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General Tabletop Discussion
Character Builds & Optimization
[3.5, Tome of Battle] Need Balance & Build Advice on Swordsage
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<blockquote data-quote="cjosephs1s" data-source="post: 5700527" data-attributes="member: 6683450"><p>Well its partly reverse engineering to a degree. At least that's where you start. So you want Time Stands Still (who doesn't...lol) Ok so you need 4 manuevers from Diamond Mind. So pick 4 that you really want to have when your character is completed. Lets say you want Ruby NIghtmare blade (4), Rapid Counter (5), Quicksilver Motion (7), and one of my favorites..Moment of Alacrity (6). So this meets your prereqs for your Diamond mind "final tree" But how do you get those? Once again you can work backwords starting with levels not with prereqs. So Ruby Nightmare Blade is the first one you want to take. It requres 2 manuevers. So pick up two before this. Lets say they are Sapphire Nightmare Blade (1) and Emerald Razor (2). So now you have the prereqs for this. But odds are you don't want Sapphire Nightmare Blade when you are level 18 or 20 so you can switch it out for Time Stands still and still meet the prereqs for all of your 4 original top teir "final tree" and not have felt like you wasted a manuever. </p><p> </p><p>Manuevers don't have to be of lower level to count as prereqs. You can take a level 5 manuever to count as a prereq for a level 4 manuever just the same as if you lower level manuever that still needs prereqs your higher level ones you have taken will count towards that. </p><p> </p><p>The swordsage is a master of combat and strategy but it takes a lot of strategy to build one too. So its going to take a few hours to compile all of your manuevers (especially since you get so many). And even then it may take some more time to fit them all in at just the right times. </p><p> </p><p>For complicated progressions like this (or even the average class ones) I love using excel. You can plot your class levels on the left and then assign columns for all of your abilities such as HD, BAB, saves, special abilities, manuevers and feats. It takes a little bit of time but in the end you usually have one sheet that lays out your entire character progression in an easy to read and change format (just in case your DM throws a monkey wrench in the campaing <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" />) </p><p> </p><p>Also a suggestion...The Dragon Heart discipline will deal out serious damage while the Tiger Claw has mobility and damage. Look into both for cherry picking. You should be able to specialize and get the best manuevers from at least 3 different trees and probably 4 if you do it right. </p><p> </p><p>Hope that made sense and was useful.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="cjosephs1s, post: 5700527, member: 6683450"] Well its partly reverse engineering to a degree. At least that's where you start. So you want Time Stands Still (who doesn't...lol) Ok so you need 4 manuevers from Diamond Mind. So pick 4 that you really want to have when your character is completed. Lets say you want Ruby NIghtmare blade (4), Rapid Counter (5), Quicksilver Motion (7), and one of my favorites..Moment of Alacrity (6). So this meets your prereqs for your Diamond mind "final tree" But how do you get those? Once again you can work backwords starting with levels not with prereqs. So Ruby Nightmare Blade is the first one you want to take. It requres 2 manuevers. So pick up two before this. Lets say they are Sapphire Nightmare Blade (1) and Emerald Razor (2). So now you have the prereqs for this. But odds are you don't want Sapphire Nightmare Blade when you are level 18 or 20 so you can switch it out for Time Stands still and still meet the prereqs for all of your 4 original top teir "final tree" and not have felt like you wasted a manuever. Manuevers don't have to be of lower level to count as prereqs. You can take a level 5 manuever to count as a prereq for a level 4 manuever just the same as if you lower level manuever that still needs prereqs your higher level ones you have taken will count towards that. The swordsage is a master of combat and strategy but it takes a lot of strategy to build one too. So its going to take a few hours to compile all of your manuevers (especially since you get so many). And even then it may take some more time to fit them all in at just the right times. For complicated progressions like this (or even the average class ones) I love using excel. You can plot your class levels on the left and then assign columns for all of your abilities such as HD, BAB, saves, special abilities, manuevers and feats. It takes a little bit of time but in the end you usually have one sheet that lays out your entire character progression in an easy to read and change format (just in case your DM throws a monkey wrench in the campaing ;)) Also a suggestion...The Dragon Heart discipline will deal out serious damage while the Tiger Claw has mobility and damage. Look into both for cherry picking. You should be able to specialize and get the best manuevers from at least 3 different trees and probably 4 if you do it right. Hope that made sense and was useful. [/QUOTE]
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[3.5, Tome of Battle] Need Balance & Build Advice on Swordsage
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