Hey all. I've only recently acquired and read the Tome of Battle, and the Warblade in particular interests me, but I'm not sure how to optimise it.
Stats will be a 30pt buy, in a campaign starting at level-3, so early effectiveness is a must. I've read great things about lockdown-style Crusaders, with a reach weapon, Combat Reflexes, Stand Still, Stormguard Fighter, Robillard's Gambit and Defensive Sweep, with Thicket of Blades stance. The entire combo just seems to work beautifully with Crusader class features.
But from a flavour perspestive, I would prefer to go Warblade, particularly a 2her wielding Warblade. I could try to go the same route as above, with Martial Study and Martial Stance to get me Thicket of Blades, but I'd lack the class abilities of the Crusader that works so well with Robillard's (Furious Counterstrike and Defensive Rebuke).
As an early build, Punishing Stance with Power Attack, Emerald Razor and Wall of Blades seems like it'd be very effective, with the possibility of making a charger-eque build later with Shock Trooper, but the combo just feels less synergistic and complete than the AoO abusing Crusader.
Does anyone have some ideas they can throw my way RE: 2Her Warblade optimisation? Thanks 
Thou shalt take Moment of Perfect Mind (Tome of Battle 64). Failed Will saves will hurt you lots. Never fail them.
Also, being a Hood gives you massive damage potential. The Eternal Daughter build starts as a Warblade and has full BAB.
Thou shalt take Moment of Perfect Mind (Tome of Battle 64). Failed Will saves will hurt you lots. Never fail them.
Also, being a Hood gives you massive damage potential. The Eternal Daughter build starts as a Warblade and has full BAB.
For sure. I'd find a way to work that into any ToB-based character I made.
What I'm really looking for is synergistic feat/maneuver/weapon setups that make the Warblade appealing, as I'm having difficulty fathoming a build that seems as effective as the Crusader lockdown build.
Edit: Just had a look at the Eternal Daughter build, the author seems to make a heavy point in not recommending its use unless you're starting at level-20? That's contrary to what I'm trying to accomplish, early to mid-game effectiveness is my highest priority.
Anyone? Please? 
Specifically, is there a way to gain a damage buff on attacks till my next turn, that I could use in place of Overpowering Attack to buff Stand Still save DC's and thus emulate the "Lock Downe" fighter build?
Stormguard Warrior feat would do that quite well.
Stormguard Warrior feat would do that quite well.
Stormguard provides me bonuses on my next turn, not during my enemies' turns in-between when I'm trying to Stand Still them.
I'm still not sold on the Stormguard/Robilliard's combo. It seems like it'd be semi-suicidal.
Might I suggest reviewing if your still iffy on the Stormguard Warrior feat. It goes into good detail on the pro's and cons of the feat as well as strategies related to it. community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...
Honestly though, Stormguard is not required for a lockdown build. It all really comes down to your play style preference.
Might I suggest reviewing if your still iffy on the Stormguard Warrior feat. It goes into good detail on the pro's and cons of the feat as well as strategies related to it. community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...
Honestly though, Stormguard is not required for a lockdown build. It all really comes down to your play style preference.
Thank you for that, I did spend a fair bit of time umming and ahhing about Stormguard, as it seemed counter-intuitive to the notion of a Stand Still lock to let enemies get into melee and hit me. Ultimately I decided to include it in the build to give me the option of using it if I need to. The goal with my Warblade was not just battlefield control, but versatility and damage potential as well.
Here's the build I finally came up with. It borrows/steals alot of tactics from the Tome of Battle handbook thread on these boards, as well as the Locke Downe fighter build, but condensed to use less feats.
Human Warblade 18/Fighter 2
Starting Stats: Str 15, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 8
war 1 1**Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Spiked Chain, Power Attack
war 2 2
war 3 3*Stand Still
war 4 4 (+1 Str increase)
war 5 5*Combat Reflexes
f 1 6**Martial Study (Foehammer), Martial Stance (Thicket of Blades)
f 2 7*Deft Oppertunist
war 6 8 (+1 Str increase)
war 7 9*Close-Quarters Fighting
war 8 10
war 9 11*Ironheart Aura
war 10 12*Stormguard Warrior (+1 Str increase)
war 11 13
war 12 14
war 13 15**Robilar's Gambit, Improved Initiative
war 14 16 (+1 Str increase)
war 15 17
war 16 18*Defensive Sweep
war 17 19*Blind-Fight (or a Save Boost, this feat is open)
war 18 20 (+1 Str increase)
The main reason I wanted to use a Chain rather than a Polearm is for grapple-resilience. Close-Quarters Fighting with a polearm has a shortcoming - if a grappler can get inside your reach, you're gone. Best case scenario is you're wearing a spiked gauntlet and can drop the polearm and punch the guy as your AoO to trigger CQF, but even that circumstance has drawbacks:
A), you no longer threaten your area, "unlocking" anything you had locked down with Stand Still, and B), the gauntlet wont do anywhere near as much damage as the Chain, as its 1d4 rather than 2d4, only uses 1x your Str bonus, and 1x your Power Attack bonus, meaning that adding its damage to your grapple result is less likely to allow you to resist it.
Fitting in the Spiked Chain without full Warrior feat progression is tricky though, and requires a few compromises early. First, no starting with Combat Reflexes. Its one of the feats on the otherwise-sucky Warblade bonus feat list, so make the most of that slot and take it at lvl-5.
Also, its common for Warblade builds to delay their 4th level by taking their 2-level class dip after Warblade 3, so as to gain a 2nd level stance rather than another 1st level stance. To do that here would delay Combat Reflexes another 2 levels, which is getting to be too painful a delay. Plus, we get Thicket at 6 anyway, which will more or less be the permanent stance.
This build picks up Thicket at the earliest possible level, creating a Stand Still lock at 6, and reinforcing it with Deft Oppertunist at 7. Close-Quarters follows soon after for the nigh-grapple-immunity.
And then its all about increasing damage, with Stormguard, Robilar's and Defensive Sweep following in the later levels. These feats haven't been taken at their earliest oppertunities, but establishing the Stand Still lock and the grapple immunity takes precedence in this build. You can use a combination of Power Attack and strikes at low levels to generate respectable damage.
war 1 1**Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Spiked Chain, Power Attack
war 2 2
war 3 3*Stand Still
war 4 4 (+1 Str increase)
war 5 5*Combat Reflexes
f 1 6**Martial Study (Foehammer), Martial Stance (Thicket of Blades)
You do not qualify for Martial Stance (Thicket of Blades) at this point; your initiator level for non-warblade disciplines is only 3 (2nd-level maneuvers and stances). Sadly, this isn't spelled out clearly in the rules, but the example on page 39 shows how it works.
You do not qualify for Martial Stance (Thicket of Blades) at this point; your initiator level for non-warblade disciplines is only 3 (2nd-level maneuvers and stances). Sadly, this isn't spelled out clearly in the rules, but the example on page 39 shows how it works.
Oh, dammit, really? The way I read it the Martial Study feat allows you to take feats from any Discipline based off your Initiator level, nothing is mentioned that it needs to be a Crusader initiator level or anything like that.
What about Flaws? I know not all DM's allow them but they really add alot of flavor imo. Second why 2 Fighter instead of 2 Crusader? You can delay another 2 lvls and gain Thicket of Blades and Foehammer... plus you get another 5 Manuevers you can use each encounter. I usually have my counters here ... like the 3 concentration rolls for Fort Will Reflex saves. If you plan on using those as a straight Warblade you only have like 2 open spots readied.
What about Flaws? I know not all DM's allow them but they really add alot of flavor imo. Second why 2 Fighter instead of 2 Crusader? You can delay another 2 lvls and gain Thicket of Blades and Foehammer... plus you get another 5 Manuevers you can use each encounter. I usually have my counters here ... like the 3 concentration rolls for Fort Will Reflex saves. If you plan on using those as a straight Warblade you only have like 2 open spots readied.
My DM isn't allowing flaws unfortunately. You raise an interesting point with 2-crusader though. I know the first stance granted by a multiclass to Crusader has to be a level-2 stance, but I'm guessing the 2nd one granted at level-2 could be Thicket if my combined initiator level was high enough?
So if I'm understanding it right, and the Crusader levels count Warblade levels as 1/2 for purposes of determining total Crusader initiator level, then I'd have to go Warblade 6/Crusader 2, to get Thicket by 8th level. Is that correct?
As mentioned I'd also get Crusader maneuvers and whatnot that way, which I'm assuming would be tracked seperately from the Warblade maneuvers and be on their own seperate recovery mechanism?
Edit: Can someone explain to me how the Factotum of War build works, exactly?
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...
It seems to fit my original desire for a smackdown rather than a lockdown build, with Stormguard and Shock Trooper working in tandem, but some of the maneuver choices baffle me. Wolf Fang Strike?
I'm certainly no expert on ToB, but I'm pretty sure that warblade levels count 100% towards crusader initiator level. Non-ToB classes count as 1/2.
I'm certainly no expert on ToB, but I'm pretty sure that warblade levels count 100% towards crusader initiator level. Non-ToB classes count as 1/2.
That's what I had thought, but Tytalus seems to be saying otherwise. Can anyone clarify?
I'm certainly no expert on ToB, but I'm pretty sure that warblade levels count 100% towards crusader initiator level. Non-ToB classes count as 1/2.
Incorrect. Quoting from ToB page 39, under the Multiclass Characters section:
If you are a multiclass martial adept, and you learn a new maneuver by attaining a new level in a martial adept class, determine your initiator level by adding together your level in that class + 1/2 your levels in all other classes.
In other words, if you are warblade6/crusader2, your initiator level for maneuvers to which you gain access through being a warblade is 7, while your intiator level for maneuvers to which you gain access through being a crusader is 5.
However, Grimmand, I believe your original build worked. Martial Study says that you can choose a discipline, then choose any maneuver from the chosen discipline for which you meet the prerequisite. "Prerequisite" is a clearly defined section of the description for each maneuver. And I don't see anything in any of the Prerequisite sections specifying an initiator level requirement... all Prerequisites are of the form "X Discipline maneuvers." Initiator levels, per the description, seem to be used only for choosing maneuvers to be selected as you add them in a martial adept class, while the feat bypasses this mechanic. So if you take the feat, you can choose any maneuver within the discipline you select, so long as you have the appropriate number of previous maneuvers.
However, Grimmand, I believe your original build worked. Martial Study says that you can choose a discipline, then choose any maneuver from the chosen discipline for which you meet the prerequisite. "Prerequisite" is a clearly defined section of the description for each maneuver. And I don't see anything in any of the Prerequisite sections specifying an initiator level requirement... all Prerequisites are of the form "X Discipline maneuvers." Initiator levels, per the description, seem to be used only for choosing maneuvers to be selected as you add them in a martial adept class, while the feat bypasses this mechanic. So if you take the feat, you can choose any maneuver within the discipline you select, so long as you have the appropriate number of previous maneuvers.
By that logic though, wouldn't Thicket of Blades be obtainable at level-1 by taking Martial Study (any Devoted Spirit maneuver), Martial Stance (Thicket)?
Crusaders would also be able to take Martial Stance at level-1 and obtain Thicket immediately. I understand your logic RE: the wording of the feats, but this would seem broken if so. You'd have fighters getting 9th level maneuvers by level-3.
Steelblue, if that were true a 1st-level Warblade could take Punishing Stance and Steel Wind at 1st level, take Martial Study as their feat, and get Lightning Throw at level 1. Even if they make their saves, 6d6 damage in a line 1/encounter at level 1 is game-breakingly good,
In short, the level requirement may or may not be a "prerequisite", but treating it as not a prerequisite results in stupid brokenness. Therefore, it is best to assume that it *is* a prerequsite.
However, Grimmand, I believe your original build worked. Martial Study says that you can choose a discipline, then choose any maneuver from the chosen discipline for which you meet the prerequisite. "Prerequisite" is a clearly defined section of the description for each maneuver. And I don't see anything in any of the Prerequisite sections specifying an initiator level requirement... all Prerequisites are of the form "X Discipline maneuvers." Initiator levels, per the description, seem to be used only for choosing maneuvers to be selected as you add them in a martial adept class, while the feat bypasses this mechanic. So if you take the feat, you can choose any maneuver within the discipline you select, so long as you have the appropriate number of previous maneuvers.
By that logic though, wouldn't Thicket of Blades be obtainable at level-1 by taking Martial Study (any Devoted Spirit maneuver), Martial Stance (Thicket)?Crusaders would also be able to take Martial Stance at level-1 and obtain Thicket immediately. I understand your logic RE: the wording of the feats, but this would seem broken if so. You'd have fighters getting 9th level maneuvers by level-3.
Yes, Thicket is obtainable at level 1 if you drop a couple of feats for it, by my reading. I don't have a huge problem with being able to get a low- to mid-level stance at level 1 if you're willing to pay 2 feats for it.
And re: fighters with 9th level maneuvers by level 3... possibly. The prerequisites for 9th level maneuvers are usually 5 or so previous maneuvers, so you'd have to put down 6 feats to get it. And oh, by the way, that's six feats to get an ability you only get to use once per fight. I wouldn't gimp any fighter I ran that badly, so I can't say I see that as being particularly broken. Stances might provide a more long-lasting bonus, but again, if you're willing to drop, say, 4 feats for Immortal Fortitude, I as a DM would have no problem with letting you have 3 Fort saves before dropping dead from HP damage. You'll use those saves every fight, because you spent all your feats gaining the ability to do it.
Yes, Thicket is obtainable at level 1 if you drop a couple of feats for it, by my reading. I don't have a huge problem with being able to get a low- to mid-level stance at level 1 if you're willing to pay 2 feats for it.
And re: fighters with 9th level maneuvers by level 3... possibly. The prerequisites for 9th level maneuvers are usually 5 or so previous maneuvers, so you'd have to put down 6 feats to get it. And oh, by the way, that's six feats to get an ability you only get to use once per fight. I wouldn't gimp any fighter I ran that badly, so I can't say I see that as being particularly broken. Stances might provide a more long-lasting bonus, but again, if you're willing to drop, say, 4 feats for Immortal Fortitude, I as a DM would have no problem with letting you have 3 Fort saves before dropping dead from HP damage. You'll use those saves every fight, because you spent all your feats gaining the ability to do it.
Actually, the 9th-level maneuvers require 4 maneuvers of the appropriate school. And if a fighter can take those feats, so can a Warblade, Swordsage or Crusader. And a Warblade hurling Lightning Throw every other round at level 1 (see my above post) qualifies as "broken".
All I can say is I wish you were my DM, Steelblue
Because yeah, otherwise as a Human Warblade, at level 1 I could take 2 Iron Heart maneuvers and the Punishing Stance (which classifies as a maneuver for pre-req purposes), and with my two starting feats, I could go Martial Stance (Supreme Blade Parry), and Martial Study (Strike of Perfect Clarity). Suddenly I can deal +100 damage every second round, whilst having DR 5/- at level 1.
However, Grimmand, I believe your original build worked. Martial Study says that you can choose a discipline, then choose any maneuver from the chosen discipline for which you meet the prerequisite. "Prerequisite" is a clearly defined section of the description for each maneuver. And I don't see anything in any of the Prerequisite sections specifying an initiator level requirement... all Prerequisites are of the form "X Discipline maneuvers." Initiator levels, per the description, seem to be used only for choosing maneuvers to be selected as you add them in a martial adept class, while the feat bypasses this mechanic. So if you take the feat, you can choose any maneuver within the discipline you select, so long as you have the appropriate number of previous maneuvers.
I would think that selecting a maneuver for martial study would still be bound by the selecting martial maneuvers section on page 39, since that is not noted as being restricted to the maneuvers granted by a class. However, the build would still be legal since that section only says initiator level 5 or higher is required and you have initiator level 5. There is nothing to indicate that the initiator level used to meet this requirement must come from a class that normally could grant the maneuver.
"And I don't see anything in any of the Prerequisite sections specifying an initiator level requirement..." -Steelblue
I believe you arer forgetting about the chart in the manuavers chapter. It specifically lists the REQUIRED INITIATOR levels needed in order to gain access to higher level manuevers. Your logic about the "prerequisites" only being what are listed in the description of the manuever is flawed because the book clearly states in the front of the manuevers chapter that you must be an appropriate level initiator in order to learn higher level manuevers. (Don't have the book with me atm, so I can't quote anything.)
So a 1'st level fighter would NOT be able to learn any manuavers even if he burnt 6 feats for them, because he does not have the required initiator level to learn them. His initiator level is 1/2 his current level. 1/2= .5 I don't believe there are any .5 level manuevers.
Table 3.1 Shows the highest Maneuver known progression.
If you have a Martial Adept class the Martial Study feat makes the chosen maneuver a Maneuver Known for your particular Class.
A 3rd level Warblade could use Martial Study to take a 2nd level maneuver from a normally excluded discipline so long as they meet the Maneuvers Known prerequisite. In this manner a Warblade could take Martial Study and pick up a no requirement Devoted Spirit manuever of a level for which he qualifies. In the same vein a 5th level Warblade which already has a Martial Study Devoted Spirit Maneuver can take Martial Stance (Thicket of Blades) as he meets the IL and Maneuvers Known prerequisites.
Cheers
Thank you for the confirmation, so it is possible to get Thicket by level-6 using these feats
All I can say is I wish you were my DM, Steelblue
No, you really don't... I've told my players about Pun-Pun and Chuck and a lot of the other cool stuff on here, but most of it doesn't work because my games exclude a number of specifically broken things, and the rest of it is covered under the rule "If you do it, I can too." And as I'm a moderately creative fellow and I have the world power of the DM, they've only tried it once.
@ Callix, Eviltedzies, and Maat_Mons, and anyone else I'm forgetting because these forums suck: that would be broken, yes, but immediately before Table 3-1 the book says
As you gain levels, you have the option to select higher-level maneuvers. Your level in a martial adept class determines the highest-level maneuvers you can select.
I would interpret this to mean that if your character has a martial adept class, he/she is limited in maneuver choices by initiator level. While the section on multi-class characters includes a piece that says you choose new maneuvers based on initiator level, it says you do so only if you are learning maneuvers from a martial adept class. The language on the feats still contains nothing re: initiator level, in spite of containing explicit commentary on what is required to take a particular maneuver - the prerequisites. So as long as you don't take any martial adept classes, you don't trigger the language specifying that your maneuvers are limited by initiator level, and the feat itself says nothing about it.
TL,DR: The trick to gain high level maneuvers early by way of feats only works with non-martial adept classes. And as I said, that's not really a good use of so many feats.
The last sentence of the Initiator Level paragraph on page 39 specifically states. "If you lack any martial adept levels, your initiator level is equal to 1/2 your character level."
Under the Multiclass paragraph it also states "This process applies to all of a character's levels, whether they are martial adept levels or not."
Then, under the "Selecting Martial Maneuvers" paragraph states "Your level in martial adept classes determines the highest level manuever you can learn."
Your reading is very very one dimensional and you seem to be lawyering your wording of the text to exclude any opposing text. A character cannot learn a higher level manuever than their "initiator level" would allow.
Your reading is very very one dimensional and you seem to be lawyering your wording of the text to exclude any opposing text. A character cannot learn a higher level manuever than their "initiator level" would allow.
Possibly so. I simple see it as RAW. Initiator level is, certainly, possessed by non-martial adepts. But it's never mentioned in the feat. And the rule regarding selecting martial maneuvers specifies that it applied to martial adept classes. Therefore, a non-martial adept class is not governed by the rule regarding selecting martial maneuvers, and is only restricted by the limitations specific to the feat.
Like I said, I don't see it as particularly broken, because the ability to, say, full attack twice in one round or throw someone if you win a trip check once a fight at level 2 isn't a big deal to me. Being able to deal an extra 100 points of damage or hand out some serious ability damage to a single target might be slightly more important, but if I as a DM can't compensate for the fact that one of my players can oneshot one thing in each fight, I probably have more to worry about than how initiator level affects a feat. And since I prefer campaigns that run long and/or tend to start at slightly higher levels, dumping five or six feats to be able to oneshot the first couple of "boss" characters would seriously backfire for my players in the long run. (I should add that I motivate my players to keep their characters alive by reducing the point buy of new characters if the previous one died because of player stupidity... and dying because your build was gimped for late-game play so that you could blow through the first couple of stages of the game would count.)
I suspect a lot of the perspective on how OP this trick would be depends on DM and game type. My group, in several years of playing, has run exactly one game that lasted less than eight levels, so we tend towards a longer perspective when it comes to character builds. If your group tends towards short adventures, this would undoubtedly be OP. 
Well fair enough I guess. The one rule that I can't help but hate and love is that "The DM has full control and may do whatever he/she wishes." So many times I've wanted to argue with my DM's about rulings but usually I end up shutting up when they throw that rule at me...... Ahhh so irritating and yet I love it myself as a DM.
I can understand your logic on how it is not broken. Gimping a character in the long run for short torm enjoyment isn't always the best idea.
If initiator level didn't matter for the purposes of acquiring maneuvers with Martial Study/Stance, then all you need to do is be a human Warblade 1 to be completely broken.
Human
Warblade 1 Maneuvers known: Punishing Stance, Steel Wind, Steely Strike
Lvl-1 Feats: Martial Stance: Supreme Blade Parry, Martial Study: Strike of Perfect Clarity
Now we have a level-1 character who has DR 5/- and can one shot things every other round.
Also, how does Battle Jump work with Tiger Claw maneuvers? Can this be used to turn a standing jump (leap of the heavens) used in conjunction with a Tiger Claw maneuver to gain a charge attack against an ajacent foe?
As for the Eternal Daughter Hood mentioned above, my opinion as the guide's author is Island in Time requires your full dedication. You could get many benefits like a Cleric level for Travel Devotion and the Time domain, but that prevents you from getting Island in Time pre-epic, short of DM leniency.
As for the Eternal Daughter Hood mentioned above, my opinion as the guide's author is Island in Time requires your full dedication. You could get many benefits like a Cleric level for Travel Devotion and the Time domain, but that prevents you from getting Island in Time pre-epic, short of DM leniency.
Oops, I totally didn't realise you were the author, my bad ><
So do you think Eternal Daughter would be a good build for low-level play, though? My main concern is early effectiveness (starting at level-3) that scales well. AKA no builds designed to "kick in" at level 10, or 20, or so forth, something that's strong to begin with, which ramps up from there.
Another build I'm considering is a TWF-build with Stormguard and Robilar's, as follows:
Human Warblade 18/Fighter 2, starting stats: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 8
War 1 1**Two-Weapon Fighting, Leap of the Heavens
War 2 2
War 3 3*Close-Quarters Fighting
War 4 4 (+1 dex)
War 5 5*Iron Heart Aura
F 1 6**Stormguard Warrior, Imp. Two-Weapon Fighting
War 6 7
war 7 8 (+1 dex)
war 8 9*Combat Expertise
war 9 10*Combat Reflexes
war 10 11
F 2 12**Robilar's Gambit, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting (+1 dex)
War 11 13
War 12 14
War 13 15**Defensive Sweep, Improved Initiative
War 14 16 (+1 dex)
War 15 17
War 16 18*Overwhelming Assault
War 17 19*Blind-Fight
War 18 20 (+1 str)
The rationale for the feat selection and timing is as follows. First, no Combat Reflexes early on. AoO's sacrificed to Channel the Storm dont count towards your limit per round, so Reflexes only comes in handy when Robilar's kicks in. Leap of the Heavens is taken instead of Leaping Dragon stance so as to obtain Stormguard and Imp TWF as early as possible. If I wanted to take the stance, I'd have to delay my 4th Warblade level till Clvl 6, which would preclude me taking either Imp TWF or Stormguard till level-9. This also allows you to stay in Blood in the Water stance as your primary stance until you get Prey on the Weak later on.
First major power increase happens at 6, where you can charge up a Rhythm with 4 attacks a round, and then follow up with a Strike, either Claw at the Moon or Emerald Razor against a high-AC target. Second power increase happens at 12, where you gain Greater TWF and Robilar's, with Expertise and Reflexes coming in just beforehand to synergise with Robilar's. Defensive Sweep and Overwhelming Assault kick in late to give more situational bonuses, both of which are particularly effective when flanking a target that's focussed on someone else - such as a more tanky character.
Any feedback on the last build posted? My character creation session is tomorrow, so I'll have to have my mind made up and have a build finalised before then, any feedback/input is much appreciated
It looks functional, if that's what you're asking... really, as long as you're happy with it, you're golden. If you really just want something warblade and game-breaking, let me recommend a build I put together a long time ago that can be located here:
Eternal Daughter does a similar thing to the other builds, but the other builds have more utility. A Rogue1/Cleric1/PsyWar1 hurts if you can't stack BAB but rocks if you can. You can move as a swift action (Travel Devotion) along walls (Up the Walls) and trigger Battle Jump that way.
Eternal Daughter is for the tough dragoon. If you enjoy having full BAB and lots of HP, go that route.