Dervish (complete warrior) with a scythe. Suggestions?

[The Grackle]

I meant the rage+dervish dance at once.

Yep, It specifically says in the description of the Dervish's Dance that you can't use rage or similar abilities while dancing.

I'd say make a fighter/barbarian w/whirling frenzy variant and Extra Rage (maybe twice), or make a fighter/scout (for fast move and skillpoints for tumbling (also you could use skirmish damage w/ full attacks)) and then multiclass into Dervish a level or two later.

 

[Seeten]

Isnt there a PrC that gets Skirmish and full bab? Commando maybe?

 

[IanB]

My only suggestion is to bring some sort of side activity for the other players to do while you're taking your turns; dervish turns can take a really long time to resolve with all the moving and the attacking and the attacking and the attacking and the oh my god more attacking.

 

[RangerWickett]

Hmm. Well, if I can't use rage, then maybe I should consider tossing in Swashbuckler and using a finessable weapon. I don't want to go two-scimitars mostly because of the cost of enchanting both, but let's see how it turns out.

Elf Swashbuckler 1/Fighter 4/Dervish 4

Str 14
Dex 20
Con 12
Int 14
Wis 8
Cha 8
HP 67 (Greyhawked, +11 swashbuckler, +28 fighter, +28 dervish)

Feats: Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (scimitar), Dodge, Mobility, Combat Expertise, Weapon Specialization (scimitar), Two-Weapon Fighting, Melee Weapon Mastery (slashing), Spring Attack

Two +1 scimitars (4630)
+2 mithril breastplate (8200)
+2 gloves of dexterity (4000), total dex of 22
+1 ring of protection (2000)
+1 amulet of natural armor (2000)
+1 dusty rose ioun stone (5000)
Boots of striding and springing (5500)
4,670 gp to spare. Maybe I'd buy a hat of disguise so I can look like a purple-eyed drow.


Total AC 27 (+6 Dex, +7 armor, +1 ring, +1 amulet, +1 ioun stone, +1 class). My attack bonus is +19 (+9 base, +6 dex, +1 weapon, +3 weapon focus and melee weapon mastery), and my base damage is d6+7. While dual-wielding, it's +17/+12 (d6+7, 18-20/x2) and +17 (d6+6, 18-20/x2). While in the dervish dance, these go up by +1.

I dunno. My AC is huge now, but my damage has gone to the poop shoot. Is there a way to boost damage I'm missing? Would a level of scout be worth the BAB hit and the loss of one level of dervish? Are there any full BAB classes that might be useful?

I think I'll just keep the build as it was before, and just not fret being unable to use both buffing abilities at the same time. And I will make sure to roll attacks and damage dice at the same time, to accelerate play.

 

[Seeten]

Adding flaming, icing or whatnot to the scimitars is a +1 bonus cost, and nets you +1d6 dmg per swing?

 

[szilard]

Would a level of scout be worth the BAB hit and the loss of one level of dervish? Are there any full BAB classes that might be useful?

I think Scout would be worthwhile. In fact, Scout 2/Fighter 4/ Dervish 3 sounds pretty good to me. In addition to 1d6 skirmish damage and a ton of skill points, you'd get a +1 competence bonus on Fort Saves and initiative and uncanny dodge.

Alternately, you could try Duskblade 1/Fighter 4/ Dervish 4 - pick up a couple of spells like Jump, Stand, or Swift Expeditious Retreat - and also get to use a bunch of 0 level utility spells as spell-like abilities.

-Stuart

 

[Iku Rex]

If you want a slashing spiked chain the whip dagger (S&F, A&EG) would be ideal. You could pick up some levels of Lasher (S&F) eventually, and a level of Exotic Weapon Master (CW) would give you 2x Str bonus damage when wielding it two-handed.

If that's not available the kusari-gama (DMG 145) is a slashing reach weapon and it can be used for two-weapon fighting.

Equipment: I'd get some Boots of Speed (12000 gp) unless you have a friendly spellcaster willing to cast haste in the party. 10 rounds is a remarkably long time in DnD combat and the boots will add a lot to your dervish dance.

For a light, quick character I suggest a Swordsage 1 (Bo9S)/ Swashbuckler 3 (CW) /Fighter 2/ Dervish 3

28 pb:
Str 10 (2)
Dex 16 (10)
Con 14 (6)
Int 16 (10)
Wis 8
Cha 8

+2 Dex from levels

Feats (1,1,3,5*,6*,6,9): Weapon Focus (dagger)1, Expeditious Dodge (RotW), Mobility, Weapon Finesse2, Shadow Blade (Bo9S), Combat Expertise3, Two-Weapon Fighting3, Two-Weapon Defense, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Spring Attack4

1 Swordsage Weapon Focus (all shadow blade favored weapons)
2 Swashbuckler bonus feat
3 Fighter bonus feat
4 Dervish bonus feat

Shadow Blade lets you add Dex to damage with Shadow Hand favored weapons. T
hat means daggers if you want a slashing weapon. Two-Weapon Defense lacks the long term "power" of Improved Buckler Defense or a floaty shield, but it has more style IMO.

I skipped the Weapon Specialization/Melee Weapon Mastery feats in favor of Int-to-damage (Swashbuckler 3) and Improved Two-Weapon Fighting. I'd get two more fighter levels at character level 14 and 15 and pick up both then.

Stance:
Child of Shadow (20% concealment) ot Island of Blades (you flank if ally adjacent to opponent)
Maneuvers (6):
*Burning Blade (Boost, +1d6+1 fire damage on attacks for one round)
Distracting Ember (Boost, conjures flanking fire elemental, good with Island of Blades)
*Sudden Leap (Boost - jump move as swift action)
*Wolf Fang Strike (Strike - make two attacks with two weapons as standard action)
*Moment of Perfect Mind (Counter - use concentration check for Will save, very helpful if you get the skill)
Counter Charge (Counter, prevent charge)

* 4 readied

Equipment:
4604 2 +1 daggers
5100 +2 mithril chain shirt
4000 +2 gloves of dexterity
2000 +1 ring of protection
2000 +1 amulet of natural armor
12000 boots of speed
4000 cloak of resistance +2
2296 Left

Total AC 25 (+5 Dex, +6 armor, +1 ring, +1 amulet, +1 Two-Weapon Defense, +1 class). More if using Combat Expertise or fighting defensively, +2 dodge if moving more than 40 feet.

Attack bonus is +15 (+8 base, +5 dex, +1 weapon, +1 weapon focus), and base damage is d4+9. (+1 weapon, +3 Int, +5 dex)

While dual-wielding and dervish-dancing with haste it's +16/+16/+16/+11/+11 (d4+11, 19-20/x2). (+2 damage and AB dervish dance)

This character has respectable melee stats, but I mainly like the many skill points and style. It can't compete with a basic two-handed weapon bruiser in pure damage output, and DR could become a problem.

 

[RangerWickett]

Sadly, the GM doesn't allow Book of Nine Swords, but I agree, that's actually a pretty cool dagger-wielder. I did a sword-sage who used a kusari-gama (with another GM, he allowed it in place of spiked chain), and it was pretty fun leaping around the battlefield.

However, the party already has its share of people who can deal small amounts of damage a lot of times. My job is to just beat down my opponents. I do think I'll play another sword sage the next time I get to make a new character for the other GM. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Darklone]

Huhm. Big strength whirling frenzy type barbarian?

Edit: I'd love to see a Scout8/Dervish in action

 

[shilsen]

Shadow Blade lets you add Dex to damage with Shadow Hand favored weapons.

Ooh - that's an excellent feat for rogue types. What are the prereqs for it?