Critique my Warblade please

[carborundum]

I made a warblade for an upcoming campaign. Would you guys suggest different maneuvers or feats?
Stats as rolled : 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 10
Do you need the level by level breakdown of maneuver choices or anything?

Level 11 human
Str 20 (inc +2 item)
Dex 14
Con 18 (inc +2 item)
Int 16 (inc +2 item) (+2 level 4,8)
Wis 10
Cha 10

Hit points 136
Attk: +2 Keen Longsword +19/+14/+9 : 1d8+9 : 17-20 x2 (+3 to confirm)
Speed 40'

Initiative +6

Fortitude +13
Reflex +10
Will +5

AC 26

Feats
Power Attack
Wpn Focus Longsword
Wpn Spec Longsword
Diehard (bonus feat)
Improved initiative (bonus feat)
White Raven Defense
Clarion Commander

Abilities
Battle Clarity
Uncanny Dodge
Improved Uncanny Dodge
Battle Ardor
Battle Cunning
Battle Skill

Major Skills
Concentration +14
Diplomacy +14
Intimidate +13
Jump +17
Tumble +11

Manuevers
Moment of Perfect Mind
Leading the Charge
Wall of Blades
Mountain Hammer
Battle Leader's Charge
White Raven Tactics
Mithral Tornado
Iron Heart Surge
Elder Mountain Hammer

Stances
Hunter's Scent
Punishing Stance
Tactics of the Wolf

Items: (Base 66k for level 11)
Mithril Full Plate +1, Large Steel Shield +2
+2 Keen Longsword
Boots of Striding & Springing
Headband - Intellect +2
Gauntlets - Ogre Str +2
Amulet - Natural Armour +2
Cloak - Resistance +2
Bracers - Health +2
Ring of Featherfalling

 

[Nifft]

Suggestions:

1/ Start with your Int wherever you want it to end up. Put the 14 there and the 12 in Dex, and add the points to Dex. Why? Because you don't retroactively gain skill points. So you shouldn't boost your Int if you could have started with it higher anyway.

2/ Mithral Full Plate is Medium armor, so your movement rate is reduced. I'd go with a Mithral Breastplate instead. Or just a Mithral Chain Shirt.

3/ You could have taken Ironheart Aura + Stormguard Warrior instead of Diehard + Weapon Specialization. IMHO, this would be a good trade.

What's the rest of your party like?

Cheers, -- N

 

[carborundum]

Good point about the Int! I had to plunder my skills a bit to pump Diplomacy and Intimidate once I decided on Clarion Commander.

I plumped for the boots of Striding/ Springing to cancel the plate penalty. If I go for just a breastplate my AC will be even lower, and I'm not over the moon about 26 at level 11. It doesn't 'seem' all that much. I suppose I could get non-magic plate and a better natural armour amulet - the deflection bonus on the plate is trumped by the shield anyway. Still, that's why he has serious hitpoints

Great idea about the feats! I wasn't sure what to take from the list of possible bonus feats. Stormguard Warrior is awesome - especially the combat rhythm ability! Visualising that is just ... really, really cool!

The party is - straight sword/board fighter, cleric of Kossuth (we play FR), wizard, druid and favoured soul. No rogue types but the clerics and wizards catch most traps and open most locks anyway.

thanks very much Nifft, mate!

 

[blargney the second]

Hmm, here are my thoughts in no particular order:

1) The +2 keen longsword is costing you a heck of lot of resources. You could take Improved Critical as a 9th level feat and save yourself a boatload of money. (Not to mention you're playing the only class that can refocus the feat when you come across a better weapon.)

2) He has no ranged capacity whatsoever and low mobility. At 11th level your opponents are going to have a field day with that. Remember that Stone Dragon maneuvers need contact with ground...

3) Tumble doesn't work if you're slowed by your armor. Right now those ranks are doing nada.

4) You're stuck right between having decent AC and doing decent damage. Given that your party already has a sword & boarder, refocusing as a fast striker mightn't be a bad idea - Warblades are fantastic at that anyways.

5) One way or the other make sure that your Dex is the maximum your armor allows. I find it helps to start with the armor and work backwards from there.

6) You don't meet the prereq for Diehard. The bonus feat says you still need to meet all prereqs.

I hope this helps!
-blarg

 

[Zurai]

2) He has no ranged capacity whatsoever

He's a warblade. Warblades don't GET any ranged capacity. You can't even use Mithral Tornado/Adamantine Hurricane to attack 10' away with a reach weapon, fergodssake.

 

[Darklone]

I guess WS was supposed to clear the way to Melee Weapon Mastery... which I would not like to miss (+2 to hit is too good to miss, honest).

Change that longsword into something useful. Either drop the shield and go with a twohanded weapon or get a bow and a buckler so you can switch between:
- sword & board
- sword twohanded
- drop sword and shoot bow
Don't forget the -1 penalty for the buckler depending on how you use it.

 

[cheshire_grin]

Change that longsword into something useful. Either drop the shield and go with a twohanded weapon or get a bow and a buckler so you can switch between:
- sword & board
- sword twohanded
- drop sword and shoot bow
Don't forget the -1 penalty for the buckler depending on how you use it.

And the penalty for not being proficient with a longbow; warblades only get proficiency with melee and thrown martial weapons.

 

[szilard]

Feat-wise, have you considered Blade Meditation?

-Stuart

 

[Darklone]

And the penalty for not being proficient with a longbow; warblades only get proficiency with melee and thrown martial weapons.

Oops, no elf

 

[blargney the second]

He's a warblade. Warblades don't GET any ranged capacity.

Right. Which is why it's good to figure out ahead of time what your guy is going to do against a flying ranged attacker. Here are a few options off the top of my head:

1) Take a level in a class or take a feat that gives you ranged weapon proficiency.
2) Lesser bracers of archery are only 5000 gp.
3) Become a Dragonborn and take the breath weapon option. It's 55 feet at 11th level.
4) Gain flight somehow. (Dragonborn can do that also.)


Darklone, good point on Melee Weapon Mastery. That's a fantastic feat, and makes WF & WS worthwhile.

One last note: the stat boosts at 4th & 8th would probably be more useful in Str than Int. Warblades don't need a lot of Int - a little goes a long way. Don't forget that +2 Str automatically gives you +1 to confirming melee criticals.
-blarg