Post/Author/DateTime	Post
elvegaro 08-30-07, 06:11 AM	I am building a Catfolk Swashbuckler in a 3.5 campaign I got good rolls, the stats are: str: 12 dex: 22 Con15 Int: 16 Wis: 7 Cha: 16 And as I see it I have a couple of path possibilities which appeal to me: 1st feat: Dodge 2nd: Mobility 3rd: Elusive Target 4th: Weapon Focus: Rapier 5th: Improved Critical: Rapier or: 1st: Weapon focus rapier 2. improved critical: rapier 3. two weapon fighting 4. improved two weapon fighting 5. greater two weapon fighting and of course focus heavily on tactical skills. Maxing out tumble, Balance, Bluff, Jump, Swim, Climb. Escape Artist and Use Rope share the rest of the skill points equally. Diplomacy gets none... Figure I can usually bluff my way through things. It seems to me for the second path I might as well play Ranger though. I know the Swashbuckler gets a dodge bonus at 5th level. It would stack with the dodge feat. But I don't know if it counts as a feat. If it does, I would naturally let the feat be until I get it for free at fifth level, and rearrange the feats accordingly. Any thoughts?
Bopple 08-30-07, 07:10 AM	Take Daring Outlaw feat(Complete Scoundrel) Rogue4/Swb16 with Penetrating Strike alternative class feature(Dungeonscape). or Rogue3/Barbarian2/Swb15 is also viable (with Penetrating Strike and Lion Totem barbarian alternative class feature from Complete Champion). As for feats; Daring Outlaw: a must-have for Swashbuckler - this feat makes a lousy class into a decent combatant TWF tree : better than THF or sword-&-board for swb. Improved Critical & Telling Blow Craven : a crazy powerful feat if FR books are allowed Endurance & Steadfast Determination : a very good option to boost your bad will-save. Weapon Focus : take it, when there is nothing else to get
Lord_Cronos 08-30-07, 08:29 AM	Take Daring Outlaw feat(Complete Scoundrel) Rogue4/Swb16 with Penetrating Strike alternative class feature(Dungeonscape). or Rogue3/Barbarian2/Swb15 is also viable (with Penetrating Strike, of course). As for feats; Daring Outlaw: a must-have for Swashbuckler - this feat makes a lousy class into a decent combatant TWF tree : better than THF or sword-&-board for swb. Improved Critical & Telling Blow Craven : a crazy powerful feat if FR books are allowed Endurance & Steadfast Determination : a very good option to boost your bad will-save. Weapon Focus : take it, when there is nothing else to get Yep this one is the best!
BugHunter 08-30-07, 09:07 AM	I know the Swashbuckler gets a dodge bonus at 5th level. It would stack with the dodge feat. But I don't know if it counts as a feat. If it does, I would naturally let the feat be until I get it for free at fifth level, and rearrange the feats accordingly. Any thoughts? By RAW the dodge class feature doesn't count as a feat and can not be used to meet the prerequisites for other feats.
RobbyPants 08-30-07, 10:26 AM	or: 1st: Weapon focus rapier 2. improved critical: rapier 3. two weapon fighting 4. improved two weapon fighting 5. greater two weapon fighting If you decide to go the TWF route, I would strongly suggest using the same type of weapon in each hand. This minimizes the number of feats you need to take to have both your primary and offhand weapon effected. The problem with the rapier is that it is not light, and you will suffer an additional -2 penalty for using one in your off hand. I can think of three solutions: Use a shortsword in each hand - This is (IMO) the best solution. It won't require any extra feats byond TWF. It is light, thus it is finessable. The only downside is that your crit range is 2 instead of 3. I consider that a good trade-off to avoid another -2 to hit. Use a rapier in each hand - You can us a rapier in each hand if you take the Oversized Two Weapon Fighting feat (Complete Adventurer). Basically, you can use a non-light weapon in your off hand without the extra penalty. You gain the ability to use two rapiers at the cost of a feat. Personally I wouldn't consider this all that great of a trade-off for a feat, but it's still an option. Use a thinblade in each hand - If you don't mind blowing through two more feats. Take Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Thinblade) and Oversided Two Weapon Fighting to be able to use a thinblade in each hand. The thinblade is like a rapier that does 1d8 damage and is also finessable. So you end up with superior damage and a good crit threat, but at the cost of two feats. Again, I personally wouldn't do this, but I'm putting the option on the table. So, out of the three, I'd suggest the first option, but it's really up to you and your build.
Uxkurik_Malsvar 08-30-07, 02:07 PM	when i make a swashbuckler i don't like taking him past lvl 3 so i multiclass to hell. secondly i put my best stat i rolled into INT its awesome for skills early on not to mention his insightful strike will be devastating and you can take that shortsword and put out greatsword dmg. i never like TWF too much money and feats to spend on a extra atk i would just get a speed ss multi class to fighter and take the daring warrior IF you wanted to and you were a Good char. you could worship bahamut and take dragonborn template it doesn't give much in fact it takes away a lot but it you choose the mind characteristic the benafits it gives are almost crazy. my old swashbuckler is a 3 SWB 3 FGT 3 Lasher from the sword and fist book. slightly modified for 3.5 and he worked well. using whip blade and rapiers. that was without the complete scoundrel book, now that i can stack the fighter and swashbuckler levels with the daring fighter... ITS ON LIKE DONKEY KONG!
ToastedAmphibian 08-30-07, 05:20 PM	when i make a swashbuckler i don't like taking him past lvl 3 so i multiclass to hell. secondly i put my best stat i rolled into INT its awesome for skills early on not to mention his insightful strike will be devastating and you can take that shortsword and put out greatsword dmg. i never like TWF too much money and feats to spend on a extra atk i would just get a speed ss multi class to fighter and take the daring warrior IF you wanted to and you were a Good char. you could worship bahamut and take dragonborn template it doesn't give much in fact it takes away a lot but it you choose the mind characteristic the benafits it gives are almost crazy. my old swashbuckler is a 3 SWB 3 FGT 3 Lasher from the sword and fist book. slightly modified for 3.5 and he worked well. using whip blade and rapiers. that was without the complete scoundrel book, now that i can stack the fighter and swashbuckler levels with the daring fighter... ITS ON LIKE DONKEY KONG! Does anyone else find him to be really, really hard to understand?
Tedronai 08-30-07, 05:48 PM	Depending on your interpretations, the Swashbuckler's Dodge ability counts as a 'virtual feat' (a class or race ability that grants the benefit of a feat without actually granting that feat) and can be used to qualify for classes or feats as the feat it mimics. The Dodge feat grants a +1 dodge bonus against one target, and can be designated as a free action during your turn. The Swashbuckler's Dodge ability grants a +1 (or higher) dodge bonus against one target, and can be designated as a free action during your turn. I'd suggest using a Kukri in each hand rather than Shortswords, the damage difference is negligible (1 point of average damage for a medium character, 0.5 for a small character), and the extra critical range (especially after you take Improved Critical) goes a long way to make up for that, particularly at higher levels, or if you multiclass to rogue and take Telling Blow. I'd also suggest multiclassing out of Swashbuckler ASAP after 3rd level for your character concept, otherwise you'll fall behind in damage output rather drastically.
TheRealOrion 08-30-07, 09:28 PM	The Swashbuckler's dodge ability specifically says that the bonus stacks with the Dodge feat, or even that you can split them between two attackers. Given that that's all it says about those two abilities interacting, I take that to mean that the class feature is not intended to be feat in that sense. Your DMing may vary, of course.