Building a Duelist...
- Thread starter Technik4
- Start date
Honestly, I might recommend something a little bit different. For example...
Swashbuckler 3/Beguiler 2/Fighter 2 (Beguiler is from the PHB II, so, if that isn't available, doesn't really work... perhaps Wizard, or Sorcerer, if you have a good Charisma).
Beguiler adds a few nice tricks - in combat, the best one is the addition of Mage Armor, which helps compensate for your lack of actual armor. Basically, as far as AC goes, it means you always have the equivalent of a chain shirt, and Canny Defense provides the enhancement bonus. The rest of their list is also fun - things like Color Spray for dealing with mooks, expeditious retreat for zipping around the battlefield, charm person, disguise self, and comprehend languages for non-combat... you get quite a few benefits from the first level spells. It may be worth it to pick up Practiced Spellcaster, so your spells last longer (a standard mage armor from you will last 2 hours; with Practiced Spellcaster, it lasts 6). Beguiler also gets you extra skill points if you take it at level one, and lets you claim any treasure that's designed for arcane casters (say a Ring of Wizardry), if, as you say, there are no other spellcasters in the party.
You might end up looking at something like this:
1. Beguiler 1. Practiced Spellcaster (Beguiler), Dodge
2. Swashbuckler 1. Weapon Finesse (B)
3. Beguiler 2. Mobility.
4. Fighter 1. Weapon Focus (Rapier)
5. Fighter 2. Combat Expertise
6. Swashbuckler 2. Improved Disarm.
7. Swashbuckler 3.
You can swap around when you take particular classes and feats, obviously, and you only *need* Dodge and Mobility from that list. Also, while it delays your entry into Duelist, you could drop levels of Fighter for more levels of Beguiler, if you want the higher level spell slots. A Beguiler 4/Swashbuckler 3/Fighter 1 gets 2nd level spells; a Beguiler 6/Swashbuckler 3 gets third level spells. The first adds things like Invisibility, Blur, mirror image, and spider climb, while the second adds displacement and haste, among others.
And after typing all that up, I'm now tempted to go that route myself...
Swashbuckler 3/Beguiler 2/Fighter 2 (Beguiler is from the PHB II, so, if that isn't available, doesn't really work... perhaps Wizard, or Sorcerer, if you have a good Charisma).
Beguiler adds a few nice tricks - in combat, the best one is the addition of Mage Armor, which helps compensate for your lack of actual armor. Basically, as far as AC goes, it means you always have the equivalent of a chain shirt, and Canny Defense provides the enhancement bonus. The rest of their list is also fun - things like Color Spray for dealing with mooks, expeditious retreat for zipping around the battlefield, charm person, disguise self, and comprehend languages for non-combat... you get quite a few benefits from the first level spells. It may be worth it to pick up Practiced Spellcaster, so your spells last longer (a standard mage armor from you will last 2 hours; with Practiced Spellcaster, it lasts 6). Beguiler also gets you extra skill points if you take it at level one, and lets you claim any treasure that's designed for arcane casters (say a Ring of Wizardry), if, as you say, there are no other spellcasters in the party.
You might end up looking at something like this:
1. Beguiler 1. Practiced Spellcaster (Beguiler), Dodge
2. Swashbuckler 1. Weapon Finesse (B)
3. Beguiler 2. Mobility.
4. Fighter 1. Weapon Focus (Rapier)
5. Fighter 2. Combat Expertise
6. Swashbuckler 2. Improved Disarm.
7. Swashbuckler 3.
You can swap around when you take particular classes and feats, obviously, and you only *need* Dodge and Mobility from that list. Also, while it delays your entry into Duelist, you could drop levels of Fighter for more levels of Beguiler, if you want the higher level spell slots. A Beguiler 4/Swashbuckler 3/Fighter 1 gets 2nd level spells; a Beguiler 6/Swashbuckler 3 gets third level spells. The first adds things like Invisibility, Blur, mirror image, and spider climb, while the second adds displacement and haste, among others.
And after typing all that up, I'm now tempted to go that route myself...
Ahh...it always adds to damage rather than situationally, its just creatures immune to sneak attack are immune to the extra damage! Thanks for the clarification!
I briefly considered trying some kind of Ftr4/Sor4/DuelistX but it seemed to delay too much and with spell-casting never improving its a wash really. I still may consider 1 level of sorcerer as I think he will be a worshiper of Mystra (and True Strike + Disarm = Success!).
I haven't seen the beguiler yet...
One or two levels of Sorcerer will add a bit if you have a good Charisma. True Strike is always handy. I mentioned Mage Armor, which helps with the lack of AC; Shield can help as well. Ray of Enfeeblement is great for getting the upper hand against another fighter-type. Enlarge person or Reduce person can be handy. And only Ray of Enfeeblement really suffers from not being a true caster, since foes with Spell Resistance will likely shrug it off.
Darklone said:
While this is somewhat true (you'd spend 16,000 gold to match a mage armor spell), the OP stated that it was looking like magic items might be hard to come by, particularly specific items. So it might be very difficult to just pick up a set of bracers of armor - that's what I'm basing my suggestions on, at any rate. If you can just walk in to any store and buy a set, that's quite different, and a couple caster levels aren't as valuable.
Particle_Man
Explorer
Technik4 said:
Swashbuckler 5/Drunken Master X
TarionzCousin
Second Most Angelic Devil Ever
Good question.jasin said:
I, too, would like to know. Of course, I don't know anything about the Dervish, so maybe....
Edit: I looked up the Dervish. That's not the answer.
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