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Curiosity about Swashbucklers for a 1-off.
- Thread starter Divide
- Start date
Herobizkit
Adventurer
Would it be worth a Ranger dip as far as necessary to get Improved TWF?
Heck, if I were going for it, I might make a Ranger 9/Swashbuckler 8 just for Evasion.
Heck, if I were going for it, I might make a Ranger 9/Swashbuckler 8 just for Evasion.
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Rogue3/Swash14 with the Daring Outlaw feat
Between your classes and your INT your will have lots and lots of skill points to play. The SA dice from Rogue and Daring Outlaw give you the power to actually finish fights. You could even grab a 4th level of rogue for Uncanny Dodge and still get the Swashbucklers Acrobatic Skill Mastery at Swash13.
The Greater Truedeath Crystal will make or break you thought. Without it you get no sneak attack dice, no Crits, no Insightful Strike... your in big trouble
This looks like it could be fun though. I can see a master swordsmen darting in and out of combat with lumbering hoards of undead, his holy rapier flashing about sending the undead to their true and final rest.
Between your classes and your INT your will have lots and lots of skill points to play. The SA dice from Rogue and Daring Outlaw give you the power to actually finish fights. You could even grab a 4th level of rogue for Uncanny Dodge and still get the Swashbucklers Acrobatic Skill Mastery at Swash13.
The Greater Truedeath Crystal will make or break you thought. Without it you get no sneak attack dice, no Crits, no Insightful Strike... your in big trouble
This looks like it could be fun though. I can see a master swordsmen darting in and out of combat with lumbering hoards of undead, his holy rapier flashing about sending the undead to their true and final rest.
Ranger with Favored Enemy undead could be good for this setting
But why go all the way to Ranger9?? If your looking for Evasion Rogue gets it at level 2 and if we are already using Truedeath Crystals to get Insightful Strike damage and Improved Critical to work against the undead we might as well tack some SA on there as well.
IMO adding Rogue w/ Daring Outlaw is better than Ranger for this build
DumbPaladin
First Post
I agree with a few levels of Rogue being a good idea, for the reasons stated, but mostly for one not stated -- Use Magic Device could give you access to some helpful divine & arcane spells. For instance, if you were able to sneak attack against undead because they'd been hit by a spark of life spell you cast from a scroll or wand, you'd also gain your Insightful Strike bonus because they were now "critical hit vulnerable".
Since you stated you wanted to be a full swashbuckler. I'd recommend a few things:
1) Good call from Feadin on Improved Critical: it will be useless against most undead. Use that feat for something else. Also, why Combat Acrobat? Acrobatic Charge will let you ignore rough terrain at level 7.
2) An item that will let you fly could be really helpful. So could an item that will let you teleport short distances, to get out of trouble when your Spring Attack or basic movement rate won't.
3) Fighters fail Will saves regularly. And it usually is pretty bad when you fail a will save from an undead. Make sure you boost your save as much as possible.
4) Carry a magical bludgeoning weapon as well. Some undead are resistant to piercing, but not to bludgeoning. Or: there's a weapon enhancement that causes a weapon to "count as" meeting all the requirements to overcome a creature's DR for a +2 bonus (Magic Item Compendium, though I don't recall its name right now). I'd say this is probably a must for your weapon.
5) For a feat instead of Improved Critical, I'd recommend Unquenchable Flame of Life from Libris Mortis to boost your saves against supernatural & extraordinary undead abilities. Maybe 2 luck feats, if you were also willing to give up Combat Acrobat.
Since you stated you wanted to be a full swashbuckler. I'd recommend a few things:
1) Good call from Feadin on Improved Critical: it will be useless against most undead. Use that feat for something else. Also, why Combat Acrobat? Acrobatic Charge will let you ignore rough terrain at level 7.
2) An item that will let you fly could be really helpful. So could an item that will let you teleport short distances, to get out of trouble when your Spring Attack or basic movement rate won't.
3) Fighters fail Will saves regularly. And it usually is pretty bad when you fail a will save from an undead. Make sure you boost your save as much as possible.
4) Carry a magical bludgeoning weapon as well. Some undead are resistant to piercing, but not to bludgeoning. Or: there's a weapon enhancement that causes a weapon to "count as" meeting all the requirements to overcome a creature's DR for a +2 bonus (Magic Item Compendium, though I don't recall its name right now). I'd say this is probably a must for your weapon.
5) For a feat instead of Improved Critical, I'd recommend Unquenchable Flame of Life from Libris Mortis to boost your saves against supernatural & extraordinary undead abilities. Maybe 2 luck feats, if you were also willing to give up Combat Acrobat.
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Dandu
First Post
Transmuting weapon enchantment.
UMD is good. Wands of Gravestrike will help attacking undead.
StreamoftheSky will probably chime in about how UMDing wands of swift action spells as a swift action is something he doesn't like, so I'm going to preemptively tell him that his opinion is well founded and entirely reasonable, moreover it enhances game balance and enhances the experience for all involved.
UMD is good. Wands of Gravestrike will help attacking undead.
StreamoftheSky will probably chime in about how UMDing wands of swift action spells as a swift action is something he doesn't like, so I'm going to preemptively tell him that his opinion is well founded and entirely reasonable, moreover it enhances game balance and enhances the experience for all involved.
There's some really good ideas in this thread, I can't believe I had missed Daring Outlaw. I'm definitely going to have to get that feat and switch out for Combat Acrobat for that instead. Huge bonus' to sneak attack and such.
I didn't really want to dip into another class, as I can see slippery mind as useful, especially in a high level game. BUT, with 320k to start, I can probably sacrifice a bit somewhere else to add in some save buffing items.
As far as mobility, I was going to add Aporter to my armor, which basically gives me dimension door twice a day, along with (possibly) a ring of freedom of movement and maybe one other item (winged boots?) to buff my movement.
Great find on that feat, Beninhb! much appreciated.
Also in response to a few that have been saying that Improved Critical is useless: Greater Truedeath Crystals allow you to deliver sneak attack and critical damage to undead. 10k. perfect for finesse melee in undead heavy campaigns.
I didn't really want to dip into another class, as I can see slippery mind as useful, especially in a high level game. BUT, with 320k to start, I can probably sacrifice a bit somewhere else to add in some save buffing items.
As far as mobility, I was going to add Aporter to my armor, which basically gives me dimension door twice a day, along with (possibly) a ring of freedom of movement and maybe one other item (winged boots?) to buff my movement.
Great find on that feat, Beninhb! much appreciated.
Also in response to a few that have been saying that Improved Critical is useless: Greater Truedeath Crystals allow you to deliver sneak attack and critical damage to undead. 10k. perfect for finesse melee in undead heavy campaigns.
DumbPaladin
First Post
Thank you, Dandu.
Divide: I really recommend getting at least one of your rapiers with this enchantment. It's well worth the +2 modifier (in my opinion, it'd be worth +3).
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