Help with a Swordsage Build?

[Pure_bordem]

Hiyinz,

I currently am playing a campaign as a Snow Elf Swordsage and need help on my build. I am not the rogue nor fighter of the party so I kind of am in the middle doing both roles as a supporter. I am trying to create an adaptable striker oriented build that deals plenty of damage and then gets the hell out of the line of fire if possible. Mostly shadow hand with a little diamond mind, tiger claw, and desert wind thrown in to taste.

The big area where I am having trouble are in my feat selection. I choose the Snow Elf for the +2 Dex and -2 Cha but unfortunately do not get any bonus feats . I already took Adaptive Style at Lvl 1 and plan on taking Weapon Finesse at lvl 3 but am at a lose for the rest of the build. I would like to be effective at TWF (minimize attack penalty as much as possible) with a pair of shortswords since it would pair well with Assassin's Stance but that would make getting the extra stance lvl 8 (via Martial Stance at lvl 18) impossible. It also would make getting feats such as Darkstalker and Craven essentially impossible. While I could dip into fighter for 2 levels, I would start loosing out on the important lvl 9 maneuvers wouldn't I? What to do!?!?

Here are my potential feat ideas...

-Adaptive Style*
-Weapon Finesse*
-Two Weapon Fighting
-Weapon Specialization (for MwM below)
-Melee Weapon Mastery
-Greater Weapon Focus
-Shadow Blade
-Gloom Razer
-Dark Stalker
-Craven

*Owned or Will Own Next

Now I am making a few assumptions and please correct me if I am wrong...

-Most maneuvers (strikes) are standard action, therefore I could still use my off-hand attack as well and if coupled with Assassin's Stance + flanking get the 2d6?
-You cannot trade lower level stances for higher ones, meaning to get more higher level stances you NEED martial stance feat
-Shadow Blade DOES NOT also count as Weapon Finesse, only allows to progress in respective feat tiers as if you had it

If I cannot use my off hand after a maneuver then the post essentially becomes a mute point because then TwF doesn't do jack for me ha-ha.

*Complete Side Note about Leaping Flame*

I noticed it never really gets mentioned, but leaping flame seems like a flanking tactic. It allows me to teleport up to 100ft towards whomever tried to hit me last. I can appear in any adjacent square around them which includes behind. Assuming they can be flanked, shouldn't this allow me to sneak attack them if I have assassin's stance? Book doesn't explicitly say one way or another. Also does Leaping Flame avoid damage or not?

 

[Jackinthegreen]

Taking a couple levels in fighter wouldn't keep you from getting 9th level maneuvers since the initiator level for non-martial adepts is 1/2 per class level. Though I'd probably recommend the martial rogue variant instead of fighter levels because regular fighter doesn't compare.

You can't benefit from an off-hand attack during a standard action maneuver unless the maneuver itself says you attack with both weapons or you can make a full attack. To benefit normally from TWF, you need to make a full attack, which is usually a full round action.

The description for Shadow Blade specifically says: "Shadow Blade can be used in place of Weapon Finesse to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other special ability." It's quite clear it's for more than just "feat tiers" as you put it.

You're right on the stances front. The relevant wording is: "Unlike with maneuvers, you cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one you already know." So yes, you'd have to use the feat to get more stances, but do keep in mind many of the low level stances still have their uses.

 

[Pure_bordem]

Well I might as well forget the TWF then haha. But on shadow blade...

-I do not get the benefit of weapon finesse, only the ability to get feats that require weapon finesse as a prerequisite?

 

[Jackinthegreen]

Shadow Blade can be used instead of Weapon Finesse for prerequisites just like the Expeditious Dodge feat can be used in place of Dodge for prerequisites.

No, you don't actually gain the benefits of Weapon Finesse (or Dodge).