Ok so I thought a bit more about my options and I'm beginning to think Swash isn't necessary at all. If I only ended up taking the 3 levels of swash I had intended, it would at most add 2d6 SA(maybe only 1d6, if I ended with an odd rogue level), insightful strike, weapon finesse and the Arcane stunt. However I believe I can make up for those losses with more to gain.
-The arcane stunt I would have chosen would have been blur, or expeditious retreat. The swordsage levels would allow me to do both of those and in superior ways(child of shadow, shadow stride/jaunt).
-The loss of 1 or 2d6 SA could be made up by the extra feat gained instead of taking daring outlaw. I also lose dodge bonus, but for only 3 levels Im not worried.
-Insightful strike would have been extra damage on my attacks, however the shadow blade would give me +4 damage, assumably even with palm trick since it never says "replaces strength bonus", only that you don't get to add it. I'd lose some extra damage to all my attacks, but since the other reasons aren't as important it gains me 3 levels in something else that can make up for it.
+Taking fighter levels for the swash would net me extra feats that I would definitely need to work on this build. One bonus feat would be to get weapon finesse, but again I don't take Daring Outlaw so it evens this out. Then on my 2nd level of fighter I get another bonus feat, something in the pool of things I need for MT prereqs and don't have to burn one of my normal feats on (precise shot). If I take fighter to level 4, then I gain one last bonus feat and would quality for weapon specialization. With weapon focus dagger for free with swordsage, I could then get specialization dagger and get enough boost to help out my throwing chance to hit, and even make the dagger my main melee weapon. With the increased chance to hit, and the str/dex bonus damage I'd hit more often with it and only take a mild hit to damage vs short sword. And if I did the math and assumed I'd get x% more hits due to the specialization, I'd do more damage over time since each extra hit is a minimum of +7(1 damage roll +6(str/dex) bonus).
+Not having to use Daring outlaw, I'd get 3 extra bonus feats taking fighter for 4 levels. One would be used for weapon finesse, and the others could be used for precise shot and rapid shot so I can still use my normal class feats craven, shadow blade, etc...
So with that said, here is a possible progression:
1) Rogue1, SA 1d6, Trapfinding, lvl1 Feat: TWF, Human Feat: PBS
2) Fighter1, bonus feat: weapon finesse
3) Rogue2, Evasion, lvl3 Feat: Craven
4) Rogue3, Penetrating Strike (from Dungeonscape), SA 2d6
5) Fighter2, bonus feat: precise shot
6) Swordsage1, Quick to Act +1, 6 maneuvers, 1 stance (child of shadow or island of blades), weapon focus [shadow hand], Feat: shadow blade
7) MT1, Quickdraw, Thrown Weapon Trick (ss weapon focus fills requirement)
8) Rogue4, uncanny dodge
9) SS2, 1 maneuver, Assassin's Stance (bringing SA to 4d6), Feat: Rapid shot(better chance to hit than ITWF using MT tricks)
10)Rogue5, SA +5d6
11-14)MT 2-5 lvl 12 feat: ITWF
15+)2 levels of fighter(+1 bonus feat), then 4 for rogue and would end with improved uncanny dodge and SA +7d6. Could pick up far shot, GTWF and something else.
Of course I could switch out rogue and fighter levels at different stages to get bonuses earlier. I'm just trying to front load as much as I can since I have to survive the lower levels and be useful if I want to make it high up. I'm not sure on the math but it looks like maybe if I hold off on 2nd level of SS till 11 I could choose some level 4 manuevers? Might be worth it but I'd have to go through the list and see. I'd prefer to just take it earlier to get assassin stance ASAP, but if it's only one level diff then I could wait.
If my DM is ok with the swordsage(since it's only 2 levels) then I would try to find a way to get some sort of bandolier or gloves custom made that could add enchantments to my daggers. Maybe a bandolier that had unlimited supply of magic daggers that poofed after 1 round. Or gloves that automatically give a +1 to any weapon I throw with them, and I still have to supply my own daggers. I'm sure he'll work something out with me since there *should* have been something like this anyways to match the archers ability to enchant arrows shot out of a +1 bow, and the enchanted quivers. The bandolier that endlessley produces +1 daggers that poof after one or two rounds seems fair.
-The arcane stunt I would have chosen would have been blur, or expeditious retreat. The swordsage levels would allow me to do both of those and in superior ways(child of shadow, shadow stride/jaunt).
-The loss of 1 or 2d6 SA could be made up by the extra feat gained instead of taking daring outlaw. I also lose dodge bonus, but for only 3 levels Im not worried.
-Insightful strike would have been extra damage on my attacks, however the shadow blade would give me +4 damage, assumably even with palm trick since it never says "replaces strength bonus", only that you don't get to add it. I'd lose some extra damage to all my attacks, but since the other reasons aren't as important it gains me 3 levels in something else that can make up for it.
+Taking fighter levels for the swash would net me extra feats that I would definitely need to work on this build. One bonus feat would be to get weapon finesse, but again I don't take Daring Outlaw so it evens this out. Then on my 2nd level of fighter I get another bonus feat, something in the pool of things I need for MT prereqs and don't have to burn one of my normal feats on (precise shot). If I take fighter to level 4, then I gain one last bonus feat and would quality for weapon specialization. With weapon focus dagger for free with swordsage, I could then get specialization dagger and get enough boost to help out my throwing chance to hit, and even make the dagger my main melee weapon. With the increased chance to hit, and the str/dex bonus damage I'd hit more often with it and only take a mild hit to damage vs short sword. And if I did the math and assumed I'd get x% more hits due to the specialization, I'd do more damage over time since each extra hit is a minimum of +7(1 damage roll +6(str/dex) bonus).
+Not having to use Daring outlaw, I'd get 3 extra bonus feats taking fighter for 4 levels. One would be used for weapon finesse, and the others could be used for precise shot and rapid shot so I can still use my normal class feats craven, shadow blade, etc...
So with that said, here is a possible progression:
1) Rogue1, SA 1d6, Trapfinding, lvl1 Feat: TWF, Human Feat: PBS
2) Fighter1, bonus feat: weapon finesse
3) Rogue2, Evasion, lvl3 Feat: Craven
4) Rogue3, Penetrating Strike (from Dungeonscape), SA 2d6
5) Fighter2, bonus feat: precise shot
6) Swordsage1, Quick to Act +1, 6 maneuvers, 1 stance (child of shadow or island of blades), weapon focus [shadow hand], Feat: shadow blade
7) MT1, Quickdraw, Thrown Weapon Trick (ss weapon focus fills requirement)
8) Rogue4, uncanny dodge
9) SS2, 1 maneuver, Assassin's Stance (bringing SA to 4d6), Feat: Rapid shot(better chance to hit than ITWF using MT tricks)
10)Rogue5, SA +5d6
11-14)MT 2-5 lvl 12 feat: ITWF
15+)2 levels of fighter(+1 bonus feat), then 4 for rogue and would end with improved uncanny dodge and SA +7d6. Could pick up far shot, GTWF and something else.
Of course I could switch out rogue and fighter levels at different stages to get bonuses earlier. I'm just trying to front load as much as I can since I have to survive the lower levels and be useful if I want to make it high up. I'm not sure on the math but it looks like maybe if I hold off on 2nd level of SS till 11 I could choose some level 4 manuevers? Might be worth it but I'd have to go through the list and see. I'd prefer to just take it earlier to get assassin stance ASAP, but if it's only one level diff then I could wait.
If my DM is ok with the swordsage(since it's only 2 levels) then I would try to find a way to get some sort of bandolier or gloves custom made that could add enchantments to my daggers. Maybe a bandolier that had unlimited supply of magic daggers that poofed after 1 round. Or gloves that automatically give a +1 to any weapon I throw with them, and I still have to supply my own daggers. I'm sure he'll work something out with me since there *should* have been something like this anyways to match the archers ability to enchant arrows shot out of a +1 bow, and the enchanted quivers. The bandolier that endlessley produces +1 daggers that poof after one or two rounds seems fair.
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). Actually... you could take SS 2 at level 8 (6/2 +2 = IL 5, min. for level 3 maneuvers) if you wanted Assassin's Stance ASAP.
