Swiss Army Knife build

[feral_child]

3.5 here

I'm trying to think of a build for a character that has as much utility as possible. I want to be able to do any job well, though obviously not as good as a specialist. I want to excel at melee combat, ranged combat, and using skills outside of combat. However I don't want to be a spellcaster (personal preference).

I have two ideas at the moment: a Swift Hunter and an Invisible Blade.

I am trying to find a solid medium as a Swift Hunter to be able to apply skirmish damage effectively to melee and ranged fighting (whichever is more convenient in the encounter). I also would like to use my full attack action while using skirmish, which is best done with Travel Devotion and a Cleric dip for Turn Undead, but that leaves me with experience penalties. Additionally, I'm not sure how much of each class (Ranger and Scout) to take.

My Invisible Blade idea is a rogue who carries many many knives on his person. The idea is to abuse Sneak Attack damage. Flanking and Feinting are great with Invisible Blade, but I want more. I kind of like the Flick of the Wrist feat, though I'm not sure how effective it will turn out. I can dip into Master Thrower for a special ability that allows a sort of ranged feint for Sneak Attack damage, which is nice. Additionally Master Thrower can allow me to throw two knives simultaneously with one hand. Getting rid of my knives allows me to use Flick of the Wrist as well. Not entirely sure how effective a build like this would turn out.

Well, those are my ideas. Please help me either optimize those or give me an idea of your own.

[weenog]

Druid 20 with Natural Spell is the poster build for "Anything you can do, I can do kinda."

[KellKheraptis]

Druid 20 with Natural Spell is the poster build for "Anything you can do, I can do kinda."

So true, and mirrored by Clerics and Wizards, and stomped to the curb by Erudites

I would say see if the DM will allow Swift Hunter combining with other classes that add to FE, and then build a Slayer.

[Shadowhunter]

If you are digging the Invisible Blade idea, here's a good link for you to feast your eyes upon.
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9073.0

Ranged Feint is a trap.
It requires a move action.
This means you can't full attack.
Trust me, I've been there. It's not impressive.

[Jackinthegreen]

Is there a dial on the spellcaster bit?  Factotums are partial casters and have incredible utility.  In many cases they can even do some jobs equal to or better than a specialist.  For example, they can find and disarm traps better than a rogue because they can focus on Int so much.

[Maat_Mons]

My first though for switching between melee and ranged combat is brutal throw (Complete Adventurer), which allows you to use strength instead of dexterity on attack rolls with thrown weapons.  Gloves of endless javelins (Magic Item Compendium p194) is one way to avoid running out of weapons.  Alternatively, bloodstorm blade (Tome of Battle) and whisperknife (Races of the Wild) both have class features that make a thrown weapon return to you fast enough to full attack with it. 

[feral_child]

I do really like that Bloodstorm Blade class. Are there any particularly fun classes/feats/items that go along well with him?

[Caelic]

I do really like that Bloodstorm Blade class. Are there any particularly fun classes/feats/items that go along well with him?

Hurl Opponent.

I'm also very fond of Bloodstorm Blade/Drunken Masters

[PhaedrusXY]

I do really like that Bloodstorm Blade class. Are there any particularly fun classes/feats/items that go along well with him?

Knock-down should be fun, since IIRC it lets you treat your thrown weapon attacks as melee attacks.

[Phoenix00]

I do really like that Bloodstorm Blade class. Are there any particularly fun classes/feats/items that go along well with him?

Not all the tricks for the bloodstorm blade, but many tricks are compiled as a single build here.
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=12015.0

2 or 6 levels of Fighter can get you dungeoncrasher, which works nice with bloodstorm blade and something that gives you bull rush such as knockback (races of stone)  Here are some good ways to improve bull rush
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143292

[Phoenix00]

Note see if you can get your DM to do a houserule or two related to the tier system if your are going a melee class or a sneak class and your teammates are using spellcasters and are not idiots..  I suggest Option 2 (limited gestalt)

(See here for the tier system and some suggested houserules)
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5293.0

A Bloodstorm blade can be a very nice beat stick and battlefield control if you build him correctly, but underneath it all he is still thog and is limited to just combat, he may rock for combat but that is about it.  If your DM lets you do a partial gestalt anytime you take a martial class such as barbarian, fighter, or a martial adept with the expert class, now at least your big stupid fighter (which can also control the battlefield) has 6+ skills instead of 2+ so he can do some things kinda useful outside of combat especially since he has to keep int low to do something melee, as well as having a decent will save so he is not completely screwed via that dominate person spell.  Such a houserule makes a fighter more usefule, while a wizard is throwing out solid fogs, black tentacles, and enervations limiting combat with his 4th level spells while using his 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells outside of combat for everything else (charm person for face, knock to open doors, alter self/disguise self for sneak and appear as someone else, etc)

[Dusk Eclipse]

a Swift Hunter using Mystic Ranger and SotAO is IMO one of the most versatile builds

A simple scout 3/Mystic ranger 17 is pretty good, with access to level 5 wizard spells and ranger spells (which have some gems in them, particularly the ones from the SC), huge amount of skills, good BAB and decent saves.

[JaronK]

Avoiding casting, Binder gets you most of the way there except for the lack of Trapfinding (they may get even that at higher levels).  You can switch roles day by day.  You could always dip Rogue, Factotum, or similar and then use Able Learner to keep your Search up.

JaronK

[Cagemarrow]

If by Binder Trap Finding you mean sending the Earth Elemental first.

I love binders as noted by the recent ECL 15 binder thread, or check the handbooks if you're interested in those. With the right build they can be ridiculously useful in nearly all situations and after EBL 14 wealth really isn't a problem for them anymore either.

[Lycanthromancer]

Shaper psion/3.5 constructor can handle damned near anything by level 3, assuming they take the feat in Hyperconscious that allows them to use astral constructs for 10 minutes each.

And they're not spellcasters! They're psionic manifesters! So n'yah!

[amalcon]

The easiest way to get skirmish on a full attack is mounted archery.  It takes minimal resources to get:  a warhorse is cheap, and the Mounted Archery feat isn't needed as long as your mount only single-moves.  It's especially nice on a Swift Hunter because you have an animal companion anyway, so you can get a horse or riding dog for free.

Melee is more difficult.  You're right that Travel Devotion with a cleric dip is generally the best way to do it.  The Wizard Abrupt Jaunt ASF and the psionic power Dimension Hop are also one-level-access options.  Two-Weapon Spring Attack and Rapid Blitz works, but it's pretty feat intensive if you want archery capabilities as well.

If you like the whole mounted thing, Wild Plains Outrider 3 or Cavalier 6 will let you make a full melee attack as long as your mount makes no more than a single move.  You would need to do something about the attacks of opportunity, as on most rounds you'll end up riding in a circle before making the full attack.  By RAW, you can use your mount for cover with a DC15 Ride check as a non-action, coming out of cover after movement to make your actual attacks.  Cover prevents attacks of opportunity.  Of course, that doesn't protect your mount!

[Jackinthegreen]

Technically by RAW Skirmish doesn't work while mounted.  The errata explicitly states "The skirmish ability cannot be used while mounted."  Most DM's handwave that though since it's stupid that Skirmish wouldn't work but Sneak Attack does, among other kinds of extra damage.

[amalcon]

Riight, completely missed that.  Carry on, then.

[Tr011]

However I don't want to be a spellcaster (personal preference).

Not at all or not "just" a spellcaster? If you don't wanna cast at all, take Mage Slayer. If you don't go Mage Slayer, dip cleric 1 (there's even a Handbook for this).

For Bloodstorm Blade, you should consider Fling Enemy (SS Feat). It really rocks to grab one enemy (oh yeah, Barbarian 1 is a must and you should take Improved Grab or Pounce there) and throw that enemy vs. every other target in 600ft. range.