Generic Human Warblade 1: First (and, as it turned out, Second) Maneuver

[FireLance]

You're creating a generic human warblade with Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 8.

At 1st level, you start out knowing three maneuvers.

Which is the first maneuver you decide to learn, and why?

 

[sukael]

Definitely a strike of some sort, probably the 'pure damage' variety. I'll say Sapphire Nightmare Blade.

 

[Nifft]

Int 13?!? You'll never get back those lost skill points!

Give him an Int 14 and a Con 13. Your d12 will cover you for three levels (obviously you're going to raise Con at level 4).

Cheers, -- N

EDIT: Anyway, I choose Moment of Perfect Mind, because Will saves are going to be my weak point. Forever.

 

[blargney the second]

I was surprised at how cool Charging Minotaur ended up being when I saw it for the first time, so it got my vote here!
-blarg

 

[Sejs]

Toss up between Saphire Nightmare Blade, Steel Wind, and Charging Minotaur.

Went with Saphire Nightmare Blade in the end.

 

[castro3nw]

Moment of Perfect Mind... Always. Every time.

Failed reflex save, you take damage..
Failed fort. save, you die.
Failed will save... you turn on the party and kill them.

Must have Will save....

 

[Nail]

Moment of Perfect Mind

It's simply too good to pass up. Punishing Stance is where you get your damage at 1st level anyway....

 

[Nail]

Int 13?!? You'll never get back those lost skill points!

All 4 of them.

Considering that a WB gets 4 pts per level anyway, I'm not convinced putting a 13 there is a bad move.



About the other maneuvers (I picked MoPM):

Sapphire Nightmare Blade: (Diam 1, strike) The concentration check is often easy (must equal opponent AC, WB 1's skill is pro'ly +6), so the lower AC and extra damage are virtually assured at higher levels. It's a great maneuver, and would be my second choice.

Steel Wind: (Iron 1, strike) You'd think this would come up alot (strike 2 opponents), but if you're hitting 2 opponents, it probably means you've already been attacked by those two opponents. At low level, that's bad.

Steely Strike: (Iron 1, strike) I'm not a fan of lowering your AC by 4, especially at low level.

Charging Minotaur: (Stone 1, strike) Alot depends on how you interpret the "bull rush as part of a charge". Do you get your regular melee attack at the end? Even if not, it's a nice openning move.....for some combats. IMG, our WB has only had one chance to use it.

Stone Bones: (Stone 1, strike) Gaining DR 5/adamantine for 1 round is nice....so long as your attack hits. In a campaign with lots of mooks, this would be a decent maneuver.

Sudden Leap: (Tiger 1, boost) Yuck. I suppose if you're building for the later Tiger maneuvers...

Wolf Fang Strike: (Tiger 1, strike) Ick.

Douse the Flames: (White 1, strike) This one depends on what types of PCs you have along with you. If no one is liable to provoke AoOs (like Rogues getting into position), this won't see much use.

Leading the Attack: (White 1, strike) If you have more than one heavy hitter in the party, this is a great maneuver against the "one big monster" types.


....all that said, much depends on what type of higher level build you want. I found the best way to build a WB is from the top down, rather than the bottom up. Write up a high level (I did 15th) WB, pick his maneuvers (including pre-requisites), then scale him back down to first level. As a WB you'll really only get you use three schools of maneuvers (because of those prereq.s), so don't diversify too much.

 

[Slaved]

All 4 of them.

6 if you plan on putting your 4th level point into intelligence, more if you do not. Plus one additional language known.

If you are going to have a 13 and a 14 and going to put the 4th level point into the 13 either way then for the cost of being down by 1 hit point per level for the first 3 levels you get 6 extra skill points.

I would go for the 6 extra skill points plus language myself.

 

[Nail]

You......you would put the 4th level ability boost into ...Int? Not something more useful to a fighter type like - oh, I don't know - your 15 Str?