the Magic Item Compendium that grants you Improved Mettle if you already have Mettle and your hit points are below 50%. Now that is an insanely useful ability, especially a Hexblade/Blackguard who also has a Ring of Evasion.

[Catharsis]

As far as I can tell, it affects all Inflict-type spells, Phantasmal Killer (assuming you fail the Disbelieve), Cloudkill, Disintegrate etc... and yes, the concept is quite nice. With the strong saves, full BAB and the fighter feats, Pious Templar looks like a good deal for a frontliner, worth the investment in a subpar feat (True Believer).

[Gralamin]

May I make an honorable mention?

Abjurer/Master Specialist 7 Grants you Evasion and mettle as one ability.

[Douglas]

Note, however, that the Master Specialist's Moderate Esoterica is a temporary benefit - it only works if you've cast a spell from your specialist school in the last few rounds.

[Draz74]

As far as I can tell, it affects all Inflict-type spells, Phantasmal Killer (assuming you fail the Disbelieve), Cloudkill, Disintegrate etc... and yes, the concept is quite nice. With the strong saves, full BAB and the fighter feats, Pious Templar looks like a good deal for a frontliner, worth the investment in a subpar feat (True Believer).

If your opponent's using Tome of Battle, it becomes much more useful. Works on maneuvers like Mind Strike, Dazing Strike, Death in the Dark, Five-Shadow Creeping Ice Enervation Strike, Irresistible Mountain Strike, Mountain Tombstone Strike, Swooping Dragon Strike, Feral Death Blow ...