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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kor" data-source="post: 3659383" data-attributes="member: 26281">Those are all some more great ideas... I will be fleshing out the build in a couple days.  Just a few random comments:Penetrating Strike.  I'm surprised that the Complete Divine's "Death's Ruin" alternative class feature was published, after Dungeonscape's "Penetrating Strike" alternative class feature.  I think Penetrating strike is pretty much a no-brainer.  Thanks for that suggestion.Spring Attack.  Also when I mentioned building a character that can jump into the front line... fight... and then withdraw, I meant withdrawing for safety's sake, likely on the next round after having been attacked.  I think I gave the impression that I wanted to do a spring attack or such, which I don't.  I'm also not taking Improved Initiative, as I want other party members to engage foes first, so I can just walk up beside them and start sneak attacking via adapatable / vexing flanker.  (Sure it would be nice to pounce in and get a full attack, however for the sake of feat management, I would have to build either a pouncer or a two-weapon fighter... not both -- so I am sticking with a two-weapon fighter).Craven.   I was not aware of this feat.  In many respects its definately a must, however preceding the Feat descriptions is:  "Champions of Ruin introduces several feats of pure cruelty and evil.  Characters devoted to dark gods or vicious means can use these feats to enhance their wicked power".  I'm not sure if this is just flavor text, or whether its basically adding in a blanket requirement to be evil / vile to acquire any of the feats.  I guess I could try to "justify" Craven in the sense that sneak attacking in its very essence could be defined as a "vicious means"?Pure Rogue.   I have always been of the mindset that pure rogue was the best rogue.  The main disadvantages of the pure rogue is HP and BAB.  I think that dipping into Swashbuckler for the increased BAB and HP, without loosing Sneak Attack damage via Daring Outlaw, is definately the way to go.Rogue Skills.   One of the fun elements of playing a rogue is their many skills.  The party of course expects anyone playing a rogue to be their trap detector / lock picker / device disabler.  In the early levels I think its very useful to have these skills, but in later levels there are magic items that can do the trick just fine -- so I think the change to Swashbuckler is probably for the best -- especially given my build direction?Swordsage.   Its a neat idea, but most DM's I play with won't touch the ToB with a 10' pole (or even with a collapsable one).  Also I want the ability to gain the flank benefits continuously and on an unlimited basis... where-as if I read this class right, then I wouldn't.  Shield of Blades.  This is the class replacement feature for Swashbucklers in PHB II - replacing the dodge bonus for +2 AC.  This was a great suggestion, thanks.Telling Blow.  Although a great feat to have... its just one in a big list of many.  As my plan would be to only engage foes where I get the benefit of using my adaptable/vexing flanker feats, Telling Blow would not be useful.  Although I plan to stick with these two feats, I guess the alternative would be swapping them for Telling Blow and Improved Critical.Disemboweling Strike.  My plan is to make this the work-horse of my character.  I should be able to drop enough of an opponent's CON quickly, that it should take him out of battle quickly.  The combined CON loss along with lost HP's, plus the added damage I would be doing over top of the Strike, should do the trick and should (in theory) be better than doing pure damage?  I think this is the one and only "Strike" feat that I should need -- better than the others such as "Crippling Strike".  (Not that Crippling Strike isn't good -- its just that with being so feat heavy, I have to pick and choose carefully, so I think sticking with one Strike is best).Fighter Variant.   Someone had suggested this, although I think they made reference to the PHBII, whereas this is included in UA.  The Thug Variant, combined with the Fighter Class Variant (pg 58 -- I can never usually find this when I am looking for it).  This will give you a fighter who gains 4 skill points, good BAB progression and sneak attack every 2nd level instead of feats.  Although I had been considering it, I realized that Swashbuckler + Daring Outlaw gave me all that plus more.Thanks for all the suggestions, they have been very helpful!</blockquote>

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