[Bo9S] Notes on swordsage in play

[Nifft]

I believe I've got the hang of juggling strikes, boost and counters now. I use almost no boosts, which incidentally means the 20th level swordsage ability is of questionable value. Counters OTOH are immensely useful, especially one with shadow (turn incorporeal), which saved me from being bitten for >50hp, a slay living, an enervation, and other crap.

Interesting. I'd've thought stances would be doing more heavy lifting, particularly if you're not using boosts much.

Do counters eat all your swift actions?

Cheers, -- N

 

[Slaved]

Er, crits RAW have always been roll multiple times, add up. Dunno what you've been doing....

I am just asking what you all did in your group. Sorry if that is a problem.

 

[hong]

Interesting. I'd've thought stances would be doing more heavy lifting, particularly if you're not using boosts much.

Do counters eat all your swift actions?

Cheers, -- N

There just don't seem to be that many good boosts. Cloak of deception (turns you invisible for 1 round) is nice, but for most of the monsters we've fought, it's the armour that's the problem, not a gigantic Dex bonus. Raging mongoose (2 extra attacks as a swift action) could be good for other builds but for me it just didn't come up that much.

Counters do seem to eat a few actions, mostly the save ones to avoid instakill spells. When they run out, one with shadow is another way to do the same thing.

Stances I tend to set once, and forget about them. Mostly I switch between balance on the sky (air walk) and leaping dragon stance (for the Tiger Claw strikes that require jumping).

 

[blargney the second]

Any chance you could post the basic stats here?
-blarg

 

[hong]

Well, looks like the next session won't be until the 31st, so that's 3 sessions in 2 months... good thing I got the DM to approve diamond nightmare blade now.

Stats follow. Yeah, I deviated from the pure swordsage path just to see what warblade could add. I've been very indecisive about this character so far, actually; at first I wasn't going to get diamond nightmare blade, then I thought of taking a scout level, then changed my mind.


Padma Illindra [redux]

Female human swordsage 17/warblade 1
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +18; Senses Listen +26, Spot +6
Languages Common, Old Suloise
________________________________________
AC 37, touch 27, flat-footed 30 (Dex +6, Wis +6, armor +8, deflection +3, natural armor +2, insight +1, dodge +1)
hp 196 (18 HD)
Resist improved evasion
Fort +20, Ref +22, Will +21
________________________________________
Speed 30 ft
Melee Sakhalandra (Spiritreaver) +26/+21/+16 (1d10+15/19–20) or masterwork rapier +21/+16/+11 (1d6+7/18–20)
Base Atk +13; Grp +19
Atk Options insightful strike (Diamond Mind, Tiger Claw), martial discipline weapon (Tiger Claw), Blade Meditation (Diamond Mind), Power Attack, Acrobatic Strike, boots of speed
Combat Gear 2 flasks universal solvent, 2 potions of cure light wounds
________________________________________
Swordsage Maneuvers and Stances Known (IL 17th):

Stances — stance of clarity (1st), child of shadow (1st), assassin’s stance (3rd), leaping dragon stance (5th), balance on the sky (8th)
Strikes — shadow blade technique (1st), emerald razor (2nd), claw at the moon (2nd), insightful strike (3rd), death from above (4th), bloodletting strike (DC 21) (5th), pouncing charge (5th), rabid bear strike (6th), greater insightful strike (6th), swooping dragon strike (7th), diamond nightmare blade (8th), five-shadow creeping ice enervation strike (DC 25) (9th)
Boosts — cloak of deception (2nd), shadow stride (5th), moment of alacrity (6th), quicksilver motion (7th), shadow blink (7th)
Counters — moment of perfect mind (1st), action before thought (2nd), mind over body (3rd), one with shadow (8th), diamond defense (8th)
Disciplines: Diamond Mind, Shadow Hand, Tiger Claw​

Warblade Maneuvers and Stances Known (IL 9th):

Stances — punishing stance (1st)
Strikes — disarming strike (2nd)
Counters — iron heart surge (3rd), iron heart focus (5th)
Disciplines: Iron Heart​

________________________________________
Abilities Str 22, Dex 22, Con 22, Int 12, Wis 22, Cha 13
SQ battle clarity (Reflex saves), defensive stance (Shadow Hand, Tiger Claw), weapon aptitude
Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Blade Meditation (Diamond Mind), Unnerving Calm, Power Attack, Adaptive Style, Acrobatic Strike, Weapon Focus (rapier, shortspear, trident, bastard sword), Improved Initiative
Skills Concentration +39, Balance +33, Jump +34, Tumble +33, Knowledge (martial lore) +21, Listen +26, Sense Motive +26, Intimidate +21, Diplomacy +5
Possessions combat gear plus Sakhalandra, +4 mithral chain shirt, gloves of Dexterity +6, periapt of Wisdom +6, shirt of Constitution +6, belt of giant Strength +6, ring of protection +3, bracers of natural armor +2, cloak of resistance +5, headband of Concentration +10, ring of agility +5, boots of speed, dusty rose ioun stone, handy haversack, masterwork rapier, 9,245 gp


Sakhalandra (Spiritreaver): This +5 ghost touch, martial discipline, cold iron bastard sword is attuned to the arts of the Tiger Claw, and is infused with a portion of the great mage Balakarde’s vengeful spirit. It grants its wielder a +4 insight bonus to initiative, a +2 luck bonus to Strength and Constitution, and, once per day, the benefit of a quickened true strike. Price 130,370+ gp. (init and stat boosts are from the AOW module)

 

[Hypersmurf]

I am just asking what you all did in your group.

If you can explain to me how to roll 50.25 on d10+21+24, I'll understand your question better

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Hmm... I wonder if the swordsage Weapon Focus could be used with the warblade weapon aptitude. Not that it's likely to matter in this case.

 

[Slaved]

If you can explain to me how to roll 50.25 on d10+21+24, I'll understand your question better

-Hyp.

Is that relevant to my question in some way?

 

[Elethiomel]

Is that relevant to my question in some way?

Yes. In order to come up with an odd number, you must multiply an odd number with an odd number, or a non-whole number with an even number. Since we're talking about a multiple of 2 for the attack, an odd-numbered result indicates that they roll X number of dice instead of just rolling dice and multiplying by X.

 

[Slaved]

The odd number was why I asked in the first place. I had been going to follow it up with a question of how the odd number was reached if he had said multiply and I had assumed that if it was the case then there would have been some damage reduction that was an odd number. Since there are odd number damage reductions out there that would have been a perfectly viable answer either way.

But going that far was not really necissary given the answer. The question afterwards about the crit multiplier was just to see how they were doing it as each group does it differently. Plus the wording for each part of the ability in question could be interpreted in multiple ways depending.