After Swashbuckler . . .

[Infiniti2000]

My wife is seeking advice on which character class she wants next. She currently has 3 levels of swashbuckler, but doesn't want to continue the class (the next 3 levels are 'boring'). Note that she's choosing a 4th-level class and has yet to assign the ability score increase, so advice on that would also help but she's obviously thinking Str.

She has the following stats:

Str 13, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Balance +11, Bluff +6, Climb +8, Diplomacy +8, Jump +9, Profession (Sailor) +3, Sense Motive +4, Spot +2, Swim +6, Tumble +11, Use Rope +8
Feats: Combat Expertise, Weapon Focus (Flails&chains*), improved trip
Languages: common, dwarven, draconic

* We use the weapon groups variant.

 

[nittanytbone]

Fighter 2 for the quick feats might not be bad.

Rogue 2 for sneak attack, skills, and evasion isn't bad. Or she could use the Feat Rogue variant from UA. It would have been ideal to frontload this for better SP.

Ranger 2 nabs you TWF for free along with Favored Enemy and skills.

I'd drop the stat increase in DEX if the campaign will go beyond 8th. Otherwise STR is good for the immediate benefits.

 

[szilard]

Warblade would be a good option. Plenty on not-boring maneuvers. Good int synergy.

Duskblade could be interesting as well, but her caster level won't be great.

Scout also combines well with Swashbuckler. I'm a fan of the PHBII variant with a climb speed.

-Stuart

 

[Arkhandus]

I'd second Warblade as a synergistic choice. Other than that, Beguiler could also be a good choice. Rogue gets some handy stuff over the first few levels, if the party has another melee combatant for the character to double-team with. Fighter is a given.

With her feat choices and such, I'd say dropping the stat increase in Strength is good, since she doesn't have Weapon Finesse and flails/chains aren't particularly good for WFin, unless she's planning to take EWP: Spiked Chain? In that case, I'd say Fighter 2 to get the EWP at 4th-level and then Weapon Finesse at 5th. Might continue on to Fighter 4 after that, for Specialization and access to the feats in PHB 2 that build off of it (Melee Weapon Mastery and suchlike).

 

[Felix]

Bard.

Watch an Errol Flynn movie and tell me he doesn't have ranks in Perform. At the least, it wouldn't be "boring".

 

[blargney the second]

Assuming that she's using a spiked chain, take Swordsage and go for the Shadow Blade feat as soon as possible. Adding Str, Dex, and Int to damage? Oh yeah...

 

[nittanytbone]

It is pretty much too late to get into a dedicated caster class unless it is one with a fast progression or one which you only plan to "dip" a few levels.

For example, Cleric 4 would give a strong Will save and some minor spellcasting utility at the cost of only 1 BAB. Going something like bard, which already has a glacial spellcasting progression, is just masochistic. Even a pair of wizard levels likely aren't worth it with the HP loss.

If you want spellcasting power at this point, the best, easiest way to get there is via Use Magic Device. So, that means Rogue levels are ideal.

I'd pick up Two Weapon Fighting and some more bonus damage on each hand ASAP. TWF synergizes nicely with insightful strike as you get to add the bonus damage with each hand's weapon. So, ranger (Fav Enemy), Cleric (Divine Favor spell), and Rogue (Sneak Attack) immediately jump to mind. Bard is very iffy (inspire courage) because it has a poor BAB and lackluster HD.

Note that there's a feat in Complete Scoundrel that lets you stack rogue and swashbuckler abilities (Daring Outlaw, I think?). Very much worthwhile.

 

[rowport]

...Note that there's a feat in Complete Scoundrel that lets you stack rogue and swashbuckler abilities (Daring Outlaw, I think?). Very much worthwhile.

Opinion seconded! This is the best answer IMO. Just start taking rogue all the way through level 20 planning the Daring Outlaw feat to make you get the best of both classes. I think the fastest you can take Daring Outlaw is level 6, though, so it is worth planning in advance.

 

[Azaar]

I'm actually playing a changeling Swashbuckler 3/Beguiler 10 presently as one of several characters, and love him. The synergy of Swashbuckler's insightful strike, coupled with the Int focus of the Beguiler's spellcasting, is such a boon. In fact, I'm of the mind that if you want to play a predominant caster/manifester (wizard, beguiler, psion, erudite come immediately to mind), those three levels of Swashbuckler make a difference. It gives you some combat ability and hit points (Fighter 1/Swashbuckler 3/Beguiler 16 will have BAB +12/+7/+2, while still allowing you to retain a dominant spellcaster ability -- be sure to take Practiced Spellcaster (beguiler) to keep your caster level at 20th, despite the four-level dip in fighter 1/swashbuckler 3). And if you go epic, make certain you take Combat Expertise in your non-epic levels, then take Epic Prowess and Combat Insight (double that Int bonus to damage, thanks to Swashbuckler's insightful strike).

And by the way: Weapon Finesse is a free feat as Swashbuckler 1, so she can use her Dex bonus to hit with light weapons.

But overall, yes: Daring Outlaw will be your best bet if you don't want to play a spellcaster. Pump up Dex, take TWF (and if possible, the Two-Weapon Defense and the associated feat tree from there), and opt for the Swashbuckler's Shield of Blades variant from the PHB II (which should stack with the TWD feats for +5 shield bonus to AC by 20th level), and enjoy that sneak attack buildup from the rogue/swashbuckler combination.

 

[Greg K]

The martial rogue variant from Unearthed Arcana. Give up sneak attack and receive fighter bonus feats and rogue skill points.

There is also the Half Elf Racial fighter substitution levels. No reason that it cannot be used as a fighter Swashbuckler variant.
d8 hit die
skill points 4 + Int per level
additional class skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Sense Motive
First Level: Blade Focus replaces Bonus Feat. Gives Weapon Focus in Longsword and rapier

Second Level: Main Gauche replaces Bonus feat. Considered to have Two Weapon fighting
when wielding a longsword or rapirer in your primary hand and a dagger in your offhand. Also proves a bonus to AC when fighting defensively with this weapon combination.

Sixth level: Confusing Banter replaces Bonus. When fighting defensively, you can make a bluff or diplomacy check against your opponent's sense motive check (modified by foe's BAB). If successful, you gain attack bonus until next turn.