Male azurin: ardent 1/binder 3/swordsage 1 (yeah I know the xp penalty, rest of the party has it also)
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 14
SQ: discipline focus (weapon focus-shadow hand), pact augmentation (attack +1), quick to act +1, suppress sign
Flaws: light sensitivity (dragon mag), insomnia (dragon mag)
Feats: adaptive style, armor (light, medium, heavy), ectopic form (amber tunneler), improved binding, practiced manifester, shape soulmeld (mantle of flame), shield proficiency (except tower), skin of the construct, weapon proficiency (martial melee, simple)
Skills: autohypnosis +2, concentration +7, diplomacy +7, hide +6, intimidate +7, knowledge (psionics, the planes) +2, move silently +6, psicraft +2
Mantles: creation, light and darkness (needed darkvision as we are playing in the underdark)
Power Points: 3, Powers: astral construct, claws of darkness (maybe psionic minor creation)
Soulmelds: mantle of flame 1 (each melee attacker takes 2d6 fire damage)
Maneuvers & Stances: burning brand, child of shadow, cloak of deception, emerald razor, fire riposte, hatchling's flame, shadow jaunt
Vestige Typically Bound: Paimon (dance of death, Dex +4, proficiency & weapon finesse with rapier & short sword, dance & tumble bonus, whirlwind attack)
Uses astral construct + skin of the construct to further increase versatility (add flight, one of various combat feats-namely mobility, etc… as well as d8 temp HP)
So other then equipment (which suggestions would be greatly appreciated), that is the basic build. Any ideas of how to make it better? Would a different one of the martial classes be a better choice (i.e. crusader or warblade)? I tried to choose classes that multiclass well. Anyway, your thoughts and advice are welcomed.
If you go for binding paimon, I'd consider going for high strength and a reach weapon. With dance of death/whirlwind attack, you can make a LOT of attacks when facing a lot of opponents (find a way to fly to attack even more, if possible), add steel wind (warblade) to even take a move and make 2 attacks.
H ere are a couple of reasons I made these choices and you can see how my logic holds:
I dumped Str because it is my only non needed stat and it would effect only damage, as paimon gives weapon finesse with a short sword or rapier…
The characters attack with a masterwork (at least) short sword is +9 (+4 for Dex, +2 BAB, +1 weapon focus, +1 pact augmentation, +1 masterwork) that seems alright for level 5 (i could be wrong)
I can gain flight through skin of the construct (I can also gain mobility, or cleave, etc. through the single menu A choice)
With a mithral chain shirt +1 and a shield, the builds AC becomes 20 (with paimon bound) that also seems fairly good
HP ends up at 41 with 49 possible (again when using skin of the construct)
Though the swordsage provides weapon focus with spiked chain, i do not believe it gives proficiency… so that is a rough pill of a feat to swallow… but may look into a magical way around that.
Some things I had to choose (such as light and darkness as a mantle, i needed darkvision)
So in a normal combat the build will usually have:
AC 20, HP 41 (with up to 8 temporary), short sword +9, any melee attacker takes 2d6 fire damage and can up that to 6d6 now and then with fire riposte, can fly if needed for 5 rounds, teleport now and then, dance of death and mantle of flame (and mobility, my usual choice for skin of the construct) make a very fun combo, run all over cutting people, provoking AoO's (which will often miss) that if taken can hurt them worse then my blade…
I tried to find some abilities that allow me to make a fair amount of attacks as touch attacks (to deal with high AC foes)… and if I choose psionic minor creation, i could do the poison creation trick if needed (though a bit risky to do often)
The party is not far from lvl 6 when I will take another Ardent level and it really busts open, as the build can already manifest at a decent power level (lvl 3 powers-right?, though not enough power points yet… yet), though a lvl 1 swordsage (taken at lvl 5) i can choose level 2 powers, and bind 3rd level vestiges… the skin of the construct thing just gives me more added flexibility to modify the character on the fly…
Is HP 41 and an attack of +9 bad at level 5?
- attack bonus: +9 isn't bad at level 5. It's not great either, a full bab character, putting it's highest stat in strength will come up a few points though. You have low bab though, which means it will take some time before you get your 2nd attack. As long as there are more opponents, dance of death and whirlwind attack ensure that you can make several attacks, prolly even more then a full bab class at level 5. But if there is only one opponent, or a lot of space between opponents, you'll have only one attack, with a bit lower attack bonus then an average level 5 melee char I think.
- skin of the construct: damn that one's good, I didn't know it! Really good way to aquire flight at low level, or gain an extra feat.
- AC 20: seems ok. Most full plated characters will have something like this as well, and big CR 5 creatures (trolls, huge construct, elementals) have something between +9 and +12 to hit, so should hit you 50% of the time.
- hp 41: I don't see this one, might be missing something. Binder =d8, ardent d6, swordsage d6. Assume first level binder 8 hp, +4.5 +4.5 + 3.5 +3.5 (other class levels), + 5 (constitution modifier 1 for each hd), and I get to 29. With 1d8 temporary from the skin of the construct, that's 33 hp (average). Most melee characters will have a lot higher AC's, also cause they have less ability scores to worry about, for example, barbarian 5 with con 14 would have 12 + (4 x 6.5) + 10 = 48, 58 in rage.
- you do have a point that your not the most interesting target, with the mantle of fire and fire riposte, which should compensate a bit, and can have mobility active.
- I don't think a 2nd level of ardent will allow you level 3 powers... psionic works differently then the manouvers granted from swordsage, your manifester level with 2 levels of ardent is 2 (not also 1/2 other levels, as for initiator level). Ardent says "... must be able to manifest the new power at the level at which she learns it", and you can't manifest a level 3 power at level 2 (at level 2 you only can manifest level 1 powers).
Just some thoughts. Also important: until what level will you play this character (probably). I fit's for a campaign that will go on for a long time, I'd look a head also in which direction you want to take it.
As for HP, our DM gives Max HP for our first 3 levels (he runs a tough game so they are needed). The swordsage is a d8 class (not d6), and he allows the alternating half-thing for HP per level after 3rd (i.e. d8 HD = 5 HP, then 4 HP, then 5 HP etc.)…
So Con 13 (+1 HP per level) with Binder 3 for 24 HP (1st three levels), 4 for the Ardent level, and 5 for the swordsage, +5 Con bonus.
Total = 38 HP (not 41 as I wrote earlier)
Also, with the Ardent, the max level of power to be able to manifest is based on ML not class level (at least as I understand it from reading the book and the boards here), so with practiced binder a 5th level character with 1 level of Ardent could manifest 3rd level powers (but the build does not have 5 power points yet, 6th level will fix that problem). Am I missing something here? There is no maximum power level known column for them… so it's based on manifester level as per the description in CP… again, I think that's right?)
A 5th level fighter with a Str 16, weapon focus, and a +1 weapon is: (weapon) +10… so I don't feel to bad about a +9….
For this build, Shadow Jaunt is what i consider a reset button. If I run out of maneuvers, teleport 50' (out of most enemies range to move and attack), Child of Shadow then provides concealment, Hide, spend next turn recovering maneuvers, then return.
I am going to look into the idea of a Rapier of Sizing, to see if I can use it to provide reach (at the cost of attack -2 for using a weapon of larger size then it should be), nothing indicates that a weapon of sizing changes the needed proficiency to wield it as it grows (or shrinks).
I think I might grab the Freedom mantle next level (taking Ardent), to gain the +10' speed when focused and more teleportation methods (Dimension Hop) or maybe Hustle.
Any good thoughts on possible PrC's? I am a bit stumped on that one… thinking I may just stick with these three classes… but I would really enjoy some good ideas on that one.
I like this build because it kind of sneaks up on you… when you first look at it on paper, it does not really jump out at you. But, when all the "hidden" effects start stacking up, it seems to work rather well.
Gl in any case, I'm curious wether the build will work out as you intent it to!
And again it is easy to forget how variable the build is… with a good number of other vestige choices, the additional perks provided by the menu a choice of Skin of the Construct… I can really change a large amount of the characters base capabilities.
If the Sizing Rapier for reach idea works… I can gain a 15' reach (with burning brand) for a small reduction to attack.
I toyed with some builds using other martial adept classes, and just did not seem to hit something really nice with what I had to work with… Though the Warblade offered me a neat option… with these powers chosen at Warblade 1, you should be able to cycle them through each and every turn: emerald razor, sudden leap, wall of blades… even with the swift action recover, I believe you could burn through the set and recover them every turn…
But I think I am happy with the synergy the swordsage provides...
The thing I keep forgetting is, I can also create an Amber Tunneler (even a medium one if needed) while still manifesting Skin of the construct and both last 5 rounds…
Just to add to the builds ability to deal damage from surprising sources.
I really like this character idea, though I think I'd so a slight variation to use whirlwind attack & a glaive or guisarme (with improved trip). A build like that might be a really solid entry point to the elocator PrC. Also, taking a few more levels of anything followed by another swordsage level will provide access to third level shadow hand maneuvers and assassin's stance (which gives you sneak attack 2d6). Then three rogue levels for evasion
.... i'll stop, lol. All in all i like this buildHe is happier with me building a steel dragon wyrmling then this….
Also… a Morphing and Sizing Short Sword +1 may fit best with your suggestion though the build loses a lot when you step away from the short sword (rapier being a close second), that is why I was looking into trying to gain reach with simply a sizing weapon.