After witnessing CHA to saves x 4 with another player, though, he instituted the following houserule: An ability score cannot add its bonus to a condition, save, attack or damage modifier, unless the TYPE and SOURCE of the bonus it adds is explicitly different. So, if a PrC lets CHA add a Competence bonus to Saves, it would stack with a Paladin's bonus.
This DM is also historically one that is tight-fisted with treasure and ye olde magick shoppes, so that gaining higher level bonuses to hit and damage becomes problematic. Even so, I'd like to make a combat monkey for his campaign, as a change of pace from my typical sorcerers and theurges. He's given added incentive by allowing 36 point buy for non-casters, 32 point buy for half-casters, and 28 point buy for full casters.
With that in mind, I've cobbled together the following incomplete build. My goal here is to get as many automatic bonuses to hit or damage as possible, without relying on stacking (which he forbade) or magic (which may or may not be available). Please review it and let me know any glaring issues, as well as any ideas you might have for rounding it out. He runs a psionic-free campaign world, but is otherwise open to most any published WotC book on a case by case basis.
LG: Grey Elf STR 14 DEX 14 CON 12 INT 16 WIS 14 CHA 14
Fighter 1: Mounted Combat, Combat Expertise
Ftr 1/Swash 1: EWP Elven Courtblade
Ftr 1/Swash 2: WFinesse, Dodge
Ftr 1/Swash 3: INT to damage, INT +1
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Ranger 1: Track
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Rgr 2: TWF, SF: Weaponsmithing
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Rgr 3: Endurance
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Rgr 3/Paladin 1: INT +1, Smite
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Rgr 3/Pdn 1/Champion of Corellon Larethian 1: Improved Disarm, Extra Smite
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Rgr 3/Pdn 1/CoCL 2: Elegant Strike
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Rgr 3/Pdn 1/CoCL 2/Stoneblessed 1:
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Rgr 3/Pdn 1/CoCL 2/Sbd 2: WF: Warhammer, INT +1
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Rgr 3/Pdn 1/CoCL 2/Sbd 3:
Ftr 1/Swash 3/Rgr 3/Pdn 1/CoCL 2/Sbd 3/Battlesmith 1: One with the Hammer, Craft Magic Arms and Armor
Second thing...why aren't you taking Ranger 1 at 1st. As long as you go Ranger 1/Fighter 2/Swa 3/Ranger +2, you should not get an XP penalty until you add Pally. Going with Ranger at 1 is going to triple your base starting skill points and only delay your feat tree by one level.
No matter how you do it, though, that single level of Pally is going to throw you into XP mod territory. If you take a 2nd level in Pally, though, you'll only have the -10% for one level. (that is, unless that's 'prestige pally' and I just missed it).
Also, there are prestige classes that give turn undead, maybe that + Divine Might instead? Smite is only once per day...
Tome of Battle is conspicuously absent - is that intended ?
Jury's still out with him on ToB. He said he might allow it at some point but isn't sure yet.
On the plus side, this means that by the time he makes up his mind - like, toward the end of the build - I'd be able to get much spiffier maneuvers than I could at low levels.
I think you got your levels screwed up, as Swashie get's Weapon Finesse at 1st and not second. It looks like you intended to go Figh 2/Swa 3/... based on your feats.
Second thing...why aren't you taking Ranger 1 at 1st. As long as you go Ranger 1/Fighter 2/Swa 3/Ranger +2, you should not get an XP penalty until you add Pally. Going with Ranger at 1 is going to triple your base starting skill points and only delay your feat tree by one level.
No matter how you do it, though, that single level of Pally is going to throw you into XP mod territory. If you take a 2nd level in Pally, though, you'll only have the -10% for one level. (that is, unless that's 'prestige pally' and I just missed it).
yes, copy-paste error put Finesse at the wrong level. Mea Cupla.
Ranger wasn't at 1st level because, um, look! an obvious distraction! Because it was a first draft, really.
DM doesn't normally worry too much about multiclassing for XP penalties, and even if he did, his ruling in this case - based on precedent - would be that my Ranger and Swash levels are even, and my Fighter and Pally levels are even, so no penalty.
Also, there are prestige classes that give turn undead, maybe that + Divine Might instead? Smite is only once per day...
If there's a PrC that grants Turn Undead without requiring caster levels, I'd love it. I'm not recalling/spotting one at the moment. The second I'm able to cast spells (except through UMD), DM would SMITE 4 points off the build. Knowing him, they'd be to CON.
As it is right now, I'd need to put Aptitude on an Earth Hammer (magic of Rokugan, p. 66), or find some way to Finesse it otherwise, to get maximum punch from the build.
Ranger for tier one two-weapon fighting is not all that great. Paladin for a few smites a day also not impressive.
Maybe Fighter 2/ Swash 3/ Kensia 7/ Champion of Corellon Larethian 2 if you can swing all the feats (or switch to book of nine swords classes). Then you can dump wis and cha pushing up your str and dex. A +7 weapon in a low magic world should do the damage you need.
Also pick a decent metal if you can for your weapon. There are ones that add damage in magic of faerun. The metalline magic weapon properity at +2 is also interesting, allowing you to change the weapons metal. Also Tome of Magic has the shadowstrike property at +3 I think. If you hit a beasty once, the following hits bypass DR. That property in particular can keep up your damage.
Is the Book of exalted deeds allowed? If you have the time to craft and you are mainly looking to push your weapon, why not take the ancestral relic feat. You sac materials of equal gp value to get a bonus on your one specific item. That means when your party goes to sell items, keep your share unsold. Instead of getting 50%, you will get full value for the sacrifice. This will increase you gold intake while eliminating the need for a spell caster or magic shop to upgrade your weapon. Also lets say you find a nasty evil weapon that you cannot sell for cash (being lawful good). On the alter it goes. Destroy a weapon and convert it to good effectively.