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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nazhkandrias" data-source="post: 3433915" data-attributes="member: 50521">Wow... this is pretty much what I was looking for, but I need to make a change or two. Human is the race I was going to stick with anyway; naturally, I couldn't afford a Cha penalty, so Half-Orc and Dwarf were off the list, as were most of the MM races (I also avoid LAs like the plague). Str penalty was a big no-no (at least for a Trip build with emphasis on melee combat), so that scratches Gnomes and Halflings. Elves are cool, but I didn't want to sacrifice Dex for Con. Half-elves are a little mediocre all-around, IMHO. So, that left me with the always-viable Humans.As for abilities, that's definitely what I'm going to do. For my 4th level ability increase, I'll probably get a Str boost, just to net that +3, then boost Cha at all subsequent levels. I'll nab some Gloves of Dexterity later on to cushion this weakness to my AC and Reflex saves.As for Blackguard... I can't argue that it would be an excellent choice, but I was really hoping to stay away from the Evil alignment. Doesn't really fit with the nature of the character, which I've already planned out. And since I intend to enter him into a PbP game, character development and roleplaying are key. The character is more along the lines of an abandoned child attempting to prove their worth (for those of you who have read The Painted Bird, by Jerzey Kozinski, he's along the same lines as The Boy), so the Evil alignment just doesn't fit too well.There is an upside, though - it means I won't have to take Improved Sunder (I'd actually get use out of Power Attack and maybe Cleave) and I won't have to take 5 CC ranks in Hide and 2 CC ranks in Knowledge (religion). That frees up a feat or two and a total of 14 skill points (3.5 levels worth).So, MY final choice of feats would be like this, if I were to go pure Hexblade (however, I'm likely to take a 2 level dip into Fighter at any time, and I might find a suitable PrC or might take a quick dip into Sorcerer)...H. Ability Focus: Hexblade's Curse1. Combat Expertise3. Improved TripHex5. Combat Casting6. Power Attack9. Improved Critical (scythe)Hex10. Hex Feat - Empower Curse (I can get my DM to allow it) (Dragon #339)12. Practiced Spellcaster15. Battle CasterHex15. Spell Focus (necromancy)18. Hex Feat - Curse Of Distraction, or Hex Feat - Extra CurseHex20. Greater Spell Focus (necromancy)FYI, Empower Curse increases all Curse penalties by 1, Curse of Distraction allows you to cast a new Curse (along with your basic one; both use one use of Curse) requires that all spellcasters must make a Concentration check to cast spells (25 + Spell Level with Dire Hexblade's Curse), and Extra Curse does just that - gives one extra use per day. So, this is a build focusing on Trip and Curse, along with some all-around useful feats. I shift the focus to my spellcasting a little later on, but emphasis is never taken off the Curse and my combat ability. Any suggestions for improvement?Oh, and I lent out my Complete Warrior book to a friend, so I don't know this off the top of my head - Hexblade starting gold is the same as a Fighter, right?</blockquote>

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