Post/Author/DateTime	Post
the_narrator 07-14-06, 08:44 PM	Easy enough question: what would you say the best melee weapon/ fighting style for a Scout is? My first reaction would be some sort of TWF combonation, due to the extra Skirmish damage. But since the Scout must more ten feet a round, this makes it impossible to stack his skirmish onto multiple attacks (unless I'm way off base), either from BAB or TWF. So then I get to thinking that a big bad two-hander would work well, but I'd like to hear your opinions on the subject.
LordPendragon 07-14-06, 08:56 PM	I'd say do a dual-weapon setup with the feat that allows you to attack with both at the end of a charge. If you can convince your DM about it, there's a PrC in the d20 Future book that has a 10th level ability allowing a 2nd 5ft step each round. It's a non-technological class, so it would be easy to adapt to D&D if your DM allows it. Two 5ft steps = 10 feet of movement = skirmish + full attack :D.
R2-DS 07-14-06, 09:41 PM	Thematically speaking of course I would envision that a scout is both lighty armoured and armed. Pehaps a Kukri. Its curved blade offering something more stylish than the ol' dagger. Perhaps you might also prefer one of the Elven blades as well.
nastynate 07-14-06, 09:54 PM	There are a few fairly standard ways to get the most out of your skirmish damage. 1. Pounce Attacks: there are a variety of ways to get this effect. Wild Runner, Psionic Lion's Pounce, Lion's Pounce, and more. Full attacks after a charge have wonderful synergy with skirmish. 2. Greater Many Shot: Take a move action, fire a full volley of arrows, each of which benefits from precision based damage (which skirmish just so happens to be). 3. Spring Attack: and now we have the benefit of additional attacks thanks to the feat tree in PHB2. One of my favorite skirmish builds is the scout 8 / highland stalker 10 / fighter 2 (in that order). This build has room for both the greater manyshot option, and the spring attack tree in one easy package. While not the most devastating combination from a character optimization stand point, it is simple and effective. -Peace-
BluEnigma 07-14-06, 11:06 PM	Regardless of the number of arrows you fire, you apply precision-based damage (such as sneak attack) only once. Unless Greater Many Shot changes that?
runestar 07-14-06, 11:16 PM	1 lv of barb and the snow tiger berserker(UE) feat lets you make a full attack with light weapons at the end of a charge. :) ANd the barb fast movement is nice too...
SmiloDan 07-15-06, 01:11 AM	I'm partial to the longspear myself. Reach helps with that 10 foot movement, a decent critical, and it's 2 handed so you can benefit from Power Attacking. (Of course, skirmish damage isn't multiplied by the crit!) But my DM gave me a +1 hand axe of harmony....it gives me an ADDITIONAL +4 on my attacks when I flank. And I have Spring Attack now... But I made my scout LG, so no barbarian dipping for me.
Encard 07-15-06, 03:36 AM	Unless Greater Many Shot changes that? It does. It uses seperate attack rolls instead of a batch attack, so precision damage (i.e. Skirmish) applies to all attacks. nastynate listed a number of the more common Scout fighting styles... A couple other options are Shot on the Run for hit-and-run ranged attacks, the Manticore Belt soulmeld. Feel free to check the link in my sig if you want to look into Scouts a bit more. Good weapons... For a pure Scout, shortbow if ranged and short sword (usually) for melee. For a Scout with melee weapon proficiency (from a Fighter dip, for example), longbow for ranged and a variety of weapons for melee, depending on your build.
DemonMonkeyBoy 07-15-06, 03:53 AM	The last scout I made was a golith that used a portable ram (equal to large Great club) as a weapon and to break traps. He was fun to play! We'd all be sneaking up to the door than I would bash it in.
fansy 07-15-06, 10:47 AM	Scout is perfectly paired with the Dervish prc.
nastynate 07-15-06, 04:05 PM	Unless Greater Many Shot changes that? It does.
monkmania 07-15-06, 04:26 PM	to be honest, i had a LOT of fun with a longspear wielding scout... I made him out to be an attack of opportunity *****, and he kicked a lot of tail. His str was about the same as his dex so attack bonuses were not a problem.
arjomanes 07-15-06, 05:22 PM	For melee, a scout/dervish build with a halberd, power attack, spring attack and improved trip can be a good combination. For reach capability, you could use a guisarme or the exotic weapon poleaxe.
Argali 07-16-06, 09:08 AM	It does. It uses seperate attack rolls instead of a batch attack, so precision damage (i.e. Skirmish) applies to all attacks. nastynate listed a number of the more common Scout fighting styles... A couple other options are Shot on the Run for hit-and-run ranged attacks, the Manticore Belt soulmeld. Feel free to check the link in my sig if you want to look into Scouts a bit more. Good weapons... For a pure Scout, shortbow if ranged and short sword (usually) for melee. For a Scout with melee weapon proficiency (from a Fighter dip, for example), longbow for ranged and a variety of weapons for melee, depending on your build. Thanks for that link, that was one of the best class handbooks I've read yet.
tomadalama 07-17-06, 12:18 AM	right now i'm playing a bit of a different scout i've been ignoring dex my two hnighest stats are con and str then dex... but i've got a one level dip of barb i'm going spring attack tree as well as the power attack tree i'm a nezumi as well but my weapon of choice is the scythe its really fun i run in slash and run out i'm the bringer of death on swift feet
babysamurai 07-17-06, 05:09 AM	Tempest is a nice PrC to go into from Scout, as it lets you attack with two weapons when making a "Spring Attack". Nice feats for a TWFing scout: Dual Strike Two-Weapon Pounce