Rapier wielder, what feats, books, would you recommend?

[Havilor]

Realizing I'm a tad biased, you may want to glance at a copy of From Stone to Steel, especially at the Renaissance chapter, which has quite a few rapier options, a fancy Fencing skill to sink points into, and some very nice feats for the swashbuckling flare.

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

If you can wait for a little bit, you might check out the Quintessential Sorcerer.

There's a prestige class in there intended for use by more martially inclined Sorcerer types. It's called the Arcane Blade, and it has all sorts of nifty bonuses combining spells and weapons.

Quite nasty.

Patrick Y.

 

[Dark Jezter]

The duelist PrC is the way to go if you want to create a fencer who fights with a rapier and shuns armor.

If you do go the duelist route, however, be aware that you will not be a frontline fighter; if you try to go toe-to-toe to with a hulking bugbear armed with a greataxe and wearing full plate armor, he's going to laugh at you right before he reduces you to a pile of raw hamburger. You will mostly be serving a support-fighter role.

 

[Arravis]

Havilor, I actually did pick up From Stone to Steel, but hadn't read it yet. I looked over the section you mentioned, I love it, but it looks a tad over-complex. It would seem like the kind of thing that would increase the amount of time it takes to resolve combat though.

It does look perfect for a swashbuckling style campaign where most of the PC's and NPC's would have it .

 

[Apok]

If you do go the duelist route, however, be aware that you will not be a frontline fighter; if you try to go toe-to-toe to with a hulking bugbear armed with a greataxe and wearing full plate armor, he's going to laugh at you right before he reduces you to a pile of raw hamburger. You will mostly be serving a support-fighter role.

I concur, at least for a while. Get Spring Attack ASAP so you can keep mobile and still be a force on the battlefield. Get lots of AC-boosting items and eventually you will be able to hang around the front lines more often. After all, no matter how much damage your opponent can dish out, he can't hurt what he can't hit.

The one major concern you will have is your HP. You won't have nearly as many as a straight up fighting class so it won't take much to bring you down. If it looks like your opponent can nail your AC more than 50% of the time, Spring Attack. Otherwise, feel free to stick in there for a few rounds of Full Attack Action Goodness.

You do have a healer in the party, right?

In fact, now that I'm thinking of it, what exactly is the makeup of your party in terms of race/class/levels?

 

[Arravis]

Makeup of the party is still in the works...
So far a 2 rogues (one will keep leveling in rogue, the other will go to sorcerer), and another player... not sure what they are playing yet. I'll be the main fighter it looks like. We'll simply have to use unconventional tactics or get hirelings.

 

[Apok]

Hmmm... A Rogue/Sorcerer, Rogue, Duelist/Sorcerer and an undecided. Depending on the undecided player, it looks like you guys will be using alot of hit & run tactics, ambushes, and stealth. Unless the undecided player is making a Meat Sheild, heated melee combat is something this party should avoid like the plague. If nobody goes Cleric, hire one; you'll need him.

With two spellcasters, one of you should probably grab a few stock offensive spells and anything that will help you control the flow of battle. The various Wall spells are great for this. For ambush set-ups, nothing beats a good illusion.