Optimized Martial Characters

[Hunter99]

Hi everyone,

My knowledge of martial characters and how to optimize them is limited. My main expertise is with casters.

I know some things like power attack, using two-handed weapons, shocktrooper, and I know a little about the Bo9S but not much. (using WRT and Iron Heart surge but that's about it.)

I'm thinking of making a Bo9S martial character. Any help and advice you could provide would be much appreciated.

What class, of the three Bo9S classes, do you suggest I take and perhaps some feat, stance, maneuver, PrC, and tactics suggestions.

-Hunter

 

[kitcik]

Here is a handbook I have been pointed to in the past.

I personally prefer Warblade for the full BAB, d10 HD, and ability to quickly regain maneuvers. The limited number of menuvers is a drawback, but I think you will find yourself focussing on a small number of your favorites, so refreshing them is more important than variety IMHO.

Focussing on 2 disciplines is probably best, although dipping into others is fine.

Most people seem to agree, as do I, that Iron Heart is very strong. It can save you from things that pretty much destroy fighters.

As for a second, it is a matter of character style to a great degree. I happen to love Tiger Claw (you can get the Pounce ability [Pouncing Charge] - full attack on a charge - especially cool with Sudden Leap and the Battle Jump feat). Get a Valorous weapon with this build for more fun.

Anyways, good luck & have fun with it.

 

[Rhun]

For a tank, I agree with Kitcik. Warblade is the way to go. With that said, both Swordsage and Crusader can rock. So it depends on what type of martial character you are trying to build.

 

[Ranger19k]

Here are another couple guides to take a look at; both are under construction but still contain pretty useful tips, especially the crusader one:

crusader

Swordsage

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I personally prefer Warblade for the full BAB, d10 HD...

Isn't Warblade d12 HD?

Hunter, welcome to the wonderful world of Tome of Battle, Book of Nine Swords. If you want a martial character, I can think of none better then the three included in here.

As you consider which martial adept class to take, I'd like to direct you to page 39 under the heading "Initiator Level" and the following "Multiclass Characters". This is where it informs you as to how your levels in classes other than your martial adept classes count as 1/2 classes for determining your initiator level.

What this means, in simplest terms, is a single level dip in a martial adept class at a high character level grants you access to higher-than-level-one maneuvers. This is analogous to a Fighter going 14 levels and upon turning level 15, taking a single level of Sorcerer. The 14 levels of Fighter would count as 7 levels of Sorcerer, plus the actual 1 Sorcerer level, would allow access to level 4 spells as if you were a level 8 Sorcerer. You'd only have access to the same number of spells a level 1 Sorcerer a Sorcerer would have, but you choose your list from up to level 4 spells.

What this also means is if you played, let’s say, a Warblade as your primary class, and sprinkled Crusader or Swordsage 3 or 4 times throughout your leveling career, you could still access up to level 9 Warblade maneuvers, while cherry-picking select maneuvers only accessible through the other classes. Taking a single level of Swordsage at character level 17, for example, grants you 6 maneuvers up to level 5.

The debate about weither or not this is broken can be saved someplace else, however this is martial adept classes RAW. Have fun!

 

[Hunter99]

The debate about weither or not this is broken can be saved someplace else, however this is martial adept classes RAW. Have fun!

Given that casters have plenty of things to make them "broken", I don't think that I am going to be nerfing a supplement that makes martial characters viable at the higher levels. Plus, I like powergaming.