two-weapon swashbuckler tweaking

[Particle_Man]

I have this idea for a character and I wanted to make sure that I was not hamstringing myself too badly to pull off the concept.

Human Swashbuckler (Complete Warrior)
30 point buy
Str, Con: 10. Wis, Chr: 8. Dex: 16, Int: 18 (Another option is to take Con up to 12 and leave Str at 8).
Feats: 1st Nymph's Kiss (Book of Exalted Deeds - and the ongoing relationship would be with a nymph), Two Weapon Fighting. 3rd Two Weapon Defense. 6th Improved Two Weapon Fighting. 9th Improved Two Weapon Defense (Complete Warrior). 12th Greater Two Weapon Fighting. 15th Greater Two Weapon Defense (Complete Warrior). 18th Dodge.
Ability Improvements: Dex, every 4th level.
Skills: Max out Bluff, Diplomacy, Climb, Jump, Swim, Sense Motive, Balance, Escape Artist, Tumble, Use Rope. (On the assumption that the bonus skill point from the Nymph's Kiss feat is quadrupled, as other bonus skill points are, at the 1st character level). Basically, all of the non-craft, non-profession, class skills.
Speaks: Common, Elven, Sylvan, Celestial?, ???. Deity: Ehlonna?.
Chaotic Good, 4'7", 89lbs, female, skin-eye-hair colouration similar to a high elf. (So pale, green and black, respectively). Age 16 at start.
Tends to fight with a rapier/short sword combo, but is flexible. Would love to have mithral breastplate (or failing that, elven chain or a mithral chain shirt) and a Heward's Handy Haversack, but in the campaign I am in, you get what you get.

What do you think? I have heard people say that Nymph's Kiss is overpowered, and that the Two-Weapon style is underpowered, so maybe they balance out?

Oh, and what would be good background ideas for such a character?

 

[Darklone]

That nymph has a bad taste.

 

[shilsen]

That nymph has a bad taste.

And lesbian

 

[Darklone]

And lesbian

That's not as bad as a bad taste

 

[Salad_Shooter]

well...the 8 charisma might mean she's hot...but, to use the Shakesperean form, a complete shrew, with the social skills of your average potted plant, possibly worse.

 

[Particle_Man]

I've seen real life relationships exactly like this. One partner is a supermodel-type, and the other is, well, not. Another where one partner is nice and fun to be around and the other is, well, not. I've seen them. I don't know why these sorts of relationships last, but they have done so, in both cases.

Anyhow, I figure chr:8 is bad but not too bad. After all, if chr: 8 is a "complete shrew", how do you roleplay chr:6, chr:4, chr:2 or chr:1? Anyhow, I was thinking of making her a bit shy, until she found true love (and gained that bonus to all her chr checks. Love is a great confidence builder, and confidence is a great charisma builder, that kind of thing).

So, any more ideas on fluff? Or crunch?

 

[Darklone]

I miss Improved Critical. I wouldn't lower strength (you can scarcely WEAR light armour), I'd rather start with Int 16, raise Con a little bit (it's a fighter type after all) and try to get some Int and Dex boosters as fast as possible.

You plan on going singleclass SB? Tell us how it works out.

 

[shilsen]

That's not as bad as a bad taste

Ah, I wasn't clear enough. I was saying that she's lesbian to counter your statement and imply that she has good taste

As for the original poster, how did you come up with those stats? Rolled, point-buy, or some other method? I'm asking because they seem very disproportionate, with one 18 and 16 and then nothing above 10.

 

[Particle_Man]

As for the original poster, how did you come up with those stats? Rolled, point-buy, or some other method? I'm asking because they seem very disproportionate, with one 18 and 16 and then nothing above 10.

It would be a point buy (30 points). I alternate between "Extremes" and "nothing above 14" when I do point buys. This one is more on the "extremes" level. Partly because I wanted to try out all the class skills, and this is the only way to get all of them that I can see (unless I multi-class into rogue, perhaps)..

The low strength hurts, but I can manage to carry what I need (perhaps I will hire someone to "Caddy" ). And Weapon Finesse and the SB Int bonus to damage sort of substitutes for the lack of str. But you are right, a Heward's Handy Haversack would be disproporionately valuable to this character.

And one post back, thanks for noting the importance of Improved Critical. I was considering it, but with Improved Critical not stacking with Keenness in 3.5, and various ways of getting weapons to be keen (scabbard of keen edges, if nothing else), I had to pass (since I am not a fighter, I can't do the feat-a-palooza thing they do, unfortunately). Also, I don't know how much control over magic items I will get (depends if we have a mage who goes the item making route). If I have control, then scabbard of keen edges is a good way to go. If I don't have control, then I might use a different weapon than whatever I chose to improve critical in, if I find one that is kewl enough.

I figured I had enough feats for one "Shtick" and went for the two-weapon route. I chose dodge because it stacks with an SB class ability. And nymph's kiss works both for background fluff and for the extra skill points.

Thanks for all of your suggestions so far. Please keep them coming!

 

[Darklone]

I would really think about two levels of fighter at least or some roguish stuff, Dodge and Weapon Focus real early. You're really bad against anything that's immune to sneak attacks anyhow, so work on that. As for how... no idea. Get a weapon of disruption? Goggles of True Seeing?