Brutal Dervish Dancer [Archive] - Wizards Community

Brutal Dervish Dancer [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
SolkaTruesilver
05-29-06, 09:55 AM someone ever tried a Dervish dancer who uses 2-handed weapons?
adimeadozen
05-29-06, 10:31 AM I had a player in one of my games use a Bastard sword 2-handed along with its exotic proficiency Uncanny Blow from Exotic Weapon Master for 2x their strength bonus to damage, it was pretty effective, I must say.
Linklegacy77
05-29-06, 11:49 AM I've never done so, because TWF is just so much more psynergetic with the Dervish. It maxes out the benefit of the bonus to hit and damage with slashing weapons, makes the most out of dervish dance and one thousand cuts and the like, (especially if you have 3 levels of swashbuckler...).
Witchblade
05-29-06, 02:57 PM Besides, TWF is just great for flavor.
SolkaTruesilver
06-02-06, 03:17 PM It's just that I daydreamed my Humanorc Barbarian/Fighter, wielding his 2handed sword, and dancing in a pure form of rage, slashing everything that crosses his path on the battlefield... with his 28 of strenght... and "a thousand cut"... oooh..

who would dare approach him? nevermind! Who would dare STAY NEAR HIM?

While being in a mithral breastplate.
Sunrider
06-02-06, 06:21 PM Combined with a level of EWM for Uncanny Blow, it can be very effective. Use Acrobatic Strike and Dervish Dance to boost your attack bonus, then use this extra +9 to hit to pump Power Attack.

Let's see... at 20th level, with WF/WS/MWM, Improved Critical, 34 Str (18 base, +5 tome, +6 belt) and a +5 Great Scimitar of Speed:

Attack bonus = 20 (BAB) + 12 (Str) + 5 (weapon) + 5 (Dervish dance) + 1 (WF) + 2 (MWM) + 4 (Acrobatic Strike) - 9 (PA) = 40

Damage = 4.5 (average base damage) + 5 (weapon) + 5 (Dervish dance) + 24 (Str) + 2 (WS) + 2 (MWM) + 18 (PA) = 60.5 15-20/x2

Including criticals, this comes out to ~330 damage per round against an AC 35 target, or a bit less against an AC 40 target (whether or not you PA for less).

Just about any CR 20 monster goes down in one round. Some dragons take two; since you'll probably never fight more than one Great Wyrm per day, just use the Thousand Cuts ability to kill it in one round. If it's on the ground, it's dead...
Otto the Bugbear
06-02-06, 09:54 PM Of course people have. In fact, it's been a staple of the Char. Opt. boards for quite some time. I've been spouting off about my own version for nearly a year. Now that PHBII gives us Acrobatic Strike, it gets even better. There was a thread recently that dealt with a dervish using a glaive along with Versatile Unarmed Strike for even more goodies.

It actually (IMO) makes for a more effective dervish to use a two-handed weapon. Just add in Power Attack for a brutal dervish dancing phenom.

Cheers

Otto :)
SolkaTruesilver
06-02-06, 09:57 PM Oh my god.. It's almost a wet dream...

What? Already been thinked? :confused:
Tempest Stormwind
06-02-06, 09:58 PM Yup. It's more common than you'd think on the CO boards, too.

The weapons are usually the falchion, the glaive, or (if Sandstorm is allowed) the great scimitar.
Fearless
06-03-06, 02:37 AM Do remember that you can't dance while under the effects of rage/frenzy. this quite hoses the barb/dervish builds :(
xanadu
06-03-06, 04:47 PM The best reason to go THF Dervish is because you get to flay the bad guy to oblivion with a full attack w/ lots of to hit bonus to fuel power attack and move away to escape retribution.

Meanwhile your barbarian leap attacking buddy got off only one attack and must receive a full attack with -4 AC :P
Otto the Bugbear
06-03-06, 05:53 PM The best reason to go THF Dervish is because you get to flay the bad guy to oblivion with a full attack w/ lots of to hit bonus to fuel power attack and move away to escape retribution.

I guess this is one of the other reasons I like dervishes. You can generate a good defense while still providing a good offense. Even if the bad guy manages to full attack your dervish, the amount you can jack your AC up is pretty nice. With 7 levels of Dervish, fight defensively for -4 to hit / +7 AC. Add in 3 levels of Thief-Acrobat and now you get +9 AC, while tumbling at full speed with no penalty & ignoring how difficult the terrain is.

Good fun stuff.

Cheers

Otto :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SolkaTruesilver 05-29-06, 09:55 AM	someone ever tried a Dervish dancer who uses 2-handed weapons?
adimeadozen 05-29-06, 10:31 AM	I had a player in one of my games use a Bastard sword 2-handed along with its exotic proficiency Uncanny Blow from Exotic Weapon Master for 2x their strength bonus to damage, it was pretty effective, I must say.
Linklegacy77 05-29-06, 11:49 AM	I've never done so, because TWF is just so much more psynergetic with the Dervish. It maxes out the benefit of the bonus to hit and damage with slashing weapons, makes the most out of dervish dance and one thousand cuts and the like, (especially if you have 3 levels of swashbuckler...).
Witchblade 05-29-06, 02:57 PM	Besides, TWF is just great for flavor.
SolkaTruesilver 06-02-06, 03:17 PM	It's just that I daydreamed my Humanorc Barbarian/Fighter, wielding his 2handed sword, and dancing in a pure form of rage, slashing everything that crosses his path on the battlefield... with his 28 of strenght... and "a thousand cut"... oooh.. who would dare approach him? nevermind! Who would dare STAY NEAR HIM? While being in a mithral breastplate.
Sunrider 06-02-06, 06:21 PM	Combined with a level of EWM for Uncanny Blow, it can be very effective. Use Acrobatic Strike and Dervish Dance to boost your attack bonus, then use this extra +9 to hit to pump Power Attack. Let's see... at 20th level, with WF/WS/MWM, Improved Critical, 34 Str (18 base, +5 tome, +6 belt) and a +5 Great Scimitar of Speed: Attack bonus = 20 (BAB) + 12 (Str) + 5 (weapon) + 5 (Dervish dance) + 1 (WF) + 2 (MWM) + 4 (Acrobatic Strike) - 9 (PA) = 40 Damage = 4.5 (average base damage) + 5 (weapon) + 5 (Dervish dance) + 24 (Str) + 2 (WS) + 2 (MWM) + 18 (PA) = 60.5 15-20/x2 Including criticals, this comes out to ~330 damage per round against an AC 35 target, or a bit less against an AC 40 target (whether or not you PA for less). Just about any CR 20 monster goes down in one round. Some dragons take two; since you'll probably never fight more than one Great Wyrm per day, just use the Thousand Cuts ability to kill it in one round. If it's on the ground, it's dead...
Otto the Bugbear 06-02-06, 09:54 PM	Of course people have. In fact, it's been a staple of the Char. Opt. boards for quite some time. I've been spouting off about my own version for nearly a year. Now that PHBII gives us Acrobatic Strike, it gets even better. There was a thread recently that dealt with a dervish using a glaive along with Versatile Unarmed Strike for even more goodies. It actually (IMO) makes for a more effective dervish to use a two-handed weapon. Just add in Power Attack for a brutal dervish dancing phenom. Cheers Otto :)
SolkaTruesilver 06-02-06, 09:57 PM	Oh my god.. It's almost a wet dream... What? Already been thinked? :confused:
Tempest Stormwind 06-02-06, 09:58 PM	Yup. It's more common than you'd think on the CO boards, too. The weapons are usually the falchion, the glaive, or (if Sandstorm is allowed) the great scimitar.
Fearless 06-03-06, 02:37 AM	Do remember that you can't dance while under the effects of rage/frenzy. this quite hoses the barb/dervish builds :(
xanadu 06-03-06, 04:47 PM	The best reason to go THF Dervish is because you get to flay the bad guy to oblivion with a full attack w/ lots of to hit bonus to fuel power attack and move away to escape retribution. Meanwhile your barbarian leap attacking buddy got off only one attack and must receive a full attack with -4 AC :P
Otto the Bugbear 06-03-06, 05:53 PM	The best reason to go THF Dervish is because you get to flay the bad guy to oblivion with a full attack w/ lots of to hit bonus to fuel power attack and move away to escape retribution. I guess this is one of the other reasons I like dervishes. You can generate a good defense while still providing a good offense. Even if the bad guy manages to full attack your dervish, the amount you can jack your AC up is pretty nice. With 7 levels of Dervish, fight defensively for -4 to hit / +7 AC. Add in 3 levels of Thief-Acrobat and now you get +9 AC, while tumbling at full speed with no penalty & ignoring how difficult the terrain is. Good fun stuff. Cheers Otto :)