How to design a Dual(?) Dagger-Wielding Melee-Type?

[pawsplay]

Ranger 6/Horizon Walker 1/Invisible Blade 10/Duelist 3

There's your Fremen. Take terrain mastery (Desert) from Horizon Walker.

 

[Telperion]

And then of course there is the Shelzari Knife Fighter in Shelzar: City of Sins. Even better, I would say...

 

[Shadowdancer]

I've been collecting books with PrCs geared toward knife-fighting for a gritty, low-magic urban campaign I'm planning to run. There are several out there -- three have been mentioned in this thread. There's another one in Complete Warrior I can't recall right now which I don't think has been mentioned. I'll try to dig out the books I have and make a list when I get home.

 

[S'mon]

The D&D rules basically treat shortswords as big daggers - light weapons, can be used in a grapple, etc. I'd call your pair of shortswords 'dirks' or poniards' and go with that.
The only advantage in D&D w daggers is that you can throw them, at a pinch.

 

[Darklone]

I would suggest to go Rgr2/Swashbuckler3 and pick up 3 levels of rogue as well. Then Invisible Blade. Why not using kukri for extra style?

 

[Angcuru]

These are all good suggestions, but sadly, I have only the 3.0 core books, nothing fancy. :\

One thing to take note of is the sigificant lack of AC provided to dagger fighters. I assume this is where Expertise and Dodge come in.

 

[Rayne Blythewood]

I would suggest using the kukri also dual wielding get your feats for it and improve crit then you will be pretty nasty with the curved blade.

 

[Seule]

I would suggest using the kukri also dual wielding get your feats for it and improve crit then you will be pretty nasty with the curved blade.

Yep. Then you can go Invisible Blade/Exotic Weapon Master/Master Thrower. Ster with some combination of Fighter and Rogue, and you are all set.

On the other hand, Dervish also seems tailor made for Fremen, it even has that Arabian influence I always picture in my Dune.

Basically, I think the consensus from what I see is that you'll have to branch out past the PH, probably into the Complete Warrior. It's all about the uncommon fighting styles, after all. One of the best supplements around.

--Seule

 

[jerichothebard]

Don't forget also that the Fremen used knives ground from the teeth of sandworms. I would say that's, at the bare minimum, a MW item, probably also +1 and keen (which gives you the threat range right away...)

I might also suggest ranger instead or in addition to fighter, as well as rogue... they get the survival skills and tracking, and also dual-weilding right away.


jtb

 

[Zaruthustran]

Don't forget also that the Fremen used knives ground from the teeth of sandworms. I would say that's, at the bare minimum, a MW item, probably also +1 and keen (which gives you the threat range right away...)

I might also suggest ranger instead or in addition to fighter, as well as rogue... they get the survival skills and tracking, and also dual-weilding right away.


jtb

Good ideas.

I'd add in Barbarian (Fremen are hearty, tough fanatics) and shoot for shadowdancer (they're sneaky).

I'd build a fremen like this (using the limitations of only 3.0 core rules):

Barbarian 1: Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Kukri (1st level feat), Weapon Focus: Kukri (human bonus feat), fast movement (barbarian), rage 1/day (barbarian).
Ranger 1: Track (ranger), Ambidexterity (ranger), TWF (ranger).
Fighter 1: Dodge (fighter feat), Mobility (third level feat)
Rogue 1: 1d6 sneak attack
Rogue 2: Evasion
Ranger 2: Spring Attack (6th level feat)
Rogue 3: 2d5 sneak attack, Uncanny Dodge
Ranger 3:
Then Ranger until Shadowdancer became available.
Dual-wield keen Flaming Burst kukris and pick up Improved Critical at high level (keen and Improved Crit stack in 3.0).

In 3.5 I'd go with a straight-up Ranger for a base class, maybe a level or two of Fighter to pick up feats, then Horizon Walker (Desert), Invisible Blade, and Dervish for prestige classes.

-z